No Fish Food Required in Natural Aquariums

[@FatherFish]

STEM PLANTS BUNDLE SALE - Over 75 plants - 15 Species for $59! Limited Time OFFER so HURRY! father-fish-aquarium.myshopify.com/ For Special Soil Supplements, Plants, FIsh & Merch in your country: fatherfish.fish/

[@sherrylynn4632]

This makes so much more sense than anything I have came across! The stores don't want us to discover this method. They want use to buy all of the (stuff) on the shelves... And others just don't know any better and are snobs to this process and tell us it cannot be done. I beg to differ, it can be done. Thank you FF for all of your wisdom and guidance! ❤

[@FatherFish]

OK Sherry. You have won my heart. Now join me on Discord where we can celebrate the shoal! discord.gg/GdakStEjAy

[@helzing5114]

I just discovered this channel and it has opened my eyes to the hobby, by borrowing from nature we create tanks that are living beings themselves. Love this approach

[@FatherFish]

Absolutely correct Helzing

[@CCHouse-d5d]

You nailed it

[@StormCaller5]

I actually like the way a tank looks when it has dead leaves in it. Nature isn't sterile. It lives, it dies, it lives, it thrives. Without us interfering with it.

[@FatherFish]

The nature of nature StormCaller!

[@t3dwards13]

I take gardening in a similar manner. My front yard is a jungle full of life and food. When I'm forced to tame it a bit, nothing goes in the yard waste bin. No one spreads fertilizer in the forests.

[@robertbaker3174]

Not exactly sterile but mountain rivers are pretty devoid of things other than insects that get into the water.

[@FatherFish]

@@robertbaker3174 High mountain streams are very nutrient limited. Absolutely true.

[@paulaerasmus5527]

As a newbie, how do I start this life cycle. I’m 4 weeks in, planted aquarium with rocks and drift wood and I’m trying to create a natural ecosystem. When I get the fish, how do I start the feeding cycle?

[@barugongameroff2914]

my fishes even regain their deep colouration😍they're feeding on leaves and forest stuff on the ground now and they feel and LOOK much better and healthier. so glad I found your advice! nature does its duty :-)

[@singer4badalley]

Love your videos. Great advice. 6 months raising fish I lost 30. Leaf bottom no water changes in 2 months a feeding ever other day I haven’t lost a fish! Thank you sir

[@FatherFish]

You are on your way Mark. Good work.

[@bostonmeadhorn4897]

Recently got into fish keeping and got to say you're the best from my experience with aquatics. Been doing reptiles for almost 40 years and of course I've had past Palladiums with fish, but the fish were secondary features in my tanks. Find everything you say to be true with proper vivarium design. You're replicating nature and you start from the bottom to the top. Living soil!

[@FatherFish]

Your background will facilitate an easy start with aquariums. Look forward to seeing your results. Please post some pics at Discord.

[@tommidrab83]

Same but with gardening here , living soil ftw 😊❤

[@davidjames1815]

I really enjoyed this video. It drives home the wholistic approach of the properly put together Walstad aquarium or natural aquarium.🎉❤🎉

[@propheticart]

I've totally changed the way I keep my fish after listening to your videos! Thank you so much for all the info! Just discovered your channel after I discovered seed shrimp in my tank. Lucky for them! Now they get to stay! And I appreciate then!

[@FatherFish]

Bravo Pam!!

[@BIBLE-UNBUTCHERED]

The hobby is kinder to fish with your approach F. Fish. You have a true understanding of "dominion over the fish of the deeps." Well done, few on KZbin have graduated from sterile glass boxes for fish husbandry

[@FatherFish]

We teach. We love. We cherish the creator's gift of which we are a part.

[@Alex_Correa]

When I was kid, during the 80's, I had angel fish in a tank that didn't need to be fed at all for years. One of the most amazing natural systems I've ever had in my entire life. All I had was Vallisneria gigantea and a 60W incandescent bulb over the tank! Forget LEDs! The colors of those fish were amazing. The angels were caught in the wild. Their eyes were red! Nature systems need to be respected to work. The introduction of microorganisms and selection of fish will reach the balance for that to happen. The plants are essential for the production of oxygen and consumption of excess nutrients and excess CO2. Basic of life in any aquatic body. Listen to this old man! Thank you, Sr. for the great channel! Be healthy and continue making great videos! This generation needs to hear that!

[@jessehatfield8289]

i feel like i’ve been lied to for years about fish aquariums and now that i have found father fish i know for a fact i’ve been fooled by the tomfoolery of big corporations that just want your money this man is filled with knowledge and wisdom and if ur hesitant on taking his advice well don’t be because this man knows more than anyone when it comes to this hobby and should be trusted 110% with everything he says follow his steps and ur aquariums will flourish with life

[@Slowvq95]

Definitely going to consider . I spend so much money on this fake environment I have to keep sustaining.

