Tank birthday, 47+ years

[Paul B]

Rybren, thats because you guys have that Government run health care system there.
We used to do it like that, but now we use Ether.

We also have "all" Supermodel doctors and nurses.
I had to get the Covid test before they would do the procedure. I also had a biopsy but didn't get the results back yet. They are just going to find a lot of Linguine and clams in my stomach biopsy

 

[Paul B]

My Sunburst anthius stopped eating normal foods and they just want worms. Very small worms at that which is unfortunate for them because I don't feed live worms every day as I don't think they are good as a stable diet. Fish get to fat on them and they are probably missing some things that salt water fish need which is the reason I feed mostly shellfish, fish eggs etc.

If they keep up this diet, they won't be here long as I have seen this happen multiple times and I always feed other things before I give them worms.

To me, (and quite a few scientists) the live worms provide living bacteria and it is "my" theory that that is "one" of the reasons my fish are immune from just about everything. Except starvation, Rap music and jumping out.

Fish, and all animals depend on their stomach flora for their immunity. Lately this theory is all over the place, I just read about it again yesterday in this months (I Think) Discover Magazine. And a few months ago in National Geographic.
Yes, those are not scientific publications but what they publish is excerpts from scientific papers and they don't just let the guy who sweeps the floor write that stuff.

Copper, and all medications especially antibiotics will kill stomach bacteria. (One reason door knobs and hand rails used to be made of copper or brass was to kill bacteria. Now it is to expensive) That specific bacteria has been multiplying in the fish since it was born and grows depending on what the fish was eating including the pathogens in it's diet. The stomach flora changes to accommodate or kill pathogens the fish encounters or eats.

It would be great if we could inject fish with medications instead of soaking the fish in it but due to the fishes size, lack of available veins, that would be very difficult for the average aquarist.

I have to go for a tooth implant and before I go I have to take some antibiotics.
(for some reason, if you get a new knee or some other part, you may have to take an antibiotic for the rest of your life before you have dental work)

But the dentist gave me antibiotic pills, he didn't tell me to take a bath in the stuff.

This may screw up my stomach, but humans have a very long intestinal tract and those antibiotics will be absorbed in the very beginning so they will not effect the gut flora in the rest of my intestines.
If someone has cancer and need to have chemo or radiation, that totally kills just about everything and that person is left with no immunity at all.

After Chemo those people don't look good at all.

 

[saf1]

My Sunburst anthius stopped eating normal foods and they just want worms. Very small worms at that which is unfortunate for them because I don't feed live worms every day as I don't think they are good as a stable diet. Fish get to fat on them and they are probably missing some things that salt water fish need which is the reason I feed mostly shellfish, fish eggs etc.

If they keep up this diet, they won't be here long as I have seen this happen multiple times and I always feed other things before I give them worms.

To me, (and quite a few scientists) the live worms provide living bacteria and it is "my" theory that that is "one" of the reasons my fish are immune from just about everything. Except starvation, Rap music and jumping out.

Fish, and all animals depend on their stomach flora for their immunity. Lately this theory is all over the place, I just read about it again yesterday in this months (I Think) Discover Magazine. And a few months ago in National Geographic.
Yes, those are not scientific publications but what they publish is excerpts from scientific papers and they don't just let the guy who sweeps the floor write that stuff.

Copper, and all medications especially antibiotics will kill stomach bacteria. (One reason door knobs and hand rails used to be made of copper or brass was to kill bacteria. Now it is to expensive) That specific bacteria has been multiplying in the fish since it was born and grows depending on what the fish was eating including the pathogens in it's diet. The stomach flora changes to accommodate or kill pathogens the fish encounters or eats.

It would be great if we could inject fish with medications instead of soaking the fish in it but due to the fishes size, lack of available veins, that would be very difficult for the average aquarist.

I have to go for a tooth implant and before I go I have to take some antibiotics.
(for some reason, if you get a new knee or some other part, you may have to take an antibiotic for the rest of your life before you have dental work)

But the dentist gave me antibiotic pills, he didn't tell me to take a bath in the stuff.

This may screw up my stomach, but humans have a very long intestinal tract and those antibiotics will be absorbed in the very beginning so they will not effect the gut flora in the rest of my intestines.
If someone has cancer and need to have chemo or radiation, that totally kills just about everything and that person is left with no immunity at all.

