OnlyGenusCaps

And there may be more to come. That genus is pretty big now, and those tend to get broken up. Though who knows, Euphorbia has managed to weather the storm, and that genus contains everything from annual weeds, to trees, to semi-aquatics, to succulents. It's true, the plants themselves don't change as the names do. I think for me, what's cool about gaining this better understanding is that it opens my eyes to how different groups came about and fit together. In think with plants it can feel obscure, but with animals it seems more visceral. So, hopefully it is okay if I give some examples from that clade instead. Sansevieria are a monophyletic group (they are all related to each other), but they are nested within the Dracenea. It means, those succulent leave that set them apart, really are unique within the group in that way. But they emerged from within a group that are all otherwise really similar in many other ways. In fact, this situation is very similar to snakes! Which feels fitting given that Sansevieria are sometimes called "snake plants". Snakes are a group that are all related, but it turns out they are a group within the lizards; not a group apart from them. Which seems crazy! Like, it would feel weird to say that agamas and lacertas are not both lizards, but to pull snakes out that's what we would have to do. Snakes are also only one lineages of legless species within the lizards, a very successful one, but just one. Now, knowing this, we can ask questions like - "Why do lizards keep loosing their legs?!" It gets even more interesting too. Like there is no way to make a group called "fish" that includes the lobe-finned fishes (think lungfish and coelacanths) and doesn't include, well... Us! So if lungfish = "fish" ∴ human = "fish" too. *Side note* - I am not advocating for keeping small humans in glass boxes. Especially not filled with water. 🤪 But how cool is it that people who keep lungfish have something in their tanks more closely related to the keeper than to the tetras they make have in, hopefully, another tank?! I fully give you that knowing any of this doesn't change the organisms, but it sure changes how I think about them! “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” ― Aldous Huxley

So, the genus Dracaena has recently been in taxonomic flux. D. fruticosa is now D. angustifolia. D. sanderiana is now D. braunii. D. deremensis is now D. fragrans. And D. compacta is as of yet unevaluated. I realize that doesn't narrow it down, but there are also hybrids out there at this point complicating things (as they always do). So, without details it's hard to say. And honestly with the taxonomic ambiguity it's hard to say anyhow.

I have a bunch of these on matten filters. They work amazing well! The collar evenly distributes air around the tube, which has little holes in in from which the air escapes up the tubes. These things move volumes of water that are similar to fairly sizable power heads, but with just air. I've tried knock-off ones, and there is a very appreciable in my experience. To me it's worth the money to get the real deal.

I suspect the purpose here is to allow the controlled tests and detail to inform the average fish keeper. Not that the average fish keeper is expected to repeat these tests, which, clearly, is too challenging for some. Indeed, I think it would be a very odd expectation for everyone everywhere to be expected to replicate tests for each bit of increased knowledge they may wish to make use of. While I can understand hesitancy to believe sales pitches from companies with no support - though we all do this all the time as well - with data available on a topic, I don't feel the need to try to test aspects of the fundamental development of my cell phone because I'm not getting a signal. It's cool you want to test it all out! But unlike in the RR thread @dasaltemelosguy created where the end was a process for the hobbyist to use (and thus each run could potentially serve as a test); here the goal seems to be explanatory. Helping hobbyists understand what might otherwise seem like magic in direct chemical terms. I suspect the purpose here is to allow the controlled tests and detail to inform the average fish keeper. Not that the average fish keeper is expected to repeat these tests, which, clearly, is too challenging for some. Indeed, I think it would be a very odd expectation for everyone everywhere to be expected to replicate tests for each bit of increased knowledge they may wish to make use of. While I can understand hesitancy to believe sales pitches from companies with no support - though we all do this all the time as well - with data available on a topic, I don't feel the need to try to test aspects of the fundamental development of my cell phone because I'm not getting a signal. It's cool you want to test it all out! But unlike in the RR thread @dasaltemelosguy created where the end was a process for the hobbyist to use (and thus each run could potentially serve as a test); here the goal seems to be explanatory. Helping hobbyists understand what might otherwise seem like magic in direct chemical terms.

