Ken's Shipment Arrived

The package with my earthworm pellets showed up by UPS July 30th.  Also inside was my Tom's small hang on the back canister filter.  I LOVE that thing! It set up super easy and the flow is perfect in the 20H.  Has a handy little spray arm is compact and fit behind the tank great.  I added this filter to aid the Fluval 2 already in the tank.  I recently added 10 Corydoras sp. Black babies and a male ancistrus to the tank and felt it needed some extra "oomph".
Another fun item was the WAY to big cave........not sure if I've forgotten the size of an inch or..............but it takes up the entire back corner of the 20H.  It will have to be utilized in another tank, one that could use a bohemith  sized cave.
I've already posted about my new favorite net, the telescoping shrimp net, sure to be my favorite until I try to pull in a 5 inch fish thinking "eh I can do it" and rip the bottom out.......Yep, I do things like that.
FINALLY I got in some sponge filters and promptly placed one in each tank, never know when you'll need one, want that beneficial bacteria to be numerous when you plop it in a new tank.
The Ken's earthworm sticks have to be some of the messiest food I've ever fed.  I have a video that shows the cloud, I'll upload that for a later post.  Its like they ran through snow......They like it but its a real mess.

LOVE These Little Black Corys!

Another couple phone videos so excuse the quality.  These little guys are always on the move and you can see how full their little bellies are.  I swear they've doubled in size in a week!  Watching them eat  black worms twice their body length just cracks me up.  They're ferocious!  LOL
In case you're just tuning in, these are some Corydoras sp. Black purchased from Finatics Tropical Fish Store in Tri-Cities, WA about a week ago.  The left video is when they first arrived.  The right video is about a week later.

Ancistrus Spawned Tonight

Forgive, its a phone video but all I had at the moment of wooing

Microworm Culture AKA Room Clearing Device

I started a Microworm culture last week with a seed culture purchased on Ebay.  

This stuff is not for the faint of heart! Wow.....but the fish fry, Danios and Corys love it.

Male BN Green Dragon Has Picked His Love Cave

Ancistrus male BN purchased from and bred by Don Petty of Finatic's Tropical Fish Store

Tiny Super Cool Net

I ordered in a telescoping shrimp net in my Ken's order last week. It is sooooo small I couldn't picture using it. We all admired its design and telescoping handle though. Well today I decided to net some rainbow fry to move too a different tank. No net would do the job but then I spotted the shrimp net, worked like a charm! Would recommend it to anyone moving small delicate fry.

RIP To Another C. Seussi...........

As you can see he looked pretty rough...

The two listless and hollow seussi members that arrived have both left for greener waters........Yes, a second male also died.  I did finally manage to get some food down him but he died overnight anyway.  The remaining 4 are very active with full tummys..............so fingers crossed they stay that way!

Rainbows Depart To Better Waters

I bagged up and shipped off my Australian Rainbows this morning.  I guess I should say my son Lane's Rainbows.......... Two of them he purchased when he was 10 years old, so about six years ago.  The female was real close to 6 inches and the male not far behind.  They spawned almost every morning for most of the spring and summer this year.  I have a tank full of their offspring!  But, it was time for them to move to a bigger tank and spread their fins.  I'm hoping to have a photo of them in their new 120 gallon home in the living room of Finatic's Tropical Fish Store owner, Don Petty.  He says they're schooling with some other large rainbows and arrived unscathed. The Zebra Danios are no longer hugging the gravel in and out of the plants and are actually schooling up towards the surface again now that the big bullies are gone ;)

RIP - The Perils Of Starting A Wild Caught Species

C. seussi with caudimaculatus in background

Woke up this morning to a dead C. seussi, believe its one of the males.  I pulled him out of the tank and noticed he had a hemorrhage behind the gills on his right side, quite a large hemorrhage to be precise.  I observed all the other tank inhabitants and noticed another male seussi was a bit listless and wasn't enjoying breakfast.  Think he might have eaten some baby brine......not positive.  Hoping he'll hang in there!

RIP

Shipment From Finatic's Tropical Fish Store Is Here!

C. eques

Whiptail Cat

Baby C. sp. Black

Finatics Tropical Fish Store

Another video of C. seussi

They're Here!!

C. seussi floating to acclimate

Little box arrived on the porch today right at noon.  I, of course, was at the airport picking up Ian, my youngest.  So fretted about the heat, checking my time and raced home to rescue my Corys.......

