Forum Tag Extrazaganza: Challenge Edition

[nabokovfan87]

Hey hey everyone,

A few weeks back we had someone start an awesome thread challenging someone on the forums to post what is going on in their fishroom.  I really enjoyed the fun in that thread and so did many other people here.  I would love to bring it back and add some layers to this iteration, which I will call the "challenge edition"

When it's your turn be sure to tag someone in your reply with "I challenge (username)!" and let's keep it going!

Please limit your tags to one user for the sake of trying to keep things making sense.  If someone doesn't respond in ~48 hours or so then I would totally suggest someone, literally anyone, has the room to jump in and challenge the next person on the forums to post.

THE CHALLENGE: If someone tags you, your challenge is to go and spend a few minutes staring at one tank.  It could be anywhere from 5-30+ minutes if you really wanted it to be.  You may record, write, take photos, whatever you wish to do, but the challenge here is to share something you enjoy about that tank that you chose for the task at hand.

I spent a little bit of time checking on the new fish in the tank today.  This is affectionately called the panda horde tank and it houses my Pandas, Grace the RTBS, as well as some new fish I got recently to join them!  One of my favorite parts of my day is checking on Grace and the worlds smallest fry just to make sure everything is going alright.

Please enjoy!
EDIT: Waiting for the audio to upload on the youtube side, and it will be better quality soon! Sorry about that.

 

I challenge........  @tolstoy21!  There is always some cool stuff going on in their fishroom 🙂

Edited October 22, 2022 by nabokovfan87

[TeeJay]

I don't have much knowledge of freshwater sharks. What is it you have?

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/22/2022 at 6:21 PM, TeeJay said:

I don't have much knowledge of freshwater sharks. What is it you have?

It's similar to a rainbow shark but instead of the colored fins it only has the red tail. It's a red tailed black shark.  It's not an actual shark, but very very shark like in shape and behavior.

Same family of fish as SAEs and all those.

[TheSwissAquarist]

Went to go watch my 65 gal, which is a bit of a dumping ground for my aquarium club 😑. 
I’ll tag @Guppysnail 

[tolstoy21]

@nabokovfan87

Hmmmm . . . . . I'm going to take this in a slightly different direction.

Rather than post a video of an aquarium (sorry folks),  I figured I'd take some time and document for everyone what I perceive life to be like in my fishroom. 

And to be honest, while I do very much enjoy breeding fish, I kind of enjoy more the challenge of creating and managing a meaningful side-hustle. 

To that end I am going to list where my mind goes when someone mentions my little basement fishroom, what images flash through my mind, and what kinds of things I spend the most of my time doing when I log off from my day-job and carve out some quality time to spend with the fish.  If I'm going to be honest, when I saw this challenge , this is where my mind went!  

This won't be a traditional 'fishroom' post, but I hope it gives some insight into what attempting to 'breed for (small) profit' is really like from my experience over the past few years. And to me, these are the interesting things. Believe it or not!

1. Cutting foam and making boxes (shipping in general)

 

2. Finishing the build of the room itself

That wall is where most of my free time went this week. But soon, oh soon, it shall be covered in 20 gallon highs!  (Ok maybe that will happen by spring at best).

3. Writing code to manage taking in orders from various marketplaces (and to deal with other mundane, time-consuming tasks)

This is probably the most interesting aspect of this all to me (aside from the fish).

When I first started this journey, I found dealing with multiple marketplaces (ebay, getgills, aquabid, etc), transcribing their output into shipping tools, creating invoices, checking the weather etc . . .  all of that was sucking the soul out of me and taking waaaaay too much time and was to  error-prone.

If I had my own online storefront, this would all be much easier, but then I would have to deal with the whole SEO aspect of things (search engine optimization, aka marketing).

For now I find it easier to just use the most popular platforms already out there and that already have audiences and consumer traffic. But this introduces the challenge of wrangling all the information that comes in from those disparate sources. Some of these platforms offer nice API integration, but others just send you email. None of them integrate with each other nicely.

So what is one to do? Automate it all with code! 

To be honest this is probably what I look forward to finding time to do the most.

5.  Customer Service

A decent chunk of my time daily is spent communicating with customers. And to be honest, I enjoy doing this too. The volume of communication (so far at least) isn't overwhelming, and I find answering people's questions to be satisfying. I'm in technology by trade so most of my life is spent in front of a screen and most of my social interactions happen online. So this just kinds of expands on that and bridges it into 'talking fish' with total strangers who only know me as my goofy logo!

 

5.  Trying not to lose my shirt! (Aka balancing income and expenses) 

6. And Finally, Fish (Jeesh! Took long enough)

 

 

Oh almost forgot to tag someone . . . . . . tag @Fish Folk you are it!

