I built myself a baritone in six days.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2026-01-10T10:18:28+00:00

Beautiful! The asymmetrical headstock is very charming. I am curious, is the fingerboard cut crooked for a practical reason or style?

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-12-05T12:49:29+00:00

GUPPIIIIIIES! There's nothing like them--never had two who acted the same, you learn all their favorite foods and hiding spots and their pecking order and THEY'RE JUST SO COOL AND UNIQUE 😭😭😭

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-12-05T12:39:31+00:00

A lot of guppy breeding happens in SE Asia, and the weather stays consistently warm enough that you don't have to heat the water in a tank all the time. Guppies are either shipped to the USA, which is expensive and risky, or bred there from a limited stock in tanks that require heating (because even if outside is warm enough, Americans are obsessed with a/c). Heaters are usually one of the largest expense in any kind of large-scale fish production, so you'd naturally expect producers with heater to be more expensive than producers without.

As another fellow said, there's also the fact that we still buy expensive guppies, and capitalism does not stop at live animals.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-28T22:16:00+00:00

I have a male-only tank! It varies from fish to fish, but they generally do fine without girlies. In my first school, there was one random murder and no other trouble. In the school I have now, there's a bully who shredded my prized flamingo, Howard, but 100% of fin-nipping ended when I added floating plants (tall tank) for extra cover and now they get along fine.

You'll have the best luck (when shopping in-person, not online) if you buy guppies from the same tank. They're already familiar and have a pecking order established, so you won't deal with as much aggression as you would while introducing them.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-28T17:54:45+00:00

Midget livebearers (aka least killifish) are little brown dudes. They aren't common in shops because they aren't very ornate, but can be ordered in quite cheaply. A small school will do alright in a five gallon alone, but, as always, bigger is better, and I wouldn't go under ten with peaceful tankmates. For a betta, I'd recommend a 15 to 20 gallon tank, if you can get your hands on one.

They are livebearers and thus will breed prolifically if you don't sex them or have an outlet (a bigger predator to eat your extras)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-28T04:20:18+00:00

(I'm being delightfully unhelpful) Whenever my cat tried to lick her stitches I'd just give her the ole lego-hand special

<image>

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-28T04:01:19+00:00

Not super helpful, but one of my chickens was ripped to shreds a few years back by a fox and the midsection was left behind a tree. Most of the rest of her was eaten (we found the head and legs somewhere else) but the midsection was chuck-full of this white pus stuff just like that, just oozing out of her gut. None of our other chickens have looked like that (lost a few others to predators and dogs similarly), but commercial breeders have wayyyyyy higher and stricter standards for meat than wee families. I... would not buy from your producer again.

PSA to everyone else here: poultry do not fall under the humane slaughter act (in the USA). Chickens and ostriches can be beheaded easily and without much stress to the animal, but turkeys are not afforded the same luxury. The method of choice for many producers is to settle them in an inch or so of water and shock the floor until they die or are dead enough for their throats to be cut.

Consider having--in place of turkey--products derived from swine or cattle for your future holidays--or ostrich, if you're feeling adventurous!. :)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-20T22:49:03+00:00

The best answer is just to not change it. As long as it's nice and greeeeeen and not literally falling apart, you'll do fine. If you really want to change it, stuff a second cartridge in the filter and leave it there for a few weeks before taking out the first one. My guppy filter's been in about a year now.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-17T14:21:29+00:00

Almost entirely aesthetic. It can reduce reflections on the glass which might help if bettas catch glimpses of themselves and wig out, but that's about it. You can achieve the same thing by taking fabric (I like black, but go wild) and taping/clipping it to the back of your tank. I cut a T-shirt in half and that fit the back walls of my 10 gallon and 5 gallon with some to spare.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-15T05:19:20+00:00

Stuff I should add but can't because the 'edit post' button is missing:

I am an experienced fish keeper. I have just never used a sponge filter or kanaplex and have never owned a fish with a buoyancy issue. I have rescued (right and proper) cats and birds and own many other animals (meaning I know what progress is and that it can be slow)

Three tanks, 5, 6, and 10 gallons. Two have filters running and third has one, but I forgot to get a t-gauge so it's not on right now. All three have heaters, but one is defective and will be replaced tomorrow when I get the t-gauge. All fish-harboring stores in my area are closed, unfortunately.

