Aquarium owners...

[dralarms]

Well, after 7 or 8 years while I had my house releveled I did have them add support under it, but they said there was no bowing or damage.

[R_Bert]

BTW,

 

for you aquarium guys, I just stumbled across a few books of interest on my shelf .

 

Y'all can use them more than I will.

 

Offering them for free (as a set of 4), but recipient has to pick up the book-rate postage (or pick up).  All are in great shape, and several are classics.

 

 

“The Marine Aquarium Handbook” by Martin Moe, 1992

“Fishes for the Invertebrate Aquarium 3^rd ed.” by Helmut Debelius, 1989

“Marine Aquarium Reference, Systems and Invertebrates”, by Martin Moe, 1989

“The Marine Fish and Invert Reef Aquarium, 8^th ed.”, Albert J. Thiel, 1989

 

Bert

[1madss]

Did someone say Oscar? :D

Here is one that I was "gifted" by one of my daughters that got tired of weekly water changes. He was in a 30g up until last weekend. He is a VERY happy fish in his 75g. I still have some work to do, but I'm surpised he let me put some plants in the tank and not shredded them.

 

[url=http://s213.photobucket.com/user/madavis5/media/OscarTank.jpg.html][/URL]

 

He is about 11" and ~ 2 years old now. He was about 2 inches when she got him and was in a 10g tank. I feel bad he was in a 30g at his size, but the growth snuck up on me. From what I read he still has 3-7 inches to grow. I think about 14" is probably realistic.

Edited September 11, 2014 by 1madss

[mikegideon]

He'll get bigger. Here's a trick that will work real well for oscars. I'm gonna do it before I get any more...

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrJ3eAE4qQE

[peejman]

Here's our fish tank.  Had it set up and running for a little over a week before we got the fish.  Fish have now been in there about a week and seem to be doing really well.  The kiddies love it.  Sorry the back lighting makes for bad pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mechanic_X]

Nice African-American fish. :cool:

 

Always my favorite. I have a 75 Gal. in the basement I need to get out again.

[peejman]

Nice African-American fish. :cool:

 

Always my favorite. I have a 75 Gal. in the basement I need to get out again.

 

 

Greenback born and raised African-American fish.  I got them from a friend formerly in the fish mongering business. 

[JPS]

I don't like them (Piranhas) because they tend to chew on each other. Meat is meat to a piranha.

 

Thats why I replaced my boring, dirty oscars with just one teeny little piranha - it grew to about 9 inches on a diet of 1-2 goldfish per week, and was always a big hit when company came.  Only other fish in the tank was a plecostomus that grew to about 10 inches tip-to-tail and kept the tank spotless.

[peejman]

Vacation feeding?  We'll be gone for a week in the near future.  Its possible to get someone to come over and feed them, but I'm curious if there's easier/better options?

[mikegideon]

Vacation feeding?  We'll be gone for a week in the near future.  Its possible to get someone to come over and feed them, but I'm curious if there's easier/better options?

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=4460&cmpid=03csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=525401984&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=530005150000113565&cadevice=c

[10-Ring]

We used a fish feeder on a timer when we went on vacation. It worked great. Got it from Wal-Mart for about $12.

[peejman]

Cool. Thanky.

[mikegideon]

I have 3 of those Eheim units. They will last forever. Probably not worth it for a once in a blue moon thing. If you are only gonna be gone for 5 days, you may not need to worry about it at all. It's hard to starve a fish to death.

[peejman]

I have 3 of those Eheim units. They will last forever. Probably not worth it for a once in a blue moon thing. If you are only gonna be gone for 5 days, you may not need to worry about it at all. It's hard to starve a fish to death.

 

 

I've been reading a lot to that effect as well.  If I can get someone to come over and feed them a couple times during the week, it seems that should suffice.  I do have one tiny little fish that I have some concern for.  I plan to give it a good vacuuming, which will result in another 5 gal water change a couple days before leaving. 

[mikegideon]

They make vacation blocks that will time release food too.

[peejman]

They make vacation blocks that will time release food too.

 

 

I've read a number of comments that said it was better to let them be hungry rather than clean up the mess left from those.  :shrug:    Having someone come over and feed them a couple times shouldn't be a big deal. 

[Mike A]

I've read a number of comments that said it was better to let them be hungry rather than clean up the mess left from those.  :shrug:    Having someone come over and feed them a couple times shouldn't be a big deal. 

I've always figured anything under ~7 days you were better off letting them fast than trusting the feeding to someone who isn't used to caring for fish (they almost always tend to overfeed).  As Mike G said, they're hard to starve (and certainly in the short term).  Maybe the feeder blocks are better than they used to be.  I swear the old ones were mostly plaster. 

Edited September 29, 2014 by Mike A

[10-Ring]

I've had fish in my new set up for about a week now.  Put a new Pleco in there on Saturday and he was belly up when I came in today.  Wife threw away the receipt for him as well, dangit!

[mikegideon]

I've had fish in my new set up for about a week now.  Put a new Pleco in there on Saturday and he was belly up when I came in today.  Wife threw away the receipt for him as well, dangit!

 

Check the ammonia level

[dralarms]

Yep, sounds like the cycle was not complete.

[No_0ne]

Yep, sounds like the cycle was not complete.

 

Welcome to fish keeping, I guarantee that's not the last one that croaks in your tank ...

[peejman]

Our tank ran for about 2 weeks with no fish but with gravel, rocks, and uncleaned filters   :yuck:   from their original tank before we moved the fish.  It seems to have worked well.  The water stayed clear and the fish seem fine. 

[mikegideon]

You gotta test the water. You can bet that a smart local fish store will test it before they cough up money for a dead fish. If you are cycling a new tank, or even one with just new water, you should be able to observe this below. The ammonia and nitrite will drop to zero when it's fully cycled, and the nitrate will continue to climb until you do a water change...

 

NOTE: Don't pay any attention to the number of days. That depends on the bacteria population and the bioload. I have seen it happen in a week or less when the tank was seeded with gravel from a well established tank. 

 

Edited September 30, 2014 by mikegideon

[mikegideon]

This is a GREAT test kit. Some of the tests are a little tedious, but you can count on it.

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4345+4454&pcatid=4454

[Mike A]

+1 on the problem likely being a cycling issue.  At the risk of stating the obvious, don't add any more fish to your tank until the cycle is complete and even then add to your fish population a little at a time to allow the bacteria colony to catch up.  Running the equipment on an empty tank without an ammonia source (e.g., fish) does nothing for the cycle.  I've not done it personally but if I ever set up another tank (doubtful) I'd research a fishless cycle.  As I understand it you basically add ammonia to a tank without fish and test the water just like you would with fish until the bacteria colony is "mature" (i.e. no ammonia or nitrite and only an acceptable level of nitrate) before adding fish.    

Edited September 30, 2014 by Mike A