Hi all,

Sorry for long post but am going to go into heaps of detail because water conditions seem ok and I'm at a loss.

I lost my first pictus two days ago and joined PCS last night hoping to save my second pictus but couldn't post (being a newbie.) Sadly found him dead this morning. Am devastated to have lost them but want to save my bristlenose!

I have a 4'x2'x2' community tank.

Moved in with BF in May, set up the 4'x2'x2' with filter, heater, malleyroots, couple of smallish chunks of limestone and a handful of plants from old (smaller) tank about 3-4 weeks before I moved. Set it up as if it had fish, with water conditioner and a small amount of rock salt.
Moved with 2 x 18cm clown loaches , a 10cm male bristlenose, a couple of cories and a couple of cardinals. The others didn't survive the move unfortunately.

First added a handful of swordtail platies a couple of months ago for some colour (slim pickings down this way) and 4 more baby bristlenoses (which are now about 4 times the size!)
About a month ago found and couldn't resist 2 Pimelodus pictus (old fave) and a Synodontis eupterus.

Have been doing water changes about every 3 weeks (about 1/3-1/2 tank because the malleyroots are still leaching colour so tank is going yellow) I always use water conditioner, a little rock salt, small amount of Stresscoat and Melafix, as well as adjusting pH of tap water to close to tank pH (allowing for small tank corrections)
Filter is more than adequate as ex and I had a 30cm sailfin gibbiceps and a couple of similar sized lancers at the time we got it so wanted a hefty filtration system - enormous Eheim - turnover 6xph from memory?? (memory is questionable but I know we got one suitable for a 6'x2'x2' in case we wanted to upsize our tank)

Tested the water last night when second pictus found looking ill - sluggishly swimming in the open, whiskers seeming fizzled and mouth a bit pink. Large original bristlenose male was under his rock upside down as usual but not attached and was 'panting'. All other fish seem fine. Clownies are fine, mouths not red. Small bristlenoses happy as Larry.

GH= somewhere between 60-120 (couldn't tell shade of blue sorry)
KH= 40
pH= 6.5
NO2= 0.5
NO3= 30

Added treatment-strength dose of Melafix and Stresscoat and teaspoon bicarb as I couldn't do a water change that late at night and still make it to work today. Water change done today and bristlenose is still 'panting'. All other fish still seem fine.

I feed a combo of algae wafers, willow wood wafers, flakes and aqualife pellets, and a couple of times a week shelled peas and either frozen bloodworms or brineshrimp.

I'm at a loss. Could I be overfeeding? Bloodworms off? Rotting plants? The malleyroots? When I first saw the pictus I thought it might be a pH problem but 6.5 wouldn't burn their whiskers like that!

Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

They have a tendency to hide a lot of the time and are great escape artists, so I find them a little frustrating to keep as I never know whether to search the tank or the floor when I can't find them. Shame 'cos they're cute little things.

Thanks for the reply!

So I killed my pictus through negligence.

Oops, sorry, forgot to post the ammonia reading! It was zero. The burn factor was why I threw a lot of Stresscoat into the tank last night. I managed to nurse my clownies back from being very ill about 8 years ago after an ammonia spike a few weeks after a house move. Their mouths were red raw the poor things. Water change every three days and a LOT of Stresscoat.

I only add a little rock salt (about a 1/4 teaspoon per bucket) because I'm trying for a happy medium to keep both cats and bumblebee gobies (which like brackish) when I can get up to Perth to get some. There's nothing like seeing a bumblebee sitting on a gibbo's head because it thinks it's a rock Although of course I don't have my gibbo any more. Ex got custody of him and the lancers and then sold them But they did go to a 6' tank so good for them. I do want to eventually get lancers again - gorgeous creatures but quite shy.

