something fishy....

[PostmodernProphet]

so from the time I was in law school up until the kids were about ten I was into tropical fish......somewhere along the line I lost interest and the equipment sat in the basement......my son won a goldfish for his girlfriend and he decided to borrow one tank and set it up for that.......my daughter and her roommates got into betta fish and she borrowed another.....after listening to them talk for a year I started to regain interest.....l pulled out my last tank yesterday and checked it out...dang.....a leak......since I bought it in the 70s and had already patched it twice I decided to scrap it......started stalking craig's list.....

found an ad for a 20 gallon tall with all the equipment for $40.....emailed them and scored......picked it up this afternoon.....mentioned it to a friend at coffee and he told me he has a 30 gallon tank in the basement I can have for free.........going to get some blue female bettas and some yellow glow fish tetras and have a UoM fish tank......

http://www.e-aquarium.com.au/images/fighting-fish-female.jpg

http://betseysblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/950508-7.jpg

[Robert A Whit]

so from the time I was in law school up until the kids were about ten I was into tropical fish......somewhere along the line I lost interest and the equipment sat in the basement......my son won a goldfish for his girlfriend and he decided to borrow one tank and set it up for that.......my daughter and her roommates got into betta fish and she borrowed another.....after listening to them talk for a year I started to regain interest.....l pulled out my last tank yesterday and checked it out...dang.....a leak......since I bought it in the 70s and had already patched it twice I decided to scrap it......started stalking craig's list.....

found an ad for a 20 gallon tall with all the equipment for $40.....emailed them and scored......picked it up this afternoon.....mentioned it to a friend at coffee and he told me he has a 30 gallon tank in the basement I can have for free.........going to get some blue female bettas and some yellow glow fish tetras and have a UoM fish tank......

http://www.e-aquarium.com.au/images/fighting-fish-female.jpg

http://betseysblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/950508-7.jpg

Years ago, my daughter wanted a tank and fish. She would pick them out and get me to buy them. When she lost interest, I got rid of everything. Fish are pretty but you must know a lot more about them than I do.

She also loved collecting rocks and I would take her to special stores that had a large variety of rocks and gem stones. She got to be quite the expert on that stuff.

[Trinity]

I just bought a tall 55 gallon salt water tank, with everything except a stand for $150.00. Still looking for a stand or I may just build my own not sure yet. But I am dying to get it put together and try my hand with saltwater fish....I have had freshwater tanks before, but the salt water fish are beautiful....... and I miss the ocean.

[jimnyc]

Raising tropical fish is fun, and can be therapeutic. I had so many setups over the years that I can't count them all. My last was a 75 gallon on a wrought iron stand, with a Fluval filter. And while I love all the little colorful buggers, I recommend people to get Oscars from the time they are tiny. If you get one that is like an inch or so, they are a blast to raise. You can enjoy watching them grow and eat pellet food for a few months before you graduate to very small feeder fish. Then in a year you would graduate again to medium, and then larger. If you keep them in a tank large enough, they will grow to be 1-2 feet. Of course, when they get that big, they will eat about 20-40 feeders ever few to 3 days, and it gets to be tiresome forever going to the pet store (and costs). Unless of course, you buy a 20 gallon to keep your feeders in!

[PostmodernProphet]

I just bought a tall 55 gallon salt water tank, with everything except a stand for $150.00. Still looking for a stand or I may just build my own not sure yet. But I am dying to get it put together and try my hand with saltwater fish....I have had freshwater tanks before, but the salt water fish are beautiful....... and I miss the ocean.

that is a huge deal, saltwater gear is expensive....

[jimnyc]

that is a huge deal, saltwater gear is expensive....

And wait till you buy the fish! I've seen plenty of them at the shop near me run over $400 per fish, and some much more expensive. And it's a lot of work to maintain them as well. I was thinking of starting a brackish tank as the store by me has some cool and mean looking cichlids that require that type of water.