Edited October 24, 2022 by tolstoy21

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/23/2022 at 2:22 PM, tolstoy21 said:

@nabokovfan87

Hmmmm . . . . . I'm going to take this in a slightly different direction.

Rather than post a video of an aquarium (sorry folks).  I figured I'd take some time and document for everyone what I perceive life to be like in my fishroom. 

And to be honest, while I do very much enjoy breeding fish, I kind of enjoy more the challenge of creating and managing a meaningful side-hustle. 

To that end I am going to list where my mind goes when someone mentions my little basement fishroom, what images flash through my mind, and what kinds of things I spend the most of my time doing when I log off from my day-job and carve out some quality time to spend with the fish.  If I'm going to be honest, when I saw this challenge , this is where my mind went!  

This won't be a traditional 'fishroom' post, but I hope it gives some insight into what attempting to 'breed for (small) profit' is really like from my experience over the past few years. And to me, these are the interesting things. Believe it or not!

1. Cutting foam and making boxes (shipping in general)

 

2. Finishing the build of the room itself

That wall is where most of my free time went this week. But soon, oh soon, it shall be covered in 20 gallon highs!  (Ok maybe that will happen by spring at best).

3. Writing code to manage taking in orders from various marketplaces (and to deal with other mundane, time-consuming tasks)

This is probably the most interesting aspect of this all to me (aside from the fish).

When I first started this journey, I found dealing with multiple marketplaces (ebay, getgills, aquabid, etc), transcribing their output into shipping tools, creating invoices, checking the weather etc . . .  all of that was sucking the soul out of me and taking waaaaay too much time and was far to time consuming (end error-prone)

If I had my own online storefront, this would all be much easier, but then I would have to deal with the whole SEO aspect of things (search engine optimization, aka marketing).

For now I find it easier to just use the most popular platforms already out there and that already have audiences and consumer traffic. But this introduces the challenge of wrangling all the information that comes in from those disparate sources. Some of these platforms offer nice API integration, but others just send you email. None of them integrate with each other nicely.

So what is one to do? Automate it all with code! 

To be honest this is probably what I look forward to finding time to do the most.

5.  Customer Service

A decent chunk of my time daily is spent communicating with customers. And to be honest, I enjoy doing this. The volume of communication (so far at least) isn't overwhelming, and I find answering people's questions to be satisfying. I'm in technology by trade so most of my life is spent in front of a screen and most of my social interactions happen online. So this just kinds of expands on that and bridges it into 'talking fish' with total strangers who only know me as my goofy logo!

 

5.  Trying not to lose my shirt! (Aka balancing income and expenses) 

6. Fish (Finally! Jeesh! Took you long enough)

 

 

Oh almost forgot to tag someone . . . . . . tag @Fish Folk you are it!

Like the fact you're taking the initiative ! Do you also code in Python or in JavaScript?

[tolstoy21]

On 10/23/2022 at 8:56 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Like the fact you're taking the initiative ! Do you also code in Python or in JavaScript?

Both actually.  I probably do the least amount of JS, as I only use this for my own personal stuff. I'm not really much of a front-end developer and I'd consider myself still a JS/Vue noob.  But for work, I do a little bit of many things. I do a lot of back-end infrastructure/cloud automation which includes a fair bit of Python.

[Guppysnail]

Crazy musical tank week. So best I can give is some badis pics as most of my tanks are in upheaval. Tag @Odd Duck

 

[tolstoy21]

Ok, so I took a quick video while I was just down tidying things up . . . . 

Man this apisto LOVES this skull.  While I'm watching it, I keep singing (in my head) . . . 'The worms go in, the worms go out. The worms play pinochle in your snout'.

 

[TheSwissAquarist]

I’ll tag @Chick-In-Of-TheSea, she seems a bit left out 🤷‍♂️.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

Thanks! There’s a  handful of things but the newest thing is that I adopted 10 blue dream shrimp on Friday. 
 

And also I have a nerite on a mystery. 
 

And I thought the nerite was cleaning the mystery, but then I took a closer look at I saw the mystery’s snoot turned around cleaning the nerite! They are cleaning each other at the same time! And the little guy Goliath is closely supervising. 
 

I will tag @Cinnebuns to see what adventures are happening in her fish room.

[Fish Folk]

Thanks for the tag @tolstoy21 and also to @nabokovfan87 for the idea.

Between a “Tolstoy” and a “Nabokov,” I am slightly inclined to change my handle to “Dostoyevsky Folk” … but I digress.

I’ve chosen a corner rack for contemplation:

It features a 20-long, with two 10-gal beneath. One by one, they look like…

Before looking much inside, I’d like to celebrate the ridiculous plants growing emersed…

Pothos & Bamboo.

