Get an aquarium, they said

[darkG]

Nothing much to report; several shrimplings shrimpling about, five of the six females are berried. The alleged MTS don't burrow but kind of plow the sand at times. The Lobelia in the foreground was a surprise gift when buying other plants, it was said to more or less require CO₂ but it seems alright. 

The other tank is cycling, pics pending. 

[darkG]

Small tank news. I used JBL Sansibar sand (I don't think that brand is a thing oitside Europe?) and needed more. But I couldn't find a deal, and the colour (black but kind of glittery) was so-so. Instead I topped off with their gravel Manado. I had this idea of blacks and white and grays. 

Java fern are on pieces of wood so they can be relocated easily. 

I don't love it, yet. The lights didn't turn out great after all. One thing made me smile though: A young shrimp somehow made it in there from the big tank! It's surprising. 

[darkG]

The accidental small shrimp and the three MTS and some physa are surviving, so I transferred one berried shrimp to the small tank some week ago. Today I found her dead, not sure why. 

The Taiwan moss, supposed to attach better than the weeping moss, doesn't. 

[darkG]

The hitchhiker shrimp is doing very well, so I put another young shrimp in the small tank, and it seems to be happy too. 

I have planaria worms in the big tank, they seem to be gone in the 15-gallon. I believe I saw two of them penis-fencing today. 

[darkG]

The new generation of Orange Sakura shrimps (bought as, at least, I wouldn't know) shows some variation. A few has this bright band on their back, one in particular, shown here.

[darkG]

I keep moss in buckets (can't bother to sell or give and too cheap to throw away). Today I changed some water in one of the moss repositories and Hey, there's a shrimp! I don't know how long since I removed the moss from the tank, but I'd say quite a while. She seemed OK, allthough it is hard to tell for sure. I'd like to think she'll do just fine back with her [s] brethren[/s] sistren. See, I usually put in new water from the shower, as cold as it gets and not too gently. This small bucket is by the window and probably Hot in this current heat wave. Respect. 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by darkG

[darkG]

I took a look in the sand and found new animals; a stiff kind of roundworm, like a big nematofe but not wiggly. And a water mite. And copepods, I think I saw them before but not this evidently. Finally, an unknown critter in the sand, first I thought it might be newly hatched shrimp, they are a bit crustasianesque, but it's not. It doesn't look like stonefly larvae either (no overpowered legs, not significantly pigmented). Small (~ 1mm) unfortunately no pictures; two straight prongs (not long bristle-like, more rigid, a little like female earwigs cerci but not as sturdy) in the back, ca half of the body size long. Bristle-tail or springtail energy, eyes glowing pink/orange. Not a lot of pigment overall. Antennae short, banana shaped. 

Shrimps were treated to veggie salami, and they enjoyed it. 

Another funny thing, I spotted a planaria worm - I decidedly don't love them - and couldn't get at it. So I took out the small driftwood it was on and put some salt over it. Then I rinsed it and put it back and the shrimps really assembled on it. I wonder why. I dropped a cup of salty water into the tank once, and shrimps seemed to get excited. Either they enjoy the salt or they are just curious (opportunistic). That's my guesses. 

Most plants are struggling. I don't really feed them. 

[darkG]

Business as usual, really: 

 

Small tank is a bit boring:

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

I really enjoyed finding and binging all the content in your journal. Well done!

The Sakura shrimps can develop that bright band down their back as part of their coloration, there are certain breeders who actually breed for it. If you see “golden backs” these are shrimp that were bred specifically to have that line of increased coloration which I have a group of.

Orange Sakura should not have that. You may want to cull them - I put them in my skittles tanks. 

[darkG]

Thanks! I tend to update rather seldom when feedback is slow. We'll see about the golden backs, I kind of like the look. But I haven't decided on any breeding direction really. 

Maybe I should focus on worms 🤭 (Leopard planaria, anyone?) 

[Guppysnail]

On 3/29/2021 at 7:55 PM, darkG said:

Then, surprised, I saw a shrimpling walking about. All five egged females still carry their eggs, so maybe one or two made an early run for it? Or did a batch get released and she is already carrying the next? 

