Member Spotlight - Butterfly

The first tank I remember in my life was one my Dad had when I was a kid, don't remember the size. What I do remember was that it had black mollies and guppies in it and Dad doted on those fish. We would sit and watch them forever. Dad has Alzheimer's now and doesn't remember that tank but my tanks fascinate him.

Until about two months ago I had 16 tanks set up (my husband loves to tell people I made him throw away the living room furniture to make room for more tanks) in my living room and bed room. When Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's we moved from Georgia to Arkansas where Dad lives and my fish went to live with Dino until I could set my tanks back up again. As of right now I am still in the process of setting the tanks back up. This time our house is big enough we can have a living room AND a fish room.

Right now I have a 55 gallon Barb and Tetra tank that is being added to gradually. My husband has always wanted to do this so he has claimed the 55 gallon when we set it back up. It has 7 black Skirt tetras, 6 Orange Von Rio Tetras, 4 albino Corydoras aeneus and temporarily 2 female bristlenose plecos (They will go into a breeding tank soon). This tank is heavily planted with 1 Aponogeton crispus, 2 Aponogeton ulvaceus, wisteria, Nuphar japonica, a sword I pulled up at the lake (yes it was disinfected and quarantined), Bolbitis heudelotti, as well as crypts of all kinds. It has a pea gravel substrate.

The filtration is 2x whisper HOB for 60 g provided 600gph- I really like to over filter. The lighting is one 40 watt fluorescent light. More lighting is in the works soon.

The 29 gallon tank is a dedicated plant tank - meaning it will be used to propagate plants and to put plants when I see something I want and don't have a clue where I want to put it yet. So far there is Bolbitis heteroclite, wisteria, swords, 5 kinds of anubias, chain swords, Cabomba, and Hygrophila polysperma.

The only fish in it are 12 Otos. Filtration is 1 HOB whisper for a 60 gallon tank providing 300 gph, lighting is a 40 watt fluorescent. It has a pea gravel substrate.

The 75 gallon aquarium is the loach tank and it has 3, 2 inch Clown loaches (my big ones didn't make the move successfully), 3 Striata Loaches, 1 Yoyo (yep he's getting buddies) black kuhli loaches and Striped kuhlis, 4 Otos for clean up crew.

This tank has a pool filter sand substrate, a bubble wand runs down the complete back of the tank and the loaches love to play in it. For the moment there are two whisper 60 gallon HOB filters which will be exchanged for 2x 110 Aquaclear HOB shortly. Loaches need more water movement, highly oxygenated environment and are large waste producers. Currently they have guppies as dithers. Loaches need dither fish to feel comfortable. There are a large variety of self constructed rock caves and some plants. Mostly anubias. There are anubias gracilis, lancelota, nana, coffeefolia, barterii, Hygrophila polysperma, Java fern, and various crypts. Loaches aren't bad to tear up plants but will uproot them when digging in the sand. I use rocks to weight my plants down in the loach tank. The lighting is standard for now but a hanging light is coming. Hopefully I can get the plants to grow out of the top of the tank.

The 10 gallon Betta tank has 2 albino Corydoras aeneus and 2 Otos. This tank also belongs to my husband. (Yep it's a disclaimer for the decor) it has multicolored glass rocks, with neon caves and lots of plants. The fish don't care as long as the food comes on time LOL! It has a sponge filter.

The 20 gallon Guppy breeding tank. Nothing really pretty about breeding tanks except the fish. This one has Blue Moscow Guppies in it and an Oto for cleanup. This one has a sponge filter.

There is a 10 gallon tank and 2, 30 gallon longs cycling, just waiting for fish soon.

All the tanks have heaters and are kept about 78 F and have weekly 25 percent water changes done except the Loach tank and it is kept at 80 F and usually has two 25 percent water changes.

The ph here happily is 7.6 and all the fish seem happy with it. All but the tanks cycling have been up since about May of this year, so they are still growing in. Sometime between this winter and next summer we plan to close the carport in so I can get back to breeding Bristlenose and Corys like I was previously. I would also like to breed Queen Arebesque (L260) and several of the goodeidae that are becoming extinct. My husband on the other hand loves guppies and this will give him room to keep and breed different types of guppies.

I think my Dad's interest in fish when I was young fueled the desire to have my own tank even though it was years ago. My biological children all have aquariums of different sizes and number and have encouraged me immensely plus provided places to share my excess fry. My husband who threw that yucky couch out and came home to find a tank in its place.

Then there is my adopted fish family Dino, Chief waterchanger, Gunnie and many more. Even the long haired black cat my husband bought a goldfish for to keep him company while we worked years ago. All of these and more contribute to my enjoyment of the hobby so much that it's just unexplainable. Thanks each and every one of you.

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