My 10 Gallon Freshwater
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
So a few months ago I made the mistake of telling my mom that it might help aggression to move decorations around. Now she is telling me that "before I do anything else I HAVE to move around the decorations" and that "my stubbornness is going to kill Sammy" and other things like that to guilt me into wasting an hour to clean the tank and move the decorations. Is it even a good idea to move the fake plants and rocks right now?
I believe the suggestion to rescape a tank is aimed at territorial fish and will have little effect here.
If this tank was mine I would bump up the male guppy numbers, and go for easy maintenance live plants, the more the better. This will disperse aggression and give harassed fish places to hide.
If this tank was mine I would bump up the male guppy numbers, and go for easy maintenance live plants, the more the better. This will disperse aggression and give harassed fish places to hide.
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Would 4 guppies be enough? Or are you thinking more of 6-8 guppies? I have 2 harlequin rasboras, and need to get 2 more when my LFS has them in stock, and this tank is a 10 gallon (~40 L). I know this is a journal thread, but I do have a lot of questions...
So neither Max OR Coral will leave Sammy alone. They follow him around incessantly and will bite him occasionally. I don't know how to fix this except for getting more guppies, and I'm not sure how many more guppies it will take.
Also, Sammy is the biggest fish in the tank, yet he is not fighting back. I think he's very shy, as he will dart away when anybody moves outside the tank. If I get one or two more male guppies, will they side with him, do you think?
So neither Max OR Coral will leave Sammy alone. They follow him around incessantly and will bite him occasionally. I don't know how to fix this except for getting more guppies, and I'm not sure how many more guppies it will take.
Also, Sammy is the biggest fish in the tank, yet he is not fighting back. I think he's very shy, as he will dart away when anybody moves outside the tank. If I get one or two more male guppies, will they side with him, do you think?
With the caveat that I do not keep either species at present, harlequins generally prefer softer water than guppies, and need to be kept in bigger numbers than four. Going by the excellent http
/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trigonostigma-heteromorpha/ side, they also need a tank slightly bigger than yours.
Trading them in to the LFS would free space for a few more guppies, which might help with the aggression. Fish do not pick sides! But might pick at naturally weak individuals. I do not believe that is what is happening here. Male guppies naturally spar and compete for female attention. Guppies do appreciate a planted tank, so providing more cover in the form of live plants might also help. Have you had a look at http/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/poecilia-reticulata/ ?
/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/trigonostigma-heteromorpha/ side, they also need a tank slightly bigger than yours. Trading them in to the LFS would free space for a few more guppies, which might help with the aggression. Fish do not pick sides! But might pick at naturally weak individuals. I do not believe that is what is happening here. Male guppies naturally spar and compete for female attention. Guppies do appreciate a planted tank, so providing more cover in the form of live plants might also help. Have you had a look at http
/www.seriouslyfish.com/species/poecilia-reticulata/ ?
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Yup! I do need to get more live plants... I have 4 plastic plants that I need to get rid of, but love the look of, and I cannot find the same plants live. I can post this photo... the two red ones, the grassy stuff, and the insanely green tufted plant are plastic. Oh and so is the little bonsai tree.
EDIT- Bonsai tree is not in the photo. I thought it was. Neither is the grass. I need a better photo!
EDIT- Bonsai tree is not in the photo. I thought it was. Neither is the grass. I need a better photo!
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Sammy bit back at Max for the first time this morning! Max isn't biting Sammy anymore. I still think I need one or two more guppies...
On the subject of the rasboras. I promise, as SOON as I get a bigger tank, I will put them (or the guppies, whichever will be easier to catch...) in it and (hopefully) have rasbora babies!
Oh, one more thing. I discovered that I have both male and female rasboras. How easy is it for them to reproduce in a 10 gallon tank with not many plants? (I'm hoping for not-so-hard because fry are adorable!)
On the subject of the rasboras. I promise, as SOON as I get a bigger tank, I will put them (or the guppies, whichever will be easier to catch...) in it and (hopefully) have rasbora babies!
Oh, one more thing. I discovered that I have both male and female rasboras. How easy is it for them to reproduce in a 10 gallon tank with not many plants? (I'm hoping for not-so-hard because fry are adorable!)
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Well. Busy few weeks. On Sunday, I went to my LFS and got two more harlequins. So now I have four harlequins, Harley (youngest), Quinn (oldest), Rain, and Bo. And a snail I named Joe. Don't even ask why.
Today I woke up to Sammy with a split tail that has black edging around the split, and Coral has his black dots on his tail nipped (or shredded) off. I think it is the plastic plants. I really need to get my mom to take me over to Petsmart later in the week to get real plants. I did put Melafix in to prevent infections (and I also got the two new fish and snail) in his tail. Max might just be the whole problem, although I lean towards the plants for Coral, and Max for Sammy. Neither be nor my parents can afford a new tank for Max or more guppies. I really don't know what to do.
Also, suggestions for another tank or more guppies ARE NOT HELPFUL, as I can't afford either. I do appreciate any other help you might be able to give though.
I'm not sure I want to keep with this hobby much longer. I've already failed thrice.