[@hairdie1]

I love you, and your understanding of everything! I'm a recent fish keeper for the past two years. I've been a meat cutter for more than half my life 18 years. Currently been running a market for 6 years. I'm certified fish monger as well.. but yes this is all great. Mini earth.

[@howardvantassel7557]

I love how simple you make your wisdom. ❤. Learning more while enjoying watching my fish.

[@FatherFish]

Nice to hear from you Howard.

[@billybobblogs3627]

Hello father fish. I got excited today. Grabbed a handful of sludge off the bottom of my pond today to put into tank and a jar that I am experimenting with. And I noticed a red worm . Sludge worm. Anyway he went in the aquarium and I watched him burrow down into the sand. It all ties in with what you keep saying about the dead leaves being the food at the bottom of the chain. Thanks for your videos. Tank is going strong thanks to you.

[@FatherFish]

Delighted to hear from you billybob

[@MrSchuetzendorf]

The aquarium is like most is a "blackwater" aquarium in a nearby aquascaping shop: 1/2 of the huge aquarium consists of soil, plants, leaves and roots, the water at the bottom is almost black. There's only one fish visible, it hides under one of the small caves under the roots. Maybe there are more of them but they hide somewhere. This aquarium and the videos on this channel made me start my own aquarium. Thank you for this!

[@rastareptilerescue]

Blackwater aquarium easy to achieve, start with a resurrection jar , after a week drop your substrate, jar material, sand cap then add water and plan to drop at least 10 animals and dozens of plants wid leaves right away

[@MilosStevanovic1]

Been using this method for the last 6-7 years and not only that is easier, less work, the aquarium is more stable, it is just perfect.

[@TheresaDemberNealDACMRNDIPLAcN]

Thank you Father Fish for showing us a more natural way to keep fish. I cant tell you how much I love you for your knowledge and for sharing with all of us. Many Blessings to you and yours!

[@skitzo1041]

never really had an interest in fish keeping but you make it look like an awesome hobby

[@theaquaticdesert]

what a beautiful cycle of life! it's quiet fascinating how literally every living creature depends on the other's existence.

[@FatherFish]

Yes!! The system is interdependent!

[@bah2singtatato116]

From Father Fish teaching, it brings back nostalgia. Many years ago, when i was a kid (about 11/12) my elder brothers used to rare fishes in different tanks at our big garden. I remember, we hv 2 rectangular brick tanks, few small concrete tanks and 1 earth jar. Most of these tanks were sheltered by a few small trees, off and on my brother used to clean all the tanks, removing the fallen leaves except the earthen jar(app 10 gal) And i often peek into the jar, it was filled some fallen brownish leaves and the water was crystal clear and i saw those gobi fish nibbing at those dead leaves. All year round, my brothers never change or clean this jar (more like a neglected child 😅) ... and the water was naturally top up by the rain. 😊 And now i realise why the water ecosystem was so fantastic inside this earthen jar aka fish tank. Big thank to Father Fish.

[@jammy7670]

This resonates largely with how I take care of my pond. Having fish feed themselves also encourages their natural instincts, which is especially good when they're kept outdoors where there's more predators. Feeding them store bought food regularly makes them more inclined to come to the surface whenever a shadow passes over the water, and less likely to hide, which isn't great if a cat sneaks into your yard. Personally I view storebought food like I view dog treats: they can be okay on *occasion*, in *tiny* amounts. But not as a frequent dietary supplement. I do have some fish food, which I use when I want to get a lot of the minnows in one place so I can monitor their numbers and health. It makes it easier to see if there's any physical abnormalities, or see if there's a healthy female-male ratio, and also generally monitor their behaviors. Sometimes I don't even use fish food for this. For certain fish I just take a piece of string algae and squish it together into a small patty, then put it back in the water. They love it, which is funny since it grows in the same pond and all, and they could have eaten it at any time as it grew. But long as they're happy.

[@AquaticDomain]

I’ve added leaves, wood and other organic matter from a nearby stream to all my aquariums and they have all come alive! My fish started to color up and I only need to feed once or twice a week now. All my new tanks will be done using the father fish methods going forward. I am actually going to switch of my current tanks to FF’s style tanks once I get my others setup.

[@FatherFish]

That is awesome!

[@DottonTuffin]

Sadly my stream near me are contaminated with construction nonsense polluting the rivers. 😢

[@FatherFish]

@@DottonTuffin If there are fish and algae it is clarified. Set up a resurrection jar and see what happens.

