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1.5K views 16 replies 10 participants last post by  alvinjimenez  
#1 · (Edited)
Hey everyone,

I have been doing freshwater tanks now for 6 years but I finally got the tank of my dreams...a 125 Gallon!!!

I am starting an African Cichlid tank and have my aquascaping done, I will post pics later today


here is my equipment, FluvalXP canister filter, Marineland 280 HOB filter, 2 Fluval powerheads, 2 aquean heaters, T8 lighting with an extra 24inch LED

I used dead coral, slate and some landscaping rock for my aquascape, let me know what you think

here is a picture...
Image
 
#2 ·
Hi! and welcome to the forum! How exciting to have a 125! So many possibilities...
This forum has some really helpful and informed people on it. A great place to talk fish!
 
#3 ·
P.S. are you concerned about the dead coral causing some Ph problems in your cichlid tank? Something about the calcium. I always thought it was not usually used in fresh water aquariums for that reason, but I could be wrong.Maybe thats one of those "generally known facts" that has no scientific basis. :)
 
#13 ·
Dead coral raises hardness which tends to raise pH. Same as limestone, dolomite, cuttlebone, oyster shells, etc. In an African rift lake tank, this is a GOOD thing.

I have, however, removed dead coral from my tanks after a chase ended in an scrape which got infected. I stick to smoother rocks to also protects my hands.
 
#15 ·
Welcome to FF!!! Your tank looks nice :)
 
#16 ·
Do you have any other current tanks?
 
#17 ·
MarrineSmith your fish tank is great i like it'' try aquire paroon and di shark e very good swimmer always swim all the time. but reduce your sharp edge. paroon is like a shark or they call fresh water shark. their movements fins. if you dont mind i shere my little knowledge and expirience including medication. please read below.

Hey guys I’m new here: from tropical country of Philippines: i would like to share my experience and knowledge about Paroon and ID shark; we have a lot of that species here.

Paroon other name: commonly known here High Fin Hammerhead:/Pangasius Sanitwongsei/giant chow praya/

Body figure: pointed High Fin : mouth and head wider than ID shark. dark gray color and white silvery to its bottom.


ID Shark other name: Iridescent id shark/Hammerhead/Pangasius hypophthalmus/
body figure: Fins not hard and Not pointed; dark gray slanted 2 to 3 stripe color to silvery or there is all white color.

Experience

i give my 3 inches id shark to my friend and place it to 5 gallon tank only and it was 6
years ago, until now the fish is alive. the fish only grow to 8 inches only. he only feed sinking pellet.
the price of ID shark that is 3 to 4inches = 25.00 pesos or $0.45 USD only.


Now my Paroon Experience

Now i acquire 2 paroon 3 to 4 inches for only 300.00 pesos or only $6.00 dollar USD there. i notice the other one is balloon shape.

Im very observant. i place it in 20 gal tank only 36 inches L x 18 inches H x 10 inches W.

My paroon not eat for 3 weeks. when i feed my paroon they swim away from food and panic, but i know paroon eat anything. i gave them fresh food from my refrigerator. Small slice meat pork/slice fish meat /sinking pellet/floating /frozen crab stick meat/fish balls nuggets fish flavor/or live guppy fish. but he swim away and don’t eat. then one time at night i see he grab floating small dead fish.

i switch my observation at night'' no light is on. everything is dark i have only one led light or very small flashlight to limit the light. i notice that the behavior of paroon change at night it becomes a monster. A normal swimming at night become hunter swimming when light is out i don’t know how they can see without light.

i observed they ate what they encounter, from meat that i give to live fish. Then i see their stomach is big. And so big i thought they die because of too much food. But they vomit excess food in their stomach.

that is why every morning i saw dead fish with form in 30 degree angle body something is swallow and out again.

the following day i control feeding.

this is amazing their skin is translucent when i open the light every morning their color is almost white but after a few second it turn to black. or the original color of paroon.

take note: too much food is bad for your fish.

Medication experience.

My paroon become sick i see a lot of ich in their skin and fin rot their skin is become salty look. i expect that my paroon dye after 4 or 5 days. i search for medication. ill only find Ocean free general medication. in two days i see the result, its healed but not all there is left in their skin. they called resistant ich. so i search for antibacterial but the problem not available in my country so i try human anti bacterial erythromycin 500mg 1 capsule and apply to 20 gal i dissolve this first to a water then testing first, i put some guppy to small tank and place small amount of medicine if they die but they did not die.

2nd day i put another human anti bacterial Clarithromycin 250 mg (medicine of my kids 3yrs old :liquid type) i put it in a cup almost 5 drops mixed with water then dissolved and apply to may 20 gal tank.

Result: my two paroon totally healed and now healthy including their tank mates oscar albino bala shark tinfoil barb. Parrot and other live fish for feeding purposes (guppies)

Under medication i replace almost 15 percent of water every day.

i am not suggesting human antibacterial, ill used it because anti bacterial for fish is not available in my country.