Noisy pump and minor updates

My OHF pump has been making a rattling noise that irritates me. Have not found the cause. My intention is to replace it with a canister filter that I have all along intended to get. Due to the size of the tank, there are only a few options available. Was introduced to some canister filters by the lady at NA.

- Eden 501
Can be use for tanks up to 1.5 ft. Cost less than $52. Powered at 5w and flowrate of 300L/H. Due to small size, cannot handle too much bioload, but it looks so cute. Sure a eye catcher.

- Atman 3335/F600
Flow rate is 600L/H. Have valve to control the flowrate. Cost $59.

- Tetra 60
Most expensive canister filter. Cost $140. Don't think it is worth that much.

- Ehiem classic 2213 (currently using one)
Lowest power rated (8w) with flowrate at 440L/H. Cost $80. But does not have valve to cut water for easier cleaning and heard Ben say there is no basket for it now. High in my buy list.

- Hydor Prime 10
Have valves for maintenance. Cost $80. Second in my buy list. Power rating at 10w (second lowest power consumption). Flowrate is 300L/H.

Will check it out in Malaysia for any good buys before I get one, before end of May. I got another option which is to use the Hydro Prime 20 that my wife had bought but with a cracked case. Need to find a case (hopefully around $25 the last time we asked) and the motor is still able to work. Need to test the motor at Dad's place (left there to collect dust). : P

Went to Wu Hu (Ben) today to check out the price for the canister filters. Instead, found a new fish that I can consider to keep with my boraras and cherry shrimps. It is the dwarf pencilfish (Nannostomus Marginatus). It looks cuter than boraras and similar to cherry barbs but with small patches of red on the fins and longer. Had to resist buying any so as to find out more about them before I mass buy some more fishes. More $$$ spend on fishes again. Sure get scolding from my wife. What to do, I'm always on the lookout for suitable small fishes to keep with my cherry shrimps. Just found out they like shrimplets so got to kill the idea in getting them.

The cherry shrimps are seen more often in my 2 ft planted tank now. This is not possible when my other fishes are around. Now the protein layer on the water surface is getting worse. May need to scope them out during the next water change. Does not want it to affect my light penetration to the plants. The new plants in the tank are still ok up til now. Still too early to say. Without CO2, everything grows slowly. The Singapore moss is still getting used to living in water as quite a lot turned brown. Never mind, they will recover but need to take months. : (

I have more shrimplets in my shrimp tank! Saw quite a few last week. It seems that the 2 pregnant cherries have release their eggs. Now no more pregnant cherries at the moment. Sure wish this can happen every month so I can start putting them in my 2 ft planted tank soon.

Fish deaths, new plants and rescape of planted tank

There is a total of 4 deaths of 2 cherry barbs, 1 cardinal and 1 scarlet badis. It has been sometime my fishes died on me. One of the cherry barb got fungi attack on the eye. Quarantined it and added general aid and salt but died the next day. The smallest scarlet badis does not seem to be feeding well and isolated it in a container to properly feed it with tubifex worms but also died on the next day. The rest died before I can do anything.

I have managed to get some free plants (java fern, and unknown plants) from a Steven (Hii from Aq) and xmas moss from David (davidd from Aq) some days back. I have checked them and placed them in my holding area (shallow tank) before I use them. Below are some pictures of them in the shallow tank.

This picture shows that the tank is beside my window.

I have put most of the plants that he gave me into my planted tank just now. The tall and shorter plants given by Steven are placed on the left side of the tank. Xmas from David are on the bogwood. I also put some hortwort from Victor on the right side of the tank to try it out how it is in my tank. Below is how the rescaped tank looks like now.

I think it definitely looks better compared to the bare look previously. Still I think it needs more plants behind the bogwood and on the left side of the tank.

I have also post the picture of my office tank which I have taken.

The Singapore moss is growing well in the tank. Can also see my cherry shrimps more often now. Even with my boraras swimming above them.