[Abbey Marie]

Every once in a while, I look at my old 30 gallon tank and think I should set it up again. Then I remember how it was cleaning it out all the time, and I let the mood go. ;)
They are very relaxing to watch, though. And the trips to the store to pick out fish were always fun.

[Kathianne]

I guess I'm the only one who truly hates fish tanks. Mind you, I love eating fish, just hate their watching me from tank. My ex had a built into the all huge tank. I hated commercials, that's when I noticed the fish staring at me! Swimming, staring with their unblinking, souless, black eyes. Shivers.

I love the sounds of the ocean. Heck I even love swimming in the ocean, until a fish or sea turtle rubs against me.

[Robert A Whit]

I just bought a tall 55 gallon salt water tank, with everything except a stand for $150.00. Still looking for a stand or I may just build my own not sure yet. But I am dying to get it put together and try my hand with saltwater fish....I have had freshwater tanks before, but the salt water fish are beautiful....... and I miss the ocean.

I know next to nothing about fish, but have you noticed that the prettiest fish come from warmer waters?

I say, hooray global warming. We will get more pretty fish.

[Robert A Whit]

Every once in a while, I look at my old 30 gallon tank and think I should set it up again. Then I remember how it was cleaning it out all the time, and I let the mood go. ;)
They are very relaxing to watch, though. And the trips to the store to pick out fish were always fun.

Yes, there is that problem of cleaning up tanks. That job was not supposed to be my chore since dad was the financier. But kids find a way to escape work, don't they?

[jimnyc]

I guess I'm the only one who truly hates fish tanks. Mind you, I love eating fish, just hate their watching me from tank. My ex had a built into the all huge tank. I hated commercials, that's when I noticed the fish staring at me! Swimming, staring with their unblinking, souless, black eyes. Shivers.

I love the sounds of the ocean. Heck I even love swimming in the ocean, until a fish or sea turtle rubs against me.

Oh, you really need an Oscar then! When they get bigger, I'd swear they could see me! They would sit in the tank at the edge of the glass and just glare at me. Every few seconds their mouths would gape open and *bloop* you would see a bubble of air rise to the surface. Like my dogs, they would just stare and be annoying until I fed them!

[jimnyc]

Yes, there is that problem of cleaning up tanks. That job was not supposed to be my chore since dad was the financier. But kids find a way to escape work, don't they?

Saw about 1/3 of the water every few months. Outside of that, it's mostly all filter. Get a top notch canister ($$$) and the tank will stay cleaner a lot longer!

[Abbey Marie]

Saw about 1/3 of the water every few months. Outside of that, it's mostly all filter. Get a top notch canister ($$$) and the tank will stay cleaner a lot longer!

We had 2 filters in a 30 gallon tank, and an algae eater (Pleco?), and it still got very dirty. My husband said the problem was I was constantly overfeeding the fish. I couldn't help it- they always looked so bored and hungry to me, lol.

[jimnyc]

We had 2 filters in a 30 gallon tank, and an algae eater (Pleco?), and it stil got very dirty. My husband said the problem was I was constantly overfeeding the fish. I couldn't help it- they always looked so bored and hungry to me, lol.

The more they eat the more the waste. Also, the ammonia and PH levels can change the appearance of the water too. Then I suppose there is also uneaten food that builds up, and of course the algae. I still say the filter and PH levels are the most important. I paid like $359 for an awesome Fluval canister filter a long time ago which was used for my 75 gallon tank. And hell, that was Oscar's eating feeders non-stop, lots of waste!! But this filter would go through the whole tank of water much quicker and clean it faster. Too many factors to list here as to why some get much dirtier than others.

Or get a Piranha, even a tiny 1/2 - 1" sucker. Then put in an assortment of other fish. Then look to see how dirty it is in the morning! :coffee:

[Kathianne]

Oh, you really need an Oscar then! When they get bigger, I'd swear they could see me! They would sit in the tank at the edge of the glass and just glare at me. Every few seconds their mouths would gape open and *bloop* you would see a bubble of air rise to the surface. Like my dogs, they would just stare and be annoying until I fed them!

