I Thought I Was Wheezing Again

[jollysue]

I was trying to figure out what to do about an infection in my tetra tank, when I heard the wheezing. I had to stop and test my breathing. I thought I was wheezing. But no, I cleaned the filter tonight in the miniature species tank, and the sparklers were singing. Well, maybe just one sparkler. ???

There do seem to be two varieties. One is thicker and less sparkly, more tan colored with a broader black stripe. The other three are smaller, slimmer, although older, and more silver with the sparkling colors. Thing is they are flirting across the species boundaries. There are male and female in each group. Hmm? Well, actually the bigger tan sparkler boys like to follow one little silver girl around.

I keep looking for bubble nests. :\

They seem to be making themselves at home. Everyone seems to have found their territory now. Even Flash has deeded over some room to the agassazi. All that is really missing is the honey boy. The ladies are so curious and have their little pointy noses into everything going on.


MissDibDabs: Some time back I mentioned that I thought you had changed some with your avitar change. You asked if I said that, because you weren't nice before. I couldn't answer at the time. I think I was falling asleep in my chair with my hand poised above the keyboard.

But, no, I think I remember you as being under some stress. Was there sickness or something? Sometimes I'm not sure who said what in threads, but that is what seems to be in my noggin'. I guess I could check the threads, but not tonight.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Ah, well that is possible hon. I get ill all too frequently. One reason fish suit my lifestyle so well. On which note I'll just casually mention the 8th and final tank for my house coming this weekend. (No really, no more, I swear!)
Sounds like your sparklers are having fun. The only two I've ever had had to be seperated because one was severely beaten up. Both are still happy and living on in their seperate communities but the one who got beaten up (Now affectionately known as Raggedy Andy) never did regrow all his finnage or tail. It grew back.....wrong, poor fella. But he's a very happy fella regardless, since he lives with the ladies (female bettas) and they treat him like family.
I'd love to hear them sing but I haven't done so with either of mine. Unsuprising since neither have partners or a group and the noise levels in this house with even just the other tanks is not as quiet as I would prefer.
Hugs,
P.

 

[jollysue]

They don't really sing. It's more like a wheezy whistle. Although the silver sparklier ones did have a sharper whistle when they were at it. Perhaps they will whistle again for me.

I was a bit surprised tonight watching because the sparklers seemed to have backed Flash (the Orange Flash cockatoo who thinks it's his tank) off and gained space to cruise the bottom for blackworms. They avoided Flash but he didn't charge them. They must have something going for them.

I have 7 tanks 10 usg or larger plus 5 more five usg or smaller (betta tanks). And I need more! I plan on at least another 40 usg long for the second cory batch. I keep saying that we all need a 12 step program.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I know the feeling. My two smallest tanks are around 10usg and are for my two betta boys. One each. The biggest is a mere 55g but I'd like bigger. Not sure what the new one holds but at 4.5 ft long it won't be tiny.
S.gouramies have been known to bully other fish, so you may have to keep an eye on them if they're gaining ground over a previously dominant fish.
Hugs,
P.

 

[jollysue]

Each of the colonies is a species that has it's own reputation for semi-aggression. When not staking breeding, spawning or egg guarding territories they are each considered peaceful. The cockatoo and agassazi cichlids maintain strict breeding territories, but leave non agressive or non competing fish alone. The gourami I am glad to see are not being bullied by the cockatoo who started off trying to take the whole tank for his. The 1" scarlet dario dario (formerly badis-badis) have the reputation for going into Texas Chainsaw Massacre mode when they are guarding eggs. I took the females out until I know better what's up with them. And the baby panda, pygmy cories, and ADF's are ignored by all--usually. The tension seems to be balanced, and everyone seems to have a hidey hole or plant thicket to call it's own.

The gourami are and I are still attempting to find a place suitable for their nests. They have duck weed, but the current from the Whisper filter is too strong. I of course am always stirring things up ) I have some plastic plants that have flat green plastic round bottoms. I stuck them in, intending to secure them to the bottom. But they have been floating around upside down. The duckweed is beginning to attach to them and I've seen one sparkler pair hanging around under one checking it out.

What is your plan for the new tank?

