When the sleeper wakes...

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

S American Tank
Swapped a half-coconut for a purpose-built resin 'cave-thingy'. Whilst this has more than one entry/exit, the holes are easily big enough for the male cockatoo to enter.
This has already been 'claimed' by one of the females and the male has also been inside.
I've also done some aqua-gardening, arranging plants to facilitate better privacy and to provide improved sanctuary, should any fry eventually arrive.

Photo to follow.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

So the smaller of the Cockatoo ladies has now left the coconut and has transferred all her attentions to a deep knot-hole, at the back of a piece of wood. She's definitely keeping all other fish away. Either she's guarding yet another batch of eggs, or has moved fry in there.
It's also possible that she's guarding some nerite eggs.
Occupancy of the resin cave seems to vary on a day-to-day basis, with the Pygmy Corys seemingly enjoying it at the mo'.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Yup...yon young lady might be a complete numpty.
She's definitely paying those old Nerite eggs a lot of delicate attention.

In the other tank, Tyrion and his three ladies are getting on fine. No over-chasing of the girls, who I've observed get rather large and, the following morning, distinctly less so, so I suspect eggs are being expelled at some point.
Chilli Rasbora have been moved back into this tank, joining the Sundadanio axelrodi.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

A note on the Vallis I planted...after a couple of months, the main leaves that they arrived with have faded and broken up, BUT fresh green leaves have sprouted from the bases of each and every one, so that's good.
(I really REALLY don't get why so many are allegedly incapable of growing plants in their tanks. Basically, I'm beginning to think that if you can't look after basic plants, then fish are too advanced for you).

 

[itiwhetu]

A note on the Vallis I planted...after a couple of months, the main leaves that they arrived with have faded and broken up, BUT fresh green leaves have sprouted from the bases of each and every one, so that's good.
(I really REALLY don't get why so many are allegedly incapable of growing plants in their tanks. Basically, I'm beginning to think that if you can't look after basic plants, then fish are too advanced for you).

As you see from my thread the growth on every plant in less than a week. People over think these things. Plants don't need fertilizers they don't need light kits that are worth hundreds are dollars. All plants need is nice warm water inside the parameters they prefer, and enough light so they can photosynthesize. Your fish will provide all the nutrients they will ever need.

 

[FishHobby99]

Have you tried fasting the tank for three days?

Do you routinely fast your fish, Bruce? Something I have never done, hence the frequent water changes. Maybe my reticence comes from being a mammal & avian mama too long.

BTW, congratulations on your stellar journal. Deft writing meets expertise, a winning combination.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

(I really REALLY don't get why so many are allegedly incapable of growing plants in their tanks. Basically, I'm beginning to think that if you can't look after basic plants, then fish are too advanced for you).

That is a seriously judgemental comment Bruce

There are many reasons why people do not or feel unable to have real plants in their aquariums

Some, like myself, have a complete non green thumb ability for ANY plant (even weeds run away) and have maybe had, again like myself, extremely bad experiences with plants causing issues within the aquarium......I used real plants from a reputable supplier, allegedly guaranteed hitchiker free, I quarantined them for almost a month in slightly salted warm water and literally within days the aquarium resembled a snail breeding farm

I am no longer physically able to deal with real plants, even if I did have green thumbs, due to disability that has gradually rendered my hands and fingers useless for such delicate tasks as taking care of aquatic plants.

My fish live to a grand old age, they are healthy, they have babies (too often, I might add) and are entirely disease free.....and so what if artificial plants are, to some here, the worst thing since the devil......they work for me and millions of others

Stop being so judgemental, its not fair and its not courteous when you have no idea why anyone uses artificial things in their aquariums. As long as the fish are healthy and their husbandry is done correctly, it should not matter whether the plants are real or not.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Do you routinely fast your fish, Bruce? Something I have never done, hence the frequent water changes. Maybe my reticence comes from being a mammal & avian mama too long.

BTW, congratulations on your stellar journal. Deft writing meets expertise, a winning combination.

