I love the placot betta swimming in the tank beautiful well done. The red and white is my favorite. I would love to see the babies in the tank too. 😉🤔🥰
I was wondering if you still had or know where to get Lake Victoria Pundamilia Nyererei captive-bred, I prefer the Makobe island strain, but Ruti island would be good too.
I've noticed that some youtube fish channels seem to go through fish at an alarming rate. They seem to be constantly setting up/re-scaping and stocking tanks. Soon after the fish disappear with no explanation, and they're adding new species. I think this sets a bad example for fish keepers who may mistakenly believe they can easily rehome any fish they get tired of. Meanwhile, I have noticed one positive trend in fish keeping ... That of keeping nano fish in large tanks (up to 125 gallons).
@@mandypdx - Maybe some locations. ... And even then, chain stores don't have space for larger species like Pacu, Redtail Catfish, Arowanas, Iridescent Sharks, large Cichlids, etc.
the SerpaDesigns reference was one hundred percent spot on. Every video from that guy gives me an existential crisis between the fish I could have and the fish I can afford 😂
I like the fact that he films his outcomes so every time I want to start something new, I can go watch all the "sniff tests" 🤣🤣🤣 It means I bought a 4' tank in February, and I am slowly acquiring everything I need so I can do it right the first time, and not have to redo in the future. Once and done, instead of dunce.😅 I have many nano and pico tanks, and strive for an ecological balance so I can enjoy my tanks and so my animals have a cushion if I get sick or some emergency happens.🐠
Spot on! I started with a low tech tank 40 liters, after watching like all of his video's. Wanted a paludarium but I kept adding water. Want some shrimp some nano fish. Now it became a aquarium with some wood and plants on top. And started to watch you guys. Still have a Dream to make a paludarium. But fish and specialy betta's are so awsome! Now ik have 2 aquariums for like a half year. Everything still Alive because of video's from you guys and of course serpadesign. Thank you!
@@EyScam On a group I saw they had painted a trellis the same color as the wall and had grown up that from the existing tank. It is so on my list for the 100 gallon! I am so tired of trying to balance plants at the water line with old heater suction cups, lol!!!
@@hummingbird3771 yeah I'm just going to Ikea and get some shelves and build a perfect tank, easy peasy :) actually he acknowledges that he has done it many times, but even the glass cutting is a skill beyond most
And with the way online forums work… that trend stays visible forever. You read through 12 pages of a six-year-old closed thread and think you have learned something, ... when everyone there already realized it was a garbage idea to start with, but can’t post an update to let people know.
Don’t worry, this didn’t come across as ranting or preaching. This was genuinely very helpful and has got me thinking. Especially the build up of tanks and spending money on absolutely everything.
love all your videos, beautiful fish room! At the beginning of COVID last year, my elderly neighbor became very sick and decided to quit keeping her fish. In a week, I had inherited the responsibility of two 150 gallon tanks, 10 10 gallon tanks, and 2 29's. I can safely say you all are the reason I have managed to keep the majority of her fish thriving, having never had fish before. Now work wants to transfer me to Tampa Florida and I am looking at a roughly 10 hour move in November. Do you have any tips on how to successfully move everything three states away? If you see this and decide to respond I would love to hear your advice, and I know my newly adopted friends would too. Thank you all for all your great information and help so far, It has sparked so much interest and love in the hobby i didn't previously know I needed
Put fish in coolers, or drop a bag in a styrofoam cooler, or use 5 gallon buckets. USB air pumps (I like the ones I got from Aquarium Co-op) make it a lot easier than my cross country move in the early 90's: drop an air stone in each bucket / cooler / bag and plug into the USB charger😅 Fast fish for 72 hours before you pack them up, pour gravel / substrate into 5 gallon buckets with enough tank water to keep damp (preserve beneficial bacteria) and (ideally) move the sponge filter with the gravel and an air stone so you set up the tanks immediately and instantly ready. Feed lightly the first week. If at all possible, either have people help you, or pay for both places long enough to take down only as many tanks as you can set up in 24 hours. Otherwise you are going to have losses.
Newbie fishkeeper here, 5 months in, 4 tanks, 5, 10, 20, 37 gallons, and absolutely obsessed and in love. I'm really learning so much from this channel. I feel like UA-cam videos in general have upped my game right from the start. I've made common mistakes but being guided all along the way minimizes the consequences of those mistakes and allows for a healthier, better life for our fish. Y'all are doing great work in this regard, so thank you and my fish thank you!!! Also love the way you two sneak in a deeper level of knowledge and often in a laugh out loud, funny way. Kudos
I'm pretty new to the hobby (got my betta boy Fagan in December, and now I have a bristlenose pleco Majima and my Neon Leonhearts the neon tetras) and these videos are SO much nicer and more informative than Reddit (got death threats for having a smaller tank. I've since gotten a much bigger tank but still). Thank you from a newbie!
If you don't keep a betta in at least a 175 gallon tank Reddit is required to send death threats to you. Seriously fish keepers on Reddit need to chill.
reddit aquariums is just toxic; I posted a picture of a cory I had in a 20 just to show my nice fishy, and people just piled on about what a horrible keeper I was, I just bailed tbh
Fish are not seen as having any feelings either tho recently many many scientists have proven they do indeed feel pain but I think it's incredibly naive to think animals thatve been around for millions of years do not have basic feelings they'd have to motivation to stay away from danger if they couldn't feel fear or pain
Everyone has an addiction, it's a coping technique for living in **waves hands around indicting current events** Some addictions are rewarded (hoarding resources, hoarding money, etc) and other addictions are stigmatized, and the rest are ignored. The key is to slow down, breathe, and discern if something is healthy (for self, for the animals involved, for the environment) and which coping techniques are going to negatively impact sentient, living things. 🤷♂️
I've never followed a trend in the Aquarium Industry... My whole life I've seen trends come and go, and not once did I even considered following... Except, when I actually tried something decades ago and it worked, and now it seems to be a thing... female Sorority Tanks... !!!! Yes Lisa, I created a 20 long gal tank when I was 15yo and worked at a pet shop... I saw these stunning female bettas and decided to try this out.. Long story short, YOU started me back on that "TREND" and I am a willing follower!!! Sorta very happy for UA-cam to allow me to witness this trend, because I saw your videos, I restarted mine again!!!
John and Lisa, u guys are the best . U helped me to give my betta a good life ! I used to keep him in a 10 ounce bowl, Give it just 4 freeze dried bloodworms a day , keep it without a heater etc. . If I didn't find ur channel , my betta would've lived like that for the rest of his life :) Now , after I found your channel :) ,My Betta is now in a 5 gallon w/ a heater, light, plants, tankmates . I feed him pellets, Blood worms, boiled peas. He also gets some 15 min exercise :) I
I thought this video was going to be like 8 years ago, it was all about African Cichlids, then it became live bearers and nano-tanks, now shrimp and micro fish.
