Chick-in-of-TheSea journal

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The DIY silk leaves with cork worked! And here is the bubble nest masterpiece. 
 

 

[Guppysnail]

He sure is happy. Wasting no time building. Any plans for a future Mrs. Geppetto?

[nabokovfan87]

He's busy busy.  I've never seen a betta make one of those.  Haven't ever kept one... hm. I guess not.  I have been around them, but never had my own.  For some reason I thought they only did the nests after they see a female and use that as part of their mating behavior.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/24/2022 at 6:45 PM, Guppysnail said:

He sure is happy. Wasting no time building. Any plans for a future Mrs. Geppetto?

I don’t seem to have 60 spare tanks for babies. 😂  I’m just trying to keep him from getting bored. He is at the front glass always when he is bored, it seems but bubble nesting gives him something to do and makes him feel like he has a purpose.

On 11/24/2022 at 7:01 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

He's busy busy.  I've never seen a betta make one of those.  Haven't ever kept one... hm. I guess not.  I have been around them, but never had my own.  For some reason I thought they only did the nests after they see a female and use that as part of their mating behavior.

I’m learning as I go. I’m new to this but have been collecting info as I browse the threads about bettas. I didn’t think about bubble nesting but found that he just did it when I added a catappa leaf. So I figured I would keep things floating in there if that’s what makes him comfortable. When he makes a nest I take it as a compliment that he likes the environment.

Edited November 25, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/25/2022 at 1:27 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

don’t seem to have 60 spare tanks for babies. 😂  I’m just trying to keep him from getting bored. He is at the front glass always when he is bored, it seems but bubble nesting gives him something to do and makes him feel like he has a purpose.

If you leave the fry in with their parents you get 2-8 decent sized fry which you can catch out. Did that with my second spawn of bettas because I got very bored of doing water changes on lots of plastic cups after my first spawn.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/25/2022 at 12:46 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

If you leave the fry in with their parents you get 2-8 decent sized fry which you can catch out. Did that with my second spawn of bettas because I got very bored of doing water changes on lots of plastic cups after my first spawn.

But won’t the parents kill each other after they mate?

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/25/2022 at 9:46 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

But won’t the parents kill each other after they mate?

Not really, but I separated the female afterwards - should’ve explained better!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I am shocked at Kratos’ bioload. He’s been in the tank a day and a half and this is the result. I’m second guessing whether he’s a good fit for this little betta tank. 
 

[TheSwissAquarist]

Maybe try adding some bladder snails instead - my betta was supposed to eat them and failed miserably!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/25/2022 at 10:02 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Maybe try adding some bladder snails instead - my betta was supposed to eat them and failed miserably!

I’m scared of them. They mass produce!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Bloodworm feeding frenzy!

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Water change for Geppetto today w/ the presteeped/premixed/dechlorinated tea water I made. The only issue w/ making it ahead it I can't control temp. I've been keeping it on top of the fridge so it's not too cold.  It was like 73 or 74, and then tank is 78.  But I noticed that the tank thermometer temp does not really move when I am changing just 20%.  So I guess no worries.  

Kratos finished cleaning the back wall, and I put a little chunk of algae wafer in there for him. I hid it behind the sponge filter.  Well, guess who squishes back there with a fair amount of wiggling and eats it?  🙄 (hint: not Kratos)

I noticed biofilm on other surfaces though, so Kratos has some food.  I could supplement with Bacter AE perhaps, if he cleans too efficiently, or I do have that small chunk of driftwood I boiled that I can add.  I just hesitate because it has rough edges that might catch on Geppetto's fins.  I notice Geppetto squeezes his way into some tight spots from time to time; places I wouldn't expect him to go.  He's adventurous.

Kratos is a poop machine. That previous picture I posted - I vac'd all that up and 24 hours later it was back to that state again.  But hey, it's good for the plants and microfauna, and he is doing a good job washing the windows.  And most importantly, he's compatible with Geppetto, who, as we know, has a history... which is how he came to live with me.  I'm happy to have him. 🙂 We play the game every so often w/ the fish decoration.  He's a feisty fella.

Here he is "snuggling" with his catappa leaf.  He finds some comfort in it, I think.

[Schuyler]

Have you considered putting a dwarf aquarium lily in there for him?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/29/2022 at 10:09 AM, Schuyler said:

Have you considered putting a dwarf aquarium lily in there for him?

Hey, that's a good idea, because they produce leaves that go to the surface and float, right?

[Schuyler]

On 11/29/2022 at 7:48 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Hey, that's a good idea, because they produce leaves that go to the surface and float, right?

Yep! I'm not sure how long that takes though. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/29/2022 at 11:21 AM, Schuyler said:

Yep! I'm not sure how long that takes though. 

@FLFishChik made a journal on her dwarf lily growth. I don’t think it took too long. 🙂 

[Schuyler]

On 11/29/2022 at 8:54 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

@FLFishChik made a journal on her dwarf lily growth. I don’t think it took too long. 🙂 

Sounds like something to ask Santa for

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/29/2022 at 6:58 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I just hesitate because it has rough edges that might catch on Geppetto's fins. 

sandpaper it?

