Newbie saying Hi...

[ceekay]

Hi! This is my first real tank. We had a goldfish/danio/tetra tank for many many years when I was a kid, and when I was a teenager I had a little 5gal tank of bala's that didn't last very long...

I started this one originally as a way to keep baitfish alive between fishing outings, but regular fathead minnows are incredibly dirty. So now that I'm very low on minnows (about 6 left), I went and got three Pictus Cats from Walmart. They're doing alright so far.

Still, I need more shelters, I think... The biggest cat (which I've affectionately named "Thor") kicked all the other fish out of the resin viking helmet shelter and took it over... The rest look like they sit and watch Thor just waiting for him to vacate so they can take the helm, but every time they get close, Thor comes rushing back to kick ***...


- CK

 

[GinnyFinny]

Hi! This is my first real tank. We had a goldfish/danio/tetra tank for many many years when I was a kid, and when I was a teenager I had a little 5gal tank of bala's that didn't last very long...

I started this one originally as a way to keep baitfish alive between fishing outings, but regular fathead minnows are incredibly dirty. So now that I'm very low on minnows (about 6 left), I went and got three Pictus Cats from Walmart. They're doing alright so far.

Still, I need more shelters, I think... The biggest cat (which I've affectionately named "Thor") kicked all the other fish out of the resin viking helmet shelter and took it over... The rest look like they sit and watch Thor just waiting for him to vacate so they can take the helm, but every time they get close, Thor comes rushing back to kick ***...


- CK

Welcome CK. I hate to say this, but you don't seem like the typical fishkeeper that I've been associated with over the years. If I ever had a fish die on me, I was devastated. Good luck with the fish you buy at Walmart. Oh well, "newbies" have to start somewhere, even if to raise fish for bait to kill bigger fish. Resin viking helmet shelter? Huh?

 

[Delapool]

Hi, welcome to AA

 

[ceekay]

I hate to say this, but you don't seem like the typical fishkeeper that I've been associated with over the years. If I ever had a fish die on me, I was devastated.

The cats and pleco, I would be... The minnows? Nah... I've never known a minnow to last more than a week outside the huge stainless constant-flow minnow sinks or in the wild.... At $3.50 for about 3 dozen, they're not exactly an investment and I'm probably the first one to put them in an aquarium...

Good luck with the fish you buy at Walmart. Oh well, "newbies" have to start somewhere, even if to raise fish for bait to kill bigger fish. Resin viking helmet shelter? Huh?

I'm pretty much exclusively a catch-and-release fisherman. I may decide to keep a few cats or some walleye for eating, but usually I toss them back; it's more fun to catch them than it is to deal with cleaning and cooking them.

Thanks for the well-wishing! Here's a pic of two of the cats (the third was still swimming against the glass out of frame), you can see most of the little resin viking helmet behind Thor:

- CK

 

[ceekay]

Argh dangit! I knew this would happen....

Just got a test strip kit (as well as shrimp pellets the cats don't eat and a new little resin shelter), and now I gotta get back to Petco to get some ammonia treatment and some nitrite treatment and a heater... Also, I've been pricing out tanks too...

I knew the minnow project would be boring and suck and that I'd be glad when they were gone.... But these pictus cats caught my heart and now I'm all up into this tank hobby! I wanted a tank and a pump, now I've got a whole setup and need MORE for these poor little dudes! D:

Also, would there be any reason the pump side would be where all the fish hang out and the bubbler/plant side be a dead zone? I'll post a pic when I get back from Petco...


- CK

 

[Delapool]

another person snared

Anyone can keep a cat Fishkeeping I think more of a challenge.

 

[ceekay]

Yep... Went for ammonia treatment, came back with stress coat, a better resin shelter, a heater, three tiny Kyoto grass plants, and a thermometer...

 

[GinnyFinny]

Hey CK, sorry I sounded snippy. Was cranky and needed sleep. Nice tank - now I get the helmet reference.

My Avatar is a King salmon - took this pic at the Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle where the vendors throw salmon 20-30 feet to other vendors to wrap for customers. I love fishing, having caught lots of silvers and king salmon, but released. I could never eat a fish that I beat on the head to death. But I'll pay $24.95 a pound for the ones in the grocery store (during the very short season).

Thor is really cool looking - I'm sure he has a macho personality, too.

 

[Fresh2o]

Yep... Went for ammonia treatment, came back with stress coat, a better resin shelter, a heater, three tiny Kyoto grass plants, and a thermometer...

You best bet for countering the effect of ammonia and nitrite are water changes.
The Kyoto grass is most likely a bog plant and may eventually die with continued submersion. But that may take some time. The folks at the store rand not to share that fact.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[TMRC Exotics]

Yep... Went for ammonia treatment, came back with stress coat, a better resin shelter, a heater, three tiny Kyoto grass plants, and a thermometer...

I believe Kyoto is only semi aquatic and will not survive submersed. Consult the planted section to be sure.

Since no one has mentioned it be careful with handling pictus cats, they secrete a toxin that can cause swelling in humans. Ideally obviously you wouldn't touch them but just saying should it happen. Make sure temp stays stable at 76-79°F.

 

[ceekay]

Cleaned the tank yesterday, but had to take off on some business. Came home to one dead cat. The water is spot-on with the test strips. I was figuring food, since they don't seem to care about any food unless it runs directly past their face. I did drop some bottom-feeder pellets and a pair of algae tabs in... Not sure if they ate them or not.

They just don't care at all about food for some reason; I have four different foods and they don't "hunt" for it literally at all. :S

 

[ceekay]

So I think it may be the light...

When the light is off, they love every inch of the tank, and will happily eat flake! None will come to the top for flake, but once it drops to their level, they suck it up like underwater vacuum cleaners!

But they all hide in the corner when the light is on, all but the pleco who again could care less...

They don't seem to care one bit if my computer monitors are on (one is 32" and BRIGHT when on a light page such as this, and it's less than 2ft from the tank), but when the hood light (regular fluor from the hood kit) is on, they refuse to move from under the pump and viking helm (the shadiest part) for ANY reason, no matter how hungry they may be, etc... And they don't seem to be interested in food once it's on the bottom if it sat there for any amount of time...

Ideas?


- CK

 

[ceekay]

So since separating the minnows from the tank into a bait bucket (where they should've been), my tank has cleared up, my cats are happy, and everything is groovy! Fathead minnows are probably the worst fish in the world as far as fish are concerned...

I've decided to rename the other guy Loki... Not sure which one died (cuz the blue net bit naturally worked its way loose from the other guy), but I found this one rooting up one of my Kyotos. Also cuz Thor and Loki and etc... **big nerd**

But ya, now everything is 150% groovy! Like magic or something...

They still hate the tank light being on; it's a the cheap Chinese fluorescent that came stuck inside the light fixture already! Once I get paid this week, I may invest in one of those nifty LED lights or possibly a different bulb at the very least...

Also, I'm pretty sure Thor has put on at least a quarter inch since I bought him...


- CK