The Fish Notes

60-gallon tank started on May 5, 2007 without fish.

First fish added on May 11th.

• 3 albino cory catfish (lost one cory up the intake tube!)
• 6 neon tetras
• 1 pleco

Rescued cory catfish from cannister on May 22nd.  It was still alive!

First African cichlids added on June 2nd.

• 1 Pseudotropheus demasoni
• 1 male and 1 female Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos

Added three more African cichlids on June 9th.

• 1 Labidochromis caeruleus (yellow lab)
• 1 male and 1 female Metriaclima estherae (Red Zebras).

Added another cichlid on June 16th.

• V-10 (this is all the information I have on it at this time. Maybe it is a hybrid.

Added another African cichlid on June 21st.

• 1 Neolamprologus brichardi. I was unaware that this fish was not from Lake Malawi, but from Lake Tanganyika instead, which messed up my Malawi concept. I could have removed the fish, but it is a beauty.
• By this time all the neons were gone! Fish food.

Added two new cichlids. One is said to be a hybrid and the other is a rusty Mbuna of unknown species.

• The hybrid was dead within 24-hours after constant aggression from the others. The rust-Mbuna had evidence of fin nipping from over night. The red zebras appear to be highly aggressive.

On July 13th bought a 10-gallon tank as a jail/nursery and moved all the cory catfish to this tank. Added a betta to this tank and three guppies to help cycle.

On July 14th set up the 30-gallon tank and began to cycle it.

• Added 5 African cichlids to the 60-gallon tank.
  • 2, O.B.'s ... one large male and one small female.
  • 2 Aulonocara ... one large male and one small female.
  • 1 Aulonocara gertrudae?

On July 21st added fish to the 30-gallon tank.

• 2 pictus catfish
• 3 dwarf gourami
• 3 blue gourami

Captured the female Red Zebra! Too late to take her to the local fish store so I had to put her in the 10-gallon tank over night. Mistake! Woke up to find one dead, orange guppy, a betta with most of its fins missing, and one cory catfish near death.

July 23rd - the new Aulonocara gertrudae has ick. My first case of the stuff.
July 24th - convinced that the new Aulonocara has ick (fish is called Sunshine).
July 25th - went straight from work to buy Kick-Ich and begin treatment. When I got home the spots were almost gone! Began treatment anyway.
July 28th - bought two Blueberry Skirts for the 10-gallon tank.
August 1st - both Blueberry Skirts have ick! Tested the water and found high nitrites and nitrates. Did an immediate 30% water change and will do one again the next day. Apparently the tank is not fully cycled..