#ameca splendens

[horsesarecreatures]

The newer tanks in the morning light. I’m gobsmacked by how fast and well the little one by the window has established. I’m pulling handfuls of plants out every week just so the fish have some space left to swim. The one on the floor is taking a slower time, probably because it gets very little light.

[mandsleanan]

So this is the only aquarium I have currently, my Lazy River. It’s called that because of the lack of effort I put into its build, not the gentle current. Low-tech, 20-long. Hardscape is driftwood and stones I swiped from the stable grounds. Plants are duckweed and Spirodela above, Sagittaria below.

What the shit. I know I skimmed the surface a week ago.

It’s due for some thorough maintenance inside and out, and I’m trying to think of something new to do with it. I set it up in 2014, biologically speaking it’s well-established. The most active residents are my betta Lemon and some feeder guppies that use it to overwinter from my water garden, and this old man:

He’s the last descendant of an Ameca splendens breeding colony I maintained through the aughts, and immune to taking good photos. He’s maybe....twelve now?

Here’s an example of how mature this aquarium is-

Ramshorn snails live for about a year. These dead shells are left from multiple generations, our water too hard and alkaline to dissolve them.

Thinking maybe some additional driftwood to replace what the pleco’s eaten, some more plant variety. I’ve wanted to get Davidi shrimp for years but the Ameca would probably cocktail them. Considering those and some new fish once he’s passed. Longfin white clouds if I can find them, maybe cherry barbs? I haven’t kept corydoras for years and I miss having them.

I dunno, what do aquarists do when they have options but no plan?

[horsesarecreatures]

Hello blobs of color.

[horsesarecreatures]

Either I was far luckier in my fish photography than usual, or the new aquarium light makes the wild livebearers look very attractive and brings their blues out. 😍

[horsesarecreatures]

Ameca splenden + baby shubunkin

I got the shubunkin with the pea puffers. I’ll probably never go to that aquarium store again once I move, so I figured I’d get all the things I like.

Growing up sarasa red comets and calico shubunkins were my favorite goldfish, but my dad didn’t like calicos so we only had the comets.

[horsesarecreatures]

The latest batch of Ameca splendens fry. I’ve been keeping this species for about 15 years. I wonder what generation from the originals these are. 30th? 70th? 100th? Beats me.

[horsesarecreatures]

The new Ameca splendens aren't shy about asking for food.

[horsesarecreatures]

All of my aquariums have gotten very overgrown.