Advice needed!

[invokethegoddess]

Thanks for the advice Doc...Much to the dismay of others on this forum...The pacus are stayingLOL....so is the pleco if we can help it...Sound Advice and we will certainly consider it if the changes we have made so far don't help.....and after the work i've done this weekend, I don't know if I'll be able to bellydance again...The fish will miss it...They like to watch!LOL

 

[Dr Joe]

Voyeurfish... sub species ogle.

 

[HunterX]

a wet dry system would definately help. Your still gonna have to do the water changes though...

 

[invokethegoddess]

I'm not too familar with a wet/dry system...(but I guess I will have to GET familiar!!LOL)I don't mind doing the water changes...I just want to get the ammonia levels under control and stable.
so far so good....we have been consistantly ok for about 4 days and on the 5th day we would have elevated ammonia levels and the fish showing signs of stress...We have reduced the amount of fish in the tank(we knew we were overcrowded) we added extra bioligical filtration in the way of a sponge filter....if that doesn't work I guess we will look more into a wet/dry system...We know we are going to have to venture there anyway when we upgrade to the next size... So much information in so little time.....We have only been at this for 4 months now...we are just babies in the fish scene...but we are on a crash course and learning fast!! Thanks to this fabulous forum and all of the encouragement and advice we have recieved!! Many props to you all who have responded!!

 

[invokethegoddess]

"Slurpee" the pleco has been removed from the "get rid of" list.

Water parameters look good thanks to some recent changes. So far so good!

Now we need to concentrate on getting a bigger tank!
here is a video of the pacu's playing in the bubbles from the powerhead.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6llMi_AMb4

 

[Red Devil]

I definately am guilty of overfeeding...I have cut down to 1 feeding a day. I have had difficulty finding a good (large)Pellet that the Pacu like. They rarely go after anything that sinks. I find the shrimp pellets too messy. They love the algae disks...but they are kinda costly. I have been trying to get them used to veggies(zuccini etc.) ...but they look at me like I am crazy when I put veggies in the tank. (We adopted them and don't know what they were raised on...obvioulsy not veggies LOL )
I have cut back my feeding to once a day. (and the fish are not too happy!!) I alternate between flakes or small sinking crumbles for the cichlids.
I am hoping when I spit the "Big Boys" from the "Little 'uns" that the choice of "What to feed" will be easier.

Have you had problems with the FX5? Do you use the blue polishing pads?? I have been reading some other posts and there have been lots of negative posts about the polishing pads. I think that may be one of my problems too.

I feed my pacu's AZOO arowana pellets... they float and pacus love them.. just an idea. Try lettling pacus get a little hungary and then introduce something new.. ..pacus love to eat.. so if they are hungary they will go for it..

 

[invokethegoddess]

Thanks Liz for the tip on the arowana pellets! They have started to like Zucchini and play "swipe the zuccini stick" from eachother! Now that our water parameters have stabilized, and since I have cut back on feeding, they are certainly not as picky. You should see the pleco fight them for food on the bottom. He certainly gets them on the run! They are big fans of the bubbles in our powerhead and just sit there fanning them selves! it is too cute!
Shauna

 

[Red Devil]

Thanks Liz for the tip on the arowana pellets! They have started to like Zucchini and play "swipe the zuccini stick" from eachother! Now that our water parameters have stabilized, and since I have cut back on feeding, they are certainly not as picky. You should see the pleco fight them for food on the bottom. He certainly gets them on the run! They are big fans of the bubbles in our powerhead and just sit there fanning them selves! it is too cute!
Shauna

That is great,sounds like big improvement.. they will also love eventually a couple of slices of banana and carrots cut small and steamed lightly to perfection haha... they will be dining good... and i am sure they do love those bubbles..

 

[invokethegoddess]

I'll try the carrots and bananas too! They certainly acting like playful puppies these days. Now we have to make a decision and start planning their "New" home. (that is the fun part!!)
Thanks Liz for all of your help!!

 

[Red Devil]

I'll try the carrots and bananas too! They certainly acting like playful puppies these days. Now we have to make a decision and start planning their "New" home. (that is the fun part!!)
Thanks Liz for all of your help!!

you sound like your just doing fine on your own.. i just offer what little i can think of... not much lately between all the gardening and horses and sunshine.. haha.. have a good evening!