Beardedbillygoat’s Fish & Shrimp Tank Journal

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I am liking my office today #enjoynaturedaily! 

I hope you all are having an amazing Labor Day. For those of you working today thank you! 

I have been working in the fish room 2.0 as able, need to make sure I address my family duties first. So far though it’s making some progress. 

this is the 40 g breeder and right now it has some ghost shrimp and some leopard danios. I got a mattenfilter from a nice Swiss gent and plants I couldn’t get from the coop. They are liking this setup which will be my duplicareus and wabenmusters which will be here the week of 9/19 and 10/3. 

This is my 29 g that presently houses some of my remaining mollies and a new group of green striped sailfins. 

Hank and Bobby are my surviving Red Eye Red Tail irrubesco puffers. Beasts they are! So much personality and so much fun. I’m so grateful to the aquarium gods for allowing me to care for them. Hoping the Coop will get in some lady friends for them. 

I am a super proud dwarf cichlid papa although these guys kind of stretch the bounds of dwarves maxing out around 4-5”. Krobia are super aggressive eaters I’ll have to take a video next time I feed them frozen. 

Talk about survivors these Brevis made it in a styrofoam cooler for a week. Theres a Caudopunctatus hiding in a shell in there that I need to remove at some point. He really is a punk! 

this group is a lot of fun. I really think I want to dedicate a display to EBAs but do worry about them breeding and lashing out at their tank mates. Maybe the 6 foot display I’ll be doing sometime in the next year. 

This is my next project a 60 Breeder. Plan is to have shiners, white clouds and Barbatus Cory’s in here. 

In the fish room I am also getting ready to set up my air loop with my new Nitto air pump. Hopefully I can convince @Patrick_G to come over and help out a little bit. The fish and chips in Edmonds are super tasty! Hope your vacation is/was incredible. 


In addition in the coming weeks I am planning on beginning a 60 g acrylic tank which will be our first new display in the house. My wife is rightly concerned about larger tanks in the house particularly near her office space which she really wants a tank in so we are making some joint decisions on this one. Maybe a nature style aquascape maybe ADA inspired and utilize some of the refugees from the move hopefully give them a good home. Also will be setting up my old 45 g tank in the living room - I need I repaint the stand and clean it up but it should be a lot of fun. I am thinking that will be my Krobia, some tetras and the L181 plecos I am getting. 

With all these tanks I need plants so I’ve begun some submerged and emersed propagation of plants. Here’s my Jacobsonii crypt farm! 

I am planning to do more air driven filtration with my displays - I like how quiet the mattenfilter is and I want to try my hands at a corner mattenfilter on these new tanks. Welding acrylic will be very interesting! I also like the UGF setups I’ve been doing lately. 

So lots of fishy business again at our homestead!  Have fun everyone! 

 

[redfish]

Nice fish room!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Thank you @redfishthis is my second go round. Trying to start low and slow. Still trying to figure out the best way to insulate the area to keep it warm. Garage doors and the windows seem a good place to start. Was thinking’s of using that shrink wrap on the windows and cutting up the insulation from my last fish room and putting it on the garage doors. 

[Patrick_G]

On 9/5/2022 at 9:03 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Hopefully I can convince @Patrick_G to come over and help out a little bit. The fish and chips in Edmonds are super tasty! Hope your vacation is/was incredible. 

I’m heading to New Orleans/Gulf Shores this week, but when I get back I’m looking forward to seeing the room and helping out! 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 8/23/2022 at 4:28 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

In my mind this unfortunate event will lead to more and different but equally interesting avenues for me to follow.

I had a lot to catch up on!  That is some serious resilience in the face of adversity.  Inspiring!

On 7/25/2022 at 4:38 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

so it most likely will be an all-in-one reefer tank like a Red Sea

I really like those AIO tanks.  I am surprised that Red Sea makes them that big because I assume that for reefing once they get to that size they really need a sump for all the kit.  This does assume some more challenging species being kept in the larger set ups, but I digress.

