New Fish, New Pics!

mandelyn82 · 06-07-2008, 02:19 PM

I fgured out a temporary lighting fix, AND got some new fish!

Two Red Devils, though I don't know the gender...

Two Female Jack Dempsies, 4 inches long and breeding age!

And last but not least, Big Daddy Jack "Thug" Dempsey (you should see how he swims through the tank... that cool, in charge, everything is my turf kinda way)

Water is still a little cloudy from cycling, but it's well on it's way to being an established tank.

Freedomnchrist · 06-07-2008, 02:21 PM

Wow! They are so cool and pretty!

FastHorses000 · 06-07-2008, 06:46 PM

Ahhh those are very colorfully pretty!! Love them!!

I was thinking of going with a black substrate......I have a teal greenish blue now with mixed in white coral and seashells.... Do you like the black??

Also, I use live plants and driftwod in my tank..I find that keeps it ALOT healthier and its alot prettier!! You sometimes have to go through alot of plants to figure out which ones your fish wont eat.

COOL FISHIES!

Katy Boatright · 06-07-2008, 06:52 PM

FEESH!
They are very pretty fish indeed.

mandelyn82 · 06-08-2008, 12:41 PM

I am liking the black, before I used a natural scene with white, cream, brown... like outdoor pepples in gravel form. I have some purple scattered in it the black too. I went with a solid dark blue reflective background, it appears to bring out the fish color more.

Went with fake plants this time because I settled on a 3rd species of fish that will eat the live plants. Got a pair of Red Belly Pacus to complete the South American theme. Was going to add an Oscar, but I don't have the room with Big Daddy Jack in there. The Pacus will get huge too, though now they're only 3 inches. I hear they grow like weeds, so we'll see. I might have to trade them in if they just keep on growing.

You have to be careful with dead wood and rock.. each substance adds stuff to the water. Can be really healthy for the fish, or it could be bad for them. I have purple quartz for the nutrients it releases, and black slate. Good for cave making too since I have the territorial Cichlids.

I have to build a custom hood now... my tank size is not a US standard so the lights will be 2 inches too long, a 48" instead of the 46" I have.

Was planning on getting a double tube light "stick" (not a full hood, just a strip) and hinging on the current doors I have for front and back. Then using an inch thick wood to frame the light around the top of the tank. Painting the wood in black and sealing it to keep it from sweating or swelling due to the moisture of the tank.

Has to wait until payday though, I've maxed my fish budget already by buying the big guys.

But they're so cool.

FastHorses000 · 06-08-2008, 05:03 PM

I think Im going to try black...have been wanting to for a while. I was going to try the actual black sand but Ive never done sand and dont know anyone who does sand so Im a little scared of it. But its the prettiest to me.

I find all of my driftwood and rocks in creeks and thoroughly clean, disinfect, bake, and cure then out to make sure they are tank safe. Never had a problem yet and hope I never do! I do go through alot of live plants though until I can find the ones that the fish dont like to eat.

I have mixed tropical fish in my tank. I did have a african cichilid that was the coolest fish I have ever had. He literally had a personality! It was so cool the things he would do. You could play with him through the tank. He died though during a water change. He jumped out of the bucket I had him in until I do the tank maintenance.

I think I am going to give all these fish away and do a real cichilid tank soon.

My uncle has a 75 gal tank with the dempsy. They are big! He has the oscars too but in a separate tank.

mandelyn82 · 06-08-2008, 05:57 PM

The sand is a pain to clean, since it takes awhile to settle (clouds the water) you have to rinse it before you put it in (more thoroughly than gravel) and if you avoid cleaning, it will smell bad rather quickly. The sand is what turned me off of a salt water tank... I can handle water testing, additives, pricey fish... but not sand!

Last time I had a Cichlid tank... real pretty guys and the girls bred every other month regardless of what I did to stop it. Ended up just taking the girls back to the store and did a strickly male tank. I tried limiting light, turning the temp down, nothing made them stop. They wouldn't eat all the babies either, so I quickly had too many since they grow pretty fast. Had 7 different varieties.

Mine would always jump out of the buckets during a water change, I always placed a towel over the buckets after a favorite male missed the bucket and landed on the floor and I turned and stepped on him. (normally they just switched buckets, but he missed)

I like aggressive fish because they think and interact more so than tropicals do.

