I've been M.I.A. for a while with some health problems. Probably a lot of new guys who don't know me and what I do since the last time I was here. Check the sig line.
The good news is everything has been the same old same old in the big tank. I haven't been able to keep up with water changes as much as I like to. But the mangroves are still around and still keeping the nitrates at bay. I lost a female loiselli to a blockage. I cut her open and found shrimp shell as the culprit. Ever since, I've only given peeled shrimp as part of their feeding.
Everything else has gone swimmingly. No murders, no nuisance aggression to speak of. The dovii I got well over a year ago is over a foot now. I still have four or five fry alive from spawns almost two years ago. These fry have survived in the big tank from being hatched as eggs by the parents to nearly four inches long. They've grown very slowly due to being terrified to come out and eat, lol. They're just now starting to show some confidence and will come out of hiding to eat sinking pellets, shrimp, or fish filets. Whatever floats to the bottom.
Breeding has pretty much ceased. This is totally my fault and due to not keeping up on proper feeding and water changing schedules due to afore mentioned health problems. I've been lucky I haven't lost any fish other than the blocked up loiselli. I'm getting better physically and trying to get back on a better, more regular schedule.
I'll get some pics up later.
***EDITED TO ADD***
For the new guys, this tank has been up and running for way over two years. Most of these fishes have been together way more than three years starting in a 190g. I have five male/female pairs that have all bred in the past, sometimes all having fry at the same time. All fishes are full grown adults, with the exception of the now 13" male dovii who still has some growing to do. And to think most everybody said this set up wouldn't last two weeks.
The good news is everything has been the same old same old in the big tank. I haven't been able to keep up with water changes as much as I like to. But the mangroves are still around and still keeping the nitrates at bay. I lost a female loiselli to a blockage. I cut her open and found shrimp shell as the culprit. Ever since, I've only given peeled shrimp as part of their feeding.
Everything else has gone swimmingly. No murders, no nuisance aggression to speak of. The dovii I got well over a year ago is over a foot now. I still have four or five fry alive from spawns almost two years ago. These fry have survived in the big tank from being hatched as eggs by the parents to nearly four inches long. They've grown very slowly due to being terrified to come out and eat, lol. They're just now starting to show some confidence and will come out of hiding to eat sinking pellets, shrimp, or fish filets. Whatever floats to the bottom.
Breeding has pretty much ceased. This is totally my fault and due to not keeping up on proper feeding and water changing schedules due to afore mentioned health problems. I've been lucky I haven't lost any fish other than the blocked up loiselli. I'm getting better physically and trying to get back on a better, more regular schedule.
I'll get some pics up later.
***EDITED TO ADD***
For the new guys, this tank has been up and running for way over two years. Most of these fishes have been together way more than three years starting in a 190g. I have five male/female pairs that have all bred in the past, sometimes all having fry at the same time. All fishes are full grown adults, with the exception of the now 13" male dovii who still has some growing to do. And to think most everybody said this set up wouldn't last two weeks.