I do...but on on a 'regular' basis.
On average, my fish go without food for 24 hours at least once a week.
I feed them small amounts, several times a day, of a wide variety of foods...whilst taking care never to overfeed.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

That is a seriously judgemental comment Bruce

There are many reasons why people do not or feel unable to have real plants in their aquariums

Some, like myself, have a complete non green thumb ability for ANY plant (even weeds run away) and have maybe had, again like myself, extremely bad experiences with plants causing issues within the aquarium......I used real plants from a reputable supplier, allegedly guaranteed hitchiker free, I quarantined them for almost a month in slightly salted warm water and literally within days the aquarium resembled a snail breeding farm

I am no longer physically able to deal with real plants, even if I did have green thumbs, due to disability that has gradually rendered my hands and fingers useless for such delicate tasks as taking care of aquatic plants.

My fish live to a grand old age, they are healthy, they have babies (too often, I might add) and are entirely disease free.....and so what if artificial plants are, to some here, the worst thing since the devil......they work for me and millions of others

Stop being so judgemental, its not fair and its not courteous when you have no idea why anyone uses artificial things in their aquariums. As long as the fish are healthy and their husbandry is done correctly, it should not matter whether the plants are real or not.

Says you...seriously judging me.
I think I'm done here.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

It appears my kuhli loach have definitely been breeding.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Tank 1 Update
Cockatoo Apisto. emerged with small school of fry.
So far, not too problematic for the rest of the tank.
I think I'll add some more vegetation.

Tank 2
All fine and dandy, with a definite bubble nest being made by Tyrion. I haven't observed rumpy-pumpy with his ladies of late, although said ladies do practice with each other. That said, all seem to continue to get along nicely.

Tank 3 Update
I used my patent Kuhli trap and managed to transfer half a dozen baby Kuhli loach to this tank, along with some Celestial Pearl Danio.

 

[itiwhetu]

Tank 1 Update
Cockatoo Apisto. emerged with small school of fry.
So far, not too problematic for the rest of the tank.
I think I'll add some more vegetation.

Tank 2
All fine and dandy, with a definite bubble nest being made by Tyrion. I haven't observed rumpy-pumpy with his ladies of late, although said ladies do practice with each other. That said, all seem to continue to get along nicely.

Tank 3 Update
I used my patent Kuhli trap and managed to transfer half a dozen baby Kuhli loach to this tank, along with some Celestial Pearl Danio.

Well done with breeding Kuhli loaches, what is the trick to get them to spawn

 

[vanalisa]

Says you...seriously judging me.
I think I'm done here.

That is a seriously judgemental comment Bruce

Well, technically, it was just your comment that was addressed.
At least initially...

Believe me, I'm not interested in getting all up in this. I'll just observe that opinions are not the same as judgements. And that goes both ways. Personally I would be grateful for being checked.

Now to offer up my own little bit of "everybody's got one..."

Bruce, that comment shows a meanness of spirit and paucity of compassion that one would not expect given the generous and full-spirited expression of loving-kindness shown in your tanks.

Certainly the hand that types the text cannot be the same that tends the tanks!

 

[itiwhetu]

Personalities should never be judged here, we come from many backgrounds. These comments that annoy you, leave them walk away. Don't try to Annalise the person on the other end of the thread, you really will never guess the complexities of that person. Please try to stay on the format of the Thread. I get annoyed when we see personality clashes, we all love fish, keep it at that.

 

[vanalisa]

Personalities should never be judged here, we come from many backgrounds. These comments that annoy you, leave them walk away. Don't try to Annalise the person on the other end of the thread, you really will never guess the complexities of that person. Please try to stay on the format of the Thread. I get annoyed when we see personality clashes, we all love fish, keep it at that.

I'm not sure if there's comment has anything to do with what I just posted please accept that I'm not wanting to clash with anybody. I don't think you understood the mood and spirit of my response.

I feel like I read an exchange that didn't go over like it was intended. So I thought I'd throw something out there. I didn't mean any ill-will.

The way I can explain my interpretation is when my mom would say something to me like...
"You are too pretty to have something that ugly come out of your mouth."
It would always make me think and consider what it was I had just said.

I tend to believe the best in somebody and I feel that if Bruce found out he was making someone feel uncomfortable he would probably wish he hadn't.
Unfortunately it appears he felt judged.

The person who posted the comment was kind enough to share what they thought, and I thought I would try to make light of the situation because I don't think that person was trying to judge anybody, rather they were trying to explain that there may be reasons that people had difficulty keeping live plants and that his statement sounded judgemental.