http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/blog.php Aquaria Central forums - Freshwater and Marine Topics of Discussion en Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:49:58 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/images/misc/rss.jpg http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/blog.php http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2167-RIP-Cheeto-*( Wed, 01 Feb 2012 06:42:51 GMT Male orange/blue betta. May 30?, 2011 - January 25?, 2012

My poor little baby! He had always ignored the hole in the top of the coconut hut cause it was too small to fit more than his head in (the few times he'd start to stick it in he'd back out almost immidiately since it was obviously too small), but I found him jammed in the hole. So I picked it up and held it just under the surface so he could get air when he needed and hopefully wiggle free. After a half hour or so he hadn't been able to get himself free, so I had to try to break him out. Unfortunately that didn't go well.
In desperarion, as a last resort, I put him to sleep with clove oil (the article had kept going on and on about how hard it was to overdose fish with clove), then slid my hand into a bag - for a glove - and carefully pried him lose. The poor baby had cut his back open. I placed him into clean water with an air stone and some hornwort for good measure and waited, hoping he'd wake up. Perhaps labarynth fish don't react the same to clove oil. He never woke up. The next morning he was floating and definitely dead.
My poor sweet baby Cheeto! *sobs* :( ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2167-RIP-Cheeto-*( http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2165-RIP-*(-Sam-Quiggly-Beloved-Cat-1996-2012 Fri, 06 Jan 2012 16:15:10 GMT Sam Quiggly

Mom's oldest cat. Black and pretty and grumpy and silly and soft. Our first cat to die of old age. OMG, it was hard to watch.
Lil sis found him out side, we think he had a stroke, he was crying and dying and trying to fight it off, g it was sad to see. The other kitties avoided him, they always cuddle up to him cause he's their saragant dad (though I think Foozey and Joey still think he's 'mom' lol). Mom brought him inside and laid him in a box with blankets and covered him with a towel. He smelled very bad. So she turned on the garage light and I brought a lamp for more warmth and she set the box on another blanket in there. Mom's been sick and had to go to bed so I stayed up with him. He kept crying and crying and occassionaly tried to climb out, but I don't think he could move his back half so he just ended up throwing his towel off. He couldn't close his eyes, I don't think he could even see us anymore. I stroked his head softly and used a dropper to give him so water, his throat sounded so sore. When he realized the dropper was water he tipped back his head to make it easier to give the water to him.
I had to leave him to take care of some things, I'm not sure he noticed, but came back to check on him now and again.
The second the last time I came in he wasn't crying anymore, he almost seemed to be asleep, so I petted him for a while and left. Shortly thereafter he died. Alone. I am sorry Sammy. :(

Sam would have been 16 this summer.
I think we got him in an August.
Mom picked him out when some cousins and an aunt were visiting with us and one of the cousins wanted to name him 'Simba.' :grinno:

The other cats in with him at the store were picking on him so he hid in the litter pan. When we got him home he liked to sleep in the litter pan and 'make sand castles' as mom put it LOL.

We used a big empty poptart box as his toy box and put a basket with blanket for him to sleep in. He learned about taking his toys out of the box very quickly, but he never learned to put them back. :rolleyes:

My little sister had 2 stuffed toys that he absolutely loved, a large yellow duck that she eventually gave him for his basket, and a 4 foot teddy bear she won from some valentine drawing somewhere or other. She brought it up to see what he'd do, he checked it out, sniffed it, and then climbed on and started 'kneading' him (he did that to the duck also). He'd roll his eyes up and just purrrrrr!
Lil sis couldn't decide whether she liked him or was afraid of him, she'd go back and forth with this. During one of her afraid times she decided she'd try to scare him away from her so he'd leave her alone. Well, it backfired and he loved it! He started lying in wait for her then when he'd see her come by - even if she saw him, cause he thought he was invisible - he'd run by and either tag her leg or wrap himself around her leg and act like he was going to bite, but then jump back up and sprint away before she had time to do anything about it, LOL! He even started hiding under the armchair - which was a squeeze when he got bigger, but it was his favorite spot - and wait for somone to sit down, then he'd reach out and 'tag' their leg, and if you didn't know he was there it could really startle you lol!

