Loaches Online Forum

Does anyone know about giant gourami (Osphronemus sp), and in particular the red-fin variety?
I see they're omnivorous, but how to they do in a planted tank?
Do they eat live plants or just fruit and veg?
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Do these ceramic stones last any longer then the regular pressed-sand ones?
The point of this set-up would be that I never (ever) want to have to deal with it, just break up the plants every couple of years.
Hyper-low-maintenance.
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Problem seems to have passed. Gas, i guess.
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Our largest Y. modesta lives in the longest bamboo tube, and defends this prize spot with great gusto. Quite antisocial. I did a big vacuum & water-change & remodel yesterday (in part trying to get everyone to play nice again- a little too much bruising showing these days) and today the blue bruiser...

D, That would certainly be preferable, but imported materials around here are prohibitively costly. I might try some local chunk-charcoal up the middle though. I prefer the idea of perforating the bottom or lower sides and having a uni-directional flow rather then the through and back necessary in t...

Imagine, if you will, a big flowerpot or bucket some 10" tall with perforated sides. Onto the bottom-middle we epoxy a little round air-stone, and over that a cheap, plastic kitchen-funnel with vents cut around the the top of the skirt epoxy'd in upside down. The air-stone air supply pipe could come...

What's max-size for a red-tail?

It works for algae though- don't get me wrong.
Get one & keep the receipt. If it shudders, send it back. Go at or bigger then the recommended size for your tank.
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I bought one, and it "shudders" when you drag it across the glass. The internal racket must be horrific as the fish freak out.
I've gone back to an old credit-card and a wet arm.

Any thoughts on stopping the shudder? Glass is only 3/8th" so I'm within the range of the magnet.

How cold does it get in the winter, and is there a heater available that will do this job for tropical fish? I guess you could put the pump/filter in your basement next to the house-heater. That'll take the edge off the coldest nights. Having said that there's plenty of cold-tolerant stuff out there...

Brrrrrilliant! Temperature, and if that doesn't work add a shot of salt.
Start with mature, very happy fish certainly.
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Right- for those of you holding/keeping small-medium tetras:
Put in a small amount (1/2 teaspoon or so) of sesame seeds... HOLY CATS!!!
Happy darting-about little fish. Bite-sized fatty little nibblie-treats.

I'd post photos, but that would take cleaning the glass... not this week.
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how is the hose-water different? What do you usually use?
I'd think salt would do the opposite, as it wouldn't resemble rain water.... interesting..... Is this species from an arid area that might see a salinity pulse with overland/terrestrial runoff?

Tell me if i'm being annoying...
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Did you do anything different/interesting maybe 2 months ago?
Is there any thought on the trigger?
To have ample space, habitat etc... and to put in 50% cooler rain-water can this make them think it's springtime and get 'em in "the mood"? Monsoonal questions etc...?

Bersh, Marine fish have trouble with a lot of terrestrial foods such as starches and root veggies as these things don't occur in the ocean. Fresh-water fish eat seeds & fruit & grasses and all sorts of terrestrial stuff as the land is so close to (and often flooded by) the water, though things like ...