My Riffle Shrimp And Tanks!

[TallTree01]

The cycle finished yesterday. I bought some feeder guppies to make sure there was nothing in the tank that is lethally toxic to fish like any chemicals or something that had been introduced. Today they're still going strong and seem perfectly fine. I will remove them today so I can keep feeding the filter ammonia and then reintroduce them with the other fish when they arrive later this week. I'll do a big water change and clean of the tank a few days before the fish arrive.
The guppies are sweet little fellas. They love hiding in the water Sprite.

 

[NickAu]

 
The guppies are sweet little fellas. They love hiding in the water Sprite.

Most fish do love floating plants, Im glad you like the Water Sprite.

 

[TallTree01]

Quick little update, the fish are arriving in two batches, one tomorrow and one on Friday. The butterfly and the bristle nose are tomorrow and the catfish are on Friday.
I will do a clean today so the tank is clean and sparkly for the fish tomorrow. I'm considering moving the marble queen sword as it is massive now and is blocking the rocks and stuff. I'll see if I can move it during the water change today.
I got some large floating pellets for the butterfly, they're designed for Arowana and similar fish, hopefully he likes it.

 

[TallTree01]

The butterfly fish and the bristlenose arrived today. They're both very healthy and look great.
Within a few minutes of putting the butterfly in he started stalking the guppies. I think he's already caught one, the other is looking very skittish. Definitely not going to add any surface dwellers I don't want eaten. He's very handsome and elegant in how he cruises around the surface. He's relaxing in the lace fern now.
The bristlenose is also stunning. Really long elegant fins and very active. He was exploring the tank all morning looking for algae to eat. He's settled on the wood for now.
Here's the whole tank as it is now. The dwarf sword is beginning to spread across the front of the tank and the marble queen sword is sending off a shoot. I'm not sure if it's a flower or a runner. We'll wait and see I guess.
The butterfly fish and the bristlenose arrived today. They're both very healthy and look great.
Within a few minutes of putting the butterfly in he started stalking the guppies. I think he's already caught one, the other is looking very skittish. Definitely not going to add any surface dwellers I don't want eaten. He's very handsome and elegant in how he cruises around the surface. He's relaxing in the lace fern now.
The bristlenose is also stunning. Really long elegant fins and very active. He was exploring the tank all morning looking for algae to eat. He's settled on the wood for now.
Here's the whole tank as it is now. The dwarf sword is beginning to spread across the front of the tank and the marble queen sword is sending off a shoot. I'm not sure if it's a flower or a runner. We'll wait and see I guess.


Here's the pictures of the butterfly:




And here's the bristlenose. He's a male I think, very whiskery.

 

[TallTree01]

The bristlenose is doing very well, I gave him a algae wafer this morning and he seemed to enjoy grazing off it. The butterfly didn't eat, if he doesn't eat again tomorrow I'll give him a live cricket and see what he makes of it.
The syndontis arrived today! Nine adorable little nigriventris cats. They were so adorable in the bags. Packed individually to avoid spiking one another. I took a video to show the little guys dashing about their bags but it wouldn't upload. Here's a picture instead:

They're so cool hiw they swim. They have leopard type patterns with 2 white bars on their tail end. They've begin to come out more and scavenge.





Here's some pictures I took of the other fish that I quite like:


The catfish don't appear to bother the bristlenose and when I added the catfish a few of the smaller ones hid under his fins!

 

[NickAu]

Love the fish. I love long fin  BN's.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Beautiful
 
Some great pics there TT

 

[LyraGuppi]

That butterfly is gorgeous!

 

[TallTree01]

Thanks guys, I'm really happy with the fish so far.
I laid out some pellets for the cats today and most of them came out to snuffle on them at some point. The butterfly is still abstaining from pellets, but he's eaten the last guppy. Perhaps now the guppies are gone he'll be more willing to try new things. I really want to get him into pellets, the hassle of having to be constantly buying new fish and crickets doesn't appeal to me at all. But if it need be done it shall be done.
Does anyone know if butterfly fish are nocturnal or diurnal? If the former I might try feeding him at night to see if he's more enthusiastic.

 

[Ch4rlie]

Does anyone know if butterfly fish are nocturnal or diurnal? If the former I might try feeding him at night to see if he's more enthusiastic.

 
I believe Butterfly Fish are diurnal, active during the day.

 

[TallTree01]

Thanks Charlie. I'll continue to try to feed him in the day.
He accepted a dead cricket this morning, fed via tweezers. I'm surprised he could eat such a large bug, I'd heard their mouths were large but wow, you don't really understand how big they are til you see it in real life.

 

[NickAu]

 
I really want to get him into pellets, the hassle of having to be constantly buying new fish and crickets doesn't appeal to me at all. But if it need be done it shall be done.

My local pet barn sells live crickets its only 6 dollars for a small container.
 
I was having the same issues with my Betta atm, When I first got her she was poorly looking so I fed her up on frozen and live foods, and she started refusing pellets, It took 4 days but now she loves pellets.
 
What I did was stop feeding fresh/frozen, I would give her a pellet, She would take it and spit it out. No prob because it was 24 hours before she would be offered anything else. I still fed the loaches and she was welcome to eat some of that. Anyway on the fourth day she finally took a pellet then I gave her another and she ate that too now she gets 3 in the morning and 3 at night.

 

[Ninjouzata]

The tank is looking nice and your new fishies are gorgeous! I really like the butterfly fish and synos, they're such cutie pies!

 

[TallTree01]

Thanks ninja!
Nick I've decided to fast the whole tank for a while as none of them are eager feeders at this point. The tank looks empty for most of the day. I expect it may take up to several months for the butterfly fish and synodontis to grow confident enough to fully come out in broad light. The butterfly fish doesn't even attempt to eat the pellet then spit it out. It'll be right next to him and he'll ignore it.

I tested the water today and all is still well. Is now a good time to start liquid fertilizing with flourish excel? I've heard that you should dose small amounts with Vallis plants as they can melt back. Is this true? I really want the lace fern to spread fast so the butterfly can have a wider shady place.

 

[NickAu]

 
I've heard that you should dose small amounts with Vallis plants as they can melt back

Ferts, what are they? LOL,  I add some Aquasonic Daily Gro once every 2 weeks or so.
http/www.thetechden.com.au/Aquasonic_Daily_Gro_250ml_p/nh343.htm
 
I just don't like adding any of that stuff to my tank, I feed fish they produce waste, plants use waste, I change water, I use easy life as water treatment, and that's it. Low tech low light suits me.
 
Easy-Life fluid filter medium — English
 
 

 
I expect it may take up to several months for the butterfly fish and synodontis to grow confident enough to fully come out in broad light

Yes give it time, Kuhli Loaches are meant to be nocturnal yet mine come out during the day with the lights on, especially at feeding time.