My shrimp release the babies in different places at slightly different times. I am guessing it’s to ensure survival of some instead of a tight batch getting predated. I really enjoy reading your journal.  Thank you for sharing!

[darkG]

On 8/12/2021 at 2:58 AM, Guppysnail said:

My shrimp release the babies in different places at slightly different times. I am guessing it’s to ensure survival of some instead of a tight batch getting predated. I really enjoy reading your journal.  Thank you for sharing!

Oh, cool! Makes sense. I've never seen it as it happens. Thanks for visiting. 

[darkG]

I had the idea to walk through my plants. Nothing special.

Cryptocoryne wendtii Green: I bought an in vitro bunch in february-march and divided it to three groups. One is by a pump outlet and at the side facing a window (that is typically blinded though). It is a bit discoloured (diatoms, I presume) and seemingly lightly stressed. A large clump of moss was growing at / over it.

The second one is at the front. It has quite narrow leaves and is slow, but seems happy.

I put clumps of clay at the bottom of the aquarium at startup, so by chance some plants may find themselves at a better or worse place. As usual, the substrate (basically sand) is a bit deeper towards the back.

The final one is more to the back. It has the widest leaves and looks well adjusted. The camera fails to reproduce colours perfectly, it is light green but not pale and the light is not bright.

Looking at the images, I don't see much difference. The leaves of this last fellow is actually about twice as wide as the smallest 🙂

[Johannes]

What country are you from as esker is a norwegian word are you from norway

[Johannes]

I am from norway😁

[darkG]

Hi Johannes, I looked up the word to learn it is esker in English. It's appearantly Irish in origin! I am Swedish, where the word is ås though ås may also indicate other kinds of ridges such as horsts. The closest commonly used Swedish word that means "ridge of glacial origin" is rullstensås (rolling rock ridge [wow, that sounds so american doesn't it?] but it's not a very good way to indicate a sandy ridge ;-). 

(Apparently an [English] synonym to esker is os - directly from Swedish ås!)

 

Edited August 16, 2021 by darkG

[Johannes]

Ok😁

[darkG]

 

Lobelia cardinals mini. I got a small shot when buying other plants. I think some descriptions argue that it more or less requires CO2-injection, but it's growing ok I think. I like the addition. Under different conditions it is expected to grow wider. 

[darkG]

I have often seen old shrimp skins (husks? Molts? I dunno) but until now I have not observed them eating it, as I know they may. Now suddenly they do. I wonder if this means that I am not overfeeding currently! 

[darkG]

I still waterchange by buckets, it's OK but refilling either upsets the sand or is tedious. Pondering different elaborate diffusers, I got it together and simply fitted hooks to a cut canister, small holes in the bottom (or top).

[darkG]

Plants again. My hornworts used to stand or slant. I'm guessing they got buoyant due to oxygen production and so that end ascended, getting more light, keeping that position somewhat stable. Lately, they rest at the bottom. They also grow more slowly. I guess overall nutrition is down - I haven't tested the water chemistry lately. I find shedding isn't a problem if you trim parts that are getting brown. I like this humble plant, and so do many animals it seems.

[darkG]

Making a lid, slowly. The local store didn't have the hinges I wanted, so I decided to try and print some. I cut the pockets with a dovetail bit so the hinges partly lock in place. The part near center is a template. Now painting (with a disappointing excuse for a paint. Thanks again, local store). 

[darkG]

3 small Bucephalandra, "Lamandau mini red"

This one really in a dark spot, I had to use a torch to catch it. 

 

And one attached to wood. 

[darkG]

The Hygrophila pinnatifida was doing good, then not extremely good, now it is very small. But it is alive 🙂 

 

A shoot ran away, seeking its fortune.

[darkG]

I decided against planaria and dosed a small amount of dog dewormer. So far, a little seems to go a long way. I imagine I already see much more bladder snail eggs (that'll teach me to mess with the balance). 

In the small tank I keep three large MTS. They have not procreated. Not long ago, I saw the dark one and one of the lighter ones hugging, and I hope I'll see young. I wonder how they will colour! I don't know how and where MTS like to put eggs, or what they look like. 

MTS breeding, now that's next level, isn't it.