Bro everytime I've ordered from you guys I've had to wait no longer than 5 days for my order. Plus every order has a personal touch and a bubbles sticker. Why the hell would I want to order from Amazon 🤣🤣🤣
Just bought the AQ-016 sponge filter and Eheim heater from KG Tropicals and I couldn't be any happier with the speed and communication from them. Love your videos and everything you are about. TY!!!
I love your channel ❤️. I suggest a section where you can give us personalized tips. Kind of like sending you videos of our aquarium setting and media and the fish we have in there and you can tell us if what we are doing is ok or not, or suggest us to do things to improve. I think that would be cool.
I have a little 3 gallon aquarium for my betta fish it has a little filter and light but I was wondering if the fish would like a little air stone? Thanks
Hi guys, I live in Australia and I am really new to the hobby. Thank you for your no-nonsense video's. I do check a few others, find the few who seem to know what's what. Thank you for making my journey a lot easier and stress free. We have a company here Aqua One. They do just about eveythink from tanks to food, they are resonably priced, however I have not seen any reviews. I don't think you get them in the states. Keep up the great videos. Regards M
If you are in Australia, look for Laura Main. I'm trying to remember the name of her FB group, but she is science based and exceptionally helpful for fish keepers in AU!!! She is even published in the hobby.
Wow!!! I didn't know you were part of the Serpa Squad? I LOVE his videos. I LOVE yours too! He has some amazing builds, and you do as well! I watch because I love looking at them. I don't have room to set up an aquarium right now, but when I do, I have some great inspiration to work from!
I have a canister filter on one goldfish tank and just a really good HOB and a sponge filter in my other goldfish tank and when the canister filter breaks I totally won't be replacing it. How hard it is to clean isn't worth it
That one clip when u had the red ball cap, u looking like Fred durst back in the day… love your videos, keep up the good work. I’ve learned a lot from watching!!
I love your videos as you give honest information through experience and that is what I like. You also come across as friends instead of just talking at people, you joke as well about your mistakes, again that is honest. So keep it going like you are doing and it will all be fine.
I've actually been thinking of down sizing my filtration in my 125. I'm currently running a Fx4. Seeing all these large tanks running good on just a couple spong filters, makes me regret buying that exspensive filter.
I haven't watched your videos in quite a while, love the new(ish) format! The information is super helpful as well, I'll probably be showing this to anyone I know who's new to the hobby.
YES, I got talked into a very young arrowanna for my 10 gallon tank, after it enjoyed all of my tetras, I started researching. I rehomed it, beautiful fish, but...400 gallons is the starting point to keep them.
I've found that activated charcoal was the cure for cloudy water after water changes didn't work. I tested my tap water and it was high in phosphates, so I started using a five gallon a day reverse osmosis filter and changed my water over the next month and stopped the algae problem and my tap water created black algae on top of the various green alga. I knew I had a problem when the Water Dept. kept changing the water parameters and black algae started growing in my toilet. I'm a retired biologist and I called the Water Dept. to find out why my PH kept changing as it went from 6.7 to 7.8 and was up and down, mostly up. They were adding supplemental calcium that apparently had phosphates in it along with 100 ppm nitrates all to keep the naturally acidic 6.7 PH spring water from dissolving lead solder in copper pipes. I had to buy a R.O. filter to get that crud out of my drinking and aquarium water. My toilet water would deposit a black ring in only a week. People started complaining they were poisoning the water, but they kept dumping the crud into our water.
This is important info for people to ask about in their area, my water is super high in phosphates and ph even using half and half ro water still barely helps and it's difficult to balance.
My tap water tests at 20 ppm for nitrate. I can’t get my tank under 40 for the life of me. I only have 1 common GF in a 75 gallon tank. I want to get a shubunkin eventually but then my parameters would be even worse. I tried pothos but it’s taking forever to make a difference. My sweet potato was growing roots like crazy but then it rotted. And my GF gobbles up the duck wort as soon as I put it in. So aggravating!
@@Irishrainy Try growing a Chrysanthemum on the side with the roots in the water. Your goldfish will not touch the Chrysanthemum roots as they'll taste nasty to it and try feeding the GF romaine lettuce and blanched spinach. If you have wild stinging nettle simply blanch it and it becomes edible and is very high in vitamin C. I kept my fish very healthy by feeding the live foods banana with vitamin powder added to it. I kept wingless fruit flies and clean tubifex worms. You must get some tubifex and clean them of any flukes, easy to raise and they will grow in your tank after a while, but don't buy commercial ones except the first batch you intend to clean and breed. Here's a trick to cut down on carbs, fish tacos using romaine leaves instead of tortillas. I was pre-diabetic and cured it by cutting carbs down to less than 10% of my diet. Lost some weight to boot. I still use romaine lettuce instead of tortillas most of the time.
I started out with indoor and some outdoor balcony plants as a hobby. I thankfully realized when I had reached my limit for plants I could manage. I had pests infecting many of my plants and it was a lot of maintenance. Once I got my dog, I didn't get any new plants besides annuals. After two years of having my dog, I decided to get my very first betta fish. I knew I just wanted to take it easy with one fish. It hasn't even been a month yet and I've been resisting the urge to buy another betta 😅😅 I have already purchased a larger tank (10g) that I'll eventually move him into. Getting in over your head is a real concern and it can be difficult to control your excitement at the start of any new hobby!
Multi-Tank Syndrome or MTS is very contagious, and cyclical in nature. Do not get rid of tanks just because symptoms have abated! Symptoms include too many tanks, but never enough, dirted tanks, and an escalating case of Cichlids. Cichlids often starts with the American infection (angels and discus), though initial infection can occur with the African strains (rift, river, and shellies), and co-infection is common. Not to be confused with Noah's Ark Syndrome or N'sAS, which is often a beginners affliction (like mono) involving two of every fish one can get. While relapse of N'sAS is possible, most studies find a lasting immunity, unless breeding occurs, then see MTS above. -Dr. Ben Theredonethat
Very excited to see your new house and the outdoor pond that you build. I don’t comment often, but I do enjoy your channel. You seem like likable people.
