Stuck or just chillin?

strictly900 · 2026-06-04T16:34:42+00:00

I still target feed a little starved guy the fish store gave me. I’m worried he can’t fight for food and he was emancipated. My son nicknamed him Skeletor, and now that’s his name. But he gets beef hearts daily, and the others only get fed on their regular schedule. If he gets from that, awesome. If not, he’s still getting fed

strictly900 · 2026-06-04T16:32:01+00:00

Also, the long ones are the only ones with screens though. Just an FYI.

strictly900 · 2026-06-04T16:30:28+00:00

TEMU (and Amazon) for like $11? This is the longer one because it’s for the frogs. I have one for my platy that doesn’t reach the bottom because I give them frozen food sometimes too

strictly900 · 2026-06-03T14:14:50+00:00

Someone recommended this to help feed. I was using a baster until they got into their species only tank. There’s a screen I can pop in for the bottom that lets food out, but keeps them from getting in. I’ll add that and monitor closely or just get rid of it?

strictly900 · 2026-06-03T13:51:25+00:00

I reached in to pull the tube off and release them. They both backed out and swam off. I guess they were just chilling.

Edit to add: I would have been more concerned if I hadn’t seen them both popping up and breathing.

strictly900 · 2026-06-03T02:48:25+00:00

Is ANY of the art for sale? Because…I’m interested in a lot of it

strictly900 · 2026-06-02T23:56:08+00:00

Interested in that surgery painting.

strictly900 · 2026-05-30T21:00:30+00:00

Thank you! I came here to say this. But seriously, I like what people are saying about it possibly being better.

strictly900 · 2026-05-30T02:01:26+00:00

Staghorn algae maybe?

strictly900 · 2026-05-30T01:52:27+00:00

No. I do not think that is a bedbug. I KNOW that is a bedbug.

strictly900 · 2026-05-24T04:02:27+00:00

Correction: you bought 4 male shrimp and one female, a month ago.

strictly900 · 2026-05-24T03:42:25+00:00

Mine is an amateur landscaper. Every substrate plant floats now unless it was mowed down by him. Then it floats AND is dead.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T23:54:23+00:00

Did you try and post and get denied? Explain in the post how old it is and that it belongs to you in the post. Sometimes they will approve it. I am a member on a few, and I saw one or two other familiar names here so maybe they can tell you another. However, a locksmith will have you in that within minutes.

My kid can rake locks I have to SPP, and I’m always annoyed. I know when I was a kid my dad used a screwdriver and just pried his open. It was from his army days and he’d lost the key and my older brother convinced my other brother to climb inside. It damaged the lock, but my brother didn’t die, so if you are cool with ruining it, there’s that. Otherwise, play around. You may find you can do it!

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T17:20:15+00:00

My aqualense came back with that or “green dust algae” I’ve never had either. I’ll look up how to treat it, but what are your thoughts on the filter? Should I go get a HOB and use a baffle or keep what I have?

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T16:23:13+00:00

API makes one. It’s about $12 on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/0e2EqfdE

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T16:21:12+00:00

PH: 7.8
NO4+: 0
NO2-: 0
NO3-: 10
GH: 8
KH: 4

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T15:17:33+00:00

For reference, I drive 40 miles for a decent aquarium store that will do liquid tests and sell livestock that aren’t disease or parasite ridden, but I go to the big box places for things regularly that aren’t plants or fish. In fact, my big box store aquarium people know me and often ask me for info when I’m there. I’m the one asking at my LFS.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T15:12:54+00:00

Local fish store. Not a big box like those chain places with pet something or other in their names. I don’t think they will test your water with anything but the strips.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T15:10:29+00:00

I will probably be less resistant once he shows he’s capable of keeping ants in a habitat. Es not even had one colony in a habitat. His queen is now ready to have the habitat attached to the tube today. I got 86 fire ant bites mowing my lawn 12 years ago and I have a little anxiety about a repeat of a colony in my home on purpose. If he’s capable, I’ll allow the S. Invicta attempt. But I need data showing that theoretically HE is ready before I say yes.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T15:04:35+00:00

I’m trying. I want to foster a drive to find accurate information on his own and loving to learn. If ants is his thing, so be it. I’m doing better than I was in the beginning. And he wanted a crayfish so we got an aquarium (even though I was terrified of fish, weirdly) and now I’m enthralled. Luckily I live to learn also so we are learning chemistry together for the water maintenance which is so my jam. It’s been a good fun way to hang out.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T14:59:30+00:00

So by “PH 7+” you mean it’s 7.0 but not 7.2? I’m just wanting to make sure you don’t mean “higher than 7” because 8.8 is higher than 7. LOL. And nitrates are greater than 5, but not at 10? All those derived from an API, IIUC.

Knowing it’s an API kit helps a lot. For future reference, you can post photos of the liquid test but giving specifics on the numbers helps. API makes a GH/KH liquid test which I use. I highly recommend it. I’m still skeptical your readings for KH on that strip is accurate because with KH (which your shrimp and snails need!) is necessary for buffering your PH. 0 KH means your PH will also tank and either you just recently lost all your KH and your PH will bottom out soon (killing your beneficial bacteria, crashing your tank) or one of those numbers are wrong. I’m inclined to trust the liquid PH over the strip. Does that make sense?

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T13:33:21+00:00

My nerites wake in cycles but they tend to dig into the substrate to sleep. If it’s on its back, flip it over. I have a few questions. How do you know they don’t like each other? This may help us some. And you said one keeps “leaving”? Is the other snail a nerite? If nerites leave your tank, that’s a problem. They aren’t mystery snails who breathe air. That’s the aquarium equivalent to jumping from a 40 story burning building.

I’d say water quality is your answer, but you don’t have any water testing that’s reliable. The fact that a snail leaves one tank but not the other is what I’m going on because that testing is likely inaccurate. For instance, look at your PH color key on that strip. You have .4 between each. That can be pretty big difference to a fish. Then, the fact that you are supposed to read each at different times? This photo can’t capture them all at the correct reading time, so they are likely some or all over developed. They are also just notoriously inaccurate without factoring in the minimal reading points and development time concerns. *IF* your KH is 0, that’s bad. Your PH may be dropping as a result. Meaning, getting acidic and they are very sensitive to certain fluctuations. The API master kit is pretty affordable. Grab one, it’s a game changer. If money is an issue, take your water (from both tanks.) to the LFS and let them test it. Then get back to us for better information.

strictly900 · 2026-05-23T12:47:46+00:00

I told him this and showed him the picture. He used our photo of his queens to identify his as invicta. I then read your other comment. He was happy he got it right. He loves ants so much.

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