Guppysnail Aquarium Journal

[Chad]

So glad I could help! 

I also agree about this forum. When a group of people all have the same goal and no cares who get there first, great collaboration happens. And this forum embodies that attitude, I love it and feel so lucky to be a part of it.

[Torrey]

How to propagate a rose, at the request of @Guppysnail

There are multiple papers and books on rose propagation, and the key parts that always hold true are:

• you need a stem that has at least one set of 5 leaves or more

• you need at least 3 branched sets of leaves below the set of 5 (remove the leaves as the roots will sprout from the leaf nodes)

• some method of keeping the bottom 2 to 3 nodes wet, and not covered in biofilm, mildew, mold, or fungus, while keeping the 5 leaves dry

• cut off the flower so the stem will put energy into growing roots

When I lived in NC, in WA, and in OR, I had zero problems rooting roses. In the high desert? Single digit humidity is not a friend. 

After multiple failed attempts (I could get the stem rooted, but couldn't keep it alive more than a couple of months whether I did the traditional sand with rooting hormone, or in a vase of water I changed every day), I decided if snails could clean up melt as aquatic plants transition from emmersed to immersed, why not see if they could keep the stem of the rose clean to promote root growth?

(Not the best image of a root carbuncle. It will look like white warts growing on the stem end, and the stem will swell as the rooting hormones produced by the stem encourage root growth)

 

I had a stem I had managed to keep alive since May, and the bottom tip of the stem had properly carbuncled, but it also kept developing a biofilm that destroyed the new roots. 

Since I wouldn't be able to take care of it after surgery, I put it in the grow out tank with the egg crate light diffuser to keep it from dropping too low in the tank.

The snails paid their rent by keeping the rooting end clean, and 6 weeks after surgery the rose has multiple roots and is putting out new leaves!

2 of the roots are easily seen. The rest are hiding in the pearlweed.

While many people prefer to use a rooting hormone for plants, and either sand or sterile vermiculite to root in, I struggle to keep the moisture levels perfect. As @Streetwise has said, wet plantings are easier because you can't over or underwater (I mean, you can, but it takes more work to do so).

 

I'm looking forward to finding what else I can grow aquaponics style🥰

 

PS: I lifted the carbuncle out of the water in an attempt to get a better picture. It's always submerged or the rose stem will die.

[Guppysnail]

@Torrey thank you very much. You have my gratitude.  I have no patience for using hormones and vermiculite and never had luck with it either. I can’t wait until spring for my roses to come up. My hubby built a stone border on the back of the house so this spring I can have a big flower garden 😍 but the roses I like near me are way too $$$$$

[Torrey]

@Guppysnail that $$$$$ has been the driving force of the majority of my innovations. 

I grew up in a good neighborhood, and my mom never let on how broke we were after she got cancer. She  chose to be very inventive. Her dad came twice a month to keep our gardens going, and her sisters came to can everything we couldn't eat.

Most of my fish after the original tank of livebearers came from the creek. Everyone thought my mom was "cool" and she never let on that she was allowing us to "run wild" because she couldn't afford camp, new clothes, or pets and pet food.

[Guppysnail]

On 1/9/2022 at 2:37 PM, Torrey said:

@Guppysnail that $$$$$ has been the driving force of the majority of my innovations. 

I grew up in a good neighborhood, and my mom never let on how broke we were after she got cancer. She  chose to be very inventive. Her dad came twice a month to keep our gardens going, and her sisters came to can everything we couldn't eat.

Most of my fish after the original tank of livebearers came from the creek. Everyone thought my mom was "cool" and she never let on that she was allowing us to "run wild" because she couldn't afford camp, new clothes, or pets and pet food.

I relate to this very well. My mother was stay at home until we had to get a waitressing job. My dad was a truck driver. I never knew we were not well off and that my folks struggled with money issues. The creek has the coolest pets when you are a child…and an adult 🤗

[scott the fishman]

On 8/11/2021 at 4:14 AM, Guppysnail said:

This is me all day every day

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT WE HAVE BL EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!! this journal thing is so addicting !

[Guppysnail]

On 1/9/2022 at 6:42 PM, scott the fishman said:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT WE HAVE BL EGGS!!!!!!!!!!!! this journal thing is so addicting !

