A Fish Keeper's Journey

This blog is dedicated to my passion for responsible and educated fish keeping. Follow my daily trials, ups, downs, and in betweens with my scaley underwater friends.

[crazyfishmaiden]

Sharing this end of how useful the Freesea pump is with removing dirty water. I have lines going into a bucket to remove water (I don’t want to put a pump like this into a sand bottomed tank, or run the risk of fish getting stuck up against it). I can fill the bucket, run it into the tub, and keep at it till I get the desired water out.

[crazyfishmaiden]

So as a gift to myself and my fish I bought a new submersible pump that pushes over 1000 gallons an hour, and some hosing (and fittings to make this work). Now I can create filtered water in one location and pump each batch to waiting buckets in very little time. This helps me push the water faster, and more efficiently and removes the need to roll buckets filled with water around and over carpet. The pump I am using is called Freesea, and it’s the 1100 gph one. I’m using a plastic accordion hose since I don’t want to shell out 50-75 bucks for the clear hosing (yet).

[crazyfishmaiden]

I want to share the newest addition to my animal family. This is Stone, he was rescued from a negative (hoarder I think) situation, and unfortunately the first people to adopt him kept him ended up returning him (it wasn’t his fault, they were not treating him well). He then stayed there for a while, and went up for adoption again. Now he’s at home with his own bed, chew toy, doggie toys, the best dog food, and lots of love. This is the happiest day of this year to finally have a dog of my own. He’s gorgeous and will get all the walks, trips to the parks, and play time his heart can desire.

[crazyfishmaiden]

I took this picture while on a hike at a state park this past week. This tree really struck a cord with me. At first it appears hollow. Well, part of it is I guess, and I’m not too sure what happened to cause it to fall, or hollow out like this.

This tree didn’t give up though, it sent shoots down, and sent up a new trunk and continues to hold onto life. It refuses to be brought down, and refuses to die. I told my friends that maybe we should strive to be like this tree and they responded “Be hollow, but at least still alive?”. We laughed but that’s not what I meant, or how I see the tree.

That hollow gives animals a home during the winter. It’s still living branches give shade during the summer, and it’s leaves give us oxygen. It’s roots reach down and provide a network along with other trees to hold off erosion. It’s not really hollow, just...doing the best with what it has. I think, it’s doing pretty good. Really that is often all we can do sometimes. Do the best we can with the cards we are given and just keep chugging along.

[crazyfishmaiden]

For those who didn’t see the picture, this copperhead was chased out of some bathrooms and I trapped/relocated it to a better place where it is where it belongs and far away from where people tend to be. Where I work it’s expected to come across critters, and usually I don’t have issues trying to relocate. Was extra careful with this one though because a bite from a baby like this is potent, and it requires going to the hospital. It’s not usually lethal but still, not something you want.

Anyway be free dangernoodle! Stay where you belong, it’s safer there!

EDIT: Don’t mess with venomous snakes or other critters unless you know what you are doing. You can always turn to the professionals.

[crazyfishmaiden]

This is a danger noodle, called a Copperhead. It’s just a little thing but can still pack quite a bite! It was chased out of the bathrooms where I work. I ended up safely trapping it and releasing in a different location where I work, closer to nature, the water, and not you know, our bathrooms. Super cute though, but wouldn’t want the hospital visit if you get bit! Their venom cause necrosis.

[crazyfishmaiden]

This is why I call my three eels “my Idiots”

I have three borneo python eels. Those familiar with their story know they were a pity purchase as I attempted to cure them of a very difficult parasite infection years ago. They are still doing extremely well but they struggle with swimming a bit. They had been living in an 80 gallon shallow, but it’s time to break that tank down and get rid of it. So they were moved into the 125.

When it came time to scoop them I got them all in one area as they begged for food (they are just like food obsessed dogs), and scooped them in one deft grab of the net. Bam right into the other tank, and for the next 30 minutes they still pushed their faces up against the glass going “Food? FOOD? FOOOOOOD?!?!?” until a clown loach approached them and they realized something changed.

That is why I call them my three idiots. Also for those wondering the PH values were extremely close, and the temperature of the tanks were exactly the same, so moving them didn’t require an acclimation period. What pet names do you have for your silliest fish? I want to read them!