I have removed a lot of the floating ferns and planted the rest (the fish dig them up and they multiply readily) and will watch my feeding quantities in future. Didn't think I was overdoing it because my clownies can eat a whole algae wafer each and look for more and I only put two in per day plus about 8-9 of the little willow ones (about 1/4 teaspoon) which the bristlenoses and cories seem to love. The platies and cardinals eat the flakes and the aqualife pellets (also about 1/4 teaspoon) are a free for all. Does that sound like too much?
Will also do smaller water changes more often (it's sometimes hard to fit it in every weekend but I'll aim for it)

Temp is not certain because the thermometer appears to have died but I put an exterior thermometer up and it's reading low twenties, so being winter and ambient temp being cooler, plus a few degrees puts it at mid twenties approx. Will replace thermometer this weekend. Heater is definitely working and sufficient for the tank size, and the halogens also add heat.

Will add Prime to the weekend shopping list too, thanks for the recommendation.

I hope the tank has stabilised. I am buying an L066 from a friend who is moving in a couple of weeks and we don't want the poor fish to move house twice in a few weeks, but then I don't want to kill it either!

Did another water test tonight and had strange and unexpected results.
Ammonia still nil
GH= 60
KH= nil (dropped from 40 last test)
pH= 6.5
NO2= 0.5 (no change)
NO3= 40 (up slightly)

This suggests the tank is still out of whack. Will make sure I get the Prime this weekend and do another water change. Will also take water sample in to get tested independently.

Bristlenose seems to have a different issue though which I'll start a new thread for, and as the rest of the fish seem happy, I think with due attention, I can make sure the tank is over the worst. I've learned my lesson - never presume you can slack off because the tank is lightly populated.

Hi, a belated intro...

I have a planted community tank and a weakness for loaches, catfish, bumblebee gobies and blue rams.

When my ex and I split a number of years ago, he got the larger 4'x2'x2' tank and I went back to my old 4'x1'x18". The large fish went with the large tank so sadly I no longer have Gibbo or the lancers in the pics below but thought I'd share because they're beautiful. Ex then stopped keeping fish but they went to a good home in a 6' tank. I bought the big tank back off him a few months ago, have moved my few into it and am starting to restock and landscape it.

I currently have:
2 mature clown loaches - Chromobotia macracanthus (approx 12 years old),
a lonely Corydoras multilineata and a lonely Corydoras sterbai (need a couple more of each),
2 lonely cardinals - Paracheirodon axelrodi
5 bristlenose catfish - Ancistrus triradiatus,
3 Swordtail platy hybrid females and 5 babies, Xiphophorus spp,
1 Featherfin catfish - Synodontis eupterus

Will add:
A King Tiger Pleco (Hypancistrus L066) in a couple of weeks
3-4 Pakistani loaches (Botia almorhae),
some bumblebees (Brachygobius xanthozona),
a handful of glass cats (Kryptopterus minor),
a few extra cardinals and cories and
a pair of blue rams (Mikrogeophagus ramirezi)


Wishlist!
a Flash Pleco (Panaque sp. L204) but don't know how easy they are to come by.
Panaque sp. L374 but also don't know how easy they are to find
Tempted to look for replacement lancers if the tank isn't too full and I can't get the Panaques

'Gibbo' also affectionately known as 'The Rock', Pterygoplichthys gibbiceps, about 30cm long.


Bad photo of a shy fish - Bagrichthys macracanthus, the black lancer. About 15cm long


Another bad photo of another shy fish - Bagroides melapterus, marbled lancer, originally misidentified as Leiocassis micropogon. About 22cm long.


My old friends - Lilo and Thor, Chromobotia macracanthus, had these two for over 12 years now

What is your tank sitting on? Could be mistaken but from your photo it looks like it is overhanging the cabinet. Not sure that's a great idea, perhaps others could confirm.

How is Frank? Neons nibbling his fins at all or is everyone getting on?

Awesome! Love the wall mounted set-up!

OMG a whole room dedicated to fish, my other half would have a melt down! He doesn't quite get my fishy fascination.

Thanks Hooked, that was a very informative article, and diagnosing what algae types I have also tells me what else I'm doing wrong with my tank!
Such a delicate balancing act!

