# Scififan's Regular Journal



## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 1:*

Within two months of moving, I have acquired 5 new glofish (since 4 of my original 5 died during the move )... and 3 1 gallon tanks (I know, bare min for tank size), 1 2.5 gallon, a 5.5 that I am cycling...but more on that later. Annnnndddddd two baby bettas (they have their own journal as I will be posting grow-up pics)












and two females. An orange with black markings VT named Kisa






and a currently unknown coloring type (to me...no idea what to call her colors) crowntail named Hatori. Ha'ri for short.






Had to rescue her. She was there the Friday I got Kisa, and when I went back to that Petsmart a week and a half later and she was still there. Goal for this summer is to set up a planted sorority tank, and maybe try to breed Kisa in August if I can find the right red, orange or yellow male. I bought two ten gallons during the $1 per gallon Petco sale. I'm not sure if this is a correct assumption, but I've notices a lot of small random bubbles all over the surface of Kisa's tank, and a couple around Ha'ri's, and both of their filters are baffled, so I think they are both happy, since I know that's a sign with males.

Okay weird thing of the week for me. I set my 5.5 up to cycle on Monday. I already have a 5 ppm reading of nitrAtes. I mean, I've been putting a couple of freeze dried bloodworms in every day (found a good use for them. Bought them when I got Kisa, but she refused to eat them, then saw all the problems they can cause ), and I added a couple squirts of that Tetra SafeStart stuff with the bacteria already started, but not near the suggested starting dose. My tap water does have a low level of nitrAtes in it, but I conditioned it with Prime, which is suppose to detox it. So confused :demented:. I'll monitor the levels for a couple more days before moving the babies in there. Still need to reinforce the DIY divider a bit anyways.

That ends this entry. Next one... probably have betta wish list


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

Hatori looks like my friends betta.., he died two days ago :'(


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

I'm sorry to hear that. I really couldn't leave her in that store anymore. Every time I would go in she would be paler and less active. And she was so pretty the day I got Kisa. I think, I'm not sure but, I think her coloring is "wild color"


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 2*

I feel like my journal will slow down/ be irregular when it comes to posts. Almost going to treat this as my fish/animal related diary (lke Birbiglia's secret public journal). Just type as things come to mind. Like Luna is fascinated with watching the bettas, especially Kisa, but she never tries to do anything. Like, if I have the top of, she'll drink the aquarium water, but she won't try to pursue the fish. I think she just likes watching them. Doesn't necessarily see them as prey. Cause Luna is a hunter. Almost caught a bat in the air once. But I digress.

L1 and L2 are settling in nicely. Hopefully this makes things a little easier (like temperature and such). Kisa's still my fierce little girl. But Ha'ri is starting to recognize the sound of the door when I get home from work. Greeted by the cat sneaking out into the hallway :roll:, then I look up and Ha'ri is doing her "look at me, feed me" quick swim at the side of the tank facing the door. She also flares at almost everything, and I noticed Saturday that she has breeding bars... and they still haven't gone away. Wonder if she can see Kisa across the room and think Kisa is a male. Oh well, Hatori has darkened up to her healthy color, and the little white patches I saw on her pectorals were just the areas that were trying to grow. They're gone now.

Lost my one surviving adult glofish. Had her for 9 months. Woke up this morning and she was floating at the top, and my new pink doesn't look to good either. Oh well, when these die, I'll deep clean their tank and set it up for someone else to use.

Okay Betta Fish Wish List (mostly for Sohma Sorority):
Yellow (either body or fins) or Chocolate DeT, HM, or DT female - Momiji
White with black markings female - Hatsuharu
Red with black butterfly male VT or DT - Kyoto
Marble (any color or tail type) female - Tohru
Pastel or white or silver (any tail) female - Yuki
Orange or Cambodian combtail or CT female - Kyo
Dark bodied female with extreme CT (either cross ray or multi-ray) - Isuzu "Rin"
Green female - Hiro
Royal blue bicolor female - Ritzu
Black (or dark tail) and red bicolor female - Shigure
Dragonscale green or pale female - Ayame "Aya"
multicolor VT female - Kagura
Dark iridescence CT female - Kureno
I also want an Akito (male DeT or higher spread) but I don't know what color


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 3*

Okay, this will be a rant entry. Start off, everybody is fine, check out the baby journal for growth comparison for the little guys. Lost one of the new glofish this week, but when they are gone, that means I can rescue an orange or yellow male, so glass half something about it. I think I saw one of Kisa's spawnmates/ siblings. Exact same marking on the tail, male veil tail, close to the same orange coloring. Oh well, no open tank at the moment.

