I am a bit worried...because....
- Thread starter michellefl
- Start date
MTS - multiple tank syndrome - it's contagious. The only cure is getting more tanks! 
Side effect to MTS *SICK* = Divorce or strong case of lack of love making, haha
Lol, only if you're married. As a bachelor, I don't have that problem. I occasionally get a breakout of brokeitis due to the MTS though. If you go planted, you may catch the slightly contagious collectoritis. lol.
I occasionally get a breakout of brokeitis due to the MTS though. If you go planted, you may catch the slightly contagious collectoritis. lol.
Yeah - DH expressed that concern when we made the purchase. But, frankly with 3 kids at home, I was worried about the work to get it going etc, and then maintaining. I think we will see if I can make it 6 months without killing anything major. Then we will see about maybe finding something on CL with a cabinet.
The kids are super interested in the fish, and I am a little nervous about them touching the tank . I am sure in a few days they won't care a bit (kinda like their toys). LOL
I do have what is maybe an odd question...since I have only ever had gold fish, I only have that to draw on. Tetras seem to wait for the food to fall to eat it mid fall? I thought all fish came to the top to eat?
A bit of food escaped to the bottom without being fed. Would something like a shrimp take care of that? I looked today and did not see any shrimp at the store. I came home with a couple more glowlights and some other tetra that is a bit bigger (red skirt i think).
So, I think aside from maybe a shrimp - I am done with the tank. I love it. I am so happy with my tank and fishies...
I also want to thank all of you for providing so many helpful hints as I was fishless cycling, and stuck on the endless nitrate cycle.
The kids are super interested in the fish, and I am a little nervous about them touching the tank . I am sure in a few days they won't care a bit (kinda like their toys). LOL
I do have what is maybe an odd question...since I have only ever had gold fish, I only have that to draw on. Tetras seem to wait for the food to fall to eat it mid fall? I thought all fish came to the top to eat?
A bit of food escaped to the bottom without being fed. Would something like a shrimp take care of that? I looked today and did not see any shrimp at the store. I came home with a couple more glowlights and some other tetra that is a bit bigger (red skirt i think).
So, I think aside from maybe a shrimp - I am done with the tank. I love it. I am so happy with my tank and fishies...
I also want to thank all of you for providing so many helpful hints as I was fishless cycling, and stuck on the endless nitrate cycle.
You might have noticed on your fish purchasing/viewing adventures that different fish have different shapes to their mouths. As the image below will illustrate, these mouth shapes aid in feeding from different levels of the water and food availability. Tetras, as you mentioned, would prefer to wait until the food reaches the bottom as their mouths are forward facing and they are fast swimmers. Other fish like gouramis, bettas, and the common livebearers like mollies, swordtails and guppies will tend to eat the food from the surface as their mouths are upturned (if even slightly) (also, with the labyrinth fish like gouramis and bettas, the mouth shape is more aimed towards aiding in breathing from air, but it also affects their eating habits). Down turned mouths like those found on ottos, plecos, and the clown loach as depicted will tend to eat food from the bottom of the aquarium.
I have found through my experience that if a fish like a tetra is not fed at the mid level and is only offered food at the surface or the bottom, they will change their habits, but they seem to greatly prefer the normal food availability they are accustomed to. I know my tetras will gladly eat the pellets I feed that sink to the bottom, as will my guppies, but I notice that they do so much more after all of the food at the surface and mid level has been eaten.
A shrimp will help in eating the food that makes its way to the bottom, yes, and they are very proficient at it. You rarely have to add extra food for the shrimp specifically- if anything falls, they'll find it.
I have found through my experience that if a fish like a tetra is not fed at the mid level and is only offered food at the surface or the bottom, they will change their habits, but they seem to greatly prefer the normal food availability they are accustomed to. I know my tetras will gladly eat the pellets I feed that sink to the bottom, as will my guppies, but I notice that they do so much more after all of the food at the surface and mid level has been eaten.
A shrimp will help in eating the food that makes its way to the bottom, yes, and they are very proficient at it. You rarely have to add extra food for the shrimp specifically- if anything falls, they'll find it.
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I started with a 20, then went to a 40 gallon tank. It seemed big (48" long, 11" wide, 18" tall) but then I decided I needed more room for the fish I keep. So I got a 100 gallon tank (60" long, 16" wide, 24" tall).
The 100 gallon is nice and the 4 Bluegill need every inch of it. But be warned, it is much more work than the smaller ones. If you're using 5 gallon buckets a 25% change on the 40 is two buckets, the 100 is 5 of them. I have one AC 110 on the 40, 2 on the 100.
If you want a bigger one then get it. You'll be glad you did. It's more work, but more pleasure too.
The 100 gallon is nice and the 4 Bluegill need every inch of it. But be warned, it is much more work than the smaller ones. If you're using 5 gallon buckets a 25% change on the 40 is two buckets, the 100 is 5 of them. I have one AC 110 on the 40, 2 on the 100.
If you want a bigger one then get it. You'll be glad you did. It's more work, but more pleasure too.
