55Gal Goal Is Planted, Peaceful

[NickAu]

New Nick (and anyone else who's had pearl gouramis), did your pearl gouramis make noise right after the lights went out?

Yes

 

[BeckyCats]

Yes

What interesting fish.

 

[NickAu]

I am a 52 year old man and I cried when I saw Ma and Pa Kettle dead in my tank, I was so upset I couldnt bring my self to get more Gouramis.

This was Ma and Pa Kettle

 

[BettaBettas]

I am a 52 year old man and I cried when I saw Ma and Pa Kettle dead in my tank, I was so upset I couldnt bring my self to get more Gouramis.

This was Ma and Pa Kettle

sad sad story

 

[BeckyCats]

I am a 52 year old man and I cried when I saw Ma and Pa Kettle dead in my tank, I was so upset I couldnt bring my self to get more Gouramis.

This was Ma and Pa Kettle

It is heartening to know that there are good people like you out there who care about their animals. It is awfully sad that your little guys went before their time. They were beautiful.

 

[BeckyCats]

 

[BeckyCats]

Ladies and Gentleman, I believe I have captured photographic evidence that my Assassin Snail is not, I repeat, NOT a vegetarian after all! Despite seeing him crawl past snails, crawl over snails, and even give a snail a ride on his back, without harming a one, he has finally (I think) eaten a snail! Note the other two snails running away as fast as snails can go. The blob in front of the assassin snail is, well, was a pond snail.

 

[BeckyCats]

So, why did no one tell me that cories are almost as prolific as live-bearers? Okay, so that's an exaggeration, but these guys are laying an awful lot of eggs and a good number of them survive predation in my tank. The filter sponge keeps the fry from getting sucked into the filter and therefore protected until I empty it, but I just saw another couple of tiny fish that are much smaller than the last batch of 11 that I saved from the last time I had an unprotected filter intake. I'm trying to think how many cories are in there are now. I just don't know. At least 16 babies from the filter combined with the 2 that I saw today, plus 10 adults. Oh brother. That's a lot of fish! I think I'll post a separate thread to ask about stocking levels and if I should start getting worried.

 

[BeckyCats]

Did a pruning today. Can't believe I ever worried about the water sprite. And yes, this IS the "after" picture.

Here's the"before" picture:

By the way, I swear I really do have pearl gouramis in there.

 

[BeckyCats]

The Boss actually let me get a picture. That's Crookshanks there next to him (he has a bit of a bend in one of his long fins).

 

[NickAu]

I bet your Gouramis love that tank, Got to love Water Sprite, I have it in all my tanks and my fish love it. And dont it grow BIG?

Boss is stunning.
How much do you interact with them? They are not that hard to train, you can teach them to shake hands with you, take food off your finger that sort of thing, I always try to teach my fish that hand = good, after each water change or when I put my hand in the tank I give them blood worm, I have also managed to teach my Half moon to swim into his cup if needed. The Crown tail just flares at his cup but then again he flares at anything new in his tank.

Yum Yum pond snail. I have seen my Assassins sharing shrimp food with MTS, Its easier to catch food when its in pellet form LOL.

 

[BeckyCats]

I bet your Gouramis love that tank, Got to love Water Sprite, I have it in all my tanks and my fish love it. And dont it grow BIG?

Boss is stunning.
How much do you interact with them? They are not that hard to train, you can teach them to shake hands with you, take food off your finger that sort of thing, I always try to teach my fish that hand = good, after each water change or when I put my hand in the tank.

After a water change, my gouramis teleport to an alternate universe where terrors such as the evil hand-fish and water change tubes don't exist. At least I think that's what happens because they disappear without a trace. It is astonishing to me that such large fish can be so completely hidden in a relatively small area.

Seriously though, I'm sure you're right. If I try to interact more directly with them at feeding time, perhaps they will learn that I have no interest in eating them and that they don't need to flee at my approach.

 

[BeckyCats]

I don't know what to do about the Cory situation. Either some are just not growing, or I saw MORE tiny babies! I suppose I can bring some to the tank at work, but it doesn't have as many plants yet. What if they aren't happy there? What if they miss their original home that they were born in? What if they are traumatized during the scooping and transporting process? What if... What if.... What if.... I guess I'm having a hard time with this. Someone please tell me I'm making too much of it and that they'll be fine.

I suppose at some point I'll have to do something. I'm still holding out hope that I'll get a big tank soonish and I can put some in there.

As for the plants, most seem to be doing well enough. The lace leaf lost some mature leaves but is sprouting new ones so I assume that is normal. The ozelot sword has grown into 2 plants, but I haven't divided them yet. I read that this plant can become 10-12 inches tall and as wide as a 55 gallon tank, but mine is nowhere near that. Not sure if I have a smaller version or if it is not getting what it needs to grow huge. Frankly, I like its current size and don't need it any bigger, so I'm not complaining!

The tall grass has thrown up some shoots in places I didn't plant it. I'll let it go for now, but I may need to weed eventually.

 

[BeckyCats]

Cories at it again!!!!!