I did not know if I would like it. Now when im with my tanks i think of the forum and its like fish keeping with friends 🥰

[scott the fishman]

On 1/9/2022 at 3:44 PM, Guppysnail said:

I did not know if I would like it. Now when im with my tanks i think of the forum and its like fish keeping with friends 🥰

yeah i can get that. wish i had better grammar!🤔

On 8/13/2021 at 5:06 PM, Guppysnail said:

Got a lot done today.  CPD are moved to the 5 g QT yesterday. Tomorrow I add gravel from their permanent home to make sure nothing in my tank is going to attack them.  I could not catch a sick cpd in that tank with the pleco wrigglers safely I don’t think. 
pulled the last of the hornwort from all my tanks and any plant that is not hornwort from the funny tank. Have them in bowls on the shelf hubby built for me with tons of easy green.  My plants love that stuff. Eat it like candy.  
got everything ready to set up the second QT for the Pygmy Wednesday I’ll add plants and extra coop sponge I have in their permanent home tomorrow to get the bacteria party started. I’m going to put all the extra plants I pulled today as well from that tank for qt.  I left what I intend to use to decorate their home. Added a sprig of ludwiga super red and a sprig of purple cabomba fanwort. Rethinking that though I need high light for both and the Pygmy do not seem to enjoy the bright light. 
 

inreally want to make this tank look nice. Like actually look like something not just what washed in on the current and took up residence.  I’m the WORST ever aquascaper so I never try to hard as long as plants are healthy and doing their job keeping the water good.  I have been inspired by everyone on this forum. So it’s time for an old dog to learn some new skills. Even pulled out the old Walstad ecology book to find companion vs deterrent plants. I figure if I can do it with my veggies garden I can figure it out for tanks. 
The roots of my pothos have grown almost to the substrate so I want that as my background.  I’m going to put plant weights on the bottom of stems of Indian almond leaves so the round part stays up and make that the wall background the entire wall and beneath pothos roots. Replace as they deteriorate.  Centerpiece is going to be manzanita pieces intertwined with anacharis elodia densa then my two Java fern bushes I have growing on either side. With Brazilian pennywort in the back.

I’m actually going to add enough gravel that it covers the entire bottom I was thinking of mixing peace river with the black in there. Not sure how that would look? Has anyone done it? How did it turn out?

Excited someone gave me the idea I could safely siphon the baby pleco out of the tank so I can disperse them and put the majority in the 25 gallon tub much sooner than I feel I could safely net them. This is going to save me so much work save my poor shrimp from insane water changes AND SAVE MY TANNINS! WOOHOO!  
here is how:

large siphon hose for babies..I have done it accidentally a time or three 🤦‍♀️ To no I’ll affect on my poor guppies but never occurred to me to do it on purpose 🤣

i never thought of this but to remove tons of snail and pleco waste gravel vac then let the water sit in the bucket and debris settle. Readd used water (assuming not poor quality that needs replaced) with tannins in so it remains that glorious amber coloration! 🤩 and I won’t lose the benefits those tannins provide to my critters.  Such an easy solution I was sooooo overthinking as usual! Thank you @Streetwise and @Brandy for your help. 
talked to lfs manager about the BN babies he is excited to buy them. First ever cash not bug payment for fish 🤣 talked him into letting me bring my guppies while he is on vacation (he wants those BN babies cheap 🙃). So I’m keeping two boys and let them grow in the new Pygmy home with no competition.  Decided I’m adding two instead of one so if there is aggression from my spastic boy it’s spread out a bit. Drops me to 2-1 ratio but in a month the two girls I’m adding are going in. 🤞🏻
 

Happy Hobbying!

i just got me 3 pots of that plant hope i do well with them

[Guppysnail]

On 1/9/2022 at 6:47 PM, scott the fishman said:

yeah i can get that. wish i had better grammar!🤔

Dont worry. My dominant wrist shattered i had 7 reconstruction surgeries and its still a non union with two if the three plates missing because they would not hold. My typing looks like the cat walked on the keyboard 🤣

[scott the fishman]

AHH dont worry i love cats😉

[Atitagain]

I agree this forum is such a wonderful place to collaborate and be inspired by. I absolutely take ideas and concepts of others twist them with my style and sometimes it works. My original ideas straight out of my head work less often. Whatever it’s always a learning experience that helps with future projects.

[scott the fishman]

I really impressed at your journal. if this was a movie i would buy it. its a roller coaster action, drama, love story!

On 1/10/2022 at 10:43 AM, scott the fishman said:

I really impressed at your journal. if this was a movie i would buy it. its a roller coaster action, drama, love story!

and i am only on page 6 😆

[Torrey]

I'm ORD, and I am feeling incredibly grateful for the forum, and for new fish friends... or are nerms fish family?🤔

At any rate, spouse and I just rescheduled our travels... again. Spouse just asked how many states do I want to stop and have coffee in, since I am in the forum so much😁

I want to thank everyone here for the suggestions that helped bring the spouse over to the fish side, lol. I even got permission to film their tank *in their room* for an ASMR video🎉🎉🎉

Hopefully we will be able to drive East before hurricane season makes us postpone for another year...