And, time for the rant. WHAT THE F*** PETCO!!!?! SERIOUSLY! :frustrated: So many of the bettas at the Petco that I dislike (but they are the ones who get babies in regularly, so I have to check every now and then) had bloat, it wasn't even funny. :redmad: Some had pellets sitting on the lids of their cups. One looked like he had swallowed a marble, his stomach was so big. He couldn't do anything but float at the top of his cup. He tried to swim lower. He failed. This really pissed me off. Another was side floating (again with a huge stomach). :evil: So wished I had brought a post-it note pad with me. Because I couldn't get anyone's attention to point it out, would have left notes on all the cups :twisted: with things like "Please do not feed me for 24 hours. I'm bloated and need to poop before I am fed again, otherwise I can't swim." A couple needed a "please give me a water change, it's getting hard to breathe in here." I've seen them in bad shape before, but this was ridiculous. Pretty sure if I went back tomorrow, 1/3 would not be there anymore, and not because they were sold. So ANGRY!

End of rant.

Here is my cat Luna with her favorite toy:


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 3*

Really, really need to stop going into pet stores on fish shipment days. Petsmart had an orange male VT and a pure white HM male that they had just gotten in today. Wanted them so bad... and will probably get the white and put him with my glofish danios in their five gallon if he's still there tomorrow. Such a beauty.

Next pay check is going into finishing my 10 gallon, buying plants for it, and getting materials for a DIY stand, so I can get it cycling for my sorority. After that... birthday money to be spent on a 20 gallon... either for a grow out tank, or to use as a sorority tank... will it work as a cycled tank if I just move everything (including water, filter material, etc.) over to the 20 gallon? Or will that have to cycle separately? And will a having two 10 gallons work for breeding, one for spawning, one for partial grow out (keeping the slower growing ones in spawn tank) until jarring? What will happen if I breed Kisa (orange VT) with a white HM? I'll post in the breeding section. Also need to get a couple of Nerite snails. I think I might actually have one that was sold to me as a golden mystery snail. We'll see if he eats my anubias that's floating in L2's side


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 5*

Okay, the giant bubble group wasn't him. But there is a teeny tiny nest under one of the leaves of his anubias plant. And in other news, I caved and bought the pure white male. Meet Yue:








He is living with my 4 Glofish (Inky Blinky Clyde and Pacman, Pinky was the one who passed shortly after my 6 month old glofish did) in their 5 gallon. No problems between them so far, he loves the room.



















And Luna likes the tank's new placement.

Algae outbreak in Kisa's tank, so she currently in blackout as I try to kill this thing off. Ha'ri's water has cleared, the oily film on the babies is dissipating, and I got a sponge that actually fits inside their filter and have slowed their current way down. They seem happier about it.

Luna has discovered live catnip. Still prefers dried sprinkled on her towel. And eating oat grass, but we'll see how long that lasts.

Signing off:


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 6*

Yay for being worked half to death. :checkedout: Also, Mother Nature's bipolar disorder is kicking my butt. Stupid pollen. Everybody else is doing great. Starting to get my 10 gallon divided and set up for my boys. Also, have almost everything gathered for a breeding attempt in June. Just need fry food, a lid, and a lot more mason jars. Maybe a couple more shrimp? Oh, bought 2 ghost shrimp. Had them acclimating in a container in the teens tank, and they both escaped... one on each side... not sure how the one got around the divider, but there it is.

I now have a new house mate. His name is Sirius and he is my foster fish.






. My sister is moving into an apartment that doesn't allow tanks or cages (but you can have a cat or small dog), so he's with me for at least a year, possibly more. But he will have regular video calls from his mom. He is a rescued convict cichlid (hence the name "Sirius"). He was brought into the PetCo were she worked without the long streamers on his fins. His tank mate (an oscar) had gotten bigger than him and became a bully. So Kylie took him to help keep her guppies under control. Didn't happen for a couple of months, but eventually he started hunting them. Luna loves watching him, and he has arranged his tank to watch her from hiding.

Kisa and Hatori are still good. Ha'ri flares at everything, and Kisa is upset because she gets limited light time. Had an algae outbreak. Once I get the 10 gallon for the boys set up, the girls will move into the 5.5 the teens are in until I find enough females to set up a 20 or 29 gallon sorority. ...and after that, I can use the 5.5 as a petco baby grower .














Yue is fine as well, but I think he is starting to get tired of the hyperactive danios. And the teens are good. Currently, they are both showing themselves as males. I can see the double tail's stomach and swim bladder, but no ovaries, and lilnaugrim agreed that he is a boy.







So unless either of them are a late bloomer, their names are Uotani "Uo" (blue and red VT [pretty sure anyway]) and Hanajima "Hana" (DT with bluish-purple irids).


























Hi over there








Who, me?








And yes, I bought Uo a glitter lamp to look at. And it's helped. He doesn't pace the front of the tank as much when I sit down anymore.


