Fish and Ponds
I only put up one pond this year, mainly because I got busy with other things. But the one has been up and running for about 2 months now, but with no fish in it. The lilies have been going berserk, especially the dwarf lily...the one I bought specifically for the smallest pond, but never flowered. Yeah, this year there hasn't been a day go by that there hasn't been a flower from that plant. I guess its too big of a dwarf to be in a little pond :P
Only 2 Kribensis made it thru the winter, sadly, so I put them out into the pond last week. I assume they are happy again, but the water, for some reason, is still greenish, and I can't see into it.
Today was the local fish club's auction, and since I wasn't in Chicago, I went to it. There were fish from local breeders, and some from Chicago, Bloomington, Quincy and St Louis. I told RC I was going to it, and he said he'd like to go. I dunno why, he doesn't own a tank, and it isn't like a super exciting thing. No fish will dance, sing, or cuddle the others ;)
I stayed for a couple of hours, since I didn't see anything I couldn't live without. Not saying I didn't buy anything, I did, but the auction was a bit barren compared to other years'.
The good thing about our auction is that its cheap. As in no fish really goes for more than you can find it in a specialty aquarium store. In fact, most of the fish you can't get in a store, so its even better. But when you consider price per fish (most are sold in bags of 2 or more), then you get a deal. kiwihunter8, the next time you want fish or another tank, look up and see when your local aquatics group is having their auction.
Today's bargains were:
A breeding pair of http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1563 Rock Kribensis ($7)
A bag of 9 juvenile http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Kamaka.htm Kamake Rainbowfish ($11)
A bag of a breeding set (1M, 2F) http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/misoolensis.htm Misoolensis Rainbowfish ($4)
And a bag of 8 (3M 5F) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Schleromystax_barbatus5015.jpg Giant Corydora ($31)
All told, if these were available in a pet store, you're talking over $250 easily.
There are only 2 rules to buying at a club auction:
1. Don't buy everything in sight.
2. Know what the hell you're buying.
For once, I didn't break Rule #1.
I did break Rule #2. Yay for smartphones.
Altho I've never had these Rainbowfish before, I have had others, so it isn't hard to care for these..they all pretty much take the same water and food. I've owned the Cories before; didn't have much luck with them (bought them from a store). But it was the Rock Kribs that were the problem. Having not heard their new scientific name before (damn bored scientists always changing things around :P), I looked them up. Hmm..big, and not really friendly. Well..so much for putting them in the pond :P So they got the bigger tank in the living room...until I gotta pull the other fish out in late Oct. Gotta decide what to do then.
I may post some pics of the pond to my FA account soon. just to keep the yearly track record. And of course, my white bog lily threw up not 1, but 2 flower spikes today. They weren't there Thurs. evening ;) So I'll wait feverishly Tues and Weds night to (hopefully) watch them bloom.
Only 2 Kribensis made it thru the winter, sadly, so I put them out into the pond last week. I assume they are happy again, but the water, for some reason, is still greenish, and I can't see into it.
Today was the local fish club's auction, and since I wasn't in Chicago, I went to it. There were fish from local breeders, and some from Chicago, Bloomington, Quincy and St Louis. I told RC I was going to it, and he said he'd like to go. I dunno why, he doesn't own a tank, and it isn't like a super exciting thing. No fish will dance, sing, or cuddle the others ;)
I stayed for a couple of hours, since I didn't see anything I couldn't live without. Not saying I didn't buy anything, I did, but the auction was a bit barren compared to other years'.
The good thing about our auction is that its cheap. As in no fish really goes for more than you can find it in a specialty aquarium store. In fact, most of the fish you can't get in a store, so its even better. But when you consider price per fish (most are sold in bags of 2 or more), then you get a deal. kiwihunter8, the next time you want fish or another tank, look up and see when your local aquatics group is having their auction.
Today's bargains were:
A breeding pair of http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1563 Rock Kribensis ($7)
A bag of 9 juvenile http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/Kamaka.htm Kamake Rainbowfish ($11)
A bag of a breeding set (1M, 2F) http://rainbowfish.angfaqld.org.au/misoolensis.htm Misoolensis Rainbowfish ($4)
And a bag of 8 (3M 5F) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Schleromystax_barbatus5015.jpg Giant Corydora ($31)
All told, if these were available in a pet store, you're talking over $250 easily.
There are only 2 rules to buying at a club auction:
1. Don't buy everything in sight.
2. Know what the hell you're buying.
For once, I didn't break Rule #1.
I did break Rule #2. Yay for smartphones.
Altho I've never had these Rainbowfish before, I have had others, so it isn't hard to care for these..they all pretty much take the same water and food. I've owned the Cories before; didn't have much luck with them (bought them from a store). But it was the Rock Kribs that were the problem. Having not heard their new scientific name before (damn bored scientists always changing things around :P), I looked them up. Hmm..big, and not really friendly. Well..so much for putting them in the pond :P So they got the bigger tank in the living room...until I gotta pull the other fish out in late Oct. Gotta decide what to do then.
I may post some pics of the pond to my FA account soon. just to keep the yearly track record. And of course, my white bog lily threw up not 1, but 2 flower spikes today. They weren't there Thurs. evening ;) So I'll wait feverishly Tues and Weds night to (hopefully) watch them bloom.