What did you get done today?

[Torrey]

On 11/26/2021 at 1:11 PM, scott the fishman said:

YOU ARE A WARRIOR!! i am and i feel your broken heart, your pain! i am not so sure i am surviving! but i do know this hobby and this forum has brought sunshine in my dark world. thank you for sharing!

@scott the fishman surviving is staying topside/above the grass.

Thriving takes a little more time, and a lot of work. 

On 11/26/2021 at 5:40 PM, CalmedByFish said:

Me too. 3 before birth. 1 at age 7, having been fading since birth. And the 1 remaining has very high-demand special needs. I have my fish because nothing else at all makes me want to get out of bed. Nothing. I'd still get up to take care of the 1 remaining, but resolve and joy are not the same experience. 

Loving, because no "hug" option. 

Survivors lift each other up. 

[Alexa]

On 11/27/2021 at 11:45 AM, Gillfish3 said:

Those Red and Blue Rilis look amazing.  I have never seen them before.  Are they easy to keep?

I wasn’t super successful with the rilis pictured, they didn’t breed and ended up dying within a few months. 😞 I am suspecting my water is different from where they were bred.

[Torrey]

On 11/27/2021 at 1:47 PM, lindabee53 said:

It's very hard.

And I don't know what W.A.V.E. is.  I googled it, but no luck, or I didn't recognize the answer when I saw it.

Look up W.A.V.E. by Trauma Healing & Prevention Services on YouTube. It's an approved (by the N'de) adaptation of an emotional regulation exercise N'de teach their children. 

[Tanked]

On 11/27/2021 at 2:52 PM, Patrick_G said:

Fortunately our good friends saved Thanksgiving with an invite to their house! 

I actually spent Thanksgiving day with some good friends.  I have a standing invitation.  The only obstacle I faced was the road closure they forgot to warn me about.  3 broken cars, leaky tires, mountain passes and slow ferries can make Thanksgiving with friends special.  

[ADMWNDSR83]

Went to my local big box store just to look around, and noticed a julidochromis ornatus yellow swimming in the "Asst African Cichlid" tank, for $3.99  He's now in my Tanganyikan tank.

[PineSong]

1) Decided I've produced more than enough fry from a pair of guppies I got at a club sale in September. If any of the fry turn out to be especially pretty adults, I've got about thirty of them, so I can always make more, but meanwhile...

2) I decided to make one of my red Endlers very happy by moving him from the Males Only tank to a 10g with the big female from the abovementioned strain. I figure his sporty physique, pretty colors and Endler DNA will spice up her babies some. 

3) Moved the 2 puny handicapped fry from the big female's second batch to a mesh breeder in another tank so they wouldn't have to work so hard to swim and eat. Realized the airstone in the fry tank was really cranking out air and probably making too much current for young fry, so turned it down. Would have been better to do that two weeks ago 😞, the little bent spine guys have really been struggling to grow.

4) Marked off one. more. day. of waiting for my new wood to get waterlogged. The water has looked like tea through several water changes over the course of three weeks and this thing is still in the middle of the tank. Maybe if every one of the one million snails in the tank and both otos would hop onto it at once, it would sink!

 

[scott the fishman]

On 11/26/2021 at 2:12 PM, FishPlanet said:

They are gold mystery snails. Can I see a pic of your snails? 

here is a pic of my snail 

[scott the fishman]

On 11/28/2021 at 1:08 PM, scott the fishman said:

here is a pic of my snail 

so is that a mystery snail?

[Torrey]

On 11/28/2021 at 1:00 PM, PineSong said:

1) Decided I've produced more than enough fry from a pair of guppies I got at a club sale in September. If any of the fry turn out to be especially pretty adults, I've got about thirty of them, so I can always make more, but meanwhile...

2) I decided to make one of my red Endlers very happy by moving him from the Males Only tank to a 10g with the big female from the abovementioned strain. I figure his sporty physique, pretty colors and Endler DNA will spice up her babies some. 

3) Moved the 2 puny handicapped fry from the big female's second batch to a mesh breeder in another tank so they wouldn't have to work so hard to swim and eat. Realized the airstone in the fry tank was really cranking out air and probably making too much current for young fry, so turned it down. Would have been better to do that two weeks ago 😞, the little bent spine guys have really been struggling to grow.

4) Marked off one. more. day. of waiting for my new wood to get waterlogged. The water has looked like tea through several water changes over the course of three weeks and this thing is still in the middle of the tank. Maybe if every one of the one million snails in the tank and both otos would hop onto it at once, it would sink!

 

My wood I put in the spouse's tank FINALLY SANK! I put some terrestrial moss on it about a month ago?