its not that you carry a lot of weight. it is because your reviews and opinions are well thought out and clearly explained. you have earned myopinion ofyo, just spent $400 on a tidal filter. I worked for 40 years in productdevelopment and you beautifully explained the design features, which to me just drip great design base on use research. I'm a pensioner and that is an entire weeks income. being disabled, i have a spastic arm ease of use is very important andyour review helped greatly I have beem keeping fish for58 years, given up twicebutende up missing fish keeping too much. thank you for the care and effort. comes out as that rare thing common sense
A really great and important topic John!! Well said and well done!! We really need to think about the reasons that we do the things we do and make sure that we can incorporate it into our system!!! It's real easy to get caught up in trends... There are some trends actually work out... It's just being careful... Thanks for another great stress-free video ❤️😁🙏🌿🐟🌿💚
Haha yup. My tank has been running for a month. Cycle is done. I have plants, wood, fertile substrate. My ph is 6.0 and now I have pest snails from the last plant I got. And I’ve had hair algae since the beginning. I went to the fish store wanting ph up. Finally got there and said I’m over thinking this. I left with some cool slate rock for hardscape because my tank was missing something in the decorations. And 4 Amani snails. I learned they are okay in lower ph and are Hardy. So I got those to clear up my hair algae and I will wait till my sink hook up vaccume to come in this Friday to start water changes. My tap water is 7.0 ph and I will start that process. So instead of making something easy hard I will take the time to make it right
I need help!!!! I plan to setup a 40 gallon breeder but in other tanks I’ve had a hard time keeping good water parameters despite using the advised chems, other then tap water where can I source my water to better start my new tank, even if that means waiting for new bacteria and such
I hard relate! Lessons I have learned over 4 decades, 2 countries and 3 states: Run tap water through a carbon filter before the aquarium to reduce 90% of the headaches regarding water parameters. A seasoned tank is far more stable than a 'cycled' tank. Buy fish for the water I have instead of trying to force the water to be what I 'want'. Plants, snails and amphopods (unless keeping/breeding shrimp) are best indicators of aquarium health, and part of a seasoned, balanced tank. That means I set up heavily planted tanks, and the filter (if I am using one. Several of my tanks are Walstad tanks).... feed the tank like fish are already in there, watch the diatom algae bloom come and go, watch the hair algae come and go (as I perfect lighting for the tank... again Walstad siesta time prevents the worst algae problems) and keep feeding the tank every day as if fish are in there but very little else.... Until I see plant growth. As soon as the plants start growing, I test water parameters and measure against tap parameters. If they are the same, I add shrimp and amphopods to clean up any leaf litter / melt. If different, small water changes until they are the same (so I don't have to chase water parameters) and then add snails and amphopods (or shrimp if it's a shrimp tank). After a few weeks, if everything is still testing consistently the same, I add a few "test fish" that have already been quarantined. Monitor for another month. Keep adding no more than 6 - 8 fish at a time, testing water parameters, and feeding the tank for the number of fish you want, not the number of fish you have (to establish the bacteria). Monitor plants for healthy growth, fish and inverts for healthy activity, and enjoy the rank. It's been my secret to success even before Diana wrote her book.
😂😂 I love this. Im glad I learnt from my dad and my uncle when I was younger. New technology sacred me. Any issues, 1st thing I do is water change, clean the filter and pray. I only add medication when I really have to. And always learn about a fish before I buy it.
I lost a tank of marine fish from ich as a kid. Now I’m getting back into the hobby. I could QT with no copper and keep an eye on them. Or do 14 days with it to be sure ich, velvet, etc are killed and transfer them to another clean QT tank and keep an eye before transferring to my main tanks. I think the biggest failure of new fish keepers is over feeding them.
Happy 4th of July folks! Thank you for all you do. And I have to say the betta on the thumbnail of this video is perhaps the most beautiful I’ve ever seen👍🏻🙂
For the medication one, I normally do a double dose of methylene blue for my fish when they have torn fins since it might lead to fin rot and its better to be safe than sorry. For the overwhelming yourself with too much of everything, I normally tell people one thing..... “deal with it. You wanted this, you deal with it. It worked for me so it will work for you”. Also I buy fish stuff online because the pandemic has really limited my shopping times to under an hour every month and waiting a week is much better for my products is better for me and since I barely buy new filters or lights, I would say my online shopping presence is pretty low.
Eh, glo fish breed naturally and the color is passed on jsut like any color. The glo colors come from a simple jellyfish gene inserted into an egg generations ago. Science has been using the jelly fish gene for years and years.
This is off topic but just wanted to say I stocked my very 1st aquarium last night and your videos have been immensely helpful. Thanks! (Btw I have 1 female crowntail Betta named Mary Lou, 4 kuhli loaches and a mystery snail)
My favorite trend is teaching people that Bettas are not lethargic boring fish, and that they deserve a proper habitat. Whenever someone asks me “Why bother having this complicated aquarium when you could just have a betta in a bowl?”, they’re up for a lecture 😂
One thing that amazon doesn't give is that personal interaction. I very much appreciate talking to the retailer on the phone or even better in person. Unfortunately the physical stores in Sweden don't have to make that extra effort, they're simply too few. There are the big chains of course, not that many either - and the problem with them is that they don't have to give personal service. If I'm going to pay extra, I want that extra.
My cheat code for keeping fish is plants A bit overstocked tank? Plants Fish feel bored? Have some plants Busy or lazy to change water regularly? Have more plants than fish Also good light for the plants
I actually enjoy my weekly tank maintenance rituals. It takes about 2 hours every Sunday to look after all 6 of our tanks, and if I'm honest I find it therapeutic.
Thank you for bringing these issues into the light so to speak. Personally, I made a decision to buy as much as possible from local fish stores or independent online sellers. Amazon is for when I am looking for something niche that is difficult to find otherwise. It's important to support the communities we are a part of. (in a pinch, I have been known to go to the big box pet stores for stuff I needed in a hurry, but NEVER livestock)
Nice video! My only feedback is about buying local. The turnover rate on things like food might not be as great, even on food that's not close to expiration. I purchased a typical round plastic container of fish flakes from my local popular fish store. I couple of days into using it, I accidentally spilled some on the counter. As I was about to clean it up, I noticed really small insects crawling among the flakes. Can't believe that I was putting that in my tank, let alone putting my fingers inside the container! Please check with your local store about their product return/refund policies before buying!
You could get a uv sterilizer. They are expensive but help protecting your fish from ick and bacterial infections. I got one because my green neons showed signs of fish tuberculosis and I read an 11 watt uv sterilizer could help. It made the hobby way easyer for me because it reduced infections overall and some odd parasite that came with my neons disappeared. Now I also use one in my gourami tank because they sometimes injure their finns and they heal well. It cannot replace the usual maintenance but it adds another line of defence against desease.
Agree about the Amazon vs Small business conflict. Aside implications on costs and distribution, customers take a risk on getting something that may not be safe for the pets. Rather spend a little more on a trusted quality item from a seller that will stand for what they sell.
