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#1 becc2012

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 10:21 PM

I've had my pepps for over a yr. I do have some smaller ones as well. Big female is about 8cm (breeding age) and pretty sure I have min 3 males in my smaller tank which I measured today.

59cm L x 1ft W x 40cm H

 

did the ph test and its fine dead on 7ph.. will take down a sample to LFS and test nitrates etc..  I did a change yesterday when I moved them all into the smaller tank so will do another sunday about 40%change with tepid water ( i don't put straight cold in)... I also put a towel draped on the back half of tank as its now under a window in the garage instead of on otherside in darkness. temp has been pretty constant tho..

 

will do as advised with 2x wk  for next 4wks and see how it goes.. (read the smaller the tank the better as they can find each other ?)

 

Raided my 4ft tank and put them all into the smaller tank now - approx 8peps now. Put 4 clay/terracotta caves, a slate cave (removable lid) and big piece of driftwood in to see if I can get them to breed. I'm not keen on picking them up in case I hurt them.

Feels like a lifetime waiting for them. Never bred plecos before. Doing a water change (approx 20-40%)every 3-4wks roughly, temp constant at 26-28degrees 24/7. Feed them every day wafer hakari something I bought from lfs (was recommended by assistant) in the morning (3tablets) then the serra flakes something every 2-3 nights (small pinch). Slice of zuccini 1xwk. The food is always gone before I feed them again as I don't want any slime/bad bacteria. Don't know the ph figured they haven't died so must be all good.

My cichlids took 9mths to breed now their breeding like rabbits the bloody things and the plecos are having a vacation/holiday still  :P  :wb:

I've gone through the forum to see what others are doing and have tried it all (water changes, changed environment/decor, kept light off permanently, reduced feeding amts and days etc but still to no avail. If someone lives near me (parmelia/kwinana) I'm more than keen for someone to come look and give hints/pointers to what I must be doing wrong.


Edited by becc2012, 07 March 2014 - 01:53 PM.

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#2 malawiman85

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 10:30 PM

Ph doesnt work like that. Not saying thats your problem but ph wont often kill fish unless extreme or unstable but it can prevent fish from thriving.
Nitrate levels prior to water changes?

#3 becc2012

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 10:42 PM

dunno never tested it... do I need to buy a nitrate kit? if so what should the level be?



#4 sandgroper

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 11:10 PM

Increase water changes, 4 weeks is to long. Recommend weekly water changes, your nitrates are more than likely to high they should move between 10 and 40 the lower you can keep them the better and that means water changes. good luck.



#5 becc2012

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 11:13 PM

k cheers will do it 1xwk then maybe 2xwk after a mth if nothing changes. Will also buy a test kit for the nitrate.. thanks for the advice guys :)  any input greatly appreciated



#6 sandgroper

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 11:19 PM

I'd reverse that 2x for the first week and then weekly, as you are now playing catch up.



#7 becc2012

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Posted 06 March 2014 - 11:21 PM

ahh ok cheers



#8 MrLeifBeaver

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 01:17 AM

Get a test kit package. You can get one that does all the basics (PH, Nitrate, Nitrite, Ammonia), or you get one that can do a bit more KH etc.

Then do a test before and after a WC to see the differences.

 

If you find the tests too expensive, take bottles of your fish-water down to the LFS and get them to test for you. They usually do it for free.

 

Recently I did just that, I got a full set of tests done on my marine tank. I had water from before and after a 1x week WC cycle.

The results gave me great insight how it was running over a week and confirmed that it was running pretty well. The only thing I noticed was salinity was a little too high at 1.028ppm.

 

Now, I have left the tank for 2 weeks , so I can now re-test to see how it runs over 2 weeks. This will give me great info to seeing how a CRASH may occur, why and how it may happened.

I do intend to do WCs weekly, but while I have no fish in it I can experiment a little.



#9 malawiman85

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 06:21 AM

Must test water at least till you work out how your tank cycles.
Nitrates will be high sandgroper is right.

#10 slink

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 08:12 AM

I find with peppermints they need a good amount of space, lots of places to hide, a varied diet and good water quality. Pick up your water changes and then just before rain or change in weather do a 50% change normally gets them going.

#11 ice

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 10:41 AM

Definitely more water changes as the guys have already said. Id be doing 2x per week for the next month and then once a week after that. Take a sample down to your LFS and get it tested for nitrates, you'll probably find that it is too high. 

 

Having wood in your tank your PH will more than likely be 7 or below which is fine for peppys.



#12 becc2012

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 12:58 PM

there's quite a few places for them to hide. I just measured the tank :

59cm L x 1ft W x 40cm H

 

did the ph test and its fine dead on 7ph.. will take down a sample to LFS and test nitrates etc..  I did a change yesterday when I moved them all into the smaller tank so will do another sunday about 40%change with tepid water ( i don't put straight cold in)... I also put a towel draped on the back half of tank as its now under a window in the garage instead of on otherside in darkness. temp has been pretty constant tho..

 

will do as advised with 2x wk  for next 4wks and see how it goes.. might look at a 3ft tank as the 4ft is too big I think (read the smaller better as they can find each other ?)

 

cheers



#13 malawiman85

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Posted 07 March 2014 - 01:45 PM

I wouldnt see a 4 footer being a problem.

Just remember too when you do get your water tested that nitrates will show up lower than your fish have been exposed to because of the recent water changes. Keep it in mind when trying to establish your tanks cycling routine.



#14 theKid

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Posted 03 April 2014 - 10:57 PM


 

I've had my pepps for over a yr. I do have some smaller ones as well. Big female is about 8cm (breeding age) and pretty sure I have min 3 males in my smaller tank which I measured today.

59cm L x 1ft W x 40cm H

 

 

8cm is small for a breeding peppermint, they take closer to 2 years to reach breeding age and will usually be significantly bigger than commons.  Also I wouldn't keep more than 2 or 3 in that size, I have kept a pair in 60L that bred before but it was bare bottom getting daily poop vac and water changes.






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