some fish notes-

I'm planning to get a few new fish soon- paradise fish for my window tank, another tetra (or two or three) and maybe a few amano shrimps for the main. This time I want to properly seed the quarantine filter- before I have always just taken substrate out of the betta's sponge filter, or swapped out the sponges- but I still often get a cycle on the QT tank that's not good. I've ordered another corner box filter for my QT. Opened up my canister midweek to add some sterilized pieces of extra sponge between the layers in there- in the process doing a small partial wc on the tank of course, and rinsed out the upper layers of sponge and poly. I didn't rinse out the lower coarse sponge or the ceramic rings but poured out the water- wow it was dirty! Maybe I should stick with my once-a-month routine of cleaning this filter.

I thought last time I did something like this I had pulled out all the extra sponge pieces, but found some were still in the canister. When the box filter comes in, I plan to set up the QT tank and run it with those sponge pieces- they've been in the canister for weeks if not months now- the ballast (also final layer the water flows thru) will be gravel from the destination tank and sintered glass media out of the canister- both well-established- so I hope this will avoid a cycle.
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Funny thing recently about the kuhli loaches. I've been giving the cories Hikari sinking wafers every other day, and started offering some to the kuhli loaches too. I try to feed the tetras on one side of the tank, and drop the wafers in a thicket of plants on the other side, in hopes of keeping the tetras from finding it as quickly. They aren't as avid to feed off the bottom as the cherry barbs were, but will shoulder their way in and dart for a bite. I think they've bitten a few of my kuhlis, too! some have pieces of their tails missing, darn. This time I fed after lights-out, hoping that would keep the tetras from finding the food so easy.

I want to keep giving these wafers because something notable happened. After an entire year of remaining skinny while the others gained weight, my striped kuhli Sassy has changed for the better this week. Sassy used to hang back and approach slowly when food was offered. I was starting to wonder what other kind of treatment I could give, after doing several many rounds of parasite meds already... Then yesterday I saw that this kuhli wasn't looking quite as thin, almost normal body weight (the others are getting hefty). Today I saw that when I dropped in wafers, Sassy moved quickly across the substrate beelining for the thicket where the food was. I haven't seen that fish move so fast in ages. I do think something about this food is better for it! or more enticing.

But it cracks me up how the amano shrimp steal it. A wafer is as big around as the shrimp's entire body circumference, but the amano takes the whole thing! I've seen a shrimp do that twice now. Three or four kuhlis will be crowded around the wafer nibbling on it, all their energetic wiggling- and the shrimp calmly walks up between them, picks up the wafer, and simply walks off with it. Haha! I have to get a photo of it next time, it looks like a huge amount of food for one shrimp.
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I got a new air pump rated to 40gal for the window tank. Cories are done with their treatment. I worried for a bit that they are still kinda skinny, but have been assured look okay. No longer so flat in the belly but getting rounded out some. Three biggest ones look to be females? their paired fins are wider and rounder. The smaller cories have pointy anal and pectoral fins. It's cute to see them flock out to feed in the front corners where I drop pellets and wafers, so I can watch them. They're acting more flirtatious with each other.

One actually looked fat this morning. I had dropped in soaked NLS pellets but although three cories were in front nosing around, none really seemed to be eating it. Later I saw the biggest female in the back under driftwood- looked quite pudgy. I think she ate all the pellets- what was meant for five fish! I guess she likes them and the others don't- I've seen other fishkeepers notice that their cories have individual tastes- so I'll remember to only offer one or two of these pellets at a time... She's in the middle of the photo here:

Looking back at older pictures notice the hornwort isn't doing as well now, by comparison. Nor the elodea- it seems to be dying off quicker than growing new leaves. I thought at first because I have fewer fish so less waste... but then realized I had also changed the lighting situation recently- to reduce algae on the front glass I was keeping curtains closed. I've put things back to how they were with curtains open during the day so the tank is more brightly lit from above, and put a plastic sheet across lower window pane to diffuse it. Not sure yet if this is a good solution. I put plastic sheet over the other lower window pane flanking the 38gal- and that one is getting less dark algae spores on the short ends of the tank so I think it will be an improvement.