# Ok, so we're all into insects, is there any aquarium people here?



## TanteEdgar (Jan 24, 2012)

We have mantids in common but do we share other hobbies as well? I have way too many hobbies and as a result, some of my hobbies ends up collecting dust on my shelf.

But one hobby that I find extra fun (and also the one that you can't just stow away) is aquariums. I have 3 tanks going today and I hope to get more soon. I find that shrimp are fun animals to keep in the aquarium because they look weird, fight over food pellets and they can be left alone for weeks without anyone looking after them. They will just eat algae and their poo until I come back...

One of my tanks are empty right now but that's because I am trying to get my hands on some pipefish. They are not common in the aquarium hobby and it makes them difficult to get hold of.

So what about the rest of you then? Do you have other hobbies than just bugs?


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 24, 2012)

I have some planted tanks and am a shrimp breeder


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## TanteEdgar (Jan 24, 2012)

Nice, you got Red Bee too. Maybe even some SSS quality if my eyes are working properly, am I right?

I am growing a bonzai tree right now too, and I have just finished a very simple aquascape in a nano tank on my desk.


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## gripen (Jan 24, 2012)

itzjustjeff said:


> I have some planted tanks and am a shrimp breeder


Wow! your tank is the most beautiful i have ever seen! if only my mantid tanks looked half as good!


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## TanteEdgar (Jan 24, 2012)

I like panorama'ish tanks, too bad I don't have enough room for one of those. A 5-700 liter Aquastabil tank would be awesome, IDK what that is in gallons, maybe 300...? A gallon is roughly 2 litres, right?


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## CoolMantid (Jan 24, 2012)

I have a betta fishy in a 2 gallon planted tank with live bamboo. Does that count?


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## Chivalry (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't at the moment, but I've raised African cichlids, and after that had a community tank. I liked the cichlids a lot better than the community fish... not sure why aggressive animals tend to be more interesting, but it seems to be that way.

As far as other random hobbies, I garden (herbs and veggies mostly, although I'm doing some flowers), which was what got me interested in mantids. I also oil paint, and make chainmaille and wire jewelry, which has become less of a hobby and more of a job.


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## TanteEdgar (Jan 24, 2012)

I also have a thing for laser pointers... Awesome when you point the beam into water (my empty tank) it lights up the whole thing. But then of course, my 1w blue laser is 200 times more powerful than regular red pointers you can buy everywhere  

The blue light is perfect for night time light in the aquarium...


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## rs4guy (Jan 24, 2012)

When I was younger I had several tanks with amazonian fish/ African cichlids. Right now my only other hobby is my car and decorating/improving my new house. I think I may grab a Western Hognose soon though, my buddy has me potentially convinced.


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## TanteEdgar (Jan 24, 2012)

The Black Ghost fish is awesome. I just hope that I can get the african pipefish I am looking for, it is even more awesome.


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 24, 2012)

Mantid Man said:


> Nice, you got Red Bee too. Maybe even some SSS quality if my eyes are working properly, am I right?
> 
> I am growing a bonzai tree right now too, and I have just finished a very simple aquascape in a nano tank on my desk.


Yeap I've been breeding them for about six years now. I love the look and the heritage of bonsai trees! I was thinking about getting a tattoo of one but I decided I'd give myself another year before I commit to it.



gripen said:


> Wow! your tank is the most beautiful i have ever seen! if only my mantid tanks looked half as good!


Thanks! I hope to accomplish something similar for my mantid tanks..although it would be a waste since they're going to go straight to the top..haha



Chivalry said:


> I don't at the moment, but I've raised African cichlids, and after that had a community tank. I liked the cichlids a lot better than the community fish... not sure why aggressive animals tend to be more interesting, but it seems to be that way.
> 
> As far as other random hobbies, I garden (herbs and veggies mostly, although I'm doing some flowers), which was what got me interested in mantids. I also oil paint, and make chainmaille and wire jewelry, which has become less of a hobby and more of a job.


I love cichlids too! I've been looking to get into that. Shell dwellers seem like the most fun


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 24, 2012)

Mantid Man said:


> I like panorama'ish tanks, too bad I don't have enough room for one of those. A 5-700 liter Aquastabil tank would be awesome, IDK what that is in gallons, maybe 300...? A gallon is roughly 2 litres, right?


It's actually only 12 gallons  Looks can be deceiving!

It's a Mr. Aqua 12 Gallon Long


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## Mvalenz (Jan 24, 2012)

I use to have a lot of fish. I enjoyed the cichlids the most. They would move gravel and build homes under the big rocks. Then they would lay eggs and guard the nest. They were so cool. but now I am busy with school and work. Only have time for mantids.


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## hibiscusmile (Jan 24, 2012)

I had some tanks going, I love the orange stuff, what is it? Gaveit up, wore myself out keeping them clean.


