Happy and sad updates *update*

[CrissAngelLover12345]

I'll get the sad update out of the way first: Ace, my bristlenose pleco, died earlier this week. I went to feed my fish and found her laying on her back, dead. I don't know why she died. It was so sudden and she wasn't acting any different. I had recently done a water change, so that shouldn't have been an issue. sad

I'm thinking about getting some sort of algae eater that doesn't have such a high bio-load and would get along with a betta. Any suggestions? As much as I love plecos, it would be nice to not have to do water changes so frequently because of the high bio-load.

After moving out, I might get the 30 gallon tank I have stored in the basement set up and might get a pleco then. I will definitely get it set up at some point. The tank is going with me since my parents have said that I can have it since the tank was bought for me when I was little and they have no interest in having fish anymore.

The good news is that I might be able to get Squirtle a 75 gallon tank for free! One of my coworkers knows someone who has to get rid of a bunch of tanks and pets because his landlord doesn't want him to have them anymore. I wish I could take some of the pets, but my parents would kill me if I did lol. He's going to find out if he's giving a 75 gallon tank away. He knows the guy has several large tanks. I hope he is! It sounds like I would also get a filter and other supplies for it! I also hope I can get a stand for it so I won't have to go out and get one (they are expensive >.<). biggrin The next question would be how to get it home and in my room lol. I know where I'm going to put the tank, though. ^_^ I wonder how Squirtle would react in it, having a much larger amount of room to swim. I'm so excited! biggrin  

[Moth Feathers]

Ooh, a free 75 gallon. twisted Lots of fun things you can do with a big tank!

About the stand...if you aren't given a stand with the tank, why not just make your own out of cinderblocks?
It cost me about 12 dollars for some cinderblocks and about five minutes to stack them up, and wallah, I had a -very- sturdy aquarium stand! Here's a picture, if you're curious.
My tank is a 75 gallon too. Although it's not filled up in that picture, it is filled up now (and has been for about three weeks) and no leaks/busts/anything whatsoever. My concrete block fortress is by far more sturdier than most commercial aquarium stands, tbh.

Of course, it's not very pretty, so if aesthetics are important to you, you may want to shell out for a pretty wooden stand from the store. But if it isn't...here you go!  

[Vanilla eXee]

Moth Feathers

I hadn't seen pictures of your 75 yet, that looks really nice. For someone who would need to use cinderblocks but doesn't like how they look, an extra large table cloth before putting the tank on the plank would "spruce it up" a little bit, then you can also hide supplies under it too without making the room look cluttered. Just a thought.

@Criss: Sorry about Ace sad Do you think maybe she became eggbound?  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

Vanilla eXee

Moth Feathers

I hadn't seen pictures of your 75 yet, that looks really nice. For someone who would need to use cinderblocks but doesn't like how they look, an extra large table cloth before putting the tank on the plank would "spruce it up" a little bit, then you can also hide supplies under it too without making the room look cluttered. Just a thought.

@Criss: Sorry about Ace sad Do you think maybe she became eggbound?

That's a possibility. I just looked up pictures of gravid bristlenose plecos and her abdomen did look like that, so that might have been the case... sad I hadn't thought of that before you mentioned it...

At the moment, I don't care so much about looks, but I will more so when I move out. I do like Vanilla's idea about putting a large tablecloth on the stand though if I decided to go that way. biggrin I also have to take weight into account since it'll be in my room, and we do have a basement (I don't want Squirtle in the basement since it gets way too cold down there and I don't go down there much at all). I don't know how much weight my floor can hold and do not want to find its limit. Would there be any lighter items that would still be sturdy enough to hold the tank I could use? It'll be for my RES turtle. The tank he's in right now is way too small, and if I can get the 75 gallon tank for free, that would be awesome since I otherwise can't afford one, and probably wouldn't be able to get one until after I move out otherwise. I would like to put some kind of substrate in it. What substrate would be safe to use? Would any plants or decorations be safe for use? It'll probably for the most part, always be used for aquatic turtles. ^_^ Hopefully I'll know within a few days if I'll be able to get the tank or not.

