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That is quite strange. If it is metal, have a quick look in the tank (to make sure there is no more pieces floating about) and check the surrounding area for a possible source; perhaps the frame of a light or something chipped somehow? In the last image, it looks as though some stringy things...

Clock

I believe dojo loaches and goldfish are generally compatible; how large are your goldfish? Are they fancy breeds? These factors could determine a cause of aggression. Also, what types are your other plecos/loaches?

Fun

Stick

Yep, it’s outdoors! I might have a look at 2000l/hr, so that I have a bit of extra movement. Thanks!

No problem! I look forward to seeing what you go with :)

It looks like it might be bloating, but trying to pin the cause may be tricky. What tank mates does the guppy have? What is your setup like? I’m not confident I can give you a course of action but, with some of this info, other members here might be able to advise you. For now, a water change...

Nice scape! How’d you get the plants to hold? Aquarium glue?

I’m no pleco expert, but there may be some possible causes. What are your tanks parameters? What tank mates does the pleco have? Are there any sharp ornaments that he could have injured himself on? Is this injury from today, or is it older? I have found an article on heater burns with a quick...

I concur with what Colin said. In general, mixing fancy and normal (single-tailed) goldfish can be problematic, since the latter is more ‘optimised’ for survival and thus can outcompete the former for food and in other areas. For this reason, you may have some ongoing issues, even out of...

I personally like the API liquid test kits, which work similar to the strips with a colour system. You can buy the individual tests (e.g. just ammonia and nitrates) or a master test kit, which comes with tests for all of the measures. If you look online, you should be able to find these for...

I think you shouldn’t have issues mixing them, as long as they aren’t of very different sizes (since anything that can fit in a goldfish’s mouth will likely be eaten). Ideally, if you can get them from the same place at once, you’ll have less to worry about with disease and aggression. Be sure...

No problem! I don’t think you have to worry about the eggs; neon tetras require some very... unique conditions to be raised (including complete darkness in a tank for the babies; I knew someone who kept them in an Eski and would feed them in the dark of morning/night - with a towel to cover the...

Nice longbow!

I don’t think that it should cause any issues, since carbon is more for chemical filtration (i.e. removes nitrates and stuff from the water), rather than biological, which is done by bioballs and similar things (partially by sponges, which double as mechanical). A good article on it can be found...

The scapes look great! For stocking, it depends whether you want shoaling fish or a single central one, plus your water conditions. What is your pH and water hardness? If you don’t know the latter, you should be able to find out by calling your water company.

Neon tetras have very particular water requirements, so it might be good to test your water for any anomalies (and check against their needs). It is possible it is just egg bound, but I couldn’t say either way. It’s hard to see from the pictures, but perhaps you could check if its bulge is as...

Hey, to help with your planning I would recommend taking a look at the tool Aqadvisor. Very easy to use and it will flag some stocking or setup issues. That aside, goldfish are very messy fish with a particular set of needs, so it is easier to keep them in a species tank. It is possible to have...

Welcome to the forum and thanks for posting! Good on you for trying to improve the well-being of your fish; that’s the best way to learn about the hobby! Everyone so far has given great advice. I will add a bit more. When you do your water changes, make sure to add the water condition (as...

Hi all, The impeller of my (admittedly not amazing) pond filter went during routine maintenance yesterday and I am in need of a replacement. Since I cannot remember the model or brand of my current one (having bought it years ago secondhand), I am looking for something new to help keep the...

Something you should consider is getting two lower power heaters instead of one large one. For instance, buy two 100 watt heaters, rather than a new 200 watt one. This will not only mean that, in the case one breaks, you still have something running, but that you can distribute heat better in...

Hi Colin, sorry this reply is so late. Life has been hectic and I’ve finally started to get my tank together. With the pygmy perch, how many could I house in the tank (if it was just them)? And how large should the group be ideally (ignoring tank size)? Thanks for everything thus far.

Hi all, I’m planning a new setup at the moment and want to use sand as the substrate. For anyone who has used it: how do you keep it clean (especially in planted areas)? Where did you get it from (I’ve been recommended play and pool filter sand)? And how did you go about cleaning it before use...

For the tank, what substrate would you recommend? I was thinking dirt/sand or something along those lines to be more natural, but I’m not sure how practical that is in terms of maintenance. Also, what plants (if you know) might be found in their natural habitat? How strong should the water flow be?

Awesome! So fry would be safe with galaxiellas as well? On a different note, do you know what type of water current pygmy perch and galaxiellas like?

Thanks for the links! I had a quick look and they seem pretty useful. Out of interest, would you happen to know anything about breeding pygmy perch? And if I went with the galaxiellas and perch, would shrimp be able to survive, or would they be eaten?

Thanks for the suggestions! I’m in Melbourne, so I might be able to find some of them. With the pygmy perch, are they compatible with galaxiellas? If not, are there any other species (fish or invertebrate) that can live with them? Or are they best suited to a species tank?

I know I’m a bit late, but thanks for everything, Nick! Your tank setups were always a delight to follow, and you provided some of the best advice. I can only hope you return some day.

Back in business!

Hi all, it’s been a while. I’m interested in setting up a freshwater Australian fish tank, and need some species suggestions. My current tank is 61.5cm long, 38cm tall and 31cm wide, so holds about 72 litres in total. The local water hardness is around 15-20mg/L, and I think the pH is a tad...

By the way Nick, how's your sorority going?

Yeah, gobies are great. They have such interesting behaviours and personalities. And they can stick to almost anything! Interested to see how your diet experiments go, please keep updating.

Nice gobies Nick! Literally came back just because I saw this thread. Interesting notes about their diet, never heard of someone feeding them guppy fry.

Hi guys, I'm back after a long break. I have recently been looking into getting some yabbies, to try something different. I have some questions about keeping them though. How much room do they need? What type of plants work well with them? Are there different/special requirements for...

Generally, as said by bettamum, when getting a new fish any common illnesses should be researched, and fish should be checked before bought (e.g. a betta with fin rot will have obviously damaged fins). I'm pretty sure that your betta is a veiltail, so his fins shouldn't look torn (have a look at...

Between the other members, almost everything has been covered, so sorry in advance if I go over something already mentioned. As already said, this will have been caused most likely by stress and/or bad parameters. Regular water changes, monitoring, and live plants can help the latter, as well as...

Leaving the hobby for a while. RIP Percy.