I mean if you are a blues/rock ban from Iceland, why wouldn't you do a concert to nobody on a random island?! Oddly, I've spend time in Vestmannaeyjar which is not far way from that isolated lighthouse (it's the land you see in the distance there). Kaleo "Break My Baby"

No! I am so sorry to hear of your loss! I have followed this thread with interest and care. I do not think I have been so heartbroken over the loss of another's fish as I have so yours. I am so very sorry! I feel your loss deeply and am inspired by your adventurous spirit. We risk much when we sally forth into the unknown - but it is this spirit that make us human - the same esprit de corps that allowed Columbus to cross the Atlantic or humanity to land on the moon. Thank you for taking us on a venture into the unknown! I am sorry it ended this way. This time at least...

What timing! I'll be setting up a couple tanks further from my central PVC air line and I was concerned about having to extend the PVC, but now I might test to see if I can meet my needs for those two tanks with just running airline out there. Thanks for posting the video!

As always, I'm following your adventure with this very rare and absolutely amazing creature, but I can't offer much beyond that. I'm hopeful though baed on the photo that the hole heals. And heals soon. Good luck to you, and to Tambi. I'm pulling for you!

@lefty o, "Hurt" was written for Johnny Cash to sing. Trent Reznor just didn't know it at the time. Now for a good old country song about a pick 'em up truck. Written by a punk musician. 😃 Jaret Reddick - "My truck up and left me"

Tonight, tonight, tonight!!! This one might be of more interest to the folks on this forum. Thu, Apr 06, 2023 7:00 pm (Central) The title of this one is: "South American Eartheaters" This presentation covers the general ecology and husbandry of cichlid fishes (Subtribe Geophagina) that make their living sifting the substratum for edible food items. It also covers some of the other cichlids that make their living in the same way, despite the absence of an important anatomical adaption required for inclusion in the Geophagina, such as Guianacara and Retroculus. The presentation includes photos of wild habitats, fishes in the aquarium – both common to hobbyists and undescribed by science, and, of course, husbandry details. ------------- As always, everyone is welcome! You don't need to be a member of MAS to attend our online monthly meetings. I hope you can attend. Register Now!

What do I love about YouTube? It is at once a source of high quality documentary, a means to access cultural content, or to watch big budget movies. It gives us access to ideas, and escape, all with the click of a button. In short, it has become a video platform that fulfills what the early internet promised - a lens through which to view the entirety of humanity. As long as you don't read the comments section! But I think part of me will always love that it is also in tucked away corners, always going to be what cable access TV was to the 1980's and 1990's. Quirky, unique perspectives that will never find a broad audience, but still reflect the true panoply of humanity's experience. Perhaps, this is all a big fluffy intro to explain that I sometimes enjoy the off-beat. And with that, I give you "Stairway to Gilligan's Island" by Puddles Pity Party.

Some days... Computers are just frustrating and this song makes me laugh! I like this video that some high school kids for this song; "The Gates" by Di Vinci's Notebook. It was uploaded 11 years ago. Wonder where they are now? 🤔

Can confirm!

Oh no, those are @modified lung's towers. Not mine. That was an ingenious system. Can't be mine! I just do mine in gravel in a sterlite container, with a sponge filter. Super low key.

Not a fish or even aquatic, but I knew a guy who thought it would be a good idea to put a tank of coqui frogs in his bedroom. If you aren't familiar, these frogs can call at 100 decibels, which is like a blender or a motorcycle; in a tank, by your head, when you want to sleep. Indeed, anything above 90db can begin to cause hearing damage over time. And these frogs are nocturnal. So... It was not his best idea.

