[Thothgirl]

Okay! managed to do testing last night (being stuck in bed sucks!) but Saki's tank, which used to be Myrs and was originally Maxxs, has Cycled again! Woo! I am keeping an eye on him for colour changing because I am thinking he is gonna go more blue. he likes to tangle himself up in the crypts and use them as a hammock. He seems to be fine being stuck in a corner. Kinda like the whole world to himself.

Myr's tank (5.5) Cycled! I double checked everything, but yeah. Myr is the amazing Cycling fish. he has stopped being grumpy at the smaller accommodations and have recently been wondering where in the world I am! I used to be there all the time and now he hasn't seen me in days!

Fritz's tank is still no cycled. and he is pouting at the bottom the tank. He is the one closest to me while I am stuck in bed and he will pout, swim around and make sure I am watching then pout again. it reminds me of the ferrets doing the flat ferret thing. All I can tell him is his displeasure has been registered. I actually wonder if HE would like the 5.5 more. anyone know what a Betta who want's a smaller tank acts like? he has a shrimpy friend who he entirely ignores. It occurs to me that Fritz might actually allow something other than betta to live in his space. Myr and Saki won't. Oh the possibilities! well, once he stops sulking.

The reason I put it at sulking is that there is nothing wrong with him. I have checked, no gasping, no discolouration or even odd behavior. he just catches my eye then sinks to the bottom giving me a "why do you hate me so?" look. then as soon as he thinks I have the message he is back up and swimming.

The 30 is going swimmingly! Herbert squeaked!!! it took me a bit to figure out what in the world was squeaking. then I realized it was Herbert. I think he wants a sexy time friend. which he is NOT going to get in that 30. the angels are fine and starting to go ahead and crowd out the mollies and platies for food. the Cories are doing cory things and seem to be doing well. the PH is a touch high but not to bad. I am worried about the rAte lvl with Herbert, but considering the sheer amount of plant life in the tank I think it will work itself out.

It is totally neat how the 30 everyone can disappear in it! there will be like 1 visible fish then boom! tons of them. Athos found out he can hide between the sponge I have on the filter intake and the wall. he is very proud of his hole. the swords are officially a cubit long and still growing.

there is one odd side effect of the tank cycling. either the fish have stop pooing so much (I seriously doubt this) or it is getting better converted. I used to have to vacuum up poo every day. now it doesn't even look too dirty. I mean I do my water changes once a week and get stuff then, but it doesn't really seem to need it as much. I thought that was odd.

Anyway that is all I got!

 

[Thothgirl]

I am gonna start a thread about this for advice, but today we noticed the Platys attacking two of the angelfish. the weird part is Herbert also tried to fin nip one of the angels. I am trying to decided weather to return the platys (we currently have 5, 4 males and 1 female) or get the 55 ahead of schedule and hope it is a room issue. Will post thread link after I created it.

 

[Thothgirl]

Thread Link: http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?p=4809010#post4809010

 

[Thothgirl]

Did a bit more research on the fin nipping thing, decided to take the first step of returning the male platys and getting females. we kept one of the male red wags and returned the other and blue male wags. now to me it was crazy weird to go ahead and return a fish. Returning a pet just went against my general nature, but the health of the tank required it. what an interesting conundrum!

Everyone is okay at the moment. Fritz tank still hasn't cycled but he is pretty good with the cories and the one lone supershrimp. He is surprisingly chill to anyone else in his tank other than the divided tank with Saki. Saki is finally starting to revert to a more blue and black marbling and Myr seems to have adjusted well.

 

[Thothgirl]

I put my pregnant platy (man I need to com up with a name for her!) in a home made breeder box. I am just waiting for her start. she was panting and arched before I put her in. I went ahead and gave her some brine shrimp to eat in case she get hungry.

I put rocks at the bottom of the box and soe leaves pulled off of my best growing crypts at the top and threw a towel over that part of the tank to so she would have some cover.

I went to the fish store on Sunday to swap out my male and get females... unfortunately the guy helping me gave me all males again. I didn't notice until I got home because they were clamped from the netting. sad thing is I actually like this bunch for no decernable reason.

I will post pics of the breeding box, mostly because I am proud of the craftyness of it. but right now i don't want to stress her any more I am worried she will abort due to putting her in the box.

So, all in all I am having some massive ethical issues. I don't need or want any more platys, but I feel the need to take care of the fry because... well... they were born under my care. Maybe i will get more callous as all my female mollies are pregnant, but I don't know. I just want this poor fish to give birth peacefully, check out the fry then let them into the tank with a small chance of survival. It is a weird feeling to me.