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06-07-2008, 02:19 PM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,962	New Fish, New Pics! I fgured out a temporary lighting fix, AND got some new fish! Two Red Devils, though I don't know the gender... Two Female Jack Dempsies, 4 inches long and breeding age! And last but not least, Big Daddy Jack "Thug" Dempsey (you should see how he swims through the tank... that cool, in charge, everything is my turf kinda way) Water is still a little cloudy from cycling, but it's well on it's way to being an established tank. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

06-07-2008, 02:21 PM
Freedomnchrist Greenbroke Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,312	Wow! They are so cool and pretty!

06-07-2008, 06:46 PM
FastHorses000 Weanling Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Alabama Posts: 482	Ahhh those are very colorfully pretty!! Love them!! I was thinking of going with a black substrate......I have a teal greenish blue now with mixed in white coral and seashells.... Do you like the black?? Also, I use live plants and driftwod in my tank..I find that keeps it ALOT healthier and its alot prettier!! You sometimes have to go through alot of plants to figure out which ones your fish wont eat. COOL FISHIES!

06-07-2008, 06:52 PM
Katy Boatright Halter broke Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Midville Posts: 85	FEESH! They are very pretty fish indeed. __________________ Got my dog, got my horse, don't need no cowboy!

06-08-2008, 12:41 PM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,962	I am liking the black, before I used a natural scene with white, cream, brown... like outdoor pepples in gravel form. I have some purple scattered in it the black too. I went with a solid dark blue reflective background, it appears to bring out the fish color more. Went with fake plants this time because I settled on a 3rd species of fish that will eat the live plants. Got a pair of Red Belly Pacus to complete the South American theme. Was going to add an Oscar, but I don't have the room with Big Daddy Jack in there. The Pacus will get huge too, though now they're only 3 inches. I hear they grow like weeds, so we'll see. I might have to trade them in if they just keep on growing. You have to be careful with dead wood and rock.. each substance adds stuff to the water. Can be really healthy for the fish, or it could be bad for them. I have purple quartz for the nutrients it releases, and black slate. Good for cave making too since I have the territorial Cichlids. I have to build a custom hood now... my tank size is not a US standard so the lights will be 2 inches too long, a 48" instead of the 46" I have. Was planning on getting a double tube light "stick" (not a full hood, just a strip) and hinging on the current doors I have for front and back. Then using an inch thick wood to frame the light around the top of the tank. Painting the wood in black and sealing it to keep it from sweating or swelling due to the moisture of the tank. Has to wait until payday though, I've maxed my fish budget already by buying the big guys. But they're so cool. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"

06-08-2008, 05:03 PM
FastHorses000 Weanling Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: South Alabama Posts: 482	I think Im going to try black...have been wanting to for a while. I was going to try the actual black sand but Ive never done sand and dont know anyone who does sand so Im a little scared of it. But its the prettiest to me. I find all of my driftwood and rocks in creeks and thoroughly clean, disinfect, bake, and cure then out to make sure they are tank safe. Never had a problem yet and hope I never do! I do go through alot of live plants though until I can find the ones that the fish dont like to eat. I have mixed tropical fish in my tank. I did have a african cichilid that was the coolest fish I have ever had. He literally had a personality! It was so cool the things he would do. You could play with him through the tank. He died though during a water change. He jumped out of the bucket I had him in until I do the tank maintenance. I think I am going to give all these fish away and do a real cichilid tank soon. My uncle has a 75 gal tank with the dempsy. They are big! He has the oscars too but in a separate tank.

06-08-2008, 05:57 PM
mandelyn82 Coming two Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Ft. Campbell, KY Posts: 1,962	The sand is a pain to clean, since it takes awhile to settle (clouds the water) you have to rinse it before you put it in (more thoroughly than gravel) and if you avoid cleaning, it will smell bad rather quickly. The sand is what turned me off of a salt water tank... I can handle water testing, additives, pricey fish... but not sand! Last time I had a Cichlid tank... real pretty guys and the girls bred every other month regardless of what I did to stop it. Ended up just taking the girls back to the store and did a strickly male tank. I tried limiting light, turning the temp down, nothing made them stop. They wouldn't eat all the babies either, so I quickly had too many since they grow pretty fast. Had 7 different varieties. Mine would always jump out of the buckets during a water change, I always placed a towel over the buckets after a favorite male missed the bucket and landed on the floor and I turned and stepped on him. (normally they just switched buckets, but he missed) I like aggressive fish because they think and interact more so than tropicals do. __________________ "The more people I meet the more I love my German Shepherd"