LOL.... I am noticing a trend.  Everyone donate a $1 to Geppetto.
 

 

On 11/29/2022 at 7:09 AM, Schuyler said:

Have you considered putting a dwarf aquarium lily in there for him?

 

On 11/23/2022 at 2:18 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Does Geppetto have an aquarium lily!???!!!?

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/29/2022 at 7:23 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

LOL.... I am noticing a trend.  Everyone donate a $1 to Geppetto.

Do you accept payment in skis?😂

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/24/2022 at 4:02 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I dove in heavy tannins before- scary! And looking up at the sun when underwater- looked like I was diving in blood. Here’s the site if anyone is interested. Toward the end of the video my friend Patty points the camera up (@39 seconds left in video). Does that not look like blood??  The dive was thrilling.

Kinda reminds me of the sunset when there is a fire 😞

Very cool dive though, fun video!

On 11/29/2022 at 10:41 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Do you accept payment in skis?😂

I have some hockey sticks!

 

 

On 11/25/2022 at 5:17 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I am shocked at Kratos’ bioload. He’s been in the tank a day and a half and this is the result. I’m second guessing whether he’s a good fit for this little betta tank. 
 

what size is the tank?  Your BW setup looks better than mine.  Less cloudy!  I am excited this week because HOPEFULLY massive water changes means I get the crystal clear look back finally (with tannins of course).  The tank feels like an extension of my Seachem testing and I can't decide if that's a good thing or bad thing.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/29/2022 at 1:23 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

sandpaper it?

LOL.... I am noticing a trend.  Everyone donate a $1 to Geppetto.
 

 

 

 

I thought you were asking about the plastic lily pad that he got.  Which I actually never gave to him. It smelled chemical-ly and is getting returned.

On 11/29/2022 at 1:53 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I have some hockey sticks!

You would have hockey sticks.  Because you wouldn't be nabokov fan if you didn't. 😂

On 11/29/2022 at 1:53 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

what size is the tank?

5.5g. Which was actually an upgrade for him because he was in a divided 10g (because he was bad and couldn't get along w/ mystery snails) and that did not leave him much horizontal swimming room.  Now he oversees this whole realm.

On 11/29/2022 at 1:53 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Your BW setup looks better than mine.  Less cloudy!

Thanks! I've just been boiling almond leaves and then mixing that liquid with dechlorinated water.  I do about 3 cups of the tea and fill the rest of the gallon jug w/ the water.  Been making a couple of jugs like that.  I'm also going to be trying out Fritz Dark Water.  I have it, but haven't used any yet.  I figure I would try it out when my schedule is busier, because making the tea takes time. 2 leaves per pot of water. Boil, turn off burner, then let soak overnight. Then measure; transfer to jugs. 

 

On 11/29/2022 at 1:23 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

sandpaper it?

Maybe.  It's more like crevices in the wood I'm concerned about; not so much the surface of the wood.  Worried his fin will drag through one of the crevices and when he gets to the end of the wood, it will get pinched. I'll take a look at it again later.  I might be acting overly cautious.

 

On 11/29/2022 at 1:41 PM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Do you accept payment in skis?😂

Water skis only.  🙂 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I probably spent more time than I should have today watching videos of Murphy eating clams.  🙂

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/29/2022 at 11:27 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

You would have hockey sticks.  Because you wouldn't be nabokov fan if you didn't. 😂

I mean.... I am a fan of his, but I also played too!

Game used, my favorite thing that took me a decade to find. Right here he took a nasty puck, made the save though.

These are mine.

Growing up I was playing street hockey every day. I got these so I could get back into ice and get my legs back. I seriously miss it. Then the world went to heck...

On 11/29/2022 at 11:27 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Maybe.  It's more like crevices in the wood I'm concerned about; not so much the surface of the wood.  Worried his fin will drag through one of the crevices and when he gets to the end of the wood, it will get pinched. I'll take a look at it again later.  I might be acting overly cautious.

Nah I think you're right. Definitely a concern.  Plopping it full of moss or Anubis might help to cover those?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/29/2022 at 2:43 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

I mean.... I am a fan of his, but I also played too!

That's awesome!  Ever play on the ice?

On 11/29/2022 at 2:43 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

Plopping it full of moss or Anubis might help to cover those?

Possibly!  Great idea!  I do need to keep the wood exposed for Kratos to graze on the biofilm, but I could tuck moss into a crevice here or there if it seems like a concern for the long-finned gentleman.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

This is the driftwood.

 

 

These crevices were my main concern for his fins getting caught.

I decided on the safest side and glued moss. I actually ran out of glue so I just used a bamboo skewer to shove moss into the crevices.

I carefully placed it into the tank, and none of the moss came off. Geppetto lowered his landing gear and touched down for the inspection. (Edit: ok, there’s a piece by his fin that came off. Just a little piece.)

 

 

He seems to approve.

Hopefully it will make some delicious biofilm soon. But there is some biofilm in there in the meantime. Kratos already ate most of the algae though.

I was fortunate that it sank. Probably because I had boiled it a couple weeks ago. It was dry today but was not buoyant, so that’s a plus.

Edited November 30, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea