L-144 babies
- Thread starter Bubbles2112
- Start date
Thanks everyone and congrats Grammy Pinkerd!!! This is a very unusual situation for the story on this tank. Got a few minutes....:coffee2:.......
I originally had some ADA Amazonia II substrate in this tank (15g footprint) as I wanted to have a special tank for my L-144s. Everything was great for about a year but then the substrate began to break down and the tank became my 'problem' tank. The water turned to mud and got so bad that visibility was down to an inch or two despite performing water changes sometimes two or three times each week. I fought this for about 6-months and decided that the only way to get my nice tank back was to totally tear down the tank and replace the substrate with something that I use all the time and is totally reliable, good old Eco-complete. At this point all one could see was something that was literally on the glass of the tank.
It sucked. I stopped doing water testing parameters and thought to myself this is a dead tank. :frog:
Anyway, I pulled the tank apart and to my surprise there were eggs inside the breeding tube when I picked it up. I handled the egg-tube very carefully and placed it into a heated tub of the old water and new water and went about tearing down the tank and saving what I could in the way of plants. To my surprise, most of the tanks inhabitants were alive and well. I had CPO crays in the tank as well and they were okay too!
I set the tank back up and used some of the old bacteria in the now cleaned filter (AC 30 and a small UV unit) and put the tank back together. The papa fish was very good and never left his tube and guarded his little clutch of eggs that I really didn't think had a chance of hatching but left in there anyway figuring the CPO's would have a nice snack when Papa abandoned his eggs.
I reallly HATE to tear down tanks. I would rather set up a new tank but because this tank is a special I kept it and did the work. I am very glad that I did! The eggs hatched out and Papa did a super job!
Now there is interest of the two females to both go into the tube with the Papa. Hopefully, there will be more eggs soon so I can actually see the ritual this time!
The thing on top of the cave is a rock and I keep the tank at 74.5 degrees. I started out feeding the babies Hikari Guppy food (soaked) and have added all kinds of veggies like carrots/broccoli/green beans/asparagus spears/chick peas/deshelled peas or any other softened veggy. They also eat the algae wafers and Hikari carnivore pellets and algae covered rocks.
I originally had some ADA Amazonia II substrate in this tank (15g footprint) as I wanted to have a special tank for my L-144s. Everything was great for about a year but then the substrate began to break down and the tank became my 'problem' tank. The water turned to mud and got so bad that visibility was down to an inch or two despite performing water changes sometimes two or three times each week. I fought this for about 6-months and decided that the only way to get my nice tank back was to totally tear down the tank and replace the substrate with something that I use all the time and is totally reliable, good old Eco-complete. At this point all one could see was something that was literally on the glass of the tank.
It sucked. I stopped doing water testing parameters and thought to myself this is a dead tank. :frog:Anyway, I pulled the tank apart and to my surprise there were eggs inside the breeding tube when I picked it up. I handled the egg-tube very carefully and placed it into a heated tub of the old water and new water and went about tearing down the tank and saving what I could in the way of plants. To my surprise, most of the tanks inhabitants were alive and well. I had CPO crays in the tank as well and they were okay too!
I set the tank back up and used some of the old bacteria in the now cleaned filter (AC 30 and a small UV unit) and put the tank back together. The papa fish was very good and never left his tube and guarded his little clutch of eggs that I really didn't think had a chance of hatching but left in there anyway figuring the CPO's would have a nice snack when Papa abandoned his eggs.
I reallly HATE to tear down tanks. I would rather set up a new tank but because this tank is a special I kept it and did the work. I am very glad that I did! The eggs hatched out and Papa did a super job!
Now there is interest of the two females to both go into the tube with the Papa. Hopefully, there will be more eggs soon so I can actually see the ritual this time!
The thing on top of the cave is a rock and I keep the tank at 74.5 degrees. I started out feeding the babies Hikari Guppy food (soaked) and have added all kinds of veggies like carrots/broccoli/green beans/asparagus spears/chick peas/deshelled peas or any other softened veggy. They also eat the algae wafers and Hikari carnivore pellets and algae covered rocks.
Wow! I didn't know you could tell they're long finned so small but the tails look deluxe. Cute!
Nice story too, I hope I remember that about ADA soil, what a mess but looks good now
Nice story too, I hope I remember that about ADA soil, what a mess but looks good now
You can pretty much tell the long fins from the short very early on ... but by the lenth of the pec fins, not the tail at first.
Adorable babies! 
I love the fairy wonderland look of your tank 
Although I'd probably put a black background on to blend in that heater.
I wish my BN pleco was as omnivorous as yours - mine won't touch carrot, broccoli, and even spinach he sort of turns his nose at.
I love the fairy wonderland look of your tank Although I'd probably put a black background on to blend in that heater.I wish my BN pleco was as omnivorous as yours - mine won't touch carrot, broccoli, and even spinach he sort of turns his nose at.
Adorable babies!
I wish my BN pleco was as omnivorous as yours - mine won't touch carrot, broccoli, and even spinach he sort of turns his nose at.
Heh heh! I did consider painting on a black background with some sparkles added but almost every tank I have has been painted black so I opted for a cheapy table runner made of bamboo that cost the grand sum of $1 at a local dollar store. I was trying to go for a textured look with that background and planned on making a bunch of different mosses into a 'false-wall' for the sides and did plan on putting the heater lower so you couldn't see it. But plans are like life. You can make all the plans you'd like but life tends to have its own course that must be followed and plans are put aside.
I also was going to get another tropical looking island hut from a potter on Aquabid to give the tank a twist with some painted home made surf boards lined up against the back of the tank. Black background sure would make the L-144's pop though!