It sucks that the consumerist attitude of buying something cheap for yourself is so prevalent. It's absolutely understandable that it is, but at the same time if we don't make compromises and cooperate then the wealth distribution will become more skewed for all of us. We need to support buying local, and support small businesses! It may cost more in the short term, but it pays off for the whole community in the long term
I've kept aquariums for over 30 years. I need to underscore with strong agreement about throwing money at the tank (or problem). Aquarium keeping is a science and an art. I see so many aquarists see photos or videos of gorgeous intricate and complex aquariums online. They are inspired by the art, and then they buy all these very expensive so-called 'aquascaping' items. Not long afterwards, the expectation of the beautiful aquascape art falls short. Algae takes over, fish or plants die, water parameters are off, etc., etc. They need to understand some basic science first in order to successfully keep aquariums. After they gain sufficient science knowledge, they will have latitude to dabble and perfect the art of aquarium keeping. Sure, you want to have a beautiful tank to enjoy, but you need to understand science first, then you can develop the art. As you learn, you'll perfect the art. There's absolutely no side-stepping basic scientific knowledge and experience and leap directly to instant gratification. Aquarium keeping is a science and an art. Learn the science first with the curiosity to learn. Then, start dabbling in the art of complex aquascaping. Beautiful aquascaping won't save your fish. Science knowledge will.
Regarding the multiple tanks problem. My advise, start renting and you'll be immediately limited with the tanks. At least after you calculate the moving costs of all your tanks (instate, interstate?) that you have to keep available on top of your moving budget 🤣
I make fish food for my fish, I put a lot of garlic in because its good for my fish and is a natural way to avoid a lot of problems. Learning how to DIY aquarium stuff saves a lot of cash and can make it perfect for you. Coconut huts are a good example, you can make caves suitable for different fish and tanks
The whole manufacturing, distribution, and retail makes sense but when you think about it, wouldn’t it be better to cut the middle man? Yes private retailers like you will suffer when it comes to goods that you can’t make yourself but if it’s things like fish and plants that you breed and grow, your directly controlling your supply and can sell your goods directly to the consumer for maximum profit and direct feedback from the consumer. Like most people, I worked at Walmart as a stocker and I saw just how inefficient it was from manufacturing to distribution to retail. The number 1 issue I saw was human error like customers damaging the product or product being damaged during distribution, either case forcing the retailer to return the goods back to the distributors and so on so forth. This sort of bureaucracy when it comes to the exchange of goods is tedious and a result of the old times when we did not have the technology to do what we can do now. I fully understand the damage caused by Amazon’s business model but I don’t see why Amazon should have the monopoly of manufacturer to consumer. Etsy and temu, and to some extent Craigslist, have been great in allowing small businesses thrive because the manufacturers can sell their products directly to the consumer and receiving feedback to better optimize future purchases. I’ve seen your video about Amazon and agree with all your talking points, but people will always be out for their own best interests and will try to get the best deal possible. The biggest issue that came from the existence of Amazon isn’t the manufacturing, distribution, and retail damage caused by Amazon but the cheap products created in countries like china or Mexico that undercuts the manufacturers that sell the good stuff. Amazon has become a cesspool of cheap aquatic goods that the common folk go to when starting the hobby, I’m no exception, and that’s the undeniable status quo that come from all businesses that enables cutting out the middle man. It’s my belief that there is a natural order, causality and regression, supply and demand, exponential growth and carrying capacity. If manufacturers are selling their goods on Amazon, they are doing so to maximize their profits by cutting out the middle man but they will have to deal with cheap knockoffs, resellers, and used products that will undercut their prices, harming their profits. Since you are both a private retailer and aquatic influencer, I believe your position will inevitably be of greater importance since the consumers who are willing to buy actual good aquatic products will buy from you, forcing manufacturers to try and sponsor you to sell their products. Don’t mind me, I just enjoy discussions like these.
I don't fully agree with #3. Throwing money at a problem "thinking" it will solve it, can be very negative. But, throwing money at a problem "Knowing" it will solve it, can be beneficial. Here's an examples: I hate topping off evaporation every day. I add an auto-top-off, automating that chore. I cost's money yes, but I eliminate something I forget and dislike; doing so also increased the success rate of that system. #3 comes down to your personal knowledge level, and where you place value. I agree the FX6 example is correct. But their are multiple chores and reoccurring issues I have gladly thrown $300 at, and never dealt with them again. The ATO example is a $200 item, plus an RO/DI, and a water storage vessel. The value I get in ignoring evaporation is more than worth it. It also ties into #4. I have one freshwater system. And don't have MTS. So, investing hardware in my one pet project, isn't a big deal to me. It would be a very different story if I had to implement an ATO on 25 tanks. Scale does matter.
OH Jon, I don't consider "bobble heads" toys, cuz you don't really play with them. But--- I do like them-- and those solar thingys that bob around !!! I wouldn't make fun of you. Whatever floats your boat. 😂 I like to laugh, so little things like this make me happy. 😂
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Mean while me struggling with low lighting
Curious about the xtreme sinking wafers, would 1 wafer be sufficient for 4 albino corys?
I love the placot betta swimming in the tank beautiful well done. The red and white is my favorite. I would love to see the babies in the tank too. 😉🤔🥰
I was wondering if you still had or know where to get Lake Victoria Pundamilia Nyererei captive-bred, I prefer the Makobe island strain, but Ruti island would be good too.
Do a video on glass catfish
My favorite trend is the rise of educational channels getting people to consider the wellbeing of the animal before the desires of the keeper.
Definitely my favorite trend, too!!!
Amen!!!
You stole my name! jk lol
Preach!!
I've noticed that some youtube fish channels seem to go through fish at an alarming rate. They seem to be constantly setting up/re-scaping and stocking tanks. Soon after the fish disappear with no explanation, and they're adding new species. I think this sets a bad example for fish keepers who may mistakenly believe they can easily rehome any fish they get tired of.
Meanwhile, I have noticed one positive trend in fish keeping ... That of keeping nano fish in large tanks (up to 125 gallons).
Petco & PetSmart will take unwanted fish :)
@@mandypdx - Maybe some locations. ... And even then, chain stores don't have space for larger species like Pacu, Redtail Catfish, Arowanas, Iridescent Sharks, large Cichlids, etc.
@@matthewzito6130 good to know!! I’ve seen the signs in the stores but have never needed to re-home fish!
some fish channels scape for other people so that can be an explanation for the disappearing
Do they ever promote a fish store, cos it's possible they may just be "borrowing" the fish in return for promotion.
My foster mom used to tell us "Don't follow the mASSES, because sometimes the M is silent."
Omg 😆 I love it
What a wise woman 😂
Dang. That’s so true though
Excellent advice
was she in a band called L7 by chance? :)
the SerpaDesigns reference was one hundred percent spot on. Every video from that guy gives me an existential crisis between the fish I could have and the fish I can afford 😂
I like the fact that he films his outcomes so every time I want to start something new, I can go watch all the "sniff tests" 🤣🤣🤣
It means I bought a 4' tank in February, and I am slowly acquiring everything I need so I can do it right the first time, and not have to redo in the future.
Once and done, instead of dunce.😅
I have many nano and pico tanks, and strive for an ecological balance so I can enjoy my tanks and so my animals have a cushion if I get sick or some emergency happens.🐠
Spot on! I started with a low tech tank 40 liters, after watching like all of his video's.
Wanted a paludarium but I kept adding water. Want some shrimp some nano fish. Now it became a aquarium with some wood and plants on top. And started to watch you guys.