Their color is a bit washed out in these videos due to the sun and stress from shipping, and you'll have to ignore the Woody Woodpecker cartoon in the background.......

I have some other video taken a few hours later that shows the C. seussi's beautiful salmon colored fins, distinct tail stripes and dark body pattern.  Just a gorgeous Cory with bright eyes and a long nose!  I'll upload it to YouTube soon.

They went right to the sand and started rooting for food.  I gave them a meal of shrimp pellets.  One of them loves the algae on the clay pots while 2 others are really colored up cruising the front glass with each other.  VERY pleased with this purchase!!

Spokane, WA, United States 07/24/2013 7:34 A.M. Out For Delivery

Zebra Danio in clay pot cave

So exciting for a fish nerd!  Delivery of C. seussi and caudimaculatus today!

Very large female Rainbow

 Also today I pick my youngest servant aka son up from the Spokane airport.  He's been gone about 6 weeks, visiting his dad in Arizona.  Gotta teach the kid how to lift buckets and do water changes ;)

YUM!

As I posted previously, I received my order for fish food from Repashy.  This is a powdered food that you mix with boiling water to create a gel that you can then form any way you choose.  Slabs, cubes, shredded.  Keep in fridge for a while or freeze for 6 months.  I've got to admit the "meat pie" type smells just like dog food. 

Took me back to when I was a little girl and I would soak the dogs food until I could work it like dough.  I would then form it into "loaves" like bread and let it dry part way.  Then I'd pop it out and slice it for the dogs.  You'd have thought I'd created a treasure!  They couldn't wait to eat it.  Just like my Corys  and this "meat pie" from Repashy.  The picture speaks for itself really..........

Fry Fry and more Fry

All 12 of the C. Trilineatus hatched and were doing well. So, on their second day, I put them in their new home, a small 1 gallon OLD crusty plastic container from the shed.  I scrubbed and chased the spiders out, put some sand in the bottom, a low flow corner filter (since the sponges haven't arrived yet) lots of plant clippings and water from the parents tank.  It had been up and running for a few days and the snails were happy so I figured it was safe.  I get the feeling I won't find them until they are 3 weeks old or so..........they blend real well.  Its like feeding ghosts........

Australian Rainbow fry

Parents of the fry

1 1/2 gallon corner tank

 It became very obvious I was not prepared for the next round of baby fish that hatched in my "garbage" container where I throw plant clippings and extra cups of flourite for later use.  It sits on the windowsill behind my fish tanks and the sun quickly has clipping starting new roots and leaves.  Noticed a bunch of eyeballs swimming around the other day.  They all look like different stages of Australian Rainbow fry.  I pulled some plants out so they could swim a bit and started feeding powdered and baby brine shrimp.  Looks to be about 20 in there.

Impatiently Awaiting The Arrival Of Tank Stand And New Corydoras

Indian Almond Leaf

Arriving this week:

My two sons, Lane and Ian, back from Summer vacation (and my personal servants)
10 Corydoras sp. Black babies from Finatics Tropical Fish Shop in Tri-Cities, WA
  4 Corydoras Eques (wild caught) from Mark Chen at Discus Origins in Florida
  6 Corydoras Seussi (wild caught) from The Wet Spot
  4 Corydoras Caudimaculatus 1.25" (tank raised) from The Wet Spot
  1 Bag full of mixed Cherry Shrimp from Finatics TFS
  2 Whiptail Catfish from Finatics TFS
  1 male BN pleco for the albino BN female below from Finatics TFS

Cozy cave for the very round female ancistrus

UPS tracking assures me the double stand for my two 20L tanks should arrive today so I can get to setting up my new tanks for some of my new arrivals.  I think I will place the eques and seussi in the 36 gallon with the Whiptail Cats for now while the Blacks get some size in a 20L.  The cherry shrimp and male BN are headed for the 20H with hopefully a few assassin snails to curb the snail population.

Morning Wood

 Just made my first Repashy order online.  I ordered their Spawn and Grow for my big breeding operation, Super Green for my algae loving friends, Meat Pie for just about everyone, and last but not least Morning Wood for my sucker mouthed tank inhabitants.  Yes, you heard me right, there actually is a fish food called Morning Wood.  I read the bi-line underneath the food name while driving in the car (not recommended) and promptly bust out laughing!  Then I showed it to my other half, Mike, he says "Seriously??!!" Then also bust out laughing.....

