Killi Me Softly

I have never run into this before. We could tell the owner was uncomfortable the minute we opened the door. I thought maybe at first they had simply sold the pair before I arrived. I did get a nice pair, I am very happy and more than a good chance I will return to the store. I've been going there for 51 years. It was the attitude of this young man, and the fact that after asking a few simple questions, we knew he had really no clue what he had. I believe the fish should have never been put out on the floor at all if they were essentially picked before they ever arrived. I would definitely take advantage of an employee discount, but I would never put my customer in a situation where it felt like a competition and he clearly had the upper hand. I just rubbed me the wrong way I guess. If, in the end I am able to breed these little dudes and possibly pass some along to another hobbiest, win win.

My LFS recently did an unboxing video. In that video they got 2 pair of Austrolebias Nigripinnis, Pearl Killifish. Pretty rare and hard to find around here. I've been shopping at this shop since 1972, so I called and had a pair put on hold. No problems. When I arrived this morning to pick up ny Great White Buffalo, I was told that a store associate also had a pair on hold and that he would scoop ny fish for me. He proceeded to tell me he will be keeping the better looking of the pair. I asked Sammy if he understood these are an annual fish and what his plans for them were. He says, just gonna take em home and drop them in a tank. He says if they breed they breed. I'm not sure of the place has lost my business for good or if I'm just being petty. BTW, I plan to collect eggs and hopefully keep this fish going in the hobby. Hopefully the fish cooperate. Thoughts?

The adults are definitely as big as Kyle. Before he moved to the hole he would hunt the blackworms at night. I thought he was sleeping in the java moss but he was waiting for the worms to stick their heads up out of the substrate.

I think my scarlet badis has gone caveman. Is this possible? I added him to a 20g long shrimp tank a few months ago. He was doing great. Colored up nice, came to see me at feeding time. Varied diet of blackworms, bbs, scuds and daphnia. Only fish in tank with 30 blue neo shrimp and some ramshorn snails. 2 weeks ago he went missing. I hoped for the best but figured the worst. 2 nights ago I saw a flash in the driftwood while I was watching shrimp. Then again last night. Kinda creepy. Flash and then nothing, gone. So I grabbed a flashlight and started searching. Low and behold, there's Kyle, the scarlet badis, living in a knothole in the driftwood. But when we make eye contact he looks wild. He's healthy, very colorful fins in great shape. But he looked.....crazy. like he'd moved to the woods and wanted nothing to do with the real tank world. Is this possible? Has Kyler gone rouge? Should I sleep with one eye open?

I got the chance to have a small fb messenger conversation with the shrimp king this morning. He messaged me when I asked about his new product in a fb group we are both in. He asked of Cory had told us about the trip. I said of course. He then said no worries, he would take Cory to some cool places so maybe we could get look also. Super nerm, I know. Don't laugh at me!!🤣

@GuppysnailThanks, I was afraid of that. I've cut down feeding Bacteria AE and bbs over the last couple of days. Right now I can only see 8 or so hydra, and they are pretty cool looking. I was hoping I could keep them in check without chemical assistance. Covering all bases before I get drastic.

Will treating with No Planaria for hydra kill the small colony of blackworms thriving in my neo tank? 20g long, 25 neo, one scarlet badis, some pest snails and a small but healthy colony of blackworms.

Fairly sure this is one of my females.

This is what I believe to be my female. Have 2 that look like this. Devoid of almost all color. Slightly different body than the colored up males. Bad pic, they are still a little shy.

Was able to finally get 6 beautiful little Tiger Badis. Heavy planted 20g. 3 pygmy cory, 1 Otto, and about 30 neo skittles. Feeding scuds, live black worms, frozen brine and daphnia. Will these little dudes colony breed? I'm set up with mops fry boxes and grow out space if necessary, but I'd really like to just let them be and watch them do their thing.

I found 3/4 of a bottle of easy green that was a gift last November. Has been in a cool dark cabinet. What's the shelf life? Safe? No...

@TorreyMy go to for fish stuff.

@TorreyThats a funny story. My teen daughter at the time said hey dad check out this cool song by this band the Fugees. I said yeah.....thats a great Roberta Flack tune. Lol. Thanks for the cull insight.

@Guppysnail I started from 2 sources and have since found a third. I think I'm going to split the colony as close to half as possible and introduce the third batch of fish to both tanks. @Huck I keep hornwort extremely thick. I rarely see the fry at all until I need to trim. I've only had this colony for about 6 months. Started with 6 fish from 2 different sources. I'm sure some fry are getting picked off but they seem to be doing fairly well. I feed frozen bbs, daphnia and live blackworms. Every couple of days I hot them with a shot of co-op easy fry food.

My clown colony is up to 21 in a heavily planted 20g high. Is there a magic number to split the colony? Also, should I introduce new fish from another source when I do decide to split?

So, how do I go about cleaning the pre-filter sponge on the intake of the hob, when the Clowns keep laying eggs on it?

No there isn't. I guess I just needed to hear it from someone else. It's sad. I really wanted to be able to share and learn with people in my area. I've already learned more in the Co-Op club than I think I ever would of with that association. Thank you Cory and crew for being awesome.

I paid a yearly fee to join my local aquarium association. They do not have monthy meetings, only swaps every few months. The collect table fees. They require already paid members to pay an entry fee. They do not donate to charitable organization. Should I start asking questions or just cut my loses and move on?

These little peppers are starting to grow pretty quick. Are these guys large enough to move to a permanent home?