Developments: Plants & Aquarium

Quick note: I am happy to report on developments in two of my favorite hobbies:

A. Gardening:

The plant shipment from territorial seed company is coming in: Which includes: Tomatos, Eggplant and Basil – I will have updated pics soon – my camera has been out of batteries.

B. Aquascaping/fish keeping:

I have a new aquarium – 45 gallons! I scored it off craigslist for $150 it includes: tank, filter, full spectrum light for a planted tank, very new heater, oak stand, over 20lbs of gravel. Now the bichir (porkchop) can have a home where he can grow and not kill his tank mates (he is a lover not a fighter now but he has 5 more inches to grow). Getting the new aquarium means a lotta work – but it also means I get to indulge my hobby and current obsession. Fish store and empty bank account here I come.

Here’s what I have to do:

(I love list making)

A. Paint base of the new stand

B. Purchase eco-complete for the new tank

C. Purchase an extra bucket

D. Breakdown old tank and move to the kitchen

E. Set up the new tank in the living room where the old tank was

F. Purchase wood features for the new tank (these get expensive, I’m not looking forward to this)

G. Add eco-complete, then gravel, then wood, then plants, & water – Allow to cycle and then add fish to new tank

H. Move bichir to new tank with powder blue gouramis (they actually get along just fine – hopefully this will last)

I. Get some neon tetras and more plants for the old tank

I’m not sure what kind of fish I will get to live with the bichir in the new tank. I like smaller fish but, in the long run that is not a good idea. Any suggestions? I would not have purchased a bichir myself but I inherited him with the old tank and it turns out he has tons of personality and has become our favorite fish. (I never thought I would talk about a fish having a personality – I guess I like the one we have invented for him – he does seem like a ham compared to the other fish). Any tips on what would be good to keep with a growing bichir? According to the guy I got the bichir from, he has not grown in 3 years – he has stayed the same size as when he bought him. I guess ‘cause he was feeding him only flake food. I’ve been feeding him blood worms, algae pellets and flake and I think I see some growth. The banded barbs look great after eating blood worms.

Aquarium Update 5.20.08

Very exciting news in my planted freshwater tropical tank… the male Gourami has built a bubble nest! Now if he can get a lady to give up some eggs there might be a cool show to watch in the tank over the next few days. Basically it will be a fry buffet for the other members of the tank but wouldn’t it be fun if one of them managed to survive? I will take some photos of the bubble nest soon but until then here are some shots of the tank progress:

I do not have any shots of the tank after I first got it but here is a shot after I added the drift wood and the first two plants. The community was the same as when I inherited it only I had swaped the pictus for 8 striped barbs:

Here is my tank with the new plants - including giant baby tears and the new fish: 3 powder blue gouramis.

Here is the bichir that D has named “Porkchop”

Porkchop in the right foreground with two of the Powder Blue Gouramis

Planted Freshwater Tropical Aquarium: Hobby of the Moment

I’m always picking up new hobbies like a bad cold. I get one little germ of inspiration and I begin cruising craigslist for tools and goodies for my latest endeavor. Eventually the germ spreads and I’m sick with it, obsessed. So it was with planted freshwater tropical aquariums. I noticed at my friend Liz’s house how pleasant it was to look at a fish tank. I love gardening and was intrigued by the underwater gardens you could build in aquariums. Eventually, I started cruising the internet to read freshwater tropical blogs, then buying books, then stalking the employees at my local fish shop, then getting a tank and next thing you know I’m dropping nearly two hundred dollars on wood and lights and sucking fish crap out of a 30 gallon tank that defies the lease agreement on my house.

The sucking fish crap really came as a surprise. I was told I would be getting a gravel vacuum. I pictured something with a pump or automated suction. No. You suck on a tube like you’re siphoning gas and if you are new, and unsure and don’t suck hard enough you get a mouthful of nasty fish water. Then you run to the bathroom and brush your teeth until your gums bleed. YUCK.

Aside from that, I’ve really loved owning a fish tank. It has honestly provided hours of nerdy enjoyment. Even Mr. Man likes watching the tank – from the other room I’ll hear, “Babe, the bichir’s carrying around the algae pellet like a Frisbee” He’s even named the little beast “porkchop” after Sandy’s biker friend.

I decided I will keep a sloppy and infrequent account of my aquarium as I transform it from a plain, overpopulated tank to a thriving, planted community aquarium.

Here’s how it all began:

$65 – Found 30 gallon aquarium on Craigslist for $65. The tank came with Penguin Power Filter, 20 Watt fluorescent lighting with hood, water testing kit, heater, net, fish food, gravel, gravel vacuum (aka hose) and:

· One 8” Pleco

· One 4” Rainbow Shark – a real beauty

· One 5” Pictus Catfish – spastic

· One 3” Albino Gold Bushy Nose Pleco (I think, it does not have a bushy nose)

· One 4” Bichir – Skinny thing, very charming

· One 2.5” Glass Cat Fish

Here is what I’ve changed:

$106 – over doubled the light wattage – its now up to almost 1.8 watts per gallon to support plant growth. $20 – Added a plant friendly substrate under the gravel. $65 purchased large pieces of interesting driftwood. $15 purchased an Anubis, giant baby tears, sword plant and one other plant – many more to come.

Fish:

· Pleco – Donated to a great local fish shop – he was too big for tank

· Pictus – Donated to a great local fish shop (GLFS)– he was too high strung

· Rainbow Shark – Went to GLFS – sad to see it go, so pretty but a predator and I noticed the barbs I added had fin nips

· Glass Cat Fish – Dead. Not sure why. He wasn’t in good shape when I got him. I like to think it was old age.

· Added: 8 Striped Barbs

· Added: 3 Powder Blue Gouramis – very pretty. Nice addition. They seem to get along well with others.

Current Population

· Albino Gold Bushy Nose Pleco

· Bichir – I know when he is larger he will prey on the community but Mr. Man and I have become attached to him. The previous owner had him for 3 years and said he has not grown during that time. Very strange.

· Striped Barbs ( – Fun – they like the current from the filter and get glowy red when fed.

· Gourami – they get along well in the tank and are pretty fish.

I have just a bit of room to add 1 or 2 more fish. Any suggestions of what would work in this community?

Photos on the way