What did you do with your tank(s) today?

[lloyd378]

Today I was up in Seattle for a blood draw and was able to meetup with sheldmps to get the two tanks he donated to my classroom. Wish we had more me to chat, but since we were in the front turnaround at Swedish, we made it real quick!

Both tanks made it back home without incident and will be heading to my classroom tomorrow. Thanks again for the great tanks, the kids are going to love it!

 

[DMD123]

Did they sell the ones in Buckley?

Haven’t had a chance to check with them yet, been busy. I had got a new job offer and accepted and then my current job countered twice to keep me. Needless to say a lot going on. Now I have a trip to the ocean happening, then I have a day surgery for trigger finger on my hand. Just a lot going on this month. Should settle down soon and I can start looking for my fish in earnest.

A sad note, lost another albino hoplo catfish. So I now have one solo catfish. Another thing to have to shop for.

 

[lloyd378]

Haven’t had a chance to check with them yet, been busy. I had got a new job offer and accepted and then my current job countered twice to keep me. Needless to say a lot going on. Now I have a trip to the ocean happening, then I have a day surgery for trigger finger on my hand. Just a lot going on this month. Should settle down soon and I can start looking for my fish in earnest.

A sad note, lost another albino hoplo catfish. So I now have one solo catfish. Another thing to have to shop for.

Crazy busy, but I honestly think you wouldn’t want it any other way, haha.

Sorry about the hoplo cat!

Today I’ve started the process of setting up the new tank in my classroom,
I’ll get some pictures once I’ve got it all set up

 

[lloyd378]

A few unedited pics of my classroom tanks….

The mbuna “rusty” tank is going through a mini cycle as I crashed it.

 

[lloyd378]

 

[DMD123]

Stopped at Wet Spot on the way back from Oregon Coast. Picked up 6 clown loaches. Got 3 bigger ones for 3 for $150 and then 3 smaller ones for $24 each. I wanted to do all the loaches as the bigger ones but just too much money at the moment. Thinking to do another 3 for 9 total

Edit- 9pm doing a slow acclimation with a drip hose and tubing

 

[DMD123]

Got the clown loaches in 40B qt tank for now. Will move them into 90g community next and then eventually into the 300.

Felt bad that I asked the guy to catch me a very specific fish in the big tank but he was super cool and got the one I was wanting. Its not a super stand out but it is a slightly odd patterned one with just a hint of “jigsaw” pattern on it. Out of the good hundred or so clown loaches of various sizes he and one smaller one were the unique ones. The smaller one had a possible future dot or spot that may or my not develop into something different.

 

[DMD123]

The loaches were still alive this morning, always good, lol. I had never really thought to do clown loaches because they always were that common fish that you always saw in the fish stores but I can see the appeal with their colors and schooling behavior. My fear is the dreaded ICH outbreak that may come with keeping these guys. My only experience with them in the past was with a single fish I got from someone for free that came with ICH, got cleaned up and got it again a second time much later and then died or had to be put down and it ended up infecting others. so the goal is to try my hardest to keep these guys free and clear of that.

 

[lloyd378]

The loaches were still alive this morning, always good, lol. I had never really thought to do clown loaches because they always were that common fish that you always saw in the fish stores but I can see the appeal with their colors and schooling behavior. My fear is the dreaded ICH outbreak that may come with keeping these guys. My only experience with them in the past was with a single fish I got from someone for free that came with ICH, got cleaned up and got it again a second time much later and then died or had to be put down and it ended up infecting others. so the goal is to try my hardest to keep these guys free and clear of that.

Don’t even talk that into existence, haha!

I really like the larger one with the cool pattern. At one point a few years back, a local hobbyist ( now ex hobbyist) named Robert had a school of clown loaches that numbered well over 40. They were impressive in his 260g tank! He sourced all of his in bulk at a very small size.

And I know Madness used to have a large school in with his more peaceful cichlids years back in his living room.

 

[DMD123]

I had heard the stories….

