So hey, all! It's been a while! Lots of changes...unfortunately, I DID tear down my fish tank. 60+ hour weeks and other social engagements are not conducive to keeping up with tank maintenance. Gave away all the babies and the tank is now sitting idle in my living room until further notice. Anyone want a tank??
In other sad news, after losing Peach this spring, Dora and Nutters both have passed. Nutters to an upper respiratory infection and Dora not long after. Dora had to be humanely euthanised after not moving or eating for 2 days. Poor baby rattigans. At least they are all playing together again over the rainbow bridge.
We have two new additions to the family, Rosie the african grey parrot and D'Artagnan, or Dart for short, the jenday conure. More on them later, as well as photos. May have to change the name of my blog...Birds, dogs, and carriages...but I like rats in the middle. More interesting?
Well, that is all for the update, as I must sleep! More to come, I promise!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Movie Links!
Here are some tank and critter videos I posted on youtube.com. Enjoy!
Cory Party
Ghost Shrimp
Full tank This is a fun one. The music picks up when one of the blue rams dives in to chase everyone!
-Bri
Cory Party
Ghost Shrimp
Full tank This is a fun one. The music picks up when one of the blue rams dives in to chase everyone!
-Bri
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Five things I hear all the time that drive me nuts...
1. It's just a fish.
And let me tell you how useless your job is now that you have belittled mine. Not only that, but at some point, a life, no matter how little, needs to be valued. If small lives are not valued, at what point does that feed up into society to the point where no life is valued but your own? I spend countless hours every day I work (and many that I don't) caring for these animals, feeding them, medicating them, agonizing over their little lives. If it's "just a fish", why do I do it? Because there are countless people who enjoy taking care of a tiny ecosystem in their homes, doing their research, educating themselves on the care of their charges, and agonizing over every little death. THOSE are the people I do this for, and that is the reason I cannot even fathom the idea that "it's just a fish".
2. Why won't you sell me this fish?
I try my hardest to never refuse a sale. I make recommendations, let them know why a fish will not be appropriate for their setup, and try to be as polite as possible while they are wrapping their mind around the information. If it gets to the point where I have to refuse a sale, I have probably been talking myself blue about why the fish they are interested in is not suitable for their tank. The fish's size, temperment, or specific needs are not going to make it a good match for that person and their tank. I don't refuse a sale if the fish is slightly unsuitable, only if there is a HUGE discrepancy between what that fish needs and what the person is able to or willing to provide. Examples of sales I've refused: a black ghost knife to a 10 gallon tank, a bala shark to a 1 gallon bowl, several large goldfish to a 20 gallon tank, guppies to tanks with cichlids, and the list goes on and on. There are too many people willing to throw away their money on something "cool" and "different" and don't want to do any research or accept any education on the new acquisition. That is why I won't sell you that fish.
3. But you have so many of them in the same tank. Why can't I do that?
Our system is an established 1700+ gallon system. All tanks are one. It automatically changes around 240-360 gallons of water daily, which means that every 5 days or so, all of the water has been replaced with new, fresh water. The vast majority of fish owners change the majority of their water over the course of a month or two. That's why we can house so many fish. It's also why our fish are OK with the occasional goldfish roomate in their tank.
4. But they are so small. Why can't I have (this many)?
They are ALL babies/juveniles. They grow. That is all.
5. Won't they stay the same size as my tank?
This myth is bogus and here's why. Fish will grow based on care, feeding, and water quality. In a small tank that is moderately to heavily stocked with fish, it is VERY difficult to keep great water quality. With large water changes, it is very easy to compromise the biological filter in the tank {the happy bacteria that help digest fish waste (who I always imagine as little smiley critters)} by making the system "too clean". There is a delicate balance between keeping the water changed out and clean and making the tank "too clean" that is difficult to attain. So, in a small tank (up to 30 gallons), there will often be rather high levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, which can either kill immediately when levels are too concentrated, or build up slowly in the fish's system over time and kill them when they have reached lethal levels in the fish's system. At that point, they have gotten "as large as the tank will let them". That quote goes in quotation marks because it should more accurately be called "as long as this fish can live in the tank before slowly poisoning itself to death". The fish lives as long as it can in the situation in which it is provided and suffers the whole time. Is that really how you would like to keep your fish?
That is all for now. Just went fish shopping at a LFS (local fish store) and purchased two female blue ram cichlids, two baby albino bristlenose cats, and a shoal of 5 peppered corydoras! Will post scientific names and pics later!