I know I've been gone from the fish hobby for many years.......but WOW!  Now that's my kind of marketing.  Heck I'm still snickering ;)  Well done Repashy, well done.

7 Day Until The Arrival Of Some Rare Corys

Yes, I know.........C. aeneus and trilineatus are two of the most common corys available..........but I had to start somewhere.  Would hate to kill off $20 to $40 fish instead of $3 fish!  SO, my 4 new Corydoras eques and 10 Corydoras sp. Black are one week away from arriving.  I am in a race to set up my new 20L tanks but am on hold waiting for my double tank stand to arrive.  Meanwhile, my other half, Mike, now tells people "We have FOUR fish tanks now!".  He has no idea I have plans for a 55 Gallon grow out tank for the living room wall.  Shhhhhh, he'll love it ;)

Who knew how hard it was to find a good old fashioned sponge filter for a fry tank?!  Not one store on my end of Spokane County, WA OR Pend Oreille County, WA OR Bonners County, Idaho carries a simple sponge filter for a fry tank.  Finally just decided to order some from a store online, but shoot you only get free shipping for orders over $75..........they sure know how to suck us bargain shoppers in!  Sponge filter shopping turned into this:

Quantity Name SKU Each Total Ken's Premium Earthworm Sticks ZZKS00110 $5.25 $5.25 ATI Sponge Filter Mini AATI900 $5.00 $5.00 ATI Hydro Sponge Filter #3 AATI930 $6.00 $12.00 Kordon Methylene Blue 4 oz. RRKD37344 $2.95 $2.95 Tom Mini Rapids Filter ADTO1300 $28.95 $28.95 Seachem Flourish Plant Tabs ACASM505 $6.25 $6.25 Deep Blue Silicone Airline Tubing AA12050 $3.25 $3.25 Kordon Airstone Fine ACAKD62503 $1.45 $5.80 Lee's Airline Suction Cups 6 Pack ACLE10560 $1.65 $1.65 Penn-Plax Lok-Tite 2 Gang Valve ACPVN2 $2.25 $4.50 Lee's Airline Check Valve ACGIACV2B $1.75 $3.50 Ship to Zip/Postal Code Ship to Country Choose a Shipping option Free Ground Shipping $0.00 UPS Next Day Air $109.83 UPS Second Day Air $58.97 UPS Three-Day Select $44.02 Priority Mail(R) $30.15 Express Mail(R) $73.65 Subtotal $79.10 Shipping $0.00 Tax $0.00 Total $79.10
Oh come on!!  LOL ;)  And yes, Don, that is Methylene blue........I listen.  Sometimes.

The Day The C. Trilineatus Hatched

 

Partway through the video you can see one of the fry wiggle in the egg on the middle left of the leaf.

                                                                              You can see a few wriggle around when I move the container

My experiment of no anti-fungal treatment, just using frequent water changes to keep the water from being stagnant seemed to work as there was no fungus visually present on the eggs.  Algae actually started to grow on the sides of the container.  I gave the fry a water change as they were hatching which promoted a few more to burst out of their eggs.

C. Trilineatus Eggs Show Fish Embryo

Small dark embryos appearing

I noticed today, during a water change, that the Cory fry are becoming visible in the eggs. Kind of excited!   I've had no eggs fungus.  I did however drop one egg back in the parent tank during yesterday's water change.... which I was unable to locate again. Oops......I felt pretty bad but I'm kinda old and blind at this point, so I let it go. 

Corys love sunlight.  Will go sit in it for a while, basking.

New plant, Anubis "Nano"

The Corys spawned again late last night.  I did not collect the eggs this time .  I figured I should see how I do with these twelve eggs first.......bet egg #13  would like to alert FPS (fish protective services)about being dropped back in the parent tank......have my tanks inspected, maybe even my eyesight and sanity scrutinized.

Experiment:  I never did add methylene blue, or an air stone, instead I wanted to see if they would hatch and how the fry would do without it.  So far 100% egg fertilization and viability in a small cup with three complete water changes a day. Should be hatching within a day or so.  Then I'll be scrambling for what to do next!

