136 replies to this topic

[gerald]

I use 2 gallon tanks for pairs, full of Javamoss, Najas, Nitella, Elodea, or similar plants.  A gallon jar doesn't give the female any space to escape if the male gets nasty, nor much surface area for gas exchange (if you're not aerating it).  Re sex, you'll just have to wait and see as they mature, watching for peach-color ovaries or darkening fin edges.

[Michael Wolfe]

I don't know how to fix that

I can fix stuff. What do you want it to look like? I deleted your one post that you blanked out and wrote "oops".

[Cricket]

I can fix stuff. What do you want it to look like? I deleted your one post that you blanked out and wrote "oops".

That's it then lol. The pics are out of order but that's ok. It was weird. I accidentally hit back button and instead of editing I was adding another post. Then the two posts affected each other. Tre weird thank you

[Cricket]

After reading several posts that said fry have a lower likelihood of surviving in species tanks(apart from breeding or grow out tanks) I decided to split my tank up into two tens 3/4. I moved the large female And the two obvious but submissive males. Because they are the fish I could find besides hunk.

So now I don't know for sure who is who but I think Charlie is now the dominant male in his tank. Here's a video.
https://youtu.be/BmYJuNubFFc
And Pics.
Charlie

(Nice to see he's using the cave. I didn't know if they would)
Diamond

Grey

Here's hunk in the tank minus 3 fish

lights are out so it's hard to see him in the morning. Now he is nearly always the only fish I see in there. I have seen sissy. Who could be a boy once or twice. I still never see the other 2 that I haven't seen since I dropped them from the net. Would they float if they were dead? Hunk rarely shows his full colors anymore also. Do y'all think it's cause there's no females left in the tank? or maybe just not breeding age females?

Here's a video of banana worms in the tank.
https://youtu.be/_3UGd3kKmqY
And a pic

Last night after feeding the banana worms I swear I saw a little little bitty bitty teeny tiny fish swim out and then immediately dashed down again. Hunk noticed too and immediately moved in but I don't think either of us saw it again. At least I hope he didn't. I stared and videoed for 10 min but never saw anything so who knows?? Hopeful thinking maybe.

Edited by Cricket, 09 October 2017 - 03:11 PM.

[gerald]

"Dash" is exactly what newborn Elassoma fry do.  They lie still most of the time, either on the bottom or sticking to a plant or tank walls, then zoom to a new spot and lie still again. They dont start hovering in the water column like adults until they're 2-3 weeks old.  Male breeding colors come and go - i'm not sure what triggers it.  But having a receptive female undoubtedly helps!

[Cricket]

"Dash" is exactly what newborn Elassoma fry do.  They lie still most of the time, either on the bottom or sticking to a plant or tank walls, then zoom to a new spot and lie still again. They dont start hovering in the water column like adults until they're 2-3 weeks old.  Male breeding colors come and go - i'm not sure what triggers it.  But having a receptive female undoubtedly helps!

[Cricket]

"Dash" is exactly what newborn Elassoma fry do.  They lie still most of the time, either on the bottom or sticking to a plant or tank walls, then zoom to a new spot and lie still again. They dont start hovering in the water column like adults until they're 2-3 weeks old.  Male breeding colors come and go - i'm not sure what triggers it.  But having a receptive female undoubtedly helps!

Well now I could swear I saw 2 tonight. I got a video but it was after the movement I saw.
That dot I circled is what I suspected to be fry. Here's the video. Not much happens tho lol.
https://youtu.be/bbVw7skqWcU
It's definitely something non worm based on the movement I saw but I suppose it could be another living thing in the tank??
Here's how hunk is wearing his colors most of the time right now.
I'll keep an eye out. Wish my camera wasn't scratched :/

[Cricket]

Somethings wrong! This morning I found this fish at the top of his tank just hanging. At first I thought he was dead but he responded to stimuli so I took him out of his tank and put him in the new tank with the other 3 fish that moved just in case it was the water but it looks like an injury? His right eye? What do you guys think? I'm so bad at diagnosing.


Water parameters are good tho it looks like there could be scosche of ammonia??? What do you think? Ph is 8 :/ so even a little ammonia would be more toxic.
Ammonia and nitrates With and without a flash


Nitrite and nitrates

What should I do please 🙏

[Cricket]

https://youtu.be/LqZlJKteAyY

[Cricket]

It's not looking good
https://youtu.be/RzlvmHKec5M
I added a little bit of ro water to the tanks to hopefully reduce the ph just a smidge. Can these guys do salt baths? I don't know what to do for him

Edited by Cricket, 10 October 2017 - 04:22 PM.

[gerald]

Some kind of infection in the eye socket; most likely bacterial but that's just a guess.  YES, salt treatment might help.  Start with 1 teaspoon/gal, add another 1 teasp/gal a day later.  2 teasp/gal will make approx 3 g/liter.  BTW, eye swelling is a pretty common ailment when Elassoma get old (which is only about 2 yrs).

 

Can't really see what's on the wood, but baby cherry shrimp, cyclops, and some other inverts can dash around and look similar to Elassoma hatchlings.  If you don't have one already, get a hand magnifying lens from an office supply store to view these guys. 

 

A tank full of growing plants with just a few Elassoma eating primarily live food is highly UNLIKELY to have any problem with ammonium or nitrate.

[Chasmodes]

Kewl little critters.  Now I want a species tank of them (probably won't happen but ya never know).

 

Sorry to see the injury.  I'm not much on diagnosing these type of things.  Hope he gets well.  

[Cricket]

Thank you Gerald. I'll get on it.
Thanks chas.

[Cricket]

Is it ok to use instant ocean sea salt?

Some kind of infection in the eye socket; most likely bacterial but that's just a guess.  YES, salt treatment might help.  Start with 1 teaspoon/gal, add another 1 teasp/gal a day later.  2 teasp/gal will make approx 3 g/liter.  BTW, eye swelling is a pretty common ailment when Elassoma get old (which is only about 2 yrs).
 
Can't really see what's on the wood, but baby cherry shrimp, cyclops, and some other inverts can dash around and look similar to Elassoma hatchlings.  If you don't have one already, get a hand magnifying lens from an office supply store to view these guys. 
 
A tank full of growing plants with just a few Elassoma eating primarily live food is highly UNLIKELY to have any problem with ammonium or nitrate.

Edited by Cricket, 10 October 2017 - 05:23 PM.

[Betta132]

Yep, that's what you want to use. In a hospital tank, clearly, so as not to kill all your plants off. 

[Cricket]

Thank you. Here's hoping!

Yep, that's what you want to use. In a hospital tank, clearly, so as not to kill all your plants off.

[Cricket]

My qt has rainbows in it so I had to improvise with this one gallon bowl

Got a couple more pics now

[Chasmodes]

What a beautiful fish.  I hope he responds to your treatment well, and quickly!

[Cricket]

Yep, that's what you want to use. In a hospital tank, clearly, so as not to kill all your plants off. 

Should I get something broad spectrum? This morning He's still going but after swimming around trying to find a good place he ended up here
I feel so bad for him. Not sure if I should just put him out of his misery or fight.

What a beautiful fish.  I hope he responds to your treatment well, and quickly!

me too. Thank you for the support.


Video this morning
https://youtu.be/J2UBX_xFiks

Edited by Cricket, 11 October 2017 - 10:56 AM.

[Cricket]

Also are we able to tag here?