DanGofCalgary

yes. We're fish heads. Not wimpy reptile people, that fear snow! Just kidding.

hmm. That is tempting, but I think I have more entries than I have tanks available for them! I have a couple really nice cherry shrimp, and a very pretty amano, but my fave would be Mr. T. - My CPO (crayfish) @Avianaquatics: I will have a few bags of Cherry shrimp in the auction on Sunday.

One word - roadtrip! It will be like a buddy movie! you and yer angel pal, on the road. winnin' ribbons. drinking beers. ok. no beer for the angel. I am contemplating entering one of the silver ghost variants on philippine blues instead/also. I'd say go for it! they are pretty angels!

yah. really like to bring Mr. McFreckles (red spot severum) but I am dubious about him being in a 10 gal tank for the morning. I suppose it is no worse than bagging him for a day? I dunno. I might try it at home and see how he looks.

Cichlids? Oh. I missed that one. Hmm. One of my black angels might be gonig on a road trip... :smokey:

I've gotten mixed responses on this. Some people say it is gunky, and others like yourself say it comes clean. I am buying a bunch of sand soon, and would be easier to get it at Home depot, but if its not clean, the time saved would be worth it to track down pool sand...

Thanks Blake. I have been hearing that more and more too, and a good point. If it is a delicate plant tank (and I dont know Jack about plants. insert a random Billy Jack line here). Are those considered delicate plants?

The workshop is Sat. The auction is Sunday. Here's a link to the info! I think the group order set up will happen rigth after his talk maybe? So you probably want to be there to get in on it? http://www.calgaryaquariumsociety.com/ \

I just have to write something up on these guys and get this good information out, over and over again. The best way to describe this is How do you tell your asolene spixi snail has died? You see hydra in the tank. Last night was doing a bit of maintenance on my aphyosemion australes tank and saw a hydra.That is odd, I thought. I checked the asolene spixi in the tank, and unfortunately he had died. Until then though, he has kept hydra completely under control in that tank, by himself. As soon as he was dead (and he hadn't been dead for long) the hydra was popping out. I put another asolene spixi in the tank, and I doubt I will see hydra again unless this one dies. For me, once I get hydra in my system, it is going to spread. I am just too sloppy with transfers, net cleaning - all that good fishkeeping hygiene. I suck at it. I also suck at laundry and doing dishes, so no surprise! I need help. With laundry, my wife agreed years ago (when I mixed reds and whites and all her and my clothes ended up pink) that she would handle laundry, and I would handle car repairs, yard maintenance etc. It was a good deal, and we've both stuck to it. With hydra, I have outsourced the control of it to asolene spixi! Now, every tank that I feed brine shrimp to (breeders, fry tanks etc.) gets an asolene spixi (and a shrimp, but that is the subject of another post) in it. And I hardly ever see hydra, unless something happens to the 'watchsnail' in the tank. Dan

Where are the classes for the jar show posted at? I remember.. .catfish. killies. some kind of swamprat fish that no one has any interest in -bettas? . I also remember Juniors, but might be mssing a few? Contemplating putting my red dot, red shoulder, something like that, Severum in. Just tyring to figure out the logistics of it. Will need to get him an air supply, minimum 10 gallon tank.. .hmm. even a few hours in a 10 gallon tank I am a bit uneasy about... Have to think about this some more. Anyway, can you give a bit of a run down on that AM? max tank size, all that good stuff, or just a link to where I can review it would be great. Thanks Dan

I got the impression he was going to put together a group order after his talk?

I remember Spencer's dad, Billy. He could kick like a mule, he was tough for such a little guy. I once saw him knock out a fellow that was 6 foot four by smacking him in the jaw with the side of his foot. :beer: And there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it! HAHA! Sorry Gary. It just finally clicked today what you were on about. Billy Jack: ...and you wanna know something? There's not a damn thing you're gonna be able to do about it.

But she was so cute bidding Jay! haha! So, let's arrange a sign, and when you give me the sign I will just start a song and dance routine. I am the worst singer and dancer known to man, so if that doesn't distract her we have no hope! Edit: I've been in some email discussions with Bill Bishop and what he has told me is bringing for annual killies... well, I will be making a stop at the bank on the way to the auction. There is going to be some AWESOME killies coming! As well as some other interesting fishies he is bringing! I might end up spending all my beer money allowance for a while to come!

