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Hello all

3K views 26 replies 4 participants last post by  Amphitrite 
#1 ·
Well, I finally got my start with a fish tank and today I added my first batch of fish. I'm running a 90 gallon planted freshwater tank with 6 cherry barbs, 2 peppered cories and 6 algae eating shrimp. Looking forward to expanding the tank. My cats have already found quite a bit of entertainment in the tank and I'll likely have to keep an eye on them. :p
 
#3 ·
My LFS told me that the number of fish I have is too low to cycle a tank, so I asked them to put flame tetras on the list for ordering this week. Hopefully they come in on Thursday. I'm also looking at adding black phantom tetras, harlequin rasbora, a pair of small blue gouramis and some clown plecos.

I was hoping to do some lobsters but the LFS showed me what lobsters do to the plants, so I'll have to add them into my second tank. :)
 
#7 ·
I've got algae wafers which the cories have been all over. I was watching some of the shrimp trying to abscond with some pieces of the wafer earlier today since cories didn't want to relinquish their claim on the spot. :p Pretty funny wathing the shrimp attempt to carry the piece since he wasn't strong enough to swim with it.
 
#8 ·
well carefull, your tank isnt ready for algae eaters (shrimp, snails algae eating fish) and not ready for non hardy fish (most fish species, cories do fall in this category)
musho did you mean by this that cories are or are not hardy fish? it seems like you are saying they are not but from my experience they seem to be thoguh this may just be good luck. when i first got my 10g tank i cycled with 6 cories (not intentionally. this was when i was cluless and thoguht that all there was to fishkeeping was putting some fish into a contained volume of water and feeding once in a while) so anyway, i got the tank filled up with water, and had the cories in it within an hour or so i effectively did actually cycle with them but nobody had ever suggested that i should cycle first, or even that the process existed.

anyway my point was that all 6 made it and were and remain very healthy fish despite being used to cycle.

however - not recommended! tbh, now that i know a bit about cycling, i prefer a fishless cycle altogether
 
#10 ·
i must just have been really lucky then. mine love bloodworm though i hate watching them eat them - because of the shape of their mouths they seem to suck the contents out then leave the skin - gives me the creeps. i know its really silly but im terrified of worms and seeing them do that just doesnt impress me lol
 
#13 ·
I'll try to get some pics tomorrow night or so. The lighting in the room isn't the best unless I have sunlight.

As for cycling, my LFS said the main thing to consider is what the bio load is on the tank. I'm starting really small (8 fish/6 shrimp in 90 gallons) and will be monitoring the ammonia/... levels.
 
#15 ·
Here are the pics.

This rock is where the cories generally like hanging out. I did manage to get one of the shimp in the picture.



Here is a picture looking down the tank long ways from the cories rock. Anyone who knows what the grass like plant, I'd be interested to know what it is.



Here's another picture of the grass. The shrimp generally like to hang out on this.



And a frontal view. The cories are visible in the background by the grass. They weren't nearly this active at the store. :)

 
#20 ·
Only direct sunlight is during "sunset" when the sun sinks below the Rockies. Mostly that is just slivers of light and only briefly. The room is 20' long easily. Though currently the sun is still in the southern hemisphere. :p

Unfortunately one of the cherry barbs has died. She was mostly sluggish the first day I got her and today, she didn't improve on that. The Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate levels are all 0ppm and the rest of the fish are still quite active which she never was. I think she was sick when I got her. :( She did die below her favorite hornwort.
 
#24 ·
The water under the testkit didn't change colors. I don't have anything that measures exact levels. If you had recommendations on such a tester, I'd definitely look into it.

I talked with the LFS and they think it was just stress on the fish. They did replace the barb which the new one seems to be doing better in the tank than it's former occupant.
 
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