Still have a Dream to make a paludarium. But fish and specialy betta's are so awsome!
Now ik have 2 aquariums for like a half year. Everything still Alive because of video's from you guys and of course serpadesign. Thank you!
There's also the skillset crisis for me, lol!!
@@EyScam On a group I saw they had painted a trellis the same color as the wall and had grown up that from the existing tank. It is so on my list for the 100 gallon! I am so tired of trying to balance plants at the water line with old heater suction cups, lol!!!
@@hummingbird3771 yeah I'm just going to Ikea and get some shelves and build a perfect tank, easy peasy :) actually he acknowledges that he has done it many times, but even the glass cutting is a skill beyond most
And with the way online forums work… that trend stays visible forever. You read through 12 pages of a six-year-old closed thread and think you have learned something, ... when everyone there already realized it was a garbage idea to start with, but can’t post an update to let people know.
Yes thats definitely a problem!
People could cross examine with other more recent blogs and forum posts, that'd make a lot of difference
Don’t worry, this didn’t come across as ranting or preaching. This was genuinely very helpful and has got me thinking. Especially the build up of tanks and spending money on absolutely everything.
love all your videos, beautiful fish room! At the beginning of COVID last year, my elderly neighbor became very sick and decided to quit keeping her fish. In a week, I had inherited the responsibility of two 150 gallon tanks, 10 10 gallon tanks, and 2 29's. I can safely say you all are the reason I have managed to keep the majority of her fish thriving, having never had fish before. Now work wants to transfer me to Tampa Florida and I am looking at a roughly 10 hour move in November. Do you have any tips on how to successfully move everything three states away? If you see this and decide to respond I would love to hear your advice, and I know my newly adopted friends would too. Thank you all for all your great information and help so far, It has sparked so much interest and love in the hobby i didn't previously know I needed
Put fish in coolers, or drop a bag in a styrofoam cooler, or use 5 gallon buckets.
USB air pumps (I like the ones I got from Aquarium Co-op) make it a lot easier than my cross country move in the early 90's: drop an air stone in each bucket / cooler / bag and plug into the USB charger😅
Fast fish for 72 hours before you pack them up, pour gravel / substrate into 5 gallon buckets with enough tank water to keep damp (preserve beneficial bacteria) and (ideally) move the sponge filter with the gravel and an air stone so you set up the tanks immediately and instantly ready.
Feed lightly the first week.
If at all possible, either have people help you, or pay for both places long enough to take down only as many tanks as you can set up in 24 hours.
Otherwise you are going to have losses.
Newbie fishkeeper here, 5 months in, 4 tanks, 5, 10, 20, 37 gallons, and absolutely obsessed and in love. I'm really learning so much from this channel. I feel like UA-cam videos in general have upped my game right from the start. I've made common mistakes but being guided all along the way minimizes the consequences of those mistakes and allows for a healthier, better life for our fish. Y'all are doing great work in this regard, so thank you and my fish thank you!!! Also love the way you two sneak in a deeper level of knowledge and often in a laugh out loud, funny way. Kudos
I'm pretty new to the hobby (got my betta boy Fagan in December, and now I have a bristlenose pleco Majima and my Neon Leonhearts the neon tetras) and these videos are SO much nicer and more informative than Reddit (got death threats for having a smaller tank. I've since gotten a much bigger tank but still). Thank you from a newbie!
If you don't keep a betta in at least a 175 gallon tank Reddit is required to send death threats to you. Seriously fish keepers on Reddit need to chill.
reddit aquariums is just toxic; I posted a picture of a cory I had in a 20 just to show my nice fishy, and people just piled on about what a horrible keeper I was, I just bailed tbh
I've seen people taking their puffer fish out of the water and playing with them like a toy ball. Every time i report it for abuse it isn't taken down
Fish are not seen as having any feelings either tho recently many many scientists have proven they do indeed feel pain but I think it's incredibly naive to think animals thatve been around for millions of years do not have basic feelings they'd have to motivation to stay away from danger if they couldn't feel fear or pain
Nope, not ranty or preachy to me - just plain common sense and y'all's perception of things - thanks John and Lisa💕👍
Thanks for watching and commenting 😊
Lol serpa designs makes me feel like I can do anything. But I always talk myself out of it, just like I am talking myself out of another fish tank 😩
You can do it!!
😦
It's good to know your limits, especially when there's living things involved. You're erring on the side of caution, that's good.
There’s nothing wrong with be cautious just means you’re a responsible keeper
Fish keeping is a HEALTHY ADDICTION…..
But unhealthy for your wallet...
Lol ikr
....said no fish keeper ever because just like other hobbies, it keeps accumulating and you eventually get too much.
Everyone has an addiction, it's a coping technique for living in **waves hands around indicting current events**
Some addictions are rewarded (hoarding resources, hoarding money, etc) and other addictions are stigmatized, and the rest are ignored.
The key is to slow down, breathe, and discern if something is healthy (for self, for the animals involved, for the environment) and which coping techniques are going to negatively impact sentient, living things. 🤷♂️
@@Ten-kc2yp Yep my wallet has Cancer
I blame you for making me binge this channel and stay up at night watching fish videos. My 30 gallon is going great with a Skunk Cleaner Shrimp 👍
I've never followed a trend in the Aquarium Industry... My whole life I've seen trends come and go, and not once did I even considered following... Except, when I actually tried something decades ago and it worked, and now it seems to be a thing... female Sorority Tanks... !!!! Yes Lisa, I created a 20 long gal tank when I was 15yo and worked at a pet shop... I saw these stunning female bettas and decided to try this out.. Long story short, YOU started me back on that "TREND" and I am a willing follower!!! Sorta very happy for UA-cam to allow me to witness this trend, because I saw your videos, I restarted mine again!!!
That's awesome 😊
John and Lisa, u guys are the best . U helped me to give my betta a good life ! I used to keep him in a 10 ounce bowl, Give it just 4 freeze dried bloodworms a day , keep it without a heater etc. . If I didn't find ur channel , my betta would've lived like that for the rest of his life :)
Now , after I found your channel :) ,My Betta is now in a 5 gallon w/ a heater, light, plants, tankmates . I feed him pellets, Blood worms, boiled peas. He also gets some 15 min exercise :) I
I thought this video was going to be like 8 years ago, it was all about African Cichlids, then it became live bearers and nano-tanks, now shrimp and micro fish.
Bro everytime I've ordered from you guys I've had to wait no longer than 5 days for my order. Plus every order has a personal touch and a bubbles sticker. Why the hell would I want to order from Amazon 🤣🤣🤣
Thank you so much 😊
Just bought the AQ-016 sponge filter and Eheim heater from KG Tropicals and I couldn't be any happier with the speed and communication from them. Love your videos and everything you are about. TY!!!
