melbournebetta

Not sure why you need a photo of this, but - here are some of RiffRaff's HMs in my freshly cleaned barracks. cleaned.

not... sure... why.. *shrug*

it's like when you clean your room and you want to tell everyone about it

i guess

Soooooo Remember this project?

I was eyeballing the big tank this morning on my one day off - thinking, I have fifty things to do on my one day off - maybe I could transform this tank again to house my 4 spawns at the moment

What a great idea.

I was going to be a good DIY nessy photographer, and kept thinking of funny things I could say, but at the end of the day, it's going to be night.

And I didn't

Anyway - here's the shots

$50 of filter foam from Clarks rubber, the tank still had the poster edges (on the bottom and the back) so i cut little splits along the edges and sort of wedged the foam in.

For the front I've used random suction caps to hold the foam in place - somebody say SLAP DASH PRODUCTION?

Why yes, yes it is.

Here's the final shot, I've got 2 x 10 watt heaters set at 32 and producing 28 degrees tank, filter foam, seasoned sponge filters in each compartment, plants n stuff.

I made some daggy javamoss carpet squares with some plastic I had lying around... and used the middle one to hold the bowing foam out.

It's architectural.. man.

From the left:

I'll be surprised if these guys live - but they're the salamander spawn I just had - a few weeks old... they're tiny... but they were the reason I've done this... I want them in a stable environment before I leave them for 7 days.

I'll have someone feeding them BBS every second day(ish) but they were previously in 6 lts, now they have about 60.

In the middle:

There's about 5 of these guys - from my HM x Giant spawn - they're pretty big, I'll be jarring them when I get back from away holidaaaaay

This is the only one I was able to sex - oh, you can see the freshwater seaweed carpet I've bound - will this even work?

On the right, are my few week old Spiderman spawn and dragon spawn (they were a few days apart) they're growing out nicely (about 4 weeks)

Already on adult brine and grindals soon

<moar>

the reason I keep fish, train dogs and ride horses?

because humans are idiots.

however, as I'm a bit boring and waaaaaaaaay too slow to anger, personally, I'd still press the reset button in my head...... go in calm.

call ahead, ask to speak to wassisname.

if wassisname isn't in, dont stress, call back when he'll be in - don't communicate with the other douchebags.

call on saturday ahead, ensure he's in & happy to exchange.

(if he wont be around, if he could leave a message for the other staff, leave your name and number too)

go in relaxed, do the exchange and mention at the very end that you were a bit disappointed with the way douche-tastic was behaving on the phone, and has just about lost you as a customer.

Ask to speak with the manager if you can too, just politely, gently - your disappointed, not psycho angry.

the delicacy here is loyalty.. but if a manager hears a formal calm strike against a staff, it may be the tipping point that s/he needs to fire that little idiot.

(:

Shrimp are kooky and fun, they are pretty low maintenance too, with virtually a zero bioload.

You could look at a small gang of Guppies? The fancy russian ones have incredible tails, I have 4 in a little self-contained Dymax IQ3 (9 lt I think) and they're happy chaps.

Maybe look at a gang of lil tetras or danios? (assuming it's heated?) if not a little handful of white clouds might be nice.

the other option is a little nano aquascape, maybe 3 side by side with a good light above?

I love this setup:

Award winning amazing aquascaping potato face.

innit.

http://www.aquariumfish.net/catalog_pages/wild/elephant_nose.htm

"Elephant Noses are very peaceful and interesting fish. The probe below their mouth is not really a nose but is a very sensitive electric organ that is very good at finding small worms in dark or murky water. If you put a small ball of tinfoil in the aquarium, the Elephant Noses will play with it. This may be due to the electrical properties of the tinfoil."

Yeah! we'd love to see how they're going - you can put a bit of tinfoil in the tank for the elephant and watch them play, their snouts are electosensitive (crazy!) so they like to play with tinfoil which has a bit of charge (or something)

Great to see the LFS guy has held up his part, and you can treat it like a learning curve for both of you.

I totally understand the impulse purchase, I nearly came home with a SCAT not knowing ANYTHING about what it wants

just cos has spots and is called Steve.

Fortunately someone bought him.

Phew.

No Argus fish today please Ness.

OOPS!

x

Its a hard one, it's always going to come down to how the individual approaches and reacts.

Partly it's the customer's responsibility to understand what s/he's buying... but when you're taken by something in a shop, you want it then and there... we don't always have access to the right info, so we turn to a shop keeper.

This is why some resources within the shop would be ideal.... imagine if every species in a shop had a care sheet you could hand to the customer before they bought.

