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....

Pet Product Review: Pimafix

We got SteveIrwin in late April and after a few days with us he started to go downhill - he was lethargic, not eating, losing his lovely long fins and his bright blue color.  I was not sure what to do so I tried Pimafix which is a broad spectrum antibiotic that treats fungal infections and bacterial infections.  I was not certain that he had either but I couldn't just wait for him to kick the bucket - had to try something....

His tank is only 3 gallons so I adjusted the dose accordingly.  I gave him the meds for 7 days as instructed and then did a 25% water change.  At that point SteveIrwin was on the mend but he was not well so he got a second round of seven days with a 25% water change.  After a couple of days I did a full water change which I do every week.

Since he finished his second round he seems just great - full of energy, engaged, active and he has a great appetite.  I think Pimafix did in fact fix him - so grateful as I have grown quite fond of the little blue dude....

SteveIrwin's New Ball

Who buys a ball for a fish?  Me, that's who...

I like to change things up in SteveIrwin's tank every few weeks so he has new arrangements to explore and new area's to look at - after all - he is in a pretty tiny space with just a bit over 3 gallons of tank. I found this purple ball at the pet store - its was on sale for $4.99 and I figured he might like it because he spends a lot of time tucked between his heater and the side of the tank or nestled in his plant.  It's fascinating to watch how a fish brain works:

• Ball get's put in the tank and first instinct is to scare it or kill it - whichever is necessary.  Fins go up in an aggressive stance and we show the ball who is boss around here.
• Then since the ball is indifferent to us - we must be indifferent to the ball - he literally spent time ignoring the ball - swimming with his back to the ball - pretending it wasn't there.
• After about 45 mins he decided to check out the outside of the ball - it was okay but inside the ball looked kinda scary so he spent a good bit of time swimming right outside each opening of the ball.
• Then he decided to check out the inside of the ball - swimming through using all sorts of different combinations of the three openings - in the side and out the top, in the side and out the other side, in the top and out the side - he appeared to be having much fun.
• At last - he settled in to hang out in his new spot - he seems to really like it which makes me happy!

He seems to be on the upswing healthwise - done with antibiotics and eating regularly.  Still cautiously optimistic - but he is a pretty stubborn little guy...so hopefully he will be with is for a good long while...