And let me tell you how useless your job is now that you have belittled mine. Not only that, but at some point, a life, no matter how little, needs to be valued. If small lives are not valued, at what point does that feed up into society to the point where no life is valued but your own? I spend countless hours every day I work (and many that I don't) caring for these animals, feeding them, medicating them, agonizing over their little lives. If it's "just a fish", why do I do it? Because there are countless people who enjoy taking care of a tiny ecosystem in their homes, doing their research, educating themselves on the care of their charges, and agonizing over every little death. THOSE are the people I do this for, and that is the reason I cannot even fathom the idea that "it's just a fish".
2. Why won't you sell me this fish?
I try my hardest to never refuse a sale. I make recommendations, let them know why a fish will not be appropriate for their setup, and try to be as polite as possible while they are wrapping their mind around the information. If it gets to the point where I have to refuse a sale, I have probably been talking myself blue about why the fish they are interested in is not suitable for their tank. The fish's size, temperment, or specific needs are not going to make it a good match for that person and their tank. I don't refuse a sale if the fish is slightly unsuitable, only if there is a HUGE discrepancy between what that fish needs and what the person is able to or willing to provide. Examples of sales I've refused: a black ghost knife to a 10 gallon tank, a bala shark to a 1 gallon bowl, several large goldfish to a 20 gallon tank, guppies to tanks with cichlids, and the list goes on and on. There are too many people willing to throw away their money on something "cool" and "different" and don't want to do any research or accept any education on the new acquisition. That is why I won't sell you that fish.
3. But you have so many of them in the same tank. Why can't I do that?
Our system is an established 1700+ gallon system. All tanks are one. It automatically changes around 240-360 gallons of water daily, which means that every 5 days or so, all of the water has been replaced with new, fresh water. The vast majority of fish owners change the majority of their water over the course of a month or two. That's why we can house so many fish. It's also why our fish are OK with the occasional goldfish roomate in their tank.
4. But they are so small. Why can't I have (this many)?
They are ALL babies/juveniles. They grow. That is all.
5. Won't they stay the same size as my tank?
This myth is bogus and here's why. Fish will grow based on care, feeding, and water quality. In a small tank that is moderately to heavily stocked with fish, it is VERY difficult to keep great water quality. With large water changes, it is very easy to compromise the biological filter in the tank {the happy bacteria that help digest fish waste (who I always imagine as little smiley critters)} by making the system "too clean". There is a delicate balance between keeping the water changed out and clean and making the tank "too clean" that is difficult to attain. So, in a small tank (up to 30 gallons), there will often be rather high levels of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates, which can either kill immediately when levels are too concentrated, or build up slowly in the fish's system over time and kill them when they have reached lethal levels in the fish's system. At that point, they have gotten "as large as the tank will let them". That quote goes in quotation marks because it should more accurately be called "as long as this fish can live in the tank before slowly poisoning itself to death". The fish lives as long as it can in the situation in which it is provided and suffers the whole time. Is that really how you would like to keep your fish?
That is all for now. Just went fish shopping at a LFS (local fish store) and purchased two female blue ram cichlids, two baby albino bristlenose cats, and a shoal of 5 peppered corydoras! Will post scientific names and pics later!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
In the effort to remove all traces of ich from my tank...
...I have lost my pleco and both otocinclus cats. Sad day. On the good side of things, I did really want a bristlenose cat instead of the rubberlip, so I guess this gives me the opportunity to purchase one of those once everything is cleared up. The good news is, one of my ghost shrimp is carrying around eggs in her swimmerettes!! I mentioned to her last night as I watched her carrying the babies that she better continue making babies, because fairly soon, I will be adding the dwarf cichlids who may want to eat her babies. She paused, made a brief motion that I can only imagine was the shrimp equivalent of "the bird", and then continued on her merry way.
The tank is doing well otherwise. CO2 reactor is producing well, not ANYTHING like what I expected, but it seems to be helping the plants out. The ozelot sword is going CRAZY being in the center of everything, getting all the light and current! New growths all the time, and the other little swords are probably jealous! Moss is doing well, and I have FINALLY started seeing some extensions off of the hairgrass. It's not a quick ground cover, but it will do. I have been holding off on liquid fertilizer until the CO2 is producing better and the treatments for ich are finished. I don't want to pummel my critters to death with additives.