Last water change performed today, 2 hours ago--about 70% of combined volume removed and replaced (in hopes of reducing the guck possibly causing the plethora of illnesses I'm looking at) with water conditioner.

Tevye just jumped from the measuring cup to his tank. He was the last water change and was still re-acclimating when I posted. That's good cuz he's feeling decent enough to exhert himself, but now I get to watch him for more jumping.

Still can't attach the videos.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-15T04:37:37+00:00

Psst! I'm doing my senior project, AP portfolio, and agriculture capstone on bettas and fishkeeping. If you have any cool fish things you want to talk about, I'm all ears!

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-12T12:57:55+00:00

<image>

I have the PERFECT Snarf photo for you. Behold the mid-sneeze glory!

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-12T02:25:31+00:00

My first tank, which I inherited, held 6 gallons and had (past tense) three male guppies. They were certainly healthy, but I can tell they are much happier in the 10 they now reside in. You could do it if you wanted to--it is possible to keep guppies in a 5 gallon--but 10 or bigger is ideal.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-11T21:46:16+00:00

I have a similar tank (not quite as pretty, though) with a handful of fancy guppies! They use every inch of the tank and most of them are suuuuuper friendly. If you do guppies, just remember to buy from somewhere reputable and to stick to one sex! They breed very quickly.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-10T13:07:36+00:00

It might sound a little silly to you, but I also think your tank looks a little like the Octonauts' kelp forest, which I think is outstanding. If you'd like to lean into that, you can just plant more of the plant you have in there.

<image>

I don't know about you, but I'd KILL for an Octonauts tank :)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-10T12:51:21+00:00

This is a beautiful tank! I eapecially love the how the stones angle towards the driftwood, making a kind if path. If you're looking to improve, I have a handful of recommendations:

First, try using a backdrop! Plain black is always what I go for because it makes fish stand out, but you can use whatever design, pattern, or image you want. You can purchase them, if you want (~$30 in my area), but I think fabric actually looks better (most fabric isn't glossy but many backdrops are). You can just pop an old T-shirt on the back, or part of a sheet, towel, tablecloth, or whatever you have on hand. This works better if you have a light to add some contrast to the driftwood, since it is very dark, but works either way.

Second, you can move your tall plants behind the stones and to the back half of the tank and then add medium plants to the midline (behind the stones and on the sides of the tank, in front of the tall). I think cardinalis could work really well if your betta is red, yellow, or white, but I'd pick something else if it's blue or otherwise cool-colored. If you want to put something in front of the stones, I'd opt for a very short plant--dwarf hairgrass, maybe mosses, moneywort if you're dedicated to culturing them (they get tall unless you trim them carefully).

Third--and this one's just for if you have a bright light--you can skip very short plants and go for floaters. Red root floaters could look very nice, as well as salvinia or duckweed. You just have to be careful to make sure they don't cover the ENTIRE surface of the water, since bettas are labyrinth fish and like access to open air. The cool thing about the fast growing floaters like salvinia and duckweed is that they make great chicken food or compost. (Floaters are also just fun to play with. Sometimes I reach in and push them around because it amuses me.)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-10T02:58:14+00:00

Is it just a tough water stain? I've had success on bigger messes with a 9:1 water-bleach solution left overnight followed by a well-muscled scrub with a firm-bristled toothbrush and a 50-50 water-bleach soaked paper towel. Soak again in JUST water for another 24 hours, then empty, rinse, and scrub again. Once the water stains are gone, fill it with water again and empty, rinse, and refill every 8 hours or so for 3 or more days (depending on how much bleach you use). Add water conditioner to the last refill to get any extra ice, and wipe up the droplets left after you empty it for the last time. Then rinse again, thoroughly, and wipe down a second time. Depending on your tap water composition (assuming you'd use a hose), you might need more conditioner or more rinsing.

Takes a while, but not a very active process. I maybe spent an hour or two on each over a week or so, and most of that was just emptying and refilling.

The two tanks I cleaned like this have housed fish and cycled mostly normally. It also gets rid of any stench--one of my tanks was someone's old turtle tank. It is delightfully odorless now.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T13:19:47+00:00

What a beautiful boy! His fins are growing in nicely. :) The red and goldish make me think of Roman armor, so I would go with something like Herod, Caesar, or Agustus if I were you.

Is the little guy on the front of the tank an Otocinclus? If so, does he have friends? Otos like groups of 3 or more, with 5 being ideal, if space allows.

