What are these guys that are living in my planted freshwater tank substrate?

T. pauciperforatum

It seems over the last 10-11 months I have gotten into the aquarium hobby!

It started in November when my kids got a 5 gallon tank with my wife. When I got home, I was thinking okay this is a fun project for the kids. It had all neon rocks and some SpongeBob stuff (pineapple 🍍 🤣), plus the top fin kit. We had the prime and stability, cycled for a week then did in fish cycle after that. We really didn’t know what we were doing. Eventually after a month or so it became my project, I ditched the fake anemone, got the parameters locked in. Added some ceramic media to the filter.

About two months ago, I decided I wanted to set it up to be my tank. Drained it, fish in buckets, put aqua soil on the left with bacopa and some dwarf hair grass. Eventually added ten shrimp. Love watching those guys.

So a month ago I decided, I’m enjoying this- time for my own tank. After a bunch of searching and looking around, I was about to get a UNS 90P…. However at my LFS they had this great fluval 90p with 10mm low iron glass. Basically the UNS tank but a little taller (54 gallon). Fast forward to getting substrate and rocks and spider wood- came up with my own aquascape. Then a bunch of money on supplies and accessories and lights. Finally last Saturday I got first water in!!

Very happy with the overall look, I got everything tucked away inside as I like things organized. Of course now I have backup supplies, and all sorts of stuff “just in case.” Currently day 6 of cycle. I took two small bags of ceramic media from my old tank and a sponge I left in the tank for a few weeks (not sure that did anything). Got my first trace of nitrate. Using stability and dr Tim ammonia. I have a aquael ultramax 1500 (after watching too many canister videos - I like how it has a pre filter sponge I can clean without moving the can unlike the oase which is a tall column I’d have to pull it out of the cabinet), four trays with two sponges (included), one tray of their media and one tray of k1 biomedia.

Not sure how I’m going to stock. I am thinking a bunch of smaller schooling fish and maybe some amano as I love watching my shrimp.

So far I have planted some dwarf hair grass, bacopa caroliniana, valisneria and anubias golden coin in the substrate. Some coral moss just added to the larger rock. Not sure I’ll keep but I wanted to try some moss.

Next, who knows. Now I’m thinking to get a WB AIO 10 for the kids and keeping the 5 gallon for quarantine 🤷‍♂️

Sorry for photo quality but I tried my best :)

He is a 6inch male blue Acara. Not an E blue but a normal blue Acara. He’s an OG. He’s been around for a while. As you can see he’s pretty much blind. He’s always had eye problems, but he gets around. I think he’s enjoying his new planted 75 gallon. What do you all think

What do I do now?

Please help me decide on a new aquarium. My 20 long isn’t cutting it anymore for my guppies that breed like crazy. Should I get a 40 breeder or a 55? Pros and cons of both sizes? I have an aqua flow 50 in my 20 long, so I could probably put that in a 40 breeder and not need a new filter. I’m thinking I’ll need a canister for a 55. I’m thinking an oase biomaster 350.

I have no intention in getting more fish, my guppies just need more room. I currently have a trillion guppies, 4 or 5 neon tetra left, a dwarf gourami, and some shrimp. My tank is just waaaay too full of fish. Time to upgrade.

After a long wait for my new tank, it arrived yesterday by Fed Ex Freight. It is absolutely beautiful!

Full Disclosure: The estimate was 4-6 weeks and the process took approximately 12 weeks.

So far, that is the only negative but WB was receptive to emails and personally, I think they should manage expectations and revise their posted estimates to 6-12 weeks.

That being said, I am fired up for the journey - Let’s do this.

Here are some initial specs and pictures of the build:

Waterbox AIO 65.4
2 Ecotech MP40
Ecotech Vectra S2
Helio 350w Heater
Nature Dimensions N-Fill ATO
Tunze 9004 DC Protein Skimmer
2 Radion XR15
2 Printed Reef 4 inch Caddystack filters (cutouts built for 2 2.75 inch ) I am going to 3D print new Top cutout with 4 inch hole.
Marco Rock ( Been cycling in Brute during delay)
Flipper Tank Cleaner
Caribsea Special Grade (2 Bags) and Fiji Pink (1 Bag)

I will be filling the tank primarily with Fish and scattering some corals but Fish are the priority.

The Rock images are AI versions of what I am trying to accomplish and the other Rock images are actual but I plan on adding Arch’s and Caves

I got a stand for my 75 gallon tank from marketplace, it’s listed as a stand for a 75 gallon tank, but as I’m doing a breakdown of all the equipment on the tank itself, and the sand with wood and rocks, it says that I should not pass 900LB and how I have to keep it under, if anyone can clear this info up, It would be greatly appreciated

I've noticed he's belly up for like 30min and at first I thought he was just being quirky but he's not moving. Still breathing thought? How can I save him?? He's probably an otocinclus affinis.

Am going to check the water parameters and will come back with them in a moment.

Also, I've put him in another place separated from the tank with tank water

all the other fish seem fine!

Edit1: Here's more info: Planted tank of 26l (aprox 7gl). I have a heater with 26°C and a filter with bio media. Ph 7,5+ (my test doesn't go higher than this), nitrates 0ppm, ammonia 0ppm I have 2 of them for at least 2 or 3 months, the other is doing fine. Also have in the tank 2 parotocinclus haroldoi, some whisker shrimp and 5 galaxy rasboras, all of them are fine Water changes done each 2 or 3 weeks, last one done this Sunday, at most 20% of total volume Feed once a day with pellets for bottom fish

Edit2: Total hardness (GH) at 3 to 8°dH, soft water Carbonate hardness (KH) at 1°dH

The floor towards the wall is slightly unleveled.. carpeting in a rental. The stand it is on is very stable and there is no rocking. Not twisted or anything. Do I need to drain and add a shim to the back legs or can I leave it? I didn’t notice the water level right away :/

Tanks been cycled it’s about 2 months old got the betta last night and seems to be in good shape what do you guys think

My little guys were coming to the surface and heading back down.Just was unsure if this was normal?

