Pygmy golden swordtail

[black ghost]

This one is all better now.. now another one is doing some dodgy swimming this evening..
not sure if it bumped into the glass as I turned the light on, but it seems to be darting around, getting to the place it wants eventually but in zigzag motions.. stays still fine but almost darting on its side sometimes..

any idea? I'm here fearing the worst because i witnessed the last one of these pass away doing similar, only on the substrate and not going anywhere

Sounds like water issues...

[jammedfool]

I tested and got i think 0/0/5 last night... it was getting late and I couldnt tell between 0 and 0.25 on ammonia, but I had also added some bug bites a few minutes earlier, so that may have influenced things if it was indeed 0.25.
As a precaution I added prime and stability, along with melafix to try to calm the fish down.
This morning, there are no deaths or signs of similar behaviour...

Would you suggest a possible ammonia spike? Not sure why, and my shrimp all seem ok... would a tiny piece of boiled carrot affect things e.g. if I left it in there and lost under some wood... just for example...?

[Martinspuddle]

I tested and got i think 0/0/5 last night... it was getting late and I couldnt tell between 0 and 0.25 on ammonia, but I had also added some bug bites a few minutes earlier, so that may have influenced things if it was indeed 0.25.
As a precaution I added prime and stability, along with melafix to try to calm the fish down.
This morning, there are no deaths or signs of similar behaviour...

Would you suggest a possible ammonia spike? Not sure why, and my shrimp all seem ok... would a tiny piece of boiled carrot affect things e.g. if I left it in there and lost under some wood... just for example...?

I'd do a waterchange to be on the safe side.

[plankton]

Don't test for at least 2 hours after feeding in future, it can affect the readings as they get excited and excrete, so the filter needs a little time to catch up, but a water change never does any harm, doesn't have to be massive.

[jammedfool]

You may get bored of this subject... but I think I may have a male!

Hard to see maybe but I definitely saw the anal fin go fully vertical as the fish was displaying its fins as well as having a "detached" part to the anal fin..

[jammedfool]

Update

3 of the 4 are actually males...

So thats the opposite problem to what I thought I had!

On the plus side, the one female has been like this for maybe 2 weeks now, the gravid spot getting larger each time I look.. with a 1 month gestation period, I could be looking at fry in a week or 2!



Plenty of Java moss and floating plants, so hopefully I get some survive

[jammedfool]

Can't be long!!

[jammedfool]

Hey all, it's been a little while again.. busy few months! Wanted to share my most exciting fishkeeping moment so far.

Having waited for weeks or this one female to give birth, I did some maintenence just before going on holiday the other week (left lights off for the week) and came back to this
I can only see just the one though!



I also sneakily snuck in an upgrade tank before we went away to set up for these guys as I think for them to really thrive they need something a little larger... I spotted a 2ft ~60L tank for £10 on marketplace, which I'm currently looking for a stand to fit it on and to move to the office/spare room, out of the direct light which is currently causing the algae you see (and my continued need to get better at regular water changes etc.)