New Tankmates for SteveIrwin and Cousteau

With the passing of our sweet balloon belly molly JackHanna - SteveIrwin and Cousteau needed some company.  I think SteveIrwin was kinda sad that JackHanna was gone...

So - off to the pet store I went and I came home with some new friends!  So welcome to the family:

BettyWhite - the panda platy:

BobBarker - the silver molly:

and RickyGervais - the balloon belly molly:

photobombed by Cousteau

So far BobBarker has moved right in - he is totally comfortable in his new surroundings and munching away on some fish flakes.  BettyWhite found herself a large flake and took it into one of the tank ornaments in order to eat it in peace.  And - unlike is namesake - RickyGervais is quite shy and unsure of his new home.  I am confident he will come out of his shell soon!

Cousteau is unaffected by these new additions.  SteveIrwin is busy trying to show everyone who is boss...

RIP sweet JackHanna!!

Pet Product Review: EHEIM Quick Vac Pro Automatic Gravel Cleaner and Sludge Extractor

Let me start by saying - my new most favorite pet product!!!!  :)

I used to have many aquariums many years ago and one of the worst parts of the maintenance was to drag out the bucket and use the suction vacuum thingy to clean the bottom of the tank - ugh - it was part of the reason I gave up the tanks.

I found this little gem on Amazon:

Its a vacuum, battery powered.  You just stick it in the tank and turn it on and voila - all the ick gets sucked up into that middle section which is the filter and the gravel stays put.  It's like magic!!  Once you are done you just pull out the filter, take off the bottom and give it a rinse.  Super easy to clean up!!  Did I mention - magic???  Even better - SteveIrwin and JackHanna didn't seem too stressed out to have me in there doing my thing.  Cousteau did not love it but he just moved to the other side of the tank once I got close.

Check out this link where you can order it - or at the very least watch the video...

In addition there is a really cool app that you can download:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eheim.aquarium.app

You pop in all your values from when you test your water and it tells you exactly what to do to correct any issues - totally cool!!

SteveIrwin gets an Upgrade and New Roomies

A few years ago I was an avid aquarium keeper having several tanks in several sizes.  I decided that since I would likely never put the top on the small tank I had SteveIrwin in (it would not allow my daily interaction with him) that I would move him to a larger tank.  I dug around the garage and laid my hands on an old 10 gallon aquarium from many moons ago.  After much scrubbing it was squeaky clean and ready for SteveIrwin and his stuff.

I am able to fit all of his ornaments and several real and silk plants for him to play and snooze in.  So - in he goes.  He seems to like it - but its so big and just one fish in there seems so lonely so - off to the pet store to find him some roomies for him.

Meet JackHanna the balloon bellied molly.  He is a teensy bit neurotic (don't tell him I said so) and he is very excited by his own reflection.  He has mellowed in the last couple of days thankfully and I think he is settling in.  SteveIrwin does not seem particularly interested in JackHanna and they coexist quite peacefully.

Meet Cousteau the cory catfish.  He is a cute little devil that cleans up after the others, keeping the floor of the aquarium and the tank ornaments squeaky clean.  So far he is doing a bang up job. SteveIrwin is much more interested in Cousteau and he follows him around.  He is not aggressive towards him - just interested.

So far life in the new tank seems good and SteveIrwin seems happy!  As for his little tank - I am thinking some African Dwarf Frogs in there and starting up the plants...stay tuned for more fishy updates....