It's Been A Busy Week In My Tank!

[Akasha72]

Well ... what a week! It started with the possible sighting of a single cory fry. It's not been seen for a couple of days now so I'm resigning myself to the fact it's been someone's lunch.

My Poor Oto
My last remaining Oto has 'lost' one of his side fins - all that remains is a stump

I noticed at the beginning of the week some blood on his side, I thought he'd maybe cut himself on a bit of bogwood. As the blood subsided I noticed his fin had gone altogether. He doesn't seem too bothered by it, still swims around but today he's looking lethargic and because I know how delicate Oto's are I'm basicly waiting for him to die

Treating for gill/body flukes

Yep, after a good 3 weeks of watching various fish flashing I finally noticed my cories doing it and then my new baby platies ... it was the last straw!
I went to the lfs on Thursday and got some Waterlife Sterazin. The first treatment went in on Thursday and dose No.2 went in this morning. Still seeing the odd flash from various fish but I've no idea how quickly these meds will take effect (anyone?)
I've also noticed they're passing what looks like white tubular poop this morning. They ate a whole slice of courgette over night so that could be the reason but I wondered if it's anything to do with the Sterazin?

What's going on with my plants!

My crypt are covered in a black hairy algae. My platies seem to like having a nibble on it. Leave the black leaves in and don't worry about it or nip them off and get rid?

My baby platies are mad!

Seriously! ... they've all taken to trying to swim against the filter current. One of the older blue tuxedo platies has taken to joining them. I was watching it last night and was reminded of Finding Nemo ... 'Dude!' 'Righteous!'

My new male platy is a busy boy!

Oh yes is he ever lol. One of the tuxedo's has an obvious gravid spot. She's still quite young so I hope she'll be okay and like my old boy he won't leave my sunset female be! Everywhere she goes, he follows! She's not bothered mind .. she seems to like his attention. They make me laugh

and finally ...

I spoilt my background last night

My lovely smooth smart looking black background got a water droplet down it last night. I got up to an ugly air bubbled stain. I know I can sort it by taking the lid off and blowing gently between background and glass to dry it out but it's a pain in the wotsit and I'm annoyed with myself for being a dumb ....

So, there you go ... it's been a mad week in the Juwel Rekord feel free to comment on any of it. I'm always happy to take on advice from anyone willing to share

Hope you all have a great weekend

 

[Akasha72]

...and as if all that wasn't enough I've now got a female guppy looking sickly ... *sigh*

 

[soybean]

Gosh, a lot going on!

The plant problem is caused by an imbalance on lighting, nutrients and the amount of carbon required by the plants. Try the planted section and give specifics of your lights, plants, and any ferts you add etc.

 

[Akasha72]

okay, thanks soybean. I'll take a look

 

[Akasha72]

I've had a look and from what I can make it out it's caused by a lack of CO2. I can't alter the flow of the filter so it's looking like I'll have to live with it. I guess it's all part of keeping fish

so long as it's not harming my fishes it can stay there ... looks kinda funky anyway lol

 

[Akasha72]

I found Oto dead this morning


I'm not going to get anymore, they're too hard to keep

 

[soybean]

Yeah, one of mine started to snuff it on Friday so I clove oiled it. Theyre nice while they last.

Get some shrimp!

 

[Akasha72]

Get some shrimp!

I've not had chance to look for any yet. Me and Dad were going to the lfs today but we're snowed in - maybe tomorrow if the snow clears.
I had to lift the bogwood out to find him, there's no baby cories under there so the one I saw has definitely been lunch


Just out of interest. Is it right that you can't tell the sex of fry until they are around 6 months old? So far all my platy fr look female but surely there must be a male among 14 of them

 

[soybean]

It depends really, start looking out for their anal fins becoming pointier and waving around a bit, even if they haven't turned into full on gonopodiums yet it might be a little indication. I think you'll be able to tell before 6 months anyway.

What are you planning on doing with them?

 

[Akasha72]

I'm a little concerned about inter breeding so I planned to keep the females and take the males to the lfs. Unless interbreeding isn't the issue that I think it is - if it's not and I get a male as pretty as his dad was then I'd be tempted to keep that. At the moment they're all a generic orange colour - no sign of black wag tail male in any of them. As this is my first attempt at breeding platies I've no idea if their colour changes as they mature ...

I've been trying to work out how old they are now, I think they are about 3 months old. I know they were born around xmas but I can't remember exactly when

 

[Akasha72]

I went back on my posts on here and they were born on 10th December so they're not as old as I thought they were