Guppysnail Aquarium Journal

[Bev C]

What a busy place at GS Fish room   New  babies the bandit cories are darn cute

you was  talking of moss  I kill every moss usually  but  I trying willow  moss   the place  i got from had the greenest moss i ever saw andI did the RR treatment and it is  not dead and seeing yesterday small growth  starting LoL 🤪

Edited September 10, 2022 by Bev C

[Guppysnail]

@Bev C that is one thing I noticed about moss and RR. Moss seems to love it. I usually have issues with Java moss actually becoming an algae factory. The Java I put through RR is definitely doing much better for me. 

[TeeJay]

On 9/10/2022 at 5:55 AM, Guppysnail said:

@Bev C that is one thing I noticed about moss and RR. Moss seems to love it. I usually have issues with Java moss actually becoming an algae factory. The Java I put through RR is definitely doing much better for me. 

Yes the last round of moss that I ordered I put thru and it seems like it got established much faster than moss that I bought previous and didn't know about rr at the time 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Java moss turns brown for me but still grows, so I’m not sure what its deal is, but Christmas moss is a delight. Bright green and happy.

[Bev C]

When I started with plants All the plants for beginners I killed   and been fighting algae for a year  now with the RR treatment  i have re ordered the plants i killed before and giving them another  try and I even ordered  1 Amazon sword    i never could have AS due my 2 pelcos I did a RR treatment. on the new plants yesterday  hopefully they will grew better  this time ,, getting a new bristolnose soon hope he leaves my sword alone  that is why i only order 1 Amazon Sword 

Amazon Frogbit ! Crypts  loves me have more Cypts then anything in tank 

I love the look of mosses but they do not like me The willow moss  first one i kept alive the Willow is greener and growing very slowly though after the RR  but it growing 

i have another plant order coming in and looking forward to playing 

I do the RR treatment now  for pest snails on my new plants  now  to not add more pests 

still have a few snails in my sand ,, I always did Alum Before  but still got a few snails sneak past,,  I do not have many but I pick them out daily to keep the population in control

wished  i knew sooner of the  RR treatment  before starting plants  ,, Debating of pulling sponge filters and sand and plants out and soak in Seltzer  water ,,   but that is hard job  pulling sand  last time i pulled it i did it in sections  might be a winter project getting rid of pest snails in sand  

I would need lots of seltzer water for 55 gallon 

Or I might continue to pick them out daily since i do not have not have many ,, I do not mind a few of them if they didn’t populate so bad 

and I am not sure if the Seltzer water will linger in my Seachem’s Fluorite   sand and Black Diamond Sand I do not want to hurt my mystery and nitrite babies 

 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Bev C

[Guppysnail]

@Bev C seltzer breaks to water and carbon dioxide. Totally snail safe as long as they are not submerged in it. I would use caution as RR will kill all beneficial bacteria. 

[Bev C]

@Guppysnail you are  right Did not think of that plus dummy me my brain and typing finger does not work  at times together 

 my  2 sponges are my extra filtration and backup for quarantine  tank my main filter is a  canister filter maybe i can figure out some way to kill some off a little over time even I think they are  ramshorn they  have tiny round shells 

my babies I feed every other day and try to not over feed i pick 2-5 out per day 

But glad the RR is not adding more pest  in tank 

I told you before i am not to bright on science stuff so you are saying the seltzer water will break down and disappear in the sand after the seltzer water soak & the 30 minute water soak with air stone before adding back in to tank  i thought it might leave some  trace in the sand it seams everything lingers in sand and gravel 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Bev C

[Guppysnail]

On 9/12/2022 at 12:16 AM, Bev C said:

so you are saying the seltzer water will break down and disappear in the sand after the seltzer water soak & the 30 minute water soak with air stone before adding back in to tank

This is correct. That is part of what makes RR so wonderful. It is completely non toxic. 

[Bev C]

 Thanks @Guppysnail  that is good news ,,  maybe i can pull the sand out in sections  and not do it all at once  .. I know it will not get all of them  but it will help rid allot of them though  better then none 

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

@Bev C have you considered assassin snails to control your pest snail population?

