Tank birthday, 47+ years

[atoll]

I posted this on another thread about my copperband but I will post it here also because very few people read my threads so no one will notice.

I have been searching for information on the lifespan of copperband butterflies and it seems that ten years isn't bad.
I have also read that they are very hard to keep (which I totally disagree with).

I also read their lifespan is between 4-7 years. Then I read an informative article about them that says they live about ten years. Then I realized that I wrote that article so it doesn't help me. ;Wideyed

I think a fish of that size should live about 15 years, of course I am guessing but maybe thats it. I have had many of them but I don't remember ever keeping them over ten years. They don't get sick, they normally just stop eating at about that age.

Mine wants to eat, it just can't focus on the food and misses almost 100% of the time so maybe that is her lifespan. If it is, I am happy. If it isn't, then she is not happy.

Paul, I have just posted on a new thread on how I got my CB to eat better and a variety of different foods along with a video of it feeding you might be interested in.

 

[lavoisier]

That was a lot of bristles! How often do you cull them? and do you usually get that many?

Without ears its hard to fit Cooperbands with spectacles but it sounds like what he needs.

 

[Paul B]

Atoll, I will check out your video. But mine doesn't have a problem like that. He is trying to eat but can't get his snout on the food. His vision is off like a half an inch so he tries, but keeps missing. He is hungry.

Lavoisier, I could take out ten times that many worms, I just have to keep moving the trap around.

This is how she ate a few months ago. I rarely have trouble with copperbands

 

[atoll]

Atoll, I will check out your video. But mine doesn't have a problem like that. He is trying to eat but can't get his snout on the food. His vision is off like a half an inch so he tries, but keeps missing. He is hungry.

Lavoisier, I could take out ten times that many worms, I just have to keep moving the trap around.

This is how she ate a few months ago. I rarely have trouble with copperbands

Yeah I am aware your CB has a sight problem which is a shame for it. Often people forget (obviously not you Paul) fish like any animal inc humans can and do get all manner of ailments. In the case of domestic animals like dogs and cats much can be done, sadly for fish often little can be done when it comes to many ailments. We do what we can ut often it's not enough unfortunately. Not sure what to suggest you could do to help I, wish I had an idea but I am sure you have been thinking hard yourself. Good luck with it.

 

[Paul B]

Thanks atoll, I think he is just at the age near the end of his life and it is what it is. He enjoyed a long healthy life and I will enjoy him while he is still healthy

 

[NDIrish]

I read in your thread, you adding dirt to your tank. What is the purpose?

 

[lavoisier]

I read in your thread, you adding dirt to your tank. What is the purpose?

Mud not dirt. Biodiversity and immunity. Some companies sell the stuff.

 

[Paul B]

I actually did also add dirt. For the microorganisms. I did not invent that, it was Robert Straughn "The Father of Salt Water fish keeping"

You can do that if you don't live near the sea. But mud from a saltwater bay would be better which I do all the time.

 

[NDIrish]

Mud not dirt. Biodiversity and immunity. Some companies sell the stuff.

How does that effect your RUGF

 

[Paul B]

It hasn't affected it so far and I have been doing it for about 45 years

 

[atoll]

It hasn't affected it so far and I have been doing it for about 45 years

Yeah but one day it will wipe your tank out....you just don't know which day.

 

[atoll]

It hasn't affected it so far and I have been doing it for about 45 years

Yeah but one day it will wipe your tank out....you just don't know which day.

 

[Paul B]

probably next Tuesday.

 

[Paul B]

Today I picked up a female blue stripe pipefish and a bleeny. They are in my tank and seem happy. The pipefish insists on hanging out right next to the snout of my much larger Janss pipefish which constantly tries to bite the little one in half. I guess there is not much intelligence in that tiny pipefish brain. I feel like saying "just swim away stupid".

I only have a couple more weeks to donate the profits from my book to the MS Society because I want to do it before the end of the year.
My wife is on the phone now trying to figure out how we go about doing that because we want all of it to go to research and not the office staff, rent etc.

We ran a few MS Bike tours and did the same thing.
I don't get much profits from the book because it is a limited audience and will never sell like the Bible.