I know it is wrapped up in the same care giving emotions that make me want to save every betta and ferret I come across, and honestly I can say that feeling is why i still have my Zee Monster. She was a terror when we got her but i couldn't bring myself to take her back to the pet store because while I was having trouble dealing with her (she was mouthy and very prone to surprise biting) I knew if she ended up with someone who wasn't prepared for her behavioral problems she would get put down. she was the advance course in ferret care. I love her now and have gotten used to her very demanding ways. besides biting she refuses to have a closed door in the house, it offends her. She wasn't a Kitt when we bought her from the store and you can still see traces of being kept in small cages for too long in her. she needs the reassurance that she CAN wander. I shudder to think what would have happened to her with someone who thought Ferrets belonged in cages except for the 4 hours of play a day. She would have gone crazy. I don't know trying to work it out.

To me the funny thing is, I have no problem with angelfish eating the fry... after a point. I am not sure where that point is. I really don't want the extra platys.. but...

Just, but..

 

[Thothgirl]

http://www.bettafish.com/album.php?albumid=21889

Link to pics of the box

 

[Thothgirl]

thanks for the encouragement. still no fry. or is there has been she is eating them as the happen. tomorrow is the actual due date, but I would have sworn she was in labor earlier. will see what happens and will keep you posted!

 

[Thothgirl]

Silly fish!!!! so I let her out of the breeding box because she was pouting and I was worried. went to bed and Boom! she is no longer pregnant and there are no fry! grumble grumble. I feel slightly cheated, but hey she is looking like she is happy being able to swim and not waddle again. I do have 4 pregnant-hussy mollies, so there is still hope i will glimpse a Fry at some point .

I keep calling my mollies my knocked up hussies and I am not entirely sure why. it is 4 out of 6 of them and I always say it with a grin.

It is getting 55 time. I watched Aramas start chasing Athos and Porthos around the tank and My GODS! Herbert is HUGE! he (though I think herbert is actually she given body shape) Herbert is bigger than Aramas. It is time. So the rough plan is not next week (rent!) but the week after, get the tank and the wood to make the stand start making decorations out of plastic canvas (will elaborate further down). week after that get the soil and plants (and a new testing kit) , Plant it, throw in the Platys to Cycle. Do fin clipping on the angles (I find this a horrible thing but I have read it might be necessary for their health! any info would be great!) When it is ready, Mollies, then Herbert then Angels. also I am gonna grab the 50 filter off of the 30 so the 55 will have two 50 filters on it. Then get a 70 filter for the 55 and put one of the filters back on the 30. For a little while the 30 is only gonna be a pretty planted tank.

Decorations! we want to try to make a planted cave so to speak. Get a mound of gravel over a cave like thing and but a few plants on it, so it feels a bit more like a real cave. the only bottom dwellers in the 55 are going to be 2 Herberts and they are cave dwellers. I have a few more ideas I am hoping will turn out stunningly... hoping other than probably 2 or 3 planted caves gonna make an angel tower. with layers and various openings for the mollies and platys. this should be AWESOME!

 

[Thothgirl]

Oh! the 30 plans!!! So once the 55 is set up and running I figure I would stock the 30 from Mollie fry (I do adore my mollies) and platy fry if there are any. get the cories into the 30 as soon as it has a filter and finally be able to get the proper amount of cories (3 more Julii and 3 more Sterbai) then try the fry thing, and eventually get a Gourami for it. it is well planted and very junglish. Will have to get some water sprite for the top, and when I get that will probably throw some in Fritz tank too. Saki's is starting to have the crypts layer the top (so pretty!) and I think Myrs is heading that way too. then! around December start setting up for Axolotls for My husband and maybe the other 10 for another betta... maybe.... hopefully. will probably start talking more about the Axolotl plans around noverember when i am seriously starting to hash out how to do that.

 

[Thothgirl]

Had an unexpected surprise tonight! I was talking to my sweet about a spade tail we saw in Petsmart the last time we were there, I noted that Petsmart was still open. So he threw on his shoes looked at me funny while i struggled to fine mine and off to petsmart we went!

I had been mentioning the extra 10 I had and what I should do with it. so now we have Hexen, a black half moon tail and Drwg (pronounces Droog) the oh so pretty Blue spade tail. My Sweet is constructing a barrier for them out of plastic coat hangers and fine linen (I LOVE being married to a crafty man!) I will post pics as soon as their barrier is in place and their area has been done something with. Right now Hexen is in the emergency tank, and Drwg is in the 10.

Oh and I mentioned this else where, but... Fritz is changing colours! he seems to be going for Pink and vivid Blue. he is hiding allot but eating well.

Myr and Saki or fine, they are right now near each other with a cloth covering between them.

I think when I get the chance, I will move Myr into a 10, Hexen into his own 5, and Fritz into his own 5. Dwrg, Myr and Saki will get 10s. Dwrg by the way is Welsh for Wolf, My Sweets screen name is his favorite game is Hexenwolf. Hexen got named because of the Black, and I didn't want to go with just a Night type name, so I thought about WW2 Fighter Pilots and remembers the Nacht Hexen, or Night Witches. I liked the sound of Hexen, then My love pointed out his screen name so we went digging for Wolf in different languages. He has been on a Dr. Who Marathon and remembered hearing a neat word for Wolf (pops up allot from the whole "Bad Wolf" thing). went digging and found Drwg. I was SOLD when it came out sounding just like Droog from A Clockwork Orange. I now have 5 bettas. Wow. only spent 35 dollars on the whole set up tonight!

