The Compelling Argument for Architects to ALWAYS Include a Fishroom

[Torrey]

It's been a bit, and things have been busy in our place!

Finally committed: the T4' is going to be a "biotopish" tank with the endlers and a yet to be determined dwarf cichlid to keep the population under control, panda corydoras, and the current snails.

The dining room tank is not going to be set up for any of the aquascape contests, as that is more work than I have spoons for. Instead, I'm currently doing a lot of research into NANF, and have already started breeding Palaemonetes paludosus for the tank. It's not going to be a strict biotope, because again: limitation on resources (my energy being the biggest limiting factor). It will be heavily planted and the plants will be established and successfully reproducing before I add fish (or shrimp, which are currently breeding in a 10 gallon Q/T below the show tank).

Purple arrows show baby shrimp

Dwarf lily bulbs from ACO "woke up", baby shrimp are eating the film on the wood, Palaemonetes paludosus hiding in the plants and moss

Q/T  below the show tank in the dining room

Berried Female on lava rock, molt in moss

I am finally getting my rack, so the rest of the tanks will be consolidated in one area, and I will be able to get the industrial air pump😁

 

Outside pond is doing well, endler males were finally introduced today (single "rapier" sword on the bottom). Should have babies ramping up in time for anyone who wants some hardy, phenotypically accurate, endlers this fall.

Adding blanched vegetables every other day at the minimum, plus increasing ferts, has allowed most plants to recover. Found a fabulous video that explains why we don't see Guppysnail's snails or shrimp terrorizing her plants, and why my plants fell victim to the clean-up crew:

Stay tuned!

 

[Torrey]

On 7/8/2022 at 4:44 PM, Torrey said:

T4' is going to be a "biotopish" tank with the endlers and a yet to be determined dwarf cichlid to keep the population under control, panda corydoras, and the current snails.

@dasaltemelosguy, @Zenzo and any other cichlid lovers out there:

Who has experience with dwarf cichlids from the cool mountain streams of Bolivia, Peru, etc?

I am looking for dwarfs that have pretty colors (still need to appeal to my Patient Spouse™, the Reluctant Nerm™) and naturally occur in the cooler 65 F to 74 F stream waters (18 C to 23 C) so I don't need to add a heater. I *want* them to have enough prey drive to decrease the endler population, as well (or at least limit growth explosions).

I'm open to recommendations! Need to stay under 4", as this is a 4' tank that can't be filled all the way, and the plants are already incredibly well established.

[Guppysnail]

On 7/8/2022 at 6:44 PM, Torrey said:

It's been a bit, and things have been busy in our place!

Finally committed: the T4' is going to be a "biotopish" tank with the endlers and a yet to be determined dwarf cichlid to keep the population under control, panda corydoras, and the current snails.

The dining room tank is not going to be set up for any of the aquascape contests, as that is more work than I have spoons for. Instead, I'm currently doing a lot of research into NANF, and have already started breeding Palaemonetes paludosus for the tank. It's not going to be a strict biotope, because again: limitation on resources (my energy being the biggest limiting factor). It will be heavily planted and the plants will be established and successfully reproducing before I add fish (or shrimp, which are currently breeding in a 10 gallon Q/T below the show tank).

Purple arrows show baby shrimp

Dwarf lily bulbs from ACO "woke up", baby shrimp are eating the film on the wood, Palaemonetes paludosus hiding in the plants and moss

Q/T  below the show tank in the dining room

Berried Female on lava rock, molt in moss

I am finally getting my rack, so the rest of the tanks will be consolidated in one area, and I will be able to get the industrial air pump😁

 

Outside pond is doing well, endler males were finally introduced today (single "rapier" sword on the bottom). Should have babies ramping up in time for anyone who wants some hardy, phenotypically accurate, endlers this fall.

Adding blanched vegetables every other day at the minimum, plus increasing ferts, has allowed most plants to recover. Found a fabulous video that explains why we don't see Guppysnail's snails or shrimp terrorizing her plants, and why my plants fell victim to the clean-up crew:

Stay tuned!

 

I’m ORD 😍😍😍. Yay 🥳 🐼 PANDAS!  Reluctant Nerm Spouse is going to go crazy …this may lead to Full Blown Nerm Spouse 😍🤗

[Torrey]

On 7/8/2022 at 4:55 PM, Guppysnail said:

I’m ORD 😍😍😍. Yay 🥳 🐼 PANDAS!  Reluctant Nerm Spouse is going to go crazy …this may lead to Full Blown Nerm Spouse 😍🤗

ORD Thank you!!! That is the idea, lol

[Torrey]

It's been a while since my last update.

 

Not everything is as far along as I had dreamed... which just means I am still having fun pursuing dreams🥰

Dining room, biotipish tank has dozens upon dozens of P paludosus... and ramshorns from NC.

QT has breeding WCMM (also from NC) and some juvenile P paludosus

(No clue why the image keeps re-orienting itself upside down)

Patient Spouse's ™️ tank is a nearly self-sustaining ecosystem, and thrives with minimal input from me.

We have gone on a few trips now that the pandemic is receding. We still wear masks (both of us are immunocompromised) and take precautions to reduce health risks, but are enjoying camping and traveling again.

 

My favorite part on taking the time to set up ecosystems (instead of traditional species only tanks from my breeding days) is my tanks don't require the maintenance my breeding tanks required.

I'm accepting that some plants thrive for me, others don't, and java moss will outcompete almost any other plant (or is this flame moss?🤔)

Regardless, most tanks are overstocked with plants, which allows them to find equilibrium with more fish than I anticipated. The spouse's tank actually has the appearance of green water (great for fry), despite 0 ppm of ammonia, nitrites or nitrates. The plants that thrive... Thrive.

 

The ones that don't, I am learning to stop lusting after 🤷

 

Might not be the aquarium journey I started on, and might not be where I wanted to be a few years ago, but it's working and all the fish, shrimp, snails and I are happy.

 

And isn't that the most important part?

My tanks have not just survived, but thrived in their little ecosystems, despite my being gone for a month at a time, and despite having pneumonia (and other health issues) and not doing any maintenance since October, beyond removing excess plant growth.

 

Thank you @Cory and the entire Aquarium Co-op team for the Easy Green, Easy Iron, and Easy Fry (as well as the plants) that have enabled my tanks to thrive, despite me.😅

 

https://phys.org/news/2023-04-fish-reveals-clues-ancestors-evolved.html

@Zenzo thought you might get a kick out of this article 😉

[Guppysnail]

Everything looks so healthy. It’s nice to see your tanks thriving. 
 

I think part of what I love so much about the hobby is how it teaches me and how I grow and change from it. 
 

I still do. I set out on a tank adventure and by the end realize what I thought I wanted is nowhere near what I’ve grown to enjoy. 
 

Glad your health is on the right track. 
 

When photos orient upside down edit them. Even if you just crop 1 pixel and save they will orient correctly when posted. You already know I’m so tech illiterate I couldn’t begin to tell you why though 🤣🤗