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## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

You have so many beautiful fish! I didn't realize you had another journal until I read the post in your baby betta journal today.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

Yeah, this one is kind of a whenever I feel like it about what ever I feel like journal. And thank you, I love them all. My family thinks that I have a problem, I got all of them within the two months after my move.


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## BettaLover1313 (Apr 15, 2013)

scififan523 said:


> Yeah, this one is kind of a whenever I feel like it about what ever I feel like journal. And thank you, I love them all. My family thinks that I have a problem, I got all of them within the two months after my move.


That's what my mom thought when I bought my second betta. Now she's resigned to the fact that there will be more fish eventually :lol:.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

And... just realized I put their names in wrong. the DT is Uo, the bicolor is Hana. Oops. And I have to leave my wallet in the car and only take in a set amount of cash on fish shipment days here. My chain stores all seem to get a couple of gorgeous fish in each shipment day. So tempting, but so bad for my paycheck.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 7*

Soooooo... It's been a while since I posted anything. .

Everything's been good fish and cat wise. Works sucked the past couple of weeks. Added some ghost shrimp, cherry shrimp and Rio Von Tetras. Divided a 10 gallon that is cycling with the Rios in it. Also moved Yue over there last night cause one of the glofish died and had a couple chunks out of it, so I don't know what happened. Everyone else in the tank look fine. One of the Rios likes wiggling in between the dividers and getting into the section that I has Yue in. Although, he's only in there until I move the teens into the 10 gallon so I can move Hatori into the divider 5.5 and move some of Kisa's stuff there and start conditioning her and Yue. Just need to get microworm culture and baby brine shrimp eggs and lights.

Going to some of the better LFS one town over tomorrow. See what they have.

My friend's boyfriend is going to help me build a 29 gallon that is wider than tall for a sorority tank some time during the summer.

Will post again with pics tomorrow or Monday.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Mini Update*

So, longer entry tomorrow as I have bowling in 30 minutes. Synopsis: Did the tank shuffle yesterday. Started conditioning for Yue and Kisa. Thinking Hatori might not work when I start sorority and will be sentenced to solitary. Resuced another male from Petco.
Name: Inuyasha
Tail: Half Sun?
Color: Grey/White body, Red/cello/grey fins; partial dragon.

Pics tomorrow with a full entry.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 8*

And I'm exhausted. I hate heat. Really hate working in heat. Anyway, to the tanks.

So I got another male. His name is Inuyasha. 







He was a birthday present from my boyfriend. Partial dragon scale, has fin damage but looks like the pics I've seen of Suntails (CT x HM).

I've moved the teens into their permanent sections (hopefully).

























Not sure that Hana likes the arrangement. Stress lines and slightly clamp fins since I got him outta Inu's section when he wiggled between the divider and the wall/floor. Not sure exactly where I will put Inu after my spawning attempts, maybe in the section with the filter, or in the 2.5.

Here are the Von Rio tetras:








Kisa and Yue are currently in breeding solitary (started Sunday night).

























Have a newspaper on the sides of their tanks that see the others, and have most of the tank wall between them covered as well. About a 3 inch viewing section for flirting purposes. One meal of high protein pellets and one meal of frozen a day. Daily turkey basting the waste out. Took Yue a day to figure out how to buld a bubble nest. Got home from work today at 5, nothing. Got back from dinner around 8:30, bottom corner of the Styrofoam cup to about a third of the way up; bubbles :-D.

It's super cute to watch them flirt. Kisa will swim just above where Yue's water line is and then dart down and flare. If I cover the tanks completely, Yue paces in front of the side that Kisa's tank is on, then darts to the cup, blows a few bubbles, then back to pacing. They've had a couple of swim races back and forth.

Hatori is also currently in solitary, until Kisa is done breeding and healing. She's not exactly happy about not getting the whole tank.








I have 5 ghost shrimp (Jacque, Pierre, Jean, Claude, and Francois) and two cherry shrimp (Rubio and Rouge). They are scattered between the 3 main tanks.

Well, that's it for now.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Update*

Quick update. Conditioning is going well. Kisa is uber eggy. Yue is flirting, but doesn't like restricted viewing times at all. If things continue, I'll move Kisa into the spawn tank Thursday after work in a breeder and (probably) release her Saturday after work. Would do it sooner, but need to test the brine shrimp hatchery first.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

So... It's been a long time since I posted here. Work has been kicking my butt and I want to quit. First spawn attempt failed. Trying again on Sunday with same couple. Bowling average is a steady 74 after 5 weeks (yep I'm awesome). Got another female, her name is Rin. I think she is a pastel and royal blue grizzle (maybe marble?) crowntail with what looks to be a bit of a red wash in her fins. All my tetras bit the big one, and I watch Ha'ri kill one of the ghost shrimp. Both of the CRS are gone. Oh well. Picture time (just of Inu and Rin, others would keep still):
Inu Flaring (is he a feather tail?)




