Today, I got all but 4 tanks ready for me to be out of commission for the next 6 to 8 weeks. When I cleaned and trimmed and water changed the tank for my spouse, I discovered that the wood that sank as I drained 50% of the water.... didn't float back up to the surface when I refilled🤩

So there's only one piece of wood that is marginally floating in the 4' now.

I'll finish the other 4 tomorrow. 😅

You can see the near end of the last log still floating in the middle of the water line. You can just make out one leaf from the crinum on the left ⅓ of the tank.

I also took care of my 2 pico tanks. Pulled out the cyanobacteria that has plagued my 3.5 gallon, and removed the plants that I couldn't clean the bacteria off of.

Through in a philodendron cutting to root while I am recuperating from surgery, and hopefully keep the water healthier?

Will wait to replant after surgery, when I am not cleared for heavy lifting but need something to do in my tanks.😅 I also removed all fauna I could catch, so I can just fertilize the plants and not worry about harming anyone.

This is quickly becoming my favorite little tank, the red plants are taking off! I have to trim back every 2 weeks so they don't take over the tank.

Lights are off on the rest of the tanks I took care of today, so I will update with more pictures tomorrow. 

Life is all about reminding me of my limitations this past month... heck, this past year.

Learning how to work **with** my disabilities is frustrating on the days I expect too much from myself. 

On the days I just allow things to work in their own time?

No frustration!

Now, if I can just remember that lesson🤔

[FishPlanet]

On 11/28/2021 at 3:32 PM, scott the fishman said:

so is that a mystery snail?

It looks like it. He is super cute!

[WillC]

Today, I rested most of the day. Arm was still sore from my latest booster. 

My plants are coming this week from my Plant guy & the Coop. I took the time tonight to finish hooking up my sponge filters, lights, etc... and got it all running on the Kasaa power strip. 

Tank is ready for water! Just a few more things to check off the list tomorrow. Program all the electronics on a the wifi app. I need to pick up a few wood pieces and rock bits to use for the plants that need to be anchored. And a quick stop by a hardware store to get tubing and some buckets for the water change/filling.

Almost there!

 

[drewzero1]

Still sick, but glad my kid is doing better today. Unfortunately my fish are not. I lost a bronze cory and a white cloud in two separate tanks today 😟. I've had both fish about a year and a half. My cories have been extremely skittish since upgrading the community tank, and dash for cover as soon as they see me. I think I stressed them out trying to net them during the move.

I finished reading through every thread on here that mentions pearl gouramis (except, now, this one!) and as soon as I finish reading the anabantoid book I got from the library, I think I'll be ready to add a centerpiece fish. I like to take my time with research to help decide whether or not I can stay interested in keeping a fish long-term.

[PineSong]

On 11/28/2021 at 10:24 PM, drewzero1 said:

My cories have been extremely skittish since upgrading the community tank, and dash for cover as soon as they see me. I think I stressed them out trying to net them during the move.

 

Sorry for your losses. It's interesting how different fish respond to being moved or to the scare of being netted. I've had some who pop into a new tank and go about their day, some who hide in plants for a few minutes, and my ginga sulphureus guppy who stayed at the back of the tank behind plants for about two days when I moved her to a tank by herself, and fled every time she saw me for about two weeks. The males of this strain are also very timid in the community tank. 

[drewzero1]

On 11/29/2021 at 6:59 AM, PineSong said:

Sorry for your losses. It's interesting how different fish respond to being moved or to the scare of being netted. I've had some who pop into a new tank and go about their day, some who hide in plants for a few minutes, and my ginga sulphureus guppy who stayed at the back of the tank behind plants for about two days when I moved her to a tank by herself, and fled every time she saw me for about two weeks. The males of this strain are also very timid in the community tank. 

It took forever to catch those little guys. Meanwhile my endler's kept swimming straight into the net, but I wasn't ready to move them yet. 😆

Two of the three aponogeton bulbs that I put in last week now have shoots around an inch. I think the third one is going to be snail food, but two should be enough. A few days before my cory died I had put in some fake plants and redirected the filter outflow in preparation for gouramis (maybe this week? We'll see). I suspect one of the fake plants had something nasty on it that probably killed my poor cory, the tank had smelled odd after I put it in so I pulled it out right away and did a 25% water change. No other casualties so far 🤞. I really hate when I do something stupid and a fish suffers. I thought I had washed those fake plants well enough, and I thought I trusted the source that they were suitable for aquarium use. 😡

[Taco Playz]

Trimmed the leaves on my plants.

[Torrey]

On 11/29/2021 at 9:37 AM, drewzero1 said:

really hate when I do something stupid and a fish suffers. I thought I had washed those fake plants well enough, and I thought I trusted the source that they were suitable for aquarium use. 😡

How can you know it was bad for the fish, before you put it in?

You took it out, which is the best you can do, right? Plus you did a water change, which means you added Prime.

Obviously you love doing the best you can for your fish, look at all the research you are doing before committing to a gourami. Would you chastise anyone in here for going through the same experience?

