# My obsessions are merging . . .



## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I used to be a fish nerd. Years ago I was obsessed with Freshwater Aquarium fish and was the person with a tank in every room. After a big move, I got out of fish keeping, and now years later, I've decided to start up a tank again. Have been going back to my fish books, and reading fish forums re-kindling my love and interest in fish keeping. Tank is set up, but no fish yet, waiting on some stuff to come in. 

Anyways, I thought that this dream was pretty indicative of where I was with my various interests/obsessions to date:

So in my dream, I'm walking through a snowy field where I often track with my dogs, or just play and exercise there, but I am alone and the field is deserted. Except there is about a 4 X 4 square area where the snow has been pushed aside (about the size of a puppy scent pad), the base is ice, and there is about two or three inches of water sitting on the ice. In the middle of the square lies an Albino Cory, (for some reason I can't post a pic, but here is link with what a Cory looks like http://www.seriouslyfish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Corydoras-albino.jpg ) 

Normally, these are about a one or two inch peaceful and active aquarium fish but THIS Albino Cory is HUGE! The size of a German Shepherd! By his side lies an 12 inch tug toy! (French Linen at that - Cory has good taste.  ),

So the Cory is now playing with his tug - batting it around with his pectoral fins, and picking it up in his mouth and chewing on it like a bone, throwing it in the air and batting it around some more. 

I'm completely enthraled and delighted: THAT is the fish for me!!! 

Can't wait to get this guy home and start engagement training!


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

:laugh::laugh::laugh:
Lucia, when you get that Cory home, you will HAVE to post photos of him!

After about 50 years of no fish, I did set up a tank 3 years ago, and a few months later we flooded. The poor fish had to exist in that house for 6 months before I got us into a new home--at least after the water went down, all our electric wiring ran through the ceiling instead of the crawlspace, and after everything dried out I could turn the power back on, and all fish were okay, miracle of miracles.

When I got into the new house, I bought a new tank and set it up and let it mellow for a few days, then brought the fish home in baggies. They all survived the move (although none are real fancy or exotic, all 'beginner' level). Then I finally took the tank down that was in the old house and brought it here and set it up, so we have two. Don't really have room for more, but I would like more...

Now, to your Cory--is he really a GOOD community fish? And what size tank is the best for them?

Susan


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## GypsyGhost (Dec 29, 2014)

Hilarious! Good luck with the new tank!


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## Debanneball (Aug 28, 2014)

LOL! Nice looking fish! Don't forget a cobalt blue! 

PS, Gwen has baby shrimp!


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I have several Cory cats. They are a fun to watch peaceful bottom dweller.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

LOL! Love it! 

Do tell, what kind of tank are you going with, size, species? 

I'm doing the nano tank thing for now. Have a 10 gal up and running with Celestial Pearl Danios and Cherry Shrimp (and wee little babies yes!) 

Upgrading the 5 hex soon (gotta get rid of the clown puke substrate it came with) I'm going with dark substrate, smallish gravel and..... 

Scarlet Gem Badis (Dario Dario) and some more inverts, low bio load for small tanks. They are very small and somewhat shy but in a species only tank are outgoing and very pretty little guys.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Can you get those locally, Gwen? Our selection is fairly limited here in my area. I don't have any large tanks (my husband doesn't really want me to get anything larger than my 10g), but have a betta in a 5gal., one at work in a 2.5 bowfront, and then my 10g that just has 3 male guppies in it at the moment (guppies are so cute).


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

Galathiel said:


> Can you get those locally, Gwen? Our selection is fairly limited here in my area. I don't have any large tanks (my husband doesn't really want me to get anything larger than my 10g), but have a betta in a 5gal., one at work in a 2.5 bowfront, and then my 10g that just has 3 male guppies in it at the moment (guppies are so cute).


Guppies are cute and even cuter when they start mating and you end up with hundreds of them


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

Galathiel said:


> Can you get those locally, Gwen? Our selection is fairly limited here in my area. I don't have any large tanks (my husband doesn't really want me to get anything larger than my 10g), but have a betta in a 5gal., one at work in a 2.5 bowfront, and then my 10g that just has 3 male guppies in it at the moment (guppies are so cute).