But when you ask for advice and it's ill-given, or just wrong (knowingly or unknowingly) I think that's where the service comes into play and you should back your mistake and offer a freaking refund.

We'll be keen to hear how it goes 6ft.

Hey 6 ft,

These guys are amazing little fish, we have them in occasionally & I love their weird little dolphin faces

This is basically my understanding of these fish, they're hideous to each other and wouldn't recommend more than one in the same tank - often groups of these fish are kept together in the fish shop tanks and there is a dominant one that makes everyone else quite miserable.

HOWEVER (where your lfs dude might have gotten it wrong) is that they're generally pretty chill with OTHER fish tank mates.

So there's that... I have to say it's really hard getting to know each and every specie's temperaments and wants, so perhaps go in with the benefit of the doubt.

Take one or both back in and speak with the guy who sold them to you, if he's a reasonable human he'll be receptive.

Just explain exactly what you have here - you didn't know, you asked, and from what you observed, and some advice you've since been given - these guys aren't great in with their own species.

Maybe then suggest that if you return it perhaps you could get a credit note or swap for another fish more suited ...or plants or something.

I was once given an EXTREMELY aggressive catfish (forget the variety) who proceeded to shred all my XXL show quality goldfish's tails - upon good "advice" from someone I trusted at my LFS.

I took it back (albiet a little crocodile-teary) and they refunded me without me even asking.... this is what I would imagine is good standard practise, you need to win the loyalty and trust of your customes or your rooted.

So when all else fails - turn the taps on!!

But seriously, just approach it with the most understanding, diplomatic, calm, happy attitude.

Then when you've negotiated your face off, and IF they still give you grief, throw the "trades and services ombudsman" in the sentence and watch the penny drop.

It shouldn't come to that.

I always go in with diplomacy, calmNess and a positive attitude, people are SO much more receptive to that beat - and if it fails - show them your dark side.

x

SAF - yep, we were getting HAMMERED last weekend, it was weird.

Come and say hi next time, I'm terrible when I'm workin' like a dawg... I don't recognize people I just werk!

Ash: Yes - Blackworms are delivered on Thursdays, so you're best off getting them quickly, as they run out pretty quickly.

I'd call ahead about them before you come in too - as 'burg would have been experiencing there were some weird issues with the last few batches (same supplier) and we were without for a long while.

The supplier seems to have stabilised his stock now tho.

We're really happy with the barracks system, it's always been great to show people how to have multiple fighters, and refreshing to have retail fish in 5 litres each of filtered, cycled, heated heaven!

My fish are reaping the benefits of live food, I'm really noticing the difference in the fry... and as you can see the spawn logs are coming hard and fast now that everyone's conditioned.

Fish Mania!

I'm having a stern word with Justin

Check these guys out!

(Chromaphyosemion-bitaeniatum-Ijebu Ode)

I could just give up Betta forever... I want a rainbow psychadelic magic eye-trick fish.

Serkan, consider me down for some eggs... these are amazing.

Just thought I'd mention that there's a new shipment of halfmoons (pairs and single) in at Subscape Aquarium at the moment.

They'll do shipping at your risk and cost, this is just a quick vid as they were too hard to photograph.

Dumbo PK. PK. CT, VT, HM, Females etc.

Yee haw.

There's updates and stuff on the facebook page tooh: https://www.facebook.com/Subscapeaquarium

hey, what's the rules about posting this sort of stuff?

I love breaking the law first and then finding out what the rules are after.

x

Exciting news, welcome to the forum.

Take some photos and share them via Photobucket.... Personally I found the spawn logs a very informative way to see how others kept successful spawns.

Cheers,

Ness

Happy Belated welcome to the forum - some great photos you have there, I'd love to see more shots of wilds wrapping (that's embarrassing, I think I've never seen it?)

Please go crazy starting threads and sharing your fish - we're always grateful to see more.

Cheers,

Ness

TOTALLY

TOEtally

totally.

entirely - YES.

It's been a mad-dash to learn over the last 2 years, I think we both landed on the forum at a similar time, along with a few others - and the momentum has been tremendous! So have the learning curves, the errors, the tragedies and the mad-professor moments (talking dodgy DIY and outdoor spawning plans)

I get it, and the definition of a "hobby" is something enjoyed.

Just like everything else in your life, you gotta follow the happy... and even if like Adam.. that means taking the pressure off and hanging with the dog more, you just do it.

