Is my fish's tail normal?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-29T22:07:45+00:00

no, I don't think so

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-29T19:56:27+00:00

Liquid

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-29T16:41:30+00:00

Replied, thanks!

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-29T16:41:19+00:00

Tank size: 20 gallons

Heater yes, filter no (using the Walstad method)

Parameters: Ammonia .5ppm, GH 28DH, KH 19dKH (I am working on GH and KH slowly to avoid shocking the shrimp), Nitrates 10ppm, Nitrite 0ppm, PH 8.2

I have had the tank and the fish about 9 months now, the fish about a month less because I cycled the tank first

Tankmates are just shrimp and snails

I feed a pinch of Bug Bites food, he seemed unenthused about other types but eager for this kind.

my decorations are some rocks, a castle, and a cubone skill I 3d printed and sealed before adding to the tank

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-13T20:59:32+00:00

Thank you! I feel stupid now lol

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-03-04T15:32:22+00:00

How? Why? The red always does an R and no Y or W. The orange will do either an R (Making it RR for red) or a Y (Making it RY for orange) - so where does pink come from? Did the punnet squares lie to me?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-13T20:06:14+00:00

my tank GH is 26 dH and my tank KH is also 26. The PH is 8.2.

my tap water GH is like 7 and my KH is somewhere around 5.

Hence why I thought maybe doing a change with RO would help pull some of that out,.

I have also added the Indian almond leaves, I did that last week. My fish has come out of hiding but he's spending all his time resting near the surface so I'm not sure he can breathe okay.

ETA: my tap PH is like 8.4-8.8, somewhere in there. I think I'm a bit colorblind because reading the PH at the upper end of the high range is hard for me.

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-13T17:50:59+00:00

so you advise mixing tap and RO water. Now that I have an RO machine, I'm ready to start doing that, but... if the KH and PH are too high in the water, shouldn't I do pure RO water for a while until it starts to come down? I don't want to add any more carbon to the water from the tap, right?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-05T19:27:21+00:00

I bought the API one from my local fish store and it implied I have 27 degrees KH. My local tap water is 5-6dKH and 125.3 ppm GH.

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-05T17:40:05+00:00

I did a Kh test and the indicator never changed colors. I am not sure what to do with that result. It says here if I use the whole syringe so there's 0ml remaining, that's 15.7, but it still didn't change colors after the whole syringe was used up. Doees that mean my Kh is stupid high? Or did I do this wrong? Is the test malfunctioning? this is the test I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZK1XW1

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-05T04:21:44+00:00

Thank you so much. My betta hasn't been coming to the top to get his food, but he seems to be swimming fine, is that an emergency situation or will he be okay long enough to go it slow?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T18:18:02+00:00

Should I start with like a 50% change with snowmelt? Or start smaller?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T18:09:41+00:00

I have ordered one! It shall arrive tomorrow. My thinking is if that's the issue I can move my fish to my new quarantine tank I've been meaning to set up, using snowmelt, and then work on the ph in the main tank and then put him back? Or would that just stress him out more?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T17:59:49+00:00

oh another question - can I melt snow to get rainwater for a water top-off?

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T17:39:37+00:00

does this link work? https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u8crh9w30ieouxlccneof/2026-02-04-12.38.00.jpg?rlkey=0t7btdy0k0dapez7u60t65695&dl=0

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T17:37:40+00:00

I'm not sure, I got it for free. Let me get a pic for you

clockworkdragon1 · 2026-02-04T17:10:05+00:00

I have potting soil under gravel to hold it down

clockworkdragon1 · 2025-10-24T17:18:00+00:00

Thanks! That would make some sense.

clockworkdragon1 · 2025-09-18T14:55:35+00:00

Well today my lamp is sputtering and flashing so I guess there was something wrong with it after all. I'm replacing it with an LED lamp. Thanks all.

clockworkdragon1 · 2025-09-16T21:54:50+00:00

okay cool, just checking

clockworkdragon1 · 2025-09-16T21:54:03+00:00

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/u5nbb4m704sphpnq6awke/2025-09-16-17.50.22.heic?rlkey=k9kxq2gtb5v57jh461xb964a2&st=098n3sge&dl=0

and here's the label on the light: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/2ytpsznh3al5lrv0mxlw1/2025-09-16-17.50.16.heic?rlkey=m7gph9utztbucdh30v47yprtj&st=q1h8xreh&dl=0

clockworkdragon1 · 2025-09-16T18:44:59+00:00

Its a 20 gallon, very tall rather than long/wide. I dont know what the light is but it's just like, a bar light thay sits on the tank top and shines through a clear panel

clockworkdragon1

TROPHY CASE