On 8/25/2022 at 11:57 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

with 50 g sump

If you ever want to chat about sumps/sump designs, you just let me know!  🤩  I'm always up for sump filter talk. 

I like the manifesto!  I think I need one as well.  Maybe there should be a manifesto thread...  So people can declare their big plans en masse. 

 

 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@OnlyGenusCapsi will need sump help. This will be my first! 36 years of being an aquarist and this will be my first time taking the dip. Part of the attraction for me is that the Red Seas have really good plumbing and sump hookup is reportedly super easy.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 9/7/2022 at 2:17 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

i will need sump help

Hooray!  I new sump friend!  🥰

On 9/7/2022 at 2:17 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Part of the attraction for me is that the Red Seas have really good plumbing and sump hookup is reportedly super easy.

I've heard good things, but I've never worked with predrilled or "reef ready" aquariums (but I have one waiting in the wings).  I've always had to create mine entirely DIY.  But I do love planning sump configurations.  I am plotting for two right now, and one is even in process.  These will both be marine, so I get to use all the fun kit!  Just got my first skimmer delivered today.  To me that's about the sexiest piece of kit you can get.  Just elegant. 

When you are ready, DM me; I'd be thrilled to hear what you are working on!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@OnlyGenusCapsIt has 3 chambers so will need to figure out what to do. I’ll touch base when that happens. It looks like this will most likely happen in 2023 but I’m fine with that I have 3 tanks to setup this year. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

RIP The Sad Bowl so much joy and pain in one piece of glass. 

 

It’s a time of loss, birth, death and joy. My son scored and assisted on 2 goals this morning. We missed our ferry ⛴ leading to that same son with ADHD and anxiety disorder completely melting down. He then went to the beach and recovered his wits. I then broke the sad bowl while getting it ready to move to our bedroom. 

I built out my new 60 breeder - it will hold barbatus Cory’s and eventually shiners and white clouds

I’m going to GSAS this week to hear Gary Lange and he’s bringing me 12 M. parva 6m6f. As I said much to be grateful for and I continue to enjoy it. Looking forward to setting this bad boy up too!
I continue to have fun but man some of this stuff is a real bummer! Have fun everyone!

[Guppysnail]

RIP Sad Bowl. You shall be missed. The Sad Bowl was the first journal that I began following and inspired my love of journaling.  Many new adventures on the horizon. 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 9/11/2022 at 1:25 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

I continue to have fun but man some of this stuff is a real bummer!

Your updates are such a mixed bag, that I can't use a single emoji response for them.  So I think in order it goes: 😩 😢 🤗 😍 & finally a 🤩 to the new air pump and tank. 

I've had a Clear4Life tank for years and love it!  It was my first foray back into the hobby after years away.  It's been a planted Endler's tank, a community tank with driftwood, is currently my P-Salt tank, and soon to be my first SW tank.  It's changed with me and followed my interests, and I've been happy with it throughout.  My only frustration has been that with my own lack of knowledge early on.  This was the first tank I drilled for a sump (under a bowfront in a similarly shaped cabinet, which was a learning experience on its own).  I loved that the acrylic allowed me to make my own mods easily, but looking back wish I had done a few things differently.  Still, it's now completely quiet in its operation, and ready to change over to my next keeping adventure.  I am sure yours will bring you as much joy and be a companion along your own journey in this most dynamic hobby! 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I was sorry to see the Sad Bowl broke (aka the Blue Bowl for me)- I did that once with a similar bowl it's rim broke off in my hand as I was carrying it with some water inside (thankfully my fish was out of the bowl), dropped down onto the floor and broke in a million piece but not before cutting my left right toe so badly that the floor looked like a murder scene and I probably should have gone to get stitches (but I refused) and had to lay with my foot up (and throbbing) and it wrapped in layers of papertowels until it finally stopped bleeding. It was a terrible "talking" wound (what I call a wound that opens and closes with movement) that took forever to heal though thankfully it was a pretty clean cut- and there is a scar there to this day. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@xXInkedPhoenixXadvantage Blue Bowl - didn’t maim me! Thank you for that. @OnlyGenusCapsI haven’t had an acrylic tank since the 55 or 75 I had as a Mbuna tank in high school. Absolutely agree that it has a lot of advantages and some disadvantages but my wife loves the idea so I’m happy. @Guppysnailwe definitely bonded over The Sad Bowl and for that I will be eternally grateful! Thanks for everything over the last 2 + years!

