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

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 12/29/2022 at 11:24 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Tank maintenance day. 

First some of you might want the Invictus update. His tank is looking really good, the AR is perking up and things are starting to grow: 

I added Curlyque the Nerite today from the old CPD tank. Now all that's left in there are some plants and bladder snails most of which may be going into the Medieval tank shortly. Invictus doesn't seem to mind his new tankmate: 

He's getting prettier all the time and quite the character. I wish his fins were shorter- they certainly are an impediment to him but when he's fully flared he's gorgeous: 

Punk is probably not pleased about how many fry the Black Neons are pumping out. I think I spotted 4-5 smaller and 3-5 middle sized Neons. It's hard to count since they are fast little buggers and all look the same. I'm either going to have to sell them to a local forum member or put some in the Medieval tank. I haven't decided. But as always he's a character Mr. Punk: 

All of my Betta have tunnels now. Koianu has has his longer than the others and makes the most use of it. I've caught him sleeping in there many times. 

He's such a good boy for tolerating the active QT Guppies from my Mum's tank just on the other side of the divider. 

Then there's Serket. Today she and Hillstream Loach, Kirby were hanging out around the granite rock enclosure where I put the food for Kirby but I KNOW she's eating it too, little fatty: 

Serket is developing some BEAUTIFUL color- her eyes are glowing green and what's even prettier to me is that the tips of her red fins are getting glowing tips. She is such a good girl too- very social and good to her tankmates that can be a little obnoxious: 

Are Koianu’s eyes ok? They look a little cloudy? Vs. earlier pics of him.

Invictus looks so happy! ❤️

Edited December 29, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[nabokovfan87]

On 12/29/2022 at 8:24 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

If these aren't framed on the wall..... 😍

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

On 12/29/2022 at 9:48 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Are Koianu’s eyes ok? They look a little cloudy

I thought that at first too when I saw the pics as I was taking them- I looked closely at him- they're clear- it's just terrible lighting in his tank (pics were taken closer to the surface). 

Edited December 29, 2022 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

So yesterday I "fished" out all the baby Black Neons I could find, which was 6 of varying sizes. I put them with my Mum's Guppies in the Accidental Oto tank (where Koianu lives) on the divided side of the tank. They are beautiful little things: 

So I posted on the local forum to see if anyone was interested for a sale or trade. Last night I transported them to their new home and (traded) brought home 4 male Grass Guppies, 3 "red" 1 "blue". (Dark pic, lights were low):

These 4 are going to go into the Medieval tank I'm building. Anyhow. They spent the night in the Accidental tank. This morning when I got up however....

I found 2 of the 4 on the other side of the divider and in Koianu's space. Not sure how they did it but the only way I see is that the jumped the fence up top. Seems too tight everywhere else for them to get through! Koianu was not pleased about his uninvited house guests: 

I watched for a minute to see how Koianu was taking their presence. He definitely chased them but they are undamaged (they are also very fast, so that probably helped): 

So I caught the little buggers and put them back with Mum's Guppies (2 bottom left): 

I went about my daily maintenance planning on removing some water- and guess what, 1 of them hopped the wall again somehow. The wall wasn't very close to the waterline but clearly somehow this happened so I lowered the waterline a decent sum and hope they won't be visiting again. 

Edited January 6, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/6/2023 at 12:41 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

So yesterday I "fished" out all the baby Black Neons I could find, which was 6 of varying sizes. I put them with my Mum's Guppies in the Accidental Oto tank (where Koianu lives) on the divided side of the tank. They are beautiful little things: 

So I posted on the local forum to see if anyone was interested for a sale or trade. Last night I transported them to their new home and (traded) brought home 4 male Grass Guppies, 3 "red" 1 "blue". (Dark pic, lights were low):

These 4 are going to go into the Medieval tank I'm building. Anyhow. They spent the night in the Accidental tank. This morning when I got up however....

