To Lfs It Or Not To Lfs It

[dwarfgourami]

Thanks a lot, folks, that's really great. Your idea about the ammonia sounds brilliant too, Oohfeeshy, except I'd be sure to muck it up, being completely technologically challenged.

 

[dwarfgourami]

Right, I just wanted to update this- and thank everybody who offered advice. My tank finished cycling yesterday, so had long talk with husband. He is not fussed about what I put in my tank, or if I spend a tenner more or less on carrier fees, but the one point he did raise was that he (and for 2 weeks a fishsitter) will be doing a lot of the looking after, as I am going on a big 4-day conference next week, then we are both going on holiday on the 22nd, he will be back after 2 weeks and then be in charge of the tanks for a month until I came back from Sweden. Given that he is not much of a fish person, he said he would rather not be put in charge of anything at all sensitive, anything that might be difficult feeding or anything whose behaviour I was not already familiar with (so I could tell him over the phone if things seemed right). Basically, he doesn't feel confident enough to observe the fish himself and get to know them.

Well, fair enough, can't ask too much of him. I feel that means the peacock gobies get put off until the autumn. Also, the gouramis- I have kept gouramis before, but not for a long time.

In fact what I decided to do was first to ring up the big aquatics shop that had the bristlies and ask if that tank was on the same system as the ones with the ichy gouramis (didn't tell them why). They said it was not, so I decided to risk it. Two bristlenoses, a rather handsome male/female pair are currently getting to know my tank. So far, they are the only residents. (And they are cute )

If all goes well, I shall ring Trimar on Monday and order three limias only. That leaves me a few days to get to know them before I leave for Leeds next Sunday. And they should be reasonably easy to get to grips with. When I get back from Leeds, if all appear healthy, I can start moving platies. And that is all I shall do before the holidays. So for now, I will have 2 bristlies, 3 limias and 7 female platies in a 240 ltr tank. Sounds fairly safe, doesn't it? It will mean two lots of carrier fees from Trimar (as I shall have to order the gobies from there in the autumn)- so in a sense a wasted tenner, but if that keeps me from ruining my holiday by worrying, that will be money well spent. Then I can source the gouramis and neons locally at my leisure.

It also gives room to transfer some guppies around the other tanks to allow for more grow-out space for my guppy fry. And another advantage is, I can spread out the pleasure of getting new species, and get to know them individually. I am sure I'll enjoy my gobies more if I have time to be with them.

 

[SamUK]

man i set up my tank...dropped some decholrinator and some easy balance in that ####

waited like 3 days ... no test nothing....got 3 tiger barbs...they were fine

bang... i had about 8 tiger barbs in a 15g with 2 dwarf gouramis in about a month of time

all good

then time to upgrade a lil

so i got the 29 gallon

i put some good water from the 15g into the new tank with some new water..

so it was like a water change u feel me?
no problems

all my fish r living happy swimming about

they all good in the hood.. u smell me?'

i only test the ph level and thats perfect

no need to get scientific man

just do ur weekly water changes n ur fine

think bout it... u need a test to tell u change the water?

do they get tested in the lakes? fish thrive in even worse condtions

just do ur lil weekly 25-30 % changes ... dont over feed have a few real plants and bang

there u have it

and to make sure all the waste is being disposed of properly

im gettin 2 more plants and settin up the old filter in the new tank

you should right a book mate, your amazing!!


how not to keep fish - by someone who knew too little.

 

[mike_nofx]

man i set up my tank...dropped some decholrinator and some easy balance in that ####

waited like 3 days ... no test nothing....got 3 tiger barbs...they were fine

bang... i had about 8 tiger barbs in a 15g with 2 dwarf gouramis in about a month of time

all good

then time to upgrade a lil

so i got the 29 gallon

i put some good water from the 15g into the new tank with some new water..

so it was like a water change u feel me?
no problems

all my fish r living happy swimming about

they all good in the hood.. u smell me?'

i only test the ph level and thats perfect

no need to get scientific man

just do ur weekly water changes n ur fine

think bout it... u need a test to tell u change the water?

do they get tested in the lakes? fish thrive in even worse condtions

just do ur lil weekly 25-30 % changes ... dont over feed have a few real plants and bang

there u have it

and to make sure all the waste is being disposed of properly

im gettin 2 more plants and settin up the old filter in the new tank

Thanks for that useless bit of information EMINEM!

note to self: never take advice from avirex, do exact opposite.

they all good in the hood.. u smell me?'

I do smell you, and it smells a lot like S$%T.