Aquarists, UNITE!!!

[drache]

no more fish here - all adopted out

[olive oil]

I just scored from Craigs List, a few big clumps of Java Moss.
I'm going to cover some drift wood in it for my turtles.
She threw in a small bag of snails for them to munch on.

[jitami]

Ok fishy people... I ended up with 4 female guppies, 3 with pronounced gravid spots, but not bulging bellies, and 1 pretty little male. They've been in their new home for a couple of hours now and everything seems "ok" but I have some questions!!! (Like you didn't expect that! lol)

1. The current from my filter seems a little too strong, especially in certain areas of the tank, but they seem to manage it ok... should I somehow try to alter it??? I did place screening around the intake so that it wouldn't suck up babies, but should I be worried about the current?

2. There's something growing in my tank... the tank's only been set up since Sunday, filter/heater running since Monday and I have little alfalfa sprout looking things growing from the gravel. New gravel, took it out of the bag and rinsed it. Used aquarium, filter, air stone, castle, new plastic plants. Thoughts? I could take a picture, but they seriously look exactly like an alfalfa sprout.

3. Heat.. have a hang-on heater.. water temp yesterday morning was low 70's when I turned on the aerator... didn't check it after that, but was only high 60's this afternoon. Turned off air pump and temp is *almost* 70. Good enough for guppies? The heater has an adjustment on top and I did turn it up a bit this afternoon, but it was already almost all the way up so not sure it's going to make a huge difference?

Help!!! Thanks!!!

[Lori P]

The warmer it is, the more they'll breed. I don't mean boil them... lol. But do watch you temps like a haek till you get the heater regulated. Low 80's, if I remember, is good breeding temp.

Er... your alfalfa sprouts are new to me. lol Let us know if they grow out of your tank and take over your neighborhood.

Current should be ok, as long as they can go hide bhind a rock or something to get out of it if they need to.

[infernalis]

The current is why I prefer the "whisper" filters by Tetra, They have a flow dial that allows you to adjust the amount of water that passes.

[jitami]

Thanks guys! All are alive and well this morning.

Fed them for the first time and they ate like little piggies Will they stop eating on their own at some point? I just kept adding more food and adding more food and... you get the idea. They seemed to slow down a little so I eventually stopped, but they're still in there looking for more.

Looks like a new heater may be in our near future. Despite worrying about boiling them overnight the temp really hasn't changed.

I'm going to have to look at my filter closer to see if it has any sort of adjustment. I've read that you can put sponge material over the intake and output areas to slow the current. Of course, that can't be good for the motor, but if I'm going to have to get another one in the future anyway... ?

[infernalis]

Both of my "Whisper" filters were part of those "all or nothing" deals where I just wanted a tank for my snakes.

They have a dial on top that operates a valve....

Great filters....

Yes Tami, fish will over eat, just like our Garters will.

A pinch a day should work fine, and your water will stay cleaner.

[jitami]

A pinch a day for all 5? Not the 5 pinches they got today?

[Lori P]

Well, I give my guys their staple food and then desert... lol... they get their flakes, then they get bloodworms, daphnia, beef heart, or tubifex for "desert". :-)

[infernalis]

Peach can actually eat a rat pup!!

She's so spoiled, I give her all the fish foods, plus a pinky every day

That Dace minnow still swims with her I get such a smile when that silly minnow swims right up and steals the shrimp pellets before the Oscar can get to it.