I am so happy i am so happy oh my

catfishtabbi

I just received a call from my choice breeder and my CHOCOLATE GOURAMIS ARE IN ! I will get them in about a week . I will be adding blackwater extract (instead of peat because thats what they're in already) so i need to know if there are any tricks of thr trade that will help me along and ensure the viability of this/ my marvelous and delicate fish Please share. OMG i am so happy, it took months to get these fish, now i must reread all the articles i have saved and make my final preperations to the tank, guess dinner out is off now, $$$ and lots of it is about to be spent.I will be checking in later by for now.Thanks for any response

jeaninel

Congrats on the chocolate gouramis. They're a beautiful fish. They had some at one of my LFS for quite a long time but last time I went there they didn't have them anymore. A challenging fish to keep I hear. Good luck with them.

willow

hay :) congrats.
would love to see some pictures some time. :)

Lupin

Peat could have saved you your bucks instead of blackwater extract. What is the difference between peat and blackwater extract? It's simply tannins that you are looking for which peat can do the job better as it can last for quite awhile and is cheaper as well.

catfishtabbi

Thanks jeaninel and willow. The pics i promise.

dramaqueen

Congrats on the new fish:) Good luck with them!!

catfishtabbi

hi lupin, i can still choose to swutch to peat. I'm located in s.florida, we have very hard water i'll be using peat or black water extract to soften, help lower ph and slightly tint the water. Any opinion on which one might be best? My tap ph is 8.9,i use nova aqua plus and ph down acid buffer i'm not sure what ph these guys are in yet, i'll know monday.Does one have any antibacterial effects?do you know where to get the almond leaves? thanks lupin , i'll stand by

catfishtabbi

Thank you, so much. I feel like the babies have come early, since i had such a difficult time getting them that i was going to use my QT as a holding tank while i changed my main tank, i really had the net out and was going to do it this weekend. Thankfully i got the call this afternoon.

Lupin

Ditch pH down. It's snake oil chemical. If your water is really hard, then you need RO water mixed with a portion of tapwater to keep most of the minerals and use peat to get to the desired pH level. This is a very tedious process though. Tannins have beneficial effects such a minimizing bacterial infections. Blackwater extract is basically tannins leached from Indian almond leaves, peat, etc. Oak leaves are your cheaper alternatives.

catfishtabbi

LUPIN, so peat alone will lower my ph to under seven? how long do you think that takes thanks, i have no time to play. and i see i don't really need the leaves then.R?O water is not out of the question .it may be necessary since they're shocking the water now.I did'nt know about the acid i have to use it in my planted tank ,I don't have an r/o unit i'll be purchasing by the 5g container.