My Tanks...some Of Them Be Round!

[jennybugs]

Well the cube tank has inhabitants at long last!
The pygmy cories and minute chili rasboras are all happily swimming round the tank and love the flow from the filter. The rasboras are so minute they're nigh on impossible to focus on

Spot the fish!

A fish you won't be able to miss is my F8 Muldoonican...round as round can be at the moment
BLOATER ALERT!

Kissing the glass so you can see his bucky teeth

Oh, and the DPs have moved home too

PS... the water isn't green!

The Arc tank and the betta have gone to a new home and the shell dwelling cichlids will be moving along some time soon as well. The next tank to be recorded will hopefully be a marine set up

 

[Bichonbabe94]

Woa!!!!

Nice pics!

Pic of the month:

Made me laugh. Dunno why!

Andy

hahaha i agree!
this picture is really cutee!
i love the puffers eyes!

 

[hellohefalump]

fantastic tanks! I never liked biorbs/ubes... I always thought they were a bit gimicky. But yours look fab!

I love your F8 puffer

I used to live in Hammersmith and this summer I was at Charing Cross hospital every day for a few weeks because my stepfather spent his last few weeks in the oncology ward there. I always took a little time to admire the giant gouramis and the truly massive plecs! I also like the big koi/goldies in the pond outside. A very fish-friendly hospital!

Who looks after the big tank there?

 

[seanie112]

nice looking fish and fish tanks keep up the good work nice work tank aswell really nice

so many defi snails and fish nicccccccceeeeeeeeeee

 

[jennybugs]

fantastic tanks! I never liked biorbs/ubes... I always thought they were a bit gimicky. But yours look fab!

I love your F8 puffer

I used to live in Hammersmith and this summer I was at Charing Cross hospital every day for a few weeks because my stepfather spent his last few weeks in the oncology ward there. I always took a little time to admire the giant gouramis and the truly massive plecs! I also like the big koi/goldies in the pond outside. A very fish-friendly hospital!

Who looks after the big tank there?

So sorry to hear your stepfather spent time in the oncology ward. That's my department - oncology

I can tell you the tank at CXH is vastly neglected! If I looked after it it wouldn't be looking green every day! I feel really bad for the newer giant gourami as it's been attacked badly and has huge sore open patches on its side. I rarely see it being maintained although I know one of the guys who cleans out the filtration and do bend his ear alot

IMHO biorbs and biubes can look good with a little bit of thought and work. If stocked accordingly they can be very healthy homes for fish. Have you seen the new Reef One 'Life' tanks? HOW expensive are they?
PFK article

Just to update...

I have ordered my marine nano tank and it should be arriving next week
I'm selling the multies on to a forum member on Saturday and shutting down my 30L biorb for now, moving the cardinals into the multies tank. It's hard shutting down some of my FW tanks and rehoming the fish, but it will be worth it eventually (so I have been told)

 

[jennybugs]

My multies have moved on to a good home (thanks Kewskills) and I have moved my cardinals and green neons to this tank and shut down my 30L biorb for now - hard to do as it was my first tank a few years ago and I'm attached to it

So one or two pics...bear in mind it needs a black background

from this

to this in less than an hour

Bye bye 30L biorb

 

[hellohefalump]

So sorry to hear your stepfather spent time in the oncology ward. That's my department - oncology

I can tell you the tank at CXH is vastly neglected! If I looked after it it wouldn't be looking green every day! I feel really bad for the newer giant gourami as it's been attacked badly and has huge sore open patches on its side. I rarely see it being maintained although I know one of the guys who cleans out the filtration and do bend his ear alot

I'm afraid he died there, but it was about time, because he'd been in pain for years. It must be quite depressing working in oncology... and they're very understaffed - especially at night! I have a lot of respect for you guys working up there!

I did think the tank was a bit green. I'm sorry the gourami's been beaten up. I never saw the sores, they must have appeared later than I was there.

You have definately changed my opinon of biorbs/ubes. How do you stop your anubias getting algae growing on it?

 

[jennybugs]

You have definately changed my opinon of biorbs/ubes. How do you stop your anubias getting algae growing on it?