OMG! This is the stuff of nightmares! Goosebumps!

[Kathianne]

We had 2 filters in a 30 gallon tank, and an algae eater (Pleco?), and it still got very dirty. My husband said the problem was I was constantly overfeeding the fish. I couldn't help it- they always looked so bored and hungry to me, lol.

Tell the truth! You were afraid they were going to EAT YOU, if you didn't keep them fat & happy! LOL!

[Syrenn]

we had a tank many years ago.... when we moved we just never set it up again.

the thing i loved the best were the dwarf African frogs and kissing gouramis (blue ones) . .



something i would love to get into is Koi. I think had feeding them is a kick!

[Abbey Marie]

Tell the truth! You were afraid they were going to EAT YOU, if you didn't keep them fat & happy! LOL!

Lol, no, I never had that particular idea. But they may have worried we would eat them!
I just come from an Italian family where food=love, so more food = more love.
:laugh2:

[Voted4Reagan]

And wait till you buy the fish! I've seen plenty of them at the shop near me run over $400 per fish, and some much more expensive. And it's a lot of work to maintain them as well. I was thinking of starting a brackish tank as the store by me has some cool and mean looking cichlids that require that type of water.

get yourself a Live Well to transport and I will catch you all the Saltwater fish you like.

Sea Robins, Porgies, Sand Sharks,Striped Bass, Sea Bass

[PostmodernProphet]

okay, everything is up and running....didn't get any of the bright yellow fish, they wanted $9 each for them and I was too cheap.....got some of these instead
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/gold_gourami.jpg

and one of these..
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/img/Colisa_lalia_3.jpg

and some of these....
http://barracuda.lapunk.hu/tarhely/barracuda/kepek/barbus_titteya.jpg

and finally, some of these....

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m23/bobbla/rummy-nosed-tetra.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

update.....so I got my 20 gallon tank.....and then I was telling a friend about it and he said "we have an old 30 gallon tank in the closet that just takes up space....do you want it?"......and then I added a 2.5 gallon tank for my babies (I currently have about 20 baby fish, two baby chocolate rabbit snails, and a baby blue velvet shrimp I raised from birth).....

about to have a third generation of fish that I raised.....

but then I said to my wife...."I just saw a great deal on a 39 gallon salt water tank of craig's list".....and she said "NO!....no more fish tanks in the house!"......so Saturday I have to go get it and set it up at my office......

no fish were included because his two year old decided to help him clean the tank and poured Windex in it......and his wife said "NO!....no more fish in the house!".....and he didn't have an office......

I'm going to set up what they call a reef tank......a bunch of corals (about thirty coming with the tank)........crabs, snails, shrimp.....maybe one or two small fish.....I would like to have one of these....

proof God has a sense of humor....
http://saltwater.tropicalfishandaquariums.com/Cardinal/PajamaCardinal3.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

here's a pic of the tank I am buying.....
http://images.craigslist.org/00m0m_b7tfXZtN5iG_600x450.jpg

[aboutime]

update.....so I got my 20 gallon tank.....and then I was telling a friend about it and he said "we have an old 30 gallon tank in the closet that just takes up space....do you want it?"......and then I added a 2.5 gallon tank for my babies (I currently have about 20 baby fish, two baby chocolate rabbit snails, and a baby blue velvet shrimp I raised from birth).....

about to have a third generation of fish that I raised.....

but then I said to my wife...."I just saw a great deal on a 39 gallon salt water tank of craig's list".....and she said "NO!....no more fish tanks in the house!"......so Saturday I have to go get it and set it up at my office......

no fish were included because his two year old decided to help him clean the tank and poured Windex in it......and his wife said "NO!....no more fish in the house!".....and he didn't have an office......

