flash_liam

Hiya, I've got a couple of bristlenoses in one of my 3ft tanks but they don't seem to be able to keep up with the algae. I don't think the tank has an algae problem, they just don't seem to be eating enough of it. I've had Chinese Algae Eaters in the past (and my brother has one) and they were a lot more effective at keeping the algae under control. If I get a Chinese Algae Eater for this tank are they going to give the Bristlenoses a hard time? (I know they can be quite agressive) Or maybe there is a better fish for cleaning up the algae? Liam.

Do they bury themselves in the pebbles?

Tank has a pretty good lid, there are small holes at the corners of the lid and a gap where the water filter feeds back into the tank. There is a good 5cm gap between the top of the water and the lid so I think if they jumped they'd be lucky (or unlucky) to make it out of the holes. I've looked under the sofa just in case though The other fishies are: Neon Tetras Glow-Light Tetras 2 Khulis 2 Pearl Gouramis Not really anything that would eat anything else I would have thought? Very mysterious....

Got two bristlenoses the other week for my 3ft tank. They took a while to settle in (the tetras were more keen to be friends than they were I think...) but after a few days they seemed to be doing their thing, cleaning algae and generally being well behaved. After a few days I could only see one (assumed the other one was hiding) and now I can't find either of them. The tank has dark brown stones, but I've just done a water change and had a nosey under rocks, ornaments etc and no sign of them. I even looked inside the water filter and heater protector just in case! I don't really mind if they hide all day, just want to make sure they're ok, and not under the sofa...

Cheers for all your help Now I just need to decide wether to get Angels or Discus... I just know I'm going to end up with another tank soon :-?

Hi all I'm now setting up my second tank (MTS kicking in quite nicely), it's a 150 litre 3ft (quite tall) with a fancy cannister filter. I had been thinking of having electric yellows but I've decided to go for fish which prefer low pH water (we are on rain water which is usually about 6.4). I had been thinking about getting either Discus or Angels, and then a Pleco to keep the bottom tidy So first I was wondering if you can keep them together (Discus and Angels), and second I was wondering if the tank is big enough to have 4 of each? I gather they grow to be quite big... Maybe I need a third tank

Ok, I thoroughly vacuumed the tank, under ornaments and everything. There was still a lot of green flakey powder all through the gravel (this is the 3rd lot of vacuuming since I used the pellets I think). I'm pretty sure they were the problem. The two remaining khulis now seem to be fine, and the algae eater in my brother's tank seems to be much happier now that he's not getting the pellets either. So what's this forum's protocol when it comes to slagging off products that kill your fish? Can I name names?

They might have... I'll do a thorough vacuum of the bottom and see if that makes any difference.

Oh damn.... just found two dead khulis... There are just two khulis left now. All the tetras and the two gouramis still seem ok. I think I'll start preparing the other 3ft tank, I'm guessing it's a parasite or infection of some sort in the gravel??

Yeah, I think it may have been the wafers. It said they were for Algae eaters but I have my doubts... There's an Algae Eater in my brother's tank and we've stopped feeding that the wafers. I'll need to something else to keep the tank clean now... might wait a while though just in case.

Hi Bruce, Ammonia and Nitrites don't even register on my tests, the water doesn't change colour at all, so they are less than 0.5 ppm (ammonia) and 0.25 ppm (Nitrites). My fish get a pinch of food twice a day (there are about 30 tetras, 2 pearl gouramis and 4 khulis) and I have shrimp pellets for the bottom-feeders, they get a few (4 or 5) every few days. I had recently bought these spirulina pellets for the algae eaters and had fed them one or two every few days, which is why I thought it could be them.

Ok, this is getting more ominous... This morning the other two algae eaters were dead pH, Ammonia and Nitrites are all still fine, temp is 26c and the tetras and gourami's seem happy enough. The khuli's also seem to be ok. Could it be an infection in the gravel, or the water? Or maybe the spirulina discs I had been feeding them? Here is a photo of the fish after being extracted from the tank. The black lump at the top of one of them is a pebble, but notice how the stomachs are all dark green... I'm not too sure what to do now (there aren't any algae eaters left, so no risk of any more of them dying...) I've got a new 3ft tank which I was going to set up with electric yellows, but now I'm thinking maybe I should set it up with new gravel and transfer my current fish into it?

That damned Col. Mustard! I knew he was up to no good!

It's a 6 month old tank... was cycling really nicely up until this episode. We're on rain-water, usually about 6.6 but recently has been about 6.4 for some reason. I use pH up to increase the pH, no drift-wood in the tank. I found a dead glow-light which was hidden inside an ornament, I'd say it had been there for a week or so (got so many tetras it's really hard to keep track of them all!). I got it out, but it was already decaying. I'd say that's what was causing the pH to drop? I did quite a large water change (about 30%) and vacuumed up as much of the dead fish as possible. The next day I changed the filter (was due to change anyway). Ammonia and Nitrites are both fine, and today the pH seems to be ok, however.... I've just found one of my Golden Algae Eaters vertical and with a dark green stomach (and obviously dead) in pretty much the same place in the tank. I've whisked him out. Is it likely my tank has some nasty disease? I haven't added any fish etc. for quite some time, but maybe the dead glow-light caused the algae eater to get sick? One of the other algae eaters seems ok, but the third one is hiding in the corner and not moving much. I hope they're ok

Over the last week or two the pH in my 3ft tank has been dropping. I did a 20% water change a few days ago and have gradually increased the pH back to about 6.8-7.0 but every day it seems to have dropped again. Today it is about 6.4!! Any ideas what could be causing this? Liam.

Hi everyone, Well I've just bought another 3ft tank from 'tanks2u' on TradeMe, I couldn't help myself! It's a fab tank!! I'm thinking of filling it with Chiclids, but first I need to find a sheet of polystyrene for it to sit on. Any ideas where to get this from? (and any suggestions / advice on setting up a tank for chichlids would be greatly appreciated ) Liam.

ok, so the Khuli's aren't interested in the plastic tubes at all... however the tetras are good at getting stuck in them :lol: they swim almost to the end, give up and turn around to try the other end. It usually takes a few minutes for them to escape. That'll be why you don't see fish playing mastermind I might have to give up on the tubes.

Ok, I've seen two now I'd say they're not early-morning fish (that's my kind of fish!!)

It's a shame that a few idiots ruin it for everyone else. I'd imagine the Koi Carp problems started this way? :-?

ok, I'm getting all paranoid now! I have only seen one of them this morning, however I have made them quite an elaborate cave so I'm just hoping they are all hiding in there.... and not under the sofa :-?

I think I'll attach a plastic cover over that end of the tank, the gap is reasonably big. The Khuli's are really cool! Spent ages this evening just watching them wriggling around

My tank has about 5cm of 'wall' above the waterline, but the end with the filter and airhoses has a gap in the cover. I wonder if the height of the walls will be enough to keep them in?

The Khuli's are settling in well! One of them is racing around exploring already. I was expecting them all to hide for a few days. Are Khuli's renowned for escaping like Clown Loaches? Don't want to find them on the floor!

Hi Caryl, Just back from LFS (I can't help myself!! It's an addiction ) Decided to get the Khulis, and I got some plastic tubing for them to play in I've got an external Tetra Whisper 40 and two airstones. I change 20% of the water every 2 weeks. I've been monitoring ammonia and nitrites so will increase the water changes if need be. Yeah, I had a better look at the Electric Yellows today and read about their pH conditions and temprament (and appetite for smaller fish ) I really liked the Pearl Gourami's though, and was told they are quite docile for a big fish. I think I'll get two of those.... and then start planning my next tank Congo Tetra's sound interesting too, I'll have to look for photos of them on the internet. Thanks for your help Liam.

Hello everyone I've got a 3ft tropical tank with 30 neons (I think there are 30... they are quite hard to count now and 4 Glow Lights. The glow lights seem to be schooling quite happily with the neons, I was initially thinking of getting more of them because I was concerned they may need to be in a bigger school, but they seem happy enough as is. According to the 'Aquarium Density Calculator' I should be able to have up to 36" of fish (for 36 Gallons of water), but I know this formula isn't always accurate and it depends on species etc. I'd really like to get 5 Khuli Loaches (they are cool!!!) and possibly two 'feature' fish (I had been thinking 'Electric Yellows', but I'm not sure if they are ok with neons, and not 100% convinced the advice I get from the LFS will be accurate). I had initially been thinking of getting 5 Tiger Barbs as well, but have read that they can torment neons. So, I was wondering if anyone could tell me wether I am getting close to the limit for my tank, or wether I can get the extra fish I have mentioned, and wether Electric Yellows would be appropriate (or maybe suggest an alternative? Thanks for all your help, this forum has been a life saver on many occasion I'll post photos of my tank soon (have just planted it with real plants so am waiting for them to size up a bit). Liam.