[@katesmiles4208]

Snails and live bearers provide food for my paradise fish for his health. Its nicevto see its inline with this wonderful approach.

[@GreenCanvasInteriorscape]

Been keeping fish about 30 years now, think I'm sort of getting the hang of it hahaha, saw a dead giant Danio hung up on a plant today, had never seen a dead fish hanging, my three rainbow sharks took it down to bones in half a day, very impressive and it's a natural food source, I don't have snails in this tank that I speak of due to the loaches, but in other tanks with snails when a death occurs, the carcass is gone in a day or so if reasonably sized

[@FatherFish]

It is amazing how quickly this happens. A dead fish is fair game for every living thing in the tank. I have seen small salt water fish reduced to skeleton and then disappear in a few hours.

[@melaniec463]

Hi father fish! I just discovered your channel and I'm intrigued by all of this. It's amazing. I have 3 different tanks..a 55gal..a 20gal. And a 26 gal. I noticed my 55gal seems to always be clear and all i do is add more water when needed and add stress coat to remove the chlorine. I have a few moss balls and ivy plants in the top and snails and fish in it and it stays clear ALL THE TIME. My 20gal. only has 1 moss ball, no live plants but does have a couple of snails and fish in it but it is always having green algae on the glass so I'm always having to clean it. Same with the 20gal. They all have sand as well. I switched to sand last year and love it so much more then gravel. So after watching your video i went to get another ivy plant to add to my 20gal. And i threw in some dieing ivy leaves that turned yellow. I'm hoping i won't have to clean the tank anymore. Is this OK to do? Can i add pieces of real wood? What plants can i use in the tank to keep it from turning green again? And an i suppose to go get water out of a puddle somewhere to add to my tanks or no? They've been set up for a few years already. I would love to not have to feed them so they can feed themselves like in nature. Also, do i still need a heater and a filter running in my tanks? Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge!!

[@FatherFish]

Go to fatherfish.fish and join my discord, you can get more exact help there.

[@aquaticthumb5193]

Father Fish taking it to another level for people. I suggest a basic live food web for part two. green water, plants, daphne, skuds, worms, mollusks and snails etc.

[@MIKEZGAMER-g8b]

I put celery leaves in my tank, the fish love them, the remains feed the aquatic plant life 👍

[@kristenhall532]

What kind of fish? I would like to know if I can do this for bettas?

[@MIKEZGAMER-g8b]

@@kristenhall532 their mainly shubunkins and a couple of guppys

[@HoangLe-om3id]

pure wisdom! Thanks Father Fish, I'm gonna setup my tank real soon, need to find some the mud first!

[@FatherFish]

That will be a wonderful adventure Hoang!

[@kushmann995]

Thanks for this valuable content. This way of fish keeping is new to me. Is a deep substrate still beneficial in an unplanted aquarium? I've got a 55 gallon with about 2 inches of pea gravel. I'm thinking about adding 2 more inches of gravel or sand if that would benefit my tank.

[@FatherFish]

Yes. Add 2" of sand to the peaa gravel. If you like the look you can dress the top with 1/2" of pea gravel.

[@Desmond000007]

@@FatherFish Did you say gravel? Hehe

[@Getsitdone]

Absolutely love your videos Padre Pez! I have a new fired tank going and the water is green. What remedy do you suggest? I realize it isn't bad for the fish, but in this take I think I would like the water to be clear. Gracias as always!

[@FatherFish]

More plants, less light, no food.

[@MonkeyDLuffy-mu5xp]

Freshwater clams seems to consume microscopic algae that may help reduce algae , didn't tried it would like to see some one do a outdoor pond with green water issues to try it

[@deanclark3705]

I started a 10 gallon and left it cycling with plants for three weeks. Now it is full of infusoria even though I did nothing to start them. At the same time I noticed about 6 rice fish fry that must have come over on plants as eggs. The fry are living off the infusoria and seem to be doing well. A natural tank is really cool.

[@4gmusicgroupllc906]

❤ I went to a pond yesterday and collected some nature for my tanks.

[@FatherFish]

That is awesome!

[@SmurfieDurfie]

I sometimes take algea from a stream to feed my shrimp. I've done this in other tanks with guppies and it's great! If you do it with shrimp you don't even have to buy any food dor them anymore (if you also keep them fed by having some biofilm in your aquarium maybe and dead leaves aswell). Ty Father fish.

[@buckbuckleyson2259]

I have an outdoor pond. I'll feed the fish for my own enrichment, once in a while. Leaves are always falling into it. But I can also leave it for months without a major biological imabalance. Since there will always be a net positive flow of nutrients into the pond via garden debris I farm azolla as a floater and feed it to my birds 😁 Everything natural can be re-introduced to the cycle of life.

