My apologize haha I missed that every time I’ve read your goon stories, or just skimmed the gallons ?
I did know two of the parrots were in smaller tanks due to aggression.
not sure if I’ve ever said but your such a good fish parent ?
More tank pics, updated
- Thread starter FINWIN
- Start date
I did know two of the parrots were in smaller tanks due to aggression.
not sure if I’ve ever said but your such a good fish parent ?
Originally there was Patch, Kong, Boss, baby Brick, and my baby albino oscar Ice who succumbed to ick medication. The parrots established a pecking order. Brick got bounced around and got ick (he was completely covered and unaffected, the little nut). He rough housed with the parrots. The parrots never got ick but everyone got treated. Then Kong and Patch ganged up on Boss, who was the smallest parrot at the time and got stressed and bruised. Then Kong went after Patch after knocking little Brick out of the water (that was the last straw). Brick fought back and even tried to bite Kong as I removed him in a net. Not being experienced with cichlids I thought a timeout would work. So Kong was separated for two weeks. Put him back in the big tank and it was a disaster. He went right after Boss again who swam for his life. Kong did a circuit of the tank, took over Boss's hide (a clay pot) then attacked Brick again. His mistake was attacking Patch, nudging and pushing her all over the tank. The next morning she had him in the corner with a bloody black snout and a cut face . Both lips were sliced open vertically and at the time I thought Kong would be disfigured. So out she went, out went Kong into their own tanks. Boss remained with Brick and for a time they were the only 2 fish in the 225. It contributed to Brick's crazy growth rate of 2- 2.5" per month until he hit 11"and since then he's had more conventional growth though his mass has exploded.
But once he hit puberty and got to Boss's size (5 inches at the time) they fought nonstop. I added sight breaks and more plants but it barely slowed it down. I found out two cichlids is a bad idea so I got a blue severum (Chip) and another parrot (Tango). Tango and Boss didn't work out so HE got separated. It just went on and on, adding to my frustration. Chip is well documented his eventual fate. Then I got syno catfishes. Rex was the first but got peeled and gutted by Brick during an emergency with everyone in a bathtub. Another catfish jumped the qt tank and was hanging by the lid.
So anyway I'm hoping for better luck with acaras. I've gone through 3 before getting these two little stinkers. My luck is better with the synos now. Cash and Spot are ok.
by the syno getting peeled and gutted, what exactly happened?
The previous stand for the 225 was failing, splitting open (in front of my eyes) where the 2 x 4s were joined and bowing out. I freaked out and drained the tank hoping the stand would hold until I could move the fish. I put them in the basement bathtub until I could get totes the next day. The stand held and got picked up for junk. The disaster was accelerated by a mistake I made. I was out celebrating my birthday at the racetrack, got home tired and decided to do a water change. I fell asleep. Woke up an HOUR past maximum fill. I could hear the water by the time I ran downstairs. Half the basement was flooded. Brick was happily swimming at the top with his back out of the water. It took me 7 hours to clean up. It took 8 days of fans, dryers and open windows to get things right. After that I got a water vac. But the stand was compromised. It would have failed eventually (it was already bowing over 1/2 inch across the front.) The cabinet doors were out of alignment. I swore I'd never do another w/c while sleepy.
So the tub held Brick, Chip, Boss, Rex, and Cash. I placed bagged filter media in piles, pothos, a heater and a couple of boulders in the tub. I pulled the large air disks out of the tank and hooked them up over the media. Tossed a bunch of fake lily pads over the surface to reduce stress and the chance of jumping. I had a small lamp I kept lit over the toilet tank (fan too noisy and didn't want to run it continuously) just enough light to see, but not to stress. Kept the shower curtain closed. So the next morning I check on everybody. I saw half a bloody catfish hanging out of one of the sponge pre filters for the acl 110s. I gently tried to remove him but he was stuck so I snipped the sponge to get Rex loose. I posted here for help. Rex looked so bad I didn't take a picture. His tail bone was cracked, a lot of skin was missing and he had a gaping wound and guts out in the belly area. One of his eyes was red and loose. Barbels damaged. He rolled over and was breathing. I put him in a hospital tank in a sulphur solution and bubbler. He just floated on his back so I kept the water shallow. Held on for two days but I didn't expect him to make it.
I think he was attacked, tried to get away and stuffed himself into the tube in panic. It would explain the eye injuries/abrasions. There was another occasion where Brick nearly bit Rex in half. The picture is back in this thread a bit.
So I got totes the next day. Brick stayed in the tub because of water volume and ease of water changes. Pretty much stayed under the lily pads. He'd come out to eat and stick his head under the faucet with fresh water. Later he made a game of cracking the air disks against the tub. Slept by the heater so I buried it under the media bags.
Man. Do you have any pics?
I'll have to look.
Information and pics on Rex, the earlier tank stand, and Brick in the bathtub can be found in these links. No pictures were taken of Rex after the attack due to his bad state. He was my fav Syno, an Oceliefer...got friendlier and playful as he grew. Syno Spike was the one who jumped the QT tank later. He was beautiful, a hybrid angelicus syno. Brick was between 11 and 12" at the time. Also information on my diy corner filters in the 225.
Go here:
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
original 225 stand that failed
www.wayfair.com
Go here:
Guys, I have an emergency...
This is a follow up to my "Patience or Panic" thread. It's going panic...after not finding a solution to stop the seeping I did more checking. I thought one of my airdisks was the problem (clogged and throwing up water). No. Was at my wits end until I went to one side of the stand. There was a...
www.monsterfishkeepers.com
original 225 stand that failed
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