I love your channel ❤️. I suggest a section where you can give us personalized tips. Kind of like sending you videos of our aquarium setting and media and the fish we have in there and you can tell us if what we are doing is ok or not, or suggest us to do things to improve. I think that would be cool.
I have a little 3 gallon aquarium for my betta fish it has a little filter and light but I was wondering if the fish would like a little air stone? Thanks
Liking those yellow labs they are so beautiful. The yellow color pops on the dark substrate and dark black ground.
Thank you! It's definitely one of my favorite tanks 🙂
16:01
That green shine is so beautiful on those fishes
my favorite series on this channel is called "Silly John Stories"
Great video and info, slowing down and patience was the hardest thing for me to learn.
Hi guys, I live in Australia and I am really new to the hobby. Thank you for your no-nonsense video's. I do check a few others, find the few who seem to know what's what. Thank you for making my journey a lot easier and stress free. We have a company here Aqua One. They do just about eveythink from tanks to food, they are resonably priced, however I have not seen any reviews. I don't think you get them in the states. Keep up the great videos. Regards M
If you are in Australia, look for Laura Main. I'm trying to remember the name of her FB group, but she is science based and exceptionally helpful for fish keepers in AU!!!
She is even published in the hobby.
Wow!!! I didn't know you were part of the Serpa Squad? I LOVE his videos. I LOVE yours too! He has some amazing builds, and you do as well! I watch because I love looking at them. I don't have room to set up an aquarium right now, but when I do, I have some great inspiration to work from!
Sort of irrelevant buuuuuuut, I GOT MY FIRST FISH TANK TODAY!!!!!!!
how's it doing?
@@wildgeeses I haven't gotten any fish yet, I still need to set it up, but it should be ready soon! 😃🐠🐟
How many gallons?
How are the fish ! Congrats on getting your first tank . Youre gonna have a heathy addiction.
@@drshrutikakankariya1017 Sadly with school and everything it's still not set up... 😞
Another great video thanks John and Lisa for teaching us so much!!!
I wanted to buy an fx6 for my 55 goldfish tank but then I realized I don’t need it because I my filters already do a great job
I have a canister filter on one goldfish tank and just a really good HOB and a sponge filter in my other goldfish tank and when the canister filter breaks I totally won't be replacing it. How hard it is to clean isn't worth it
@@langenandanimals that’s exactly my setup a good HOB filter and a large sponge filter with some pothos and were golden
@@thegoldfishking7954 same! I love pothos
Sponge filters are underrated,cheap and reliable
Get a 307 for your 55 a fx6 is for 200 gallon tanks and up
300 on an fx6 to filter it when 150 you could just build a sump with a built in drain to just do water changes
06:50 John always messin with Lisa 🤣
Always lol 😆
That one clip when u had the red ball cap, u looking like Fred durst back in the day… love your videos, keep up the good work. I’ve learned a lot from watching!!
You are right. It is a big problem. All of our mom and pop fish stores are gone but one in my town. And the selection is not to good
I LOVE YOU GUYS!! Never too " ranty ot preachy" just good information 👍
I love your videos as you give honest information through experience and that is what I like. You also come across as friends instead of just talking at people, you joke as well about your mistakes, again that is honest. So keep it going like you are doing and it will all be fine.
Appreciate your honesty. Thank you.
I've actually been thinking of down sizing my filtration in my 125. I'm currently running a Fx4. Seeing all these large tanks running good on just a couple spong filters, makes me regret buying that exspensive filter.
Very good video guys . Love watching you guys channel . . . Keep up the great content 👏
I haven't watched your videos in quite a while, love the new(ish) format! The information is super helpful as well, I'll probably be showing this to anyone I know who's new to the hobby.
I was SO excited that your be prepared for anything bundle was back in stock!!! And then I found out it's not available to ship to Canada 😞
Y'all brought up some really good points in this video. Thanks for the honesty!!
Love that you watch SerpaDesign! I've been part of the "serpa squad" for several years now lol. I'm obsessed with his terrarium builds 😊
YES, I got talked into a very young arrowanna for my 10 gallon tank, after it enjoyed all of my tetras, I started researching. I rehomed it, beautiful fish, but...400 gallons is the starting point to keep them.
The one thing that joins us all - admiration for Serpa Design lol
🔥💜Tanner💜🔥
I've found that activated charcoal was the cure for cloudy water after water changes didn't work. I tested my tap water and it was high in phosphates, so I started using a five gallon a day reverse osmosis filter and changed my water over the next month and stopped the algae problem and my tap water created black algae on top of the various green alga.
I knew I had a problem when the Water Dept. kept changing the water parameters and black algae started growing in my toilet. I'm a retired biologist and I called the Water Dept. to find out why my PH kept changing as it went from 6.7 to 7.8 and was up and down, mostly up. They were adding supplemental calcium that apparently had phosphates in it along with 100 ppm nitrates all to keep the naturally acidic 6.7 PH spring water from dissolving lead solder in copper pipes. I had to buy a R.O. filter to get that crud out of my drinking and aquarium water. My toilet water would deposit a black ring in only a week. People started complaining they were poisoning the water, but they kept dumping the crud into our water.
This is important info for people to ask about in their area, my water is super high in phosphates and ph even using half and half ro water still barely helps and it's difficult to balance.
My tap water tests at 20 ppm for nitrate. I can’t get my tank under 40 for the life of me. I only have 1 common GF in a 75 gallon tank. I want to get a shubunkin eventually but then my parameters would be even worse. I tried pothos but it’s taking forever to make a difference. My sweet potato was growing roots like crazy but then it rotted. And my GF gobbles up the duck wort as soon as I put it in. So aggravating!
@@Irishrainy Try growing a Chrysanthemum on the side with the roots in the water. Your goldfish will not touch the Chrysanthemum roots as they'll taste nasty to it and try feeding the GF romaine lettuce and blanched spinach. If you have wild stinging nettle simply blanch it and it becomes edible and is very high in vitamin C.
I kept my fish very healthy by feeding the live foods banana with vitamin powder added to it. I kept wingless fruit flies and clean tubifex worms. You must get some tubifex and clean them of any flukes, easy to raise and they will grow in your tank after a while, but don't buy commercial ones except the first batch you intend to clean and breed.
Here's a trick to cut down on carbs, fish tacos using romaine leaves instead of tortillas. I was pre-diabetic and cured it by cutting carbs down to less than 10% of my diet. Lost some weight to boot. I still use romaine lettuce instead of tortillas most of the time.
I started out with indoor and some outdoor balcony plants as a hobby. I thankfully realized when I had reached my limit for plants I could manage. I had pests infecting many of my plants and it was a lot of maintenance.
Once I got my dog, I didn't get any new plants besides annuals.
After two years of having my dog, I decided to get my very first betta fish. I knew I just wanted to take it easy with one fish. It hasn't even been a month yet and I've been resisting the urge to buy another betta 😅😅 I have already purchased a larger tank (10g) that I'll eventually move him into.
