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Define bred. I've had them spawn on at least two seperate occasions --with no fry to speak of. Also, crpyt balansae sounds good, though, depending on your tank conditions, it might take over the aquarium.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 05-Jan-2005 10:49

Thanks!

I can buy some RO water from the store, and to do the planted stock tanks, we mix it so that it is 75% RO water and 25% tap water. Do you think that would be good? Also, I thought of using marbles for the bottom, but I really wanted the tank to look good as well. The gravel is about 5mm in diameter, which (I think) is big enough for the fry to hid down there a bit.

The tank is across the room from the window and only gets that much algae during the winter, as that is the only time it gets direct sunlight (but only for like half an hour). I only scrape the algae off the sides because (a) I like the way it makes the tank look more natural and (b} it benefits the water in a good way by soaking up nitrates. I think I will only get an algae eater if it starts to take over the plants.

Hygro sounds like a good plant in there. It grows fast so it will cover the top and help dim the lights. I was thinking about also putting more dwarf saggitaria in there, as I've had mots of luck with that. And also probably more Crypt. balansae, as I have actually witnessed pencilfish spawing on that.





Last edited by cORY aDDICT at 05-Jan-2005 09:00

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

To lower the GH you can use a common water filter. The ones like Brit# will lower it a bit. They also help to lower the CH a little. I personally am not a proponent of trying to change the ph of water. Every water change the water will need to be at your tank specs in order to not produce spikes. Its alot of extra work unless you have a RO unit ... or if you are using a common water filter that gives similiar results with cartridge changes.

I dont have experience with pencilfish, however i have found that the best method for most cyprinids is to actually have a small marble substrate at least 3 layers tall. The eggs fall through to the tank bottom, the parents cant get at them, and the fray have alot of places to escape to. I have also been able to grow plants on marbles. They tend to grow large root bases to keep themselves anchored.

That is ALOT of algae in your tank. Is it close to a window? I would definetly put some type of algae eater in the tank with the gourami to keep the algae down.

Also in my endler tank they fry are small and the parents do hunt them (although not as actively as guppies do to their fry). The plants that i use for them are Hygro polysperma (great at taking up extra nitrates) and java fern. The hygro does extremely well in my 10g with a 15w bulb. Just need to keep trimming it.

Bdadawg

Thanks! I think I'm going to go with the Java moss, as that is the only one of those you listed that I can easily get ahold of. Have you bred pencilfish before? I We had some at work once, and they spawned the day after we got them (in the stock tank - though it did have soft, acidic water) on the Cryptocoryne balansae, so I put some of that in there. They left their eggs alone, though, but unfortunately the eggs were not fertile and did not hatch.

And yes, that is a pearl gourami in there... I put her in there to keep the tank cycled until I get the pencilfish.

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I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.

IME with beckfords, the pencils did indeed attempt to eat their eggs, with the aid of other characins. I think the tank itself looks great, but if you're into spawning and activities of that nature, I'd aim for a carpet of plantage. Ideas include, but are not limited to: glosso, riccia (both rather painful to maintain), or mosses. A thin carpet of java moss is all one needs to successfully keep the parents at bay--hey, if it works with cardinals, it should work with any fish. Lights should be dimmed during successive spawns. Some petite nana would look really nice alongside those larger barteris(?). Btw, what the heck is in there? A pearl gourami?

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 05-Jan-2005 10:49