Water Sprite

Trimming plants is like giving my tank a good haircut. I have lost count how many times I gave watersprite a good trimming. Too bad they were infected with dark algae otherwise can give them away and reserve some for my 2ft tank.

New Challenge on 2ft tank

I was a little impatient to make space for my shrimps and took all the nana out of the 1.5feet tank. They were huge and I separated them into smaller clumps and let them float on the bigger tank. Regretably, they melted within a week before I could even use them. I should have kept them dry instead of drowing their lives. It was a heavy lesson learned because the nana has been following this journey since the day it went into the petite tank with just a couple of small leaves..

Anyway, life moves on and I started to conceptualise on paper how my new tank is going to look in future.

Journey Pt 6 -2011

It took me another half year to ponder on bigger tank, ideally 2ft by 1.5ft by 1.5ft.

I was reluctant due to the challenge faced for bigger tank when I preferred a low-tech upkeep and also I wasn't quite ready to give up on my existing flourishing tank.....

However, the massive "fire army" and nana, shown above, were fighting for space. There is limit in them complementing each other that I could no longer hesitate to get them a bigger home....

In late September 2011, I carried this 2feet home, with a couple of blue-black on my arms and thigh that appeared days later...

New challenge awaits ahead.....

Journey Pt 5 -2010/2011

In Mar 2010, the greeneries in my 1 footer nano could no longer extend further than the size of the cube.

I sold off my 1 foot nano and took on the next challenge of a 1.5feet five-plan tank. With all the necessary equipments I have applied on my previous tank, I wanted to build a more lush and beautiful garden in bigger space.

A year later, I think I have succeeded....

(to continue Pt 6)

Journey Pt 4 -2008/9

Instead of keeping fish in tank or jar without proper filteration. I owned my first petite tank which is hardly more than the size of my palm. It has an undergravel filter and I thought it might be suitable for any hardy shrimp - namely Malayan shrimp which was recommended by the shop owner who sold me the tank.

However, the outflow from the filter was too harsh for my shrimp or any living faunas that I put in. The strong wave send my fish into a corner and they look stressed. The food that thrown in were flying all over the tank too. I tried to reduce the flowrate with a fabric cover used for our water tap, but it melted within a week due to strong current blowing thru it. I was dissappointed and have to sell my petite tank.

It took me nearly a year to scout around for a decent 1 footer nano cube and I found this interesting piece.....

Thereafter, I started this blog feeling proud that I finally have a proper fish tank to play with, the rest became history.....

(to cont Pt5)

Journey Pt 3 -2008

In 2008, after my bettas have aged, I sold off my empty betta tank/jars. I wanted a simple community fish tank without much hassle....I was so wrong. The first fish I fell in love with when I stared into its luminous eyes, it is called mandor.

I put up for ID in the forum and was told it is another type of betta, the wild variety. It seemed I could never shake off betta in 2008 and decided to find out their regime of care. They really live up to the name with all the wild traits - jumpy, love blackish water, and extremely territorial, especially killing their own mate (directly or not) in all their chase.

Unfortunately, as much as I love giving them the best condition to thrive, many did not make it. They were picky on dry food and have high preference for livestocks as meal. They do get messy if they don't eat the given food and left the untouched food to stale in the tank. People even suggested I kept fresh worms in freezer but I didn't dare for fear of it accidentally getting it into our own house foods.

Nevertheless, wild bettas are beauty in their own way. Here are some photos of the wild betta I have kept in the past.... (to cont... Pt4)

Journey Pt 2 -2006/7

A nice brother in the betta team had organised a free trip (with free shuttle) to the farm at Sungei Tengah. Being a nature lover and wanting to be away from the cold walls of city, it is silly not to join in this excursion and see how people bred their pets. I just love outing.....

(To continue....Pt3)

Journey Pt 1 -2006/7

I have decided to post my earlier journey into this hobby. It began as early as 2006 when the company, I worked for, was in the process of liquidation and we had so much time in the office to surf for job. I have special affinity with nature as in all things greens and wild. Thus I stumbled in a forum Arofanatic and wondered at the colorful betta section during my free time. Since than, I decided that I wanted to be part of keeping my first easy pet - betta. Thereafter I had a wonderful time sharing with like-minded forumners there. The betta team was all friendly and full of enthusiasm people. You will not get tired learning and sharing from them the joy of having this wondeful hobby..... (to cont. Pt 2)

More new Fishes

kuhli loach (a swift swimmer).

I have not been posting for nearly a year, partly due to some family issues to attend to and busy with personal bread and butter matters. Thus I left my aquarium to flourish on its own and it did with speed, to the extend I was pondering if I should upgrade to bigger tank (like 2 feet). Anyway, regardless how exhausted our heart was, it is always good to return home and find that quiet spot next to an aquarium to calm down and heal our tired mind. Whenever I saw some planaria residing in my shrimp tank, it immediately came to mind that I need to add fish to eat up those stubborn pest.

Here are recent acquisition of shrimp friendly fishes (above & bottom photos):-

Endler

I love seeing them picked up bits and pieces of "waste products" which I hope include those nasty planarias....*grrrrhhh*