GoofyGarra's Journal

[GoofyGarra]

sometimes i dont think too carefully, i say "im done breeding platies, i have the numbers and ratios i want" then setup a pair of platies 🙄. Im going to move that pair back into the main tank, because im done breeding platies. At this point i want less fish, not more.

Also realized im out of Maracyn, ill have to get more before i get new fish.

Edited October 23, 2023 by GoofyGarra

[GoofyGarra]

i think i have a tannin issue. Just for context as blue gets darker pH gets higher, as blue turns green, pH gets lower.

Tap water:

tank 1:

tank 2:

main tank:

the main difference would be the wood in the main tank, which is probably dropping the pH which the platies dont like as much. so 2options

1. filter out tannins with chemical filtration

2.add more crushed coral to buffer the water back up.

I think i will do option #2 as i can get crushed coral at my LFS for pretty cheap ($2 1lb) and i dont need a lot so it should be a pretty cheap solution to my problem. Ill put the crushed coral inside my hob filter to make sure there is always water passing over it, keeping the pH nice and high. (high as in 7.2-7.4 i have out of the tap)

[GoofyGarra]

ok, the tank for the lab has not been used in years and is a mess. My friend took it home to clean it, (with permission of course) and reseal it if needed. So far he has found a dried up seahorse, and a rusty razor blade, this seems like a pretty neglected tank then.

I should probably ask the LFS if they will take cories one of these days, its been a while since i last called and its possible my previous cories have sold.

New theory: More cories, cories dominate wafer food source, platies dont get to eat as much wafer, platies are hungry, platies eat babies.

[GoofyGarra]

Some of the students heard about the fish tank at the lab and are excited.  I think ill put up a notice when im setting up and maintaining the tank to teach anyone interested about proper aquatics  care.

[GoofyGarra]

Ok, im messing around, again.

Rohan is the cool platy with all the nice blue and red on her. I spotted her looking very pregnant, so as the 5gallon was empty so i plopped her in. People talk about a squaring off of the abdomen, and i really saw that, maybe my pictures will convey that. Maybe platy fry soon?

Water parameters are great for platies, pH is 7.4, hardness is high and with all the plants nitrogen compounds are low, temp is around 77. Should be just right for birthing, here's hoping.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/25/2023 at 6:55 AM, GoofyGarra said:

New theory: More cories, cories dominate wafer food source, platies dont get to eat as much wafer, platies are hungry, platies eat babies.

I think you may have found your cause. 

 

On 10/25/2023 at 4:34 PM, GoofyGarra said:

Some of the students heard about the fish tank at the lab and are excited.  I think ill put up a notice when im setting up and maintaining the tank to teach anyone interested about proper aquatics  care.

Absolutely fabulous that you would allow others to learn 🤗

 

Rohan is so beautiful. I wish you luck. I think she will feel safer in a 5 gallon plant filled vs the smaller one. 

[GoofyGarra]

happy to report that all the shrimp are settling in well. I havent seen any deaths since the first day, and the shrimp look to be molting and growing. Hopefully some shrimplets soon.

[GoofyGarra]

Noticed this on one of my shrimp, should i be concerned? (referring to the white shrimp down the back)

[GoofyGarra]

as my time on sunday mornings becomes more valuable, i did my water change tonight instead, tank is looking good, and the aquaclear is working strong!

[Guppysnail]

Quite a few of my shrimp have a light stripe or gold stripe. I even have brown with a bright yellow stripe and white with a bright white stripe. A few pages back in my journal there is a photo of the white with white stripe. Very neat looking. 

[GoofyGarra]

got this today:

its a finer sponge that i normally wouldnt use but someone in my neighborhood put it out for free so i figured it was worth testing on.

Its a fine sponge that is bumpy:

@nabokovfan87 did you notice any difference in bumpy sponge in your HOB testing?

Its a sponge so im hoping it cleanable, and im seeing right now in my aquaclear if i can use it to replace fine polishing pads. (i have a coop medium prefilter, a 30ppi, this stuff, then bio rings+crushed coral).

[GoofyGarra]

I was doing a WC on the 5gallon and Garra Guy was in the front of the tank begging for food (a good sign) which meant i got a panda garra photoshoot. I really want to document Garra Guy more on this journal, because i love Panda Garras (totally my favorite fish) and i think if people saw them more, they could get really popular in the hobby. Its an active, goofy, colorful, algae eating fish, only disadvantage is the 3-3.5in size and price. Garra Guy is currently a bit over 3in and is probably at full size, he was $15.

"

"Peek a boo" my favorite picture yet:

On 10/12/2023 at 1:14 PM, GoofyGarra said:

I went in to the bio lab today, i brought some mini ramshorn eggs with me, it wowed pretty much everyone in the lab, ill add a video once i get it.

Also got youtube working, here are the baby snails moving inside their eggs:

Edited October 29, 2023 by GoofyGarra

[nabokovfan87]

On 10/29/2023 at 8:53 AM, GoofyGarra said:

@nabokovfan87 did you notice any difference in bumpy sponge in your HOB testing?

yes....
 

