Biotope Biologist

Even working at a state agency salmon have a ton of federal protections. But even if you were to attempt such a thing you will not have success unfortunately. Salmon eggs need to be kept in a flat tray with a false bottom having about 5 gallons per minute flowing both overtop and underneath the eggs. Otherwise they will fungus over and die. If you do that and manage to successfully hatch them you will have yolks for about 2 weeks. Then you need to start feeding them live foods from the river/stream. Lamprey larvae, dragonfly nymphs, amphipods, and other crustaceans can be found by flipping rocks. Make sure to put them back exactly as you found them. It will take 6 months for them to become 6” to which it’s safe enough to release them to their natal stream. I am not sure which salmon species, but if you are west coast DO NOT release Atlantic salmon, we already had one environmental disaster with them. I have worked with state fisheries numerous times. Rearing salmon is very expensive and takes the constant attention of state, federal, and tribal biologists. I am not trying to come down like a hammer, but just know the reality of this fish.

BRS has been around since practically the start of the internet. They are as the name suggests a bulk supplier. I order through them for all my sump needs and for random things here and there. They are fast and reliable. Also if you are in the market for an AI prime, have you checked out Kessil’s freshwater line? Imo they are one of the best looking lights out there.

Yeah don’t just use dorsal fin ID you need both. Thanks for clarifying! And some species of gourami this rule doesn’t work. Gouramis are a family not a genus so general rules aren’t always accurate with these guys

This picture is very helpful. It’s hard to tell until they are about a few months old but looks like the pet store grabbed you a male and female.

I think it’s a fine idea. I have kept betta sororities in the past and it really does differ amongst individuals who will play nice and who won’t. Typically young females that grow up together are better off, but still personalities will conflict as they age. Like others have said, make sure to have a plan B. But I don’t share the sentiment that it has a low success rate. It’s almost always one problematic betta being a bully and starting a chain of aggression. Once removed everyone is fine. And the bullies tend to only bully conspecifics. Completely fine in community tanks. As for the pleco they are very shy, maybe less so now that they are tank bred? Last I had one they were $150 a pop 😅 but the bettas shouldn’t pester

If you can zoom in better or take a video it might be easier to id

Here are mine that are impossible to photo! They are mostly brown but when they start sparring, which still hasn’t produced me any babies they turn pitch black and the ‘filament’ on their dorsal turns bright blue. They also have red spots down their body. we are starting to see more of the larger freshwater gobies from South East Asia show up. Here are more of the same genus as mine that are more commonly available but still relatively rare: Rhinogobius zhoui Rhinogobius rubromaculatus

The article didn’t say but I wonder if “new photography techniques” refers to submersible drones that are a lot quieter and smaller than a human and thus can study the more shy macro predators. It took a good while for my gobies to get used to me as the hand that feeds and when they aren’t hungry they still dart under rocks when anyone approaches

Olive wood is fine, although in my experience extremely buoyant. Took my piece like 3 months to get water logged. After that it was HEAVY! But yeah totally safe for fish. Also had some bacteria issues for a bit, but that’s more unsightly than anything

I’d say that just like with skiing this is a deterrent for beginners. Any intermediate skier can get down an ‘experts only’ slope. Whenever I see ‘experts only’ on anything I read it as “if you aren’t confident in your abilities stay away”

Amphipods they likely hitch hiked from the live plants

I got the ACO one for $79 it is fantastic. I know I got a small discount for beta testing but they are still the cheapest best light out there. My emergent plants have flowered 5 times this year so I think they are definitely happy! I have it over a 50 gallon ‘lowboy’ so it has great coverage too

For the turkey baster squeeze the bulb all the way before putting it in water, it’ll have better suction that way. I find having different size basters easiest for hard to reach places. I have the best luck with small diameter hosing with an air bladder attached, but I suppose if youve already tried that the turkey baster is your next best option