None of us expect you to keep up with an invisible deadline, participation or attendance, so just do the thing thats right for you - fish need to come in and enrich, not drain our lives.

I've had a shift of late too, while a few have spawned I really don't have the insane drive as I once did.

It's great to identify Why you breed, How you want to go about it and What your expectations are.

Personally I bred because HMs weren't readily available when I discovered them many years ago.... now they are.

I also wanted to improve form, but my fry just aren't nearly as good as their imported parents... well... some... but not all.

How I go about it involves heaps of work, and I'm already doing that more and more in my professional life.... it's getting hard to maintain.

So now I just scream SQUEE when something is wrapping, they get love and attention but I'm not loosing my mind over it anymore.

I've also decided to indulge in some down time after these current spawns are out in the world and do some time with just one display tank for a while.

Maybe even get me a Fluval Edge and scape it up a bit... ya kna? throw some tetras and watch them school.

I'll downsize, until I feel the breeder itch again and drag all the tanks out of the shed and start over.

Follow the happy J.

x

Jump on Ebay or Amazon and look at Uniheat pads, you might find them cheaper somewhere online - they can last up to 72 hours

x

James, This is fantastic - and don't fret, it's a good problem, you can always bring the fish to an ASV meet (Thursday Sept 27th actually) or another fish meet - I'm sur the LFS would take on any donations too.

Brilliant shots too - needless to say! What a happy tank

James, This is fantastic - and don't fret, it's a good problem, you can always bring the fish to an ASV meet (Thursday Sept 27th actually) or another fish meet - I'm sur the LFS would take on any donations too.

Brilliant shots too - needless to say! What a happy tank

Yep - unless you're like me and you

a.) didn't notice there are 2 fish in the same tank and

b.) didn't see the wrap, and

c.) didn't see the eggs when you came home from work, and

d.) didn't see tails 24 hours later and

e.) didn't see the fry decide to free-swim: at which point you have STILL 24-48 hours to get your sh!# together and hatch yourself some BBS.

Sure, try to accelerate the BBS, but it sounds a bit silly.

end (:

Hi Hi

No Paint No Paint

Not inside the tank.

Okay.

Now we have that sorted, you just need to get to eckerseleys or however you spell it at midnight after a night out - (don't ask me)

Anyway - go to art supply shops, or wassamacallit officeworks and find a stiff plastic often used as folder binders.

Use whatever to clamp it at the top (I like the poster edges you can get a Kmart n stuff)

Do you like how descriptive I'm being?

Anyway - cut to size, either leave an area at the front, for flaring or just card the lot (like I do) with a stiff opaque plastic.

I don't bother putting a lid on - i should because theres so much evaporation, but because there's so much evaporation - there's usually a few cms from each barrier for them to jump.

But to be safe, you might want to put a lid on it that u can slide back to feed.

NO Paint inside the waterline.

K?

Yeah have to say the natural light is a winner!

They're lovely - will you keep up a white line? They're so unusual!

x

Hey Bubbles - He's a little miniature mini little iddy biddy baby Angel fish - maybe an altum?

He's a little mongrel... today harassing a juvi guppy female - CHEEKY

Les - yep. it's equal parts heaven, equal parts hell (for my plans to downsize the fish room) - I've already decided I want a big Fluval Edge to scape ! ARGH!

But I'm not just baggin' fish (which i still haven't mastered) I'll be working on the renovation - marketing and branding bizzo.

Fun! I get to spend someone else's moneyyyyyyyyy

http://www.aquariumdesigngroup.com/

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/

http://www.aquamojo.com/

http://www.abramsbooks.com/sea/

You got any fishy related links you want to share?

You know Sarah, it's a bit weird, but having had the experience - I think I'd actually have either an experienced buyer purchase for me, or just go through AB now.... you get more time and space to really look at the good quality photographed fish - and half the ones I wanted were already sold on AB... so it's interesting.

Snow- GO VISIT THE LITTLE FURRY ANIMALS - it's creepy and a bit sad, but they have the most insane animals for sale as pets.

I had to pack my RSPCA sensibilities away and just appreciate the cultural difference.

Enjoy - take photos -and report back!!

Snow:

If you're going to Thailand, and want good quality fish - try to get a hold of Preecha instead, you'll see a lot of junk at Chatuchuk (no, goodish stuff) but if you want breeding stock it's rubbish - we can get HMs in melbourne that are that quality.

Go talk to preecha - he'll take you to the top breeders if you want to buy fish.

Chatuchuk is incredible tho - totally worth a visit - I can still taste the pull-tea. (and the fried bugs)

x