[@eduardosimoes6]

thank you teacher Father Fish!

[@nathanielreichert4638]

Yeah this is great stuff for small fish and bottom feeders and just beautiful plantscapes. I however, have a painted turtle. He lives far far on top of the cycle. Eats every plant and fish that I try to ease into the tank except for the snails that are too big to fit in his mouth

[@FatherFish]

Turtles are tank busters. Need very large and very heavily planted tank.

[@nathanielreichert4638]

@@FatherFish wow, I gotta say KZbin aquarists like yourself are actually replying to my comments. I am really loving the kindness in this hobby and I am sorry if I ever rambled on or was trolly. I really appreciate you.

[@vinn3327]

Well I've done a filter less, soil planted tank 1 inch fertilized top soil and 2 inch sand. and wow 1yr later it's an ecosystem now thanks father 👍

[@FatherFish]

Good work Vinn.

[@luispinheirodosmontes7219]

Greetings! I've just found yournl channel today and I'll definitely have a go at trying your approach👏

[@lauracassidy8152]

I am so glad I found you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and passion!

[@joryalicabrera1830]

Just the best out there . Thanks for sharing my tank 🎉

[@FatherFish]

You bet Joryali. My privilege

[@samsadowitz1724]

I really needed this video. I want to achieve the same thing with my tank. Im just not sure on how to really do it with the adult endlers and my corydora catfish

[@BlazeGelos]

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge Father fish!. I'm going to redo my tank following your advice, not much people explain how nature can work in the aquarium, and listening to you is so easy, Now I see other people mainly try to sell you stuff and they really know their thing as they have beautiful aquariums too, but expensive in maintenance and time consuming, that is why your approach seems so much better to me.

[@FatherFish]

So nice of you Miguel. Join us on Discord. discord.gg/XptvbtMuRy

[@ColorzGuppyFarm]

your going to see just how fun it can be and most of all less work. I love open tanks with exterior plants as well.

[@top-rankin589]

Hey Father Fish, I'm a new subscriber. I've been binge watching your videos and learning a lot. I was wondering if you have any videos specifically on keeping cichlids in a more natural aquarium even though they need additional food? I'm guilty of overfeeding my cichlids in the past which has lead to hole in the head and other problems. I've switched to feeding once a day which has helped tremendously.

[@FatherFish]

I have done very little species tanks. I need to do this. Thank you for your interest.

[@shellyeckel757]

180 gallon cichlid aquarium here as well. Would love to set it up with the plant life way to go. How to decide what type of plants to use.

[@wingheiwong7336]

Thank you Father fish!!! Missed all you guys!!! 💜🧙🏻‍♂️🙏💪🇦🇺💯

[@wingheiwong7336]

Gold fish getting eaten alive head 1st 😱😱😱 🥲 nature 101 “cycle of life”😅🐟🦈

[@symoon21]

Just found your videos and i love them! May i ask, as i have tropical fish but live in England, is it still safe to pick up leaves from my local sources? Does it matter? I want to add more micro organisms but wondering whether it would be bad

[@FatherFish]

Nature provides

[@jonasberlin5594]

Now I understand what happened to my tank over the years. I used to have a small little filter on the back, a bunch of plants, and a simple bubbler. I didn't worry too much about water changes, but would change some once in a while. The pants would grow like weeds and when I moved I had to give a bunch of my fish back to the fish store that had grown almost too big for the tank. When I set up the tank again I had more money, bought a big canister filter (too big for the tank), a huge bubbler, and decided to be very diligent about vacuuming and water changes. I tried a few plants and they all died. I tried plant for, and it didn't work. The fish were barely surviving and certainly not growing. I thought the issue was too much ammonia, so I would do more water changes, introduce lots of activated carbon, and put in bigger lights. I would carefully scrub the media in the filter. Nothing really worked. Finally all makes sense.

[@thesolaraquarium]

thats funny😂. the little drainage ditch full of water beside the railway tracks near me does not have a filter, carbon etc.. and there lots of fish and other things living in there. It is hardly a national geographic pristine waterway. Its a ditch full of gravel and water in it, and nature is thriving. 😂 BUT the aquarium shop wants you to buy all this expensive equipment to keep your fish alive. lol

[@flawlesscreation5642]

I'm aquascape a new 6g tank first time trying aquasoil I usually do the qalstead method like you I was wondering what you would recommend for me to get the biodiversity in the tank I'm only planning on doing neon tetras some shrimp and snails

[@FatherFish]

Perfect. There will be baby neons.