Everyone getting excited about this? No? just me? :smokey: So, in keeping with FCG's post for Edmonton's auction, what are you bringing to the CAS auction? I'll go first this time! I will be bringing 'inverts Cherry shrimp - some really nicely colored up, even though Ron took a serious dent in my shrimp tank breeders! haha! Asolene spixi snails - commonly known as zebra apple snails. These lay eggs in the tank, and eat hydra like there was no tomorrow. I am a bit suspicious on their 'no plant eating story though, as people keep saying it, but people that have bought them from me have seen them munch down some delicate plants.... LIvebearers Skiffia lermae pair Xenotoca eiseni pair (orange tail goodeid Couple of pairs or trios of black chin livebearers killies 1 kryptolebias marmoratus (Mangrove killie fish) - These are the hermaphrodite, brackish killiefish. only takes one to spawn them! but do require 3 tbsp marine salt per gallon. pair Aphyosemion australe 'orange' and possibly some eggs, depending if any are 'eyed' up for the auction. pair Simpsonichthys santanae - I'm still trying to decipher the location on these, but I believe it to be reseriao do santaa nat2, collection 6.8.2010... possibly one bag of eggs from these as well. ok. watchu bringin?? :hey:

chances are they are the 'regular' (golden?) otos. Can you take a digital picture and post it? The otos seem to be really proficient at chewing through algae, so don't underestimate them! haha!

I have 4. They are definetely in the queue for breeding, but mostly just letting them grow right now. Waiting to see if there is any spontaneous spawning in the community tank they are in, then will set them up in a breeding tank. Do you have a link to that thread Jason? I'll go look there, but I suck at finding stuff! :boxed: Also, thanks Harold. I agree with your thinking but the resistance was strong, and I really don't know enough about the species to throw down on the matter. And I haven't the time to PROVE that they will . Dan

Are you going to the Calgary workshop and auction on Apri 2/3?

I know. I so was thinking about it. We have a piano in our front room that no one plays anymore, but I can't seem to convince them to get rid of.... That tank would have been perfect there.

yah, the only thing I would be concerned with on the zebra Oto's is A: finding them. They aren't easy to come by B: the really tiny baby shrimp. I'd be very surprised if they ate anything larger than that. And as Oneried has said, it is doubtful that they would even eat them. I just hate recomending something only to find out later that I was wrong. It is published that they are omnivorres, but that may well mean that they are just scavengers . I just wouldn't want you to find out the hard way! good luck with them whichever way you go! Dan

Now THAT'S comedy! haha! I think assasin snails can only kill snails up to about a 1/4" in diameter. I thought mine weren't actually doing anything, then on a recent tear down of the tank they are in I found a lot of snail shells up to about a 1/4 inch in diameter. I am GUESSING that anything bigger is more than they can take down. At least the ones I have. The ratio would be about an inch long shell on my assasins. Maybe bigger ones can take down bigger snails? Until now I thought they were pacifists! haha!

let me introduce you to the species we are discussing. Have you kept these, and can confirm they won't eat the tiny baby shrimp? http://www.seriouslyfish.com/profile.php?genus=Otocinclus&species=cocama if so, then this report might be wrong. As I stated, I have READ that they are omnivorous. If you believe differently, and have kept this species with shrimp and can confirm that they haven't eaten them. (I keep a group of Lacustricola katangae with my cherry shrimp, and I know they are eating them. The shrimp just outbreed their food requirements...), then please advise thanks Dan

No one said the snails eat shrimp Val. I am referring to the zebra otocinclus that people are recomending he serve his shrimp up to.. :smokey: they probably would like a little sauce with them.

I've read that the zebra otos are omnivorous. I have 4, and haven't paid a lot of attention to their eating habits. They are definetly munching on algae, but I don' tknow if they are cleaning up flake and such as well. With that said however, I wouldn't be so comfortable with guaranteeing that the zebra otos would not eat baby shrimp. Regular otos shouldn't from what I have read on them. They are supposedly strictly vegetarian! Whichever you go with, I'd still add a couple of nerite snails. they pound through algae in tough to get to spots. They also won't overflow your tank with snails as they have to hatch them out in salt water. They do leave those little white spots (eggs) but those are fairly easy to clean up. No reason why you can't add both though. Some nerite snails and a group of otos. If you go with the zebras, keep an eye on them and do post if they eat the baby shrimp. I'd like to know about that. Dan

best algae eaters I've found are nerite snails

And I have your first request. Please move to Calgary....