# what should I do?



## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

Bought a 150 rubbermaid ag tub. Should I put gravel as a substrate, and no decore in the tub? Or should I load it with decore, fake grass mat, drift, fake plants, etc.? Or would it be better with just gravel? I have 4 rbp's in it now. they are all big enough and old nough to breed. 7" smallest at 3 years, and 9 year oldest. Great size and color. now just need to get em' to do it.


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## therizman1 (Jan 6, 2006)

Ive heard a lot of people have success with that coco fiber stuff cause it leaches tanins into the water. Also, I think doing lots of water changes and having them on a very good diet could help to get the breeding activity started.

Do you have tanks setup for all the possible fry you could soon have?


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

yes. I have a cycled 55 gal waiting. I am useing peat pellets for the tinting of the water. water changes are done 1 time a week at 25-30%. Fed everyday with all the good stuff. alternating ofcourse.

The main question here is pretty much about the decor, and the substrate. sand, gravel, decore, no decore? you know. the basics. I got all the other bases covered. temp, water params, etc.


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## Malok (Mar 26, 2006)

im gonna try little gravel little decore but mine are only about 8 months so im not even there yet be sure to post when they breed anything you have done fifferent.


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## ~Silly~Spy (Mar 12, 2005)

leasure this may sound stupid, but you have to make them as comfortable as possible. i wouldnt go putting tons of decor in there, when mine spawned for me the ate all my plants and cleared an area so they could make a nest. and if you do get them to spawn for you how are you gonna be able to tell if they are in a rubbermaid tub? it will prolly be very hard to see the nest from looking above.


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## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

eggs stand out well on white gravel. And the nest site will be easy to find. It's not like I never look in the tub. If you see a fish being teritorial, guarding a nest, which will happen all day and all night, I will know. I pay enough attention. The tub is huge. Have you seen it? the footprint is ungoddly huge!! I can see everything right now, but if I go adding deco, thats where the problem may start. Obstruction of view. Hell I think even if I missed it, the tub is so big, I could hatch them out in the tank, and suck em' up when I see them. But I don't forsee that happening.


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## Malok (Mar 26, 2006)

> But I don't forsee that happening.


youd know i know your just waiting for that moment

have you lined up getting rid of any fry yet


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