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Lol damn plastic plants always float. I only have them in my two male betta tanks. And I have them weighed down by the stones in there.
New tank is to be an African Cichlid tank so a much more aggressive tank then the rest. Will be Malawi cichlids with synos only. That's it. Am working on building them a slate wall/thing with seperate hidey areas but it's not going very fast or well. I did consider using it for yet more gouramies but have decided am happy with those I have and can't imagine another tank having the same success the current one enjoys. The oldest babies now have noticeable fins and further tinges of colour. They all seem to be developing personalities already and have favourite spots in their tank. Am slowly moving them over onto small amounts of freeze dried daphnia and have tried some live food. Most still gets ignored still. But then they are only about 2 centimetres at the biggest. I'll have to try for some more recent pics soon. They grow really fast.
Hugs,
P.

 

[jollysue]

Your gouramis have given you a fine gift. I hope I'm available to see your new pics and babies.

I'm not at all knowledgable about synos or African Cichlids. Live black worms are about as live meat as I want to go at this point. But I look forward to your tank.

Off now to feed the crowds.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

I feed alot of live food when I can. Brine shrimp, daphnia and blood worm weekly unless I can't get any or am ill. The brine shrimp and blood worm are always popular and the synos love blood worm. I have alot of them. 11 in total. Mostly eupterus but also have petricola, multipunctatious, angelicus and another I forget the name of. ) I adore my catfish. Also have my bristlenoses and my orange spot plec with an L number I can't remember offhand either. And my 2 striped doras. Yes, a true catfish nut.
The gouramies have indeed been wonderful to me. Best of all I can interact with the older ones and they don't run away from me. Only wish the fry were so accomodating. Might be able to move them to the fry tank with the others then!
Hugs,
P.

 

[jollysue]

Do you have a link to the synos , so I can see what you are referring to? I had 3 Orange BN who were my joy. All three died in a culumnaris treatment. I'm on the fourth or fifth treatment and fish are still dying. It is a major crash. I will not be surprised if I loose all of the fish in the 100 USG. Inchworm and Sylvia are trying to get me to do another treatment of tetracycline or Kanamycin. So far the bacteria just get stronger while the fish get weaker.

If I suddenly disappear for a few days, I have gone to my son's and will be back no later than Sunday night.

Do you have children?

Oh I thought the African's only eat goldfish or something. Do they eat worms?

I have a CA blackworm wholesaler that a dealer set me up with. I get 1/2 lb for $6. That lasts about three-four weeks. Of course, Inchworm was the one pushed me into using black worms.

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Oh my, I'm so sorry to hear that. Touch wood, I have not suffered a bout of columnaris in my tanks. Hope I never will. It's a nasty one. And in such a big tank too. SO hard to get rid of the bacteria and the more treatment used the more it can build up immunity to the treatments. Jeez. I do hope the rest of your fish pull through this and the responsible bacteria dies a horrible death.
I do have children. A son aged 10. He's special needs and the reason I got my first tank. I was then unaware of just how addicted I would become. ) He does love the synos tho. I don't have any pics of my synos as yet. Tis hard to catch them on camera but here's some links to the synos I mean.
Eupterus, Angelicus, Petricola, Multipunctatious, Orange spot plec (LDA 31) and striped Dora.
They will eat a varied diet if they've been raised to do so. And many do anyway. No, I'm not feeding them goldfish! Not like they would in the wild eh.
Hugs,
P.
P.S:In adding all those links I forget the rest of what I was gonna say! I also have a daughter age 7. She is supposed to take care of Houdini, one of our bettas. I rescued him when he looked a terrible mess with barely any fins or tail left. He looks stunning now.

Not the best pic of him by a long way but the only one I have right now.

 

[jollysue]

This is short, as the morning super is coming in and the place will be jumoing with ten teenage boys

Yes, I remember, your son was in the hospital and you seemed worn out.

I will check the links when I get home.

Nice VT pretty boy. I like his colors.

I've been fighting this bacteria for several months. Thought I had it whipped a couple of times, only to have it come back. It seems to be non active in the Eclipse 12 where it started, but the 100 USG is a disaster.

Horrible death to all nasty fish killing bacteria!!!