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My Pennsylvania Beast.
By New Guppy Momma from the Exstatic NGM department, Section Diaries Posted on Sat Feb 16, 2008 at 01:01:51 PM PST

My Beast is back up. I finished filling it yesterday.

10 Ghost shrimp went in last night. This morning I went and got the first load of fish for it.
So now in addition to the 10 ghoasties there are 9 swimming fish.
I have a trio of "Moons". The girl didn't know what species they are but they look like platties to me. They are gorgeous tho. One of the females has a mickey mouse tail.
I also have a trio of mollies (different shop from the Moons). Two black Yucatan females (yellow tinge to their tail and underbelly) and a silver sailfin male.
I have one lonely green swordtail (will get him his females when I get more fish in about 3 weeks or so).
And two Gourami's. A very small Honey and a dwarf platinum sunset (yellow dude). I figure the sunset is almost full grown. He's about the size of a silver dollar, maybe a bit bigger. "Honey" is about the size of a nickel, so has a bit more growing to do.

I want to get some "glo-fish" and maybe some neons with my next batch.
I do miss my Texas Beast. But I guess it's new incarnation will be just fine.

I got a bit interrupted in writing this and side tracked and was watching the fish. I think they gave me the wrong swordtail. The one that I have has a sunken belly and a raggedy tail. The one I picked out in the tank was beautiful looking. Nicely rounded belly (but not too round) and intact fins. They only have a 3 day return on their fish tho. Oh and when I fed them just now he kept spitting his food out. The entire tank is new so I don't need to quarantine as the entire tank is a quarantine. But if Mr Swordtail isn't eating properly by Monday I may take him back and get something else. Maybe a 6-pack of Neon's.

I think I might need a heater for the tank too soon. The temperature last night was 75*F but my house gets really cold at night and the temp today has been hovering right around 70*F. Probably not too bad for the livebearers. But I'm guessing the gourami's would like it a bit warmer.

You know how most Mother's are skeptical about having too many pets? Well I guess I have the perfect house for kids to have pets in.
Our current Menagerie is the dog(8 months old collie/terrier female) Pregnant siamese cat(due any day), the guppy tank (10 gallon with Blueberry and her 3 children) and now my Beast with 9 fish, 10 ghost shrimp and more fish in a month or so. Oh and eventually Hubby's reef tank :) (more fun for me :)

Well I have to go. The people around here are getting hungry :) Seems like all I'm needed for is to feed and clean up after everyone (2-legged, 4-legged and finned).

< And now a BLA auction across the Big Pond!

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My Pennsylvania Beast. | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)

Interesting use of the Beast as a quarantine tank. (none / 0) (#1)
by unclescott on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 01:30:08 PM PST

That swordtail sounds, at least, like he has Hexamita. Those flagellates are often around a fish tank, but not in the numbers he probably has. I'm sure time is precious, but I would get him out ASAP.

Did you seed the gravel from your guppy tank? Did you take anything else from the old tank to the new?

What do you think of adding a cycling booster. I got a freebie called Cycle by Hagan and need just to try it out. Dr. Eric Hannamann, who is associated with Eugene Oregon's Liquid Sunshine Tropical Fish, takes the position that Biospira is the only such product worth bothering with.

http://www.liquidsunshinetropicalfish.com/faq.html#1

Partly because I haven't had to fool with starting a nitrogen cycle in decades (I cheat and import them) I'm not too familiar with this stuff. I prolly need to reread Angelhologram's cycling article in Immediate Help and try that out by itself and with a couple of products designed to accelerate the process. This will be done of course, in my spare(?) time.

Re: Interesting use of the Beast as a quarantine t (none / 0) (#2)
by New Guppy Momma on Sun Feb 17, 2008 at 05:52:37 PM PST

Of course I seeded the tank with the 10 :)
I took 1/2 of the gravel (replaced it with "new"{re-washed that has been dried and stored since Texas}), 4 of the 5 plants and I had soaked the "bio-filter" pads for a couple days in the 10. Plus I only have a "light" fish load and will be doing twice a week water changes as necessary. It already smells a bit funky. I might have a dead ghost shrimp or two in there. Water change tomorrow (at least 10 gallons, maybe with a couple gallons from the 10 added to the new water).
All the fish seem fine today. My Swordtail looks a bit better and no spitting out food today. I also saw him poop (Weird things parents and fish heads talk about) and it was very normal looking. Not white, stringy stuff. But if I can find my net I guess I can get him into my 2nd 10 and give him a separate quarantine. Altho I almost want to euthanize and return him....mean I know. But he is doing a bit better today. I'm wondering if the stress of moving was a bit much. He's got to be close to a year because he has a well developed sword. At least as long as his body (4-4.5 inches nose to tip of sword).

As for cycle booster's I've seen the Cycle product in my local stores. I do wonder if it actually helps. If I get white cloudy water I'll try it. If not I'll just get by I guess. My fish store will test my water for free if I bring it in. I might do that before I get my next load of fish. Or if any of these die (need a water sample to get refund) within 3 days. And I think my Mom might have some test strips she uses once in a while that I might be able to use.

Well it's time to get the kids to bed and then watch the fish. The Gourami's are really friendly. The Sunset Platinum already follows my finger across the glass (and is a complete "PIG" when I feed them :). "Honey" is so small and cute. With his little whiskers waving all around.
Before all else fails....do a 25% water change ;)
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My Pennsylvania Beast. | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 hidden)

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