[Bev C]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea yes i have but there is 2 reasons i hesitate getting one 1: the main reason I do not want my netrite or mystery  babies hurt I heard they will hurt them when pest snails are gone I could move them out temporarily but afterwards where to put the assassin ?

2 :when he eats all the pest snails  what will he eat do not want him to starve 

[Guppysnail]

On 9/13/2022 at 6:11 PM, Bev C said:

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea yes i have but there is 2 reasons i hesitate getting one 1: the main reason I do not want my netrite or mystery  babies hurt I heard they will hurt them when pest snails are gone I could move them out temporarily but afterwards where to put the assassin ?

2 :when he eats all the pest snails  what will he eat do not want him to starve 

Bev, I have 1 assassin in 4 different tanks just as a control measure I added them a few weeks ago. One assassin does not reproduce so the amount they consume stays stable. In an already bladder snail populated tank they cannot possibly eat them fast enough to eliminate them only control numbers which in turn controls number of offspring. I have mine in with adult mystery and nerites. I got the idea because my lfs in Lancaster has kept an assassin in with nerites for years. I asked them about it and they said it’s never been a problem. Bladder population stays stable. 
I should also not assassin snails move much slower than my nerites. When my nerites sleep they squeeze their shell against glass or flat surfaces for protection. Once your new mystery babies are just a touch bigger you should be fine to get 1 Assassin snails. 
 

I have noticed only a small decline in my bladder snail population but I have not had to remove extras for awhile. 

[Guppysnail]

All but 11 babies went to forever homes this week. 3 pipsqueaks 4 a bit smaller and 2 that hid (might be 1-2 more hiding) stayed here for the time being  They will grow and hopefully someone will ask to adopt them  🤗🥰

Final count 72 (edit Gup can’t add 🤣) babies came out of this clutch? 🤣. My initial guess of 40-50 was WAAAY off 🤣

4 pleco babies are in an airplane as well. 
No sleep for Gup tonight. ☹️

Edited September 13, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

72! Whoa!

[Guppysnail]

Here is the devastation from catching 4 pleco babies. Man those brats are fast. When I pulled the plants to catch them it turns out I have panda cory fry in there I had no idea I had.  Eggs must have migrated in plants  they are just showing face stripe.  I moved them to the least killi tank so I can reduce the number of tanks I’m dumping fry food in and this is a project tank and I don’t want them harmed  

and the plant clipping/ snail nursery/ CPD fry tank is a disaster.

Those are football Sunday projects.

My guppy grass has taken over  the least killi tank and is blotting out the light to all the other plants. The LK love playing in it so much I hate to cut it and the babies are so tiny I’m half afraid to trim it. 

My sweet potato is getting roots and slips k

Everyone else is doing great. I’ve been so busy with the live food projects I don’t have many good fish pictures. 

So Froggin says “HAVE A HOPPY DAY” 🤗

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/13/2022 at 6:48 PM, Guppysnail said:

and hopefully someone will ask to adopt them

Very hot right now, Gup.  Often temps 100+

Best to wait for shipping.

And I'm glad to see the frog!  How's he doing?  What can you tell us about the frog that you don't think we'd know?  What is a day in the life of the frog?  Does he serenade you?

Edited September 15, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Guppysnail]

On 9/15/2022 at 11:28 AM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Very hot right now, Gup.  Often temps 100+

Best to wait for shipping.

And I'm glad to see the frog!  How's he doing?  What can you tell us about the frog that you don't think we'd know?  What is a day in the life of the frog?  Does he serenade you?

Froggin (that’s her name) is a girl so does not sing. 
 

A day in the life:

oh mom turned the dawn lights on. Now they are bright an goodie there is that nice warm light. Survey my kingdom from my perch. Good morning kitties. Thank you for coming to see me.  Hey Simba get off my roof you are blocking the warm light. 
Yawn, shake out the limbs and oh mom just refilled the swimmy pool. Time to take a long soak.  
uh oh tummy rumbling hmm crickets, isopods p, springtails and gnats for yummy snacking.  
Full belly find a nice plant leaf to nap on. 
Going to explore a bit, return to my perch and stare at mom n dad on the couch.  Wonder when mom will fuss in the cage so I can jump on her arm?

oh the lighty  lights are going dim and my heat light one is out now. Snug up to the glass on my perch  because my heat mat makes the glass just the right temp.  
Lights out 

At that point I have no clue what type of froggy things she gets up to overnight but she is not always on her perch in the morning. 
 

her tank

her perch

her favorite napping leaves

Edited September 15, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/15/2022 at 11:50 AM, Guppysnail said:

Froggin (that’s her name) is a girl so does not sing. 
 