As for the 30, waiting on the funding to get the 55, I have figured out how to stock it on the cheep. like 170 dollars tops. we just have to be able to get the 55. Herbert is getting more active and my Wisteria is exploding. the angels... are well... my angels. they don't do much. mostly swim and look pretty. same with the Platys. the Mollies are fine and all knocked up! maybe just maybe i will be able to see some fry at some point.

My love is making noises about putting one of the 5 gallons on HIS desk next to his computer. <3 I think Hexen might be his.

I think it is odd we get bettas in pairs, but that seems to be the way of it. Saki and Fritz we got at the same time, and now Hexen and Drwg.

 

[Thothgirl]

Oh! also Drwg is an EE. Zee, my female ferret is giving me a look like, Great! more fish I am not allowed to eat.

 

[Thothgirl]

Okay uploaded TONS of pics. had to actually delete some from my albums. let me know what you think!

 

[Thothgirl]

Woke up this morning, uncovered the tanks and Hexen and Drwg had switched sides!!! talk about minor heart attack. I did a quick check on fins and for any signs of fighting, and nope. not a one. they were fine intact and on the wrong side. i found where the hole in the barrier was, fixed it but man. I was lucky!

 

[Thothgirl]

Fritz Marbled to full red with blue iridescence on the tips of his fins. then less then a week latter he decided it wasn't "Him" and is now going back to a black body. rather than starting at his top fin this time he is starting from his face. it looks for all the world like he has black face paint on, with only his lips and eyes still pink. I think moving him to the 5 was a good idea. he is out more, interacting and generally less fraidy cat.

my 30 is a jungle! I found out two of my amazons are propagating! no clue why but I am crazy happy about it. will make stocking that mythical 55 when I get it easier. shouldn't have to buy any new plants, between the Wisteria growing like gang busters in everything I put it in, my crypts developing runners and my amazons propagating I am starting to worry about my fish to plant ratio.

I have a job lined up for December, and my husband is picking up a second job soon so hopefully we will be able to afford that mythical 55 soon. it is high on our lists as i had to explain to him in no uncertain terms that either we get rid of 2 angels and herbert or get a bigger tank. He's not happy with the ultimatum, but i refuse to hurt these poor fish due to lack of space.

the betta are doing well. Myr loves being in his old 10. the cories exist... i think. I see them going "shoot!" and running away every so often. Drwg is awesome and very friendly. Hexen is doing fine and struts his stuff every chance he gets. Saki... is Saki. he isn't happy. I have yet to find something that makes this silly fish happy. he doesn't want to play, doesn't want to do much and always sulks. I wish I could find what ever it is he needs to make him a happy active fish. I really think it is his personality given all of the others are personable.

The other night I awoke to the sound of a fish leaping from the tank. like allot of water splashing sounds. i bolted upright checked the bettas, which they didn't like because they were sleeping. checked the 30 and i saw the 3 angelfish tearing the heck out of the floating wisteria. I had never seen them give it much notice before so I was surprised to find all the noise was them ripping this thing apart. The mystery became clear when in the morning I noticed my female platy was not pregnant. apparently the angelfish found fry in the plant. wow. they were VERY determined.

I have lost a total of 3 mollies. I did finally work out WHY. it was that they are brackish fish in a freshwater tank. I still have 2 females, but they will probably never breed given that they are in fresh water. kinda sad for them.

mostly I have been maintaining everyone and making plans for that 55. oh the plans! I have a list of several things to get for each aquarium maybe after December i will manage some of it.

 

[Thothgirl]

Well, I need a bit of moral support/advice. I have gotten bad enough that I can't do water changes as regularly as I should. I mean I will get better from this round but it is just a matter of time until the next. I am down to changing water every two weeks, 1 week the bettas, 1 week the 30. I need physical help changing the water and it always leaves me zombie shuffling and unable to move for about 2 hours. My husband, while enjoying the tanks never wants to help me when I say "tank cleaning time!" it takes allot of effort to get him to help and I have no one else who can help me.

All my tanks are heavily planted (I think the minimum is 5 full grown and flourishing plants in a 10, max is about 5 well growing plants in a 5 gallon my other ten has 9 different plants in it) and I do top offs when I can. all of them have filters that i take care of, but the water changes with syphon and jugs of water are killing me. I don't want to have to give up my beloved fish, but I am starting to debate if I should.

Any suggestions on water changes would be most helpful. I prime every time I change, everyone is happy (other than saki, but that is par for the course and he is no more UNhappy than usual) All the tanks are cycled. I guess I am asking if it is okay to let it slide a bit while I am hurting.