So I go out to check my tanks before going to bed like usual. Put a little food in for the new loaches and it seem like they like the Hikari Vibri-bites, so thats good. Start my count and keep coming up with 5 fish, I know I had 6 so I am frantically searching all over the tank and nothing. Then I remembered the stories, so I pulled my Aquaclear out and the missing fish had went upstream and made its way into the intake tube chamber

I lowered the water level in the tank, so hopefully wont happen again, lol

 

[DMD123]

Worked on tanks last night after work because I have a couple days where I won't be able to. Got hand surgery today. Trigger finger release on my right hand.

Three days where I can't get hands wet.

 

[lloyd378]

Worked on tanks last night after work because I have a couple days where I won't be able to. Got hand surgery today. Trigger finger release on my right hand.
View attachment 15447
Three days where I can't get hands wet.

Heal up quickly…..

 

[DMD123]

Heal up quickly…..

Thanks, will do

 

[DMD123]

Im able to get my hand wet now but last thing I want is to dip it into fish tank water. Maybe if I wear a glove...

New clown loaches seem to be settling in nicely and I will be looking for a few more soon. Im debating between the Roseline sharks and Mascara barbs for the 300. Both are very pretty fish but the Mascara barbs are probably better sized for being in the 300 with the giant gourami.

 

[sir_keith]

I'd go with Dawkinsia assimilis, one of two fishes commonly called the 'Mascara Barb.' Seriously cool fishes that grow to a nice size, and a school of 10+ of these in a 300 would be awesome. But good luck finding them.

 

[DMD123]

I'd go with Dawkinsia assimilis, one of two fishes commonly called the 'Mascara Barb.' Seriously cool fishes that grow to a nice size, and a school of 10+ of these in a 300 would be awesome. But good luck finding them.

Wet Spot has Dawkinsia aspsra right now which they are also calling the 'Mascara Barb', but they are $29.99 per fish and Im still trying to fill out my Clown loaches with a bit bigger ones so Im going to go broke on these things, lol

 

[sir_keith]

Wet Spot has Dawkinsia aspsra right now which they are also calling the 'Mascara Barb', but they are $29.99 per fish and Im still trying to fill out my Clown loaches with a bit bigger ones so Im going to go broke on these things, lol

Ah yes, that's the other one. I seriously doubt that you'll be able to find them at a better price anywhere. WC fishes, you know...

 

[DMD123]

Dont want to completely submerge my hand with the incision into any of my tanks but was able to gravel vac the 40B QT because it is shallow and then did a drain and fill on my 90g community tank. Was surprised that there wasnt any real waste or excess food in the 40B so the clown loaches are eating well and eating all the pellets and frozen foods I have been giving them. I know they grow slow so Im trying to get larger sized fish to start but I am not sure how many I should do in the 300. I have read that the larger the group the better. Any suggestions?

 

[lloyd378]

Dont want to completely submerge my hand with the incision into any of my tanks but was able to gravel vac the 40B QT because it is shallow and then did a drain and fill on my 90g community tank. Was surprised that there wasnt any real waste or excess food in the 40B so the clown loaches are eating well and eating all the pellets and frozen foods I have been giving them. I know they grow slow so Im trying to get larger sized fish to start but I am not sure how many I should do in the 300. I have read that the larger the group the better. Any suggestions?

Since they are a schooling fish (schooling loaches) and you have a 8’ 300 gallon, my guess would be to go between 10 and 12. This is because they can grow up to like 11” and live like 15-20 years if I remember correctly.

If your 300 gallon was a 10’ tank, you might be able to get away with about 15 clown loaches .

Honestly though, with them growing so slowly and me never seeing any grow above 8-9” in all of my years in the hobby, you might do more while they are young and then sell off the ones that you like the least later on for a decent amount of money!!! Maybe even making back most of your initial investment!!!

I say that but also know with the way you keep fish in such optimal water conditions that you will be the first one to actually grow one to 11” that I’ll be able to see with my own eyes. Haha

Just my two cents….. I’ve owned them many times before and always did about 5 in a 75g but then mine never grew fast enough so I always sold them off when they were about 4” total length .

 

[DMD123]

Thanks @lloyd378, I was kind of thinking 12 too but if I buy the bigger sized loaches it will be expensive. Then if I decide to go mascara barbs even more expensive… I did want to change up the stock in the 300, lol