[@aquasoe5587]

yes! this man is brilliant

[@TheDurnans]

I have a natural tank and we feed very little. Sometimes I'll toss a nightcrawler in, or bugs that we catch outside. I also top off my water with water I get from a spring fed trout stream from around here. I can't keep shrimp with angels or small apistos. They love to eat shrimp! Even with tons of hiding spots, the angels and apistos seem to sniff them out for lunch!

[@FatherFish]

lol. Too true!! Sounds wonderful

[@christophertodd6405]

I have a lot of compost. Mostly Oak and Pecan leaves with a bit of household vegetable waste. Can I use that? If so how much. I've considered using it as soil in a soil tank, but I wonder if that is overkill. Thanks.

[@FatherFish]

works brilliantly

[@christophertodd6405]

@@FatherFish Thank you so much.

[@Giftig--Daniel-P]

This was fantastic, thank you Father Fish!

[@FatherFish]

You betcha David.

[@phillip1beer]

I like the idea of an all-natural aquarium and have toyed with raising Gammarus in small culture tanks connected with small tubing to my main tanks which are tied together via pipe causeways. I am 69 and have been keeping fish since age 5. Only in the past 3 years have I started growing aquatic plants and also developed an interest in aquaponics, I have an old house basement dungeon, social security, poorman's, fishroom, that I am building. It is a work in progress. I am moving little by little toward what you are advocating here. I have an abundance of duckweed, string algae and frog bits growing plus other seaweeds. I am trying to breed American Flagfish but am not sure if I am getting anywhere as there is a lot of hiding places. They are eating some of the string algae but I have way to much of it. I have been dipping out the frog bits, string algae, and duckweed and drying it on large platters. The String algae is almost like rope fiber when dried so once all is dry I cut up the string algae into small snipped pieces and then grind it all in a blender. I have seen on youtube how some people spray the string algae with a peroxide solution that kills it and then the dead string algae is much softer and thus edible to more fish. I don't know if I want to try this and was wondering if I parboiled my dried seaweed and string algae for a couple of minutes and froze it would this make it more fish edible? Most people would throw away the hair algae and also the duckweed and frog bits. I would rather find a way to make it into fish food. I worry also if my flag fish multiply they will eat all of the string algae and have thought about growing it in another tank in the event that they are eating all of it. My string algae is a problem but I look at it as a possible opportunity rather than a problem. It is much the same as pest snails. I introduced all of the supposed bad ones into my tanks, bladder snails, ramshorn, and trumpet snails. I like them and apparently, they have enough to eat as they have multiplied. Finding balance is always a challenge but it is fun trying to achieve it. Here is a link to my poorman's fishroom. If you have time to give advice or just chat drop me a line. docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTYF12JjFod3Wj8Tz6UGX6v2mJT7AvvYxB0Vpip89qxScWidTcrioxPdlymiwhLYdIC9KJzjm_Gn9Ig/pub

[@FatherFish]

visit us on Discord: discord.gg/GdakStEjAy

[@Argacu]

Hi. I keep only common goldfish in bare-bottom aquariums and avoid adding any decorations. I like my fish to have plenty of room to swim, and I find them beautiful even without decor. However, I find your videos really interesting. Can any of your tips and advice be applied to a goldfish tank, or are goldfish too big and aggressive for plants to thrive in such an environment?

[@FatherFish]

It can be done. Lots of valisnaria, swords, or other hard leaf plants will not be chewed by goldfish.

[@claudeteeva5882]

Thanks so much. Love the education also .

[@AgainstTheGrain1991]

This guy is the goat. Thank you 🙏🏾

[@MacTechG4]

I’ve always had this philosophy with my tanks, mulm is a part of nature, so no reason to remove it unless you’re recovering from a cycle crash, it’s also why all fauna (except parasites, but thankfully a healthy aquarium won’t have them as a problem) are welcome in my tank, I’ve had the occasional minor occurrence of hydra, but I think they’re cool, freshwater anemones, basically, and my adult guppies scarf ‘em up so they don’t stay long During the summer, I even culture mosquito larvae outdoors, hey, can’t argue with free fish food… :) The way I deal with mosquito larvae is I net them out with a brine shrimp net, then put them in a shallow tray of water (the clear lid from a plastic Chinese take out container) and squish all the pupae (comma shaped) as the next stage is adult mosquito, but leave the “wrigglers” alive, then pour back through the net, and dip them into the tank, feeding frenzy ensues, and the fish adore hunting down the escapees…

[@TekiesoKensie]

Because of this channel im thinking of starting up again. Found a 300 gallon tank n want to do a paludarium style river tank.

[@shinso9268]

Great content as always FF! My FF style tank has been running for over a month now and it’s doing great. I was just wondering if microscopic organisms like protozoans, infusoria etc..would grow naturally in my tank eventually, without seeding?

