MassBass Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 Now that I have retired from open water for the season, I have found myself very interested in the fish hobby. I had a redtail catfish in my 55 gallon for two years till I finally got rid of it. Now I have the one fish that survived the redtail's wrath, a big silver dollar. Also Im re-establishing my live plants that were uprooted by the redtail. Just recently I added a chinese algae eater. Then I added ten assorted tetras. Very cool looking little fish. I also have a rubber pleco in there to eat with the algae eater. I have also started a new tank, a 20 gal coldwater. I have six comets in there now. Comets are close relatives to carp so I can actually study their behavior and think about how that would apply to fishing. Comets are cheap and sold as feeders, but that dosen't mean that they can't make an exciting tank. You guys keep fish? Quote
atomicfriday Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 I have had many different kinds of tanks over the years and currently just have a 2 gallon Fluval with a betta in it. I have had saltwater and they are exotic, but there is just something so beautiful and entrancing about the greenery of a planted freshwater. I also have snails and shrimp in there. Sometime I'd like to get a 30 or 40 long and have a school of "something" in it. Watching fish shoal is so neat! Quote
MassBass Posted November 10, 2015 Author Posted November 10, 2015 Having lots of little fish in a big tank is cool I think. Thats what Im doing with my 55. Quote
Super User gulfcaptain Posted November 10, 2015 Super User Posted November 10, 2015 I have a planted tank and used to do aquarium service for extra money as well as managing the fish department in two different major pet stores. Sorry to tell you, your planted tank with the silver dollar is doomed. They eat plants. So unless they are plastic, odds are in favor of them becoming food. Chinesse algae eater, well they are good when they are small, then get really agressive when they get bigger (around th 4" mark). Your rubber lip pleco is fine, they don't get very big, I'd look for a bushy nose pleco though if you can find one and ditch the algae eater, or throw him in your goldfish tank. I have a 40gal planted sitting in my front room with small rummy nose tetras, some small catfish, and a couple dwarf chiclids (and some shrimp to control the algae as well as my one bushy nose pleco.). A tank can be very relaxing, if I had more room I'd probably look at trying to throw a couple pond bass and some green sunfish in there, but don't have the space for that large of a tank. And I'd love to have a reef tank again, but being away from home for a month at a time, I don't think it would make it. Quote
MassBass Posted November 10, 2015 Author Posted November 10, 2015 I have worked in a pet shop fish department for several years too. I am already seeing hints of aggression in my algae eater. My silver dollar I have had for maybe 5 years or more. He is big now and has been through the wars with that redtail. But he is a gentle giant, doesn't even chase the tiny tetras. His effect on my java fern is negligible at most. Very rarely does he pick. I think the tinfoil barbs he used to be with were way worse on the plants. I might add some rummy noses when this bunch gets established. Quote
desmobob Posted November 10, 2015 Posted November 10, 2015 I have a 55-gallon set-up with a couple of African Mbuna cichlids and a big Synodontis catfish. Of course, everyone's hiding when I took the photo.... Here's the catfish, about 15 or 16 years old now. The photo was taken several years ago.... Have you ever wondered if aggressive feeding activity in the aquarium relates to the same in the local lake? Every once in a while, I notice my fish are extremely aggressive at feeding time. I always wonder to myself if it means it's a good day to go fishing. So far, it has only happened on days when I wasn't able to fish. Besides, most days that I DO fish, I leave too early to feed the ones in my aquarium before I leave. Maybe I should turn the aquarium lights on and feed them early on fishing days to I can see if the fish in the local lakes are acting the same as the ones in my tank.... Tight lines, Bob 1 Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Nice looking tank desmobob. I currently have 5 tanks up and running and have had at least one running for the last 25 years. Yeah, I guess you can say I'm into it. Lol. A 10, 40, 55, 55, and a 180 gallon. I've always been into the larger cichlids. With the last 15 years mainly dedicated to the haplochromis group from lake Malawi. Also playing around with some kamfa flower horns. Just a great hobbie that is very relaxing for me. I'll post some pics soon. 2 Quote
Super User South FLA Posted November 11, 2015 Super User Posted November 11, 2015 I have 4 aquarium currently setup and was in the "fish" business as an operations manager for Dolphin International's Miami operations years ago. I've been away from the hobby for years, but now my son is showing interest and I have gone overboard 3x 55 gallons with 20 long I setup for him. My primary interest are S. American cichlids with my favorite being discus, I am getting into aquascaping, but realize I don't have the time to do it how I want to. 2 Quote
desmobob Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Nice looking tank desmobob. I currently have 5 tanks up and running and have had at least one running for the last 25 years. Yeah, I guess you can say I'm into it. Lol. A 10, 40, 55, 55, and a 180 gallon. I've always been into the larger cichlids. With the last 15 years mainly dedicated to the haplochromis group from lake Malawi. Also playing around with some kamfa flower horns. Just a great hobbie that is very relaxing for me. I'll post some pics soon. Thanks. I'm looking forward to seeing some photos! Malawi cichlids have always been my thing, but I'm not as "into it" as I used to be. I guess my lack of success in dealing with their aggression sort of took the fun out of it. I got to the point where I had so much rock in the tank, there was barely any room for water and I still couldn't keep them from killing each other. ;-) I did have a lot of successful breeding going on for a while. Hmmm... so far, it's looking like bass anglers prefer cichlids! I love those HawgTech discus! Tight lines, Bob 2 Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Fossorochromis rostratus 2 Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Yes those Mbuna are nasty, very territorial. Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Yes those Mbuna are nasty, very territorial. Champsochromis caeruleus. 1 Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Placidochromis phenochilus 1 Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus Quote
long island basser Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 A + male kamfa flower horn 2 Quote
desmobob Posted November 11, 2015 Posted November 11, 2015 All spectacular!!! Thanks for sharing the photos! Tight lines, Bob Quote
bigfruits Posted November 12, 2015 Posted November 12, 2015 awesome fish! ottos are great little algae eaters. ive come around full circle. fresh>marine>reef>planted planted tanks are my favorite now. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ Quote
desmobob Posted November 12, 2015 Posted November 12, 2015 Have you ever wondered if aggressive feeding activity in the aquarium relates to the same in the local lake? Every once in a while, I notice my fish are extremely aggressive at feeding time. I always wonder to myself if it means it's a good day to go fishing. I'm making it a point to try and see if there's a correlation between the feeding aggressiveness of my cichlids and the local bass on any given day. Yesterday was the first day I checked. I didn't get to hit the lake until 11 am, so I waited to feed my fish until just before I left. They were unusually unaggressive and acting pretty mellow at feeding. The local bass, however, seemed to be on a different channel. I caught seven decent bass in the first spot I stopped, and had probably my best day of fishing since the water dropped below 55* (it was 47* yesterday). Hmmm. Tight lines, Bob Quote
Super User soflabasser Posted November 12, 2015 Super User Posted November 12, 2015 I have kept freshwater and saltwater aquariums for a while now and currently have saltwater tanks. When I had freshwater aquariums I kept mostly Cichilds since they are very colorful and active fish. Quote
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