After Chemo those people don't look good at all.

Only 4 months into my hip replacement recovery but also recall them saying before my next dental appointment, even cleaning, to call and get a round of antibiotics before going. Oh well, just added a reminder a couple weeks before my next appointment to call

I have a young copperband that is clearing all of the bristle and speghetti worms in the tank. It is the only fish that forages for those so it has enough today. However I do have to put a few worms in with the other foods to see if I can get its interest. Took a while to find him and it is pretty small but otherwise healthy and getting fuller by the day which I guess is a good start

 

[mguili1947]

I thought he move 2 years ago and set up a new tank

 

[Paul B]

I thought he move 2 years ago and set up a new tank

Who me? I moved here two years ago and moved everything in my tank here in vats in a few hours. The glass is new as my 40 year old glass was scratched.

 

[Paul B]

We now live in a Condo and they uncovered the pool yesterday but it has no water in it so swimming is difficult and noisy. The walls of it are also filthy. Apparently there is a leak in the thing someplace and they are repairing that. After they do that and fill it, I would imagine they will have to throw a clean up crew in there for a few weeks until it is cycled. I saw the maintenance guy dumping a few dead shrimp in there to start the cycle.

Then when they allow us to go into the pool, we first have to dip ourselves in fresh water for 3 minutes in case any of us harbor flukes.
When they finally allow us to get into the water, we can only go in one at a time and before anyone else can go in, that person has to stay there by themselves for 72 days. If God Forbid a person is seen to have spots, the process has to start all over again.

This is going to be hard because many of the people have freckles.

It' better be a long summer.

Thanks to the good people on these forums, yesterday I was able to donate another $500.00 to the National MS Society from my book in my wife's name. Thank you.

 

[Paul B]

Yesterday we had a fantastic day out in the boat. We took a "girl" from our old crowd and anchored in the small lagoon we normally go to, which is filled with fiddler crabs. (but they are not on the roof)

Much of that place is a very warm tide pool, warmer than my tank, and it is also filled with clams. We couldn't take any because you need a permit and since I don't live in that town (Hampton Bays) I can't get one.

I did walk through the shallow water, less than a foot deep to look for amphipods. There are no rocks there so it's slim pickins for amphipods but I found that if I pull some thin clumps of sea weed out of the mud and swirl it in a bucket, I do get some, so thats what I did.

I also collected a couple of dozen very small, like 1/4" mud snails but I could have taken 50,000 of them as they cover the mud.

When I got home I filtered that mud through a very fine net because I wanted to keep the mud, amphipods, snails and microscope life including any parasites if any were there. Then I dumped it in my tank. It was maybe just a quarter of a cup of "stuff".

The new bacteria is what I am most looking for. This is the place I got the mud and amphipods.,

Of course I don't know if this stuff does anything but I think the mud is beneficial for water conditions because of the bacteria, I could be way off but I have always done this just as an experiment. People add bacteria in a bottle, so what the heck.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

You still have the heart of a young boy Paul! I would be right there with you collecting critters. What fun! Happy 4th all.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Sorry about the two fer!

 

[Paul B]

I do look weird walking around in mud looking under rocks and seaweed picking up aphipods and snails like an 8 year old.

 

[Paul B]

Yesterday I threw about 25 small mud snails in my tank. Today,I can't find even one.
I am waiting to go out to dinner and I was watching my tank with the room lights off. (Yes,i am weird)

I noticed my new, smaller 6 line wrasse which I have not seen in the week or two since I added him. If you have a pair of fish it is hard to know if you have two unless you see the both of them at the same time. In my tank I can go months before that happens as the structure is a huge system of caves that go from one of the tank to the other.

The smaller 6 line wrasse looks pregnant although I didn't think she was old enough to spawn.

I also found my new little bi color bleeny but I am pretty sure she is to young to spawn. A few more months maybe.
I am pretty sure my Rainsford gobies are spawning as they "live" in a hole in the gravel next to an undergravel filter tube. They may even be going under that filter plate but I am to stiff to get under the tank with a flashlight to look for them.



I don't have pictures of the 6 line wrasses because they are to fast, but these guys are also spawning.

 

[NDIrish]

I do look weird walking around in mud looking under rocks and seaweed picking up aphipods and snails like an 8 year old.

And??

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Happy 4th!

