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What's new with your fish hobby these days!

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Post by Aura Thu Apr 26, 2012 11:33 am

Larry, that sounds fantastic -- the things you could do with that much space!

Did you go to Malawi last fall?
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Post by Larry Johnson Tue May 15, 2012 12:05 am

Sorry for not getting back sooner! (not getting any notifications about postings!)
Yes I went to Malawi last year and will be booking my flight soon for this years adventure,,,Ad cancelled out this year so I guess I am looking for some people to go.
Sounds easy, "Hey you are into African CIchlids" do you want to go to Lake Malawi with me????
Ahhh, then all the "I wish I could go'ers" start! Where are all the Extreme Cichlid Lovers?
Yep, its a struggle to get people to go.
This is my 13th year, and probably my 7th or 8th I have guided a Safaris. The only reason I don't guide a Safaris is because I choose to go with Ad and then he runs the show,,,,then its a holiday for me!
Last year was good, I had 5 people including me, this year so far looks to be 3 cofirmed at this point! Possible 4th in the making,,,he's a last minute guy,,,and that's usual!
Just had cataract surgery and it seems to be working out well.
The fish house drawing should be ready to go soon and then its off to the Building dept!
Would like the walls and roof up and shingles on before I leave in September,,,the rest can be rushed when I get back. Mostly depends on my neigbour who is the carpenter/framer.

Cheers,Larry
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Post by football mom Tue May 15, 2012 6:48 am

Sounds like a wonderful adventure, Larry!

What's new with me is after 11 years up and running my "show tank" is empty, and mbuna
are in a 100 gallon Rubbermaid horse trough on my patio, complete with small fountain.
The patio pond was intended for a summer grow-out tank for my little ones, but a month ago we had freak storms (17 inches of rain in 5 hours) and my house flooded. Only 3 inches of water or so, but enough to do damage. Lucky I had insurance. Anyway, repairs are underway, replacing flooring (gonna have tile throughout) and baseboards, repairing some damaged sheet rock, etc.
When the tank goes back up, I may do something different with it this time...maybe a
South or Central American theme with plants and wood, instead of the African rock reef.

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Post by yodahorn Tue May 15, 2012 7:09 am

Sorry to hear about the flooding, but sounds like everything is working out.

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Post by Larry Johnson Tue May 15, 2012 6:13 pm

Weather everywhere is being a bit freakish over the last few years!
Sorry to hear about the flooding.

Cheers,Larry
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Post by Aura Tue May 15, 2012 7:30 pm

Larry, I fall into the "I wish I could go" category. I wish I had the time, I wish I had someone I could trust to take care of everything at home, and most importantly I wish I could scuba dive. Very Happy It's one of those things that I'll never do and I think it's so cool that you do it regularly!

Jocelyn, sorry to hear about the flooding. It's nice to do some remodeling, but not like that.
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Post by Larry Johnson Tue May 15, 2012 11:32 pm

Hi Aura, been a long time since we spoke Rolling Eyes
I used to thinnk of the same things, who would pay the bills who would feed the fish.
I got over it, I guess, sell the fish down starting in the late spring early summer,,,less fish the better before leaving. (Oh heck did I just order 10 boxes from Malawi tonight???)
I would usually pay the bills before leaving, or now I can post date a payment on-line, oh how convenient for the wife...LOL
Kids are bigger now, but the youngest was 4 the first time I left.
Wife is only worried about how much money she doesn't have when I go so I leave enough there (or as disussed)
As far as the trip goes and costs, you just have to make up your mind to go,then set aside a monthly amount that will
not interfer with what you do, even if its only $50,,,so maybe you go only once or maybe every three years,,,you still can go.
I had done the trip with other guys in the early years of going but since I then have mostly traveled by myself, sometimes hooking up along the way
with the others. The traveling alone part I thought was going to be tough, but I got over it.
Now I don't really get excited, I just book and make the arrangments,,,,the opposite was staying at home,,,miserable while taking holiday time and working on the house!LOL
Now I make the extra time and do all the work before I leave!
Besides, the wife is happy I'm gone!
As I stated above, the Fish House is going up this year and I have other things to do as well (paint the house, trim the hedge and cut the grass) but it will all get done now as I'm semi-retired. Retired until the fish house goes up anyways!

