ReneeMarie
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hello everyone. My name is Renée and I’m an aquariaholic. 
It all started 2 years ago with a 20 gal, a tiny little plec - Alfredo (who is now 8 inches and eats half an english cucumber every other day!) – and 4 little fancy goldies (2 of whom passed away, sigh). The 2 remaining - who are now 3 and 4 inches - are a lovely velvety female moore and a (rather randy) male ryukin - the pair of whom have spawned more times than I can count. (Isn’t that just like a man – always with a tubercles on!)
And then a few months ago my dear mom showed up at my house with a gift – a betta in a vase. Sigh again. (I don’t agree with this whole vase thing - sorry). So now on top of my 20 gal (and of course my 9 kitties and 100lb she-monster dog) my menagerie grew to include Jules the betta (who was moved to a promptly acquired 3 gal Eclipse!). And of course that 3 gal soon required a pleccie to keep the quickly becoming abundant algae under control. Enter itty bitty Pierre the (colour faded, nearly transparent, underfed) pleco. Unfortunately Jules would not tolerate him and darn near shredded poor Pierre to death in less than a day – very aggressive betta. So, out came Pierre and into the 20 gal he went with the fancies and Alfredo. And in less than one week Pierre regained all of his colour, his fins fully healed and he too became a connoisseur of cukes!
Anyway, back to Jules. I’d always heard bettas were quite the characters and the more I get to know him the more his fish-itude is becoming glaringly obvious! 8O Aside from his refusal to eat unless it’s nabbed from my fingertip in a shark-like feeding frenzy Jules has made it clear that in addition to fresh/frozen shrimp and daphnia his dining experience is to occasionally include tiny bits of meaty cat food – don’t even ask. And then of course there’s his highnesses ‘special treats’ which are prepared fresh (when available) courtesy of my newly honed superhuman-like ability to snatch fruit flies out of mid-air…but that’s a whole other story…
So now one might think my addiction would be quelled by this demanding, commanding little blue devil. But was it? Nay I say, no sir! I got the itch (not ich!) recently to go out and have a look at some bigger tanks – just to look and see how much they cost – NOT to buy one – just to get some ideas for some time in the future. So after I paid and loaded my new tank into the car 20 minutes later I started wondering if maybe I had a problem; maybe I needed to get some help. But alas those feelings of ‘really-big-purchase-probably-shouldn’t-have-bought-it-and-didn’t-really-need-it anxiety’ were quickly subdued as I began setting up my new 50 gal and visions of plants and rocks and décor and new fishies danced in my head. Just the sound of the bubbles from the air stone were enough to drown out the thoughts of that imminent VISA bill…
…that VISA bill that continues to increase and now includes a host of additional fishy knick-knacks and equipment-must-haves…and of course… 2 more beautiful fancies – another moore (she is black on top and champaign on the bottom) and a silver-lavender-grey-bronze (yes those are his/her colours) cauliflower head oranda!
…that VISA bill that will soon include some tropicals for the old 20 gal…after all, once I move big Alfredo to the 50 little Pierre will be all by his lonesome and we can’t have that now…can we…
But that’ll be it! 3 tanks…7 fish……no more…not for a while……well, not unless I see a really good deal somewhere……but even then not until I get a bigger house…with more room……unless…… I move the couch…and free up that wall……
YUP. I need help.
I'm off to aquariaholics anonymous 8)
...maybe I'll swing by the petshop on my way
It all started 2 years ago with a 20 gal, a tiny little plec - Alfredo (who is now 8 inches and eats half an english cucumber every other day!) – and 4 little fancy goldies (2 of whom passed away, sigh). The 2 remaining - who are now 3 and 4 inches - are a lovely velvety female moore and a (rather randy) male ryukin - the pair of whom have spawned more times than I can count. (Isn’t that just like a man – always with a tubercles on!)
And then a few months ago my dear mom showed up at my house with a gift – a betta in a vase. Sigh again. (I don’t agree with this whole vase thing - sorry). So now on top of my 20 gal (and of course my 9 kitties and 100lb she-monster dog) my menagerie grew to include Jules the betta (who was moved to a promptly acquired 3 gal Eclipse!). And of course that 3 gal soon required a pleccie to keep the quickly becoming abundant algae under control. Enter itty bitty Pierre the (colour faded, nearly transparent, underfed) pleco. Unfortunately Jules would not tolerate him and darn near shredded poor Pierre to death in less than a day – very aggressive betta. So, out came Pierre and into the 20 gal he went with the fancies and Alfredo. And in less than one week Pierre regained all of his colour, his fins fully healed and he too became a connoisseur of cukes!
Anyway, back to Jules. I’d always heard bettas were quite the characters and the more I get to know him the more his fish-itude is becoming glaringly obvious! 8O Aside from his refusal to eat unless it’s nabbed from my fingertip in a shark-like feeding frenzy Jules has made it clear that in addition to fresh/frozen shrimp and daphnia his dining experience is to occasionally include tiny bits of meaty cat food – don’t even ask. And then of course there’s his highnesses ‘special treats’ which are prepared fresh (when available) courtesy of my newly honed superhuman-like ability to snatch fruit flies out of mid-air…but that’s a whole other story…
So now one might think my addiction would be quelled by this demanding, commanding little blue devil. But was it? Nay I say, no sir! I got the itch (not ich!) recently to go out and have a look at some bigger tanks – just to look and see how much they cost – NOT to buy one – just to get some ideas for some time in the future. So after I paid and loaded my new tank into the car 20 minutes later I started wondering if maybe I had a problem; maybe I needed to get some help. But alas those feelings of ‘really-big-purchase-probably-shouldn’t-have-bought-it-and-didn’t-really-need-it anxiety’ were quickly subdued as I began setting up my new 50 gal and visions of plants and rocks and décor and new fishies danced in my head. Just the sound of the bubbles from the air stone were enough to drown out the thoughts of that imminent VISA bill…
…that VISA bill that continues to increase and now includes a host of additional fishy knick-knacks and equipment-must-haves…and of course… 2 more beautiful fancies – another moore (she is black on top and champaign on the bottom) and a silver-lavender-grey-bronze (yes those are his/her colours) cauliflower head oranda!
…that VISA bill that will soon include some tropicals for the old 20 gal…after all, once I move big Alfredo to the 50 little Pierre will be all by his lonesome and we can’t have that now…can we…
But that’ll be it! 3 tanks…7 fish……no more…not for a while……well, not unless I see a really good deal somewhere……but even then not until I get a bigger house…with more room……unless…… I move the couch…and free up that wall……
YUP. I need help.
I'm off to aquariaholics anonymous 8)
...maybe I'll swing by the petshop on my way
