More tank pics, updated
- Thread starter FINWIN
- Start date
Bits and tidbits.
Brick scratched himself pretty good two days ago from his rock bed. The scratches are near his tail on one side and look like a clump of scuff marks. The big klutz is in nesting mode so he's been digging/aquascaping for days. Rocks crack against the glass for hours as he moves them all around like chess pieces. He's dragged around a couple of plants too. Then he goes into 'red tornado' mode, spinning and creating a sandstorm. Boss rides the current in circles and picks tasty snacks from the water column Brick stirs up. Bp Tango now makes umbrellas from leaves. He shapes them perfectly straight across then sits underrneath in the 'shade.' Parrots are a trip and a half.
Acara Jazz has her tube down. She's decided to nest among the hrps...their reaction is mixed at best. They try to reclaim the branch cave or one of the logs but she won't allow it and chases them off. Pretty much just Bogarted her way in and won't leave. Even Hulk has no luck. So she's set up shop somewhere among the hides. When her back is turned they speed past her and dart into the hides.
Boss still has his rock as a 'back' door to his log. He can see over it and it keeps the hrps from entering on that side.
I've decided to leave the fry in the 125 instead of moving to a grow out tank. Fishing them out twice by moving them is more work than I care for. As it is I'll probably have to break down the tank to catch them...they're too fast and smart to trick. In a month they should be well sized to go. I'll be keeping a couple of pink ones...maybe a couple of the striped females. Speck has a couple of daughters with a beautiful red orange belly glow.
Brick scratched himself pretty good two days ago from his rock bed. The scratches are near his tail on one side and look like a clump of scuff marks. The big klutz is in nesting mode so he's been digging/aquascaping for days. Rocks crack against the glass for hours as he moves them all around like chess pieces. He's dragged around a couple of plants too. Then he goes into 'red tornado' mode, spinning and creating a sandstorm. Boss rides the current in circles and picks tasty snacks from the water column Brick stirs up. Bp Tango now makes umbrellas from leaves. He shapes them perfectly straight across then sits underrneath in the 'shade.' Parrots are a trip and a half.
Acara Jazz has her tube down. She's decided to nest among the hrps...their reaction is mixed at best. They try to reclaim the branch cave or one of the logs but she won't allow it and chases them off. Pretty much just Bogarted her way in and won't leave. Even Hulk has no luck. So she's set up shop somewhere among the hides. When her back is turned they speed past her and dart into the hides.
Boss still has his rock as a 'back' door to his log. He can see over it and it keeps the hrps from entering on that side.
I've decided to leave the fry in the 125 instead of moving to a grow out tank. Fishing them out twice by moving them is more work than I care for. As it is I'll probably have to break down the tank to catch them...they're too fast and smart to trick. In a month they should be well sized to go. I'll be keeping a couple of pink ones...maybe a couple of the striped females. Speck has a couple of daughters with a beautiful red orange belly glow.
Weekend off to a cracking start!
Well, not really. So much for my best laid plans. In the 125 Speck and Slade just had another batch!
The newbies are just free swimming and in a corner. I got suspicious when Slade kept flying out and chasing fish away. Speck of course is staying close to her new cloud. So donation time is going to be moved up. I'm going to have to break down the tank anyway.
A couple of the large pink fry have caught my attention. One has a bright red tail now and another has an orange belly spot! Hoping more start coloring up soon.
Probably 2 week timetable for donation. I'm on borrowed time. I like hrps but not this much!
Well, not really. So much for my best laid plans. In the 125 Speck and Slade just had another batch!
The newbies are just free swimming and in a corner. I got suspicious when Slade kept flying out and chasing fish away. Speck of course is staying close to her new cloud. So donation time is going to be moved up. I'm going to have to break down the tank anyway.A couple of the large pink fry have caught my attention. One has a bright red tail now and another has an orange belly spot! Hoping more start coloring up soon.
Probably 2 week timetable for donation. I'm on borrowed time. I like hrps but not this much!
Because of the fiasco with the 50 gal SeaClear and the fact that Speck and Slade have a new cloud of fry, I've decided to change tactics. The 20 long I was going to donate will be repurposed for Lazarus as his permanent home. I spent a portion of this afternoon removing the old blue film from the back and sides. I used dish soap, Lucy's 100% lemon Juice and white vinegar in hot water. My heavy duty paint scraper did the trick after the film soaked for half an hour. Stuff was hard asf to get off the glass at first.
I made another mixed substrate that will blend well with the silk plants. I still have the pink sand that would have been for Patch
but it was planned for a mix anyway since the pink is waaay too loud to use alone, like neon fuschia. I mixed with the dark Baja blue sand (which is in Kong's tank) and some of the Carribean blue (in the 225) and sprinkled with natural river gravel. I've really become a fan of the versatility of mixing gravel with sand.
Filter, glass lid, rock background and led light are ordered and on the way. Will take a pic of the substrate mix. It turned out well! I wanted a base that would let Lazarus stand out and not blend into his surroundings. The pump and airstones are hooked up.
Speaking of Lazarus he has definitely put on size. The large fry will go into the growout tank he's currently in. Later on this spring/summer I plan to get a crystal parrot, a tiger parrot and a panda parrot. Maybe a chocolate, not sure. These would go in the 125 once I get most of those hrps out of there. I will keep a 3-4 of the pink fry to put in with Lazarus permanently.
I made another mixed substrate that will blend well with the silk plants. I still have the pink sand that would have been for Patch
but it was planned for a mix anyway since the pink is waaay too loud to use alone, like neon fuschia. I mixed with the dark Baja blue sand (which is in Kong's tank) and some of the Carribean blue (in the 225) and sprinkled with natural river gravel. I've really become a fan of the versatility of mixing gravel with sand.Filter, glass lid, rock background and led light are ordered and on the way. Will take a pic of the substrate mix. It turned out well! I wanted a base that would let Lazarus stand out and not blend into his surroundings. The pump and airstones are hooked up.
Speaking of Lazarus he has definitely put on size. The large fry will go into the growout tank he's currently in. Later on this spring/summer I plan to get a crystal parrot, a tiger parrot and a panda parrot. Maybe a chocolate, not sure. These would go in the 125 once I get most of those hrps out of there. I will keep a 3-4 of the pink fry to put in with Lazarus permanently.
Nearly all of the supplies have arrived for Lazarus' permanent home. Just waiting on the background and filter. Spent a bit of time making custom settings on the Finnex led strip. I just reconfigured the remote I already had in the fish room and synched all of the tanks the same. I have 3 extra remotes in case I need them.
Brick has now decided he doesn't want to be hand fed, at least for the time being. I have to leave his shrimp/soldier fly larvae at the surface where he'll only eat them if I leave the room. Now he eats his spirulina/blackworm cubes from the feeder pouch instead of by hand.
Oscars.
Brick has now decided he doesn't want to be hand fed, at least for the time being. I have to leave his shrimp/soldier fly larvae at the surface where he'll only eat them if I leave the room. Now he eats his spirulina/blackworm cubes from the feeder pouch instead of by hand.
Oscars.
News! Lots of changes.
Today is move day. Lazarus the hrp will go into his new home with some cousins. Speck and Slade will be temporarily housed with the large fry in the growout. This is to restore some order in the 125. The new fry will be on their own in the 125 with the other fish. Right now the tank is stripped down and wide open. I almost have to admire the determination of the parents to hold 1/2 of the tank but obviously that won't work.
The growout tank will get fresh water. The game of thrones is pretty funny. Speck's over- the-top attacks keep the other fish off balance. Slade spends a lot of energy trying to chase each fish one at a time. They almost make the hyper aggressive Mongo seem sane. He's been run out like everyone else.
Syno Cash tried his luck on the wrong end of town. Batlled with Speck and Slade...it seemed to be pretty even at first but he kept getting tagged on both sides. Once Speck popped him in the eye he'd had enough and took off.
Acara Rocky is the only fish that refuses to back down from their aggression. They rush at him and he just turns his side and flares.
Quick pics:
A few fry clustered around a heater. 125 gets a water change today. It's fairly cloudy here because I removed all the decor. Half an hour later the parents moved them to the bottom. The new fry are skittering across the sand and look almost invisible. I'm estimating 30-50 total.
Today is move day. Lazarus the hrp will go into his new home with some cousins. Speck and Slade will be temporarily housed with the large fry in the growout. This is to restore some order in the 125. The new fry will be on their own in the 125 with the other fish. Right now the tank is stripped down and wide open. I almost have to admire the determination of the parents to hold 1/2 of the tank but obviously that won't work.
The growout tank will get fresh water. The game of thrones is pretty funny. Speck's over- the-top attacks keep the other fish off balance. Slade spends a lot of energy trying to chase each fish one at a time. They almost make the hyper aggressive Mongo seem sane. He's been run out like everyone else.
Syno Cash tried his luck on the wrong end of town. Batlled with Speck and Slade...it seemed to be pretty even at first but he kept getting tagged on both sides. Once Speck popped him in the eye he'd had enough and took off.
Acara Rocky is the only fish that refuses to back down from their aggression. They rush at him and he just turns his side and flares.
Quick pics:
A few fry clustered around a heater. 125 gets a water change today. It's fairly cloudy here because I removed all the decor. Half an hour later the parents moved them to the bottom. The new fry are skittering across the sand and look almost invisible. I'm estimating 30-50 total.
Detail of stone gravel base for silk plants. Flat rocks sandwiched together with black silicone and overlaid with gravel. I sprayed krylon black on the bases and over the plants to bring down the green and give the color more natural looking 3d depth.
More coming soon!
More coming soon!