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Undergravel filters work very nicely to maintain lots of beneficial bacteria in the gravel, might not be for everyone though. I have used them in salt tanks for years without issues. The down side is some of the finer stuff that penetrates through the gravel will accumulate on the bottom of the...

Just thought it’d be good for my Mbuna to munch on. I know most people like keeping a sterile looking tank, and it’s fine, I’m a bit of the opposite, I like a tank to look a bit more “aged” and natural, maintaining clean water.

Yes, usually starts brown

Thank you

Hmm, makes me think about my African cichlid tank. Are you sure there is nothing added? And Im sorry but why chickens need oyster shells? Im a city guy but I have a tractor supply place about a mile away.

So Im assuming plant nutrients will eventually grow some green algae?

What type of nutrients?

What is the best light (color) to grow green algae?

I love this tank and the green algae all around looks great, I'm sure the fish munch on it as well. What size tank is this?

Lots of water changes and feed a little less, best medication.

Fish emotions... Survival and feeding, if one can call those emotions.

You decide, they're your fish. There were times during my life, I had to part with my fish at some point, perhaps I'm not as sensitive as you are but, in the end, I knew it was the best thing for the fish and me. Once you are more settled, you can start over. Sell them or give them away to...

I totally expect anything from these fish. I wouldn't be surprise to find the male has eaten the fry one of these days even though he is super protective.

I was just told, the male should be smaller and not as aggressive to have a "long lasting pair", I guess he got rejected. Wow.

Oh boy, sorry for the confusion, I meant CONVICT cichlids.

What can be expected from fish, especially cichlids! I started way back with three tiny bandits, two females one male, as soon as he paired up with one female, he instantly killed the other female. All looked really good between them for a few months, they were very protective of the fry. Funny...

Bandit cichlid yes.

I'm actually new with bandits, had them for a few months (breeding pair) with fry now about a month old and male decides to kill the female after all this time. Is this perhaps instinct of the male protecting the fry?

You should have rinsed the filter in de-chlorinated water, even if it was that dirty. Anyway, now you will have to go through a cycle which could take you about a month or a bit longer. Keep doing water changes.

Guppy.

No more than $10 when I started my African cichlid tank, all juveniles of course.

Fish don't have a disease?! But yes, some meds will kill not only the bacteria in fish but the beneficial bacteria in your filter. Test kits can make you crazy. I suggest you keep doing what you are doing as far as small water changes for a while and go back to your regular routine once they...

i feel if your ph is close to 7, which it is, should be ok for angels, definitely check that chlorine.

Definitely looks better than the first picture. It won't be an overnight change but the fact he's eating is a good sign. Also as Colin_T said ^^ above, make sure there are no chlorine/ chloramines in the water before adding.

Yes, unless you do small water changes and even then, it will drop until it stabilizes and the same with every water change.

That's a heck of a journal! Makes me think twice now about keeping a tank outside. Funny, outdoor tanks and swordtails is what attracted me to the hobby decades ago (yes I'm an old guy) Born and raised in a Caribbean Island, I remember meeting someone having their backyard loaded with tanks...

I understand your frustration and why you should be confused as well, I would too! Lots of opinions but basically all trying to give you the best advice. Yes, your tank needs to cycled before anything, remember the cycling starts in your filter and that is where the beneficial bacteria will...

Wow! That is a difference. I'm glad you decided to go the water change route. You don't have to follow my advice, but I gave up on meds for fish years ago when I found the importance of water changes and how beneficial it is for the fish health.

So, I have this wild idea about setting up a tank out on my deck, not sure what fish would survive the fluctuations in temperature I'm in NJ, we can go from a warm 95 degrees to a cool 55 at night. I'm also thinking having rainwater going into it. My first thought was goldfish since it could...

Glad to know it's getting better, water changes are the best medicine, Strange about the chlorine, what do you use? I use Prime but I always thought most of them did a good job at removing chlorine.

Funny you bring that up, I've been eyeing a couple of peacocks to add to my mbuna collection. And isn't the environment the same as the mbuna other than their diet?

Peacocks and mbuna, got it.

I know you posted on this once before, are they all peacocks?

... and your fish won't be exposed to sudden pH swings. Thank you.

The filter media should never be changed, just rinsed lightly occasionally In aquarium water. Forget the carbon and the meds, keep doing water changes. The fish might lose his eye but he will get better overall, keep us posted and good luck!

If your ammonia is high there might either be a problem with your filter or it is not cycled yet. Did you cycle the tank before adding fish?

Sorry to be so blunt but that angel doesn't look healthy and I'm thinking it has to do with water conditions. Don't know about your filtration and if it's a cycled tank but I would start with a lot more frequent water changes and see if the fish's appearance and eye, improve. I would say, ease...

I was going to ask the same, define emotion. This is just my opinion... intelligence and emotion can be connected in ways in humans. To make it brief, do I think fish feel sadness or happiness (emotions) as we humans do? No. They are intelligent in a survival way, they can hide from a predator...

For those with limestone, coral or aragonite in their tanks and have low pH, very soft tap water, how do you handle water changes? I'm assuming a 1/3 to 1/2 of the tank water change would take a while for the water to come up to the desired pH.

Keep your "filter washing" to a minimum, this is where most of your beneficial bacteria resides, just a light rinse once in a while with aquarium water.