[crazyfishmaiden]

Kupo the Magnificent is here to remind you to stay awesome, just like him. :3

[crazyfishmaiden]

I would like to take a moment to say that I’m really proud of the newer loaches in this community. Not too long ago I brought home 4 clowns, two quite big. They absolutely hate water change day. Granted, none of the clowns are fond of this day but, these four would initially get so agitated that it even rubbed off on the other loaches. They would ALL hide for the rest of the day after it was done. Today they have decided to not throw a giant tantrum, and not even an hour after the change is done (60 whole gallons out and replaced) they are actually moving around and not hiding the moment I come back into the room. That’s a big accomplishment for them.

Of course I found with loaches that are not quite people friendly yet or skittish it helps to reward them when they come out and are all being sociable. That way being around people and having movement around their tank gets a positive association.

[crazyfishmaiden]

So these strange noodles are now eating full grown night-crawlers. I have to cut the worms in half so they stop pulling a lady and the tramp. Also they never seem to figure out they don’t need more food, ever.

EDIT: I always forget to point this out, but they are special needs eels who shipped into the pet-store with a really bad infestation of Anchor Worm. They were cured quite but the worms (crustaceans actually) anchored into really bad areas that caused long lasting damage to their swim bladders. One of them is actually pretty okay but the other two not so much. Anchor worms suck! If ever find yourself up against them a solid UV sterilizer is a long term solution as medications rarely do much against them.

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Three flat noodles loafing around

Don’t let them fool you with those cute eyes and grabby snouts

As they innocently chill out on the ground

Their stomachs are full, they are content, even if they have their doubts

[crazyfishmaiden]

So, this is an unusual treat to be able to share. Got a really high quality close up of one of my Bamboo Shrimp’s feeding near the spray-bar. You can even see it’s little fans, they are so cute. Also, that is totally black beard algae. It grows on the spray-bar, and in this particular spot on an resin log thing. Despite it being in there it’s no where else in the tank, and the mass of java ferns, and java moss are completely clean of it. Not sure what to make of it but at this point I could care less if there is a bit of that in the tank. It’s not hurting anything and it’s not a problem. The bigger bamboo seems to like to hang around spots with the BB for some odd reason.

[crazyfishmaiden]

In a valley of green, a bamboo shrimp feeds. This was a close as I could get before the picture would start to blur. I love bamboo shrimps, and hope to one day get vampire shrimps into this tank. They are so hard to come by though locally. :C

[crazyfishmaiden]

I couldn’t upload a picture and not share a short video. It’s not time for his crunchy food, and normally I don’t like to feed him the same day he gets a water change. He didn’t bite me today or attempt to bite me when I was scrubbing the walls, and siphoning up food debris, and for that I rewarded him with a squiggly worm. It’s always funny to watch him inhale it, and it sticks out the gills. Then he sucks it in and well, bye bye worm. Hello happy puffer. Sorry about the slight algae, he backed himself into that area and I really didn’t want to push it since he gets really moody during WC day. I’ll wipe it clean another day.

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I want to share my adorable Kupo, the Dragon Puffer, also known as Lumpy Potato, and Kupo the Magnificent. He is doing one of his favorite things, pretending to be a piece wood. This is classic ambush predator behavior for this species of puffer. They usually doesn’t burrow into sand (like the Miurus does).

He is honestly one of the more challenging species to keep. He’s fussy on his water, so it has to be super clean. He also makes a giant mess every time he eats, so there is that. He also likes to bite me every time I do a water chance (today I won and he didn’t get me). He’s very finicky about his food, and he also will spend a good chunk of the day just sitting somewhere not moving. Some people may not see the point of keeping something like this. However he seems to recognize me and he will approach me, and get really active when he’s hungry. If he’s not hungry he’ll just look at me, it’s funny. He also watches the cats, and sometimes the smallest will have long staring contests.

[crazyfishmaiden]

While working one of my two current jobs I spotted some little lizards (skinks I think). One was digging a hole in the sand, and another one snuck up. Can’t believe I caught the little chase scene on video. I thought I would share their little cuteness.

[crazyfishmaiden]

PSA to Dog Owners

Don’t bring your dog to the beach when it’s 90+ degrees out. They can’t sweat. They have a fur coat. Even if you put them under some shade they will still cook. Not all beaches allow dogs during peak hours. Do your research and be smart this summer. Don’t kill your darlings in the heat through ignorance.