I found 2 of the 4 on the other side of the divider and in Koianu's space. Not sure how they did it but the only way I see is that the jumped the fence up top. Seems too tight everywhere else for them to get through! Koianu was not pleased about his uninvited house guests: 

I watched for a minute to see how Koianu was taking their presence. He definitely chased them but they are undamaged (they are also very fast, so that probably helped): 

So I caught the little buggers and put them back with Mum's Guppies (2 bottom left): 

I went about my daily maintenance planning on removing some water- and guess what, 1 of them hopped the wall again somehow. The wall wasn't very close to the waterline but clearly somehow this happened so I lowered the waterline a decent sum and hope they won't be visiting again. 

Oh my @xXInkedPhoenixX you have your hands full with these kids. 🤣

[Odd Duck]

I had one male guppy persistently hopping up into an HOB filter. Finally moved him to a different tank that had a narrower gap in front of the filter outlet since I had cut the plastic back trim to fit into that opening. 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 1/6/2023 at 6:41 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

So yesterday I "fished" out all the baby Black Neons I could find, which was 6 of varying sizes. I put them with my Mum's Guppies in the Accidental Oto tank (where Koianu lives) on the divided side of the tank. They are beautiful little things: 

So I posted on the local forum to see if anyone was interested for a sale or trade. Last night I transported them to their new home and (traded) brought home 4 male Grass Guppies, 3 "red" 1 "blue". (Dark pic, lights were low):

These 4 are going to go into the Medieval tank I'm building. Anyhow. They spent the night in the Accidental tank. This morning when I got up however....

I found 2 of the 4 on the other side of the divider and in Koianu's space. Not sure how they did it but the only way I see is that the jumped the fence up top. Seems too tight everywhere else for them to get through! Koianu was not pleased about his uninvited house guests: 

I watched for a minute to see how Koianu was taking their presence. He definitely chased them but they are undamaged (they are also very fast, so that probably helped): 

So I caught the little buggers and put them back with Mum's Guppies (2 bottom left): 

I went about my daily maintenance planning on removing some water- and guess what, 1 of them hopped the wall again somehow. The wall wasn't very close to the waterline but clearly somehow this happened so I lowered the waterline a decent sum and hope they won't be visiting again. 

And I wonder why @Guppysnail got rid of her guppies…🤣

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Invictus got a new heater and a better lid in the last couple of days. He now enjoys 80-81 degree water and seems very pleased with it (lights off in tank):

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

I've done something of a high risk move that I hope turns out ok. Weeks ago I got 6 beautiful white male Guppies that were planned for the Medieval tank. Sadly I am now down to 1, having lost the last one a few days ago. They've been medicated with different meds, salted, water- changed and etc to no avail. There have been no signs of illness they just get lethargic a day or 2 out and then, bam, dead. 

The last one (like all the others before they died) looks healthy, acts normal, eats. It was in the tank by itself and it just looked....sad. That can't be healthy. So I am taking a gamble. I put them in the Accidental Oto tank with the other Guppies waitiing in QT (5 Grass Guppies traded locally and my Mum's 2 that are convalescing with damaged tails). I realize this also potentially puts Koianu at risk (as well as the other Guppies) but I weighed all of the options and decided we're going with it- I am prepared for all possible outcomes and still have a QT running. When I put them in last night they looked very timid but this morning he was totally normal-  active, playing with the other Guppies and eating with them. I had to do it, IMO happy fish are healthy fish- this was the final resort to try and save the last white Guppy.

I also had to remove my 2 male Guppies from the Flex9, they are the most chased in that tank by the Endlers (and maybe Serket but I've never witnessed any long term bullying by her just a quick chase and that was it), they are older now and slowing down and their tails are looking ragged likely because of that. One might actually be on his way out as he often swims upright (but then rights himself, then upright, then etc, etc). So I have 9 Guppies standing by in the Accidental Tank. Still very much chasing each other - they seem to get along far more peacefully than with the other species they've been housed with. I am pondering but I think the 4 Guppies of similar strains (the males from the Flex9 and my Mum's) will stay in the Accidental tank indefinitely. This can change but this is what we'll go with for now. The rest of them have a chance to move to the Medieval tank hopefully soon. 