( most people also don't want to hear about the advantages of undergravel filters)

But I will kick in a few hundred so it is worthwhile. I am giving them 100% of the profits which isn't much but it is what it is and before the year is over, I would like to thank the people who bought one.

 

[Paul B]

Today I went to Lowes and Home Depot to buy a 5' flag pole for my American Flag. The old pole broke.
Then I spent a good amount of time on Amazon looking for one but all I can find are poles made in China.

I would rather not have a flag than hang my American made, American Flag on a pole made in China.
The bracket also broke so I built my own. Now I have to build my own pole which is disappointing because a country such as the USA which I fought for can't even make a flag pole any more no matter how much you would spend.
I am not a happy camper.

 

[Paul B]

I found a flag pole on American Flag.com and ordered an American one. Now I am happy.

 

[NDIrish]

Hi, Paul.
I have a couple questions about your RUFG.
How much water are flowing through the RUFG and how did you gauge the flow?
Thanks

 

[Paul B]

We hobbyists are thinking much to much about gadgets, chemicals, lighting and water quality and not enough about "fish feelings". Yes, fish have feelings. I doubt they feel remorse, giddy, anguished, rueful, nostalgic, bashful or ashamed but I know they feel something. All you have to do is look them in the eye.

Did you stop laughing yet?
Yes, after many years you can look a fish in the eye and "feel" how it feels. A depressed fish or a fish in quarantine, a dealers tank, medication, or a bullied fish will have a blank look and slightly dull eyes. Those fish are terrified, especially after they figure out that they can't scream.

Still laughing aren't you? You spend a lot of time on disease forums, don't you? Ever wonder why? ;Meh

In some fish, such as a Copperband Butterfly it is easy to tell how the fish is feeling as they have expressionful eyes. Like I said, you need to be doing this for to many years where you become part fish. But, almost like dogs, some fishes feeling can be seen in their expression. Not all fish. I guess some of them are just stoic all the time, maybe they are Nerds or were raised by a Nerd or worse (But I won't say it)

Happy, fish are inquisitive fish. They don't look scared and are constantly looking for food and a mate, as fish, like Justin Beiber are always looking to spawn.

"Happy" fish also never get sick because they are not stressed and think they are in the sea.
Porcupine puffers are also fish that you can read. They are never happy because for some reason, they know they are confined and hate it. Yes, I know, they wag their tail when they see you, but did you ever think, maybe they are just Mooning you.

They also know that in that tank they can never reach their full size of about 18". I am sure they hate us too as I would if one of them kept me in a small air space under the sea.

Porcupines spend much of their life swimming up and down one end of the tank actually rubbing their eye on the glass as they go back and forth. That causes them a lot of eye problems.
I have followed many of them in the sea and they are long distance, but slow swimmers and really don't like tank life.

Really small fish like bluestripe pipefish, clown gobies, bleenies etc. don't even know they are captive and they exhibit their joy by spawning constantly. Stressed fish will never spawn, not even if they see you and your main squeeze watching Judge Judy on TV wearing your Christmas Pajamas and sipping a Grand Marnier.

If we can keep our fish "happy" they will stay healthy. Medication and quarantine does not make them happy. Living in a place that resembles the sea and having plenty of "natural" looking hiding places make them feel secure. If you can see them, they can see you and they don't like or want to see you. If all they have is white PVC elbows from Home Depot with the "Made in China" sticker still on them, they can see you and are thinking "Like seriously. They want me to live in here!"
Then they show their displeasure by attracting ich which causes us to add more copper and get them sicker.
Then we dip them and throw in Prizapro when all the fish needs is a secure place to live and be fed something other than Twinkies.

 

[Paul B]

Hi, Paul.
I have a couple questions about your RUFG.
How much water are flowing through the RUFG and how did you gauge the flow?
Thanks

I pump about 150 GPH down each tube to each UG filter plate. I tested it by pumping water into a 5 gallon bucket and timing it, then doing the math.

 

[NDIrish]

I pump about 150 GPH down each tube to each UG filter plate. I tested it by pumping water into a 5 gallon bucket and timing it, then doing the math.

Thanks