18°C – sun and scattered showers
Posted by Anja on May 5, 2010 at 16:39 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:35Things are humming blooming and popping open everywhere. It’s a joy to run around outside with or without the camera. Last weekend I finally got rid of the ugly plastic planters in front of the house and replaced one with the tub I had the pond lily in last year.
The lily unfortunately didn’t make it through the winter, so I potted up some of the papyrus divisions and one of my peace lilies in there and today added the baby minnows, who were rapidly outgrowing their refuge in the snail tank.
Tags: Cyperus papyrus, Spathiphyllum, Tanichthys albonubes | Categories: 15G Mini Pond, 2G Brigs | Comments Off on 18°C – sun and scattered showers | PermalinkFern
Posted by Anja on May 3, 2010 at 18:12 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:29I always have to give myself a little something for being brave at the dentist (I blame my mom who started the practice when I was little), so I bought a small maidenhair fern they sold at the grocery store for three bucks. Pretty little thing. Too big for my mini greenhouse unfortunately, so I might plant it outside by the pond. For now it’s sitting entwined in the leaves of the monstera where it gets misted along with the Spanish moss every morning.
Tags: Adiantum fragans, plants | Categories: Pond | Comments Off on Fern | PermalinkNewcomers
Posted by Anja on May 2, 2010 at 16:11 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:26
The new guys are doing well so far, and Rosy (the minnow we got last year to see how well she’d make it thru the winter) seems thrilled but confused. She frequently joins the school of minnows, only to then go back to hang out with her goldfish buddies. Did we give her an identity crisis?
Tags: Carassius auratus, Pimephales promelas | Categories: Pond | Comments Off on Newcomers | PermalinkPond Add-ons
Posted by Anja on May 1, 2010 at 22:49 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:25A half score of little rosy red minnows was acquired at the pet store. They’ve been added to the pond, and swim around a bit confusedly yet, occasionally followed by one or the other of our curious goldfish. I took care that they’re too big to be considered food, though.
Good day.
Tags: Carassius auratus, Pimephales promelas | Categories: Pond | Comments Off on Pond Add-ons | PermalinkShooing fish babies
Posted by Anja on April 19, 2010 at 16:51 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:55I finally cleaned out the minnow tank downstairs. It was really, really necessary, but with all the itsy bitsy babies in there I hadn’t dared so far. And while they grew a bit and are now able to swim more strongly, they’re still only a couple of mm long, so it was a harrowing business of constantly checking the gravel vac and the bucket. Twice I had to evacuate an entrepreneurial youngster from the vac, once I almost sucked up one of the little plecos. But he whizzed out of harm’s way under his own steam. *phew*
Tags: Ancistrus, breeding, Tanichthys albonubes | Categories: 10G River | Comments Off on Shooing fish babies | PermalinkBack in business
Posted by Anja on April 18, 2010 at 20:41 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:53
I got my outside day today. We used it to spring-clean the pond, give the fish a spa day and restart the filter and waterfall. I divided and repotted the papyrus and plunked it and the black taro back in their place.
The fish were hardly back in the pond when they started playing in the waterfall. It’s so nice to have it back. It’ll be my lullaby tonight.
Tags: Carassius auratus, Colocasia esculent 'Black Magic', Cyperus papyrus, spring cleaning | Categories: Pond | Comments Off on Back in business | PermalinkTank update
Posted by Anja on April 6, 2010 at 16:27 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 19:58
Ranger Rory has grown to respectable proportions. When I first got him, he was half the size of the cory below him. It’s rare that he presents me with an opportunity for a full length shot. Usually he dashes into hiding as soon as someone approaches the tank.
Tags: Pterygoplichthys weberi, Rory | Categories: 25G South American | Comments Off on Tank update | PermalinkRain
Posted by Anja on March 23, 2010 at 00:30 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 16:51Learned about rain water for my South American tank tonight. I’ve been thinking about that before, them preferring soft, acidic water and all, but hadn’t quite dared. But apparently it’s totally possible. Talked to a guy who does it all the time, and only supplies a bit of electrolytes. As soon as the rain barrel is back up (which should be soon), I’ll have to try this.
Tags: chemistry | Categories: 25G South American | Comments Off on Rain | PermalinkFish babies update
Posted by Anja on February 10, 2010 at 00:14 | Last modified: July 8, 2012 21:28Pulled 15 more babies out of the minnow tank. As for the cory hatchling, I haven’t seen it. I cleaned the big tank today very carefully, and left out the corner where I first spotted it, though I don’t know, of course, if it’s still there.
Tags: breeding, Corydoras paleatus, Tanichthys albonubes | Categories: 10G River, 25G South American | Comments Off on Fish babies update | PermalinkMore White Cloud babies
Posted by Anja on February 8, 2010 at 23:36 | Last modified: July 9, 2012 20:41I transferred about 10 of them to the brig tank today, since they don’t reliably stay in the breeder. There were five or so left in the breeder, and I saw one or two zipping around free style in the tank. We’ll see how each group fares, I guess.
I tried to take a picture of the little guys, caught one. Note the frogbit above him for size comparison:
