Just got back from the fishy store!!!

[itiwhetu]

I think they are both males. Females don't usually have a pointed dorsal fin and are shorter in the body. Very rarely do LFS's carry female dwarf Gouramis as they are boring

 

[SarahBeth]

I hope so. Otherwise I'm just gonna let nature take care of any eggs or fry. The guy at the fish store said I could bring them to him but I doubt eggs would survive the drive over.

 

[Essjay]

If they are both males, and males are territorial, they could come to blows. Watch them and have a back up plan, just in case.

 

[SarahBeth]

The red one has chased the other fish here and there but the blue one hasn't at all. Right now the red one is guarding the bubble nest.

 

[SarahBeth]

You took the words out of my mouth. Chloramine is in my tap water and couldn’t figure out why I kept getting ammonia readings. Finally learned that city had changed to chloramine and the ammonia was actually ammonium which is less toxic. I now keep an ammonia alert in my tanks to be sure I’m safe. I read .25ppm ammonia but that is safe on the alert. I also periodically test with a total ammonia kit which shows total ammonia and free ammonia. Water s always safe on this test. Here’s that kit and the monitor.

Just picked up the ammo alert. Have to order the test kit. Local petco didn't have it. I suggested that they carry it since the city uses the chloramine in the water. Unfortunately the fish people weren't there and the clerk looked like what I was telling him went right over his head.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Just picked up the ammo alert. Have to order the test kit. Local petco didn't have it. I suggested that they carry it since the city uses the chloramine in the water. Unfortunately the fish people weren't there and the clerk looked like what I was telling him went right over his head.

The alert will help. I only test for free and total about twice a year. Crazy fish stores! Lol.

 

[Essjay]

Our test kits test for ammonia and ammonium combined.
Ammonia is poisonous to fish, ammonium is a lot less poisonous. That alert will tell you how much of the ammonia reading in a test is in the ammonia form (this is called free ammonia).
There are also calculators to work out much is free ammonia and how much is ammonium - the amount of each depends on the temperature and pH.

 

[SarahBeth]

So the tank has been going for a month now. Hubs is already wanting to change the filter. Normally once a month is what I would do. But since this tank is so new and we are still trying to get the water right I'm reluctant to do the filter. Maybe change the disposable part and not rinse the spongy part yet? Gonna scrub the walls first. I still think we should wait another month to get an algae eater.

 

[SarahBeth]

Also update on nesting gourami. The nest was about 3/4 in thick and a few inches wide and in the corner of the tank. So we went to Houston for the weekend and when we got back the nest was gone. There was a plant that floated to the top surrounding the nest and when we got back it was at the bottom of the tank and the nest was gone. My son was house sitting. Now the plant is back up in the corner and that gourami is building again. That poor boy really wants to care for babies.

 

[Slaphppy7]

So the tank has been going for a month now. Hubs is already wanting to change the filter. Normally once a month is what I would do. But since this tank is so new and we are still trying to get the water right I'm reluctant to do the filter. Maybe change the disposable part and not rinse the spongy part yet? Gonna scrub the walls first. I still think we should wait another month to get an algae eater.

If the tank is cycling, or newly cycled, change nothing in the filter...if the media is dirty, rinse in old tank water, but do not replace.

 

[SarahBeth]

It's been a busy week. We went to Vegas for 3 nights and when we got back the 2nd nest made by the red gourami was gone. But now in the corner opposite of the red's last nest there's new nest and it's being built by the blue gourami. I still want to get an algae eater but I think it's still too soon. Oh and I got the ammonia test kit and the free ammonia is zero. The ammonium is high. The ammonia alert card that can't tell the difference is high as well.

 

[SarahBeth]

I do believe the tank is finally cycled. The ammonia alert card has gone to safe.