I went to NA and got some mini moss back. It was cheap (to me) and I want to try to see if I can cultivate it at home. Also saw how they cultivate Singapore moss. Will try out at home too. Also went to Colourful for the first time. It is more rugged but have many different types plants in there, more than NA. NA got more aquarium accessories and fauna. The lady at NA also recommended me suitable canister filters (Ehiem 2213, Atman 600, Prime 10 and Tetra 60). May consider her recommendation, if I can get my wife to allow me to get one. The OHF pump keeps having a rattling sound. I think it needs to be replaced soon but since I got many fishes in the tank, need a filter that is able to substain the high bioload.

This picture shows the Singapore moss that I trying to get them to adapt in the water. They were previously under water for a week or so and have turned brown for some of them. Trying out NA method on them.

Also post a picture of my boraras (First batch, now look big, around the size of a medium neon tetra).

Punishment for wood shrimp injury and more boraras

Went to Biotope with Victor and bought all their boraras maculatus (with 3 boraras maculatus) in the tank. Had a nice time talking to the uncle. Initial plan was to put 5 more boraras in my office tank. There is still 1 amber tetra there in the office tank. Could not catch it So leave it there, for now. : P

As I was looking at my wood shrimp, I found that one of its legs got broken with some red at the tip. I quickly removed it from the tank and put it in my shrimp tank. I was hoping the shrimp tank's cherry shrimps population to go higher before I put some into the tank again.

I then proceed to remove all the cherry barbs and most of the cardinal tetras to my low maintenance planted tank. I still left 5 cardinals in the tank. I also found out the cherry shrimps population seems to be lesser than what I initially put in. Must be eaten by some fishes! Later also found a shrimplet on a driftwood and when I try to put it back to the tank, it has already died! So sad. This might be the first surviving shrimplet in my tank. : ( Anyway, also rearrange some driftwood with ferns (to provide more hiding space for the shrimps (think don't need so already). I have also removed a small piece of driftwood so that I can retie moss on it later. It was one of my best growing moss until I put it into the shrimp tank. I think my shrimps too hungry and ate all the moss leaves, leaving only the stems. : ( So tired after doing all these, until 11:45pm. Had to call it a day... Need my beauty sleep. : )

Looked at my tank this morning. Found some cherry shrimps roaming the place. This is an unusual sight when my other fishes are in there. Now I have 25 boraras, 6 scarlet badis, 5 cardinals, 2 malayan shrimps and about 8 cherry shrimps (did not count them). Still looks ok to me. I think still a bit bare somewhere. May need to get more plants and moss to cover up some places. More work to do for this coming long weekend then. : )

Oh dear, after thinking for a while, I should put my nice fishes at the top tier and kept the shrimps at the lower tier (now is the opposite). I was thinking should I do it? Hmm... any comments? My wife would sure to complain one. Furthermore I have only rescaped both tanks recently. Don't really like the idea for now. Will shelf it until I cannot stand it then I will do it.

I have caught the amber tetra in my office tank (only after I removed my driftwood as he always hid under it and I cannot get the net to catch him). >_< Will bring him home to join the rest of the amber tetras in my tank. Actually brought 4 boraras maculatus to be put in the office tank, not 5. Will buy more, if I can help it. Since they are so small, it is a good excuse to buy more since their bioload is lower than normal small fishes.

Just went to C328 to get some tubifex worms for my scarlet badis (scared they starve to death since they prefer live food, not sure if they eat my food that I gave them. Don't want to wait until it is too late.) Saw an interesting small fish that is totally transparent except their eyes and tummy (looks like boraras but slightly longer and bigger than the biggest one that I have) Saw some red stuff in the tummy so I gather should be blood worms that they ate just now. So interesting to see. At least they are another option for transparent fishes (glass catfish & glass fish).

Showcase my rescaped 2 ft low maintenance tank

Went home and started working on the 2 ft low maintenance tank with the hortwort and rocks in my tank. Did some re-arrangement to the plants and driftwood in the tank before I prepare the hortwort from Victor (need to cut them shorter as they are too long). Will plant more later once they grow longer. : ) Also added the rocks Kelvin gave to me on the side of the driftwood. Did not do anything on the driftwood or behind it since I would be taking it out to redo the moss and also the nanas and java fern. Also added the 11 amber tetra into the tank (should have 12, think need to look for 1 tomorrow in my office tank). Still fresh with excitement after the rescape so post the pictures here.