The rose is taking off!

 

[Guppysnail]

@Torrey that’s fabulous. If you get as far east as Pennsylvania give me a shout

I decided to try something new. My misfit guppy boy tank is no longer a boy grow out. So should not be a plant grow out either but a furnished home. Mike and Ike(stunted growth boys) and Buddy(no top lip) live there permanently as well as 2 blue boys and 2 boy mystery snails. So i tried to make it look cute. It will look better grown in and anubias reoriented, the pot in the right corner has a red tiger lotus that just sprouted leaves so that will fill in. I even cleaned the front window inside and out 😲 i used the 2 inch pots because the gravel substrate should help hold them up and if they fall over it won’t actually make a mess

HAPPY ADVENTURES…TRY SOMETHING NEW 

[Torrey]

On 1/11/2022 at 1:12 PM, Guppysnail said:

@Torrey that’s fabulous. If you get as far east as Pennsylvania give me a shout

I decided to try something new. My misfit guppy boy tank is no longer a boy grow out. So should not be a plant grow out either but a furnished home. Mike and Ike(stunted growth boys) and Buddy(no top lip) live there permanently as well as 2 blue boys and 2 boy mystery snails. So i tried to make it look cute. It will look better grown in and anubias reoriented, the pot in the right corner has a red tiger lotus that just sprouted leaves so that will fill in. I even cleaned the front window inside and out 😲 i used the 2 inch pots because the gravel substrate should help hold them up and if they fall over it won’t actually make a mess

HAPPY ADVENTURES…TRY SOMETHING NEW 

That looks fabulous!

I have a confession. 

I got 2 female blue guppies from one of my NMAS friends, due to how beautiful your boyos are!

[Minanora]

I caught up! Wooo!

Your tanks are inspiring! How is the finger/hand feeling?

I'm glad your plants are doing so great! I hope you're enjoying rotalas. I'm going to get some ludwiga tomorrow when I'm in town!

This forum has helped me stay sane and strong through some of my challenges. I feel like even though I'm relatively new here, I'm welcome here and have made friends. 🙂

[Guppysnail]

On 1/11/2022 at 6:17 PM, Minanora said:

I caught up! Wooo!

Your tanks are inspiring! How is the finger/hand feeling?

I'm glad your plants are doing so great! I hope you're enjoying rotalas. I'm going to get some ludwiga tomorrow when I'm in town!

This forum has helped me stay sane and strong through some of my challenges. I feel like even though I'm relatively new here, I'm welcome here and have made friends. 🙂

Hand is lumpy but ok. The rotala is great but went from big spaced out leaves to smaller denser i love it thank you. Im glad you feel welcome and have friends i feel the same. 

[scott the fishman]

On 1/11/2022 at 3:17 PM, Minanora said:

I caught up! Wooo!

Your tanks are inspiring! How is the finger/hand feeling?

I'm glad your plants are doing so great! I hope you're enjoying rotalas. I'm going to get some ludwiga tomorrow when I'm in town!

This forum has helped me stay sane and strong through some of my challenges. I feel like even though I'm relatively new here, I'm welcome here and have made friends. 🙂

you are most certainly welcome here. we are all friends here! gyppysnails journal is inspiring!!!!! Its like we get to live a small part of her life ok ok not so small😁

[Atitagain]

The new set up looks great! I can’t wait to see it grown in. What is that plant front and center? It’s waving through the tank and I love the texture. Seems your using the suction cup hanging pots a lot. I’m ready to get some did you order yours on Amazon? How are the suction cups holding up? I wanna get about 8 of them, try and grow some Monte Carlo in 4 and not sure yet in other 4. Maybe some AR you make it look easy and beautiful. Ummm could you remind me what AR stands for, I do wanna look it up and maybe…Is it something Repens? 

[Guppysnail]

On 1/11/2022 at 10:06 PM, Atitagain said:

The new set up looks great! I can’t wait to see it grown in. What is that plant front and center? It’s waving through the tank and I love the texture. Seems your using the suction cup hanging pots a lot. I’m ready to get some did you order yours on Amazon? How are the suction cups holding up? I wanna get about 8 of them, try and grow some Monte Carlo in 4 and not sure yet in other 4. Maybe some AR you make it look easy and beautiful. Ummm could you remind me what AR stands for, I do wanna look it up and maybe…Is it something Repens? 