Rin, my cutsie little girl:


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## Eep Crood (Jan 23, 2014)

Can I see some pics of Hana and uo?


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## Islandgaliam (Jan 27, 2014)

scififan523 said:


> Yeah, this one is kind of a whenever I feel like it about what ever I feel like journal. And thank you, I love them all. My family thinks that I have a problem, I got all of them within the two months after my move.


My son thinks I have a problem too - lol...told him bettas n plants were much safer than drugs!


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

That is a great attitude and example. Although, mine would probably have to be "less addicting and cheaper than books", lol

And Eep, ask and ye shall receive:

Uo:
April 11th







June 20th














Hana:
April 11th







June 20th














And look what he was working on without my noticing:


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## DaytonBetta (Feb 4, 2014)

Wow! They've certainly grown!


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

Thanks Dayton.

And in other news... I HAVE A SPAWN!! hatched this morning


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 9*

So, I have at least 10ish fry from Yue and Kisa's second mating, figured out how to hatch BBS, been using Sirius as a fish garbage disposal (a lot of my ghost shrimp appear to be losing their heads in someone's cougcoughHa'ricough tank), and got 3 more betta (1 female and 2 male) so... I officially have a problem. As soon as I get my other 10 gallon split, that'll be home to Yue, Tony (new white/grey & blue with red wash), and Uo. The girl will go into the 29 community as soon as she's out of QT and I'm done building it and get it cycled. Hana is bubble nesting like crazy. It covers about a third of his tank space. I'll do pics tomorrow. Kisa and Yue are both recovering, as far as I can tell, the fry are doing just fine, being pairs of zipping eyes.

And Luna's being a spaz, as usual.


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Journal 10*

Just thought I'd give a quick update. The female died 2 days after purchase, so did the male guppy. Got a refund for her. Gathered material for a self dimensioned 30ish gallon community, sorority tank. New guys are fine, still can't for sure tell if Uo is male or female (some days I think I see an egg spot, other days I don't), and have a dozen or so babies to deal with. And... pics (for pics of the babies, check the spawn log):







Not the best image of Hana, but he wasn't be cooperative








Uo is once again confusing the hell outta me when it comes to gender, I sti think male, but I'm going to candle him this weekend and see if I can see anything








Inu and Uo have daily flaring contests, kinda funny, as Inu is twice as big as Uo.








Yue is hanging out with his glofish buddy until the other 10 gallon is ready for habitation








Kisa's still in recovery, but I've got everything for my sorority tank, just need to get it built








The other girls are good.








Ha'ri is still as prissy as ever. I think next breeding will be her and Inu, just outta color curiosity








Rin's a bit bigger than when I got her, and she's definitely colored up. I find her grizzled coloration so pretty.








Meet Tony, a red white and blue HMDT (named after America's righteous alien buddy from Hetalia).








and Alfonse, a metallic grey HM or SDeT. He has a tiny red spot toward the back of his anal fin, so it's his blood seal :lol:








And Sirius likes when the bettas get angry at the ghost shrimp, cause it means he gets a nice treat.








This is my new guppy, Mama Mab. I'm going to let Sirius get a little hunting practice now and then, when their population gets a bit out of control. They'll be getting a 2 way split 10 gallon after her brood reaches sexual maturity.








And Luna, my derp of a cat. She has been proving her Toothless-ness by head tilting, hanging upside down off things, and being a cuddle monster. This is her telling me that I don't get to use the WiiFit again


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## scififan523 (Apr 5, 2014)

*Frustration!!*

Well, Ha'ri has let me definitively let me know that she is a solo fish. Rin got into her side of their split tank Monday (after midnight) and within 4 hours, Ha'ri had partially blinded her, and completely torn her stomach out. Like, cartoon cannon ball hole where her stomach used to be. So, Ha'ri is going in the glofish 5 gallon with just the assassin snails for company, Tony and Al will go into the 5.5 split (after I finish fixing/stabilizing the divider), Clyde (only glofish) and crew with go with Mama Mab, and Yue will go in the other portion of what I've been using as QT. All of this, after I do a good scrub clean on the tanks.

Speaking of tanks, built my 30 gallon community, just need to do the water test. 31x19x12, so basically a wider 30, more surface area. So, sorority starting soon. Everyone else is good. MM hasn't popped yet, although she looks like she's getting close. Starting to mix frozen BBS into the fries meals to try and wean them off of live food.

Oh, and I've decided to change Hatori's name to Arachne. The gentle reserved Hatori doesn't deserve to have a vicious, territorial betta as a namesake. Although, did consider changing it to "Ren", which is the name of Akito's mother in Fruits Basket, how is a vicious jealous soul, but decided Arachne was more fitting her colors.


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