I never seem to have that problem. The amano shrimp, apple and nerite snails and coriesseem to keep the leaves spotless. I can honestly say its one plant I've never struggled with

 

[jennybugs]

Just a catchup on my tanks

The blue cube has filled out nicely

The brackish tank is just how I want it

The biorb, tetra tank and the community tank are great and this is my new work in progress

for those of you who don't get into the marine section much

 

[RENDOG]

Very Nice tanks! I enjoyed going through the thread and reading about your progress.

 

[veil92]

Nice tanks and fish you have. I really fancy those Boraras brigittae.

 

[8inary]

in regard to puffer fish, what advise would you give to someone thinking about having them. Are they all brackish, or are there some that can be safe in freshwater.

Ideally, I would love to have some which are 4/5" in size - I have a 3ft tank maybe for 2 'male/female'.

What would you advise?

 

[missymiss]

I love this thread. Thank you for sharing such wonderful pictures. *drools*
So jennybugs, as you are the Queen of the bio lol, how to you work around using sand in a biorb?
My old biorb 60L is currently away being fixed as it leaked badly from the bottom causing untold anguish and tantrums from me. LOL. When I get it back I'd like to use sand in there but worried about the filter situation as it's housed in the bottom. Did you need to empty yours to change the filter?

I agree to a large extent about keeping Goldies in biorbs however my friend has housed goldies in one of hers for years. I think though it's all to do with luck, the tank being well matured and not overstocking. I personally have never had luck with Goldies in biorbs, but I also never knew about cycling until keeping tropical so my experience doesn't count for much.

 

[missymiss]

Duh me. Sorry, I just found a thread which hinted on you using a different filter with your biOrb thus being able to use sand in it.
How did you do that Jennybugs and what filter did you use? There's also an air stone at the bottom of the biOrb so did you take that out too? I'm intrigued.
I've joined a biorb forum (although they have to activate my account) - the only one I could find so maybe I can get some tips there too, but you seem to be a good person to ask about the filter issue.

Thanks.

 

[jennybugs]

in regard to puffer fish, what advise would you give to someone thinking about having them. Are they all brackish, or are there some that can be safe in freshwater.

Ideally, I would love to have some which are 4/5" in size - I have a 3ft tank maybe for 2 'male/female'.

What would you advise?

My dwarf puffers are freshwater and the Figure 8s are low end brackish - almost freshwater but not quite.
Freshwater you're looking at Colomesus assellus South American Puffers to name but one, but have a google for freshwater puffers as there are so many I could name. The info you can find on here in the oddball section is superb
If you want brackish puffers then I highly recommend the Figure 8 puffers Tetraodon biocellatus. You could have a few in a tank that's 3 foot long

I agree to a large extent about keeping Goldies in biorbs however my friend has housed goldies in one of hers for years. I think though it's all to do with luck, the tank being well matured and not overstocking. I personally have never had luck with Goldies in biorbs, but I also never knew about cycling until keeping tropical so my experience doesn't count for much.

Without wanting to sound rude, your friend's goldies may 'seem' happy but stunting is a huge reality for goldfish in tanks that are too small and I would never suggest stocking them in a biorb at all I recommend the standard minimum 20 gallons for the first goldie and a further 10 gallons minimum for each extra fish. I'll be adding another tank to this thread soon - a big 40 gallon tank for some orandas and a black moor

How did you do that Jennybugs and what filter did you use? There's also an air stone at the bottom of the biOrb so did you take that out too? I'm intrigued.
I've joined a biorb forum (although they have to activate my account) - the only one I could find so maybe I can get some tips there too, but you seem to be a good person to ask about the filter issue.

Thanks.

Have you used the same username on the forum you speak of? If so I'll chivvy it up as I'm a moderator there!

I modified the biorb so I can return it to normal if I want. I took the filter section out that holds the sponge and bubble tube, tied a knot in the end of the airhose and added a second one way valve to the tube to save any leaking.
I then filled the filter basket bit with pebbles then added my well washed sand and an Ehiem Aquaball filter (not the smallest one) so that the outflow can be directed to the surface for extra agitation.
It's as simple as that

HTH