Cheers,Larry
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Post by Super Turtleman Wed Jun 20, 2012 1:23 am

Hmmm, been a while for me. let's see.

Currently have an all male 125G Hap/Peacock tank that's doing pretty well. I'll have to start a thread on that one.

My Fronts are doing good...just posted a video in that thread.

I have a 55G currently housing some E. Chewere, White Labs, Kawanga Gold Zebras and some S. multipunctatus. Hoping to get a couple breeder tanks so I can give the Zebras their own space.

I had a nice batch of about a dozen Williamsi North Makonde and I was extremely excited about them...but then tragedy struck. I bought a house in January and moved in the middle of winter. I left them in their tank at my old house while we moved (along with all my other fish). Had the heat turned down in the house and their heater malfunctioned. They all froze to death. I was heartbroken. I'd been wanting those for a really long time...and they're rare up here...well they were at that point. I'm starting to see them a little more now.

That's about it. On the lookout for a couple more breeder tanks and a few 20L for growouts and I should be all set. I don't want to go crazy with breeding but it happens. Lol.
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Post by Larry Johnson Sat Jun 30, 2012 1:55 am

Whats new.
Over the last month I got in 14 boxes of fish from Malawi. Not the best shipment I have ever rec'd but I'll make the best of it. This happens once in a while.
As the weather gets cold (low 70's high 60's!) at this time of the year in Malawi the fish showed up a in rather poor shape and along with that some broke out in ick, which has never happened before.
Excessive handleing rubbed the eye lense off of most of the Placido.sp Jalo and the Placido eletra's and Black face got ich, some Cyno's got a bad bacterial infection to which some died.
So on the brighter side, the fish took a while to come around and meds were used on about half the shipment, a lot of them after healing up turned around quickly and put some weight back on and now they have been sold. All this causes a lot of work and extra money for the meds.
The peacocks never seem to arrive with much color as they are shipped as semi-adults, with enough color to say they are males. It takes about 8-12 weeks for them to start to shine! At which point they sell fast!
I have a large order to go out Tuesday after our long weekend and that just about cleans me out, except for the peacocks and some others,,,good thing, as the other wild fish groups are breeding like crazy at this time of the year and I'm starting to get over run with them!
So all this has kept me really busy over the last month.

Cheers,Larry
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Post by Aura Sat Jun 30, 2012 11:06 am

I'm surprised that that isn't the norm for fish being shipped from so far away. It's good you were able to get most of them healthy again.
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Post by Larry Johnson Sat Jun 30, 2012 3:10 pm

I'm surprised that that isn't the norm for fish being shipped from so far away.
Aura, I have had shipments come in with zero doa's. But generally Stuart used to say about 5% should be the norm.
You have to lay out a lot of cash for an order, so you HAVE to stay on top of things, best to always have med's on hand and always expect the worse!
This used to be one way's of bringing in extra money so I can do my annual trip to Malawi, now its my only source of income. That is why I need the larger building I am looking into to build.

Cheers,Larry
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Post by theswede Sun Jul 01, 2012 8:38 pm

Larry Johnson wrote:[That is why I need the larger building I am looking into to build.

Cheers,Larry



Now that would be a great project thread Wink . What area in lake Malawi are you going to this fall?
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Post by Larry Johnson Mon Jul 02, 2012 6:28 pm

Now that would be a great project thread . What area in lake Malawi are you going to this fall?
I will be taking lots of pic's along the way once things get started and will post them on my new website, as well I will post them here.

