hi from Dallas

[AltheFirst]

hi guys
well after a 27 year hiatus from keeping fish i decided to get back into it.
when i was keeping fish back then i had a pair of krib's, no idea what breed or any of that, but they had 4 or 5 hatching, it was a lot of fun.
well this time because of the internet i am now very well informed.

i have had two 20l and 10 set up for 5-6 months now.
thanks

 

[Joe Gatchell]

Welcome to the forum! Lots of good information here. What do you keep? I saw your WTB ads.

 

[AltheFirst]

what is in my tanks now ?

ok, i have
9 juli corys ( 1.5-2.25 in. 4 females )

4 Corydoras Hastatus and i have 2 and 2 ( i am suprized that the females can swim they are so full of eggs right now )

8 Marble Calico Ancistrus ( 1.5-2. in( 1 is 3in), only 2 are showing bristlenose, so at least 2 males ?)

5 polka-dot loaches(Botia kubotai)( 2 have been seen doing the breeding dance, and one of them has made a cave it's place ( guarding the cave ) hmmm ...)

4 otos have at least 2 females ( females are wider)

3 female Pelvicachromis taeniatus " Nigeria Red"

some red stripe apples snails, and
still trying to get some blue pearl shrimp to live past molt
i think that is all.

 

[AltheFirst]

the ice storm in dallas

hi guys,
well i was with out power for 18 hours today. (some damm driver hit a pole.) the tanks got down to 55 F or below for about 13 hours of them. so far one dead loach, all the others are not looking good.
time to buy a battery back up for the heaters. house is only 62 now and still working on 70. but the tanks are still below 60.

 

[Mike Wise]

There are methods to raise temperatures during power outages. The best is to use hot water in plastic bags. Just float them in the tank. It will raise the temp slowly. Just cycle hot water when the water in the bag cools. This, of course, assumes that you have a gas stove. I don't, but do have a gas camping stove. Also a blanket over the tank helps keep the heat in the tank.

 

[AltheFirst]

heater battery back or campstove

thanks
i had not even thought about a camp stove. yes, i am in a all electrical house.
but a camp stove and a few bottles of fuel from wal-mart would be a lot cheaper then a battery back up, all so i could have had some hot food and or hot chocolate while i was waiting for the power to come back on.
but i probably will get that today.
thanks
update on the fish,
so far all of the Corydoras Hastatus, all of the polka-dot loachesand all the oto's have died.
the 3 Pelvicachromis taeniatus " Nigeria Red" if they live they will have major fin damage
the pelco's and the julli's and the snails look' like they did not suffer much and are swimming like normal