Looks more lively compared to the "desert" look previously. I personally feel much better now. No place to put the bogwood with java moss (want to get more lights so no intention to put at the back of the tank so put it in front instead).

Also post the picture of the amber tetra (in the middle, between 2 white cloud mountain minows).

Office tank update, fishes sold and new ones coming... I hope...

Found a dead cherry shrimp in the office shrimp tank. Scoped it out and also some dead leaves from the hortwort as well. Both are failed attempts to beautify the tank. Looks like the amber tetra got hungry during the weekend. > _< Intend to add more space for the shrimps to hide and Kelvin as agreed to bring some stones to provide some hidding place. This morning, while rescaping the tank, found another dead cherry shrimp. Now left 6 of them in the tank. Even after rescaping with the stones, it does not seem to help much. The driftwood is too big to make much difference. Victor also brought quite a bit of hortwort for me. Will go home and work on my scape for my 2 ft low maintenance tank tonight. : ) Also I have spoken to the amber tetra owner and he asked me to take them home, since they are attacking my shrimps. I would be bringing the amber tetras home and taking 5 boraras here to office tomorrow. New fishes to add in my tank. : P

Yesterday sold 20 rummy noses and 20 white cloud mountain minows to Justikanz. He is trying the fishes out in his 4 ft tank (currently under re-construction process). Hope the fishes are happy in their new home. : P Now I think left 6 white cloud mountain minow and 15 rummy noses in my tank now. Looks so bare. Somemore the scape now look like desert. : P Hopefully can improve the appearance slowly...

Had to make some changes to my rescaping of the 2 ft low maintenane planted tank. First of all, clown loach is a BIG no no! Just in some forum that they grow very big (30 cm) and will feast on shrimps and even my tetras! So killed the idea of keeping them now. Still having second thoughts of buying glass catfish and corys. Since corys like sandy bottom, my subtrate might not be the best for them. Also don't like the idea of using sand since not good for rooted plants and don't want to separate the lapis sand and the fine sand later. Got some idea how to secure the hortwort to plant them like stem plants. Will post picture if I can. May get some other low maintenance plants if I can go to Teo aquarium in Lim Chu Kang or finds some that I like in LFS.

New owner for some of my fishes to make way for some new pets...

Actually, my 2 ft low maintenance tank has been overcrowded with my rummy noses and white cloud mountain minow. Should be more than 50 in there. Forget to count them during the rescaping the tank. I have intention to sell some of them off and finally posted in some forum. Confirm from a forumer Justikanz will take them (20 rummy nose and 20 white cloud mountain minows). I cannot determine how many is left but I think should have a smaller school so I can get more fishes. : D

After reading Aquarium Design book, got inspired to rescape the 2 ft low maintenance tank and also buy some new fishes which I want to keep or had kept before. Would also want to buy some more low maintenance plants (no CO2 and lower light requirement) to make the tank look nicer, since the current driftwood's Singapore moss have turned brown but slowly can see some growing again but at a painfully slow rate (likely replace with new moss as I now too lazy to take them off. Took me a long time to tie the singapore moss on that bogwood, you know).

Below are some fishes that I had in mind:
- Clown loach (Botia Macracantha). At least 2.
* They grow up to 30 cm and have been known to eat tetras, shrimps and snails. Like that how can get for my tank. No buy then. : P
- Corydoras (no idea which type yet). At least 6.
- Glass catfish (Kryptopterus Bicirrhis). At least 6.

Plants that I had in mind:
- Hortwort (Ceratophyllum submersum). May be able to get some from colleague Victor.
- Crypts (not sure which type, see can get from any forumer first)
- Hygrophila corymbosa (maybe, if I can find it)

Macro shots using my digicam (just found out it how to tweak the setting accidentally!)

Was playing with my digicam yesterday and taking some photos of my fishes. I almost wanted to get a new digicam to take macro shots but when I found out that my tweaking some settings and using max zoom, my marco shots turns out sharp but colour is a little dark. Need to use photoshop to adjust so it looks better. So went snapping away and post some shots that I think looks alright.

