My Aquarium Journey by Hutch

[Patrick_G]

On 8/6/2022 at 8:27 PM, Its Hutch said:

Went to Aquashella Dallas today.

Cool, that looks like a good haul of swag! 

On 8/6/2022 at 8:27 PM, Its Hutch said:

Went to Aquashella Dallas today.

Cool, that looks like a good haul of swag! 

On 8/6/2022 at 8:27 PM, Its Hutch said:

Went to Aquashella Dallas today.

Cool, that looks like a good haul of swag! 

On 8/6/2022 at 8:27 PM, Its Hutch said:

Went to Aquashella Dallas today.

Cool, that looks like a good haul of swag! 

[Its Hutch]

I was super fortunate to buy this 34g rimless cube today for cheap. I have so many plans I don't know where to start but I do have an idea for a stand so will start there. Super excited.

[Its Hutch]

Any pea puffer (PP) experts ever check my journal? I'm thinking that's what I want to do in this 34g. I've done as much research as one can online but would like to get some opinions of people with firsthand experience.

 

1. I plan on doing 6. It's a 20x20x20 cube. Is that an adequate foot print or would they like longer less tall space? It will be heavily planted with black gravel and sand, Driftwood, rocks and plenty of hiding spots.

2. Do I need to worry about them overeating if I include cherry shrimp in the tank? 

3. I think larger Nerites will be fine but what do you think? Yay or nay

4. Anything you think I need to know before hand?

 

This is a project and I am in the planning phases right now. Trying to decide what the best option is and right now I am wanting to try something completely different and pea puffers fit the bill. I've got to build a stand first, buy all the equipment and hard scape, plants, time for plants to grow in, etc. 

[Guppysnail]

I’m not certain who follows your journal but my go to would ge @Odd Duck or @Patrick_G for pea puffer info. Sounds like a fun new adventure. 

[Patrick_G]

On 8/17/2022 at 11:14 AM, Guppysnail said:

I’m not certain who follows your journal but my go to would ge @Odd Duck or @Patrick_G for pea puffer info. Sounds like a fun new adventure. 

@Odd Duck for sure.
I know a little about Green spotted puffers, but haven’t tried peas yet. 

[Guppysnail]

On 8/17/2022 at 3:07 PM, Patrick_G said:

@Odd Duck for sure.
I know a little about Green spotted puffers, but haven’t tried peas yet. 

Oh my.  I thought you chub monster was a pea 🤣 bad memory. 

[Patrick_G]

On 8/17/2022 at 12:08 PM, Guppysnail said:

Oh my.  I thought you chub monster was a pea 🤣 bad memory. 

They’re on my list for sure!

[Its Hutch]

I thought I'd ask here before I made a dedicated post so I appreciate you all helping. Thank you.

[Odd Duck]

On 8/17/2022 at 1:03 PM, Its Hutch said:

Any pea puffer (PP) experts ever check my journal? I'm thinking that's what I want to do in this 34g. I've done as much research as one can online but would like to get some opinions of people with firsthand experience.

 

1. I plan on doing 6. It's a 20x20x20 cube. Is that an adequate foot print or would they like longer less tall space? It will be heavily planted with black gravel and sand, Driftwood, rocks and plenty of hiding spots.

2. Do I need to worry about them overeating if I include cherry shrimp in the tank? 

3. I think larger Nerites will be fine but what do you think? Yay or nay

4. Anything you think I need to know before hand?

 

This is a project and I am in the planning phases right now. Trying to decide what the best option is and right now I am wanting to try something completely different and pea puffers fit the bill. I've got to build a stand first, buy all the equipment and hard scape, plants, time for plants to grow in, etc. 

I’m not sure I’m really an expert, but I’ll offer my best advice.

1. Is that 20 cm square or 20”?  20 cm is for sure too small.  20” square would be lovely.

2. Depends on the pea puffer.  If you get juveniles and grow them up (which is what most people have to do) you might get away with it.  But then again, you might not. They don’t seem to bother Amano shrimp when they grow up with them, but Amanos are very canny and get bigger than cherry shrimp.  Don’t put a ton of money into shrimp in a murder bean tank unless you’re willing to lose them since they can turn unpredictably into voracious beasts, including trying to murder each other when the males hit puberty.

