New to the forum

[LEricG]

Hi All.
My name is Eric, and I live in Leicestershire in England. I am a retired gardener with 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 4 and a half great-grandkids.

I have 2 tanks: one is 48 x 12 x 15 inches. The other is 39.5 inches x 17 x 15 (it was tailor-made to fit into the alcove beside the fireplace); both tanks are about 40 years old. To my shame, I have to say that after keeping fish for about 50 years, I still don't know as much about them as I should - particularly about ailments.

I haven't had live plants in my tanks for many years now, as I just don't seem to be able to keep them -- they disintegrate.

Both tanks are a bit sparsely populated at the moment. The top one has a clown loach, 1 zebra loach, 2 ember tetras and, until this morning, one angel (more on this in another post).

The bottom tank has 2 flying foxes, 1golden barb, 1 green tiger barb, 1 yellow plecostamus and 1 jewel-spotted anostamus.

 

[gwand]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[LEricG]

Welcome to the forum.

Thanks

 

[GaryE]

I've always considered my tanks as my 'gardening gene' kicking in. You might find retirement steering you more into fishkeeping, since it's not as seasonal, or as physically demanding as outdoor work. Plus if you worked as a gardener, maybe a break is called for.

I find I have a similar mindset to the many gardeners I know, but I have a scraggly garden I just can't get into as I should. But fishtanks - there I cut loose.

 

[LEricG]

I've always considered my tanks as my 'gardening gene' kicking in. You might find retirement steering you more into fishkeeping, since it's not as seasonal, or as physically demanding as outdoor work. Plus if you worked as a gardener, maybe a break is called for.

I find I have a similar mindset to the many gardeners I know, but I have a scraggly garden I just can't get into as I should. But fishtanks - there I cut loose.

I'm afraid I tend to treat the tanks more as living pictures and fixtures; they have been there so long. I have other interests such as woodworking, fishing, my allotment - and I'm just beginning to get back into bookbinding/repairing.

I do sometimes think about trying again with the plants, but I think I'm a bit too lazy to look after them properly.

 

[Back in the fold]

Hi Eric . Welcome to TFF . I’m the same way with plants , just not an aquatic plant grower . I have three of the indestructible ones , Hornwort , Java Moss and Java Fern and one lone Amazon Swordplant that , amazingly , is surviving my care . I focus my attention and care on the fish and I am content with that . I used to work in printing so my ears perked up when I read you repair books .

 

[LEricG]

Hi Eric . Welcome to TFF . I’m the same way with plants , just not an aquatic plant grower . I have three of the indestructible ones , Hornwort , Java Moss and Java Fern and one lone Amazon Swordplant that , amazingly , is surviving my care . I focus my attention and care on the fish and I am content with that . I used to work in printing so my ears perked up when I read you repair books .

Thanks. I may try the first 3 plants that you mentioned - sometime. (though I bet I can destroy them). Oddly enough, many years ago, when I first started with fish, I had an Amazon Sword in my first tank, which was an 18-inch, plastic bow-fronted tank. The plant grew very well, but after about a year, we moved house and, to move the tank, I took most of the water out, leaving in just a couple of inches.

Unfortunately, the plant never really grew again. The roots remained alive for a long time, but the leaves never really grew back.

I have to say about the book repair - it is only my own, and my family and friends' books, and I'm not very good at it. Nearly 30 years ago, I attended an evening class at a local college, and recently, I have been watching YouTube videos and thinking of returning to the evening class, which, incredibly, is still run by the same man.

 

[MattW]

to the forum

 

[LEricG]

to the forum

Thanks

 

[Innesfan]

Welcome to you and your aquatic gang, especially the 'Jewel Spotted Anostomus." I actually wasn't aware that that particular species--Hypomasticus megalepsis-- had a 'commercial name' and had to google it. Love the Anostomids.

 

[BanjoFish]

I'm sort of newish.

Only had my fish for two days now.

 

[LEricG]

Welcome to you and your aquatic gang, especially the 'Jewel Spotted Anostomus." I actually wasn't aware that that particular species--Hypomasticus megalepsis-- had a 'commercial name' and had to google it. Love the Anostomids.

Thanks. I had never seen these fish before, and I've never seen them for sale anywhere since.
I'm not really up on the Latin names of fish. Takes me all my time to remember the common names.

 

[LEricG]

I'm sort of newish.

Oonly had my fish for two days now.

Thanks. All the best with your new fish.

 

[emeraldking]

Welcome to our forum, Eric...

 

[LEricG]

Welcome to our forum, Eric...

Thank you