PICS! 20 long, dwarf compressiceps

[aquabee]

Well sorry to hear the last one just couldn't hold on. Glad to here that the breeder, kept that good of communication with you. That can be hard to find.

Yeah. He's more of a friend now too, and a really standup guy who's more into the hobby than money-making. He's been calling or texting every single day just to see how things are going. So I might just try the comps again when they're a little bigger, but in the meantime I'm going with some stappersii/meleagris... once I make sure the tank isn't a box of death and destruction.

[barrettsline]

Well sorry to hear the last one just couldn't hold on. Glad to here that the breeder, kept that good of communication with you. That can be hard to find.


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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.255713,-95.212131

[aquabee]

B, found this, and in no way am I saying your a beginner and you may have already read this or know this but I wanted to past it on anyways:

This isn't really a good beginner's fish, as it's sensitive to changes in water chemistry, particularly when first imported. Tank-bred fish tend to be hardier but sudden changes in water parameters or temperature should still be avoided.

Found on:

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Altolamprologus&species=compressiceps&id=361

Yep. And that's pretty much why I had avoided any water changes to begin with, and then I started with a mere 20%, then up to 40% and then 80% when I knew there was nothing to lose but an already dying comp. :( The breeder and I discussed every single move I made in advance to the point of collapse. LOL ...

White clouds are swimming around today, still not normally but a definite improvement from how they were before. I have the lights on now as well. I'll try to feed tonight, just a little, to see if they want to eat now.

[barrettsline]

B, found this, and in no way am I saying your a beginner and you may have already read this or know this but I wanted to past it on anyways:

This isn't really a good beginner's fish, as it's sensitive to changes in water chemistry, particularly when first imported. Tank-bred fish tend to be hardier but sudden changes in water parameters or temperature should still be avoided.

Found on:

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Altolamprologus&species=compressiceps&id=361

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=29.253708,-95.210964

[barrettsline]

Id soak in bleach a few days then soak in vinegar probably then water and amquel or prime then sun dry. LoL. Extreme but worth it if you're gonna reuse it.

+1

[barrettsline]

It was discounted by a friend at an LFS. I probably paid about $25 for all 3 pieces. So I'm losing that, plus the $30 for the comps. Bleh.

You got a plastic towte, It will work the same way as long as it's clean. Ypu can soak the wood and test with cheap fish. Or you can pick up my 30g.

[barrettsline]

That's a good point. I don't think the dieing comps would have an effect on the others unless it was something the comps were carrying cause I've had tanks of fish dieing and the tankmates could careless.

It has to be something different from the other tanks... maybe something in the filters or the substrate? This is starting to really bother me as well cause I've used deco with just a quick rinse and never come across such problem and even pushed my luck and started tanks, fully stocked with no cycle and using tap water, heck I do almost 80% water changes with tap water and filters off while it refills and haven't had a loss.

I have to admit I do the same with waterchanges, straight out of the hose.

[eklikewhoa]

Id soak in bleach a few days then soak in vinegar probably then water and amquel or prime then sun dry. LoL. Extreme but worth it if you're gonna reuse it.

[Complexity]

I'd try to power wash it and then bleach it as already suggested. It would be with the idea that the contaminates would be on the outer surface of the wood and not soaked into the wood itself. Unless the wood was waterlogged in a contaminate or the tree grew in a contaminated area (so that the contaminate is actually a part of the tree), it's unlikely any contaminates are anywhere other than the wood's surface. It's more likely that something got onto the wood after it was collected.

[aquabee]

Sounds like it's worth your time and trouble to clean the wood. Reintroduce it into the tank after your fish recover, but before you get your new comps. Then just watch things carefully. If the fish show any signs of problems, then you know you have to toss the wood. Otherwise, you're home free.

How do you typically clean driftwood/manzanita? I've heard bleach, then sun-dry for a week. I've heard this for bacteria/parasites though but I don't know how to try and strip it of possible contaminants.

The new comps won't be ready for the tank for a couple months, most likely. They're still very small and they grow at a snail's pace (not Eli's pace though Q, we all know how special he is! lol). I have stappersii/meleagris, 3 of 'em, that are arriving at my friend's place (same person who breeds the comps) on Saturday but he's agreed to hold them for me til things stabilize in my tank.

[Complexity]

Sounds like it's worth your time and trouble to clean the wood. Reintroduce it into the tank after your fish recover, but before you get your new comps. Then just watch things carefully. If the fish show any signs of problems, then you know you have to toss the wood. Otherwise, you're home free.

[aquabee]

how much did you pay for the wood?

It was discounted by a friend at an LFS. I probably paid about $25 for all 3 pieces. So I'm losing that, plus the $30 for the comps. Bleh.

[aquabee]

I love those pieces. But I don't have an extra 20 long to keep the pieces in to test with cheap fish. :(

[eklikewhoa]

how much did you pay for the wood?

[Complexity]

Think I should leave the wood out no matter what and get new pieces?

If the wood isn't anything special to you, then there's no reason to mess with it. Toss it for the peace of mind if nothing else.

If you really like the wood, then you can clean it and then test it out with some cheap fish like guppies or whatever. If they survive for a month without any problems, you can determine the wood is safe and put it in your tank and then give the cheap fish away to someone who will enjoy them.