Wow! What a stunning tank! I'm so inspired! Though I do feel like falling to my knees and yelling "We're not worthy! We're not worthy!"

Now the real challenge - to create something half as lovely with the fish already in the tank!

Great topic!

This was the tank ex and I had about 5 years ago.


Have just got the big tank back and need to get it back to something like this again, although I've just been inspired to go one step further! I watched the video Furnix linked to and have just spent a couple of hours watching youtube vids of stunning aquascapes!
This short youtube clip has some of the most gorgeous 'scenery' aquascapes - like bonsai landscapes in a tank! Such skill!



I love the ones at 0.20, 0.31, 0.39, 0.55, 1.02 and so many others!
Check out the one at 0.39! It would look like a painting...until a fish moved!

Will take a photo of my tank as it is now (a bit average), and keep you all updated on its transformation.

Thanks, I can do that!
Bearing in mind that this was five years ago:


It looks a bit average now, with the only plants being broad leafed water sprite. Will take a while before I have it looking that good again as it will take time to collect the exotic greenlife and I no longer have some of the hardscaping elements (they also went with ex but didn't come back with the tank.) I've decided I want to do something more amazing this time though, inspired by the aquascaping threads in the community and planted forum!

This is a pic I took tonight:


Edted to fix photo link

Please fill out as much as possible below and give us a description of what is wrong with your fish.

Type of fish: Bristlenose catfish Ancistrus triradiatus
Symptoms: 'panting', lying upside down, listless (not showing stress colouration), strange lumps - one opaque just above pectoral fin, one bubble-like just behind the first one
Other tank mates: clown loaches, Synodontis eupterus, swordtail platy hybrids, cories, cardinal tetras, other smaller bristlenose cats
Tank size / capacity: 6'x2'x2'
Type of Food fed: Algae wafers, Willow wood wafers, Aqua-life pellets, flakes, shelled peas, frozen bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp
Feeding frequency/amount: Daily - 2 algae wafers, 8-9 willow wood wafers, 1/4 teasp Aqua-life pellets, 1/16 teasp flakes.
Once/twice per week 5-6 shelled peas and one cube bloodworms or brine shrimp (alternate)
Substrate: Silica sand
Type of filtration: Eheim canister filter
Frequency of filter cleans: Not often enough, but water change is via filter outlet tap so partial flush.
Frequency and % volume of water changes: 1/3- 1/2 every 3-4 weeks but am changing to weekly 25%
Last water change: 2 days ago
PH: 6.6
KH: 0
GH: 60
Nitrite: 0.5
Nitrate: 40
Ammonia: Nil
Phosphate: ?
Water temp: ? 25-28 (thermometer died, buying new one this weekend)
Medications used recently to date: Only Stresscoat and Melafix
Any recent changes..new fish/filters/power outages etc etc: Latest fish added about 1 month ago - Synodontis and 2 Pictus catfish (pictus deceased due to suspected recent ammonia spike)

Photo of lumps:

...and I sometimes heat this stuff in an oil diffuser! Makes the house smell nice when combined with lemongrass. No breathing issues so far...

Good to know it anaesthetises fish though. When mine have been too sick to make it in the past I've popped them in the freezer but I'd rather put them to sleep first so thanks for the info.

Just guessing here, but could it be possible that something has spiked him, and the first lump is some intestine pushed out (like a hernia) and the second bubble-like lump part of his swim bladder that's pushed out?

If I knew what this was I'd have some idea whether to treat or euthanise. I just don't like seeing him obviously suffering.

Gorgeous dogs! Love the brindling on your pup's legs Bigjohnnofish, very cute puppy!
Congrats on the DDB pups! My friend has a DDB, he's up for an op for Hip Dysplasia so just as well she had health insurance.

Here are my two.
Rolf the great dane, adopted him on his second birthday in May this year.


and Ella, 10 1/2 yo kelpie x have had since a crazy pup.