Once he was playing with one of those little fluffy mice (not real) in the kitchen - he was still a kitten - and I threw a second one over to him. He blinked at it confused, then back to the first mouse, batted one, then the other, looked back and forth at the mice, then started backing up and hissing at both of them, heeheehee!

When he was older (4?) older sis brought 2 kittens home, they were only about 3 weeks old (the person who gave them to her thought the mom had abandoned them only to find out later she'd just gone out for food :shakehead:) and about the size of hamsters. The second they saw Sam they ran right up to him and tried to nurse! He of couse did not like that lol! After only a few more encounters with them like that Sam quickly learned how to avoid them. Which he did until they were 6 months old and way past the nursing phase - except for one time. Maybe a couple of weeks after they'd first arrived, Sam had just checked on the kittens from afar and decided that it was safe to lay by the couch and take a nap, or at least sit down. So he was laying there all comfy and suddenly Foozeball comes running around from the back of the couch. Sam's tensing up to bolt as he sees her nearing him, but she slows down and just curls up a couple inches in front of him instead of 'attacking' him. He looks at her suspiciously but slowly starts to relaxe and mom and I can see on his face, he seems to be thinking, 'Ok, this isn't soooo bad...,' but just then he looks up an sees mom and me watching him and he bolts, startling wee Foozeball, and she looks so surprised and hurt, but then Joey runs around from the back of the couch and pounces on her and she doesn't have time to think on how hurt she was. Sam successfully avoided them after that until they were about 6 months old lol.

Sam would kind of 'babysit' the kittens, say they would run up the short stairs and down the hall, he would sneak behind them and peek over the top of the stairs to see what they were doing, as long as they didn't see him he would watch, but the second they saw him and started running towards him he would bolt and leave them wondering where he went.

When he realized they were old enough to not nurse anymore he would clean them. But at the food bowl, he was top cat. If they were in the way of his food (and they were so small they were in the dish, at least that was Foozey's excuse, Joey was just a pig lol) he would place his paw on their forhead and give a push. After a while he just had to put his paw on their forhead and they would let him eat.
Foozeball being so small however decided one day to give this method a try. Joey was at the water bowl (he was nearly twice her size) and she wanted water. He wouldn't leave. So she placed her dainty little paw on his head. Nothing happened. She took it off. She placed both front paws on his head (he's drinking the water right now) and jumped down on his head! Joey came up spluttering and probably wondering what had just happened while a triumphant Foozeball got herself some water. :grinno:

A few years later sis brought another cat to us. Sam's initial reaction looked something like this, "Another one? Seriously? Oh well, the others didn't leave and I kind of like them now, so I guess I'll go over and say hello." He seemed to know he had to choice in his 'adopting' another cat and he took to being 'den mother' very well.

Of course once Foozey had grown up into her little self she was co-top cat, but she still allowed Sam to think he ruled. (She did however make sure her brother Joey knew she was ranked above him lol.)

Later Sam was 'forced' into 'adopting' another cat, a rather difficult one. She was loud and rauscious and violent and spoiled and longhaired and didn't know how to groom herself, and thought that brushes were evil and she loved her claws, and always getting her way. It took years but with Joey's help (the other longhair who is always grooming and meticulous, but never leaves a dirt clod un rolled in) she finally allowed them to groom her and she started learning how to groom herself (we tried, but as I mentioned, she thought brushes were evil). She is still learning but has made some progress.

Sam you were wonderful and will be dearly missed!


Funeral / Burial scheduled for Saturday.





Note to Mom, older sis and I still think a cat should never be named Quiggley as it sounds like something found in the litter box!
:grinno: ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2165-RIP-*(-Sam-Quiggly-Beloved-Cat-1996-2012 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2145-Help-me-re-home-my-fish-please-*cries* Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:17:58 GMT http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums...11#post2732011 ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2145-Help-me-re-home-my-fish-please-*cries* http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2009-Where-ARe-my-pHotos-!!!!!! Sat, 29 Oct 2011 14:19:52 GMT Arrrrrgh!

I HATE it when I spend SO much time uploading photos and they don't show up!!!!! GAH!!!:rant2:

:flamed: ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?2009-Where-ARe-my-pHotos-!!!!!! http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1990-Late-fish-aversary-Pearl-crowntail-female-betta Wed, 05 Oct 2011 06:40:37 GMT I believe July was actually Pearl's fishy-versary (when I got her).
She is still doing great, but a little pssd at me for moving her into a different part of the divided tank she's ususally in lol. Moving them around helps keep them entertained.