Morning After

5 year old C. aeneus male

I was pretty sure when I awoke that the C. trilineatus eggs I collected yesterday would be a mass of cottony fungus this morning.  I, of course, being the type of person that likes to experience failure first hand, did not follow the implicit instructions of a guru cory breeder. He assured me that by adding 5 drops of methylene blue and vigorously pumping air into the water it would prevent fungus  and other awful things from overtaking the eggs. Instead, I left them in a small plastic cup and changed the water with fresh water from the parent tank about every 3 hours because I was too lazy to drive to Spokane for the needed supplies.........Probably not a good sign for a budding superstar rare Cory breeder!

Why yes, that is carbon under my thumbnail

I creaked out of bed and stumbled in totally expecting to see white on every egg, but every single egg was tan and clear with now a little visible darker sphere inside.  (Hmmm, maybe I should get in my car and head out for needed supplies rather then kill my meager crop of Cory eggs.) I have to purchase my two 20 long breeder tanks from Petco before the sale ends anyway.........BUT will I manage to come home without rescuing all the starving sick Corys?  Stay tuned!

C. Trilineatus eggs

 My first Cory egg collection in over 20 years! A meager 13 eggs from a very young female. You can see a small cluster on the leaf.

Progress And Rare Cory Purchases

 Its been just one day shy of two weeks since I added the new 36 gallon bow front tank .  During those two weeks I've ordered and received Corkscrew Vals, Regular Vals, among many other types of plants.  I will be posting a new photo in a few days.  I also just performed the first water change (50%), scraped algae off the back glass, added a nice topping of sand to the substrate, and moved the Nerite snails in to help with algae control.

Young female laying an egg into her fins

T position spawning

Mystery C. Aeneus

 Meanwhile back in the 20 gallon, in the last few weeks the C. Trilineatus decided to spawn.  They are still quite young and the female only laid one egg at a time probably laying 10 eggs in all.  They spawned again just today after a cool water change and laid 13 eggs total.  I was recently in Petco and spotted 3 starving young C. Trilineatus.  Of course I brought them home, along with another older large C. aeneus type male they said was up for "adoption".

From Don Petty, I have ordered an albino male Ancistrus for my very ripe female. I've also have 10 very young Corydoras sp. Black on order to be the permanent dwellers of the 36 gallon bow front.  Don has also offered to take the large Rainbows off my hands for his living room 120 gallon tank.  Guess this means the lone male Sakura shrimp won't be flipping them off from the tank next door anymore.  Don is taking pity on him and sending some women shrimps. This should be interesting as he just grew himself a nice new suit.  He was so excited the day he shed his old suit that he streaked around the tank the entire day convincing me he might go belly up........

As you can see in the photo above, I decided to give my corys in the 20 gallon some sand to play in.  At first they were hanging mid tank pretty convinced I was trying to kill them but after watching mystery Aeneus plow throw it like snow, they were all out front eating when the lights went out. 

I put in an order for a double 20 gallon long tank stand, some filters, air pumps, etc for my upcoming cory projects.  Petco $1 a gallon sale here I come!  I figure the 20 longs will provide some rearing tanks for my newly expected upcoming eventual fry.  Counting my eggs before they hatch!  Guess I better be on the look out for hard to find or rare cory buys........  Oh yeah! Just ordered some Corydoras Eques so that's two types of hard to find corys purchased in one month.  There's hope for me yet. 

36 gallon bow front tank

At Petsmart I found a 36 gallon bow front tank kit.  I brought it home along with two bags of Flourite gravel and 3 C. Trilineatus.  I set the tank up in a southwestern facing window and promptly moved the 5 Australian Rainbows and 5 Zebra Danios into their new digs.  Both spawned the next morning and promptly ate each others eggs.........

C

The next day I decided to aquascape with a large broken clay strawberry pot and a big flat stone coming up with the above design of a mudhole.  Note to self:  Aquascape BEFORE you add the water........Flourite is some dirty substrate.  

I know, plants like dirt but YUCK look at that swamp!

I went onto a couple of sites and Ebay (waiting for my tank to clear up) purchasing some quality plants for the new aquarium.  I added a filter sponge out of the 20 gallon into the chamber of the new hang on back filter for the 36 gallon do add beneficial bacteria. And proceeded to rinse the filter media numerous times during the day to get the clear water you see below, after a day and a half.

Meanwhile, back in the 20 gallon tank, out appeared a red Sakura male shrimp.  Guess he felt safe after the (giant big mouthed eat anything that moves) Rainbows moved next door.  Made me wonder if he sat looking up at them through their new curved world (would sorta be like the view above) thinking "neener neener" as he picked through the leaves in his new found freedom.