Onward and upward!! Have fun everybody!

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Yesterday was such an amazing day and I’ve tried to focus on that and my kids instead of the demise of the Sad Bowl. 
The family went to downtown Seattle and had a great time leaving me to my own devices. 

I had a good day working on the stand for my 45 gallon tank. I repainted it then put a water proof rubberized paint on it.  

My next week will be focused on setting this up. 

I’ve enjoyed some of the setups in the garage. I got to spend some time with them today. 

With the time I had I was able to figure out my breeding projects and allot the tank space for the species I have coming in to restock the fish room. Also thought again about the tanks we have coming. 

45 gallon in the living room will be: Krobia, orange Venezuelan corys, @Ken Burke’s koi angels, L181 plecos, and a tetra to be named later. 

29 gallon Super Schwartzi corys, Wabenmuster plecos, and my mollies.

40 breeder duplicareus corys, Melanotaenia parva (they’ll go in my 150 in the next year), and eventually green dragon plecos

60 breeder barbatus corys, rhadinocentrus (temporary they’ll go in the acrylic 60) and @Guppysnaillemon long fin blue eye plecos.

60 g acrylic rhads, wabenmusters, electric blue acaras, and a top fish either halfbeaks or  hatchets. 

150 g 6’ tank - M. parva, dojo loaches, the rest is TBD but might be another rainbow, plecos of some sort and a Cory maybe Brochis. 

Let me know what you think!! Have fun everyone!

[Ken Burke]

On 9/11/2022 at 11:16 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

45 gallon in the living room will be: Krobia, orange Venezuelan corys, @Ken Burke’s koi angels, L181 plecos, and a tetra to be named later. 

note: mom and dad are photo bombing….

heading it the UPS store when my wife gets back.

posting more picture over in my shipping fish thread…

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 9/11/2022 at 11:16 PM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

Yesterday was such an amazing day

That first photo - 😍  Now I want to move to the PNW.  Okay, I kind of always have.

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@OnlyGenusCapsthats a city park, not even the state or federal forest! 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

It’s been a great couple days. Work is getting interesting. Kids are kids for good or for ill and my in-laws from New Zealand are here to cajole and mess with our systems but in the best possible stuff upper lip kind of way. Tea anyone?

Fish, let’s talk about fish. @Ken Burke,@Guppysnailand I have been discussing fish for awhile. With the disaster of losing half my stock I had some seriously open tanks. Well what do we do? Fill ‘em! I received beautiful koi angels and lemon blue eye plecos and wow they already pop! 

Some more pleco pix of mine and @Guppysnail! 

I’ve joined my local club which is the Greater Seattle Aquarium Society. It’s a lovely and lively group. We had the pleasure of listening to Gary Lange this week. Great story about his last trip to West Papua in 2019 before the pandemic. In addition, he offered to bring rainbowfish and eggs to sell. Well Ummm yes please!! So I purchased 10 Melanotaenia parva. Then the eggs were put up for auction and I got 2 vials - Chilatherina fasciata pagai village and Melanotaenia lengurru. 

My goal is to raise this fish up from eggs so I can put them in my 6 foot display tank coming in 2023. I’ve been told the one in the 3rd pic was color “corrected” And to expect more of the 4th image but still that’s an insanely beautiful fish.  

The Melanotaenia parva came in per Gary Lange “a little shakey.” He lost 2 fish in transit and I’ve now lost 2 as well at home. I’ve done a big water change and I was a little worried about this tank not being seasoned enough so I threw my Eheim canister on there in addition to a UGF and a large sponge with a power head. 