Above are my white cloud minow in my 2 ft low maintenance planted tank. Some are either fat or pregnant. Since they need colder water to breed (22 degree), I have no choice but let them be. They are always hungry so had to feed quite a bit more usually (this tank got more than 50 fishes in there with rummy noses and a drawf platy. They swim at the top layer of the tank.

With my white cloud minow is also a female drawf platy, donated by my sis since they bit her pearl scale goldfish. Had 3 but 2 died. Was meant to be small but made fat by me. Not so small as it seems. Hao chi hao zhu, of course fat what!

These are my rummy noses in the same tank. Not easy to take them since they are always moving around. Finally see some fighting with the current so can take them. They are always hungry and fast swimmers as well. However, they are gentle fishes and can be used to test water conditions by their rummy nose (red means water ok. No red means water not so good) but since not all have rummy nose (some very red while some no red at all), so just take it as a guide, not a test kit. : P


Another 2 pictures of my rummy nose. See what I mean by some red, some no red at all. : )

This is my malayan shrimp in the planted tank. Saw it grazing the subtrate.




Above are my cherry barbs and cardinals in the 2 ft planted tank. Both are big and fat already. Should see the cardinals when they first came into my tank. They were so small and now, big and fat. Should be those you see in LFS selling at "XL" or "L" cardinals. Jealous right?!? Both make nice combinations since my boraras are too small.

1 of the 4 Boraras uropthalmoides died this morning. So sad. The rest of the 3 are still around. Hopefully they will live on.

Just noticed the smallest scarlet badis seems not eating. Got a sunken stomach. Will monitor for a few more days. Then might transfer him to my shrimp tank to see how.

Great deal and more surprises ...

Just went to Biotope to look for some boraras maculatus to put in my office shrimp tank. However, found that there are some boraras that are different and mixed with the boraras maculatus in the same tank. Since I was interested in getting some, I bought the 4 unknown boraras and 1 boraras maculatus. Later then I realize that the unknown boraras are Boraras uropthalmoides (exclamation mark rasborara). They should cost more than boraras maculatus. Lucky I got 4 of them.

When I went back to office to settle the new fishes, I found fishes below my plastic bag. Initially thought they are the reflections but then I realized that my colleague had already bought 12 tetras (not sure what they are now butI think they looked like golden colour) for my shrimp. I think they must be cannot stand seeing my tank without anything (shrimps hiding most of the time with the light on).
This is what I meant...
The new fishes in my office shrimp tank. Total 12 of them, 2 free from Ben's Wu Hu. Was thinking of going tomorrow after work. : D Actually spotted a shrimplet in my tank and took a picture of it using a colleague's new digicam. Not too clear though due to my poor skills lah.

Since I do not want to overcrowd my small 1 ft shrimp tank, I decided to bring back my boraras home to keep. Now the new boraras uropthalmoides have joined my 5 other boraras maculatus in my 2 ft planted tank. Some pictures to show how they looked like.

They are busy swimming with my other boraras in the same tank. It seems like the boraras can school together if the numbers are small and got other bigger fishes in the same tank (feel more secure). The boraras with a dot on their body are boraras maculatus and those with a stripe are boraras uropthalmoides (in case you are curious who is who).

Also got a picture to show for my wood shrimp. Not well taken but will have to do for now.

Very tired now. Will go sleep. Wife complaining that I buy too many fishes recently. Need to control this urge or she will kill me (nag me until I die : P) ...

Some pictures to show ...

Below is the picture showing the additional driftwood (on the left) . It sort of creates a cave there. Found some cherry barbs and mostly scarlet badis there.


Below is the 2 pictures that I selected on my scarlet badis taken from my tank. Have taken many pictures but most turn out blue or too bright. : P Poor photography skills lah...



Above is the picture taken with a boraras. A bit blur and also I can only find 3 of my 5 boraras this morning. I think they are hiding in the java fern or behind the bogwood. Will try to look for them again tonight, if I got time. : P Hope they are still alive and recovering from their bitten tail fins.

Also found some rather small cherry shrimplets in my shrimp tank at home. Looks that I am beginning to see the 3 batch of cherry shrimplets! That is definitely good news to me, since my shrimps are thriving.