In the 20 gal long… there’s 9-fish, as far as I know…

2x pairs of “Sapphire Dragon” guppies:

This Stiphodon goby I added just on Friday:

And somewhere… supposedly… 4x albino Bristlenose plecos… my 6-yr-old  is searching for them with me now… (by the way, he just drew a guppy for everyone)

I love this Nana petite in the 20 gal.

I keep breaking off parts, and planting in other tanks (see in both 10 gal below)

Now for the middle 10-gal…

It has about 5x fish and ??# of red cherry shrimp.

1-trio of Sapphire Dragon guppies:

2x baby albino bristlenose plecos. Here’s 1…

I cannot find the shrimp just now. Here’s an earlier photo of one from here…

I love this Susswassertang in here…

Bottom 10 gal has had Sapphire Dragon fry drop just within past 48 hrs

Several more baby albino BNPs…

I guess that’s it for now! Here’s a photo of my 2-yr old entranced at another tank…

Let’s see… I shall tag @Baphijmm to learn what’s happening in the Southwest!

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/23/2022 at 12:19 PM, Fish Folk said:

Between a “Tolstoy” and a “Nabokov,” I am slightly inclined to change my handle to “Dostoyevsky Folk” … but I digress.

 

😂 Always funny.  Mine is a hockey player, but I totally understand!

This is a fun one, let's keep it going. Awesome updates and some really amazing setups.

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/23/2022 at 9:19 PM, Fish Folk said:

Here’s a photo of my 2-yr old entranced at another tank…

Whatever keeps them out of trouble 😜!

Love the colors on the guppies btw.

[Odd Duck]

On 10/23/2022 at 9:49 AM, tolstoy21 said:

While I'm watching it, I keep singing (in my head) . . . 'The worms go in, the worms go out. The worms play pinochle in your snout'.

@tolstoy21I’m just a little bit let down that you didn’t find and attach a bit of musical accompaniment of that tune to your video (I hear it in my head, now, too.  Thanks for the ear worm!  😂) and squirt some blackworms, whiteworms, or Grindal worms over the skull’s face during the whole bit.  😂 🤣  If you can write code like that I’m quite certain you can find a bit of music to add to the effect.  😂 🤣 

On 10/23/2022 at 1:05 PM, Chick-In-Of-TheSea said:

I thought the nerite was cleaning the mystery, but then I took a closer look at I saw the mystery’s snoot turned around cleaning the nerite! They are cleaning each other at the same time! And the little guy Goliath is closely supervising. 

@Chick-In-Of-TheSeaThat’s hysterical!  Always love your snail antics, plus fun with shrimp today.

 

On 10/23/2022 at 2:19 PM, Fish Folk said:

he just drew a guppy for everyone

Fantastic artist, right there!  Always awesome tanks plus I love that you keep your tanks a little “dirty” like me!

Thanks for the tag, @Guppysnail, I might have skimmed by this otherwise and missed all this glorious stuff!

 

OK, I’m bucking the system as usual.  Instead of focusing on a single tank, I’m going to focus on a single species, and a single variety in that species.

May I present, the super red bristlenose pleco.  Likely some combination of Ancistrus cirrhosis plus likely a few other species mixed in.  No one is certain exactly which species hybridized to make what we know as “bristlenose plecos” in the hobby today.  There are something like 70 different species of various sizes and colors, but most common ones in the hobby are thought to be hybrids.  There certainly are some pure species but they are harder to find and the brown, albino, blue-eyed lemons, super reds, and snow whites are thought to be a mixture.  I won’t go into the other species since my focus today is my super reds.  Which are orange, not red.  😆 

I just happened to get 3 more long finned super reds from a friend last night.  He dropped them off to me while I was at work since he lives close by there.  Today was also the day to remove a new clutch of babies out of the cave (so sorry Daddy, I know it hurts your feelings but you’re doing a great job raising babies!).

First, a look at the devoted Daddy (a short fin) still in the cave today.  Yep, it’s a terrible pic but that’s all I see of him when he’s tending eggs or babies.  It’s a dead giveaway when he’s tending a clutch that I only see his tail. When I see this much of him it means he’s having trouble keeping the babies corralled and it’s time to take them out of the cave or the angels will eat them as they come out.

 

Next is Momma (also a short fin).

Next is babies from the first clutch - technically the second.  [The “first” clutch is how I learned that the angels would eat the babies. 😳😢]

Just look at that delicious algae built up just for them.

 

Next is new juvies from my friend that’s in the same local aquarium association (long fins).