Getting in over your head is a real concern and it can be difficult to control your excitement at the start of any new hobby!
Multi-Tank Syndrome or MTS is very contagious, and cyclical in nature. Do not get rid of tanks just because symptoms have abated! Symptoms include too many tanks, but never enough, dirted tanks, and an escalating case of Cichlids. Cichlids often starts with the American infection (angels and discus), though initial infection can occur with the African strains (rift, river, and shellies), and co-infection is common. Not to be confused with Noah's Ark Syndrome or N'sAS, which is often a beginners affliction (like mono) involving two of every fish one can get. While relapse of N'sAS is possible, most studies find a lasting immunity, unless breeding occurs, then see MTS above. -Dr. Ben Theredonethat
Very excited to see your new house and the outdoor pond that you build. I don’t comment often, but I do enjoy your channel. You seem like likable people.
Those Bichir are looking amazing in that tank! Bichir are my favourite :) I’ll have to get decent pics of my big ones lol
I get John. Lisa you were right about having too many fish tanks. It's easy to fall into that trap.
its not that you carry a lot of weight. it is because your reviews and opinions are well thought out and clearly explained. you have earned myopinion ofyo, just spent $400 on a tidal filter. I worked for 40 years in productdevelopment and you beautifully explained the design features, which to me just drip great design base on use research. I'm a pensioner and that is an entire weeks income. being disabled, i have a spastic arm ease of use is very important andyour review helped greatly I have beem keeping fish for58 years, given up twicebutende up missing fish keeping too much. thank you for the care and effort. comes out as that rare thing common sense
Seriously though! Some guy went around buying up all the filters for fish tanks in my area and jacked up the price 300% online.
Thats terrible 😕
A really great and important topic John!! Well said and well done!! We really need to think about the reasons that we do the things we do and make sure that we can incorporate it into our system!!! It's real easy to get caught up in trends... There are some trends actually work out... It's just being careful...
Thanks for another great stress-free video ❤️😁🙏🌿🐟🌿💚
Haha yup. My tank has been running for a month. Cycle is done. I have plants, wood, fertile substrate. My ph is 6.0 and now I have pest snails from the last plant I got. And I’ve had hair algae since the beginning. I went to the fish store wanting ph up. Finally got there and said I’m over thinking this. I left with some cool slate rock for hardscape because my tank was missing something in the decorations. And 4 Amani snails. I learned they are okay in lower ph and are Hardy. So I got those to clear up my hair algae and I will wait till my sink hook up vaccume to come in this Friday to start water changes. My tap water is 7.0 ph and I will start that process. So instead of making something easy hard I will take the time to make it right
Ohhhh that betta at 6:07 😍 admiring the colors.
17:20 brichardis love those little guys. They can be mean if they own the tank already. But beautiful trails.
Thank you so much for the ID, I was just about to post a comment asking what they are!
@@sams7708 3 different names princess cichlids African fairy or brichardis I think is the scientific name
I need help!!!! I plan to setup a 40 gallon breeder but in other tanks I’ve had a hard time keeping good water parameters despite using the advised chems, other then tap water where can I source my water to better start my new tank, even if that means waiting for new bacteria and such
I hard relate!
Lessons I have learned over 4 decades, 2 countries and 3 states:
Run tap water through a carbon filter before the aquarium to reduce 90% of the headaches regarding water parameters.
A seasoned tank is far more stable than a 'cycled' tank.
Buy fish for the water I have instead of trying to force the water to be what I 'want'.
Plants, snails and amphopods (unless keeping/breeding shrimp) are best indicators of aquarium health, and part of a seasoned, balanced tank.
That means I set up heavily planted tanks, and the filter (if I am using one. Several of my tanks are Walstad tanks).... feed the tank like fish are already in there, watch the diatom algae bloom come and go, watch the hair algae come and go (as I perfect lighting for the tank... again Walstad siesta time prevents the worst algae problems) and keep feeding the tank every day as if fish are in there but very little else....
Until I see plant growth.
As soon as the plants start growing, I test water parameters and measure against tap parameters. If they are the same, I add shrimp and amphopods to clean up any leaf litter / melt. If different, small water changes until they are the same (so I don't have to chase water parameters) and then add snails and amphopods (or shrimp if it's a shrimp tank).
After a few weeks, if everything is still testing consistently the same, I add a few "test fish" that have already been quarantined.
Monitor for another month.
Keep adding no more than 6 - 8 fish at a time, testing water parameters, and feeding the tank for the number of fish you want, not the number of fish you have (to establish the bacteria).
Monitor plants for healthy growth, fish and inverts for healthy activity, and enjoy the rank.
It's been my secret to success even before Diana wrote her book.
😂😂 I love this. Im glad I learnt from my dad and my uncle when I was younger. New technology sacred me. Any issues, 1st thing I do is water change, clean the filter and pray. I only add medication when I really have to. And always learn about a fish before I buy it.
I lost a tank of marine fish from ich as a kid. Now I’m getting back into the hobby. I could QT with no copper and keep an eye on them. Or do 14 days with it to be sure ich, velvet, etc are killed and transfer them to another clean QT tank and keep an eye before transferring to my main tanks.
I think the biggest failure of new fish keepers is over feeding them.
Love this channel thanks to them I'm going to get my Betta and every thing I need too!
🥰
Great, fresh topic for aquarium enthusiasts!!!!
i love you guys thank you for the videos.your honest and great.
I love your videos. You guys and Cory tell it straight. Keep the videos coming!
Happy 4th of July folks! Thank you for all you do. And I have to say the betta on the thumbnail of this video is perhaps the most beautiful I’ve ever seen👍🏻🙂
Thank you for being ethical, generous and caring.
For the medication one, I normally do a double dose of methylene blue for my fish when they have torn fins since it might lead to fin rot and its better to be safe than sorry. For the overwhelming yourself with too much of everything, I normally tell people one thing..... “deal with it. You wanted this, you deal with it. It worked for me so it will work for you”. Also I buy fish stuff online because the pandemic has really limited my shopping times to under an hour every month and waiting a week is much better for my products is better for me and since I barely buy new filters or lights, I would say my online shopping presence is pretty low.
"Glow" or blue light fish is the saddest trend ive seen in the hobby. All glowlite fish look so lab made or un natural.
A close second is keeping too many incompatible monster fish in not so monster tanks.
@@winningworldwide764 ooof thats just soooo true
Eh, glo fish breed naturally and the color is passed on jsut like any color. The glo colors come from a simple jellyfish gene inserted into an egg generations ago. Science has been using the jelly fish gene for years and years.
@@seeing8spots well if thats true then it doesnt seem wrong
@@seeing8spots well its still a genetically modified fish
This is off topic but just wanted to say I stocked my very 1st aquarium last night and your videos have been immensely helpful. Thanks! (Btw I have 1 female crowntail Betta named Mary Lou, 4 kuhli loaches and a mystery snail)
Always good info. You guys are great!
