ripple
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- Mar 22, 2010
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After an hour of contiplating, I decided to go to a local fish auction Saturday morning. Mind you, the only reason I wasn't sure if I should go or not was due to snow and having to drive at least an hour to get there. My curiosity couldn't keep me away or the thought of a great bargain. I had never been to a fish auction before or any other auction now that I think about it.
Soooo, me and the other half bundled up, brushed the ole' jeep free of snow, loaded the dog up and headed to the
auction. To my relief the snow stopped falling shortly into our journey and we made it there almost exactly as the doors were opening. YAY!
I registered, got a number and started browsing the auction tables. I was mostly looking for Java fern, Paramoecium culture starter, heaters and peat. Had no luck finding the culture starter or peat, but did spy several big bags of java fern I wanted to bid on. Then something magical happened.
I picked up a small bag on table #2 labelled Aphyosemion striatum (Killifish) My heart started pounding and my mind started racing. I had never seen one of these beauties in person and I was thrilled! The bag had one female and one sexxxxy male. I could tell he had color but it looked washed out. Maybe due to him being in a clear bag with no contrast.
I motioned for my hubby to come quickly. (yeah, right) He's heard enough about Killifish in the last few weeks to last him a life time have him tell it. I'm afraid he will just have to get used to it. I'm hooked!
So, I pulled out my little note book I have been keeping Killi info. in and there in black in white read... "Aphyosemion striatum good beginner fish" What was I to do? If you've read my other post I just ordered 50 Nothobranchius Eggersi eggs. Which to my dismay are annual and not easy to spawn/keep for a begginer like myself.
After talking with my hubby about my situation I decided I was going to bid on the pair. I could always sell the eggs or hold on to them for a while until I decided. If we need to, we could get additional tanks to house everyone. We also plan to divide the 2 ten gallons I have now to utilize our resources better.
Now I'm really excited and standing over table #2 seeing who else was looking at my Killifish. After talking with one of the volunteers working the auction I learned you could have your item bumped up in the auction for $2.00! I was all about it. Paid my 2 bucks and had my darling Killies up to the first position in the auction.
I did a little more shopping and picked up a sponge filter, a small air pump, couple small pieces of driftwood and a donut for the hubby and me. Auction time was drawing near and people were taking their seats. We decided to sit in the back to be able to see whom, if anyone we would be bidding against. This was my hubby's idea. I know nothing about auctions but I took his word for it.
The auction starts and the first item I can tell right away is not my Killies. Way to big of a bag. Oh well, probably the next in line. NOPE! Four auctions later and still no Killie. I'm starting to freak out a little at this point. What if something terrible happened and they're no longer available?!
Then to my great joy I see them come up for auction. I had looked at that little bag many times and the care that was taken in sealing it that I could tell it from far away. The auctioneer is talking about what fine specimens they are and that they were looking like they were about to spawn in the bag. I'm thinking to myself "don't talk em' up to much. They're mine!"
Opening bid is ten dollars. Since I had never been to an auction I was a little itimidated to bid so I had my hubby do it. He threw his arm up right away. He was acknowledged and the auctioneer called for more, no one. Going once, twice, sold for 10 bucks! Woo Hoo! High Five! Not even one other bidder! I was ready to grab my fish and get out of there but there's some processing that has to be done before I could.
So, I watched a few more auctions and lucky me, Java Fern was soon following my Killies. Seven dollars got me a pretty good size bag. It had been a terribly exciting morning.
With Killie and several goodies all secured we started the journey home. We ran into a little snow but nothing major. Could have been a white-out and I wouldn't have cared as long as we made it home.
I HAD KILLIES!
phew...sorry, didn't mean to write a book. I am just so excited.
Here it is 5 days since I brought them home and both are doing well. I have named them Pigpen (the male) and Ripple. She is a bit bigger than he is and alot less shy. She will approach the front of the tank at feeding time while he darts to hide in the java fern or one of the spawning mops. Sooooo cute! Ripple even looks to have a tiny bit of color around her gill area. I am in sooooo in LOVE!
I have been feeding them 3 times a day on a mixed diet of brineshrimp, tubifex worms and flake. I'm going today to pick up a few other food sources for them just to keep their diet varied.
I've tried taking their picture but the tank is too dark and Pigpen is still pretty shy. I may put the overhead light on their tank to try and snap a few pics but I'm reluctant to do anything to disturb them until they have settled in a little longer. When I see spawning and eggs the camera's coming out.
Anyhoo,
The temp. in the tank is 76 degrees, the tds 50 and ph is sitting at about 6.7
I have java fern, salvinia and 3 spawning mops in their tank. Two that float and one on the bottom. I have blacked out the back and one side of the tank with sign vinyl to keep it pretty dark. I have a sponge filter set to the lowest trickle possible. I have a partial glass top that sits on top of a full mesh screen top to keep them little buggers in and to maintain water temps.
I will update this thread with our progress and try to post pics when I can.
Thanks for reading!