[@FatherFish]

They will but you will not have the diversity needed to create a balanced tank or a food web.

[@shinso9268]

Noted! Will take a visit to the nearest slough and seed my tank asap. Thanks FF! 🙏

[@helzing5114]

I wish I had discovered this channel before I setup a neocaridina tank 2 weeks ago using some volcanic gravel I had left over from years ago definitely would've done dirt and sand otherwise. Luckily my old tank has a 3.5 inch substrate made of pool filter sand and garden soil

[@FatherFish]

Great to hear from you Helzing

[@darkmagiciansorn]

Hey I just found your channel. And I’d like to start by saying that I appreciate the information you’ve provided. Create a full system from the bottom up and it’ll self sustain. But let’s say I’m a complete novice (I am a complete novice) how should one create a bio-diverse tank? Are there charts or a resource guides you have available? Or are there resources other people have that you could point us towards? I hope it’s not a silly question. Anyways, thank you for the videos. Looking forward to watching more.

[@FatherFish]

I have hundreds of videos and an entire organization of people supporting this work. Check my KZbin web site and join us on Discord: discord.gg/GdakStEjAy

[@Ebakyza]

Hi Father Fish, I'm building my first aquarium after a massive research that involved watching your videos as I can fully identify with your view on aquariums as natural, self-sustaining habitats for all aquatic creatures and plants. The first inhabitants of my aquarium are wild-caught freshwater shrimps, gammarus roeseli. This is their 3rd day living there, and they seem to be active and healthy, but they haven't eaten anything that is visible to me (fish food, squash, carrot, leaf from their stream...). I cultured bacteria before I let them in, and there is dead moss in my soil from the nature, I used 5 liter spring water, I have branches in there, and the water got a light green shade. I believe they are feeding on microorganisms/phytoplankton. Do you think they do that and they can help to keep the greenness of the water under control, like daphnia would?

[@Andreas-gh6is]

Those cold water gammarus are usually hard to keep in a tank... not many attempt it except for educational purposes. The water should be on the colder side. Hyalella azteca are better suited to tropical tanks, but you can't ever get rid of them, they outcompete fresh water dwarf shrimp and eat all available fish eggs.

[@Ebakyza]

@@Andreas-gh6is I failed keeping them as well... They started to die off, one or two per day, the last 2 ones of my small group gave up the ghost in approx 1,5 months. I kept them on room temperature, around 23 Celsius. Too bad I can't get hyalella asteca around here.

[@kathleenbronson9849]

Another FABULOUS video FF!!!!🇨🇦

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Kathleen.

[@marcelopalharess]

Descobri um mundo novo no aquarismo graças ao bondoso Father Fish, a forma tranquila e serena de falar é um grande professor da vida biológica!!! Parabéns pelo maravilhoso trabalho, Deus te abençoe

[@FatherFish]

Gracias mt amigo. Estoy feliz de poder ayudar a los criadores de peces a mejorar sus habilidades.

[@Puma1Sunfire1]

Working on adding more small critters to my main tank! Plants and Algae already going good and Keeping a few small tanks besides my main tank, with snails, seed shrimp, and skuds I add periodically to the main tank along with more stuff from other tanks as I go. Plan to see if I can keep another tank for daphnia going before I add them to my main tank

[@FatherFish]

That is awesome!

[@meirzaniyas1338]

Thank you father❤ for all the advices you give us

[@jamesjamesnet]

Video so true

[@madcat61207]

Good show, Father Fish

[@FatherFish]

Thanks madcat.

[@religionlol7323]

It's funny I have seen a video on KGtropical's channel pretty sure he was referring to this guy on how often to do a water change. I really want to set my aquarium up like this now I just love the idea of my substrate being a live ecosystem and just watching the tank do it's own thing without much intervention from me.

[@TheresaDemberNealDACMRNDIPLAcN]

I cant wait to get started on my natural ecosystem fish tank.

[@thrishulganapathym.s1756]

Hello Father fish, Thank you so much for all the knowledge you've shared, ive successfully set up my first 25 gallon planted tank. I need your advice on how many fishes i can keep in my 25 gallon tank, currently i have 1 angel fish, 2 male bettas, 1 bristle nose pleco and an alibo rainbow shark. All are living peacefully, I've had them since they were babies and show no aggression towards each other. I need cleaning crew and a schooling fish. Please advice. Thank you.

[@FatherFish]

tetras, about 12. A school of 6 or so cory cats. Some live bearers, mollies are perfect.

[@GameTipGuy]

I was inspired to do an ecosystem aquarium, not Petri dish. I followed your easy instuction on how to do it. I have no idea you can place soil under the sand and will not cloud the water. thank you father fish.