Today I woke up to Sammy with a split tail that has black edging around the split, and Coral has his black dots on his tail nipped (or shredded) off. I think it is the plastic plants. I really need to get my mom to take me over to Petsmart later in the week to get real plants. I did put Melafix in to prevent infections (and I also got the two new fish and snail) in his tail. Max might just be the whole problem, although I lean towards the plants for Coral, and Max for Sammy. Neither be nor my parents can afford a new tank for Max or more guppies. I really don't know what to do.
Also, suggestions for another tank or more guppies ARE NOT HELPFUL, as I can't afford either. I do appreciate any other help you might be able to give though.
I'm not sure I want to keep with this hobby much longer. I've already failed thrice.
I fear I will be repeating myself.
Four is an insufficient number for the harlequins. They also want softer water than the guppies. If you are set on keeping both species and in more ideal numbers, your tank could get crowded. Trading one species in to make room for a proper number of the other is an option, and as you say your water is absurdly hard the best bet might be to focus on guppies.
More live plant cover is always good, I recommend floating plants alongside planted ones if you can find them, but unless you address the root cause at some point you risk seeing repeat incidents of the aggression issues.
Four is an insufficient number for the harlequins. They also want softer water than the guppies. If you are set on keeping both species and in more ideal numbers, your tank could get crowded. Trading one species in to make room for a proper number of the other is an option, and as you say your water is absurdly hard the best bet might be to focus on guppies.
More live plant cover is always good, I recommend floating plants alongside planted ones if you can find them, but unless you address the root cause at some point you risk seeing repeat incidents of the aggression issues.
OP
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Busy month again. All will settle down soon...
Max stopped biting Sammy!
So yesterday, I was lounging on the sofa next to the fish tank, as usual. I looked up... and saw 6 snail babies. I blame Joe.
Today, I woke up to: about 30 snail EGGS on a leaf. I blame Joe again.
As soon as these little buggers are big enough to pick up, I'm going to take them to my LFS and hopefully they will take them. Until then, I'm going to stay on top of my water changes. Twice a week... because my tank was already fully stocked, and now it's overstocked with SNAILS! (In inquisitive voice) Joooooeee!
Max stopped biting Sammy!
So yesterday, I was lounging on the sofa next to the fish tank, as usual. I looked up... and saw 6 snail babies. I blame Joe.
Today, I woke up to: about 30 snail EGGS on a leaf. I blame Joe again.
As soon as these little buggers are big enough to pick up, I'm going to take them to my LFS and hopefully they will take them. Until then, I'm going to stay on top of my water changes. Twice a week... because my tank was already fully stocked, and now it's overstocked with SNAILS! (In inquisitive voice) Joooooeee!
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Ok. Let me do some explaining. I just got a large new harp and so we had to move lots of furniture around. This meant moving the fish tank. Both tank and stand are OK, but everything's going wrong now. I have found a small ich spot on Quinn, my biggest harlequin. How do I treat ich? And I STILL have no quarantine tank. I'm panicking. Sorry about no photo, but my camera's acting up again, and my tablet has a bad camera. I'm certain it's ich, as Quinn's upper lip has a salt-crystal-looking spot. D:
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Quinn is OK. His lip is better. Snails are still being annoying. My family has just started a huge project: ripping out our back porch and replacing it. So, I have neglected my fish. All they get is food. No water changes. Last one was 3 weeks ago.
The new porch gives me an opportunity to ask my dad for a fish pond. I do not know what it takes to keep a fish pond, or whether Koi would be OK in my really hot weather. If there are any articles about how to take care if a fish pond that you guys know about, please send me to them.
The new porch gives me an opportunity to ask my dad for a fish pond. I do not know what it takes to keep a fish pond, or whether Koi would be OK in my really hot weather. If there are any articles about how to take care if a fish pond that you guys know about, please send me to them.
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
This is cute.
Joe carries Joe Jr.
Joe carries Joe Jr.
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Coral, March 2016-July 2016. One of my most docile fish. Sammy, April 2016-July 2016. The bullied one. This one broke my heart.
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HarpyFishLover
Fishaholic
Man it's been a while! I've still got Old Man Max over here... hehe. That's one fish who just won't let go. It'll be really sad when he dies.
I think my harlequins play a game a little like Chicken in the current... they will get right next to each other in the current and swim as long as they can, until WHACK! one of them hits the other with his tail. Then, they will disperse and do something else.
I recently acquired 2 cory cats and LOVE them. Just so adorable!
I tried to fix my snail issue with a single monkey loach, but I think there are too many for him. He's extremely fat... but not slow! Also, this morning I found poor Kyle's hiding spot. He likes to hide under the little bonsai tree.
I badly need a cave. Poor Kyle hides after every water change and my cories, Dory and Cory, just sit down on the rocks for hours. If I were to get a cave, would they want to be out more?
I think my harlequins play a game a little like Chicken in the current... they will get right next to each other in the current and swim as long as they can, until WHACK! one of them hits the other with his tail. Then, they will disperse and do something else.
I recently acquired 2 cory cats and LOVE them. Just so adorable!
I tried to fix my snail issue with a single monkey loach, but I think there are too many for him. He's extremely fat... but not slow! Also, this morning I found poor Kyle's hiding spot. He likes to hide under the little bonsai tree.
I badly need a cave. Poor Kyle hides after every water change and my cories, Dory and Cory, just sit down on the rocks for hours. If I were to get a cave, would they want to be out more?
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