The two of them together about a week after Rolf came to live with us - firm friends!

No change for most of the day.

I couldn't find 'Prime' so I bought 'Tetra Easy Balance with Nitraban' and dosed the tank to remove any residual nasties from the ammonia spike.
My test strips must be a bit aged because Petstock's test showed a higher level of nitrate than my test did. Other than that, all results seem the same.

Also bought Pimafix in case it was fungal and dosed the tank with that, and 2 minutes later had the first movement I've seen from him in a few days, but the timing could be coincidental, or a result of the nitrate fixer. He came out and sat on top of his rock until a baby platy tormented him into taking refuge back under his rock again.

The platy is trying to eat the lumps!

I think it popped the bubble one because it's suddenly about a quarter of the size it was before!

This pic is about as clear as I could get of the lump

Actually I believe you are wrong. In a newly set up tank, there is usually an initial ammonia spike before the tank bacteria establishes, and then with a few water changes to remove the end product, the tank settles down. By cleaning out the filter weekly, you are basically resetting the tank to new over and over again and probably causing spike after spike, causing your fish to be miserable and stop eating. Indirectly, you can interpret this as "clean the filter weekly=fish stops eating." The filter is where the majority of the bacteria live that deal with all the tank waste, and you keep flushing them away.

The first two weekends you were just lucky, and maybe the 20% water change you are doing weekly is removing enough of the ammonia/nitrites to save your fish's life so far.

I lost focus with my established tank and set off an ammonia spike and resulting nitrite --> nitrate cycle and lost two fish before I realised what happened, and I've been keeping fish for over 15 years so should have known better.

Can you please give the other information that you missed in the template?
What is your GH and KH?
Also, what do you add to the water when you do a water change?
What pH is your tap water and do you test the tank pH just before a water change so that you don't have a sudden change in pH?

Nice set up, what a heartbreak to part with it.

I've lost him.

And I don't mean he died, I mean he appears to have vanished without trace!

I searched the tank with a good torch this morning before I went out, and again when I got home this afternoon, and can't for the life of me find him!

How do you lose a 10cm bristlenose??

I was thinking the same thing but too much of a newbie myself to say so!

Completely ignoring all advice and just adding random stuff...

He has reappeared, lumpless, and is happily eating algae off the back wall of the tank. Go figure. Part of me is saying it's one of the smaller bristlenoses as a lump that size wouldn't just vanish in 24 hours but I've seen one of the other BNs and it was a lot smaller so this must be my big guy. Doesn't help that these guys are very good at hiding.

Wonder if he had a run-in with the synodontis. Weirdest thing I've ever encountered in fish keeping.

BTW Fishking 123, there is always a bit of salt in my tank because I like my bumblebee gobies and keep my tank just a little brackish in preparation for the day I find some. I also think it helps to fight off/prevent diseases.

Lovely tank! Nicely set out and the rocks look great! I'm guessing you have a long 'air-snake' across the back? Love the bubble backdrop it creates
I love the amazing colours of cichlids, but don't want to start adding tanks, some of my friends already called me "One of those weird fish people." I countered that I'm just a fish nerd cos I only have one tank!
I DO still have my old 120L in the garage though, and don't think I haven't thought about it!

I don't know about anyone else's experiences, but having changed from gravel to sand substrate, I find it is much harder to keep plants in place, possibly because the fish can relandscape it so much easier.

The sand moves around a lot - carefully sculpted hills vanish within a few days!

The grass isn't always greener on the other side!

Sad news, he didn't make it after all. I fished his body out this evening.

Rams are dwarf cichlids and very peaceful and shy. All of your tetras/rasboras should be safe. I've kept rams with neons, cardinals and bumblebee gobies and they didn't bother tham at all.

They do get territorial when breeding but the worst they do is chase the others away from their eggs, and then help themselves to their own eggs while protecting them, the silly duffers.

Why not move the shrimp into the larger tank so they live with the rams and little fish?