Chick-in-of-TheSea journal

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

The quarantine kids are doing so well. Red light because if I put the white one on, they all hide in the corner. They hate it. But I do use it briefly twice a day for health checks.
 

Oops, sorry that was blurry. Anyway hopefully you can tell they are using the tank space and seem comfortable. I don’t usually do a sand bottom for quarantine, but it’s the tank that was already seeded so we are rolling with it. They probably feel more comfy with substrate anyway. *shrug* Also they are going to town on the ostracods in there.

I did some shrimp tank maintenance today and then just watched the tanks for a long time. Geppetto and I spent some quality time together. He got a coconut hut today. He knows it’s there but hasn’t ventured in yet. He’s used to tunnels and thinks the hut looks spooky. We also played chase-the-skewer and chase-the-fish (fake fish I make swim past the tank). Then we played come-over-here which is just a finger wiggle on the side of the tank, and he will rush toward the activity. I like to do that where he sees it through his tunnel and he swims through the tunnel to get to the action.

There were a bunch of shrimps I saw in his tank this evening. If he sees them he will swim toward them but once they zoom he gives up immediately. Too much effort, I guess. LOL

He had a seat on his little leaf as I turned out his light.

Edited November 7, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/6/2023 at 5:16 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

There were a bunch of shrimps I saw in his tank this evening. If he sees them he will swim toward them but once they zoom he gives up immediately. Too much effort, I guess. LOL

"Oh what's that, it moves!?"
"Shrimp are friends, not food. They make food, but these ones are friends."

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

One of my YouTube followers said (re: my pristella tetra) : 11 years, is that old for these fish?  And I was like, good question. Let me look up their lifespan. It said 4-5 years! 😯

[TheSwissAquarist]

Yikes! 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

It took 17 months, but I've finally passed all of my CPA exams. My husband asked how I'd like to celebrate.  I reply nonchalantly, "Eh.. probably start setting up a 55 gallon tank" (not rly making eye contact with him...lol..."testing the waters", if you will).  He smiled & laughed so I'm taking that as a green light.  💚

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/8/2023 at 4:58 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

It took 17 months, but I've finally passed all of my CPA exams. My husband asked how I'd like to celebrate.  I reply nonchalantly, "Eh.. probably start setting up a 55 gallon tank" (not rly making eye contact with him...lol..."testing the waters", if you will).  He smiled & laughed so I'm taking that as a green light.  💚

Congrats!!! 🍾 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/8/2023 at 7:58 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

It took 17 months, but I've finally passed all of my CPA exams. My husband asked how I'd like to celebrate.  I reply nonchalantly, "Eh.. probably start setting up a 55 gallon tank" (not rly making eye contact with him...lol..."testing the waters", if you will).  He smiled & laughed so I'm taking that as a green light.  💚

That's too awesome if/when you fill  that tank up.  I can only imagine how much you'll love it!

Please do yourself a favor and get a 60 if you can.  it's just "deeper" meaning you don't have the narrow front to back.  It's slightly nicer to work with and you just get a stand for a 75G.  I still have my 55G stand for that eventual 33L or 30G long, whatever the tank size is.  I basically Loved having the 4 foot long tank, but a 55 is so hard to work in for me. (very tall and just so narrow front to back)

Front to back: 12" vs. 18"
Height: 21" tall vs. 16" tall (60B" is less tall)

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Currently budgetary constraints. Also can’t find a stand I like. I’m not buying fiberboard 👎🏻

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

It is always fun to feed live foods

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

How are the embers surviving QT? 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/14/2023 at 7:09 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

How are the embers surviving QT? 

Doing very well!  Today was their first water change. They had paracleanse first dose and now a two week rest, with some carbon. They eat well and are coloring up, and they don’t seem to mind the white light anymore. I only use the light briefly once or twice a day to check symptoms (none so far!)  A bit dusty here from siphoning. I put some catappa tea in the water too; and a leaf.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Couple of shots of the embers. Still doing great in quarantine with healthy appetites.

The light is up higher now which is why they seem less vivid. Just trying to keep everyone comfortable.