[@FatherFish]

You can do it!

[@GameTipGuy]

@@FatherFish already done :) 2 20g tank was converted. Looking forward to an almost maintenance-free ecosystem. Thank you, Sir.

[@sebastianflores848]

I was wasting so much money on fish food and overfeeding them then i discovered Father Fish and now im working on creating a food web and only feeding once every other day tiny amount.

[@egrace3738]

Awesome shark tooth pendant 🦈

[@andrewjones3829]

Do you think it is possible to scale this method up for larger fish. In particular I would love to create a natural aquarium for a fahaka puffer and was wondering, if given a large enough aquarium could it support enough snails etc to sustain the puffer.

[@FatherFish]

That is what ponds are. Large enough will work. The problem with puffers is they do not stop eating until all the food in their immediate vicinity is gone.

[@andrewjones3829]

@@FatherFish thanks for replying it's something I'll give a go, worst case scenario I'll have to feed him. How many gallons would you expect it might require to create a food web for a fish of that size. Sorry I realise that's a bit of a "how longs a piece of string" kind of question but just a ball park figure

[@lowcost549]

@@andrewjones3829 you might be able to do it if there is a part of the ecosystem where the puffer cant go and that place can house what it eats as well grow what snails eat. A netted area or an area where a physical barrier for the puffer but not for snails

[@valerievazquez1511]

I’ve had this idea for years and I’m glad someone also agrees with me. This video gave me the confirmation I needed. I noticed my live bearers and snails reproduced way to fast and the other fish I had in the tank were not eating them. I love my nano creatures and refuse to give them up. Now I’m going to start a new aquarium from the ground up. Even with tubifex worms in the substrate. The only problem is I just can’t decide on which fish I want to be at the top of the food chain to help control the population.

[@FatherFish]

I understand totally. Having the same problem

[@samsadowitz1724]

I do not recommend gouramis. In my experience, they all ate themselves into bloat and dropsy within a few months. Maybe some cichlids or any other predatory fish that are not known for gorging themselves to death.

[@MohammadAtallah-nq3jc]

Thank you

[@paulaerasmus5527]

I understand that I’d need to feed everything in the tank. My question is how? I’m 4 weeks in, ‘cycling’ my new tank. I’ve planted a whole load of plants as I am wanting to create an ecosystem. I have driftwood and rocks. And I believe in plants. I’m fertilising the plants. Once I get my fish, what do I feed them? How do I start the feeding cycle?

[@FatherFish]

Join us on our Father Fish Discord server for great info and help and friends. discord.gg/GdakStEjAy

[@NeilMcginnis]

i need somewhere to get some instruction about specifics of how to add the dirt to the bottom.. where to get the dirt from? a local pond? Also where is the best place to buy aquariums? most of them seem to have bad reviews that I see online. I have a small tank but want to get a bigger one

[@FatherFish]

Join us on the Father Fish Shoal: discord.gg/vQJvcQge

[@sherriewinstead4767]

thank you, Fr. Fish! I was wondering if this method also works to feed fry?

[@FatherFish]

It is perfect for feeding fry. Watch the betta vid to see how.

[@melissacourchesne2121]

I have Kribensis couple who raise their babies. Never feed them with artificial food. They just find their food on the leaves (microfauna, etc) and they grow up naturally.

[@rgorji]

We are just coming out of winter in the northern lattitudes. With local lakes here in Upstate NY in abundance, when should leaves be harvested? Water in the lakes ae still cold (50 degrees). Should we wait until early summer or late fall or can we harvest some leaves now? Thank you.

[@FatherFish]

Any time. Temp does not matter.

[@pete6824]

Hi what is the best plants for a guppy tank with Cory's in and a plec?

[@FatherFish]

any stem plants. I have a great deal on them at www.father.fish

[@demeo50]

well said. thank you JD

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Joe

[@ChickensLady]

Hi Father Fish! I have an established non planted 180 gallon tank! I have swordtails & one pleco in it! Can I slowly change it by adding the substrate & plants & root tabs in sections of the tank without removing my fish? I already have some sand in the bottom but I’ve read so many who say this is okay to do by adding sections & others say to remove one’s fish completely! What’s your take on this? Thank you

[@FatherFish]

It is almost impossible to add soil in standing water. If you add 3-4 inches of sand that will make a great difference.

[@EireFirst2024]

Setting up new 60 litre right now, back painted, plants, stone, sand & soil ready to go ... Pappa fish style 🙂

[@FatherFish]

Looking forward to it eire.

[@tomotherwithlove]

Hey father fish i just came across your videos today. In your experience, does this method work with fish of different water parameter requirements? How do you maintain equilibrium with acidic waters vs alkaline waters? Also, do you top-off evaporated water with distilled water? or treated tap water? I'm excited to learn more from your videos now that I have found them. Thank you.

[@FatherFish]

Freshwater fish can usually adapt alkaline waters. I do not encourage treating your water’s ph as you will be forever chasing it. Due to the aquarium being heavily planted, I top off my aquariums, that are also covered, with chlorine and chloromine free water. I am happy you found us and hope to see your tanks.

[@tomotherwithlove]

@@FatherFish thank you!

[@jabarriley3799]

Thank you again for all knowledge and help

[@FatherFish]

So nice of you Jabar.

[@brokencondonin94]

Thanks a lot for this ❤️ I leaned like this way

[@phillipsfishworks]

Love the message!!! ❤❤❤

[@FatherFish]

Thank you Phillips. GREAT new vids you are producing!! Leave your link!!

[@phillipsfishworks]

@@FatherFish Thanks I appreciate it. The full build on the recent tank with your plants will be coming out tonight... It's looking great.

[@rolfwelsch8570]

thanks You are right!

[@billmeyer4773]

Very educational experience on this video

[@FatherFish]

That is the plan. thanks Bill.

[@precise3291]

The man, the myth, the legend!

[@kathleenbronson9849]

Precise.....well said.....YOU are a poet❤

[@FatherFish]

You guys....

[@tomi.d]

Excellent video, FF. Love the editing and inclusion of others' tanks. Is that a 4 foot tank behind you? Whatever it is, I'm jealous!

[@FatherFish]

Yes. a 48" 30 gallon.

[@TheRealEvilSink]

I rescued two pleco of some sort from their previous owners, they were gonna get flushed after being neglected for months. I had to go rescue them immediately, owners were too impatient to wait another day. they are being kept in a 4 gallon tank while i try to come up with money for a bigger tank. They are about 1 to 1.5 inches in length. The tank was completely caked in with algae and the water smelled horrible, so i removed the water and cleaned the tank with dechlorinated water and scrubbing. Gravel substrate was cleaned from debris and algae growth. Added dechlorinated water and set up a air bubbler while i wait for a new pump/filter to come. Also added a very small piece of driftwood, they never had it before. I had no other place for them to be, so i added them in the same day i rescued them. I am thinking about adding a plant soon. Aquarium has that healthy nature smell to it now, monitoring heavily. I have no real experience with keeping fish or a aquarium for that matter. I have been reading a lot before and after the rescue though. I know the situation is far from optimal, but its better then being dead. They seem to be acting normal and i cant spot any obvious signs of them not being ok. What can i do to make their (temporary) tank better? When is it ok to add a plants? Should i add in substrate? If so, what kind and how to add it when i only have access to the one tank? What equipment is recommended for someone in my situation? I would really appreciate some help. Any additional information needed will be added at request. If there is something you feel is important for me to know, please add it. Any and all help will be appreciated by both me and my new pleco friends. I really want them to live past this, they deserve it after surviving what they went through.

[@FatherFish]

Add an inch of sand. Put some dried leaves in the tank. Join us on Discord where we will be able to provide maximum help. discord.gg/XptvbtMuRy

[@TheRealEvilSink]

Will do father fish! Thank you :)

[@ashikrafi290]

Hello FF can we expect a book on fish keeping by you in future ?? So that we can deliver this facts to our future generations .. 🥰🥰🤗🤗

[@FatherFish]

Yes we can. I have a group working on it.

[@ashikrafi290]

@@FatherFish Thanks ton..

[@jennifermartin506]

@@FatherFish ill be ready to buy one

[@philipvalenzuela6633]

, definitely will love to have one

[@front5]

@@FatherFish fantastic.

[@tktropicals4997]

I do the leaves too. Just started so I hope it works. I do see the fish eating the leaves.

[@FatherFish]

The fish are not eating the leaves. they are eating the growth on the leaves.

[@tktropicals4997]

@@FatherFish ok FF

[@moon_wolfk7456]

So do you put in leaves from trees? Or is it maintained completely on it's own by what you already have in it (lots of plants and micro flora/fauna)?

[@FatherFish]

yes, as nutrients.

[@Nilachala-Dham]

Wonderful video

[@FatherFish]

Many thanks Donald!!

[@henryrooyakkers8510]

I'm really impressed by what you said,FF. But what you sait goes straight into the opinion from the industry. How is this possible ? I'm glad to read all you write.

[@yashtapase3821]

I have 1 pair of angel in natural pond i dont feed them because they feed on string algae on vallisneria and and sides of container And cyclopods i guess Their stomach always seem full And breeding 2weeks per month without adding commercial food. Thats something interesting to notice.