Tetras are happy campers and are all starting to plump out. They are getting used to the feeding routine of the net swiping through the tank with dinner. The shrimp basically hear that as the dinner bell and all come out in force! Have been feeding:
Omega One COLOR Tropical Flakes - once daily
Omega One Algae Wafers - twice a week as needed for shrimp
San Francisco Bay CO Frozen Bloodworms - once (maybe twice) a week
San Fransisco Bay CO Frozen Spirulina Brine Shrimp - once a week
Everyone loves everything, and I only limit the algae wafers because the dang shrimp will carry off large portions of them and hoard them away from everyone else. I can make sure everyone gets something to eat if things are in smaller-sized portions. I will even break down the wafers into smaller bits, but then the tetras will try to eat them instead. Damned if you do...
Wishing my pH would just go down already. I feel like I have done enough water changes with RO water to eliminate most of the old tap water from the tank. Not really sure what is holding it back from dropping, and I am rather bummed, since I had hoped to be getting closer to 6.5 by now. Currently sitting around 7.5.
That's all for now. Need to sleep, but will post again soon!
-Bri
The tank is doing well otherwise. CO2 reactor is producing well, not ANYTHING like what I expected, but it seems to be helping the plants out. The ozelot sword is going CRAZY being in the center of everything, getting all the light and current! New growths all the time, and the other little swords are probably jealous! Moss is doing well, and I have FINALLY started seeing some extensions off of the hairgrass. It's not a quick ground cover, but it will do. I have been holding off on liquid fertilizer until the CO2 is producing better and the treatments for ich are finished. I don't want to pummel my critters to death with additives.
Tetras are happy campers and are all starting to plump out. They are getting used to the feeding routine of the net swiping through the tank with dinner. The shrimp basically hear that as the dinner bell and all come out in force! Have been feeding:
Omega One COLOR Tropical Flakes - once daily
Omega One Algae Wafers - twice a week as needed for shrimp
San Francisco Bay CO Frozen Bloodworms - once (maybe twice) a week
San Fransisco Bay CO Frozen Spirulina Brine Shrimp - once a week
Everyone loves everything, and I only limit the algae wafers because the dang shrimp will carry off large portions of them and hoard them away from everyone else. I can make sure everyone gets something to eat if things are in smaller-sized portions. I will even break down the wafers into smaller bits, but then the tetras will try to eat them instead. Damned if you do...
Wishing my pH would just go down already. I feel like I have done enough water changes with RO water to eliminate most of the old tap water from the tank. Not really sure what is holding it back from dropping, and I am rather bummed, since I had hoped to be getting closer to 6.5 by now. Currently sitting around 7.5.
That's all for now. Need to sleep, but will post again soon!
-Bri
Saturday, January 22, 2011
New Camera! Plus, bad news!
Good news is, new camera! Bad news is, ICH! In addition to bringing home some unwanted pond snails, I have also brought home ich! Treating with Kordon's Rid Ich Plus daily and have upped the temp to the mid 80's to increase the ich lifecycle. Everyone seems to be responding well to treatment, but have had one casualty. One of the ornate tetras threw in the towel last night. Watching one of the columbians closely for any problems with a torn caudal fin. Looks fine, so far, but the ich treatment may be helping stave off any secondary infections.
I joined ratemyfishtank.com last night, so make sure and vote for my pics! Username is fishratscarriage.
Ok, so here are the promised pics!
And here's River!
I joined ratemyfishtank.com last night, so make sure and vote for my pics! Username is fishratscarriage.
Ok, so here are the promised pics!
A ghost shrimp close up!
The dang tagalong pond snails!
Bubble counter/diffuser for the CO2 reactor.
Front of tank. Look at that ozelot sword go!
Some of the tetras.
Java moss is also doing well!
One of the otos from the left side of the tank. That is the ONLY stalk of cabomba that is doing well.
A pair of shrimp discussing life.
A columbian bottom and Mr. Pleco.
The CO2 reactor.
A closeup of Mr. Pleco, taking a quick rest.
The right side of the tank, with a baby sword.
More tetras.
Now it's time for some rat and pup pics! Trying out the macro mode on the camera.
Dora wants more peanutbutter drops!
See, she'll do ANYTHING for peanut butter drops!
Including wander the top side of the cage looking for them! There's Miss Mousey Mouse on her wheel!
FINALLY! A peanut butter drop moment!
More please? Nutters is a good photobomber!
Miss Mousey Mouse
Nutters needs to clean up after all of those snacks!
Nutters enjoying a peanut butter drop.
Nutters can't figure out why he smells peanut butter upstairs! (Dora is on top of the hammock enjoying her drop!)
And here's River!
By the end, here, she kept sniffing the camera and pouting that I wan't petting her. Lilly was uncooperative, wanting to play with her toy and not keep still!
That's all for now! More pics once the tank settles out from the water change and ich treatment today!
-Bri
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