Hydra

A few of these turned up in my office tank today. Hydra a tiny little predator, but harmless to any snail or fish. they might be risky with shrimp. But any tank with fish in it has a built in 'hydra-elimination' force. :)

New snail eggs

I am going to start this post with my latest eggs. The best prediction I have received online is that these are from a pond snail, a.k.a. Physa. I think otherwise, but we shall see.

12/24/09
Okay, I have to concede that they were Physa (a.k.a. pond or bladder snail) eggs [see left]. Physas are quite cute little snails but on a 10 gallon they are far too likely to over-populate and become a problem--so they had to go.

1/26/10
I seem to have a few survivors, including this rather interesting color variant.


2/3/10
White physa has a stay of execution...

"Show Off"

Endlers

I was surprised how big endlers get before they start showing color. Her is one of my hybrid "blendler" (black bar endler) fry just about to start smarten up. I'll post updates showing how he matures into his full "colors".

Here is a bit of the orange color coming in....

Now with a racing stripe.

Then almost done:

Drs Foster & Smith

1/15/10
I generally find Drs Foster & Smith a good store to order from, although I do wish they would stock plant sinkers. But the last package arrived in a excessively sized box held closed, or rather not held closed, by a single piece of tape.... Hmmm.

Cory Eggs

11/26/09
I am not too terribly optimistic about their chances, but I have some cory eggs. I isolated them because the other fish eat them. So this way they may have a bit of a chance.

11/27/09
Two of the eggs have hatched into tiny wigglers.

11/28/09
Today both wigglers have two distinct vertical bands on their bodies.



12/17/09
I guess I have about a dozen fry now. I am going to try releasing two of the larger ones into my smaller tank. The only fish that could possibly swallow them is the biggest gambusia, and I doubt that she would. The picture on the left is the larger of the two being transferred and the one below is of him (or her) in the tank.



24/12/09
It seems that the cories have stopped laying eggs. The eggs and small fry I have a lot more robust than I expected. So I am going to unclutter my main tank by taking them out of the breeder net and putting them in their own 1 gallon with a heater and airstone. The don't seem to ming much where they are and the tank looks nicer without the breeder net in it.



1/15/10
4 fry went in the 5 gallon tank and I thought they hadn't made it--but I saw this guy today so there is still at least one left. Two went into the 10 gallon and I think one of those is still going too.

1/18/10
Junior is out and free swimming out in the open--a full graduate of the Puddle Buddies creche :)

Five Gallon Development

The last few Blue Apples from my Clutch

Fathead Minnow (in progress)

The fathead minnow needs at least 10 gallons due to its size and activity level. The male has a somewhat rounded head, especially when in mating condition, hence the name. A color morph of the the fathead minnow is known as the Rosy Red Minnow.

Fathead minnows like to have a cave or plant to use as their home base, and once they feel secure you will see them patrolling the tank. They can be kept in groups, although they may fight a little over favored den areas in the tank.

Mystery... thing.

A planted community tank tends to generate some spontaneous inhabitants. I have recently seen a couple of little crawlers apparently living inside leaves. It seems like it might be caddis-fly larva--which a detritus eaters that are harmless to fish and plants.