This was the last white Guppy this morning (they are all impossible to take pics of: 

I did do a bit of rearranging in the Accidental tank. I added the pagoda you see above that was in my now decommissioned 4 gallon Aquatop that was replaced by Invictus's 7 gallon. I also removed the potted Amazon and used an Anubias that was originally for the Medieval tank but dubbed too big. I glued it to a rock and added more big and small rocks. I like this look better for now. 

Edited January 10, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

To reference the post above, still all ok in the tank! 

On the note of that tank. If one was ever on the fence about snails this should solidify not only how awesome Nerites are at tank cleaning, but how dang cute they are. This is Sergeant and Little Red in the Accidental tank, Little Red diligently following behind his friend to clean up whatever Sergeant missed.....or left behind....

[Theplatymaster]

that is cute, i had no idea nerites were that friendly to each other, i just have one. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Theplatymaster, not really sure how meaningful their interactions are with each other but they absolutely congregate at times. In my other tank one of the female nerites would lay eggs on the shell of another Nerite and not many other places. I thought that was very deliberate, lol!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 1/11/2023 at 10:24 AM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

In my other tank one of the female nerites would lay eggs on the shell of another Nerite and not many other places. I thought that was very deliberate, lol!

@Guppysnail's nerite lays eggs on the assassin snail!  No fear!

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea yes I saw that, blatant boldness that is. 

[Guppysnail]

Ziggy my chomped nerite is never far from his girlfriend. Usually rides around on her back. So social or lazy. You pick. He departed her back for some yummies 20 minutes ago. Now he is headed back. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Guppysnail I''m a fan! Lol lookit all those former Nerite egg lines, that's just friggin precious as fudge. 

Edited January 11, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[Guppysnail]

On 1/11/2023 at 12:14 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

@Guppysnail I''m a fan! Lol lookit all those former Nerite egg lines, that's just friggin precious as fudge. 

She actually laid a lot over top of the exposed spots. I’m hoping she does it again to give him a protection layer.

Edited January 11, 2023 by Guppysnail

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@Guppysnail aww, little bandaids. 

[Theplatymaster]

I need to get a second nerite if they are this fun

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Today, instead of following along Little Red decided to hitch a ride with his friend Sergeant.....

Sergeant is likely at least getting a shell wax.

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Visited Mum's tank yesterday. My. God. Has Zaggi become a giant Betta. Far cry from the little girl I saved from the big box in September. She's also  gotten deeper color. I took a short video for your delight- I mean there is no cuter swimmer than a dumbo: 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/F2vykEPk8gNb6jXY6 (google video 21 seconds)

Then there's the pics: 

Mum says she's a pig and a terrorist  (don't worry, Mum still likes her)...told her she should a picked Serket! 

I also went and picked up 4 new Nerites today. Put one in with White, the QT could use some clean up. I put one in the Parent Tank as sadly I recently lost one of my Nerites there. I put the last 2 in the Medieval Tank, I need help with algae!! Only got pics of the 2 in the Medieval today: 

Edited January 20, 2023 by xXInkedPhoenixX

[TheSwissAquarist]

Glad to see that Zaggi has settled into her forever home! Nice new profile pic btw 😁

[Theplatymaster]

it looks like ziggi has a problem with the duckweed, shes almost stalking it in that picture.  I suppose your mom does too.

[knee]

On 1/9/2023 at 7:43 PM, xXInkedPhoenixX said:

Invictus got a new heater and a better lid in the last couple of days. He now enjoys 80-81 degree water and seems very pleased with it (lights off in tank):

 

He looks like my male! I named him Black Friday cause I got him on Black Friday 😂

crowntails are so pretty 😍

 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

@knee haha! Love the name. Crowns are pretty!