My local fish store agreed to buy my Anomalochromis thomasi young adults born on April 5. This is the third brood since October. These guys are fantastic looking and it’s wonderful to watch their interesting interactions and other behaviors. So I began the netting process at 9 AM. By noon I had only netted 4 fish. I had to arrive at the lfs by 1 pm. I gave up netting and left with the four cuties. They are just too quick and clever for the reflexes of this 72 year old curmudgeon. Well I received $15 in store credit and immediately proceeded to buy one orange female a. cacatuoides to breed with Mohawk jr. and 11 n. beckfordi to act as dithers. This was not an impulsive purchase. The fishes have entered quarantine and their dedicated 20 gallon long tank is in the fifth week of cycling. Even though I started the cycling process with old sponge filters and a bottle of Dr. Tim’s one and only, the tank is still not completely cycled. It takes three days to metabolize 1 ppm ammonia to undetectable levels. Frustrating! Any suggestions?
