# Great leaping neons????



## AquaAggie (Jan 4, 2013)

So my fish tank has been up and running for just over a year. Love the hobby and really enjoy taking care of the tank. I've learned things the easy way (reading here) and unfortunately the hard way some too 

I have had three problems lately. And the title describes the most perplexing.

First, just this week I lost my third Neon Tetra to kamikaze leaping from my tank. I have the marineland 20 gallon halfmoon with the included plexi glass lid. It has three whole - one in the back left thats about the size of a 50cent piece for heater wiring and airtubes. One in the back right for the HOB filter which has maybe a 1/4 inch available around the sides and front handle/feeding whole that is maybe 1/2" x 3". We have found all three fish in front of the tank. Are neons really known for being jumpers? Further more are they really that accurate? Guess I may need to put a flap on the front hole.

Second, seem to have real trouble with keeping julli cory's alive. I have tried to keep three and recently got a fourth, but have not seen it in a while. With my tank being tall the LFS suggested they may be suffocating so Installed bubble wall in the corners they seem to enjoy hanging in before I lost the fourth. They are exceptional hiders. Any ideas on what could be happening?

Also really love the bright colors of guppies. I only keep males and keep at least three at a time to spread out aggression. Whenever I have bought new ones I always get two for the same reason. Unfortunately whenever I buy guppies one of them always dies within a day or two. Don't see any aggression and their fins aren't nipped. Is it just bad luck?

Thanks for advice on any of these.

And since I know you guys will ask, I do regular water changes - about 50% every two weeks and test regularly and never seen ammonia or nitrites and never have nitrates above 50. My stocking list is in my signature and I will try and upload a picture of my tank. Also have been dosing excel about once a week for the last three months and my plants have flourished (all plants are bigger and I have had to trow out handfuls of hornwort every few weeks!). 

Thanks and Gig'Em.

Pictures is a little out date- plants are much larger and I have a few different fish


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

How are you acclimating the fish to the tank? Just floating the bag or drip acclimating. That can have something to do with your fish loss. The tank isn't too deep for cories, I kept mine in taller tanks with no problem and still do. I would also up your water changes to once a week. 50 nitrates is still a little high. Also might consider adding more live plants with your nitrates going up like that.


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Agree with Susan on water changes and the drip acclimating. Get your cory cat population up to six or more and you will see an amazing difference in their behavior.


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## AquaAggie (Jan 4, 2013)

I do drop acclimation for about two hours. I never have nitrates over 50 and typically it's under 40. The picture is old and the plants have really taken off which I think is helping the nitrates even more. I would like to have more Cory's but I'm afraid off limited foot print in my tank as a half moon with the cories and the bristlenose


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## dalfed (Apr 8, 2012)

Ok when you posted never have nitrates above 50 I assumed that they were close to that level all the time before water changes. Guppies are not as tough as they used to be but that being said it is strange to hear one of two dying everytime. I would try expanding your drip time and also watch the reaction of your gourami and ram.
I don't usually tell people to overstock but with cories (if the aquarist is willing to do a lil more work) I still believe it is better than having too few.


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## AquaAggie (Jan 4, 2013)

Really the only one my gourami really shows any interest in is my ram. But he is a fast sucker and my gourami seems relatively lazy. Never seen him take much interest in any of the guppies to be honest.

Dalfed as far as "overstocking" I'm will to do the work, but my concern is bottom area with the rocks and caves I don't want the cories or the bristlenose getting crowded out. Does that make sense. If I had a standard 20 long then I really don't think it would be an issue but with it being a halfmoon hight there just isn't that much ground area for the cories


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You have open areas under the deco and would be enough room to add at least a couple more. I have 50 to 60 cories in a 40 breeder, but keeping up the maint. is the key.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

IMO there are two kinds of overstocking ,both with different measures needed for it not to go all wrong.
Over stocking population wise(a few too many fish) is easily dealt with by increasing waterchange amount and frequency.If having too many fish was truly impossible some of us who breed fish would have very limited sucess.This is not the case though.At present I have my remaining 90+ german rams in a 55g!I have pretty strong filtration and change water as often as possible(at least 50% a week,I shoot for X2).My swords are pretty packed in breeders also say they get massive water changes also.
The second kind of overstocking is getting a fish that is or will be too large for tank.That is only remedied by getting a larger tank.
Bump up your cories and your water changes ,you may be suprised how much more active the whole tank becomes!


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