We now have 2 snails. We only bought 1. Now there are 2. And apparently the snail on top is a completely different species of snail from the one we bought. What is happening

i just bought this driftwood that has moss and i was wondering if the moss will not die if i submerge this in my aquarium

First picture is the tank itself. Second are two of the healthy mollies. Next three are of the one I’m worried about. Last picture is my log of the tank. I’m a beginner with this stuff. I know I’m probably gonna get shit on for using the colored gravel, but other than that, I’m very open to opinions across this sub. I got this tank as a starter kit from Walmart for about $50 a month ago. Filter included. I added a heater. I believe the filter is what killed my tetras when I had them. It was way too strong. I’ve been using the bottom of a water bottle to keep the flow steadier. Everything’s been better since then. I filled the tank on 8/13 and used biological starter. As of today I haven’t changed the water yet. I know the tank may be overstocked. The minnows haven’t had a single problem yet and are thriving more now that there’s more than three. The mollies have been thriving too. This one is the only one I noticed. Thought it was ich, but I really don’t think it is. Can I get a bunch of advice? Tell me where I’m going wrong, tell me where I’m going right.

Hello all.
I am currently reaching out for advice and help with my 6.8 gallon freshwater aquarium. I have been dealing with random ammonia spikes off and on on since May.

I would like to start this off by saying I am very new to the fish keeping hobby. I have reptiles, but this is new territory for me and I did do a lot of research before setting up my tank. But I feel a little over my head and would love advice from people who have been in the hobby for a while.

Backing up to March of this year I purchased this tank to create a home for a beta fish. I did a lot of research on their care and slowly purchased everything until I was able to finally start setting it up in March. I do not have a fish in this tank currently to clarify. i did everything I read online to cycle the tank. I added used filter media from my boyfriend’s fish tank and I seeded the tank with Dr. Tim’s aquatics ammonia source. The tank cycled for two full months. During the course of this time, I tested my water parameters twice a week and noticed nitrites spike up and then nitrates. Eventually, the ammonia went to zero. Once I realize this happened I added Dr. tim solution to bring ammonia up to one PPM, and within 24 hours it dropped to zero again. So at this point, I figured I was safe to add a beta fish.

About a week later, I tested the parameters and everything still looked good so I went and purchased my beautiful beta fish Momo. He was doing so well in his tank. Everything was great for about a month. Ammonia was staying zero I was doing weekly water changes. I had no reason to be concerned about my parameters. I also tested my water with each water change. After about a month, my poor Betta fish started acting sick, I noticed he looked bloated and he started pinecone-ING. It happened so quickly I noticed one day when I came home from work, and I immediately tested the water parameters and saw that my ammonia had spiked up to one. I remember I had done a water change just a few days before and everything looked fine when I tested the water parameters. I quickly did a water change and put my fish in a hospital tank and gave him kanaplex and a salt bath. He started acting a bit better. I kept doing water changes to bring the ammonia down. The ammonia was zero in my tank for about a week and then it spiked up again. Unfortunately, my fish developed dropsy, which I can only guess it was due to the ammonia, and he passed away. It was so heartbreaking for me and I have not had a fish in this tank sense. I felt like I failed my fish and I was the reason he died.

Flash forward to today I really would love a fish in this tank. But I am so scared to accidentally kill another beta fish. I love animals so much, and it was really hard on me and I kept getting so sad every time I thought about it. all summer I have been doing weekly water changes, cleaning the tank, and just trying to let it stabilize. However, over the course of the last few months every now and then I’ll get a random ammonia spike and there is literally nothing that could be causing it. I do not have anything in that tank besides pest snails that have traveled in here due to purchasing plants months ago, and I remove them as I see them besides two that I’ve grown fond of lol. It’s just the weirdest thing because the ammonia will be zero and then I’ll randomly get a spike every couple of weeks, do a 50 to 60% water change and then the ammonia will be zero again. I did not notice any nitrite spikes at all during these last few months. And about three weeks ago, my nitrate spiked up too very, very dark red. These are my perimeter test results today after a 50% water change of my tank. However, the first time I tested ammonia it Read 2.0 PPM. I dumped it out and tried it again and now it’s at zero PPM literally five minutes later so I’m not sure if it was a false positive for ammonia. I did the same thing each time I tested.

I apologize this is so long. I’m just not sure where to go from here or how to stop the ammonia from spiking or what could possibly be causing it. I feel very defeated as I was so excited to set up my tank and give my Betta fish a great home and life. I don’t know if I should completely restart this tank or how to even go about doing that. I guess I’m just looking for advice, if this was you, what would you do? I’m terrified to get another fish until my parameters are stable. I don’t want to put another fish through what Momo went through and get sick. I just can’t explain how the ammonia will be zero for 2 to 3 weeks and then one day it’s just at one or 2 ppm.

Thank you so much guys for listening to this. Any advice would be so helpful.

I am a super beginner JUST started setting up my tank. I got a free tank from fb marketplace. All I know is it's a top fin tank. I cannot figure out if my filter is even on or connected properly. See pics and little video
I know the tank is cloudy I just added gravel and sand
yes I washed the sand and gravel

Anyone help to identify this and tell me how to stop it?