www.ultimatereef.net ;)

Doesn't look like a Hong Kong plec to me at all, from the picture looks like your common Plec to me. Baring in mind these can reach 18-24" easy.

Scott

Cheers for getting the link Noodle.

It's a shame we have to use it so often.

Scott

Unfortunetly it was wrong to put in fish just after a week without cycling it. Especially Neon Tetra's, which are not a great fish to start with. It sounds like dropsy or swim bladder, dropsy because it is swollen looking and swim bladder with the abnormal swimming pattern.

Firsts things first, test the water though your find extremely high levels of ammonia. In an ideal world, id return them to the shop who sold you them, saying that, they would probably do worse with them if they dont know the basics of fish cycling. I'd throw a wild guess and presume it was Pets at Home. If they have the cheek to refuse the fish back I would personally do regular small water changes, adding mature biological filtration from a fellow fishkeeper should help too although I really wouldn't expect the poor things to pull through.

I would personally find the thread on fishless cycles on here (sorry IPhone can't link it without Loosing my mind) Print this off and show the staff at your local PAH (or the fish shop you bought them from). Demand a refund for the fish (dead (unfortunetly I don't think they'll pull through) and question their training they give to their colleagues). After this i would start again, the correct and most humane way, the fishless cycle (cue link)

Scott

Unfortunetly Yes, I'm branching out! :P

Scott

Great size tank for Malawi's, However unless your going for Haps\Peacock's I'd remove the (Horrible) ornaments out and opt for the more natural enviroment the bulk of Malawi's desire, ROCK, lots of it.

If this is your first time keeping Malawi's your'll be keeping Mbuna, a rock dwelling Malawi Cichlid. These need lots of Rocks with plenty of caves, mainly for their territorial needs.

I'd also opt for Coral Sand, unless your water is naturally high in alkaline. Your aiming for atleast 8, prefrebely 8.2. Coral Sand and Ocean rock are natural buffers.

Here's a few of my old Malawi Tanks to give you some ideas;














Scott

Only thing I can suggest is going down the Juwel Hi-Life T5 Light Units. A 180 Hagen should be the same dimensions as the Juwel Vision 180.

Give Juwel Vision 180 T5 Light T-Bar a google.

Scott

What Lights do you use? How long are they on for? Have you changed your prefilters recently on your RO Unit? Does your LFS use tap water rather then RO in their tanks (When purchasing Fish/Inverts)

Interms of your Hammer, As far as I'm aware your Hermit shouldn't touch the Hammer, unless their is algae growing on it. Unless the Hermit is a large calcinis I wouldn't expect him to of pushed it over. Do you have any large fish, Wrasse? How long have you left it since it fell over and damaged the flesh?

Scott

Personally I wouldn't be adding anything else to the tank. As mentioned below, Regal's alike Clown Loachs in the freshwater side are extremely seceptable to Whitespot. Adding a fish that eventually stresses him out can result in your tank being whiped out. Saying that your Regal with time will outgrow your tank.

You also haven't mentioned your filtration, what do you interms of filtration? Mechanical, Biological, Skimmer Type. etc. etc.

Scott

Hi Grovey,

Not that familiar with the TL450 however, with most skimmers there is a valve for letting the air in, do you have anything like that. For my RSM130 we do, this way you can adjust how much skimming you want done.

Interms of NO3, what levels are we talking? Also, I'd like to mention the strip test kits are very reliable. Ideally use Salifert's or API.

Scott