20 December 2015

all is not right

in my tenner. I thought it was looking lovely clean, because I took the trouble to scrape spot algae off the inside of the glass on friday. I hadn't realized how much there was, and it's really hard stuff. So I have to rethink the light- probably too strong still- maybe block it with layer of plastic or tape... or raise it up yet again. I'd hoped the duckweed would screen some light out, but it's not growing that fast.
Problem is with scraping all the GSA off, I think I contaminated the water column. The water doesn't test at alarming levels, but one of my otots doesn't look so good now. The speckled gray one. (Other two have more of a golden tan color). He seems to have a pale patch in front of the dorsal fin on one side.
And closer look the tail fin looks degraded, too.
It's hard to tell because his coloring is mottled, if that pale patch was there before. I'm looking back at past photos. But regardless, the tail fin is worrisome and if he does have fungus, needs cleaner water. I did a partial water change taking care to siphon some mulm off the bottom. Have to keep an eye on him. The other otos look fine.
I thought this tank was doing pretty well, but if the GSA keeps showing up I'm still not getting something right. Too much window light, too much from above maybe. I'll block some. And I was so pleased the wisteria has doubled in height, even put out a few side shoots near the base, the itty bitty windelov ferns seem to be getting a hold on the driftwood- rubber band busted off one but it has firmly attached itself. (Pics in earlier post with the ramshorn).
Now that I look closer, Oliver's clouded eye is recurring. So that also indicates poor water quality. Crap.
He seems to like hanging out below the broad anubias leaves, lately.
Oh and I added a few small handfuls of gravel to give the vallisneria and rotala stems more substrate to root in.

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