dahly

That didn't take long!

"I have plenty of them that you are welcome to..."
_________________
John Sipes
GCAS HAP Chair
Resident plantgeek

dahly

All eight ate very well tonight in their "underconstruction" home! I was sold seven for the price of 6, and it turns out I got eight! Another tiny one, .33", turned out to eat tonight. Go figure!!??! A couple of the shells on the left side have been lowered in the sand, with piles nearby. It seems that they may be too close to one another, as I've seen slight aggression between the four newly established home owners. 60% of the tank has little of any construction going on, so they can move if pushed. Do just the males dig? I read that unoccupied shells are buried, and unburied when needed...true? All 8 were/are out of their shells either hanging close to home or tooling around the tank. The 4 diggers were taking a break, but do spit sand from time to time. It's a blast! Thanks for the recommendation!

p.s. I'm picking up a couple of snails at noon tomorrow from another GCAS member. Would a styrofoam cup of water be ok for them for 4-5 hours?

Gunnie

I think the snails will be fine in the cup. I have sent some through the mail and also received my first snailes that way.

dahly

"Do just the males dig?* I read that unoccupied shells are buried, and unburied when needed...true?"

The GSAC member called me tonight, I'm getting 6 snails from him. He's a big time breeder, I'm glad I'm getting to know these people first hand.

Butterfly

All of mine turn out to dig from time to time and heaven help if I disturb their territories when doing water changes. The like of sand moving and spitting you've never seen.
Carol

dahly

I picked up 6 Malaysian Trumpet Snail, but one died; 5 should work well. I've discovered thatthat the multies turn darker when either they feel treatend, or are showing aggression. Two were trying to pair up yesterday, but couldn't get through the others, to get to his shell. It also looks as if the crowded left side of the tank is spreading out a bit. New construction is going on toward the middle of the tank, as one larger multie has seemingly abandoned his/her former home. They are simply fascinating to watch. True community, neighborhood dynamics are going on. Should I start a new thread with these updates? Feel free to move these last couple to a new thread called "Multi updates." Thanks!

dahly

Today, I believe two couples formed. They are swimming in and out of each others shells. I tested the water today and got 0,0,5 and 8.2 pH. Bio Spira works! Lots of digging and spitting still going on and they seemed to be almost schooling around the tank at times. They are eating well, and I bought them frozen brine shrimp for New Years! They will get very little and I'll feed the rest to the 29. Happy New Year!

Butterfly

As you noticed I split and moved the thread good suggestion by the way. Keep us informed please. Hows the Mrs taking to the multis? still like them?
Carol

dahly

I fed both tank frozen Baby brine shrimp this morning. I was surprised how tiny they are. The 29 got 80-90% of them and after a pause, attacked. The multis were puzzled, then proceded to gobble them too. I trust everyone got their fill.

Everyone enjoys watching both tanks. My wife and I are both off work tomorrow and the boys are in school. My plan is to take her to lunch a Panera Bread, a favorite of hers, then walk next door to the lfs and look at all the pretty cichlids, then look at the 90 gallon set up they have for sale at $1200, then pick my spot to bring up the $400 alternative! Probably won't work, but it's worth a shot!

Gunnie

Hehehehehehehehe. You've learned quickly my friend? Do you have any local clubs in your area? Club members are usually selling tanks.

dahly

Gunnie, It's a guy from the GCAS that's "getting out of the hobby" thats selling the 90, stand, glass cover, filters, heaters, gravel et al for just $400. The tanks,fish and plants for sale at very low prices is the standard for this club. If I do indeed get it, I'll buy the fish from members too. Guess Ill need a quaranteen tank too.

The multis are doing very well. One "couple" seems to have taken over 40% of the left side of the tank. All of the others are mingling quite nicely on the right. there is some cross over, but not very much. The digging and spitting is non stop. The rock that I placed in the tank leans on the back glass and behind the rock base in the middle nearly all the sand has been excavated out at one small point. Interesting but I'll probably fill it in when I gavel vac this week. I love the way they change colors too. Seems to be their way to express aggression, fear and love.

dahly

Today Hurricane Glenn came through the tank as I gavel/sand vac'ed and did a water change. Shells were only disturbed when I started the manual gravel vac up. I gently passed the wand over the sand and shells to pick up anything loose. When I finished, they were back to building, digging and spitting. The fact that they build and rearrange their surrounding is fascinating to witness. They are out and about most of the day, rarely retreating to their shells. Today there seems to be a group of three on the left and 5 on the right. These guys are fun to watch!

Butterfly

Well Hurricane Glenn glad your enjoying your multis.
Carol

dahly

My fish are growing rather rapidly.* The smallest is now about .75", up from about .33" just 11 days ago.* 4 are at least 1.5 ", and the rest somewhere in between.* I feel as if I'm barely feeding them, which I guess is good, 'cause they are all growing!* The tank in now divided down the middle by a HUGH 4.5" Mountain range.* 4-5 shells are partially exposed in the mass of sand, piled/spit 4-6 grains at a time by my digging and spitting Multi laborers.* 3 on the left and 5 on the right, although I've seen the smallest be welcomed to visit.* The shells on each side are all nestled into shallow holes, within valleys created when building the Mountain.* Groups of 2-4 shells, arranged in a fortress style,* compromise each home.* A couple of the Shellie's seem to be living in and under the TX Holey Rock too.* When you said that Multies were interesting, that was an understatement.* My 29's inhabitants, while wonderful in their own right, are down right boring in comparison to the industrious Multi's.* I was thinking that I should set up a video camera and put the tank on public access TV for the world to enjoy.* Maybe I could run ad's at the bottom of the screen and turn a profit!* *

Butterfly

They are truly the shakers and "movers" of the world. I have some clips of what you have to look forward to Afraid their not very clear but maybe you can tell a little. the little things moving areound are 3 different ages of fry. In both clips mom and dad are defending their shell pit. Have never seen any damage done, or seen Multis eat fry maybe thats why the intruders keep coming back

Attached Files

	Mom and Dad protecting fry.mpg (351.8 KB, 17 views)
	Mom and Dad banishing intruder.mpg (359.9 KB, 14 views)

dahly

Fantastic! Thanks for sharing. This is what I have to look forward too! I could watch the gouramies hog the flakes, or the Tetra's dart too avoid the others and get a bite to eat. But no, I think I'll spend most of my time watching the building, defending and protecting of the beloved Multi's!

dahly

Did my weekly water change and must see if my "Python" will work with my faucets. First look says no. I'll need to see what needs to be changed to make it work. The manual gravel siphon messes up their "world" too much. When the flow on the "whisper" filter becomes restricted, I am going to buy an "Aqua Clear." It will be a lot cheaper in the short and long run. The multies are doing very well, still building and rearranging. I put a "O.B.O." on the 90 gallon, but it's really low. Maybe Lab's and Johnnies in yet another tank!

dahly

Watching the actions in the tank last night just amazed me. They have dug tunnels under their shells and under the rock so they dart, disappear and reappear elsewhere, and if you don't pay attention, you haven't a clue how they got form "here to there." The holes in the "holey rock" are used as passageways to their tunnels. They all use the tunnels too. It is kind of funny. Although most of the time it is now four on each side of the tank, more and more, they all meet up and swim around together in the middle. I'm still working on posting pictures.