I'm going to set up what they call a reef tank......a bunch of corals (about thirty coming with the tank)........crabs, snails, shrimp.....maybe one or two small fish.....I would like to have one of these....

proof God has a sense of humor....
http://saltwater.tropicalfishandaquariums.com/Cardinal/PajamaCardinal3.jpg



We once had a growing collection of tropical fish in a small tank, back in the late 70's, when our oldest turned 5, and wanted to take some of the fish to day-care for SHOW AND TELL.
Problem was. He used his Metal, Starwars (I think) Lunch box. Dipped it into the tank, then closed it around the flopping little things while the water dripped all over our Hardwood, Dining room floor.
Fish are great to have, but there's a lot of special care, and patience that goes along with having them. Great hobby, and always beautiful to watch.

[PostmodernProphet]

okay, its been five weeks.....and Abby's thread about favorites reminded me I've never given you an update.....

here's some pics of the tank now....
http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/6/5/7/5/2/20131119_122337_947539.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

Snail On Rock....


http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/6/5/7/5/2/coralinesnail.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

Emerald crab....

http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/6/5/7/5/2/crab.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoa....

http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/6/5/7/5/2/raddrageye.jpg

[PostmodernProphet]

to give you an idea of the amazing deal this was, the large wavy coral on the top of the first picture is called a Duncan.....there is currently one listed on ebay with 15 heads for $180......

mine has 27 heads.....I paid $250 for it....but I also got the aquarium and everything in it included.....

[PostmodernProphet]

my current project is to set up a sump/refugium for the aquarium.....

another craigslist deal I picked up yesterday.....20 gallon tank, light and filter and about fifty pounds of dry live rock for $50.....

for now I will set it up independently with some of the live sand and live rock from my aquarium, some cheato macro-algae and some copepods which I will breed for food for my mandarin......I will also "cure" enough of the dry rock in it so that in about six months I will have enough new live rock to convert one of my freshwater tanks to another saltwater tank......

ultimately I will add a DIY automatic overflow which will take water from the display tank, run it through a phosban filter (eliminates phosphorous) and into the sump.....from there it will be pumped back to the display tank along with enough of the copepods to automatically feed the mandarin on a daily basis.....

[Abbey Marie]

I like the dotted fish you posted in the Favorites thread. Very pretty!

[PostmodernProphet]

I like the dotted fish you posted in the Favorites thread. Very pretty!

they are, but they are also annoying......they will eat only live food and will only survive long term on one type of live food.....therefore, you need a second tank devoted to growing their food....then, once you have a tank growing their food you can never have more than a mated pair in the same tank because they will kill each other......sometimes, even in the event of a mated pair.....

[Abbey Marie]

High maintenance!

[Jeff]

I have always loved messing with Aquariums, I just bought a 55 gallon tank with 4 filters , the stand, and hundreds of dollars of stuff to go in the tank for $100, a buddy of mine bought a cabin and was moving , the cabin really doesn't have the room so he sold it. Setting it up is a lot of fun, I am trying to make it look as natural as can be but with all the cool decorations they have it is hard to keep it natural looking. I had a 30 gallon tank set up with two Oscars in it , but they had out grown the tank a long time ago so the 55 gallon tank is there new home. They are fun to raise ( I have had them 4 or 5 years now ) the only problem I have is they are now blind ( when they find a gold fish to eat it is luck ) but it does make for fun chases :laugh: So now we will have the Oscars in the big tank, the 30 gallon will hold African Cichlids ( personally besides Salt water I think these are the best looking) and then I have a ten gallon tank for feeder fish ( the Cichlids will also eat feeders) actually the Oscars are from the Cichlid family ( and yes they have different types of Oscars that are very good looking fish ) I think I may get a albino Oscar ( kind of a orange look ) to add color to the big tank .

[PostmodernProphet]

my acan....picture taken on cellphone, then edited with Microsoft Picture Viewer to draw the colors out.....

http://www.thereeftank.com/gallery/files/6/5/7/5/2/acan2.jpg