My 120g South American community tank

[angelcraze2]

So the filter for $31 WAS too good to be true . I kinda thought so, but didn't realize just how good that 'deal' was, that model is supposed to be more like $131. So the seller got yanked from ebay and I won the case I opened because the seller provided an invalid tracking number
Well, I'll keep an eye out for a second hand backup filter or DIY myself a backup bucket canister. Just something to have in case one of the canisters breaks and I can't get it going right away.

Anyway, I thought an update tank shot was in order.
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My new light is perfect for my needs. I'm only running it at 60% and some of my plants are growing some large leaves and i'm seeing more color. Although i'm also seeing BBA and a little cyano.Battling those.

I'm planning to propagate the hygro angustifolia (pantanol sp.wavy) across the midground, but I have to add more dirt containers first. I have so much more success with even stem plants growing them in dirt. The roots on this stem are impressive! Tip: That's why I like this stem for tanks with diggers or plant uprooters (fish).
My amazon swords are in need of some root tab, I just noticed.

So for the latest news in angelfish show, my good old gold pearlscale mama decided the platinum was not good enough as a partner. He had many chances, she taught him him fertilize the eggs and everything, but I think he ends up being an egg eater each time. So this time, she hooked up with my favorite blue silver angelfish. This is his first time spawning, I've never seen any type of spawning behavior from him, but there he was, defending the eggs as best he could. I missed the spawn, and by the time the game was over, the eggs were gone, but I saw that platinum in there eating the eggs! The pic is taken post eggs.

So my female blue silver is with a gold marble, and my male blue silver is with a gold pearlscale. Both are not great combos for offspring. But at least now I know that blue silver is ready to go. Thinking about trying the two blue silvers together. They are both my favorite blue silvers. And.....maybe the gold marble and gold pearlscale could make a pair! Their genetics would make a much better mesh. The only thing I am thinking about is how closely the two blue silvers are related. I can't remember! But it's an option to try my hand at blue silver babies like I've been trying for for well....literally....ages I guess....
Still pretty exciting news!
Here are the new love birds.....errr fish :)
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[Boundava]

Your tank looks great Hope your fish stop eating the eggs and lol with them pairing up exactly how you didn't want them too. Hopefully they are able to get to wrigglers and stop eating the eggs. Good luck to you and the new pairs.

[WhistlingBadger]

Tank looks lovely, Kat. Your tale of shifting and mostly undesirable pairings sort of reminds me of the teenagers at the tiny school where I got my first teaching job...but I really try not to think about that too much...

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[Slaphppy7]

[angelcraze2]

Hello AC folk! How's everyone doing? I get my pinoy angels today!!!!! I'm so excited!! I'll go pick them up straight from the LFS in the afternoon when they arrive because the store has no room to keep them there. That's fine, I'm gonna use my 40g growout as a QT tank and grow them up a bit first. They told me they are 1.5 inches atm, so cute!

I decided to try a different way of filtration. I have an AC70 for the tank, but the more I thought of it, I'm thinking upward flow is better than water pouring into the tank for small angels. The reason for this thought is their dorsal fins. Don't know if water pouring into the tank would weigh on their fin, probably not, but might as well try it for my growout tank. So I originally made a DIY extension to the cheap internal filters I had by adding a water bottle with holes punctured in the bottom (would be the top of the extension), fill it with seasoned bio media, place it on the output spout and voila! I set up one filter and it worked :) I set up the other one, plugged it in, put my hand in the tank and got shocked! I unplugged the filter to take a look. The cord was spilt at the motor! Probably from storage, I must have had too much pressure there. So one 7w filter was not going to be enough for the 40g, so I dug out an old large fluval internal 12w filter, placed it on the bottom pointing upward, and I'm just gonna use that. The compartment part for bio is large enough that I don't have to add a DIY extension. I'll keep the extensions I made for sponge filters or a smaller tank.

So I set up the QT last night, I just have to add sponge and bio media from an established tank and I'm ready for the angels :)

Pics will come afrer I get them acclimated

[Slaphppy7]

Yay, excited for you!....looking forward to the pics

[WhistlingBadger]

Cool, except for the zappy part. That's never fun. Can't wait to see those pinoys!

[angelcraze2]

So they are in the QT tank! I haven't fed them yet, I'll feed them tomorrow morning. That's enough excitement for one day, but they do look skinny. I guess they are most likely fasted before shipment to reduce poop in the bag.

So here they are!
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The pics are not great I know, and they are still shy and faded.
And the tank I set up last night oof!
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I didn't fill it all the way and it's still pretty big for the little guys, but it will give them a chance to grow a bit too. I have the light very shaded atm, I will brighten it tomorrow to get them used to a planted tank.

I noticed two small deformities, a gill plate and a stumpy pelvic fin, but they shipped 7 instead of 6 to the LFS, so I got an extra for free ;) I also see a bit of finrot I think, or something to do with ammonia cuz their fin tips are dark. I'm sure that will heal up with good water and nutrition. I'm not gonna bother with meds for outside things unless I have to. Gonna throw in some IALs maybe.

On another note, Big Als has flower shrimp on sale for 2 for 5.99, so planning to pick up some tomorrow! I still have one bamboo shrimp in my 90g and i'm thinking about getting some for the 120g as well. At that price, why not?

[angelcraze2]

Oh and I forgot to say they are not pinoy. I'm hoping they are blue (hard to tell at this age), but a nice surprise is they are all pearlscale like my gold marbles in the 90g. Gold marble pearlscale was the fish I first fell in love with and my first angels. I knew right then this was my style of fish ;) I kindof moved away from it with my glitter platinums, but i'm ok to explore the pearlscale gene again. So atm, I'm thinking they are actually blue silver pearlscales.

[Slaphppy7]

Congrats on the newbies!...I'm sure they'll work out just fine, whichever one they are, lol