Baddams's Feisty Fluval

[plankton]

The lampeyes look quite small, keep your eye on the gourami.

[Baddams]

Hi Si
They're granite and I found them in the garden when we moved in. All of the stones in there are wild caught from all over the place (Isle of Wight, Cape Cod, Guernsey, Santa Barbara..).
I discard anything obviously sedimentary and vinegar test the others: a couple of drops of white vinegar on the dry stone. Leave it a while and, if there's any effervescence at all, discard it. If it passes, then a good scrub and plenty of boiling water to kill any bugs.

Those two are a bit of a pain to keep clean. The surface is course enough for them to quickly turn into algae farms, but they're so heavy that to get them out single handed, you need to be a cross between Mr Tickle and a power-lifting octopus.

I gave the tank a bit of a deep clean recently - I'd been lazy, just hoovering around the furniture. I got the rest of the stones & wood out, but they just got a good scrub with a toothbrush in situ. I was horrified at what was lurking beneath the hardscape. It was mulm city.

Before:





During:



I was a bit braver than usual with the plant trimming, too. The Hygro had got leggy and a lot of the leaves were looking ratty.



It still needs some tidying - the Val's like hair on a middle-aged bloke - appearing where you don't want it and refusing to grow where you do.



Yep Plankers, I was concerned that the Pearls might snack on the Lampeyes after your earlier warning. That pic's perspective does exaggerate the size difference a bit, but they are quite wee. The Gouramis had previously left the Platy fry alone and the bloke at the LFS reckoned there was enough cover in the tank & the Norman's would be quick enough to avoid them. Touch wood, they've been in for a week or so and no losses.

And what a cracking little LFS it is. I'd discovered it last year when I got the Kuhlis. It's a tiny independent that specialises in Aquascaping - lots of high-end kit & some lovely display tanks:





I like that he puts a livestock list on his website (with prices) and all of his stock tanks are completely separate, so I trust his quarantining.

https://fishcove.co.uk/

[Ric]

Great looking tank and love the way your rasboras shoal.

[Staffylover]

Thanks for this just spent far too long browsing that shops website, certainly worth travelling for a good LFS

[Martinspuddle]

Thanks for this just spent far too long browsing that shops website, certainly worth travelling for a good LFS

Somethings a tad expensive... Black Ruby Barb £4.00 or 5 for £18.00

[Staffylover]

It's ok, its in Dorset so I'm not likely to actually go, that really would be a long travel, still I would rather go a bit further and possibly pay more at a good LFS that I trust, it's always good to support the quality small independents if you can

[Baddams]

Chhers, Ric!

Yep not the cheapest but, as Staffy says, I'd rather pay a quid or so more and support an independent who's in the trade for the right reasons.

'The lampeyes look quite small, keep your eye on the gourami.'

DAMN YOU PLANKTON AND YOUR BEING HORRIBLY RIGHT!
It looks like I've provided my Pearls with some of the most expensive snacks around.
I reckon I've got about a dozen of the (largest) of those Lampeyes left out of 18. They've either been chomped or they're all in the filter and down the back of the tank. Somehow I reckon it's the former....

[Ric]

Oh no no no no NOOOO...

Here's hoping you find them alive and well in the filter!

[plankton]

Sorry for your losses.

[Baddams]

Thanks. I think I'm down to eight now.

*kicks self*