Thank you. The AR that i got was alternantha rieniki rosenevig the long wavy thing is a bulb aponogeton longipumulus. That long mass grew in like 2-3 weeks it grows FAST. Ive never seen a plant grow that fast. These are the cups. Some did not have drain holes at the bottom these do. It allows water flow to the roots so they dont rot. When i do water changes i allow them to drain so completely fresh gets in. I do occasionally vac them so mulm doesn’t accumulate and smother roots. The suction cups are strong but don’t nt hold unless i clean the glass first. I use melamine pads (coop algae eraser). The repens is the long stems that are light pink broadleaf ludwigia. That is on the back wall of mom n dads tank and the majestic monster in the guppy tank i found hiding in the back. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

ORD, @Guppysnailthe aponogeton longipumulus is spectacular! what’s the substrate in the pot? I know you’ve mentioned what you put in your pots but I’m starting to try this method with some corkscrew Val I grabbed - put crushed coral, lava rock, pond soil and morel crushed coral. 
 

[Guppysnail]

On 1/12/2022 at 1:43 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

ORD, @Guppysnailthe aponogeton longipumulus is spectacular! what’s the substrate in the pot? I know you’ve mentioned what you put in your pots but I’m starting to try this method with some corkscrew Val I grabbed - put crushed coral, lava rock, pond soil and morel crushed coral. 
 

Thanks. Just gravel so it has something to anchor to. Im leaving it in that tank instead of putting it in the 29. I had it in there to grow out but your advice based on The Sad bowl of tall plants in small tanks made me try it as the centerpiece. 

[Guppysnail]

So I promised pleco numbers but…the buyer again had a reason they could not pick them up. I suspect he was unprepared for the numbers I gave him. At first delivery he said a few times he thought I was exaggerating my survival numbers as he openly admitted only getting approximately 10 each batch to survive. I gave him some pointers and he expressed that was more work than he wanted to do. When I told him about 60-70 conservatively were in this batch is when he started dragging his feet.  I gave him until this Saturday and then I take them to that pet place. They have done a fantastic job with both batches of guppies I gave them and expressed how grateful they were because the guppies they normally get are not as colorful or healthy as what I brought. Either way next Wednesday I’ll post numbers. 
Then all day football Sunday is panda tank design 🤩. They were being mischievous tonight but not in the usual big group so more than likely eggs for guppies tomorrow 🙄

 I was watching my 2 1/2 day old guppies. I had 2 girls drop so I have 60-80 that I saved because my sorority tank only had 5-10 guppies left after I took the last batch and getting the 12 pleco that are now 2 1/2 inchech tail included out Saturday well the only thing better than guppies is more guppy babies 😁 They are all over the tank but in plants so I could only get this group 

 

HAPPY ADVENTURES…TRY SOMETHING NEW

[Torrey]

Sweet!!!!

Really wish I was close by, I love your blues, especially the blue/purple. 

Panda cories are growing on me💜

[Guppysnail]

I am torn on my next move with my guppies. I originally intended the 29 to be the guppy mutt mosh pit type tank. I crewed that up because I added all the girls and boys at the same time so now they all give birth at the same time. That’s just insanely too many. Perhaps in a 55 or 90 it would have worked but definitely not 29. I should have used less females and staggered them. I added all the virgin girls from moms pregnant when purchased plus a few old timer orange line girls that are still birthing regularly. I had a boy recently whose body developed color early and appears to have slightly shorter fins which I want. I tried to get shorter fins for the health of my boys but didn’t. Along with the shorter fin more of his body is coming in darker color and his gonopodium is blue as well which is a whole new development. Another was born a few weeks behind this one whose body and tail turned bIack which will eventually turn blue at 3 days. That is way early for my group so I’m excited to see him develope. I have not allowed inbreeding to date with this line. I’m out of original girls born to me. I have filled all the tanks and have no desire to bring in new pregnant moms get them healthy hope they have fry and no to limited birth defect etc. etc etc. Eventually my community is going to age and pass. If I keep these they Will be breeding to cousins potentially siblings or even parent. If I allow this since I’m not direct mass breeding I may avoid the mass inbreeding troubles but I know I will encounter a few. So I’m torn. 
here is the first boy. Sorry for bad photos but baby guppies don’t like to be still 🤣

second boy I think 1 1/2 weeks and today with a belly full of live bbs 

The tiny terrorists are again taking over the Pygmy tank. Not as quickly though so I do believe my CPD kids are snacking on shrimplettes to help control the population. I’m going to split this shrimp colony and put half in the panda tank as egg Nannie’s. 

Pleco buyer confirmed for Saturday morning thank goodness. WOOHOO panda paradise here we come. 🥳

HAPPY ADVENTURES…TRY SOMETHING NEW