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## Idolofreak (Jan 24, 2012)

I have a fish tank. Nothing too exciting, just a white goldfish and some Mickey Mouse Platys. Besides bugs I'm into aircraft and cars.


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## dragon (Jan 24, 2012)

itzjustjeff said:


> I have some planted tanks and am a shrimp breeder
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 24, 2012)

They're ott-lites. Any light within the spectrum of 6,700k-10,000k works


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 25, 2012)

Mantid Man said:


> We have mantids in common but do we share other hobbies as well? I have way too many hobbies and as a result, some of my hobbies ends up collecting dust on my shelf.
> 
> But one hobby that I find extra fun (and also the one that you can't just stow away) is aquariums. I have 3 tanks going today and I hope to get more soon. I find that shrimp are fun animals to keep in the aquarium because they look weird, fight over food pellets and they can be left alone for weeks without anyone looking after them. They will just eat algae and their poo until I come back...
> 
> ...


I've been building and painting military miniatures since I was 12, on and off. If I neglect them for a while, they don't die or try to escape but just wait to welcome me back. And for anyone who may confuse miniatures with (meep) toy soldiers, take a look at this:

http://www.pegasomodels.it/productdetails_en.asp?id=886#


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 25, 2012)

O wow those look so detailed!


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## lancaster1313 (Jan 25, 2012)

I like cichlids the most and I hope to set up some larger aquariums soon.

Oscars are my favorite, even if they redecorate the tanks. I like how they used to greet me when I came home from work, and I have had a couple who would rub against my hand when I stuck it in the water. :wub: 

At the moment, we have a couple of angelfish, and my husband keeps a couple of those round shaped goldfish that seem to have a hard time just swimming on account of their shape.

I just lost my female betta.  She had a personality that rivaled as an oscar's and would jump out of her tank to grab food from my fingers, or just to bite me. She was the best, and I miss her.


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## rs4guy (Jan 25, 2012)

I think I miss my pair of Arowana's most. They were intense. I also loved the Convict cichlids, small but full of tenacity. They would gang up on my Jack Dempsey's all the time.


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## Rick (Jan 25, 2012)

I've done some freshwater stuff. I've thought off and on for years about getting a saltwater setup. The maintenance is what kills me with aquariums. I am an avid fossil collector though. Collector as in hunter and finding my own.


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## itzjustjeff (Jan 26, 2012)

Really? I feel like I spend more time taking care of my mantids than I do taking care of my tank. Maybe it might be because I just got into this hobby


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## rs4guy (Jan 26, 2012)

I agree, I feel mantids are at least as demanding as a well set-up tank, be it either salt or fresh.


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## Chivalry (Jan 26, 2012)

PhilinYuma said:


> I've been building and painting military miniatures since I was 12, on and off. If I neglect them for a while, they don't die or try to escape but just wait to welcome me back. And for anyone who may confuse miniatures with (meep) toy soldiers, take a look at this:
> 
> http://www.pegasomod..._en.asp?id=886#


I used to paint miniatures too, Phil... it was my absolute addiction for about a year. I still have all the stuff tucked away in the closet and I assume I'll do it again some day (and probably have to buy new paint), and I have a little shadow box with some of my best ones. There are some absolutely mind-blowing artists who can do so much realism that when you see the scale they're working with it's almost hard to wrap your mind around.

Re: cichlids... Neolamprologus brichardi were my favorite because of their pretty fins and delicate coloration, but the Malawi (mostly) mouth brooders are SO cool. The little fry swarm around but if you spook mom she opens her mouth and zip! they're all back in there (fast as a mantis strike, ha!). They have some of the prettiest colors in freshwater fish, too.


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## Fishe (Feb 9, 2013)

I love fish tanks, im on MFK. Also i have peacockbass, planted tanks and some odballs, although I lost 90% of my stock during sandy.


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## Plex (Feb 9, 2013)

I love aquariums as well, my family has two aquiariums right now; one is community, and one is just basic goldfish. We're thinking about changing from Community to saltwater or chichlids when the remaining fish die off over the next few years, though!


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## lancaster1313 (Feb 9, 2013)

My 2 remaining angelfish died and now I have some african cichlids and a rubber plecostomus in the aquarium. The angelfish were about 6 years old.  I miss them because they were always active with their spawning and "arguements".


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## Introvertebrate (Feb 9, 2013)

itzjustjeff, do you need a pressurised CO2 system to get that kind of plant growth?


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## BugLover (Feb 10, 2013)

Just got started into the fish hobby. A friend is giving me some of her black skirt tetras to put in with my red eye tetras


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## Danny. (Feb 10, 2013)

Too much maintenance, I just threw my turtles outside in stock tanks and waterlandtubs.


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## brancsikia339 (Feb 10, 2013)

I always wanted saltwater fish. What i really would want is nudibranches and octopi or a blue spotted stingray, but thats not happening :lol:


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