The hortwort in my office shrimp tank is dying. Looks like the table lamp light does not provide enough light for it to grow (hortwort thrive on high light environment). However, they seems to grow quite well in Victor's home tank (may not have high light there). I wonder?!? Anyway cleared up the tank for those rotting leaves and stems and intent to bring the hortwort back home to keep. Did not see much cherries in my office tank today. Not sure where they are hiding? Will check on them again later.

New additions in my 2 ft high maintenance planted tank : )

Just went to C328 to look for some boraras maculatus (saw some there before) add some into my office shrimp tank, else must go Biotope/Ben Aquarium to look for some. At first cannot find the boraras maculatus but found Scarlet Badis (Dario Dario). They are very small (around 2cm) and have red stripes. Have been looking for them for a while but could not find them. Saw them in JE217 but they do not have any stock. Bought 6 of them, if my wife did not stop me, may buy more. : P Here is how they looked like. Not so colourful yet but you get the idea.

Have found out after I bought them : P, that they make good community fishes but they like to hide. Maybe due to their size. For mine, some like to explore while some just "hide" somewhere but more are exploring now. That is a good sign. Also they seems to prefer live food, oops... will train them to eat my fish food or where to find tubifex worms everyday for them?!? They are so small. Tried flake food and trying micro-pellets for the next few days. Hopefully they can make it. Saw 2 shit so must eat then can shit right?!? Hope they can survive well in my tank. Pray hard...


Also found some boraras maculatus in a small container (with other fishes) and bought 5 of them. When looking at them after put them in my tank, found that 3 of them had chipped tail fins (not sure about other fins). Either got bitten by fishes in the small container in C328 or in my tank. Since just found out, I cannot blame my cardinals and cherry barbs so will monitor these 5 for a while. Don't think they are suitable to be put in my office tank now so will look for some in Biotope next week. They are really thin, but after my tender loving care (tlc) :P, they should be like my first batch of boraras maculatus, nice and a little fat. Hee... Hee... Also retie some moss onto a driftwood and introduce a driftwood with java moss and small nanas into my tank. Will post a picture some other time. It creates a cave effect so my shrimps or small fishes can hide for a while. Cardinals and cherry barbs are rather fat and big now. The tank looks better now. Just need the moss to grow properly and it would be nicer (that would be a few months down the road, but it is worth it). May need to get some more moss to tie on my bogwood and driftwood.

Rescaping of 2 ft low maintenance planted tank

Got myself to do a clean-up of the 2 ft low maintenance planted tank since it got a bit of BBA infected. Took out and put all the fishes into a pail, pulled out all the plants and drained out most of the water in the tank. Then put the lapis sand in another pail and pour hot water into it until cooled. Then put back the lapis sand, fill up the tank and put back the fishes and start the OHF running. I also added in 3 malayan shrimps as I scare the fishes would bully and eat my cherries. In less than an hour, the water looks clearer but still got some particles floating around. Do not intent to feed my fishes for today to let them get used to the new environment. Below is how the tank looks like now.

I was thinking that my Singapore moss is not growing well might be due to the light tube (too old and I have replaced with a new one) and also positioning of the driftwood (too much inside so light not enough). So I have shifted the driftwood to the front and also the other plants at the side. Also added some black stones as decorations. And added another bogwood with moss. However, it looks empty but does provide more swimming space for the fishes (rummy noses, white cloud minows and a flame platy) inside. No problem found on the fishes so far.

My wife is massaging my back now. Veri shiok! Oops, off topic...

Office tank picture update and minor updates

Just managed to capture a picture of the 1 ft shrimp tank. Here is the picture. Also latest addition from Victor is the hortwort that he donated to try out in my tank.

This is a small setup since I not sure how the response is in my office. However, my colleagues reponses have been encouraging, since this is the first time someone setup a shrimp tank. There is already a goldfish and koi tank. My cherries have been living happily there. I found that most of the algae has been cleared by these fellas. Not bad since they have been there for only 2 days. : ) It seems that there are actually 3 females in the tank instead of 2.

Here is a picture of my cherries in the tank.

