My RCS & Mickey Mouse Platy, & other Platy

[Newfisher]

These are my RCS (Edith & Ann), eating large pieces of peas. This is also a picture of Minnie, my Mickey Mouse Platy. She is very sweet and tame. She eats out of my hand. There is also a picture of Sunny, my other Platy.She is constant motion.

 

[Newfisher]

I thought this was a great picture of the relatively shy RCS. Doesn't anybody else think so?? No one has said anything. I thought you all would be interested in the RCS since a few of you recommended me getting them. Ignore the artificial plants that I know you all don't like. The purpose was to showcase the inhabitants of my tank. These guys are fascinating!!

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Coleallensmom]

Nice!!

 

[Homedog98]

I like artificial plants! They allow me to focus in the fish, they don't die, and always have nice color. Plus they're cheap. Your tank looks great!

 

[Newfisher]

Thank you for responding!. A number of my RCS died right after I brought them home. Only three out of eight have survived. There was a tiny little ammonia spike right after I got them, and I lost three of them. Two died the day after I brought them home, but the three that remain are mighty little guys. They have really kept the tank clean! They also are so neat to watch( when they come out), which is usually at mealtime. They navigate all over the tank and really intimidate the fish who dare to get too close to them. It is funny to watch how they face down my platys! I think I might get a few more. I am going to post a few more tank pictures. I added a blue background, moved my heating unit to the side, and added some more natural looking "fake" plants. I would love to add real plants but my husband is not too trilled with the idea. Maybe later on. I really would like to eventually get a bigger tank so maybe then I can go natural. One step at a time!

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[fort384]

I like artificial plants! They allow me to focus in the fish, they don't die, and always have nice color. Plus they're cheap. Your tank looks great!

My plants never die

Thank you for responding!. A number of my RCS died right after I brought them home. Only three out of eight have survived.

How did you acclimate them? Once they get established, most FW shrimp are fairly hardy... but they can be very finicky when adding to a new tank. For the future, if you didn't do so the first time, I would recommend:

Place them into a bucket with the water they came in. Use drip acclimation or add about 10% of the volume of water they came from from your tank every 10-15 minutes. After about 2 hours of this (or get the total volume in your bucket to 3-4 times the original volume of the water they came in), use a small cup to transfer the shrimp from the bucket to your tank. Yes, some of the original water will end up in your tank... but it will be very diluted and only a small amount. This is crucial step imo... they get very fragile if you use a net and they are exposed to air from my experience.

Before I used this method, I would inevitably lose a few shrimp each time... after I started using this method, I have not lost a single shrimp.

Very nice looking tank btw!

 

[Newfisher]

Fort: Thank you for the suggestions concerning acclimation of new RCS. No I did not do those steps. I followed the suggestions of the LFS and floated the bag for the requisite 20 minutes and netted them into the tank. Yeah...I know ...I did everything wrong...including listening to the infamous LFS. Next time I will do it the right way! Thank you for the kind words concerning my tank. I have done some new things with it, with more coming. My husband took the pictures that I posted showing the shrimp and platys. He has a better camera than I do. I will post some more updated tank pictures in the next few days.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Homedog98]

My plants never die

Very nice looking tank btw!

I'm on a 13 year old budget... I can't afford to deal with live plants... And I don't have the time either. But it's a cool process, I just like fake better.

 

[Newfisher]

Home dog: Every plant I try to grow in my home and outside it, I manage to kill so I suspect in an aquarium setting I would not be much better I would like to try sometimes just not now. I still am too much of a newbie in learning how to raise fishes and other such critters without causing their demise

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Homedog98]

Ha that's cool. I'm just a plastic plant person with a really scrawny budget.

 

[OhNeil1969]

Those are some really great pictures! Congratulations on a beautiful tank.

 

[Newfisher]

Thanks OhNeil, my husband gave me the tank for Christmas to give me something fun to do. I am newly retired...as of this past school year. After nearly twenty years of teaching and being a school administrator, I finally turned in my chalk. With time on my hands, focusing on becoming a "fisher person" has been fun. It has been great after dealing with high schoolers all this time! Fish don't talk back! Now the teacher has to learn! There is so much to learn about this wonderful world of fish-keeping. Everyone on this forum site has been so willing to share the things they know. It has been great!

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[OhNeil1969]

Thanks OhNeil, my husband gave me the tank for Christmas to give me something fun to do. I am newly retired...as of this past school year. After nearly twenty years of teaching and being a school administrator, I finally turned in my chalk. With time on my hands, focusing on becoming a "fisher person" has been fun. It has been great after dealing with high schoolers all this time! Fish don't talk back! Now the teacher has to learn! There is so much to learn about this wonderful world of fish-keeping. Everyone on this forum site has been so willing to share the things they know. It has been great!

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

Congratulations on your retirement and the new tank (knowing that you used to be a teacher is a little intimidating - now I have to watch my grammar and spelling). I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your time here at AA!

 

[Newfisher]

No problem with me! I am the queen of typos!!

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Pecktec]

When your ready for some plants try Anubis nanna. Very forgiving plant. My RCS love java moss as well. They are always in it looking for food.

 

[Newfisher]

Pecktec-Thanks for the suggestions on real plants for the tank. When I am ready to take the plunge, I will keep them in mind

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Newfisher]

Pecktec-Thanks for the suggestions on real plants for the tank. When I am ready to take the plunge, I will keep them in mind

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

Question?? Are these RCA an adult and her babies? I love the picture.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Pecktec]

Question?? Are these RCA an adult and her babies? I love the picture.

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

Yes I bought about 30 of them from aqua bid and mixed a few in from the local fish store. Now I have hundreds of them. I actually have them in every tank now. I was very surprised how well they have done living with lots of fish like puffers yoyo loaches and the like.

Sent from my iPad using Aquarium

 

[Coleallensmom]

Great photos!

 

[Newfisher]

Great photos!

I agree! There are great photos. I have taken your lead and just bought some RCS from EBay. They are supposed to be guaranteed so we will see. I was not happy with my purchase from my LFS. They did not offer a guarantee on the RCS I bought from them. Three of them died the day after I bought them and the LFS did not make good on them. My stupidity I guess. Anyway...your pictures really showcase the fascinating nature of the RCS, don' t you think?

Joy...Sent from my iPad using Aquarium