[Throwback Thursday - show us old photos of your tanks]

Here are some of my older tanks that I have photos of. First 2 are a natives tank I had in college In 2016 then my 90 gallon when it was first being used for over wintering the pond fish back in 2017 and then the little fluval spec that I had on my parents counter back in 2018. I don't have any pictures of my really old setups back in the early 2000s 

@Danielthat size is that big tank you have?

[Working the old identification muscles]

@Daniel what do you have in that planted tank? is their Cory cat by any chance? 
As for the sculpin @AubreyI would have to know where it was collected because I know their is a species for almost every drainage basin 😂 based on color I don't think it's a mottled. So my guess is a Banded sculpin

[Working the old identification muscles]

@MACgreen swordtail? I will say Livebearers are not my specialty

 

@Danielthat is a cool little sunny. I've had blue spotted in the past and mine was a lot darker. I think that could also be a banded sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus) but Juvenile colors always make it hard to tell the difference with the native sunfishes  

[Working the old identification muscles]

@Danielyup you got it👍
 do you have a challenge?

[Working the old identification muscles]

I'll go again if no one has one. What is this fish?

[300 gallon hillstream community]

My rainbow shiners are starting to color up!!!it is so hard to get a photo of them because they never stop moving I have added 5 giant danios 6 Borneo sucker loaches and the southern red belly dace have spawned a few times now so I think I have 8 that have made it to about half grown. I was also able to get a photo of my orange dwarf crayfish. Today was a water change day and I added a another pump this one is a pond pump that was being used on a 10 high waterfall so it's got some good flow to it I would guess somewhere around 3000 or 4000 gallons per hour the fish seem to be enjoying the added flow. With this pump we are looking at around 6000 gallons per hour flow rate roughly with all the pumps.

[Working the old identification muscles]

@AubreyNo but very close it's a johnny darter from Minnesota. So I'll give it to you because they look so similar and really the only difference is size and the range they are found

 

who has the next one?

[DRIFT WOOD!]

That is some nice driftwood. Did the boiling help you get some of the tannins out?

[Working the old identification muscles]

I think it's fun when I get the chance to help identify a fish. I would guess others on here get similar satisfaction from it. Feel free to post a picture (doesn't have to be yours) of a fish or plant. If you would like help identifying give us as much info as you have on it. Or if you know what it is and you want to give others the chance to give their best at an ID feel free to post a pic to see if others can get it. This can also be a chance to learn about new species.

I'll start can any one ID this fish. I'll give you a hint it's a US native

[Enjoy Nature Daily]

@Daniel so it's probably the eastern subspecies either way very cool little snake I'm up in Minnesota so we don't have the highest diversity. Here are a few nature picks form up here cow moose up by Ely and a robin nest outside my front door

[Enjoy Nature Daily]

@DanielI believe that is actually a western worm snake (Carphophis vermis) they are another species of small invertebrate eating snake.

the northern red belly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) . they pretty common on the eastern half of the US and they eat worms, slugs, and small amphibians. They will also eat fish if they can catch them.  
What state are you from?

 

I messed up the quote some how and I don't know how to fix it lol 

[Enjoy Nature Daily]

3 hours ago, Daniel said:

October is garlic planting time. Found this little red belly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) while putting the cloves in.

@Taylor Blake might know more about the ID if I am not right.

I believe that is actually a western worm snake (Carphophis vermis) they are  another species of small invertebrate eating snake.

the northern red belly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata) . they pretty common on the eastern half of the US and they eat worms, slugs, and small amphibians. They will also eat fish if they can catch them.  
 

What state are you from?

[Centerpiece fish for 29g Hillstream Loach aquarium]

I really like Rhinogobius Here are some of mine they stay between 2 and 3 inches and have a lot of personality. you could also have a few male rainbow shiners they really do act like a center piece when they are in breeding dress. You could have a school of 5-8 in that size tank. Not my photo of the rainbow shiner.

[300 gallon hillstream community]

@Steph’s Fish and Plants I was going to use a 125 before I found the 300. if I was more limited on space I would use a 33 long and I still may set one up in my living room with high flow and gobies and hillstream loaches. The 33 long is a great tank for anyone who wants to experience a tank with high flow but have the tank be still easy to maintain.

