Altum Season!!!!!

[nature beauty]

First, i have to thank a few bro who make me now also a proud owner of a few Altum. Cross my fingers that live long enough for me to do that.

For those bro who had gotten your Altum (especially those who got it last Sat). Care to share on how is your Altum doing and how do you mantain them?

If possible a few pictures of your prized collection would be great!

Thanks!

[nasty12]

Bro!! how are your altums doing!!
mine all hiding.. think still very stress.. but they are feeding okay. (can see them eating from a distance)
what about yours!!

[nature beauty]

Ok this is going to be a little long, but here it goes......

First my Fleet of 10 is currently going strong and sailing.

Spec of my tank:
2ft x 1 x 1(will be keeping for only 6month before i upgrade my tank to a taller 1.

Filter (DIY)
Power head running on a 600L/Hr
Lay1 PH Ceremic Ring
Lay2 Dymax Lava rock
Lay3 ADA Bio Rio
Lay4 Dymax anomina removal sponge
Lay5 Normal coarse sponge

Water was then flow to main reservoir (1.5ft x 1ft x 0.5ft) before flowing back to the tank
Main Reservoir contain:
Sera Peat 1/3 Pack
Heater set at 30degree

Tank temp maintain at 30 degree and PH value of 5 to 5.1

Reservoir for Topping up water:
Power head running at 600L/hr with air introduced
ADA Bamboo Carbon x 1 bag.

I first soak my bag in the tank to allow the temperture in the bag to be the same as the tank, temperture maintain at 32 degree. After 2 hour, water are drip into the bag, water dripping at the rate of 1 sec a drop. 3 hour later ph of bags is measure, half amount of water is removed and dripping continue (same rate).3 hour later Measure PH again 25% removed and dripping at 2 drop per sec. This process continue till the ph in the bag and the tank is the same. I took about 14hr for the whole process.

After the PH is the same i then fish out the AA from the bag and put in the tank. No feeding on the first day, second day half a cube of FBW. 3rd half cube FBW+NSL Growth 1/2 stirer spoonfull.

Not sure if i'm doing it too far, just hope it don't die on me. I found my currently is ok, eating hungrily, no clamp fin, no hid in one corner act. but when i on my tank light even with the dark water the fish tend to hid in the back where i pasted the black oyama paper. but when i off the light relying on only natural sunlight shone through the window they tend to swim about more often.

I found my AA like to swim against the area with stonger current in it, they will leave the area only when sleep and look for food...

That all for me today will update again when there is more new news. Can't post pic as i don't have the cam but will sure try to upload a few picture once I get my things back online.

[xinanlove]

Mine Doing not so well yet, 1 of them have pimples on them .. was told its a cycle. 1 of them have white cotton on the body and fin. will regular water changes helps? Feeding on fbw 3times a day, Will swim anywhere where i put my hand.. Always hungry

[icemanken85]

Hi Guys,

The 4 pcs I have seemed to be doing well...anyway, for precaution sake, I actually treated them with medication to prevent those bacterial diseases like mouth and fin rot from happening or already embedding.

Would like to thank Bro Shrimpong for taking all the troubles in coordinating the bulk purchase and of course my wonderful bro, Nature Beauty for collecting & taking good care the AA on my behalf.

Like to share a video with you guys on the altums' birthplace at Atabapo river. It is a river of Venezuela and Colombia. It forms the international boundary between the two countries for much of its length.

Hope we are inspired to know our catch are so exotic ….haha..happy viewing.
http://www.aquanet.tv/Video/198

[barmby]

Hi people, you may want to use Aqumedi Blackwater extract. I used it myself. I found it very good in preventing fungus attacking the fish body who lost their slime coat due to stress. Aqumedi Blackwater is not medication. I confirm that because my cherry shrimps did not die after i dose the blackwater. Hope this help.

[illumnae]

One of the most potent killers of freshly imported altums is columnaris. It manifests in a manner similar to fungus, and is often mistreated as fungus, causing premature loss. I strongly advocate quarantining all newly imported altums with a full course of API Furan-2 to get rid of columnaris from the altums. Thereafter, follow up with an internal de-parasiting procedure. I like to use Jungle Labs Internal Parasite Guard for this because it contains both the medications I like to use, but you can use a mix of Praziquental (available from C328, not sure about the brand name. Mizuworld also has it here: http://www.mizuworld.com/product/detail/719) and Metronidazole (most common is to get the taiwanese medication MQ-4 from C328 ). These will clear internal bacteria + protozoa + tapeworm. Praziquental is usually not used in quarantine of domestic fish, as tapeworms are not commonly encountered in the aquarium. However, when quarantining wild fish, it's highly recommended as tapeworms can and do infest wild fish.

The above 2 quarantine procedures are what I found to be most effective when I was purchasing new altums 3 seasons ago. The altums that went through this procedure all survived (except one who jumped one night for no apparent reason) and are still with me today

[nature beauty]

Thank Bro,

I was about to ask when do i start this medication process as i don't want to stress the fish so much would 1 week after purchase be good?

Also with AA that did not show any sign of columnaris should also treat it? will the medication hurt those that are not sick?

[illumnae]

I usually put them through quarantine the moment I bring them home. I think it's more stressful for them to remain diseased then to be subject to medication to cure them of the disease. I would put the whole batch through quarantine, as they have been in contact with each other and the bacteria may have spread, but not manifested yet. I've quarantined all my wild fish (apistos, altums, heckel discus, green discus, various eartheaters such as B. wavrini, S. leucosticta and S. daemon, various plecos such as L134, L333) and none have been "hurt" by the medication. Conversely, the one time I didn't quarantine my 1st batch of S. leucosticta, I paid a dear price for it as I lost 2 heckel discus and more than 1/2 the batch of S. leucosticta to bacterial infection introduced by the new wild fish.

[nature beauty]

thank bro for the input i'll start my medication today as well.

[nature beauty]

Last night just started my medication phase 1 with the 1st packet of API Furan-2 (Darn) they are not cheap. but for the altum no choice.

Will be expecting the phase 1 to be finish by this Sat after that will procecced with phase 2 with the Jungle Labs Internal Parasite Guard. will update once i finish with the treatment.

[illumnae]

All the best! I found API Furan-2 extremely effective in treating my altums that were infected with columnaris. 2 years down and they're still with me

[nature beauty]

Was checking my AA this morning, one of it seen to be having the look the sky symptoms hope after the treat they will be in time to get it back to shape. Btw can i use Jungle Lab and API Furan 2 at the same time?

[illumnae]

I didn't risk it. I treated the columnaris first as it was the more deadly disease and the active one. Internal bacteria can wait a few days for Furan-2 to complete, provided you started treatment immediately upon receiving them

[nature beauty]

Hi Bro Illumnae,

Thank for the Advice, i read the instruction fort he jungle lab it mention the dosage for every other day up to 3 treatment so do i continue the treatment for 3 days?

[illumnae]

That's what I did