Fish Folk

I've yet to try breeding Bolivians. They sure can develop once colors if well cared for. They really resemble mini geophagus -- much more than GBRs. I especially like the way that they display pink on their fin edges. I suspect that a diet reasonably high in carotenoids is helpful (e.g. brine shrimp, krill, vibra bites, Xtreme krill flakes, Bug bites color enhancing flakes, etc.)

1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 33 54 87 141 ... (my wife is going to cancel this Fibonacci fellow!)

At our fish club, some folks sell them in sealed plastic food storage containers. They fit 2/3 with the vinegar mixture, and leave ca. 1/3 air t the top. One breeder sells his with an added piece of sponge since the eels like a bit of structure to group around. I think that you could sell them in any bottle. Vinegar Eels are very hardy. I did find, however, that you want to keep them away from sustained periods of direct sunlight on a window sill. I buy vinegar "with the mother" in from the natural foods section of our grocery store and add that as my use depletes the vinegar. Sometimes I add a small slice of fresh apple . . . but I'm not convinced that's all that necessary. If you haven't watched it, Cory's recent visit to Dean's fishroom features a lovely Vinegar Eel setup. It's worth watching just to see the Eels!! 😂

@Torrey I do understand. We made it out the last few years during the off-season. On the Shakleford Banks, I snapped this of the horses... But also this indelible sign of the times, even out on the banks... My little guy went hunting for Mosquito fish... And my wife and I enjoyed quiet beach walks with very few folks around (we go in off-season)...

@Torrey we often vacation down near Emerald Isle, NC. The Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium has a fascination freshwater exhibit. Loads of darters that most people fly by. They're my absolute favorites now...

I've finished adding links to articles and videos for NANF from Alabama through Michigan, going back through the list alphabetically. I continue to learn so much in this project. Sometimes I stumble upon a research-work-of-love by some obscure biologist who has spent years patiently documenting observations on a single species. But I am also fascinated by the random person who just grabs some fish from their backyard, puts it in a tank, and shows how natives can adapt to captivity. I learned that Mummichogs were the first species of fish sent into outer space (1973). And I had no idea how many people are into "micro-fishing" for small native fish on ultralight tackle. I've discovered a number of species that did not make this list . . . and I am thinking of going through every state, and adding a different fish from each state to continue this study. Right now, I'm watching videos of the Tangerine Darter eating black worms in a museum fish tank . . . and swimming naturally in its wild environment in the upper Tennessee river system . . . it's such a bright, lovely fish. I feel like every U.S. native tank should feature some.

“Cortana, I’m going to need some Aquarium Info!”

Great start! I’m curious where you found the moss at in your tank? Bear in mind: a female guppy will hold onto milt from any male who has spawned with her for a long, long time. Generally speaking, the first few batches will put out colors unlike the male you’ve chosen. After awhile, his genes begin to take over. I love those Bug Bites flakes! I use them quite often. Other food servings can balance out their diet too. I like Omega One Kelp flakes. Not an absolute favorite in the fishroom, but a very balanced food choice.

@Johannes That certainly seems like a very good possibility! The adult males of that species color up dramatically in spawning season. Here are a few photos I found of Phoxinus phoxinus with that similar vertical barring that appears on the sides of yours... In addition, a number of uploads by naturalists and hobbyists combined can be found here on fishbase. Photos from the Phoxinus Genus have been uploaded here on iNaturalist as well. Again, those males in breeding colors are absolutely stunning...

Working on finding articles and videos to link up on my NANF list, I stumbled upon this video . . . this YouTube Channel . . . this new Killifish. Love it all! The Argentine Pearl Killifish (Austrolebias nigripinnis) also goes by a nickname that recommends it as a target for @Baphijmm who works at an observatory out west: "The Starry Sky Fish." Enjoy ya NERMs...

The cap, with excellent, varied LED lighting is a huge game-changer. You can get reddish-plants, pop on a pink LED over them, and end up with something that looks like this. Lots of plants -- you'd need to carefully plan through the soil, so that those plants can explode like this. Basically: Build the FLORA. Then add the FAUNA.

I'd suggest looking into a _female_ powder blue dwarf gourami. Much less boisterous than the males. But they retain the lovely colors.

Here is what inspires me right now. I’d love to see something resembling this done on a smaller, 20gal long scale…

Hmm… if she’s egg-bound, you could read through this article. Looks pretty bloated. Whether eggs or not, I’m unsure. She’ll need a strict diet, and careful attention.

(“Whoops!” Oh Brittany…) For tannins, I learn a lot here. Study designs built by others…

@Johannes assuming you collected these in Scandinavia, could they be juvenile Perca fluviatis? (Eurasian perch)

^Agreed^

Welcome to the hobby! There's ups and downs, but it's a great journey and you're in good company here. I'd suggest keeping your journal right here on the CARE Forum. You can begin by starting a post under: Start New Topic > Photos, Videos & Journals > "Title" . . . and then begin posting. You can upload photos at the bottom of each post where you see the option choose files. iPhone or jpeg from your computer will do fine. These will be available for you to access anytime under the bottom right of each post by clicking on the option labeled: "Other Media ▼." Each post is automatically dated, so you won't need to worry about that. Next, you can click on your name / handle: Account Settings > Signature . . . and you can create a tag to go beneath each post. You can link your journal to this by opening the forum in two browsers, copying your Journal URL form one, and then hyperlinking whatever text you like to add to your signature. You can adjust the font of your signature to your liking. If you want to embed a photo in your signature, that's also possible. You'll notice that my signature contains a load of journals that I keep here on the CARE Forum. Most fall under the "Photos, Videos & Journals" category. A few are under "Off Topic General" like the ones I keep on fishing, birding with my eldest son, herping with my middle boy, and soccer. I keep the journals on particular fish I keep and breed, knowing that sometimes other aquarists share an interest and really want to discuss particular species in depth. Otherwise, they're mostly for me to just post updates for fun.

I know aquarists who have done this. I think the fertilizer adds straight nitrogen-compound / nitrate. It is not the nitrogen cycle, so ammonia won’t register. You need TONS of plants to absorb this amount. Cover it completely. Like this tank here…

Can you please upload some photos? It us difficult to asses without them.

‘Tis a mystery! Must be solved…

Some sort of killi / topminnow / Goodeid…

@Widgets wow! So neat. I wonder if the blue finned fish might have been … Bluefinned Killi [Edit… no, you said blue tail… hmm]

Are you asking for help identifying the species?