[Do these things eat pond snails?]

Got it I miss understood. I would say things are probably eating the eggs more then the snails themselves. what else Do you have in the 125?

[Do these things eat pond snails?]

I think kuhli loaches will eat the eggs of the snails but as for the actual snails I don't think so. As for a snail eater that will live with shrimp I think you are out of luck. The most common reason to have too many snails in a tank is because of over feeding the tank. If I were you I would start manually removing snails when you do water changes and feed that tank less.

[Freshwater Mussels]

Mussels are a filter feeder I've had a few the longest one has ever lasted for me was in a year. They eat green water and plankton but because of the fact that they don't move a lot means that they can live a long time without eating. They also dig so they should not be kept in planted tanks because they will up root things in the night. Also when they die it is almost impossible to tell they died and they rot very quickly and that can cause huge spikes in ammonia. They are cool but they are not a very good fit for most hobbyist.

[300 gallon hillstream community]

@quirkylemon103 the best species of freshwater goby in my opinion is The red spotted goby they are small they do fine in unheated planted tanks.for the tank They will be fine in a 10 but would do better in a 20 long or a 33 long if you have it. they like a little flow And big rocky scape With plants. They do well with tank mates like white clouds and hillstream loaches. They like meaty foods such as live or frozen foods but some will take pellets. The biggest thing is you need to make sure they are getting food they will not swim up into the water to get food.  

[300 gallon hillstream community]

I do have a 6 new borneo hillstream loaches that are in QT and I plan on adding some striped kuhli loaches when my LFS next gets a good batch in. 

[What is your dream fish?]

My dream is owning crocodilians I am the type of crazy that I will own at least one one day. I am looking at getting a morlets or a broad snouted caiman but these are species that I need the room to keep and so I'll have to wait a while before I can get them. A American alligator is on the list as well but that will probably come when I have the space and someone who doesn't have the space needs to re-home their pet. I own a 3 foot alligator gar named bubbles Right now he is almost 10 years old and in a 800 gallon aquarium. the dream tank for him is a 20 foot wide by 8 feet deep by 50 feet long but that will take time and money so it's something I also have to work towards.

[300 gallon hillstream community]

3 hours ago, Andy's Fish Den said:

nice looking tank, I like that big piece of driftwood, is that something you found "in the wild" or buy at a store?

I got the drift wood from a friend who had a reptile shop it was sitting an iguana cage for 20 plus years and for the last 8 years it was in storage at his place I helped him close brown the shop and he gave me all the driftwood in the shop I have a bunch of 4-6 foot pieces as well that I'm using in my turtle tank.
@Streetwise the yo-yos are an snail and worm eater but they I think will eat shrimp if they are freshly molted or small enough. I do see them pester my Amanos from time to time.

[What are y'alls thoughts on keeping endangered species in your tanks?]

White cloud mountain minnows are a very popular aquarium fish and Are very easily bred in captivity however they were declared extinct from most of their wild range and it is unknown wether there are any wild ones left. Their are many species of fish that are endangered in the wild because of unsustainable collecting practices and destruction of habitat. I believe that as long as you do the your research on where you get your fish and choose people that are sustainable in the collecting process. I think we as a hobby should support the people that are trying to breed endangered/extinct fish and keeping them in the hobby so they are not lost to future generations. 

[300 gallon hillstream community]

@quirkylemon103that is a yoyo loach they are not shrimp safe and should be kept in warmer water then what I'm keeping them in but they are doing well and getting very fat in this tank

[300 gallon hillstream community]

@quirkylemon103 because I only had two at the time lol. I had them in a different tank and I haven't seen any amanos at a good enough price to buy 30. To stock it fully. I am going to attempt the almost impossible next summer by attempting to breed them in a brackish summer tub. 

[Other not fish pets]

10 hours ago, Streetwise said:

You have a menagerie! Cat story?

The pic  of my cat yuk is after a urinary blockage. He was an unhappy camper