Let's see, Pearl was about 3 months old when I found her, the only spikey tailed girl betta I'd seen or other fancy-finned female at any store hereabouts so I just had to add her to my 'collection.' :)

When I first got her, and for the first few months, her body was almost completely white other than a small dark blue spot/streak, and red fins. Her whole body and fins had a thick purple iridescent shimmer. Over time the white turned pink (she's a Valentine's fish lol!)
It took me several months to find out what type of betta she was (yes I do feel stupid lol). A crowntail, and more recently have learned she might have some halfmoon in her too.

She is very good at getting through tight spots, I have never discoverd how she gets through the dividers! You really would not know that from looking at her, she is very small, but quite rotund in the egg area, you would think that would get in the way!
Her fins (and spikes) are quite long, but possibly look more so as she is the smallest full grown girl betta I've ever had, including fins she's only about 2" or slightly over long! This doesn't seem like such a difference from 2 1/2" and 3" on ruler, but in person it makes a lot of difference. It is odd that the first betta girl I had was the largest/longest and since all of them have been getting smaller. Oh well.

During her first few (or less) months she lived in a large jar with some live plants a wee bit of matching (matched her lol) gravel and an airstone, w/ daily water changes, while I was resetting a tank for her. I also had a new sorority about this time, but was lothe to add her to it and have her beautiful fins ripped off. I'd discovered with my first sorority that sometimes when fins are eaten they don't grow all the way back - with some of the girls it took the same area being attacked multiple times for this to happen, and for others the first time was all it took.

She ended up for a short while in a 4way divided 10g, but I was able to successfully integrate the red betta girl (RedRidingHood, died recently) into the sororoity. (It was kinda funny, the rest of girls there were blue or green and at first she ignored them and they ignored her lol.) Afterwards I reduced it to a 3way, which it still is today.
Her tank mates originally were (she was on the left side) Roy - red betta male in the middle section, and Charlie - blue betta male - in the right section.
Unfortunately, she eventually found a way past the divider (?!) and into Roy's area. Remember how I didn't want her fins damaged? Yep, he nipped off some of her fins before I found her and scooped her out. Most of the fins grew back, but she is short at least 2 spikes on the end of her tail (like a gap tooth) and possibly one on her lower. I think the top fin was fine.

Some time after this during the same day wriggled into Roy's area 5! times and I kept having to remove her. I got tired of having to catch her and didn't want her eaten, so instead I caught Roy and put him in her area. When I got up the next morning, well what do you know? She can't/couldn't get out of the middle area LOL! So I left her there heehee. She seems to prefer the middle, silly girl! A while later to keep things interesting I switched Roy and Charlie so they could check out each others areas (and after a few months switched them back ;) ). Charlie seems to like to be on the side with the filter so he can let it suck him up to the prefilter sponge lol, he is so lazy! :D

I estimate Pearl is 1 year and 7 months old. My oldest living girl before now was 2, but she had grown a tumor about 8 months before she died, Pearl looks great (but so did my other pink fish just before she went into the death throws... :( )
Here's hoping for a long life Pearl! *cheers*

No, you can't have a beer!

But in fishy years I'm old enough...

I don't care how old you are in fish or human years, you are not getting a beer young lady!

But...

No! How bout a worm?

Oooo! WORM! GIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMME GIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMMEGIMME!!! ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1990-Late-fish-aversary-Pearl-crowntail-female-betta http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1930-Pond-deaths-2011 Fri, 09 Sep 2011 12:54:06 GMT RIP
Comet - comet goldfish

Donner & Biltzen - rosy & fathead minows

Approximately Sept 5/6.

:(



Cupid is still alive. Looks lonely. :(
Perhaps I should add another comet or 1-2 minnows...

I'm fairly sure Cupid is the one I found that morning though. Looked nearly dead, floating on the surface. I dumped stress coat and stress zyme in there and ran an extension cord to plug in their bubbler. Did a major overhaul of the pond later that day. Thank God it was cooler out than it's been.
I'm sure the neighbors think I'm insane for doing pond maintenance in the rain lol. It was mostly just misting, but it is GA, so that's condidered rain lol.

