When the sleeper wakes...

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

So after the trauma of this morning, things seem to be back on track.
Whilst searching the tank this morning, it seems that half a dozen shrimp had travelled across with the plants. I believe they'd been in the floaters, because when I look up amongst the roots of the floaters in my SE Asian tank, I see shrimp.
To keep the shrimp company, I've also added three nerite snails; Military Helmet, Red Spot and Zebra. These won't attempt to breed, so I shouldn't get eggs planted.

Ammonia at 0.
GH 60mg/L
KH 40mg/L
pH 7.0
NO2 Nitrite 0mg/L
NO3 Nitrate 0mg/L

Cycling times for my own reference, from water added to the tank, to the first fish being added;
Tank 1, South American tank, 80l: 18 days. 5th to 23rd July. (Old substrate and bogwood added. Tank well planted. Microbe-Lift products used).
Tank 2, South East Asian tank, 104l: 11 days. 31st August to September 10th. (Plants and filter sponge added from Tank No.1, plus Microbe-Lift products used. Tank well-planted).
Tank 3, 'Quarantine Tank', 48l: 24 hours. 12th to 13th October. (Plants and filter sponge added from Tank No.1, plus Microbe-Lift products used. Tank well-planted).

NOTE capacities refer to actual water in the tank, NOT empty tank volume.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

3 Tanks Tested...
Ammonia at 0.
GH 60mg/L
KH 40mg/L
pH 7.0
NO2 Nitrite 0mg/L
NO3 Nitrate 0mg/L

All good.

NOTE...Bristlenose is now 63mm, nose to tail tip.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I deliberately keep the water slightly green for the Wood shrimp, with some tannin. This video was taken shortly after feeding the tank with frozen cyclops..

Time to put some work into manual focus.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

...And with the microphone switched off!

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Finally caught up with your thread, beautiful plumage!

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I was asked to show the mouth...

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Update on the Quarantine Tank, housing Tysha, Shae and Sansa.
All seems to be going well, with a fasting day tomorrow.

Got some significant plant growth as well.
I then tried to take a video, but got interrupted

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

In my SE Asian Tank, some vids of a pregnant Amano Shrimp, (and yes...I know she won't have babies and that any larvae surviving hungry mouths will not survive the fresh water).

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

And a quick one of Tyrion, being trained to come to the finger...

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

So, amongst my group of kuhli loach, many have obviously paired up, as they emerge in twos when they come to feed at the front of the tank.
For a while now, I've been watching pairs swim to the top of the tank and appear to get all friendly, in amongst the roots of the floating Salvinia roots.
Tonight, I noticed a few tiny green eggs falling...before getting snapped up by Tyrion. I'll assume this activity also takes place after dark and I know that kuhli eggs are sticky and usually adhere to vegetation.
This is something new to me and spawning in what is, to the kuhli loach, effectively the sky, seems most contrary to their everyday lives. If fry result, then I doubt any would survive the sand substrate, but there's a chance they might survive in the Aquasoil, at the back of the tank. Only time will tell.

At least Tyrion was looking pleased with himself.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Demonstrating the usefulnss of tablet feeding.
(Using an Aquacare Tropical Tab with mealworm);

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Small sycamore leaves added to the Quarantine Tank.
The shrimp that hitched a lift in with the plants are doing well, as are the three ladies.
I suspect I'll be doing something nano with this, once I've placed the ladies in with Tyrion...probably sparkling gourami, shrimp and chilli rasbora.
Should I need a hospital or QT in the future, I have a plastic box.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

In Tank 1, the Cockatoo Apistogramma have a full clutch of eggs that are being safely guarded. These should hatch within the next 48 hours.
In Tank 2, more Vallis. has been planted and, as the female Dwarf Gourami are definitely increasing in size, they will soon be introduced to Tyrion. I'll be removing the swarm of Chilli Rasbora and moving those to...
Tank 3, sans Female Dwarf Gourami, will receive probably Sparkling Gourami or Scarlet Badis. This tank has received some leaves, so conditions will be good. CPDs may also feature, although mebbe not, given the already destined chilli rasbora.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Anyone who says that nerite snails will not eat healthy plants, is wrong.
The three in my QT have effectively demolished the water wisteria. All the other plants are fine and there's no 'melt'...just happy snails.
There's never been a huge amount of algae in the tank, so I've been supplementing their diet with an algae wafer and a piece of courgette, which they definitely enjoy, as evidenced by other nerites in my other tanks eating it, even when there's algae about.