Are you talking about he Scarlet Badis? They are going to be tough to find in a LFS, but you could probably order them online from somewhere. They are not easy keepers, but if you have a really well established nano it could work. They are beautiful fish. But so may of the nano fish are no hardy at all.


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## Susan_GSD_mom (Jan 7, 2014)

llombardo said:


> Guppies are cute and even cuter when they start mating and you end up with hundreds of them


I never see them, thanks to the Beta...


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Yes, I can get them locally. 

I have two independent LFS stores and they will order for me. You won't find Scarlet Gem Badis at a petsmart or petco though. We have a large wholesale breeder/supplier near ATL plus being close to the many breeders in Florida it's pretty easy to get what you want here. Sometimes you have to wait. 

You can also order them online but the shipping is really pricey. I've never ordered online but some folks do and have had decent luck with it. I don't think I'd chance ordering Scarlet Gem Badis online though......unless you know the supplier/shipper are top notch and relatively close.

Nano species can be tricky....but it's as much a function of the smaller tanks being more sensitive to water chemistry changes as well as the species. Since you've got experience with nano tanks you probably could go try a nano species. 


IF you can get the PH high enough and stable (around 8.0) Blue German Rams are small and flippin' adorable too. A small cichlid species. I was wanting to get a pair of those but my PH naturally settles at just about 7. So I didn't want to fool with buffers and worrying about swings in the PH. They can survive at lower PH but my LFS guy warned me they don't thrive at lower PH. Here's a pic of this very cute species (also I've seen them at petsmart and petco)















Galathiel said:


> Can you get those locally, Gwen? Our selection is fairly limited here in my area. I don't have any large tanks (my husband doesn't really want me to get anything larger than my 10g), but have a betta in a 5gal., one at work in a 2.5 bowfront, and then my 10g that just has 3 male guppies in it at the moment (guppies are so cute).


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## kelbonc (Aug 25, 2014)

Castlemaid;
Normally said:


> Some of us just have the best dreams.  Thanks for my afternoon chuckle. To bad you woke before you started the training. Would have loved to know how that went. lol. Thanks for sharing.
> 
> I used to keep fish tanks years ago and really enjoyed it. I have often thought of starting again.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I've gotten endlers through the mail before from an individual and all arrived alive and kicking. However, I don't know that I would want to do that with something more delicate. Maybe dwarf gouramis would be a safer start into something other than livebearers (sorry, I love livebearers ... bumblebee platies are striking I think!).

Oh and Llombardo .. yes guppies are cute .. and that's why I said I had 3 MALES 'grin' ... no babies for me, and the males' posturing is funny.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

I love the look of Endlers! Considered having them as well. I'm pretty fortunate that the two LFS stores near me cater to more advanced aquarium hobbiest so I can order many different fish through them.

I'd be careful of the dwarf gouramis. I thought I was being a lousy fish keeper because I had bad luck with them. Turns out they often carry a disease called Dwarf Gourami Iridovirus. You'll buy them. They will be healthy for a time and then get sick and die, even when properly card for. 

Here's an article: http://www.aces.edu/dept/fisheries/education/ras/publications/Update/Iridovirus%20in%20gouramis.pdf






Galathiel said:


> I've gotten endlers through the mail before from an individual and all arrived alive and kicking. However, I don't know that I would want to do that with something more delicate. Maybe dwarf gouramis would be a safer start into something other than livebearers (sorry, I love livebearers ... bumblebee platies are striking I think!).
> 
> Oh and Llombardo .. yes guppies are cute .. and that's why I said I had 3 MALES 'grin' ... no babies for me, and the males' posturing is funny.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

A true Honey Gourami might be the way to go? They are the smallest and reported to be more peaceful too. 

When researching nano species they were highly rated and not prone to the Iridovirus.