The hornwort looks good. Oh, and the pond smells MUCH better since cleaning it out. The banana plant only has a few 'lily' pads, but the roots are many and long. I took one leaf off a while ago and it has started growing roots already. The onions are growing a bit, but the bulbs have shrunk.
Working on building filter, but job hours are totally sucking right now so financing it is not going well. :/
Dad's suppose to help me make a solar power thingy to power it (except he thinks it's just for a bubbler, I'm scared to tell him my 'grand' plans, lol. I don't look forward to being yelled at more about my d@me fish. He's been stalling too, but I can't be too mad at him since he did just recently have heart surgery. Also why I don't want him yelling at me for no reason, it's not good for him.)
Hopefully the solar power thingy will get built, and soon, I don't want to have to clear the ice like I did last year, alternately burning freezing and cutting my hands trying to get a hole in the nearly 6" thick ice. Oy!
Or get the filter built and cycled only to have him unplug it and kill all the bacteria. Apparently if lighting strikes the cord (how it's currently set up) while it's within 6' of the house, it could set the house on fire. Hmmm, I guess that would be bad. It's not like I didn't talk to him about all this first before setting up and get approval - I was even suppose to be allowed to upgrade to a bigger pond later - only to have him change his mind afterwards and say he never said those things. Grrr!
Anyway, so hopefully the solar thingy will get built soon and hopefully I'll be able to understan enough of it to document it here for others who want to solar power there ponds. ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1930-Pond-deaths-2011 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1837-Depression Fri, 15 Apr 2011 15:15:08 GMT Depression is vastly misunderstood by many and sometimes by the ones suffering from the effects of it. Depression: my close friend that is always with me. I began being treated for depression immediately after the strokes. I never understood why and asked the doctor if this was really necessary... Depression is vastly misunderstood by many and sometimes by the ones suffering from the effects of it. Depression: my close friend that is always with me.

I began being treated for depression immediately after the strokes. I never understood why and asked the doctor if this was really necessary treatment. His reply was that almost all cases of stroke are followed by the onset of depression. He wanted me on medication for it before it struck. I saw no wisdom in this line of treatment but was in no position to argue. Since that fateful day, I have been on different antidepressants at varying dosages. then one day an increase of meds and all of a sudden (seemed like it to me) the cloud lifted and I felt "normal". It was at that point I began to realize that depression was a very real problem for me, perhaps had been for a very long time.

I always considered depression to be a weakness and never considered myself to be depressed. I was always upbeat, loved life, liked to live and have fun. Along with depression, other problems began to show up. I became agoraphobic and never could understand how that was possible. I worked with the public, liked helping people and seldom stayed home as there was always something to go do. As a family, we were very active and always doing something. That came to an end and I became a shutaway. I didn't go out if I didn't have to, conducted all business and responsibilities over the phone, and generally was a shut-in, housebound. Eventually it got to the point of not being able to answer the phone. In a nutshell, I had devolved.

Losing my diver's license only added to the mix. I had been driving since a young teen and was able to drive almost anything. Tractors, bulldozers, bucket-loaders, back hoe. tractor trailer, straight truck, it didn't matter. Automatic or stick, track laying or wheel mounted, I could drive it. I was no longer allowed to drive anything but a car and I never told them I had a motorcycle license and wasn't about to. My wife and I argued over my driving, the doctor and I argued. I argued with anyone that was against me driving. That was my last bastion of freedom and I wasn't going to give it up without a fight. In my defense, I will say that I know when I have no business driving and I don't push the issue. A little common-sense here people. Safety first, driving second. Anything beyond the local area, I don't drive. I try to make arrangements for a ride.

