Fish Lore Aquarium Forum Member Spotlight on 0morrokh

Online Aquarium Fish Magazine | Member Spotlight - 0morrokh

Introduction

Hi everyone, my name is 0morrokh. (My parents must have used a really weird baby book ;)). I have always been a complete animal nut, keeping everything from a rabbit to mice to toads to a horse. So, it was obvious that sooner or later I'd keep a fish or two. My first tank was a little half-gallon Critter-Keeper type container. I'd wanted a rabbit, but my parents thought a fish would be better for our housing situation. I got a Goldfish who lived for a few weeks. It wasn't until I was about 10 years old that I took up fishkeeping again. I got a 10 gallon and my brother and I each had a Goldfish in it, each of which lasted only slightly longer than my first one. During that time I also tried to keep a Betta in a tiny bowl, which was a complete disaster. After losing my fifth or sixth Goldfish, a couple years later, I decided to give up fishkeeping.

Of course, the fish bug didn't go away for long. The summer I was 13 I got to thinking about fish again and decided to do some research and try to set up a tropical tank. Fortunately I stumbled across Fishlore at that point. I cycled the tank and added 2 female Guppies, 2 female Platys, and 2 Otos (Mist and Marble, who I still have today). Unfortunately, that tank was one problem after another. The Guppies gave birth and two fry survived, and I didn't want to give away the fry so the tank was overstocked. I had problems with high nitrates and the Otos came down with finrot. They recovered, but soon after one of the Guppies died. I diagnosed tuberculosis but it was too late to do anything. I watched the Guppies and Platys die one after another and often felt like giving up the hobby.

But I couldn't stop then because I already had another tank. It was a 20 gallon long I'd gotten for my birthday and was setting up to be a planted tank for my Otos. The Otos never contracted TB and after many months in quarantine, they moved to their new home. After that the hobby has gone a lot more smoothly for me. I now have two 20 longs and a 10 set up permanently, as well as 2 quarantine tanks. My tanks are continuously being added to, as I make enough money for more fish and plants, but here is what I currently have set up.

My Aquariums

20 Long #1

This is my oldest current set up. It is supposed to be my planted display tank in my family's living room, so therefore it is the one that gets infested with snails and had a green water algae problem. Both problems have been resolved though the snails I really don't mind but remove some when they start taking over, and the green water finally went away. I am currently in the process of trying to convert it from a tank with a few java ferns and the like thrown in, to a nicely planted tank, so it doesn't look great at the moment (hence no pics of this one).

The Fish and Inverts: First of all my 2 Otos, Mist and Marble. They are my oldest fish, from my first 10 gal tropical tank. There are also 3 Corydoras pygmaeus and 2 Corydoras habrosus. I had bought 6 of each originally but lost a bunch for various reasons. There is also a cute young Bamboo Shrimp named Jewel.

Details: pH: 8 (my tap water); NH3: 0; NO2: 0-5; temp: 76 F; filter: sponge filter; light: 20W fluorescent (may be upgraded sometime); food: Omega One veggie rounds, shrimp pellets, occasional veggies, and once I've got the breeding group of pygmaeus will also feed live foods like bbs.

Future Plan: This is going to be a small catfish and invert tank. I will be getting a lot more C. pygmaeus and possibly habrosus and I hope to create a breeding colony of pygmaeus. I also want a breeding colony of some type of dwarf shrimp-I'm thinking possibly Tiger Shrimp.

20 Long #2

My newest setup. This tank is quite boring with only a few java ferns sitting on the bottom, but the Platys don't seem to mind (hence also no pics of this tank).

The Fish: Currently just a trio of Platys-a male and female orange calico (very pretty color strain, I think) and a female orange wag.

Details: pH: 8 (my tap water); NH3: 0; NO2: 0-5; temp: 74 F; filter: sponge filters; light: fluorescent; food: Omega One tropical flakes, veggie flakes, occasional veggies, occasional freeze dried bloodworms.

Future Plan: This tank will be divided up for different livebearers and possibly a Betta or two that I can't resist rescuing. Any surviving X. variatus (see Q Tanks, below) will be divided from the Platys because I don't want the two interbreeding. I also have wanted Endlers for a long time-if I can get ahold of some they will go either with the Platys or the variatus. If I end up getting any more Bettas they will get their own section of the tank.

This is my Betta tank, and I love it because it's right beside my bed so I can watch my Bettas in bed. It also is a sort of plant nursery for java fern plantlets. I find them easier to keep track of in the smaller tank than in one of the 20 gallons.

The Fish: My male Betta, Fuego, and my female Betta, Cascada or Cas for short. The tank has a clear divider and it's fun watching them interact.

Details: pH: 8 (my tap water); NH3: 0; NO2: 0-5; temp: 80 F; filter: hob on one side, and just an air stone on the other side; light: fluorescent; food: Hikari Betta Bio Gold pellets, freeze dried bloodworms, occasional peas.

Future Plan: I will probably not add any more fish to this tank, but I want to give it a makeover and add a lot more live plants. The pic of it is from when it was first set up and it does have a few more live plants now (and a few of the fake plants were removed).

Quarantine Tanks

A 10 gal tank and a 16 gal plastic container.

The Fish: Currently in quarantine I have a trio of beautiful sunset Xiphophorus variatus. Unfortunately they are currently sick but I've got them on medications and hopefully some if not all of them survive. Using a q tank is definitely one of the best things I've learned to use since beginning the hobby.

Future Tanks:

I hope be getting a fourth permanent tank probably next year, likely a 10 gallon. I don't currently have any plans for what to put in it. It could end up housing Bettas, one of the livebearer species, or something completely different (if they give in and let me get another tank, that is).

Aquarium and Fish Pictures

A few various pics of my tanks and fish.

First of all, me, oh so crazily hugging my horse while oh so crazily riding him bareback. Horse

My Betta tank, back when it was first set up. Betta Aquarium

The Bettas, Fuego and Cas. Betta Betta Bubblenest

One of the Otos, Mist Otocinclus Catfish

My bamboo shrimp, Jewel.

The male Platy Platy

Acknowledgements

First of all I have to thank my parents for putting up with my pet, and particularly fish, obsession. I also thank all of the members of Fishlore for being such a great community, and of course Mike for starting the site in the first place, and all of the great moderators. I especially want to thank Rose (chickadee) for being very helpful when I was just starting off and especially for infecting me with the Betta Bug.

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First of all, me, oh so crazily hugging my horse while oh so crazily riding him bareback.
My Betta tank, back when it was first set up.
The Bettas, Fuego and Cas.
One of the Otos, Mist
My bamboo shrimp, Jewel.
The male Platy