Make sure it's a Trichogaster chuna though and not a gold or reddish variant of the dwarf gourami which is 
Trichogaster lalius


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## KathrynApril (Oct 3, 2013)

That is awesome! Great dream too!  I use to sell the babies that my guppies & mollies had to the pet store when I was just a kid. Tried to breed betas & kissing gourami too but no luck with them. I picked out specific tiger barbs at the pet store to breed & the guy told me I couldn't sex them via the red on their nose. When I got them home they actually started spawning right away! Eggs never hatched though or they gotten eaten right away...not sure which.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I've been enjoying the fish posts here and the fish stories.  Not sure yet what I'm getting. My tap water has a ph of 8, so that is scaring me a bit, but talking to other local fishkeepers, it shouldn't be a problem. Worse case scenario is that the I'm not likely to see my fish breed. I've had fish breed in the past, and like others, had gorgeous babies that I sold to local pet shops who were happy to get them. (You should have seen some of the Guppies I had!!).


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## gsdsar (May 21, 2002)

My water is naturally high PH as well. As long as it is stable, the fish do fine. But I don't get breeding.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I like the look of the honey. I would have to check if they're available here. I doubt it. We only have Petsmart, Petco and Petland really. I refuse to use Petland since they started selling puppies again and Petsmart really has a pretty limited repertoire (i.e., fish that "I" would want 'grin'). Usually lots of cichlids and other semi-aggressive fish are available. Lots of platies (lot of mickey mouse ones .. uh no) and mollies and of course glofish.

We have a service at work to maintain our 4 ft tank (saltwater). I could ask him about possibilities. I know he has ordered fish for someone at work before.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Cichlids, that's their kind of PH. 








Castlemaid said:


> I've been enjoying the fish posts here and the fish stories.  Not sure yet what I'm getting. My tap water has a ph of 8, so that is scaring me a bit, but talking to other local fishkeepers, it shouldn't be a problem. Worse case scenario is that the I'm not likely to see my fish breed. I've had fish breed in the past, and like others, had gorgeous babies that I sold to local pet shops who were happy to get them. (You should have seen some of the Guppies I had!!).


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

I know about cichlids - but they just do not interest me.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Petco is sometimes a bit better then petsmart. One of my local petcos has 4 suppliers they work with and often can special order for a customer.

After a while the petsmart fish just don't cut it, when you're ready to try something a little more advanced and unique. 

I don't go to Petland either, for the same reason. 

Good idea asking the fish maintenance guy too. 

Are you close to Tyler by chance? 




Galathiel said:


> I like the look of the honey. I would have to check if they're available here. I doubt it. We only have Petsmart, Petco and Petland really. I refuse to use Petland since they started selling puppies again and Petsmart really has a pretty limited repertoire (i.e., fish that "I" would want 'grin'). Usually lots of cichlids and other semi-aggressive fish are available. Lots of platies (lot of mickey mouse ones .. uh no) and mollies and of course glofish.
> 
> We have a service at work to maintain our 4 ft tank (saltwater). I could ask him about possibilities. I know he has ordered fish for someone at work before.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Castlemaid said:


> I know about cichlids - but they just do not interest me.


O.k.


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

Yep I actually work IN Tyler. Our Petco is very new so I've been enjoying going there to look at their fish. They have a bit more varied selection than Petsmart.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Here ya go, located in Tyler. 

Lone Star Aquariums


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## Galathiel (Nov 30, 2012)

I know exactly where that is ! It's actually very close to me. I actually thought it was just a provider for businesses (set up, maintenance etc.). I didn't know they had a retail store! Guess I know where I"m going this week. 

Oh eh .. Lucia .. sorry about hijacking. My last cories actually were albinos. They were a lot of fun. I named one I picked up Mario (Mario Andretti). For two straight days after I picked him up, he spent the whole time doing full speed laps of the aquarium.


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## Gwenhwyfair (Jul 27, 2010)

Have fun! Looks like a great place. I checked out their FB page too. Pics in chat of any new fishes you get please.


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## Darth_Ariel (Jun 20, 2013)

You could always go the route of throwing in some driftwood to lower your PH? 

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who is a big fish geek. However reading this reminded me I need to work on my tanks....


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