And finally, the new babies!  Those dark eyes!  Sooooo cute!  And last a pic of their temp set up breeder box where they will be for a few weeks until their bigger siblings are ready to go to new homes.  I have a couple well-aged pieces of IAL and a small piece of wood plus the floaters on top.  The breeder net is in front of the HOB filter so there is always water flowing through the net but without too much force.

I can never figure out how to get text between pictures.  🤷🏻‍♀️ 
Edit to say: I figured out how to space things out.  😆 

Edited October 24, 2022 by Odd Duck
Expand and clarify.

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/24/2022 at 3:53 PM, Odd Duck said:

That’s hysterical!  Always love your snail antics, plus fun with shrimp today.

@Odd Duck they are so silly. And it’s about time I got shrimp! Something I’ve been thinking about for a long time, but I was scared because they look so little and fragile. But so far so good. They’ve all found little jobs to do in the tank, and they love the plants and the snail food too.

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/22/2022 at 4:56 PM, nabokovfan87 said:

THE CHALLENGE: If someone tags you, your challenge is to go and spend a few minutes staring at one tank.  It could be anywhere from 5-30+ minutes if you really wanted it to be.  You may record, write, take photos, whatever you wish to do, but the challenge here is to share something you enjoy about that tank that you chose for the task at hand.

@Torrey Tag! Let's keep this going. 🙂

[Odd Duck]

I just realized, I forgot to tag somebody!  Thank you for the reminder @nabokovfan87.

I tag @OnlyGenusCaps.

[OnlyGenusCaps]

Thanks @Odd Duck.  That was a nice excuse to sit down and with, cautious optimism, enjoy my new puppies.

 

I suppose I should tag someone next.  I'd like to see how @Beardedbillygoat1975's stuff is doing.  Tag!

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/29/2022 at 1:58 AM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Thanks @Odd Duck.  That was a nice excuse to sit down and with, cautious optimism, enjoy my new puppies.

 

I suppose I should tag someone next.  I'd like to see how @Beardedbillygoat1975's stuff is doing.  Tag!

What species are they?

They look great!

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

On 10/24/2022 at 3:53 PM, Odd Duck said:

I can never figure out how to get text between pictures

You add your files, then you type some stuff and leave your cursor where you want the picture to be; scroll down to the picture you want there and click “insert”.

Your cursor is then going to be blinking right after that pic. Hit enter and continue typing more of your post. Go down to hit insert again on another pic, etc

Any pictures you don’t click insert on will be automatically posted at the end of your post

… it looks like you did it in your last post.

Edited October 29, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 10/29/2022 at 1:04 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

What species are they?

Cyprinodon longidorsalis.  They are an EW, Mexican species.  I fell in love with pupfish when I lived in AZ, but you can't keep the native species.  So, this is a pretty good alternative.  In my opinion, they are the most interesting fish to watch.  Easier to find are Florida flagfish, which are also pupfish, but with even more colors. 

[Beardedbillygoat1975]

Firstly, this is the tank that I adjusted the hardscape.  In addition, I recently received new fish. 

2 weeks ago or so I placed @Ken Burke’s angels in. I’ve kept hundreds of cichlids but never angelfish. The gold is spectacular, loads of cichlid behavior and interactions with @Dean’s FishroomFestivums I got at the Coop (RIP Spikey Feathers).

These angels along with my Orange Venezuelan Cory’s, silver tips and cherry barbs make it an amazing watch.
Then @Fish Folksent me a group of his GBRs which are amazing. So much personality and color in such a short period of time.

It’s been a fun tank to create. Enjoying it is the best part. Also thanks for all the help,with the scaling my fellow nerms it’s officially SAF approved. 

have fun everyone and thank you to @nabokovfan87and @OnlyGenusCapsfor the thread and shout out. 

[Fish Folk]

On 10/28/2022 at 7:58 PM, OnlyGenusCaps said:

Thanks @Odd Duck.  That was a nice excuse to sit down and with, cautious optimism, enjoy my new puppies.

 

I suppose I should tag someone next.  I'd like to see how @Beardedbillygoat1975's stuff is doing.  Tag!

This needs to stop. I do not have enough tank space (yet) for these gemstones. Goodness… my wife is going to kill me…

Edited October 29, 2022 by Fish Folk

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 10/29/2022 at 11:57 AM, Beardedbillygoat1975 said:

have fun everyone

Nice update!  Thanks!  Don't forget to the next person.

On 10/29/2022 at 12:24 PM, Fish Folk said:

This needs to stop. I do not have enough tank space (yet) for these gemstones.

It's funny.  They look better IRL.  That's a fairly crappy photo.  They do need space to have enough to deal with the mild aggression.  The nice thing is though, they do better in groups with more males than females.