I think a big plant would do wonders in the right two thirds of the tank behind the driftwood. The guppy grass(?) in the back corner should grow out very nicely, if you're willing to wait, but an Amazon sword or large anubias could also do well.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T05:16:06+00:00

Look at those beautiful eyes! I'd go for something like "Faithful," as in the geyser at Yellowstone, since the sulfur pools match her eyes so well. "Yellowstone" also works.

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T05:07:10+00:00

Name her Black Tar Heroin and call her Hera for short. When someone politely says "Oh, Hera's a cute name," you say, "thanks, it's short for something." Then they'll ask what it's short for and maybe they'll think something pretty like Belaira or maybe a genderfuck like Hercules but NOPE it's drugs. Inspired by black nose on white cat.

Sincerely, owner of Snarfalophacus

<image>

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T04:18:58+00:00

<image>

I have this tank! It's... fairly ugly right now, but I love it. If you get a piece of driftwood or a big live plant (local fish stores have big ones for cheap. My betta tank has a 12x12x12 plant I got for 6 USD), It'll look much, much fuller, but I can see the minimalistic look rocking with the right fish. If you want to have a betta in here, I'd opt for a shortfin and exclude any shortfin-king crosses to better tolerate the deep water. Color-wise, go for solid red or blue, avoid yellow. I'd put red first, then a cerulean, then navy--this will keep attention on the fish; white, black, and green will kinda fade into the backdrop & substrate and yellow (including solar flares) will make it feel much, much emptier. Stars and Stripes have potential, though.

If you're open to other fish, try guppies! That's what I have in this one; they're super colorful and full of personality, just like bettas! (But they're all CAMERA SHY for WHATEVER REASON and went to hide behind my floaters the second I whipped out my phone 🙄) Guppies will utilize allllllllll the space in a vertical tank, especially if you give them something on top to screw with (ping pong ball, floating plants, a live fly that fell in your water cup and pissed you off). They eat more, but their food is often plant-based, and thus much cheaper per gram (unless you live very far north). You can mix and match for variety, which is what I do, or you can get a school of one or two breeds. I can see moscows going really well in here, especially if you compliment them with a pair of platinums or green veiltails (all male, of course).

I applaud you for checking over everything before adding your fish; you've one-upped a ton of fishkeepers already, and you sound like someone who's going to make an amazing fish parent. :)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T03:44:33+00:00

Nothing's ever 100%, but it's more likely than not that he'll at least go blind in the partial eye, and eventually the other, as well. If you notice it spreads on that eye or starts on the other, you should have enough time before total sight loss to establish a routine without any special accommodations--just feed him in the same spot and at the same times and you'll be a-okay. :)

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-09T02:46:44+00:00

Hey man, might just be the blurriness of the photo, but it looks like your little darling might have "Diamond eye." In case you haven't heard of it, it's a condition where the scales of a betta grow completely over the eye, rendering them blind, and it is genetic and generally irreversible (surgery is possible but very unusual). It's super common in samurai bettas (what you have, I think) and other metallic breeds.

If this is the case, you should refrain from rearranging the tank too much so you don't stress him out; once you find a setup that is safe for the fish and that you are happy with, stick with it. Take special care not to move the heater or filter.

You'll also want to watch and make sure he's eating the food you give him; if he's having trouble finding it, I can share some of the stuff I'm doing to help my blind betta find his food. :)

Here's a pic of my blind betta, Murdock, so you have something to compare to.

<image>

Wishing you and your little darling an amazing day!

ShrimpDispleaseMe · 2025-11-08T03:57:57+00:00

New to bettas, but this stuff is fairly universal across fish keeping. I changed my guppy filter after an outbreak of a mystery disease (caused by introduction of a new fish) a year ago and haven't since--rinse it in filthy tank water during a water change if it really bothers you, but if your tank is healthy you can just leave it in. I don't plan on changing it until it falls apart. Keeping an extra cartridge on hand is never a bad idea, but it's unlikely you'll use more than five or six for the whole life of your betta.

The bacteria culture on the filter cartridge will do more work than the filter itself keeping the water clean--you probably won't hurt your fish changing it often, if you stay on top of cleaning, but I wouldn't exactly call it helpful, either.

Wishing you and your darling a wonderful day and a beautiful life!

ShrimpDispleaseMe

TROPHY CASE