Sure, for those of you in warmer climes. I haven't seen my patio since October (and I won't until another 3ft of hard, icy snow melts). I'm not entirely sure what patios are for here! 🤔

Oh good, I estimated about an hour, so I was not as far off as I feared! 🤣 That said, I feel like an hour is a lot of time to do acclimation. Not arguing. To be clear. Just discussing. Assuming that 45 minutes moves the pH by 1 unit, then you'd need a starting pH of around 8 to shift into that really risky territory. I'm guessing that most fish arrive closer to the 6 or 7 mark. Additionally, higher pH water is often (though I recognize not always) associated with higher GH and KH. This leaves me wondering what the impact would be given their buffering capacities? I honestly don't know right now (especially as I am being interrupted constantly as I write this with cries of "dad watch this!" as my children jump off the couch 🤪). Totally! Pretty clear, at this point, that's the crux of what I got hung up on. I was way too literal! 😝 Hey man, as a biologist when a chemist tells me something is instantaneous, I take them seriously! Imagine if you'd been a physicist? I would have assumed we'd started talking about quantum entanglement. 🤣 This is why, as you know, we normally do this on DM's; to spare people silly semantic arguments about the limits of the word "instantaneous". Who knew we were talking about instant oatmeal and not instantly the lights came on. 🤷‍♂️ Okay. Apparently everyone. But me. 🤓

I thought I would provide my own hot take on this. And here it is: I suspect the situation is complex enough that there is not one, right, golden, perfect answer for all organisms in all situations. There are a number of factors going into this. How long have/has the fish been in the bag? Is it a breather bag or a plastic one? What are thr parameters of the source water? How different is the source water/current water in bag from the water in the tank? How tolerant are the species in the bag to large changes in water chemistry? That last point I believe is especially salient. Organisms need to be able to tolerate fluctuations in their environment, but those tolerances will vary based on the normal variability the organism experiences (along with legacy constraints based on their lineage - but let's not get too far in the weeds here). Fortunately for us, the critters we keep in little, transparent boxes in our homes come from highly variable environments, particularly FW species. Whenever it rains, or floods, in heat waves or cold snaps, most of these environments change. Sometimes rapidly. Yes, the cold snaps are not as severe in the tropics as say in an Appalachian brook (to get a general idea of how this impacts species please see a paper from 1967 here - I believe everyone can access with that link), but ever time it rains, little streams will cool rapidly, and even large rivers can cool upon larger rains. I can imagine that species from ephemeral pools or particularly small tributaries might be even more tolerant of rapid changes in their water than those from say the main channel of the Amazon or the large African rift lakes. But these species too will encounter changes. Eddies bringing up cold water from the deep channel in the river, or the up/downwellings in the great lakes of Africa will all quickly change the temperature, and potentially other water characteristics. All that said, does this cause the fish stress? Probably to varying degrees, but not severely as long as these changes are within the parameters to which their species' is adapted. This is what I think allows people to - what are calling this? plop and drop? I can't recall. But I don't think that the motivation for wholesalers and retailers to use this approach is driven by hyper concern for the fish. I'm guessing it works most of the time, and there aren't big losses, plus it would cost staff time and effort to do something slower. And that's fine. I'm passing no judgement here. I just suspect, particularly for the wholesalers, they have too much inventory moving through to do mush otherwise. To be clear, I am not arguing that drip acclimation is a must or better. I agree with @Biotope Biologist that it is largely a matter of preference. Are there likely scenarios where drip will create better outcomes? Almost certainly. Conversely, are there situations where drip will lead to worse outcomes? Most likely. My argument is just that the number of factors going into assessing which option will be optimal is multifaceted enough that it defies creating a simple guideline. If you got this far, I have a treat for you. Here is where I get to show how dumb I am as I disagree with a professor of chemistry from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Ready...? I disagree. I suspect there are significant lags in the CO2 loss from the water, the pH shift, and ∴ the ammonium -> ammonia conversion. Henry's Law has been a while for me, so hopefully I remember this correctly, but we'll see... 😁 My recollection is that Henry's Law governs real world examples like the bends in divers, and the bubbles in a popped soda can or uncorked champagne. In both these cases the effect we observe is based on the time lag to equilibrium of the dissolved gasses. Were it not so, divers could ascend as rapidly as they like, and soda would be a spectacular show upon opening, but a rather dull drinking experience. Don't even get me started on what it would do to beer! I also assume that it is because this process is far from instantaneous we can dose our planted tanks with CO2, and we worry about low oxygen in still tanks when the power goes out. I realize in a bag of shipped fish we are dealing with vastly smaller volumes of water, and the conditions will change more rapidly, in some proportional manner. But, I still must suspect there is yet time once a bag has been opened before the pH driven ammonium -> ammonia sift occurs in a way that is dangerous for the fish. Okay, now is when you explain what I missed! 🤪