Soooo, me and the other half bundled up, brushed the ole' jeep free of snow, loaded the dog up and headed to the
auction. To my relief the snow stopped falling shortly into our journey and we made it there almost exactly as the doors were opening. YAY!
I registered, got a number and started browsing the auction tables. I was mostly looking for Java fern, Paramoecium culture starter, heaters and peat. Had no luck finding the culture starter or peat, but did spy several big bags of java fern I wanted to bid on. Then something magical happened.
I picked up a small bag on table #2 labelled Aphyosemion striatum (Killifish) My heart started pounding and my mind started racing. I had never seen one of these beauties in person and I was thrilled! The bag had one female and one sexxxxy male. I could tell he had color but it looked washed out. Maybe due to him being in a clear bag with no contrast.
I motioned for my hubby to come quickly. (yeah, right) He's heard enough about Killifish in the last few weeks to last him a life time have him tell it. I'm afraid he will just have to get used to it. I'm hooked!
So, I pulled out my little note book I have been keeping Killi info. in and there in black in white read... "Aphyosemion striatum good beginner fish" What was I to do? If you've read my other post I just ordered 50 Nothobranchius Eggersi eggs. Which to my dismay are annual and not easy to spawn/keep for a begginer like myself.
After talking with my hubby about my situation I decided I was going to bid on the pair. I could always sell the eggs or hold on to them for a while until I decided. If we need to, we could get additional tanks to house everyone. We also plan to divide the 2 ten gallons I have now to utilize our resources better.
Now I'm really excited and standing over table #2 seeing who else was looking at my Killifish. After talking with one of the volunteers working the auction I learned you could have your item bumped up in the auction for $2.00! I was all about it. Paid my 2 bucks and had my darling Killies up to the first position in the auction.
I did a little more shopping and picked up a sponge filter, a small air pump, couple small pieces of driftwood and a donut for the hubby and me. Auction time was drawing near and people were taking their seats. We decided to sit in the back to be able to see whom, if anyone we would be bidding against. This was my hubby's idea. I know nothing about auctions but I took his word for it.
The auction starts and the first item I can tell right away is not my Killies. Way to big of a bag. Oh well, probably the next in line. NOPE! Four auctions later and still no Killie. I'm starting to freak out a little at this point. What if something terrible happened and they're no longer available?!
Then to my great joy I see them come up for auction. I had looked at that little bag many times and the care that was taken in sealing it that I could tell it from far away. The auctioneer is talking about what fine specimens they are and that they were looking like they were about to spawn in the bag. I'm thinking to myself "don't talk em' up to much. They're mine!"
Opening bid is ten dollars. Since I had never been to an auction I was a little itimidated to bid so I had my hubby do it. He threw his arm up right away. He was acknowledged and the auctioneer called for more, no one. Going once, twice, sold for 10 bucks! Woo Hoo! High Five! Not even one other bidder! I was ready to grab my fish and get out of there but there's some processing that has to be done before I could.
So, I watched a few more auctions and lucky me, Java Fern was soon following my Killies. Seven dollars got me a pretty good size bag. It had been a terribly exciting morning.
With Killie and several goodies all secured we started the journey home. We ran into a little snow but nothing major. Could have been a white-out and I wouldn't have cared as long as we made it home.
I HAD KILLIES!
phew...sorry, didn't mean to write a book. I am just so excited.
Here it is 5 days since I brought them home and both are doing well. I have named them Pigpen (the male) and Ripple. She is a bit bigger than he is and alot less shy. She will approach the front of the tank at feeding time while he darts to hide in the java fern or one of the spawning mops. Sooooo cute! Ripple even looks to have a tiny bit of color around her gill area. I am in sooooo in LOVE!
I have been feeding them 3 times a day on a mixed diet of brineshrimp, tubifex worms and flake. I'm going today to pick up a few other food sources for them just to keep their diet varied.
I've tried taking their picture but the tank is too dark and Pigpen is still pretty shy. I may put the overhead light on their tank to try and snap a few pics but I'm reluctant to do anything to disturb them until they have settled in a little longer. When I see spawning and eggs the camera's coming out.
Anyhoo,
The temp. in the tank is 76 degrees, the tds 50 and ph is sitting at about 6.7
I have java fern, salvinia and 3 spawning mops in their tank. Two that float and one on the bottom. I have blacked out the back and one side of the tank with sign vinyl to keep it pretty dark. I have a sponge filter set to the lowest trickle possible. I have a partial glass top that sits on top of a full mesh screen top to keep them little buggers in and to maintain water temps.
I will update this thread with our progress and try to post pics when I can.
Thanks for reading!
really enjoyed reading that, I am getting into killies now too, have two fp gardneri fry that I hatched a couple of months ago going well, they are the only 2 from 12 eggs to hatch, hope they are male and female!
I love the internet. I probably would have never known about this little gem of a fish if it weren't for the www.
I think a few others may be hatching soon as well. He's so cute! If it's a boy I plan to name him Phillip J.