Above is my 2 ft high maintenance planted tank after I added in the cardinals and cherry and malayan shrimps. Also top up the water to the current height. Looks pretty bare now but once the moss grows, it might be better. Also my intent is to make this another shrimp and fish tank so don't want to mess it up right now. Also limited by the plants that I have on hand and my scape design.

This is how my current 2 ft low maintenance tank looks like now. Now housing white cloud mountain minow, rummy noses and a flame platy. I have intention to do a "over-haul" for this tank in the weekend as it also has been affected by BBA. However, it would not change much since I do not have much plants to play with at the moment. May get some if I can find what I like or just grow more moss. Then need to search for suitable driftwood/bogwood.

More cherries in my office 1 ft tank ...

Yesterday I have caught 3 cherries from my shrimp tank to be brought to my office but found only 1 left, with a male guppy in there. It must have see the shrimps and jumped in for a meal. Was too busy or might have killed it for eating my 2 cute cherries. > _< The lonely cherry was brought and put into my office tank. It is able to settle down well , exploring the tank quite often and hiding some where too. Initially wanted to wait for a few more days before I get more cherries but my wife complain that it will be lonely and in the end, I got a few more last night to join him, including 2 female cherries. Have just put them into the office tank and they also seem to be able to settle down quite nicely here, no rushing around or to the surface. I have not brought any food to office for them yet but will do that maybe on Thurday. There should have enough algae there for them to eat until next week. : P With the new additions, the tank look more lively now. : ) Also since the 2 female cherries might be having eggs soon, so by 2 months should be able to see the first batch of shrimplets. So nice to see them around.

A colleague, Victor keeps guppies and have used the ketapang leave in his tank yesterday. He also tried growing moss and if successful, can also keep cherry shrimps. However, since he is keeping guppies, I have recommended to him to keep the cherries in another tank that he has instead. He seems interested in shrimps. So one more shrimp keeper convert?!? I will be passing him some male guppies for him to breed as I lost interest in them for a while. Now more into shrimps keeping and planted tanks.

I have also seen a few really cherry colour female cherries in my shrimp tank at home. Looks like ketapang leaves does help to enhance the colour of cherries. : )

Also have not seen any cherry shrimp casualties in my 2 ft tank. If all goes well, the tank would be converted to have shrimps as well. Just hope that the moss can grow well there first.

The poor white cloud minow which has fungal attack on its head has passed away yesterday. Found it floating when I was watching the fishes with my friend. Hope it rest in peace...

Bought another batch of cherry shrimps

I have just bought a new batch of 25 or is 27 cherry shrimps from a forumer (Coke6218, David if I remember his name correctly). He is a nice guy and had a nice short experience sharing with him. Have emptied most of it in my newly rescaped 2 ft high maintenance planted tank and the rest in my 1 ft cube shrimp tank. Have not seen any attacks from my cardinals and cherry barbs on the cherry shrimps. With some hiding place available, I think they should be fine, as long as I fed my fishes well. There is still some BBA on the java fern that I put in the tank. Would clear it tomorrow as I just remember about it. Coke6128 has also gave me some stalks of spiky moss. That adds to my current collection of Java, Singapore and Taiwan moss. Hopefully I can get it to propagate and enough to tie onto a driftwood.

I have also caught 3 cherries to put in my office. Once they can live until the end of the week since my tank has only run in for 3 days, I would be getting more to be put in my office. It is a bit risky but want to try my luck since I got a season driftwood and some stones with Taiwan moss on it to kick start the BB generation. The moss on the driftwood seems to be infested with algae so need some cleaning crew to do their magic on it.

I have also put all the male guppies into the shallow tank (RHS) to join the female guppies to reduce the bioload in my low maintenace planted tank. Too many fishes in there right now. Also finally did some cleaning of the 2ft low maintenance planted tank glass. Should be doing a major overhaul for this tank soon (may not be this coming weekend as it took me quite a while to get enough rest after doing my previous 2 tanks. : P

Rescaping... Rescaping... So much to do but so little time. : (

It is a long day for me... So tired but satisfied. : D

I have spent half a day rescaping 2 tanks. That is 2 tanks in a day! My main reason is that the 2ft high maintenance planted tank was infected with algae and I'm so sick of it (neglected it for too long) and decided to do a long awaited cleanup. I have removed all the fishes into a pail and scoped most of the lapis sand into another pail. Instead of using chemicals to kill the BBA, I used hot water. This actually kills them, for now and also others (snails.. Hee.. Hee... and on no... BB as well). Since my canister filter (Ehiem 2213) has not been cleaned, I took this opportunity to clean it as well.

