More tank pics, updated

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Blaze is the current queen of the 125 but she's being challenged by her 'niece' Harlequin for top spot. She'll instigate and take cheap shots at Harlequin whenever the mood hits. Slade tries to force her away but she refuses and won't be run out. He chases and she circles right back around and goes in her log. She's set up right next to Harlequin and her fry. Harlequin will retaliate but Blaze is a bit too strong for her. At times Slade seems confused as to whom to chase since neither female will stay put. Sometimes Blaze will even take a shot at Slade to get his attention. She's like the stalker ex. Harlequin's hyper aggression has no effect on Blaze. Blaze reminds me of her mother Pip a lot. Not hyper aggressive but persistent, territorial and a true boss. To confuse matters even more Slade will squeeze in the log with her at times. One of her fry stays close in this pic.

 

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Blaze with the same fry.

 

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See that round thing? That's Brick's ball behind the 225. It was missing for over a day and I got tired of searching for it. So I'm sweeping in the back corner and there it is! Not only is it behind the tank it's at the opposite end by the window! Screwball O.

 

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Forgot to add these pics.

More red rainbow love. Salt comes up and poses every time he sees the camera. Looks like a fish flower the way he's in front of the plants!

 

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He also gives the parrot an assist in controlling the hrps sometimes.

 

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Boss grabs some shade.

 

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I'm a big believer in enrichment in closed environments. So periodically I''ll add new elements for Brick to play with. In addition to his ball he loves the stones. If I drop them in he will arrange them to his liking immediately. I also toss in vine clips. These rocks are large enough for him to move easily (2-3") but not get stuck in his mouth. He stays busy with his arrangements and is never satisfied.

 

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Small news.

After being nose down again for over a week Jazz (acara) is abruptly back to a normal swimming position. I had to force feed her soft pellets about three days ago because she suddenly refused all food for nearly 2 weeks. Her situation is as bizarre as it is baffling. I don't know how much of this is behavioral or damage from her circus flop into the garbage disposal. Just goes back and forth randomly. Once things get settled with the hrp donations I can focus on her tank.

In the 225 its business as usual. Brick smacks his lips when I approach with the bug bin and sticks his head out above the surface! He hasn't been this excited over food since he was a juvie. I just grab a handful, drop them in his maw and he crunches away. The vitamin powder doesn't seem to affect the flavor.

While Brick eats bp Boss and hrp Hulk are locking up over the pit. Pellets rain over them while they keep going at it. Finally Hulk stops fighting to grab some. Boss watches him eat then resumes the fight (cichlids are weird). Eventually Hulk moves away and goes back to his area. Then Boss starts grubbing at the bottom for food. Red Rainbow Salt sometimes assists the parrot in patrolling the tank. He's the only fish given access to Brick's pit.

Bp Tango is cute. He actually schools with Mica's fry! Pretty funny seeing a huge parrot gliding around surrounded by small hrp pinkies! He also rearranges the tank a lot now. Mica swims freely and isn't hassled at all. When the tank is in evening mode Tango retreats to his house and Mica's crew blend into the plants at the back. There's a small log in there for Mica but I can't tell if she uses it.

 

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No real news just some updates.

My female acara Jazz is still alive but basically what I'd call a hospice fish. She can't hold herself up much at all but can swim in stiff bursts. Most of her day is spent resting at the bottom propped under the plants or on her side. Looks like her swim bladder is busted if I had to guess. I bumped up the water temp to 83 which she seems to like better. There seems little point to setting up her tank so I'll likely use it for hrp Mica's fry (they're too small to donate yet). I really like acaras, maybe I'll look into a 'regular' or golden one. She's actually pretty strong when I catch her to feed. Strong enough to leap from my hands straight into a bucket of dirty water I was cleaning poret foam with. (AGAIN!) I usually wear the textured nitrile gloves when handling sick fish to grip them better with a gentler hold. She jumped from my grip anyway...but anytime I'm near the work sink the bottom drain is covered! The only reason she landed in the bucket is because it was in the way. Food helps her strength and she's comfortable with he higher temps. Her situation is posted in the disease thread.

On a lighter note, my Oscar Brick is having a good time hurling his ball out of the tank. It used to be once every other day. Now its several times a day. I get tired of fishing it out from corners, under the window, behind the door, under Kong's tank stand or under the window. So I'll leave it on the floor until I feel like getting it. He stays busy (as the king) bossing the syno and hrps and doing aqua scaping. The large rocks get rearranged like chess pieces (you can hear the cracking in the next room).

Bp Boss often gets an assist from red rainbow Salt for keeping tank order. The two have always gotten along well. Somettimes the hrps challenge the oscar for a space. Brick just swims at them slow and opens his maw. They scatter.

 

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Part of that last post got lost in cyberspace. The pic of Kong is showing her lips that have gotten large from locking up with her fiesty tankmate hrp Speck. Makes me think of a thread mentioning amphs changing lip/mouth shape based on environment. Wonder if it applies to their hybrids...Kong's got some soup suckers now. She grips the smaller fish by the face when they liplock. Hrp Speck hates it and breaks away. She's ultra aggressive but so is the parrot. Plus Kong is just as fast and a whole lot bigger.