xXInkedPhoenixX

I have that issue with my veggie clips and the suction cups that hold my coconut hides.....but I just get some water boiling then plop the suction cups in there- good as new again. Sometimes I use a little Stress Coat (has aloe) to lubricate the cups a little better.

Happy Nerm Week!!!! Ultimate Design contest run by me is now officially posted- get to posting NERMS!! NERM WEEK 2022 - ULTIMATE DESIGN CONTEST - Posting for official entries!!

Ok everyone who would like to enter- the official thread has been posted! Can't wait to see entries! Everyone else vote! NERM WEEK 2022 - ULTIMATE DESIGN CONTEST - Posting for official entries!!

Hello Nerms!! Happy NERM WEEK!! I'm excited to host the "ultimate design contest"! This is where anyone who wanted/wants to enter can post for the contest which will run until the 16 when the votes will be tallied and a winner announced! Rules for this contest were posted here: ULTIMATE DESIGN CONTEST***Upcoming for Nerm Week 2022 (July 10-16) Every forum member is eligible to post an entry, every forum member is eligible to vote for a winner- as a reminder point system is as follows: Blue Heart Emoji = 2 points Laughing Emoji = 3 points Love Emoji = 4 points Trophy Emoji = 5 points Can't wait to see the entries!!!!

Bad Kribby.

@nabokovfan87 yea it seemed to me that Bolivians are very hard to tell apart with the usual body tricks so I dug a little deeper and found that video. I agree with most of his narrative that the body indicators with them aren't as easy as some other cichlids. Most people when asked unless they're breeding don't know what they have. The guy I got Punk from- he didn't know. I almost got another one from a different fish keeper who when asked only said they "thought" it was a male.

This is the video I used to sex Punk @nabokovfan87: He's got the boy parts!

@Beardedbillygoat1975 I think it's worth a try. I haven't quite cracked the code with what I'm doing myself. I was doing weekly small water changes (only 1-2 gallons- mostly for gravel vac'ing because they are so dang messy) when I noticed the babies and I stop doing those when I see them so I don't suck anybody up- but this is when I see a decline in baby numbers. Is it just because there are not that many eggs and what hatches hatches? Also I do small water changes throughout the year without any babies- maybe it's just the time of year? Dunno. Also make sure whatever you have them in has broad leafed plants- Amazon, big or small seems to be their thing to lay on.

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea yep something like that I suppose. I'm keeping an eye on them. They're really hard to catch- if I decide to do salt soaks to see if it helps they'll end up in a floating breeder in the tank and I'm not sure I want to do that or not- that created a lot of stress for them being separated from their tankmates. So it's really a matter of 6 of one, half dozen of another/catch 22 stuff.

So, a little update. My little Black Neon, still plugging along but there are physical changes taking place- likely a sign of whatever is going on progressing in some way. The swelling has gone down some compared to prior observations but there is redness developing on the underside of fishy. Still active/swimming with mates and eating. Pics are blurry but you can get the picture:

I'll be posting up the competition tomorrow fishy friends! I'll put the link to the new thread here and on the main Nerm Week thread! Get ready!!!!

@Odd Duck Central CA

OTOCIINCLUS VITTATUS: The Parent Tank So little slow with this update as I took the pictures on the 5th of July. The oldest of the babies as of today are 25 days. We're holding at 10. There are 9 larger babies in the bigger floating breeder and 1 smaller one I didn't want to get mosh-pitted still by itself in a smaller breeder but growing/eating. This week they've been eating the usual Hikari Algae wafers (crushed) and Repashy Soilent Green. Probably make some Super Green for next week. No signs of new spawns. I'll likely sell/trade or whatever all 10 as a "set" when it's time. I won't be shipping them so it will be someone local to me. The 9 in the bigger breeder (not all pictured): The smallest by themselves:

@nabokovfan87 @Chick-In-Of-TheSea Punk is actually doing very well- he's all nicely colored and eats great. I do know it's their nature to zoom along substrate to disturb it and hopefully bring up some food- he does do this but being as how he's on Eco Complete and my glass marbles he doesn't dig but pokes between the marbles at times. He does eat from the substrate and likes to pick up snails and spit them out, lol. He gets very excited during feeding time this was taken today (google video under 1 minute: https://photos.app.goo.gl/U5kYRFvdvuqtTUJ16 Well he's not technically in the air as the pump for the Flex has directed flow on top of "Fish Mountain" Hillstream loaches and similar fish though are known for climbing rocks and waterfalls as they are streamlined for it- this is why a lot of the internet says the Hillstream needs a high current tank- which clearly is not true as mine is not- but they likely enjoy it- just like it's not true you can only keep Cory on sand.

The way you fix the overproduction thing: you only get males! 🙃

Thanks @Beardedbillygoat1975! I really do love my Bolivian he really is very endearing and so moody in such a lovely way. I really enjoy watching him get so very excited in the morning when the lights come on and he sees me walking in for feeding time- he's very interactive.

You can never have too many floating breeder boxes or too many fish meds.

So in my Accidental Oto tank that is currently empty of fish I have 3 lovely nanny Nerite snails keeping the tank cycled and cleaned for me. they are such great little aquarium occupants. This one spent my days off cleaning all of the Amazon Compacta leaves....

I would recommend Nerites over Mystery Snails. Tho Mystery are great, they are not the best algae eaters and require supplemental foods. Nerites don't, are excellent algae eaters and are very low bioloads.

@Guppysnail no, mine do rely now heavily on commercial foods (especially since there's now 70+ in one tank). But in this case yes, likely the snails ate the wafer. I usually recommend people feed Otos commercial foods at night when most every one else is inactive. Mine are raised on Hikari Algae wafers and now I have Repashy Super Green and Soilent- all of these things though would be prefered by things like Mystery snails not so much the Nerites though I occasionally find one in the feeding dish. I'm suspecting here it's just one of those things either the Oto ran out of food (and hadn't taken to the commercial) OR more likely if it wasn't in the tank for more than a month- it probably had issues it may not have survivied to begin with.

I think rewriting instructions is a great thing @Torrey @nabokovfan87. I took a training class for work (on teaching in my industry + the difficulties of adult learning) our last "project" was to re-write instructions and do a demo. I rewrote the instructions (illustrated in this case) and my project partner followed them in a demo. In this case it was feeding hummingbirds- which he'd never done- so it was truly a learning experience for my project partner. He ended up taking up the hobby and sent me pictures later. It was pretty cool

Just FYI Fritz is a very responsive company. I asked about treating my 1 gallon water change bottles because I bought a 1 gallon bottle of Complete, this is what the said to me:

I'm with @nabokovfan87 it might be just too much water. I use my tank water on my mini roses that are outside- they do great!

Blue may surprise you @Cinnebuns. I have seen fish do some INCREDIBLE things in the right conditions.

Good job @Cinnebuns!!