 

[Paul B]

We did have a great "driveway" party yesterday after boating. We all brought, or bought food and set up tables and chairs in my driveway.

I made the fireworks and most of the drinks and we had a nice turn out. It's not like the old parties because the Virus put a damper on that

But we do what we can do.

I found out the pool, which is huge and 12' deep is being "fixed" and should be filled and opened soon.
But with the Mandated Covid rules it is not going to be much fun.

WE have to hire security guards that will take your temperature before you go into the large fenced in area and sign you in. You have to be a resident, no guests. (Or Grand Children)

Only a certain number of people are allowed in and you have to bring your own tables, chairs and umbrella's. Normally, all that stuff is there. (I am surprised we don't have to bring our own water for the pool, but maybe that is in the small print)

The tables have to be 12' apart and they will count the people in the pool, maybe one of the guards will wear SCUBA gear to make sure you aren't swimming near someone.

If you walk near another table, you must wear a mask.

I think I will just stay home.

WE have this large pool because this land used to be some kind of summer camp and Telly Sevellas owned most of it.

 

[atoll]

And??

He gets a lot of amphypods

 

[atoll]

Couple of days ago I bought a microscope secondhand off a guy on facebook. He didn't know the make when I asked and neither did I. Anyway he said he would deliver for a contribution to his petrol money but could only say sometime this week.

On Tuesday we decided to go to Liverpool for the day. We drove 30mins to the station parked our car and got the train to Liverpool. Imagine my surprise when I get a call off him in the afternoon asking where am I. I tell him am in Liverpool and why do you ask,? He replies because I'm outside your front door.

I mean who drives for 2.1/2 hours without arranging a day to call? Anyway, I had already paid him via PayPal. I told him it would be some hours yet before I would be home and to drop it off at my neighbours across the road, this he did.
Strange guy me thinks.
I am very pleased with it and written on the side was the makers name, Apex. The microscope model is the explorer binocular microscope. Little research and I find it's worth at least double what the guy sold it to me. I told him but he wasn't bothered as he hadn't bought it new.
Anyway, I put some algae and a bit of slime from my ATS under my microscope. There were lots of micro pods and worms in it, things difficult if not impossible to see with the naked eye. I can't get pics of the crawlies yet, hopefully I will be able to one day. However here is a pic of the microscope I scored.

 

[Paul B]

Thats nice
I have an antique microscope that is 150 years old, it's brass and in a beautiful wooden box.

Of course I can only look at old things with it.

But it works good and thats all I want.

 

[atoll]

Thats nice
I have an antique microscope that is 150 years old, it's brass and in a beautiful wooden box.

Of course I can only look at old things with it.

But it works good and thats all I want.

I like old instruments after all I am one myself

 

[Paul B]

My good friend Paulie picked this up in Barnicut Bay New Jersey as he was clamming. It's a piece of codium seaweed attached to some large limpets.
At first I thought they were chitons, but they are limpets. Very common here on the east coast of the US and probably all over the world in intertidal zones or very shallow water. They are like very slow moving snails but they look like half of a clam or scallop shell.
They are nocturnal and slowly graze on algae.

This piece has 3 or 4 limpets on it but they may crawl someplace at night. Very cool.
The codium seaweed is also very common in the Atlantic right near shore. It lives a few months in a tank. The problem with it is crabs, and snails bite off pieces near the bottom and the thing floats. I never saw fish eat it. and I collect it all the time as it looks very cool. I wish it lived longer in a tank.
This is it in my tank

 

[atoll]

My good friend Paulie picked this up in Barnicut Bay New Jersey as he was clamming. It's a piece of codium seaweed attached to some large limpets.
At first I thought they were chitons, but they are limpets. Very common here on the east coast of the US and probably all over the world in intertidal zones or very shallow water. They are like very slow moving snails but they look like half of a clam or scallop shell.
They are nocturnal and slowly graze on algae.

This piece has 3 or 4 limpets on it but they may crawl someplace at night. Very cool.
The codium seaweed is also very common in the Atlantic right near shore. It lives a few months in a tank. The problem with it is crabs, and snails bite off pieces near the bottom and the thing floats. I never saw fish eat it. and I collect it all the time as it looks very cool. I wish it lived longer in a tank.
This is it in my tank

There is a similar species of algae that is red.
I grow Ulva intestinalis in my ATS if I put it in th tank it dosent last long my fox face eats it.