What does this have to do with depression? The loss of mobility and freedom of movement for someone that was used to taking off whenever was a real cramp in the butt. The less I got out the more I became depressed. The more I became depressed, the more agoraphobic I became. It brought a whole host of problems in and of itself. I would pass on going and doing the things I used to do. I truly had become housebound, mainly from the loss of driving privileges. A regular chain reaction. I had been in denial about depression as I wasn't feeling suicidal. I thought that was what depression meant. I never realized that it can manifest itself in many forms. It's possible to joke, laugh, and cut-up and still be dressed. So I now had to backtrack and figure out what the root cause was. I needed to find a way to break the vicious cycle and the bonds of depression. I was soon cussing the bad luck of having had a stroke and it was the stroke's fault that I was depressed (or so I thought). It didn't take long to be diagnosed with having PTSD and learning I had PTSD long before the strokes occurred. It was just that the strokes brought out what was already there. Things started to make sense and add up. I could look back and see some of the causes and some of the behaviors that were signals of being in trouble.

The big test came in the summer of 2010 when MIZJINKZD (Rachel) hosted a grand opening. I was still on crutches but had decided I wanted to go and face my demons. After 5 years of being locked up, I was going to go somewhere without a nurse or wife in tow. I was going on my own so to speak. SPLOKE (Matt) picked me up since I can't drive that far and we had a nice trip. I cringed when I saw he had his daughter with him and I soon learned to relax and enjoy watching some of her antics. For her age, and the duration of the trip, she was well behaved and not whiny. The trip was very pleasent and I began to relax. We got to Rachel's and the ensuing activities and I enjoyed living again. The whole thing was very cathartic for me. It was the best medicince and at the right time!

The willingness to try something new and meet people I had never met, at place I had never been, all could have caused me to fold up. But lucky for me it didn't. For once I didn't need the antidepressants (But I continued to take them). For the first time in 5 years I began to feel like the old me. Several days after the trip I was still excited over my accomplishments. I realized then that come hell or high water I needed to get out of the house as often as possible. Being on crutches put a damper on it but I still went. I sat the crutches down one day and said "I refuse to be held back because of them and refuse to be reliant on them". I haven't picked them back up since. As of late, walking has once again been an issue and feel that for my safety, I should be using them at least on occasion.

Depression has held me back from many things. Depression is not something you can shake off like a wet coat. The depressed person may not even know why they are depressed. It is worse than being an addict. There is nothing simple about it. No one can make you change or heal you. Magic pills don't always work. It takes great effort to function in spite of it. It also takes admission of the fact that you are depressed. It is also hard to NOT use it as an excuse for your behavior. Depression can cause many physical ailments that become hard if not impossible to treat.

No, going on a trip is not a magic healing method. Like and addict, you have to admit you are depressed and then you need to figure out why. Changing as many things in your life that you can might help, but sometimes just simple acceptance instead of denial can also help. Now that I know that I have a serious problem with depression means I need to stay on top of it and not let it defeat me. I'm just not going to dwell on it. It is what it is and I will try my best to live with it. ]]> excuzzzeme http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1837-Depression http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1816-Corys-! Mon, 21 Mar 2011 09:10:52 GMT Peppered (if that is what they are, walmart just says 'assorted' lol) cories are SO cute!

One pepper was added a while ago and seemed happy. Very energetic, trying to keep up with the khulis, swim with the otos, school with the neons, and even tried to 'school' with the bettas and gouramis! So cute and so funny to watch! Always comes to the glass when I wave, and waves back!


Another pepper was added - last week? - and they are so adorable! The first one was so excited! They were like kittens (without the claws ;) ) getting all snugly with each other! SOOOO cute!!!

I was actually kinda worried at first, the first cory kinda seemed to be trying to eat the second one, but I came on here and apparently that's normal behavior, LOL. Whew! haha

There are nearly (but not quite) inseparable, I can't say 'adorable' enough, lol! :)

They are just barely bigger than the otos and love to swim with them.

I don't know yet what sexes they are for certain, but I figure for 2 corys the most obvious names to go with would be
Cory & Dora.
heeheehee ;)

So far I can tell them apart, the newer one is minutely smaller and the belly is paler. I just hope as they get older (I hope that they get older!) I will still be able to tell them apart lol. ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1816-Corys-! http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1815-Charlie-Jiggy-(Jigz) Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:57:24 GMT March 27 will be my one year anniversary with Charlie. :) Bought at walmart as a late bday present in 2010, Charlie is the first betta other than Nadette to reach his/her one year anniversary. Happy Birthday Jiggy!:dance: He started out as a sad and not quite healthy, but brave fishie that... March 27 will be my one year anniversary with Charlie. :)

Bought at walmart as a late bday present in 2010, Charlie is the first betta other than Nadette to reach his/her one year anniversary.