I will be taking the guys diving in the south eastern arm of the lake this year, but on the way there we have Nakentenga Island on the bill for our check out dive,probably Namalenge Island, as its right out front of where we start out before we actually go on Safaris, then we have to pass thru the Malawi National Park, so there's a few area's and Islands to dive at before heading thru Ilala Gap and head south as far as Bodzulu Island, the most southerly dive.
On the way back we end up at Chiofu for some camping and diving, then its back to base to dry things out and pack,,,,for most of the gang. I will stay another week or so before leaving as there's lots to do and a little more R&R.
Soon after I get back the work should start on the new buildings.

Cheers,Larry
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Post by theswede Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:07 pm

Wow, that`s a nice trip. Heard that Ad is´nt going on this one, so will there be any scientific work or just plane fun on this trip?
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Post by Larry Johnson Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:13 am

Yes Ad dropped out,saying there was not much interest and the economy being what it is. He then asked if I would like to give it a go and I now have 4 of us confirmed and one that usually jumps on at the last minute. There may be another 1 or 2 but I'm not counting on it.
Like most people who have been to Malawi, they like to go every other year or every 3rd year,,,,so this was an off year for some of his people.
When I go there is no scientific research usually done,its a fun trip. Although I need to come back with a lot of fish pics because I do a lot of speaking engagments and need new material,,,and stories!

Cheers,Larry
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Post by football mom Mon Jul 09, 2012 12:38 pm

Hi, hope everyone had a great 4th of July!
My remodel-from-Hell is nearly complete, so I have been turning my attention once again to my fish hobby.
Newest additions are some very nice angel fish that are from a local breeder who is down sizing his operation.
I got a breeding pair of smokeys (I think carrying blue and pearl-scale, need to verify that) 4 young platinum ghost pearl-scale, and 5 really nice koi angels.
The pair are in a tank to them selves, but I think I will set that empty 90 up as a SA
with wood and plants, the younger angels, tetras, plecos, etc. Should be a nice "show tank" for my living room. I have to buy a new light strip, tho, the one I have won't be adequate for plants.

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Post by Super Turtleman Mon Jul 09, 2012 5:57 pm

Sounds cool J. Can't wait to see it.
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Post by yodahorn Mon Jul 09, 2012 7:27 pm

footbal mom - I always had luck getting good cheap lights for my planted tanks on ebay.

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Post by football mom Mon Jul 09, 2012 9:55 pm

I found a 3-strip HO T-5 light for a decent price, I think it will be adequate for what I am going to do. Anubias, Crypts, Java fern, that sort of plant. I love the look of the baby tears ground cover type plants, but just haven't had much luck with them, even in my tank with CO2 and serious high light. I am going to call the dealer that has the light for sale before I order it, though, just to be on the safe side.

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Post by yodahorn Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:56 pm

1.5 watts per gallon should be sufficient for the plants listed. I have about 1.8 watts per gallon on my 75 gallon tanks and my crypts and anubias are doing great.

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Post by football mom Mon Aug 13, 2012 2:03 pm

Well, I have purchased two Coralife double-bulb fixtures, which will give 54 wattsX4
over the tank, that will give about 2.4 watts/gallon. I think/hope that will be suffient.
I went to an HCCC auction yesterday and bought some more plants, and with the ones
I can scavange from my other tanks, I should have plenty. I have two really cool pieces of driftwood to use, and some Floramax black sand to mix with the blasting sand that I took out of the tank, hopefully it will be a good substrate for the plants.

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Post by Larry Johnson Thu Sep 06, 2012 1:34 pm

Count down has begun,,, leaving Tuesday for Malawi!

Cheers,Larry
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Post by Aura Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:25 am

Have a safe trip! I know it'll be fun.
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Post by Larry Johnson Tue Sep 11, 2012 12:41 am

Just a few hours to go and then I'm off to Lake Malawi, always a blast as I get to see a lot of friends I have made over the years!

Will post when I return!

Cheers,Larry
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Post by theswede Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:55 am

Looking forward to some new wild malawi pics thumbs up .
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