I need to have a re-think about the planting and will add another, larger piece of bogwood tomorrow.
Fortunately, I do have spare plants in my other tanks to draw from.

I had seen a nerite chomping on an Amazon Sword, when I set my first tank up, but managed to convince myself it was only eating a damaged bit.
So yet another alleged Truth joins the ranks of Myth.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

A Dwarf Gourami Saga

Prelude: A Contemplation

I like the Dwarf Gourami and always have, so it was a bit of a shock, on re-joining the hobby, to learn that there's apparently a deadly Dwarf Gourami Virus, that is killing all Dwarf Gourami.
I've since learned that this is basic cobblers. There are widespread losses from fish farms, but these farms are often conveyor belts for those members of the public who insist Mother Nature was inadequate and choose, instead, to have Neon Blue, or Bright Flame Red Dwarf Gourami. Understandably, many of the resultant fish and genetically less robust. There's also the internet issue of truly lousy fish care being widespread and, rather than admit basic ignorance and/or stupidity, the inevitable death of fish is attributed to poor stock from the lfs or some mystery disease.
Whilst I'm sure there is genuine sickness 'out there', having spoken to many experienced fishkeepers, some of whom hadn't even heard of DGV*, the main issue appeared to be a lack of female fish. Again, that wonderful body of people, the public, only wanted the pretty males in their tanks, so females remained unsold..so shops stopped selling them and the farms stopped breeding them...with the inevitable result of a shallower gene pool, upon which to draw healthy fish.

I also learned that the ladies could be bought, away from the intensive SE Asian fish farms and instead, from our Czech mates.
Knowing of the 2:1 female to male ratio, I set about acquiring the fish.

Of Mice And Men...

So plans change and I decided upon three ladies to join a rather splendid male I called Tyrion.
Tyrion went straight into my SE Asian tank, as he came from a trusted source and I quickly set up a Quarantine Tank for Tysha, Shae and Sansa.
Upon arrival, the ladies seemed healthy and active, although two were a little smaller than I would probably have bought them, had I seen them in a shop. They have since continued to appear well and have clearly grown since I bought them, back on 14th October.
I was planning on growing them up a little, so as to be more able to manage Tyrion's advances, before placing them into the large SE Asian tank. (This tank has been receiving more plants and is now quite well planted, providing necessary refuge for any harassed female Gourami).

Breeding More Proper!

Watching the ladies this afternoon, I noted how the larger of the three, Shae, was doing the mating wriggle with her companions. Shae is a full tail longer than Tysha and Sansa and is clearly the stronger of the three. I then did some more reading and learned that my QT could serve as a Dwarf Gourami breeding tank, especially since I've added more plants.
My thoughts now are to swap Tysha and Sansa with Tyrion and to see how he gets on with Shae in what will become a breeding tank.
If all goes to plan, then I can later remove the adults and concentrate on rearing the resultant fry.
Whilst the QT is well planted, I'm aware that there's not a lot of space and if I feel Shae is getting too harassed, then I'll either throw Tysha and Sansa back in, or pack the whole breeding idea in and simply return all of the gourami to the main SE Asian tank, as was my original intent.**

I'm now going to spend a lot more time, researching Dwarf Gourami breeding info., before I lob Tyrion in with one of his ladies.



*Dwarf Gourami Virus
**If I was to do this, then I'd be transferring the chilli rasbora to the QT, turning into a nano tank, with shrimp, snails and sparkling gourami or scarlet badis.