Cycling, timing, and Endler's
Dear WWMites,
<<Kewl. I'm an official Mite!!>>
Well, thanks to the rest of your site (and I thought I'd read nearly everything before), I've answered my own questions.  Wow, y'all have a lot of stuff for us to read!  I backed out to the home page and found more links to more info a bit farther down.  Unfortunately, the intense absorption of so much info knocked most of the third grade out of my head to make room.  Ah, well, third grade was a bust anyway...  To recap:
We'll get the Otos much later in the process rather than earlier, and our earlier decision on five (one per ten gallons) is apparently a good population.  Also, my bride and I decided we're going to replace several of the silk plants with live plants, both for the beauty and the Otos.
<<Excellent idea :)>>
We'll stick with making larger batches of tweaked water, and go get a cheapy air pump to aerate it (at least overnight) before we use it.  We're also talking about increasing the water changes to 20% a week rather than every two weeks, especially after reading about the sensitivity of Otos and Corys to nasties in the water.
<<It would be a good idea to vacuum your substrate regularly, Corys are prone to bacterial infections of the barbels. Nasty stuff can accumulate in gravel beds, and Corys are always sticking their noses into...it. :P>>
We're going to have to decide which Corydoras to get, since they prefer being with their own.  I'd had the impression that it wouldn't quite do to mix based on genus rather than species.  (Now if I can just convince my wife to go with the paleatus...)
<<My favorite Corys are melanistius melanistius and adolfoi. You can check out pics of any species of Cory cat at www.planetcatfish.com/ Maybe you will both see something inspiring there that you agree on :)>>
As I said in an earlier message, the little speed demon is, indeed, an Endler's.  He's started getting a stronger hint of green on his caudal fin, and a more definite green tinge on his rear half.  We're looking forward to getting a group of them after New Year's.
<<Nice fish. Easy to keep and not a royal pain like so many livebearers can be...belonesox spring to mind.>>
Again, thanks for the wonderful site, and I hope I haven't chewed up too much of your time.
Glen
<<You are most welcome. Happy Fishing. LOL.
-Gwen>>

Just bought a 2.5" red tail baby Amazon catfish 3 days ago,
<decided to get a tank buster eh?  These grow to be enormous fish in a relatively short amount of time.  I've wanted one myself for a long time, just haven't had a tank that could house them properly. >
he was fine the first 2 days, then started 'floating around' the tank, without swimming.. kinda like he's dieing...kinda letting the current take him,
<these fish are bottom dwelling, and floating of any kind is not good.>
this is a small 5 gallon tank, was setup 1 month ago, 3 weeks ago got 3 zebra tetras / 2" pleco / whole bunch of good established gravel and they are doing great.
<They maybe doing great but that tank is way to small for all of those fish.  Pleco's and Catfish are very messy fish!  The water parameters can become bad fast with the amount of waste these fish are producing!>
75-78 degrees, ph 7.0-6.8..he is also kinda breathing harder, if you try and touch him with your finger, he'll try to escape. but he just floats around. when he looks more coherent sometimes he is upside down. Hadn't eaten, but looks like he just ate a shrimp (freeze dried 1 cm long shrimps).
<I suggest you get your larger tank up and running very soon! This tank is not going to work for these fish! What you need to purchase is Freshwater Test Kits.  These will tell you the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your tank.  With high ammonia and nitrite levels it effects the fish's breathing.  Ammonia damages the gills, and nitrite hinders the fish's body from using the oxygen from the water.  The water parameters must be at Ammonia=0, Nitrite=0, Nitrate being as close to zero as possible.>
I'm calling the fish store, but was wondering if this is totally bad. the tank should be ok
<No, it's not okay.  way to small.  It's like keeping an elephant in spare bed room.  Just because it fits inside doesn't mean it's okay.>
(by the way, he's moving in 2 months to a 55 gallon and then a 200 gallon at least to start with, then a pond eventually.)
<that is a good plan, but you should have gotten this fish when you had the larger tank ready.  Don't put the cart before the horse.  have the environment ready for the animal, it's easier on you and the fish.>
Have wanted one of these for years, please help, only 3 days in !!!
--Dave
<I've wanted these myself, but realized that they can become monster sized, and need a home to fit their needs.  See if your Local fish store will hold the fish for you as you get your larger tank set up. You will need to do some water changes on this 5 gallon to help bring the water levels back to normal this will help.  during this time you will need to start setting up the larger tank  for him.  good luck and remember to research and have things ready well in advance before purchasing any animal. -Magnus.>