Have rescaped the tanks since I need to rearrange the plants (mostly moss on driftwood/bogwood). I have noticed that the moss in my shrimp tank is not growing well but grows well under my 2 ft high maintenance planted tank (55W light set one) and also the ones in the 2 ft high maintenance planted tank have algae on them. I have put the algae infected moss into the shrimp tank and hope that the shrimps would take care of the algae. Below is the new rescape picture of my 1 ft cube shrimp tank. I think it looks better now with the new moss on driftwood.

Now you can see my shrimps quite clearly. Even if there are fishes around, when they saw the taiwan moss that is infested with algae, you can see why so many of them are on that moss now. The rest is not that badly affected then.


Here is a close shot of my shrimps grazing the moss on the driftwood. This piece of driftwood is the best one that I have found due to its interesting shape. Cannot find another one like it. :)


In this blur picture, you can see the clown killie fish at the background. This is the best shot that I have right now on them. Now I would move on to the newly rescaped 2 ft high maintenance planted tank.

I have shifted the big bogwood from the shrimp tank to this tank. I have also consolidated most of my java moss into this tank (on the left side of the tank). They are to provide some form of hidding space for my future shrimps (Yes, I intent to put in some Malayan and cherry shrimps). With that consideration in mind, I have moved the rummy nose, male guppies and a platry into the low maintenance planted tank (this tank also have algae so need to work on it next time)

This is another picture of the same tank. Now I have cherry barbs and a cardinal inside there. I know it is not completed filled as I still have some other cardinals in a pail (pail is too small to hold all the fishes so offload the cherry barbs (they are more hardy) into this tank. Actually, I added liquid BB to speed up the process of BB generation, together with the driftwood/bogwood with moss/java ferns (already got BB on them from other tanks), so did not start from zero. So hopefully I can complete this tank by tomorrow morning (need to go out in the afternoon). : P Hopefully my cardinals can survive in the pail for a night. Praying hard ...

Above is the picture of the completed decoration of the shallow tank with money plant. Actually had taken this picture a few days ago. Since now the money plants are growing well here (better than the ones outside ...) .

Well. hope I did not bore you guys reading my blog on some details on what I did. : ) On well, I don't care anyway ... : P

Shrimp tank in office... Finally!

After thinking about this for a long time, finally get myself to bring my decommissioned 1 ft tank to office yesterday and set it up. There is more than 1 fish tank in my office and since I'm keeping shrimps (others are keeping freshwater and marine fish), makes a fresh start of keeping fishes in office. Since my cherry shrimp is pregant again, looks like more cherry shrimps are coming and the 1 ft cube may not be able to substain the boiload for too long. Have been thinking of upgrading the tank to at least a 2 ft one but since cannot sell off my rummy nose and white cloud mountain minnow, have to shelf the idea for now. Cannot start a new tank or my wife will "Kill" me. : P I have filled it with water already and just put in a driftwood with singapore and java moss (if I remember correctly) and 2 stones tied with taiwan moss. Will take a picture of it if I can.

Latest additon - Clown Killies (Pseudepiplatys annulatus)

Just did a trade with fellow forumer Justikanz 3 of his clown killies with my 5 rummy noses. One clown killies gave my wife and me a shock when it just idle there and not much movement. Both of us thought it dies but later when I scope them out into my 1 ft cube shrimp tank, all 3 are ok! They were staying at a corner of the tank last night when I was looking at them. Overall, they are ok. Hope to take a pic of them if I can catch them...

Shrimplets update and more ...