 

[GoofyGarra]

ok, so the school tank isnt ready yet, but im working on figuring out stocking so i can QT them at home before sending them to school. Unfortunately, budget is pretty low, here were some of my ideas: (not in any specific order)

1. feeder fish (feeder livebearers, minnows etc...) Pros: Cheap, Cons: May have health issues due to improper care
2. mosquito fish from home. Pros: Free, no health risks, Cons: Aggressive to each other, not very colorful. (i say the mosquitofish because im not willing to give up platies and cories would cloud up the water)
3. small community fish (livebearers,tetras, rasboras...) from LFS. Pros: Colorful, active, lower health risk Cons:  more expensive then other fish on the list
4. Rescue fish. Pros: Free, Rescuing fish Cons: Theoretical, possible health issues, limited selection.
5. small community fish (livebearers,tetras, rasboras...) from Petco. Pros: Cheap, Cons: possible Health Risk

if anyone has any other ideas id be happy to hear them, tank is a 15gallon; 24x12x12

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/30/2023 at 12:32 AM, GoofyGarra said:

ok, so the school tank isnt ready yet, but im working on figuring out stocking so i can QT them at home before sending them to school. Unfortunately, budget is pretty low, here were some of my ideas: (not in any specific order)

1. feeder fish (feeder livebearers, minnows etc...) Pros: Cheap, Cons: May have health issues due to improper care
2. mosquito fish from home. Pros: Free, no health risks, Cons: Aggressive to each other, not very colorful. (i say the mosquitofish because im not willing to give up platies and cories would cloud up the water)
3. small community fish (livebearers,tetras, rasboras...) from LFS. Pros: Colorful, active, lower health risk Cons:  more expensive then other fish on the list
4. Rescue fish. Pros: Free, Rescuing fish Cons: Theoretical, possible health issues, limited selection.
5. small community fish (livebearers,tetras, rasboras...) from Petco. Pros: Cheap, Cons: possible Health Risk

if anyone has any other ideas id be happy to hear them, tank is a 15gallon; 24x12x12

Shrimp? Apistos? 

[GoofyGarra]

On 10/31/2023 at 2:44 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

Shrimp? Apistos? 

apistos are super cool, a bit pricey for the budget though. Maybe a pair of bolivian rams? those are super cool.

I have shrimp now, but am relatively inexperienced with them and dont trust myself putting them in another tank.

Edited October 31, 2023 by GoofyGarra

[GoofyGarra]

will bristlenose plecoes eat swords? I was thinking of trading some cories with my LFS for one, but i have the big sword in the back of the tank i like, is this a risk?

(i would need to rehome most of the cories before i could get a pleco for bioload reasons)

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 10/31/2023 at 4:40 PM, GoofyGarra said:

apistos are super cool, a bit pricey for the budget though. Maybe a pair of bolivian rams? those are super cool.

I have shrimp now, but am relatively inexperienced with them and dont trust myself putting them in another tank.

Here’s an idea : Move some of your Cories into the school tank and get some cheaply platies for it as well. 

[GoofyGarra]

ok, i win the bad aquarist award.😬

I impulse traded some cories for a bristlenose pleco, then on my way home from the LFS realized i was out of maracyn and would need to rush acclimation due to other plans.

on the plus side the fish looks healthy and active. Looks skinny too, ill have to get some food into him.

Needs a name, hard though not knowing male or female yet.

[Guppysnail]

On 10/23/2023 at 6:27 PM, GoofyGarra said:

the main difference would be the wood in the main tank, which is probably dropping the pH which the platies dont like as much. so 2options

This also occurs with high bioload. The excess waste produces acids that lower ph from my understanding. 

 

On 10/31/2023 at 11:40 AM, GoofyGarra said:

apistos are super cool

Not a community fish unless you only get a male. 

 

On 10/31/2023 at 12:20 PM, GoofyGarra said:

will bristlenose plecoes eat swords

Not in my experience if they are fed properly. However they hang underneath the leaves and it damages the leaf. 
 

Congrats on your new pleco. 

[GoofyGarra]

despite my previous issues, im happy to report the new pleco is settling in well. Got a good deal on the super red, although it took a bit of complication with the owner of the LFS, my visit today was its own story.

He/she will is eating xtreme wafers, just not when im sensed in the room, but if i crouch down so my shadow isnt cast on the tank i can see him eating, cant get it on camera yet though. I have him (im just gonna go with him for now) in the 5gallon for QT (no fry from Rohan so she got moved out) and no meds in yet as ive killed fish before from too much meds, so the first few days im just observing things, to see what meds i actually need. Im relieved the fish is eating, because he is looking pretty skinny.

so far looking and acting pretty healthy so im hoping medication is not needed.

On 10/31/2023 at 5:42 PM, Guppysnail said:

Congrats on your new pleco. 

Thanks!

 

Edit: using my non-shadowing crawling method i got a picture of him eating, looks pretty hungry so ill let him eat for now, maybe ill make some more repashy, seems like a good choice for fish like plecos.

Edited October 31, 2023 by GoofyGarra

[Guppysnail]

Don’t forget to feed him veggies. 🥰

[GoofyGarra]

On 10/31/2023 at 6:18 PM, Guppysnail said:

Don’t forget to feed him veggies. 🥰

ill blanch him some  zuchini later this week, just put in a wafer today as thats what i had on hand.

[GoofyGarra]

ok, male or female the new guy's name is Vulcan.

Its a dark red that just reminds me of volcano, so the name fits well.

[GoofyGarra]

ok, going into the bio lab today:

Im setting up the tank today and brought a few things that they needed and i didnt.

 

filtration: tidal 35 w sponge media (temporary for now),ACO small sponge filter, AP30 air pump, airline tubing, air stone.

 

plants:Val, Guppygrass, Pennywort

Other:

Fritz Complete

ACO test strips

24x12 plastic lid