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I was doing some tank maintenance today and I felt I should make a post just because it's been a while! I've been in a funk, but I'm pulling myself out of it, and I think getting back in the swing of things here on the forum will help.

So anyways, this little guy is an immature male humpback limia in my 29. All the other boys pick on him, so he usually stays by himself in the front of the tank. I guess because he doesn't shoal with everyone else, he's gotten pretty used to me and usually comes over to say hi. Eventually he'll mature and I probably won't be able to tell him apart from the others, but for now I call him Beavis. 

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None of the tanks needed a water change this week, especially Bean's tank (his never does since he creates such a tiny bio load), so I mostly just tidied up his tank and trimmed the plants in the others. Bean's tank is typically more messy from all the snail shells and algae, since I can't keep anything in there with him as a janitor. It's got black beard algae and some really hard red algae growing on the rocks and back wall. I'm ok with it since to me it just looks natural and I don't worry about keeping pristine tanks. Took some pics of before and after but there's a lot of glare.

Before with all the snail shells at the bottom. 

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After. Little better.

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I'm trying to grow this tripartia clover stuff (I'm too lazy to go look up the right name, you guys know what I'm talking about) and so far it's not very happy. I'm dosing Easy Green but maybe it's one of those softer water types and Bean's water is higher Ph. I'd like SOME sort of lighter green to brighten up his tank but he might be stuck with a spoopy dark menacing look. Maybe it's fitting. 

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Red algae, black beard algae, HAIR ALGAE... just all the algaes. Plus java moss from a million years ago. 

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When I first got Pooka, my featherfin, she was destined to eventually go into the 75. But anxiety and being a worried mama prevented me from putting her in. Today while doing some work in the 40, I was watching her, and... she's just so HUGE. I felt like I was finally ready to see how she does in the 75. 

Catching her was surprisingly easy with my biggest net, though she is STRONG. Upon adding her she immediately started trying to claim a cave, pushing Igor out of the vase and guarding the rock cave. After she grew a bit braver, she started exploring, and asserting herself at everyone; pushing them around and nipping at them. Now she's being less "aggressive" and seems to be more "pesky." I'm sure it's still part of the process of figuring out who everyone is and the new pecking order. 

She's really going after Dragon a lot, and I'm keeping an eye on them. She's not trying to hurt him, but she's definitely bothering him. I hope everything settles in soon. If worse comes to worse I'll just move her back into the 40. 

Here's some video I took of her bugging Dragon, and everyone else for that matter.... except Dinky who's just been hiding in the plants like "I don't want any part of this."

 

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3 minutes ago, Hobbit said:

That’s got to be nerve wracking! Did Pooka have tank mates with big personalities in her 40 gallon? Maybe she’s overly excited to be with a creature that’s more “on her level?” 😄

This is her first time ever she's been with bigger fish. I got her as a wee little thing, and she grew up with livebearers; first my limia and then platies and a molly. I'm sure her little mind is completely blown. 

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Things are continuing to settle down in the 75. I took this video last night; Pooka's a bit calmer with spurts of naughtiness. Duckweed roots were all in the water column from the previous franticness, and Dinky had just wedged herself into the cave Igor dug out under the bolbitis log on the right. 

This morning she's acting more lazy, though will still chase anyone away who gets too close to her. Gertrude and Igor are acting a bit more typical, and I saw Dinky out for a little while. Poor Dragon's tail is bitten up a bit, but I hope Pooka is now satisfied that she is the Queen of Everything and will proceed to leave him alone. I'm keeping an eye on her. I do hope she behaves, since I really like how much room she has in the 75. 

 

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1 hour ago, H.K.Luterman said:

I hope Pooka is now satisfied that she is the Queen of Everything and will proceed to leave him alone. I'm keeping an eye on her. I do hope she behaves, since I really like how much room she has in the 75. 

That goofy catfish sure has grown up! Hopefully everyone will get settled into their new community. 🥰

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On 4/17/2021 at 10:48 AM, H.K.Luterman said:

So anyways, this little guy is an immature male humpback limia in my 29. All the other boys pick on him, so he usually stays by himself in the front of the tank. I guess because he doesn't shoal with everyone else, he's gotten pretty used to me and usually comes over to say hi. Eventually he'll mature and I probably won't be able to tell him apart from the others, but for now I call him Beavis. 

What a cutie! 😁

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Just a small update on Pooka's BADness levels: things have settled down significantly! She now will touch Dragon with her whiskers and turn away inside of trying to chase him. Dragon will put on the brakes before bumbling into Pooka if he can help it, so he's learning to give her space. They do still have instances of where Dragon gets too close and Pooka will head butt or nip him, but it's growing less and less. I have seen some positive interactions where they will brush against each other while arranging themselves in the same tank corner and no drama happens.  I bought another caddy to put on the other side of the tank so he has more options of where to sit; I'm waiting for it to come in the mail. 

Poor Dragon's tail is bit up. I feel bad for him, but, bichirs do this to each other to establish dominance whenever a new one comes into the tank, so it's something he would naturally have to deal with. I'm hopeful that with how things are progressing, the drama will be sorted out. 

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WELL GUYS, I had to call it last night and move Pooka back to the 40 gallon. She was just all over Dragon and he was desperately trying to get away from her, to the point where he was splashing as he tried to get out of the tank. I couldn't take seeing him like that anymore, and he's all raggedy from being bitten so much. 

As soon as I moved her, Dinky immediately came out of hiding, so I think it's for the best. And Pooka immediately went into her favorite spot to hang out upside down, so I think even she's more comfy in the smaller space. I'm thinking of rearranging her tank to give her more room. 

While trying to catch her out of the 75 I had to dismantle the rock cave, so now its a mess. Today I'll rebuild it and maybe move some plants around; the giant sword plant in the 40 would look nice in the 75 I think. 

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5 minutes ago, H.K.Luterman said:

WELL GUYS, I had to call it last night and move Pooka back to the 40 gallon. She was just all over Dragon and he was desperately trying to get away from her, to the point where he was splashing as he tried to get out of the tank. I couldn't take seeing him like that anymore, and he's all raggedy from being bitten so much. 

As soon as I moved her, Dinky immediately came out of hiding, so I think it's for the best. And Pooka immediately went into her favorite spot to hang out upside down, so I think even she's more comfy in the smaller space. I'm thinking of rearranging her tank to give her more room. 

While trying to catch her out of the 75 I had to dismantle the rock cave, so now its a mess. Today I'll rebuild it and maybe move some plants around; the giant sword plant in the 40 would look nice in the 75 I think. 

Ugh... how stressful for ALL of you!  I'm so sorry it didn't work out. You're a good fish mom to call it before it got worse. Hoping things settle down as you get the tanks back in order. 

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2 minutes ago, Alesha said:

Ugh... how stressful for ALL of you!  I'm so sorry it didn't work out. You're a good fish mom to call it before it got worse. Hoping things settle down as you get the tanks back in order. 

Yeah. As much as I loved seeing her with so much room (she looked AWESOME in there), I gotta do what's best for everyone. 

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2 hours ago, H.K.Luterman said:

Yeah. As much as I loved seeing her with so much room (she looked AWESOME in there), I gotta do what's best for everyone.

Sounds like you made the right call. Maybe the next step is to get another 75...? 😜

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