Edited November 17, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

A few of Geppetto’s shrimps

 

[nabokovfan87]

On 11/18/2023 at 4:03 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

A few of Geppetto’s shrimps

 

Looks like a Lucy

I'm sure there's a jiminy in there. 🙂

Really beautiful shrimp!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I went to Festival of Trees today at the art museum. I guess I didn’t really take many photos! But here are a few.

 

That house is totally edible. 

Also, this little guy was just so cute. He was part of a gingerbread house display too and is edible. He made me smile.

 

The window behind him is made of hard candy melted into a sheet. (I know that from watching British Bake-off) LOL

[nabokovfan87]

Those owls are awesome.... Really beautiful work.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Visited Gatorland today

More photos here

[Guppysnail]

On 11/19/2023 at 6:51 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Visited Gatorland today

More photos here

I have been here. 😍

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

My baby longfin bristlenose will be picked up for me in South FL this weekend. I just learned this today! 😅 Guess I need another QT tank!  I don’t want to reset the timer on the QT I have in progress. I finally got some photos of an adult and a baby from the tank.

Adult:

Baby:

If anyone has care tips, let me know! I’ve got some mopani wood, zucchini, green beans, squash, algae wafers, Soilent Green Repashy, and Community Plus Repashy. Other sinking food is cichlid pellets and various snail foods. I figure the Repashy and the boiled veggies to start. Oh I guess I need to pick up a pleco cave too! I think one of the 2 LFS may have one. Although I heard a pvc with the cap on the end works in the interim.

I could get more than one pleco but I worry about their bioload..?

Edited November 24, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 11/23/2023 at 8:19 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

My baby longfin bristlenose

Alright, saw a Black Friday deal 2 pleco caves for $9.50 so I got in on that. One is small and the other medium. So we can upsize when baby grows.

lame ad photo lacking a pleco

5.5g tanks on sale half price. Perfect for bottom shelf of 2nd stand. Man, every time I say I won’t use a bottom shelf anymore, it doesn’t work out.. 🙄

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

Oh my that is so exciting. You know how in love I am with my plecos. 
I see the long fins. One key to keeping long fins from fraying is to keep the ph below 7.8. At 8 the edges fray at 8.2 the fins split. 

Large flat overhanging wood is where they like to chill out. Mine and all their babies love just hanging out underneath. You can use terra cotta pots as well. Position these so you can see under the easily and you won’t have to play where’s Waldo with your new friend. I’ll get some photos when the lights come on. 

I also make sure food only gets placed in the front and avoid extras floating about the tank. My kids learned if they want yummies they must be front and center so mom can watch them. 

The diet and care for these guys is essentially the same as snails minus the high excess calcium. With how well you feed your snails you will be a fabulous pleco mom. 

They do have a higher bioload but if fed correctly and nitrate kept below 40 you will not see the long insane amounts of poo.  I never see it about the tank. 

Congratulations again! 

 

 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@Guppysnail you seem to always get good photos of yours, but some folks say theirs are nocturnal. I wonder if mine is the early bird or the night owl.

[Guppysnail]

On 11/24/2023 at 6:38 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

@Guppysnail you seem to always get good photos of yours, but some folks say theirs are nocturnal. I wonder if mine is the early bird or the night owl.

Mine are mostly nocturnal.

I set the tank up so even sleepy spots I see them. I also only feed protein foods in the morning. They want anything more than veggies they must come get it during the day or it will be gone by night time.  So they wake from slumber and come eat during the day. 

 

Also having emergent plant lights helps. Once tank lights are out there is still soft illumination.  That’s when they like to come out most. That’s when I feed in the morning as well. Before direct tank lights come on. 

[Guppysnail]

Ok mom n dads cave sleeping log has to much glare but this is the baby log. They just came out to eat. 
 

Mom n dad both just got morning wafers. Mom sleeps here because the bandit cories are on a baby making role and took over her overhang log. 

Tank lights are out but plant lights are in. 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Live white worm feeding with culture from @Guppysnail! Thank you!

Short version 

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea