Jennifer Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 I reckon i could have kept plants. and trained them not to eat them. but in africa - where these guys are from there are no plants as such in lake malawi. well not that i know of any ways. lots of rocks though, lol.. and the contrast of the dark rock with blue and yellow flashes make it look nice. more realistic this way too. and its a change for me too :bounce: Oh, that is so cool...I just love that idea of natural, realistic aquascapes, especially the 3D effect of the rocks that you have. About a km from my house there is a quarry with that same rock...I am tempted to go pick up a couple but I am sure they would completely overwhelm my 65L tank... may be time to upgrade a little. :roll: I haven't kept dems before, but yellows are easy as ever to keep. dems are ok in big groups or they will fight until there is only 1 left if you have only small groups, or few fish. all fish are easy to keep if you take care of the water conditions. :bounce: Well said. The more I learn about water conditions, the more I realise how much I don't know! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 assignment all done. I think. :evil: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Looking fabulous ! can never have too many dems - another 15 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 another 25 actually. :lol: :bounce: need to add them before these guys establish a colony. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Good luck ever catching anything :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 another 25 actually. :lol: :bounce: need to add them before these guys establish a colony. Will that tank support them when they are bigger (i know they dont get huge, but add that to the labs thats a lot of fish) or are you setting yourself up to go bigger deliberately now that you have the bug, hehe ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Good luck ever catching anything :lol: The only time I catch things are when i dismantle the tank, and everything comes out. :lol: Think of it as a permanent solution to selecting fish well :lol: Will that tank support them when they are bigger (i know they dont get huge, but add that to the labs thats a lot of fish) or are you setting yourself up to go bigger deliberately now that you have the bug, hehe ? should do... ample filtration, but the idea is to thin out numbers from a large colony as the dominant males attempt to kill each other Least that's the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted May 26, 2009 Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 Tank looks awesome man, fish look great Don't stress about the shipping I have received and sent quite a few fish when the heatpads just didn't work well.. They need air and air circulation to work so once you activate them before sticking them in the box and then chuck them in the starve from lack of air and go cold. I recently received some fish from someone who breeds fish commercially and swears by his 40hr heatpads and the same thing had happened with his.. I think most fish will be ok as long as it doesn't get too cold. The tank will stock itself in the future with all those hidey holes you will get a few fish surviving and they will naturally come to an equilibrium with the number and ratios of fish in there so don't worry about only having 25 at this stage you will get more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2009 thanks, lol.. if the tank stocks itself i couldn't ask for more really. but i do need different blood in there, so im waitin for your dems to be about this size Only need a few more in there, and then let the selection process continue. The yellows are so active im thrilled! cant wait till all the fish are larger, and the yellows get their full colour. I actually put up a note near my tank that says: STOP do not feed the fish, cause im so used to feeding my fish every single time i passed the tank. :lol: Also I dont know if i should put the clown loaches in with them. don't want it to look out of proportion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracytrout Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Your dems and yellows look awesome against that rockwork and lighting, what lighting have you used as I like the bluey tinge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 ah that is the display time lighting lol. its a mixture of 1 marine blue light and 1 dull pink 6500K (i think) light (plant gro). Tracy you must come and see the tank sometime. I just added 3 otto's and 3 GAE's in there, to help with the alage that has already started growing on the rocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracytrout Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Thanks Phoenix I'd just loooove to come and have a nosey, don't have a car but one day I'll be up your way and will take you up on your offer...decided earlier this year to delay setting up african tank until 2010 but after seeing how awesome yours looks I could be very tempted to sell some of my other fishies and start slowly setting it up now Keep the photo's and progress reports coming in please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 ah that is the display time lighting lol. its a mixture of 1 marine blue light and 1 dull pink 6500K (i think) light (plant gro). Tracy you must come and see the tank sometime. I just added 3 otto's and 3 GAE's in there, to help with the alage that has already started growing on the rocks. Dont you WANT algae on the rocks for them to graze or are dems not algae grazers like a lot of africans ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 I dont mind algae on the rocks, but its only what a week or so in and I see green rocks, lol. they will have to compete with the ottos and algae eaters, and plecos im afraid. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Who reckons I should put 6 lionhead (lumphead) cichlids in there? Otto doing what they do best: poo out algae You can see the algae form on the rocks already. This lighting was made perfect for plants, lol. - The algae is pretty rampant on the primary rock surfaces. Just another hidey hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracytrout Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Dems is peeping Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Whats your PH at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 Whats your PH at? funny story... ill just PM you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 funny story... ill just PM you. nooooooo tell us all if its a funny story . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 pH 5.5 titrated it my self :lol: coral is needed, and ill get some in a few days once the insanity of assignments and work finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 meanwhile those fish are not swimming in 5.5 are they ? how come its so low ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 the water in the bags they came from was pH6. its not a biggie. Its mainly why my S. american fish were always so happy. the water in the tap is pH7.0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 the water in the bags they came from was pH6. its not a biggie. Its mainly why my S. american fish were always so happy. the water in the tap is pH7.0 OK, the water in the bag is not an indication of what they came from necessarily- its a low volume and they would have been peeing in it. Remember these are fish that are recommended for 7.8 and above. But I guess if they are not dropping like flys then it cant be too bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted May 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 they would have been peeing in it pH should increase then (NH4+) I think... oh well. its a temporary setback. should be sorted soon. :bounce: all part of setting up a new tank I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted May 27, 2009 Report Share Posted May 27, 2009 5.5 if you need a babysitter for them while you sort it out, we will be most happy to have them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.