Deuce 70G Journal

[Deuce868]

The substrate is about half Eco and half flourite. The black is the echo and the redish stuff is the flourite.

I am planning on doing Perl gouramis, harlequins & maybe cardinals with Sterbai cories and a couple of clown loaches I think.

I stuffed the Magnum 350 with floss instead of carbon and it seems to be doing great with clearing up water. When I first put the gravel in it was almost all cleared inside a few hours. I am sure the Ehiem now on it is helping as well.

[Deuce868]

The plants have been in since Sat afternoon and all I can say is WOW! The cobamba and foxtail seem to love me. This might not be much for some, but I am loving this stuff.

Here is the growing left side. I am going to have to trim a couple very soon!


This is an idea of the growth...this pic was in the morning


And this was that night! Make sure to check out the cobamba in the upper right hand corner. I love the red tops of the plants because they grow so fast.


And here is my new little friend. They had this Red Tiger Lotus bulb. I will see how this goes as well.

[Wasserpest]

Not that it matters... but I don't think there is any Cabomba. Looks like Ambulia (Lymnophila sessiliflora) to me... but they are very similar, perhaps the pic is misleading.

You will be surprised how the Red Tiger Lotus will change... take lots of pictures, you will never see it that small again.

[Deuce868]

I could very well be wrong. The lfs I got the plants from had no signs on things and had no idea what most of it was. I did some assuming based on plants I had before, but I didn't have much at all.

Is the red plant foxtail? I am not aware of many like that so again..assuming.

I plan on taking lots of pics. I love to see how things change and shape. Plus it makes the time go by faster waiting for plants to fill in if you can compare and say '''yes, it has grown...just a little longer"

[Wasserpest]

The red plant is Rotala wallichii, I think you are right, it is commonly called Foxtail. Needs lots and lots of light, fertilizer and CO2, but very pretty. Not something I could keep alive in my tank :roll:

[Wasserpest]

You might want to look over several aquariumplant selling websites that feature photos, to learn about plants, and to figure out what you have got so far.

Of course a good book helps too

[Deuce868]

I have been checking, just sometimes get it wrong. The real names are so bad...it will take a while before I can say I have Rotala wallichii over foxtail. =)

[Wasserpest]

I know what you mean, it's like learning a different language.

Try saying "Aponogeton longiplumulosus" five times really fast :lol:

Anyway... good luck with your tank.

[Deuce868]

I am not sure when my plant order is going to be in yet, but I started adding a few fish today. I got my first 3 pearl gouramis. My tank is also a bubbling mess. The ph checks out at 7.2ish (the greens get to be awefully close) and my kh is 6 still so I should be safe, but the plants are bubbling away. In the morning when I turn the lights back on the top is almost clear of bubbles.

Here it is toward the end of the night


Here is the bottom side of that large anubias I got at the lfs.


Here are a couple of pics of my new babies. You can even see the bubbling tank in these as well.

[Wasserpest]

You got three males. Keep an eye out for those damaged fins, to make sure they don't start to rot (bacterial/fungus infections).

[Deuce868]

ok, I will. Do you have pics of damanged/rot/healthy I can compare against. I am afraid I am not up on it. Do you also have any hints at telling females from males? I am thinking about eventually getting two more and think I should make sure they are females.

Thanks for the notice. I am still learning to tell these things.

[Wasserpest]

The one in your last pic looks a little sad. Here is one with another problem, but almost healthy fins:


I don't have a pic of a female up right now, but they are very easy to distinguish. They lack the orange color of the males, and the fins are more rounded, without the extensions that the males show. They are also a little smaller than the males.

[Deuce868]

ah, I see the fin damage now that you post that. Will it turn red or sore if it starts to show rot?

I know they look a bit sad. I am hoping that being the kings of my tank for a while until I get my other fish in (I am having to have them order the Cardinals, Sterbai, and Harlequins) that they will grow to love my new home for them

[Wasserpest]

If the water conditions are good, it will most likely heal by itself. On the other hand if that one gets bullied by the others, it is under stress, and it might get worse. Usually it doesn't turn red, it might just get eaten away or some cottony stuff might grow on it, just observe it a little bit.
I think the ideal combination would be one male with two or three females, not sure though. Other combinations work probably too, especially once your plants grow a little bit and provide some shelter and resting places.
Wow.... sorry for taking over that thread.

[2la]

At the apparent size of your male specimens, Deuce, the sexes should easily be distinguished by finnage (long dorsal and fringed anal fin on males, short dorsal and anal fins on females) and coloration (deep orange breast on males, white breast on females). Here's a photo of a pair at a much younger age than your fish: The differences in the fins at least should be quite apparent (notice the relative distances between the tips of the dorsal fins and the black spot on the caudal peduncle). In adult females, the dorsal fin remains about the same relative length as in this photo. HTH...