 

Or would you be supportive and compassionate?

It's too easy to beat ourselves up. I like to challenge people to do the harder thing: give ourselves grace. The more we are able to give ourselves grace, the easier it becomes to presume the best about ourselves and other people, and the kinder the world becomes. 😉

Look forward to seeing pictures of your tank with your new centerpiece when you pick it up!

On 11/29/2021 at 10:35 AM, Taco Playz said:

Trimmed the leaves on my plants.

Wish you were close by, judging by the growth between Sunday and now, I suspect that a few of my tanks are going to need trims before my surgeon clears me to work on the tanks😅

I love sculpting and trimming plants, *when* it doesn't bring me pain. Something very cathartic about shaping plants into a pleasing form.... probably why I used to love tending to bonsai🤔

[drewzero1]

Thanks @Torrey  I needed the reminder to give myself grace. Everything else in the tank has been fine, so I went ahead and picked up a young pearl gourami at my LFS yesterday. It appears to be female, but may just be too young to tell. (S)he's very skittish so I've got the lights low today, and I'm trying not to make any sudden moves. I think it might be time to start a journal for this tank. 😁

Apons are up to two inches. Won't be long now!

[Kyle murfitt]

Set up the new 75! Moved all the mbuna, 4 corys , 1 siemese algae eater, and 1 green phantom pleco to the new 75, completely cleaned and reset the 20 gallon screened in patio tank ( new qt and plants tank ) , and 1 month in on the 29 gallon apisto tank update. 

[BKypreos]

Finally got my Neos into the 20L and decided on a new red halfmoon  betta for the 2.5. He was kinda shy at first but he made himself a home. follow me on instagram @risingsunaquatics

[WillC]

Today, I finally put water in my long awaited first tank in years.

Few lessons learned:

No need to work out when I am carrying 40g of water up stairs on water change days.

Just because a piece of wood is heavy doesn't mean it will sink in your new tank.

You will kill plants, but can always buy more.

Now I begin the waiting game for the wood to get tank ready and the tank to cycle. I am liking the look of plants dominating the tank..... may skip hardscape all together. Time will tell!

 

[anewbie]

Water change on 5 gallon; moved the 8 kubotai rasbora in there to the 40B. I thought they would enjoy mixing with the 10 in the 40B but instead they grouped up together faced off the other group and had a turf war. Luckily no injuries during the war and now they worked out their differences and are one big happy (or unhappy) family.  This leaves 4 ember and 1 neon in the 5 (they've been there for about 18 months); maybe when it warm up I'll try adding a few shrimps:

 

From right to left the obvious plants are Lagenandra Bleeding Heart (you can see a new leaf forming); tiny sword plant;  green greco crypt; pinto anubia; flamingo crypt (turned a bit green when i reduce light - this plant has already split into two); and behind it the second picture another nice crypt (nurii rosen maiden crypt which has been in there for 8 months).

Edited December 2, 2021 by anewbie

[Maggie]

Today my blue dream shrimp order came - I ordered 10 and got 13! While acclimating them I figured they were extra hungry since they spent an extra day in shipping, so I gave them a shrimp lollie and they went nuts! Now in the tank with the surviving 4 out of 6 I got at the LFS, they're not mobbing the lollie so much. I also got some mineral junkie bites that my yellow shrimp always loved. Gotta have a lot of shrimp to see them in action because a lot hide at any given time.

Also, this week I finally started setting up my 20L aquarium. I have an extra airstone in there just to help the cycle more, but still have to attach the A. gold coin (floating) to the top of the wood and make a decision on fish. I also have an extra sponge filter in the shrimp tank and will add that when fish come. I want guppies but am worried about too many fry, and also maybe a female powder blue gourami, and shrimp, and...

[Intuos]

Started scaping my 10g, using fluval stratum with lava rock is media bags underneath to add height as my substrate, with green jade stone as hard scape. Looking forward to doing the planting with rotala orange juice, rotala h'ra, alternanthera reineckii mini, hydrocotyle triparita, Micranthemum tweediel monte carlo, ludwigia palustris mini super red, microsorum pteropus trident, anubias nana bonsai, anubias barteri petite and christmas moss. 

[Taco Playz]

On 12/2/2021 at 6:00 PM, Intuos said:

Started scaping my 10g, using fluval stratum with lava rock is media bags underneath to add height as my substrate, with green jade stone as hard scape. Looking forward to doing the planting with rotala orange juice, rotala h'ra, alternanthera reineckii mini, hydrocotyle triparita, Micranthemum tweediel monte carlo, ludwigia palustris mini super red, microsorum pteropus trident, anubias nana bonsai, anubias barteri petite and christmas moss. 

Nice can't wait to see what it looks like when it's done

[Streetwise]

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