Any aquarium keepers in the house?

[LDO]

I'm getting a 55gallon tank ready. I've had it a long time but it has been in the garage, empty, for ages. I wanted something different this time, so I'm preparing a couple of under-gravel habitats for crayfish. They're made of PVC pipe and fittings. There's an entryway and a "cleanout"; a 90degree bend going up at the end so I can push water in or vacuum water out of the habitat. I think they will feel much more secure, having a replica of their natural type of habitat. They may even reproduce. Hmmm...gotta get some kind of fish to keep the crayfish population in check.

Oh yeah, I'm planning to get Australian Blue Crayfish. I'll get photos of the habitats later on. I'm not at home right now.

Edited August 30, 2013 by LDO

[Tom Geiger]

I haven't had an aquarium in a long time, but I used to keep fancy goldfish. In my teens I had a 20 gallon long and graduated to a 55 gallon as an adult out on my own. I had some very nice fish over the years that I grew rather large in the 55 gallon.

The above two fish were later on. My daughter came home from a fair one day with the fish in the top photo. It lived in a bowl for a while, graduating to a larger plastic tank and eventually into a 20 gallon tall aquarium. The bottom one is Sammy the chocolate oranda that I bought to keep the other one company. Both these fish were probably 8" long in these photos.

The free fair fish lasted over 10 years!

Oh, don't put goldfish in with crayfish. The goldfish tend to sit on the bottom while sleeping and the crays attack!

Edited August 30, 2013 by Tom Geiger

[Ace-Garageguy]

Cool fish gentlemen, and the crayfish habitat sounds fascinating. About as close as I get to what you guys are doing is a few tins of sardines in the cupboard. They're at least sorta still identifiable as fish.

[cobraman]

I just retired from my part time job at Petco. Before I left I got a great deal on a bow front tank with stand and light and cover some black gravel and a back ground screen. Got it very cheap but I still have not set it up. As a matter of fact it has 5 of my favorite finished models in it.

[LDO]

I was talking with my mom a couple of hours ago and she has a great idea; rather than cap off one end, I'm going to attach it to the end of the tank with silicone. The "open" end will have a dark flap so we can observe the crawdads inside their habitat once in a while. Nifty.

[Tom Geiger]

Or you could make the crawdad den up against the side glass and put a black flap on the outside of the tank. Then they'd feel secure inside it and you could peak whenever you wanted.

[LDO]

Tom- your idea is what I meant to say, I just didn't convey it properly. They're going up against the ends of the aquarium. One is already in place, held to the glass with silicone. I'm having to file a bit off the end of the fittings, just at the bottom, because of the silicone holding the aquarium together. I also smeared silicone into the PVC entryway and used it to hold tiny gravel in place, in case they can't walk on smooth PVC at an incline.

[highway]

I just retired from my part time job at Petco. Before I left I got a great deal on a bow front tank with stand and light and cover some black gravel and a back ground screen. Got it very cheap but I still have not set it up. As a matter of fact it has 5 of my favorite finished models in it.

My ex used to work at Petco, and I always hated when she brought her work home with her!! I felt like I lived in an aquarium!!!

[LDO]

Here's one of two. On the left side is the cleanout. The right side is glued to the aquarium wall. The entryway has tiny gravel glued in place, in case they can't walk on smooth PVC at an incline. It is also cut to be flush with "ground level". I think it will make an interesting aquarium.

[1930fordpickup]

I have a twenty gallon running now, my 75 gallon is empty for now. It will be filled in one day again. Would like to catch a blue gill or pumpkin seed for it.The crayfish will be cool if it does not spend all day in hiding like my catfish do. They just hid from view or sit in one spot all the time. Spotted Rafial Cats is what they are . I have had them for 5 years or so. The clean out is a great idea. I am not sure if this is true for the blue crayfish but the native crayfish in Mi and OH do not like being together in a small tank. They will case each other around until one crawls out. They can climb very well so keep a lid on that thing. Good luck.

[Kennyboy]

I have a 54 gallon bowfront corner. Has been up and running for years now. I have African cichlids in it.......several varieties. I built the stand for it out of oak, it has an Eheim canister filter system in the stand and I am running a 72 LED strip light from Beamworks on top. Will post pics soon.

[Dave Ambrose]

We have a 60 gallon tank in the living room. I'm glad for football season as I can now watch the football game and do tank maintenance. This is the best kind of multitasking.

[LDO]

I have two filters that hang over the side. I've had them going for a week or so. I got a few guppies last night and they're doing ok, but it's obvious that the filters make some strong currents. I'll add water to reduce the currents. Having two filters is overkill, but crayfish can be messy and they need oxygen-rich water on the bottom of the tank. I may get one of those airstones with suction cups to hold it on the glass. I'll pick up the crayfish next weekend if I'm not working. I want to give the tank a little more time to cycle.

[Kennyboy]

Some of my "stars"........

[Kennyboy]

A few more:

[cobraman]

Chiclids ?

[Kennyboy]

Chiclids ?

Yes sir.

[bbowser]

Cichlids are cool. About the most colorful freshwater fish you can keep, especially the Africans, but they are agressive. I haven't had my tank set up for many years, may have to get into it again. You have some nice specimens there Ken!

[Kennyboy]

Thanks Bruce! You are right on about the aggressive nature! If they don't like a fish in the aquarium, they will beat it until near death. Unfortunate at times. And if it fits in the mouth, it goes in the mouth!

[Kennyboy]

The pictures I posted up were a little old so I took a few yesterday with a couple of my newer guys (5-8 months in the tank)

Red Top Zebra (daughter calls him "Beluga")

Adult Tropheus Duboisi (my wife calls him "Bluey")

Edited September 17, 2013 by Kennyboy

[1930fordpickup]

Nice looking fish Ken. Is the Botia loach still kicking with these guy's ? Do you feed them pellets or live fish. Have you ever tried crickets , they are everywhere around here. LOL

[High octane]

Both my mom and my wife had 55 gallon tanks years ago and it got old helping them change out the water every so often. While aquariums are really neat, I have plenty to do without them. I think that the salt water aquariums with a living coral reef is just awesome.

[LDO]

I'm working on a system to change water at the push of a button. It will involve a 10 gallon tank under the 55 and a pump. The old water will be pumped into a bucket that will be poured into the garden. I just need to get it all figured out.

[Kennyboy]

Nice looking fish Ken. Is the Botia loach still kicking with these guy's ? Do you feed them pellets or live fish. Have you ever tried crickets , they are everywhere around here. LOL

Thanks! The Tiger botia can definitely hold his own against them. He is about 8 inches long (that probably helps!) I feed them pellets, flake, and at times blood worms. Also, they'll eat any bug I/we throw in there.

[Kennyboy]

I'm working on a system to change water at the push of a button. It will involve a 10 gallon tank under the 55 and a pump. The old water will be pumped into a bucket that will be poured into the garden. I just need to get it all figured out.

Lee, I use "The Ultimate Gravel Vac" for water changes. I had to replace the plastic fittings with brass but it works awesome now! Water change takes about 20 minutes because there are no buckets involved. Hooks right onto the faucet and drains down the sink.