Happy Birthday Jiggy!:dance:

He started out as a sad and not quite healthy, but brave fishie that sought to better his life through selling himself.
This cute energetic boy quickly won my heart while looking over the walmart kill center, er fish center, ;) and got himself a new home.

He was quickly taken over by finrot, but constant care and attention won out.

He started out in a 1g with undergravel filter, constantly jigging out (dancing), spent some time in a vase with some java (fern), and now resides happily in a heated well filtered and (kinda) planted 10g (divided) where he spends his time jigging, chasing the fish on the other side of his divider, trying out new gourmet fish foods (some live things, some live things he wasn't suppose to eat - my snails lol, and my own attempts @ making fish food), uprooting any and all plants he can, and getting into as much trouble as absolutely possible LOL.

Here's to you Jigz, and many more fish-a-versaries together, Cheers! :)


:headshake2:
this author is nuts! ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1815-Charlie-Jiggy-(Jigz) http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1814-Neons-from-7-to-5 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:05:48 GMT I started out with 7 neons. 2010, Black Friday. First time I feed the fish live worms, one of the neons pigs out till death. Down 1. Vacuuming tank with new larger hose. Neons insist on staying near tube while vacuuming and one gets sucked up. I started out with 7 neons. 2010, Black Friday.


First time I feed the fish live worms, one of the neons pigs out till death.


Down 1.


Vacuuming tank with new larger hose. Neons insist on staying near tube while vacuuming and one gets sucked up.


Down 2.