I wish I knew, or could help. This might even be out of @Colu's area of expertise. I don't know. This is the other, darker, lower-side of the coin that coesm in paired opposition to the excitement of keeping such unusual species. The unknown trials that can be faced. You made the comparison to an amphibian is some ways. Those I have experience with. Were I to see those sort of things you are seeing now, but on an amphibian, I would first look for anything sharp in the tank, or anything that might be unstable to hopes of illuminating potential sources of injury. In terms of treatment, I would go with a full course of treatment with a broad spectrum anti-biotic to prevent any secondary infection - or potentially primary. But just to reiterate, I don't know if that is the best approach with this species. You have such a wonderful critter there, I am saddened to see the issues you've encountered with it. Good luck!

Good luck to you, and to Tambi too!

I hope she is okay! I love watching her grow up!

Where were you when I was trying to grow Western Australian Zosteraceae like 4 years ago?! 🧐

I applaud you, sir! You are well on your way! It's important to have a plan. 🤣

That is a fascinating topic! And timely, though too political for here I suspect. But I too have a fascination with banned books, no matter who has banned them, and for whatever reason. The concept and fear of ideological contagion seems to be a human one that all people are subject to across time and place. How powerful is writing! On a completely different note, I've just finished "Dirt to Soil" a book about regenerative agriculture written by the champion of the movement in the States, Gabe Brown, who runs a ranch in North Dakota. Good book and had me thinking about everything from how I choose my food, to the Farm Bill. Some of his "facts" could have used sources, but all-in-all I'd recommend it to anyone who is interested in food production or agriculture. I'm currently reading "Eager" a book about the landscape shaping scale of beavers in North America. My wife appears in a book of the authors, and I wanted to read some of his work. It's an interesting book. Probably a bit longer than it needs to be, and his prose gets a bit flowery for me at times. But, if ever you question the ability of creatures to change the landscape and larger scales, this is a good read. Lastly, awhile ago I read "Beyond Measure" a history of measurement. Sounds dull, but I really liked it! Unless you are absolutely deep in your soul opposed to the metric system, then this book is really cool. It gave me a whole new perspective on so many otherwise seemingly out of place things in our world. And it's surprising how tied into the political history of the civilization measurement is.

Missed a month, but I'm here to announce the MAS March meeting. This is a current interest of mine, so I am super stoked about it. The title is "From Fresh to Salt", and it is an introductory guide for FW folks who might be salt-curious, and thinking about whether they want to try out the wonders of a marine tank. As always, I want to remind folks this is an online meeting, and you do not need to be a MAS member to join us! Feel free to register here. I'd love to see loads of folks attend this one, and Matthew is a great speaker! The meeting is at: Thu, Mar 02, 2023 7:00 pm Please do check this month's meeting out! It's a wonderful opportunity to interact with a great speaker, who has devoted his professional career to getting folks into the marine side of the hobby. Plus, for those of you who enjoyed the recent ACO talk by Randy Carey, he'll be moderating the "BAP" (breeders award program) breakout room after the talk, so you can share anything else you wanted to with him. Show off your tetras! Even if you have never attended a MAS meeting before, I encourage you to make this your first! And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to reply here, or DM me. I hope to see you there!