Rando place where xXInkedPhoenixX posts about stuff....occasionally...

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

So today after work I had made an "appointment" to go get a fish from a guy who is shutting down a tank. He had a single Bolivian Ram (possibly male but he didn't seem positive and I'm not sure but don't really care) that was up for sale with the rest of the fish. I've talked about them on here, though I've done my research on them being good for community tanks and wanted one, never pulled the trigger. Nothing more motivating than when someone doesn't want an animal anymore. Poor little guy (or girl) had to tough out a 40 minute drive sloshing around a bit in a carrier (cause I don't have bags). I've done some temp and water acclimating. Once that got done and I prepped a 3 gallon QT got out my trusty ACO Catch Cup and here they are: 

I'm thinking Punk because I've always thought these guys looked like old school Punk Rockers and I like that genre. I may come up with something else depending on what kind of personality they show once they get settled in. I can tell you poor thing has almost no color is stressed to the nines. It's ok we'll spring back. 

He's been put in the QT with a plant from my Flex 9, a coconut hut and a used sponge from the Hygger filter from my Aquatop (I've got lots of these in rotation). This tank consequently is where I just pulled a sick Black Neon (whom I suspect has tumors/organ failure) so I cleaned it and here he will stay for the time being (after lights out- light in this case is a desk lamp): 

...and he'll stay in QT until I deem them safe to introduce into the General Population of The Angry man tank:

Which is another reason Punk is a good name. All aggro an stuff.....ok we mope a little bit right now...aggro later... they'll be king of the tank. 

Edited May 20, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
rearranging...

[Guppysnail]

Awww 🤗 He is adorable. I love the name you are so right he looks very old school punk rock. A bit of punk rock attitude is perfect in The Angry Man tank.  I am sure he will settle in lovely. Looking forward to seeing him cozy in his new digs. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Ohhhh Kirby, my little Hillstream Loach....how do I love thee, let me count the ways....

...too many. Water changing- peak of Fish Mountain comes out- Kirby just sticks around and goes with the flow! Reminding me this is what the little one is born for!

You're pretty awesome little friend....thanks for bringing me joy.

Love, -Me

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
rearranging...

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I was a little concerned about my new friend Punk. I'd got him home on Monday in the evening after a long ride- and then all day Tuesday- I did NOT see little one swim. He just sat on the bottom of the QT tank- on his tippy-fins. I saw no fin damage (fins even moving), he ate, breathing normal- color nearly all gone (I know he's stressed). Finally Wednesday he swam! (I was seriously losing sleep over his refusal to swim). He seems to like to lurk in dark corners....for now especially the coconut house I put in there for him....

....he has a pouty lower lip....

Edited May 20, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Patrick_G]

I'm glad he’s moving around a bit. Hopefully he'll become more active when he's in with other fish. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Patrick_G I think you're probably right- I think he's in need of dithers and there's 20 of them waiting for his arrival! 

[Flumpweesel]

Probably nervous being an only fish at the moment, I'm sure when moved to general population he'll relax.

I always think they must find quarantine quite confusing and worry about where all the other fish are. 

And is Kirby named be after the vacuum cleaners ?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Flumpweesel most definitely the case for this little one, per the prior owner- they had fishy for 8 months and was in a tank with several other Ciclids. So after I'm convinced he's in good health I'll put him in my display tank.

 

Oh and forgot to answer you @Flumpweesel, YES Kirby is named after the Vacuum cleaner ( And more specifically the one in Brave Little Toaster a cartoon movie)

Edited May 26, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX
whoops! my bad!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Just a moment to sing the phrases of my little 4.12 gallon Aquatop that houses 10 beautiful CPDs- that number includes the 8 I got from Aquahuna (I think I had half boys and half girls), 1 female I got as a stowaway from the LFS and 1 fry that is still growing up! (there are also some bladder snail residents and 1 Olive Nerite not pictured today)

Edited May 21, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[nabokovfan87]

On 5/20/2022 at 12:04 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I was a little concerned about my new friend Punk. I'd got him home on Monday in the evening after a long ride- and then all day Tuesday- I did NOT see little one swim. He just sat on the bottom of the QT tank- on his tippy-fins. I saw no fin damage (fins even moving), he ate, breathing normal- color nearly all gone (I know he's stressed). Finally Wednesday he swam! (I was seriously losing sleep over his refusal to swim). He seems to like to lurk in dark corners....for now especially the coconut house I put in there for him....

How is he doing?