Their tank mates are a group of 11 leopard danios my dither of choice these days. 

I’ve really caught the Goodied bug. I’ve had an order in with Greg Sage/Select Aquatics since the beginning of the summer (also on list for LF green dragons). I purchased a group of Ameca splendens from him but the ones I had died. Well wouldn’t you know it at the auction there was a bag of 7’fry. I got them for $1.00!?! Unbelievable. 
This auction business will be difficult in the impulse control department. Right now I have lots of open tanks. Doesn’t mean I should fill all of them!!

I have another surprise coming tomorrow and next week oh and in the first week of October. I’m thrilled to be enjoying my hobby again thoroughly after a hard stretch. Have fun everyone! Also a big shout out once again to @Guppysnailand @Ken Burke!

[Guppysnail]

I am so glad they made it safely. I’m certain you will have those empty bellies filled up in no time. 🤗

Those angels are absolutely adorable. 

Edited September 15, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

@Guppysnailbrocolli yesterday and cucumber today. Spoiled babies they’ll be!

My lovely wife works from home and found this on our doormat

 Being the incredible fishwife she is she immediately opened it and found

And she plopped and dropped as she has seen me do in these situation 

So there we have it. I’m on my way home on the train and after picking up my son and getting home I’ll do what I can. I made another batch of water last night I can use along with some aquarium salt if they are still looking shocky. Have fun everyone! 

[Ken Burke]

Wiggly cat fish!

[Guppysnail]

Fingers crossed for you beautiful little wiggly ones. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Well ups and downs strikes and gutters. Lost all my plecos in the 60 - my super reds and super red calicos long fins and the lemon blue eye long fins in one go. Hard to say what happened but in gave them some organic broccoli and the other fish in the tank were all fine. Awful, feels awful. Parameters were spot on just detectable nitrates, no ammonia and no nitrite. The water here is soft 6.0-6.5 and good gH and barely any kH. 
In other news, my youngest decided he wanted a female betta, she would be Mrs Evelyn Turbo and the life mate and wife of DJ Turbo. The boys want the bettas in their room. So I’m in the process of setting it up. Next weekend I’ll move DJ Turbo up from FR2.0. 
I got an opportunity today to set up my 45 gallon. Planting, scaping, filtration etc I’d planned a but in advance. I’ve been hoarding plants for this. I like how it turned out. I need to work on the hardscape composition on the right side. I need a piece of obsidian over there to prop up the Malaysian driftwood and frame the focal point. Lots of Val (coop 5$ grab bag) some interesting grass I got on special from online, along with some crypts, AR, hygro compact, dark spleenwort and some other fun stuff. Hardscape - obsidian and 2 woods manzanita and Malaysian driftwood. Substrate leftovers from prior 45 setup (crushed coral and stratum) added black gravel and more stratum. 

And in todays CW028 update the Super Schwartzi are thriving. 

Have fun everyone!!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@Beardedbillygoat1975 I'm sorry you lost your plecos.  🙁

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Things in fishroom 2.0 are going pretty good. We have some medaka ricefish eggs that are hatching. Greg Sage Odessa barbs are settling in. Getting ready to try again with another 2 groups of plecos but in different and more mature tanks. My Gary Lange rainbow eggs fungused but the juvie M. parva are doing great.

The barbatus are getting more gregarious and spunky which is fun to see. I’ve been putting a cube of blood worms buried in the sand which makes them go wild! 
I have a group of Rhadinocentrus Searys creek coming this week along with Wabenmusters and L181s. With my luck of late who knows what will happen! 

My big project ahead will be my wife’s 60 gallon. Plan is to do Australasian fishes- the Rhads, the Odessa barbs, loaches, garras. Not sure I can go full biotope but it will mostly be crypts, some special rocks I’ve been saving, some different wood and a canister filter. Substrate will be a little bit of dirt, laterite, aqua soil and capped with 100 lbs of pool filter sand. 
 

I’ll leave you with my current pride and joys - my Super Schwartzi getting fat and sassy!