3. Pea puffers will need intermittent deworming and nerites don’t tend to handle that well.  I know that thorned/horned nerites survive the peas and appear to thrive despite them, but will not survive while you treat the tank for parasites.  Planaria tend to creep back in from feeding live foods.

4. They need a variety of meaty foods and some can be quite picky.  You will absolutely need to have live food culture tanks and they will not prosper unless they have a variety of foods.  They will die if they only have frozen bloodworms to eat. Mine never took well to any frozen foods, never got more than mediocre response even to the frozen bloodworms. Froze or freeze dried everything else got watched as it fell, then ignored.  They only really took to live foods.  I have Grindal worms, whiteworms, bladder and ramshorns snail cultures, plus periodically let a mystery snail clutch hatch for more variety.  I also have tried and failed repeatedly with Daphnia (I think I need a bigger tank for them), but my last culture lasted several months.  I also have vinegar eels and microworms always ready for any babies that might appear.

They are fascinating and infuriating and tend to treat each other very badly.  I have only 4 left and will not be replacing them with more, since I have decided I don’t really like fish that are so combative.  If they have bred in their current tank, I haven’t seen any babies, plus no one has acted like a pairing.

If you have other questions, I’ll do my best to answer.

[Its Hutch]

On 8/18/2022 at 6:21 PM, Odd Duck said:

I’m not sure I’m really an expert, but I’ll offer my best advice.

1. Is that 20 cm square or 20”?  20 cm is for sure too small.  20” square would be lovely.

2. Depends on the pea puffer.  If you get juveniles and grow them up (which is what most people have to do) you might get away with it.  But then again, you might not. They don’t seem to bother Amano shrimp when they grow up with them, but Amanos are very canny and get bigger than cherry shrimp.  Don’t put a ton of money into shrimp in a murder bean tank unless you’re willing to lose them since they can turn unpredictably into voracious beasts, including trying to murder each other when the males hit puberty.

3. Pea puffers will need intermittent deworming and nerites don’t tend to handle that well.  I know that thorned/horned nerites survive the peas and appear to thrive despite them, but will not survive while you treat the tank for parasites.  Planaria tend to creep back in from feeding live foods.

4. They need a variety of meaty foods and some can be quite picky.  You will absolutely need to have live food culture tanks and they will not prosper unless they have a variety of foods.  They will die if they only have frozen bloodworms to eat. Mine never took well to any frozen foods, never got more than mediocre response even to the frozen bloodworms. Froze or freeze dried everything else got watched as it fell, then ignored.  They only really took to live foods.  I have Grindal worms, whiteworms, bladder and ramshorns snail cultures, plus periodically let a mystery snail clutch hatch for more variety.  I also have tried and failed repeatedly with Daphnia (I think I need a bigger tank for them), but my last culture lasted several months.  I also have vinegar eels and microworms always ready for any babies that might appear.

They are fascinating and infuriating and tend to treat each other very badly.  I have only 4 left and will not be replacing them with more, since I have decided I don’t really like fish that are so combative.  If they have bred in their current tank, I haven’t seen any babies, plus no one has acted like a pairing.

If you have other questions, I’ll do my best to answer.

Thank you for this response it is exactly what I am looking for.

 

1.) It is 20 inches X 20 inches X 20 inches.

2.) I have a cherry shrimp colony already and could continually add them in if needed. I was more worried about the puffers over eating having 24 hour access to food.

3.)I knew puffers needed deworming but didn't know it would be regularly. How often would I need to deworm? Are expel P and paracleanse good options for deworming or is there a better option? 

4.)I currently have vinegar eels, microworms, bladder and ramshorn snails, cherry shrimp kulls and blackworm cultures. I hatch BBS regularly as well. I also keep frozen Brine Shrimp and blood worms on hand. I've thought about keeping a scud culture as well would the Pea Puffers enjoy those?

 

I am worried about the aggression but I hope to take my time and really let the plants grow in and the tank become seasoned before I add the puffers. In your personal opinion would you do other fish with them or keep it puffers only? 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

[Its Hutch]

I am getting a pair of Kilifish Rachovii (sp?) for an open tank I have. Another hobbyist near me reached out and asked if I wanted a pair before he takes them to auction. Really excited about that. This will be my first annual fish so I am excited to try something completely new. I pick them up Monday so I will post pics next week.