The ram I had was very chill and swam in his little area but not really much else.  He was in the back left corner of the tank and tried to avoid the crowd.  Does your little one seem active when eating?  (now that he is)  Good to hear/see the progress!  I miss having one.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@nabokovfan87 I  have a feeling my ram will be like yours. He just kinda sits on the QT floor on his fins. He can swim but doesn't much and eats very well (this is usually when he's movtivated to swim/move). His color comes and goes- but other than that no physical signs of illness. Never had a Ram or any sort of Cichlid myself so I'm just trying to get to know what his "normal" is. 80%sure it's a boy from what I can tell of the information I searched out on the net. I think I need to move him sooner rather than later and I think he'll be more comfortable- this may be today. I have to rearrange things in his future home a bit- he likes the coconut house in QT so I'm going to make a space for that so he has a place to retreat if he feels like it. 

Edited May 29, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

So today I tidied up the Angry Man Tank a bit- it's time to move Punk the Bolivian Ram to his new home, he eats fine but he's clearly moping so I can't stand it anymore. Some of the plants needed a trim and I had to remove a pot that had failed plants in it anyway- in order to make space for the coconut hut. I moved a ceramic food bowl in case I have to target feed him at some point some bloodworms. His space- if he chooses to use it is to the right. 

The temp of the QT and the Angry tank were very similar so I just caught him and plopped him in. He moped in the far right corner under the house for about 30 minutes but he's already started to color up and as I type this he's bit by bit exploring the bottom of the tank- proving he can actually swim just didn't want to. Rasboras and Neons seem curious but are just doing their own thing. This should work out just fine. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Let the Squirrel Splooting begin!! (I keep my windows a little dirty so birds don't fly into them)

Edited May 25, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Guppysnail]

On 5/25/2022 at 3:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

I keep my windows a little dirty so birds don't fly into them)

May I borrow this?  I keep my window a little dirty because I hate cleaning them. This sounds so much more eloquent and environmentally conscious ❤️

[Ken Burke]

On 5/25/2022 at 2:03 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Let the Squirrel Splooting begin!! (I keep my windows a little dirty so birds don't fly into them)

Just wait till August,  101 at 0800 and a high of 115.  Heat index: blast furnace.  

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Guppysnail the Audubon Society has literally stated in newsletters that we should consider leaving windows a little dirty- highly reflective windows are a chronic cause of bird strikes/death of birds. ALSO you can use this: they also say to leave the leaf litter and yard waste around- it's beneficial for birds and insects (that they eat)

So use away my friend! I defer to the experts!

[Guppysnail]

On 5/29/2022 at 12:01 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@Guppysnail the Audubon Society has literally stated in newsletters that we should consider leaving windows a little dirty- highly reflective windows are a chronic cause of bird strikes/death of birds. ALSO you can use this: they also say to leave the leaf litter and yard waste around- it's beneficial for birds and insects (that they eat)

So use away my friend! I defer to the experts!

WOOHOO…VALIDATION 🎉

[Odd Duck]

Some people CLEAN their windows?

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

My Scapes from Scraps snail vase is going very strong. I recently added a plant light on a timer for 4 hours to light up the bottom of the vase a bit more since the Spider plant is clearly out for world domination. You can see it peeking out on the left side: 

It's not just nice for the plants in the vase, the water is so dark the light helps me see what's going on with the snail population too. The root system of the Spider plant is bonkers- quite the little snail metropolis developing....

[Patrick_G]

Is that a fire lizard hatching? 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Punk is becoming more....extroverted? A lot less shy and mopey than he was when I got him. He more often comes to the front of the tank when I'm around and was very excited for Xtreme Krill flake today (though probably because they didn't get fed yesterday since I was on a 12 hr shift). I love how he blends with the colors/mood of the Angry Man tank/plants and other fish. (you can also see the bladder snails are nearly done cleaning the dirty Red Needle Leaf I put in there last week)

I also got a surprise gift from a friend today....they know me so well....

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Trip to Monterey Bay Aquarium, California. I'm not a huge picture taker- love to just watch and be in the moment....

...but now thinking a giant tank full of sardines or anchovies (not to eat) with the right lighting would be the best thing ever....

Eels are dinosaurs of the sea:

All fish are beautiful:

Leopard sharks are beautiful and graceful: 

Jellyfish no matter how big, and especially how small will always completely fascinate me and leave me in awe:

(short google video, the size of a thumb nail- smaller really) https://photos.app.goo.gl/JJoA3Zj1dSfSyCY38

Lastly, Octopus will always make me smile:

Edited June 26, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

So in my Accidental Oto tank that is currently empty of fish I have 3 lovely nanny Nerite snails keeping the tank cycled and cleaned for me. they are such great little aquarium occupants. This one spent my days off cleaning all of the Amazon Compacta leaves....