A day in the life:

oh mom turned the dawn lights on. Now they are bright an goodie there is that nice warm light. Survey my kingdom from my perch. Good morning kitties. Thank you for coming to see me.  Hey Simba get off my roof you are blocking the warm light. 
Yawn, shake out the limbs and oh mom just refilled the swimmy pool. Time to take a long soak.  
uh oh tummy rumbling hmm crickets, isopods p, springtails and gnats for yummy snacking.  
Full belly find a nice plant leaf to nap on. 
Going to explore a bit, return to my perch and stare at mom n dad on the couch.  Wonder when mom will fuss in the cage so I can jump on her arm?

oh the lights lights are going dim and my heater one is out now. Snug up to the glass on my perch  because my heat mat makes the glass just the right temp.  
Lights out 

At that point I have no clue what type of froggy things she gets up to overnight but she is not always on her perch in the morning. 
 

her tank

her perch

her favorite napping leaves

I love it!  ❤️  Froggin has a nice little forest to enjoy in there.  It looks very cozy.

Also I never knew that girl frogs don't sing.  I learn something every day!

Have you tried giving any of the worm cultures to Miss Froggin?

[Guppysnail]

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea no I have not. They burrow instantly and would be out of her reach. Occasionally when I’m at the lfs I will see a white freshly shed dubia roach or small just shed white super worm. She will sometimes take those from my fingers if it’s early enough in the afternoon before she pigs out on her in tank crickets or her isopod cleanup crew 🙄

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/15/2022 at 11:59 AM, Guppysnail said:

@Chick-In-Of-TheSea no I have not. They burrow instantly and would be out of her reach. Occasionally when I’m at the lfs I will see a white freshly shed dubia roach or small just shed white super worm. She will sometimes take those from my fingers if it’s early enough in the afternoon before she pigs out on her in tank crickets or her isopod cleanup crew 🙄

Does she fetch the gnats out of the air like in the cartoons?  😄

[Guppysnail]

On 9/15/2022 at 12:09 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

Does she fetch the gnats out of the air like in the cartoons?  😄

If they get close she sure does. 

[Bev C]

Froggin is a cute her digs are beautiful,,, what kind of frog is she ?  i am getting new babies tomorrow we are going to town getting my shrimp and new bristolnose nose  i will be so excited 😆 

[Minanora]

I love this weeks updates. How did the plecos fair from their travels? I assume they got delivered today. I love your amphibian child, she's adorable!

 

Also. PANDA BABIES!!!! 😍💚🎉

[Guppysnail]

@Bev C She is either a northeastern grey tree frog or a Copes grey tree frog. The only way I know how to tell them apart is by their call. Since she is a girl I can’t tell. A few years ago I bought unfertilized bagged planting soil. When I opened the bag she was in it. She was so tiny she fit on my thumb nail easily. 
 

@Minanora yes all the babies went overnight and arrived safe and sound 🤗

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 9/15/2022 at 12:10 PM, Guppysnail said:

If they get close she sure does. 

How does your home not have gnats everywhere? (If these are dumb questions, it because I’m not schooled in frog.)

On 9/15/2022 at 10:34 PM, Bev C said:

Froggin is a cute her digs are beautiful,,, what kind of frog is she ?  i am getting new babies tomorrow we are going to town getting my shrimp and new bristolnose nose  i will be so excited 😆 

I see shrimp in my future too @Bev C. Waiting til next month just to help out the ol’ budget, since I just bought a school of fish. And finally, an ink bird.

On 9/16/2022 at 5:20 AM, Guppysnail said:

A few years ago I bought unfertilized bagged planting soil. When I opened the bag she was in it. She was so tiny she fit on my thumb nail easily. 

That’s awesome!! It’s like the prize in the Cracker Jack box! Only much cooler!