Walstad-inspired 3g. Fauna choices?

[gabysapha]

I have a 3g kritter keeper in my kitchen that I use to grow pothos trimmings, hornwort, java moss, and lucky bamboo (just for decoration). I gets pretty cool in there, usually 65-70 degrees. Are there any fauna choices given the water parameters stay stable and safe? Right now I can only think of CRS (which I can't afford) and maybe things I don't care for like pest snails? My pink ramshorns are pretty, I think guests will appreciate them....

It's a good size for a betta, if it had a heater!

And if it were bigger I would consider WCMM!

Thanks in advance for the ideas!

 

[jetajockey]

Pygmy sunfish, pygmy killifish, least killifish would all work, and the temperature is a little on the cool side, but fine for them.

Are you running filtration?

 

[gabysapha]

Pygmy sunfish, pygmy killifish, least killifish would all work, and the temperature is a little on the cool side, but fine for them.

Are you running filtration?

I can always count on you jeta.

No filtration. No soil either. Light comes from the kitchen flourescents.

 

[gabysapha]

And yes it is cold! Starving student: i keep the apartment heat as low as is tolerable

 

[jetajockey]

Hmm. I'd steer towards pygmy sunfishes in that case. Although all 3 would probably work fine, the pygmy sunfish is well adapted to living in low o2 - anoxic conditions.
Banded pygmy sunfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm partial to the gulf coast pygmy sunfish myself, but I like them all. I keep a few bandeds and what I think are a natural hybrid between banded and e.evergladei, the only downside to keeping pygmy sunfish is they aren't too keen on flake food and do best with small live foods or thawed bloodworms.

Pygmy killies and least killies are less picky and will readily take flake.

 

[siva]

So E. evergladei is fine down to 65? I just moved mine into my kitchen where it's probably going to get that low and I was debating adding a heater. What's best for them....to heat or not to heat?

 

[gabysapha]

Hmm. I'd steer towards pygmy sunfishes in that case. Although all 3 would probably work fine, the pygmy sunfish is well adapted to living in low o2 - anoxic conditions.
Banded pygmy sunfish - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'm partial to the gulf coast pygmy sunfish myself, but I like them all. I keep a few bandeds and what I think are a natural hybrid between banded and e.evergladei, the only downside to keeping pygmy sunfish is they aren't too keen on flake food and do best with small live foods or thawed bloodworms.

Pygmy killies and least killies are less picky and will readily take flake.

Oh I think I saw them on Aquabid recently...
Unfortunately I don't think sellers will send fish now... It drops below freezing at night nowadays

 

[siva]

I've still been getting fish shipments w/o a problem. Even via regular ol' priority. Some sellers in colder areas/shipping to colder areas will only to express mail this time of year though.

 

[jetajockey]

Yeah you can still get shipments in from most people, just don't order if its getting below freezing in your area the next few days.

I think keeping them in mid to upper 70s is best, but they are very adaptable.

I've still found them locally in ditches and small drainage areas/swamps that the temps are easily in the 60s. All of the 3 fish I listed are subtropical, h.formosa and e.zonatum in particular are found in a lot of the southeast states.

 

[gabysapha]

Yeah you can still get shipments in from most people, just don't order if its getting below freezing in your area the next few days.

I think keeping them in mid to upper 70s is best, but they are very adaptable.

I've still found them locally in ditches and small drainage areas/swamps that the temps are easily in the 60s. All of the 3 fish I listed are subtropical, h.formosa and e.zonatum in particular are found in a lot of the southeast states.

Right right people will ship. But I'm a lot less willing to purchase with higher shipping prices and no more live arrival guarantee which i understand. I don't expect live animals to make it through several nights of below-freezing weather. Thank you, New England.

Are pygmy sunnies typically caught by other aquarists? I don't know if it's legal to sell them in an LFS....?

Just curious, if I did have a larger tank that was at the same temperature, WCMM would be suitable, yes? They are really popular around here, maybe because they can possibly overwinter?

 

[jetajockey]

I've no clue about wcmm. Not many hobbyists know about natives like elassoma so there isn't a large market. Laws vary from state to state, but I know here at a pet store would need a fish dealers license to sell and a commercial fishing license if they plan to catch them on their own.

An individual just needs a fishing license to collect for personal use.

 

[gabysapha]

I've no clue about wcmm. Not many hobbyists know about natives like elassoma so there isn't a large market. Laws vary from state to state, but I know here at a pet store would need a fish dealers license to sell and a commercial fishing license if they plan to catch them on their own.

An individual just needs a fishing license to collect for personal use.

I never considered collecting my own fish, although I did it all summer for a study. Now I'm curious, I'm going to look this up. I'm curious to see what the regulations are. Thanks jeta!

 

[gabysapha]

I have not put fish in this tank yet, but I notice a very thick layer of protein(?) on the surface of the water. It's yucky. Is there anything I can do about? It's unsightly.

 

[jetajockey]

If it's just an oily film or something I'd just use a paper towel to soak it up, although I'm sure there are several ways to deal with it.