Honestly I wouldn’t use any abrasive not specified for use on acrylic. Plastic is soft and micro abrasions can leave that unwanted “cut” look you see sometimes on cars in the sun. An e-cloth or something of similar quality microfiber will be fine. Also it is 8 million times better on glass than windex or other glass cleaners. I despise the residue they leave behind. if it still doesnt come out id go to tap plastics or amazon and order acrylic polish and buff. I like this stuff:

They have different sizes. Before I upgraded my air intake computer on my 90’s car I needed 6- 1/8” hose clamps. And my fittings were not barbed. I went to Oreilly’s. They seem to be the most consistent out of all the car stores. Autozone is really hit or miss. I wish you luck, otherwise they do make screw gear hose clamps that go that small but they need to be ordered. Hardware stores rarely carry them. Unless you are lucky enough to still have a mom and pop hardware store nearby

Go to a car store. Ask for vacuum hose clamps. Unfortunately they are the annoying ones that need pliers or really strong fingers, but they are rated for high pressure oil hosing for car, bit overkill for aquarium use, but they’ll do

There is clear mesh you can buy on bulk reef supply. It has 96% light transmittance or something and is very useful on my tank as I have an entire island of emergent plants so a regular lid doesn’t work. I keep fish that jump when happy and it has been very nice to not wake up to dead fish.

Not only is she young and sharing her passion, but she appears to be respected by the community at large, despite her age. I applaud everyone involved!

I could very well be wrong too! Despite them being from very different continents, both species have the same fin position and even an adipose fin which is often used to narrow species down in my field as it’s rather uncommon. Im using the very unscientific instinct here. Don’t tell my coworkers but I use this more often than I probably ought to.

I agree with @Colu on all identifications. Top: African Electric Catfish Middle: previously identified as a Niger Cat Bottom: Banded Leporinus Leporinus species tend to develop red/orange/yellow in the fins and body as they age Its not surprising to me that they kept very large fish in with the African cichlids. If kept these catfish will eat the cichlids once they get large enough. And despite large African Cats being sit-wait predators I still recommend they go in no less than 500 gallons of water. Monster fish are often the most neglected as they are not feasible pets for 99% of fish owners

I had a reject tank in college full of all sorts of compatibility issues, but never had a single issue. Most were adoptees from work. Tank mates: 8” goldfish, 5 gold gourami, 6” gold chinese algae eater, 2 bluespot sunfish, a full grown male convict cichlid, and finally a full grown golden bristlenose pleco. All shared a 55 long. Oh and for a time a male bullfrog tadpole! I think another thing im not supposed to do but do anyway is feed my fish insects that make their way in my house. They love bottle flies. Just no bugs I know to be toxic or not pleasant to eat. I get a lot of shield bugs and june bugs. I must have very old pine trees around me.

As long as you dont use the height adjustment it should be fine. Those screws will sheer under load.

Hi what is your gh now? If you are using replenish it’s probably fine.

Infections from spine jabs, but otherwise the poison is to prevent predators from eating them. Same defenses with fish that I have worked with professionally. I wear gloves but it doesn’t always help. The jabs of venomous fish do sometimes feel like a hot nail, which fades into a numb/itchy burn. But noone I have worked with has ever been hospitalized from the venom. Losing finger digits to nasty infections, yes. But that was improper wound care. For tetrodotoxin ingestion of the animal is required for the poisoning. Tetrodotoxin is heat stable meaning cooking does not destroy it. Poisonings have occurred from kids pestering certain newt species touching their skin which they can exude the toxin from and eating something else. Without washing their hands. From what I have read most of these interactions did not prove fatal or result in permanent brain damage, some have died. good read here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507714/

My fry were 9-10 weeks before they could go in with the parents. I was worried about predation by the tank mates if they were too small. They lived in the sump with the snails and shrimp. It’s heavily planted and I would just feed them once a week. The rest they hunted. Which also might have contributed to slower growth rate.