Will the saga continue?
Stay Tuned! ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1814-Neons-from-7-to-5 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1812-Anubis-Growing-Experiment Fri, 18 Mar 2011 06:22:55 GMT October 2009 I bought an Anubis from Petsmart. As that is a very smart, reliable store, the instructions on package said to 'plant in substrate.' So I did. May 2010, by this time I had read more about Anubis's online and was under the impression they are like Java Fern and should be tied to something only and not planted, and I must leave the rhizome exposed (to light). So while I'm doing the big renovation of my 29g - changing the substrate from gravel to mostly sand (May ^), I decide to replant the anubis. After pulling the anubis out of its pot I discover that what I'd read about the anubis (only tie it to stuff, don't plant it) wasn't entirely true. My plant had grown a significant root system while potted and had even grown some new leaves. Thus I decided to try something. I split it into 2 parts. Part 1 I tied to some lava rock and set it on a large 'log' cave (those round ceramic ones from walmart and everywhere else). Part 2 I planted in the 'ground' between 2 of the entrances to the 'log' cave. Plant part 2 was given a root tab (it had one while in the pot too). Plant part 1 (tied to lava rock and closer to the light - should be noted I was dosing flourish) grew fast - for an anubis. Plant part 2 did not grow very fast (one leaf per 3 weeks is considered 'fast' for anubis), but seemed to thrive. In the last several months (don't remember when exactly, sorry) I took both out and cut off more of them to try and propagate more plants. Plant part 2 did not like this and most of its roots rotted. Some leaves survived however and I am trying again, but this time leaving more of the plant above the surface (exposed to light.) Plant part 1 seems to have had it's growth spurted by getting cut however, (and prying it's roots off the 'log' so I could get to it, LOL) and is growing incredibly fast. (I think I split it in January or February, it has since sprouted at least 3 new leaves and several roots and is till growing quickly - for a slow growing plant.) What I've learned: 1. Don't believe what I read about plants at Petsmart (btw, most of their 'aquatic' plants will not actually grow underwater, I got lucky the ones I bought were actually aquatic plants.) 2. While most websites and other places say to only tie anubis's to something, they can be planted, as long as you leave a large portion of the rhizome above ground and feed it root tabs. 3. An Anubis will however, grow faster and happier completely free of the substrate and closer to the light , and really likes Flourish. (Also upon adding diy co2 plant part 2 has shown improvement.) ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1812-Anubis-Growing-Experiment http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1811-Java-Moss-Growing-Experiment Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:51:30 GMT I noticed while keeping a betta with a tumor in a basket that I'd siliconed to the inside of the tank (she couldn't swim up very far but still loved diving lol) that the java moss grew really well in that location. Ie, close to the light, lol. So I came up with an idea. (I don't have that basket anymore and always end up with moss all over the tank, filter, water removed when vacuuming, etc.) I decided to try wrapping some moss around a cork (bag of corks @ walmart about $3) and tying it with fishing line, then leave several inches of line with a suction cup on the other end - to keep it out of the filter flow. (It might end up constantly bobbing up and down in it otherwise and losing all the moss.) About 2 months later I noticed new growth on one of these in the 29g, on one side only. I had figured that the cork would twirl around and get sunned more or less evenly on all sides, but apparently not. Next I attempted to weight the corks by wrapping plant anchors around them (sticking them in the bottom, etc). The large cork that I hadn't cut in half to begin with I had to use 3 plant anchors to get it to 'stand' almost upright. That seems to have worked, at least for 4 of the 5 original corks. - One of the corks most of the moss seems to have died, I am looking into this, I think it has something to do with that tanks parameters and not because of a reaction to the metal of the anchors, or being wrapped with them. I would say this project has been a pretty good success so far. :) ps. I don't know why all of a sudden everything I type is getting smooshed into one big paragraph, that is not how I'm writing. :/ ]]> LiveMermaid07 http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1811-Java-Moss-Growing-Experiment http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1673-What-the-heck-!-Are-these-worms! Tue, 01 Feb 2011 00:11:03 GMT Okay so there's yet again another strange invader in my 10 galon tank. I was having a look at my aquarium and noticed what looks like little tiny white worms! What the heck?! :huh:I have 6 Red Cherry Shrimp and an invasion of snails... these are definitely not babies of either. This is a planted tank, so maybe these aliens :joe:came in on one of the plants? Does anyone have any idea what these could be, or how i can get rid of them without harming my shrimp? Please help! :help2: ]]> natdebratt http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1673-What-the-heck-!-Are-these-worms! http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1670-Snail-invasion-in-RCS-tank-HELP!!! Sun, 30 Jan 2011 17:30:52 GMT I really hope someone out there can help me. I recently planted a 10 Gallon tank and have added 6 red cherry shrimp. Now I have discovered that along with the plants came an invasion of two kinds of snails, and somehow a baby dragonfly!:eek3: I've removed the dragonfly to a safe location, but no matter how many snails I take out there's still probably a few dozen of the little buggers rummaging around in my gravel, eating my shrimps food and killing my plants. I've heard that pennies would get rid of them, but also read that it could kill my shrimp. What can I possibly do? :help2: ]]> natdebratt http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1670-Snail-invasion-in-RCS-tank-HELP!!! http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1669-Surprise! Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:36:32 GMT Winter 2010/2011 Been very cold and an unusual amount of snow this year. I spent several hours shoveling snow and finally hit a point where I could no longer use my right arm. Calling it a day, I went in and took a nap. After I got up, I felt tired and sore. Got to thinking about the... Winter 2010/2011

Been very cold and an unusual amount of snow this year. I spent several hours shoveling snow and finally hit a point where I could no longer use my right arm. Calling it a day, I went in and took a nap. After I got up, I felt tired and sore.

Got to thinking about the soreness and realized what a blessing it was! I was sore from working! Not in pain from strokes but soreness from using long dormant muscles. Wow! I was actually able to do some physical work! No one to tell me I had to stop, no one to tell me not to do it, no one saying anything! I did what I could. First time in years and it felt good! What a sense of accomplishment!!! I hurt all over and eventually went to bed early. Slept until 5am! Am I really getting that much better?

With no one around, I am able to push my limits. I know everyone means well and can probably see the tiredness long before I feel it, that's how progress is made. By pushing the limits a little at a time and within reason.

It is easy to start believing people when they say you can't do something or shouldn't. It's even easier to fall into that trap of not trying.

It doesn't mean being stupid either. I shoveled a bit and then rested, shoveled and rested, several hours of this and finally hit a spot that I knew I was done. I finally quit for the day. It was much later that I realized what I had done. If I wasn't so tired and sore, I would have jumped for joy! Maybe at this rate I will actually lose some weight and get some muscle tone back! Who knows. ]]> excuzzzeme http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/entry.php?1669-Surprise!