Was looking at my shrimp tank and found quite a lot of shrimplets there. Looks like they were hiding somewhere when I was looking for them. They are about 5mm or slightly smaller but some already have their cherry red showing on their body. : ) Glad that the first 2 batch of cherry shrimplets are fine now. I was hoping to introduce a new batch every now and then to reduce the cross-breeding problem (weaker genes and might affect their colour). I think after introducing the next new batch, should be able to sell some of them off (still at least 6 months if I not wrong).

I have put back the white cloud mountain back to the tank. Still have a white head when I put it in but it looks a little blur back in the tank. Hopefully it can recover in there (not so during the last try)

I also found a starved guppy (so thin with tattered tail fin). Could not understand why it is like this. Did not notice it until few days ago. Just quarantined it in a plastic container and see how it goes. Water looks slightly cloudly after a day. Looks like need to change water soon...

My money plants seems to be growing well at the new environment. Glad that they are adapting well.

Still have not find time to rescape my 2 ft tanks. Still got no solid idea how I want to do it this time round (except the concept of the island aquarium scape). I was also thinking of selling off some of my rummy nose and white cloud mountain to reduce the bioload and also hope to keep control of the BBA problem that I'm having now. Have not decided yet. See how first.

Cherry shrimplets found!

Just found that the title post is off, no wonder I cannot write a title for each post. Never mind, can start now.

Cherry shrimplets found! I was looking at the shrimp tank and I found a cherry shrimplet (rather red for its size) on the moss. Then I also found another little red cherry shrimplet at the other side of the moss. They are growing bigger so should be seeing more of them soon. Also a cherry shrimp seems to be pregnant again. Looks like more cherry shrimplets to come!

I did some trimming of the java ferns in the low maintenance planted tank since quite a lot of java ferns leaves are getting brown. I have also removed some of the hair grass but leave them floating. Also tried to remove snails when I can see them. I also think that the 36W tube is getting too old and not producing enough light for my plants. May change a new tube.

I also took out the tiger lily (less red ones) since they are infested with holes. I was suspecting that the oto or the snails are the culprit. Since I got 2 glass vases from IKEA, I have planted the small tiger lily plantlets there for the time being. Actually found quite a few plantlets (5)instead of the 2 initially there. I have also added lapis sand with root monster for the tiger lilies and place them beside the window. Hope they grow better now.

The white cloud mountain looks better now. I have forgotten to change the water yesterday. Will do it tonight. Will quarantine him for a week more before I put him back.

The problem with rescaping is that I do not have enough plants to do the rescaping. I was thinking of using the bogwood and moss to cover the whole foreground and using high driftwood to create the height, instead of using plants. Let me rethink over the plan and if it is possible, may do a major scaping design change for my planted tank. Just need to make sure the driftwood and bogwood can fix into the 2 ft tank bottom. Hmm....

I have recently found that my 2 ft planted tank is having a major outbreak of Black Beard Algae (BBA). Most of my java ferns are covered with it, some on the moss, some on my hair grass and also MY SUBTRATE (lapis sand) as well! You should be able to understand how I felt when seeing this happen to my tank. Initially the BBA only infested the java ferns but somehow maybe I try to scrape some off the glass and outlet hose but did not clear them properly that cause them to spread all over the place. Bad move.

Just did a major clean-up of the 2ft planted tank yesterday on the major problem, my java ferns and a taiwan moss covered driftwood (not completely). Now my java fern looks so short now. Need to get some new background plant?!? My intention is to do a major rescape and also use boiling water to help to kill the BBA on the lapis sand. The fishes would be temporary house in the pail first. If I can find time, would do it this weekend. : P

My low maintenance planted tank also looks a little ugly now and some singapore moss are turning brown on the driftwood. Hope it can recover from this. Also found some BBA here and also my hairgrass is not growing well. I have intended to remove all the hairgrass in this tank. Maybe I will plant moss instead as the foreground plant since it does not require high light.

The white cloud mountain which got some cotton wool disease on the head does seem worse in the tank. So just got it out and use general aid on it now. Hope it recovers from this but it is swimming and feeding well, just it looked funny...

Both of my mummy cherry shrimps have released their eggs but I'm unable to find any shrimplets. (should be hiding somewhere, I hope)... If any sighting, will update...