[Odd Duck]

On 8/18/2022 at 9:08 PM, Its Hutch said:

Thank you for this response it is exactly what I am looking for.

 

1.) It is 20 inches X 20 inches X 20 inches.

2.) I have a cherry shrimp colony already and could continually add them in if needed. I was more worried about the puffers over eating having 24 hour access to food.

3.)I knew puffers needed deworming but didn't know it would be regularly. How often would I need to deworm? Are expel P and paracleanse good options for deworming or is there a better option? 

4.)I currently have vinegar eels, microworms, bladder and ramshorn snails, cherry shrimp kulls and blackworm cultures. I hatch BBS regularly as well. I also keep frozen Brine Shrimp and blood worms on hand. I've thought about keeping a scud culture as well would the Pea Puffers enjoy those?

 

I am worried about the aggression but I hope to take my time and really let the plants grow in and the tank become seasoned before I add the puffers. In your personal opinion would you do other fish with them or keep it puffers only? 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

1. Your tank size is great, then.

2. Mine started in the tank with abundant snail cultures established and did not overeat.  I don’t think if you started with juvies that were appropriately quarantined and dewormed, that you would be likely for them to overeat.

3. I do Expel-P.  Monthly is recommended, but I usually end up more like about every 3-4 months because I forget.  I’m mostly growing my own cultures, so I think parasites are a little less likely than if I were feeding from commercial cultures.

4. Adults may not care about microworms or vinegar eels.  They may eat them, they may not.  The other live foods, they will enjoy, but you should try to go for s much variety as possible.  Yes, they will eat scuds.  Youngsters will eat smaller/younger scuds, adults will go after all sizes.

[Its Hutch]

Nothos Kilifish Pictures. My roughly 8 week old male is coloring up nicely. Also I have 2 batches of Corys in the same bowl. Roughly 6 weeks old compared to 1 week. Pretty cool size difference.1

[Guppysnail]

Do you hatch the Cory in a bowl?  Do you run air in the bowl.  I’m curious about this bowl method. It looks easy. I like easy. 

[Its Hutch]

Yes I have a 12 inch mixing bowl I use. I only ever pull the eggs that are easy to pull like on a leaf or something. I normally wait till the eggs start getting dark and cut the leaf and toss it in the bowl. The bowl only has air running. Twice a day I scoop over 50% of the water out and replace it with water from the tank the eggs were laid. It is super easy for me and because of that I have had good success so far. Just got to do the water changes and feed the babies.

I have some Java fern and an anubias on a rock in the bowl as well as a tiny piece of wood. Just to provide some cover and a sense of safety.

[Its Hutch]

Took a picture while cleaning the bowl today. You can really see just how much fry I have.

[Its Hutch]

Osiyo! Its been awhile. I've been super busy with work and life. I started a new job January 2nd which means a complete schedule change. I work Mon-Fri now like most humans and get the weekends off! The cold weather of winter often slows me down in the aquarium hobby but spring is coming! Here are some updated pics of my 75g.

[Theplatymaster]

On 2/26/2023 at 6:39 PM, Its Hutch said:

Osiyo! Its been awhile. I've been super busy with work and life. I started a new job January 2nd which means a complete schedule change. I work Mon-Fri now like most humans and get the weekends off! The cold weather of winter often slows me down in the aquarium hobby but spring is coming! Here are some updated pics of my 75g.

yes! panda garras, those fish are awesome!

[Its Hutch]

Yes! There are currently 4 good sized ones in there and I have 2 more growing out to join them.

[Guppysnail]

Everything looks so lush and wonderful 🤩

[Theplatymaster]

On 2/26/2023 at 7:06 PM, Its Hutch said:

Yes! There are currently 4 good sized ones in there and I have 2 more growing out to join them.

i only have 1 due to my tank size, and i love that fish here is a picture of mine (my profile picture is also a picture of this fish)( mine's name is Garra Guy BTW) :

[Birdsnstuff]

@Its Hutchooh! Cherokee! Like the only word I recognize. My part Cherokee cousins would be so impressed I recognized it. Great tanks! Oisyo.

Edited February 27, 2023 by Birdsnstuff