Your set up looks really nice, MothFeathers! biggrin  

[imderanged]

Sand or LARGE river rocks are safe substrates for RES. Any kind of small gravel they could ingest is NOT. They WILL eat it. Actually they eat the sand too, but they pass it. The gravel may obstruct them. I have used both river rocks and sand. In my opinion sand is better. The river rock is next to impossible to clean. I have plastic plants in my RES tank as well. I was concerned at first that he would eat them but he bites it, realizes it's not food and leaves it alone. He loves his plants and often sleeps in them at night. But his favorite decoration is his clam. I got him a bubbler clam and he loves to swim through the bubbles and even climb into the clam! It's really funny and it keeps him entertained.

(not the best picture, but I had to use the telephoto lens to sneak a pic while he was in the shell! If I get too close he automatically comes over to beg for food, lol)  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

Thanks for the info imderanged! I'll go with sand and plastic plants! Does it have to be a specific sand or can I just go to a store, like Home Depot or similar store, and pick up some sandbox sand? I'll also look at the varieties of decorations and see if I can find anything he might like. Your RES is so cute! He is similar to Squirtle in the begging for food aspect lol. The instant I walk into my room and he notices me, he swims over like "OOH FOOD TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!" and if he's on his floating dock, he launches himself into the water and then begs lol. He could have just eaten and still beg. I can be on my bed and he will still be like "Feed me!" even though I'm now where near his tank. rofl Ever since I got the Zoo Med Natural Aquatic Turtle food, he has pretty much lost interest in the lettuce. He seems to prefer the pellets now... At least they're better formulated for adult turtles and are mostly plant based. He'll even try to bite the container when I pull it out and put it in front of his tank! He'll see it and be like "FOOOOOD!!!!!!!" *bite* Even though the glass is between him and the container. rofl

I didn't see the person that knows the guy who's giving away a bunch of his tanks and pets yesterday and I'm off today and tomorrow, so I'll have to wait until at least Sunday to talk to him and find out if I am able to get a 75 gallon tank. Hopefully he'll be working. ^_^

I think my betta might have had fin and tail rot. I have medicated the tank for it and he has perked up quite a bit and is back to his normal self. He had been kinda lethargic. I'm debating on doing another batch of medicating or not. I hope his tail grows back with little to no curling. ^^ His a**l fin is about fully healed now and his dorsal fin looks better and is growing back again nicely. His tail still looks pretty bad and will probably take quite a bit of time to heal since it was in the worst shape of all the affected fins. I have covered up the filter intake and the top of the pineapple in case they might have caused it. I hope he isn't biting his tail... If he is, what can I do to to keep him from doing it if he is? I'll take a picture and post it so you can see what his tail looks like to help determine if fin and tail rot caused it, if maybe the filter or something caused it or if he could be tail-biting.  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

Here are the pictures. I still haven't named him and am still open to suggestions lol. It was hard to get them because he didn't want to stay still lol.





Here's one of his tail:



It looks like it is healing some. His a**l fin and dorsal fin do have some more healing to do, but they look a lot better though. biggrin  

[imderanged]

Yeah play sand is fine, it's what I used. But even if it says "pre-washed" wash it first. Put it in a big bucket and run water into the bucket stirring up the sand occasionally and rinse until the water runs clear. Do it in batches, don't try and do it all at once. Even after you do this, when you first put it in the tank and fill it with water, your water will look cloudy, don't worry it doesn't stay like that. Let it settle before you turn on your filter. It SOUNDS like a lot more trouble than it's worth I know. But after the initial work involved in the sand it's almost maintenance free. It's worth it in the long run.  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

Ok. Thanks for the information. I'll definitely do that when I get it. I can't wait! I'm so excited! blaugh  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

While working today, I didn't see the guy I talked to about the 75 gallon tank... sad I don't work again until Wednesday. Hopefully I'll see him then...  

[CrissAngelLover12345]

I was able to talk to the person. He said that the biggest one that the person is getting rid of is a 56 gallon cube tank, and he's selling that one for $100. He has some that are smaller than that that he's giving away for free. Would the 56 gallon cube one be an ok tank for now? The 56 gallon would be an increase from what he has now...

My betta's tail is healing! It has a long way to go, but it's getting better! biggrin