My favorite trend is teaching people that Bettas are not lethargic boring fish, and that they deserve a proper habitat. Whenever someone asks me “Why bother having this complicated aquarium when you could just have a betta in a bowl?”, they’re up for a lecture 😂
Good points to bring up, you all keep up the good work!!!
One thing that amazon doesn't give is that personal interaction. I very much appreciate talking to the retailer on the phone or even better in person. Unfortunately the physical stores in Sweden don't have to make that extra effort, they're simply too few. There are the big chains of course, not that many either - and the problem with them is that they don't have to give personal service. If I'm going to pay extra, I want that extra.
My cheat code for keeping fish is plants
A bit overstocked tank? Plants
Fish feel bored? Have some plants
Busy or lazy to change water regularly? Have more plants than fish
Also good light for the plants
Unless you have a goldfish. They eat everything! Live plants are a waste for my tank.
I actually enjoy my weekly tank maintenance rituals. It takes about 2 hours every Sunday to look after all 6 of our tanks, and if I'm honest I find it therapeutic.
Love you guys and the content 😁
Thank you Nicole 🙂
The biggest one I see all the time is bettas with dropsy. Like literally anything wrong with a fish and people just jump straight to dropsy
Thank you for bringing these issues into the light so to speak.
Personally, I made a decision to buy as much as possible from local fish stores or independent online sellers. Amazon is for when I am looking for something niche that is difficult to find otherwise. It's important to support the communities we are a part of.
(in a pinch, I have been known to go to the big box pet stores for stuff I needed in a hurry, but NEVER livestock)
Nice video! My only feedback is about buying local. The turnover rate on things like food might not be as great, even on food that's not close to expiration. I purchased a typical round plastic container of fish flakes from my local popular fish store. I couple of days into using it, I accidentally spilled some on the counter. As I was about to clean it up, I noticed really small insects crawling among the flakes. Can't believe that I was putting that in my tank, let alone putting my fingers inside the container! Please check with your local store about their product return/refund policies before buying!
Also...I don't think anyone will ever beat your "Tanks of Our Lives" series.
I thought about ick maintenance for my fish. I am always checking them for signs of ick.
You could get a uv sterilizer. They are expensive but help protecting your fish from ick and bacterial infections. I got one because my green neons showed signs of fish tuberculosis and I read an 11 watt uv sterilizer could help. It made the hobby way easyer for me because it reduced infections overall and some odd parasite that came with my neons disappeared. Now I also use one in my gourami tank because they sometimes injure their finns and they heal well. It cannot replace the usual maintenance but it adds another line of defence against desease.
Serpadesign is who inspired me. I started with terrariums lol now I have 2 aquariums and 4 terrariums 😅😅😅
Agree about the Amazon vs Small business conflict. Aside implications on costs and distribution, customers take a risk on getting something that may not be safe for the pets. Rather spend a little more on a trusted quality item from a seller that will stand for what they sell.
love your chanel ty for being alive and active
Still my fav for her love of sparkling gourami & pea puffers :)
It sucks that the consumerist attitude of buying something cheap for yourself is so prevalent. It's absolutely understandable that it is, but at the same time if we don't make compromises and cooperate then the wealth distribution will become more skewed for all of us. We need to support buying local, and support small businesses! It may cost more in the short term, but it pays off for the whole community in the long term
I just heard recently that you need to medicate every quarantine tank. Expensive ‼️‼️ I think you’re right. Only give meds to fish who need it.
Watching this while setting up my chihiros wrgb || for my main tank, its planted but no CO2 usage. Fish look incredible tho 😍.
Another fantastic video! It's OK about the bobbleheads, John, but I'd much rather see Lisa's b-roll betta footage lol. :)
Serpa Squad UNITE! 03:42
I've kept aquariums for over 30 years. I need to underscore with strong agreement about throwing money at the tank (or problem). Aquarium keeping is a science and an art. I see so many aquarists see photos or videos of gorgeous intricate and complex aquariums online. They are inspired by the art, and then they buy all these very expensive so-called 'aquascaping' items. Not long afterwards, the expectation of the beautiful aquascape art falls short. Algae takes over, fish or plants die, water parameters are off, etc., etc.
They need to understand some basic science first in order to successfully keep aquariums. After they gain sufficient science knowledge, they will have latitude to dabble and perfect the art of aquarium keeping. Sure, you want to have a beautiful tank to enjoy, but you need to understand science first, then you can develop the art. As you learn, you'll perfect the art. There's absolutely no side-stepping basic scientific knowledge and experience and leap directly to instant gratification.
Aquarium keeping is a science and an art. Learn the science first with the curiosity to learn. Then, start dabbling in the art of complex aquascaping. Beautiful aquascaping won't save your fish. Science knowledge will.
Where do we learn about the science part?
Luv what you're doing to keep us informed I can really use some advice on a tank I'm starting up
How big is the tank at 8 minutes? Looks bigger than the top fin Fascinate Column tank I have and I like it a-lot
Regarding the multiple tanks problem. My advise, start renting and you'll be immediately limited with the tanks. At least after you calculate the moving costs of all your tanks (instate, interstate?) that you have to keep available on top of your moving budget 🤣
I make fish food for my fish, I put a lot of garlic in because its good for my fish and is a natural way to avoid a lot of problems. Learning how to DIY aquarium stuff saves a lot of cash and can make it perfect for you. Coconut huts are a good example, you can make caves suitable for different fish and tanks
The whole manufacturing, distribution, and retail makes sense but when you think about it, wouldn’t it be better to cut the middle man? Yes private retailers like you will suffer when it comes to goods that you can’t make yourself but if it’s things like fish and plants that you breed and grow, your directly controlling your supply and can sell your goods directly to the consumer for maximum profit and direct feedback from the consumer.
Like most people, I worked at Walmart as a stocker and I saw just how inefficient it was from manufacturing to distribution to retail. The number 1 issue I saw was human error like customers damaging the product or product being damaged during distribution, either case forcing the retailer to return the goods back to the distributors and so on so forth. This sort of bureaucracy when it comes to the exchange of goods is tedious and a result of the old times when we did not have the technology to do what we can do now.
I fully understand the damage caused by Amazon’s business model but I don’t see why Amazon should have the monopoly of manufacturer to consumer. Etsy and temu, and to some extent Craigslist, have been great in allowing small businesses thrive because the manufacturers can sell their products directly to the consumer and receiving feedback to better optimize future purchases.
I’ve seen your video about Amazon and agree with all your talking points, but people will always be out for their own best interests and will try to get the best deal possible. The biggest issue that came from the existence of Amazon isn’t the manufacturing, distribution, and retail damage caused by Amazon but the cheap products created in countries like china or Mexico that undercuts the manufacturers that sell the good stuff. Amazon has become a cesspool of cheap aquatic goods that the common folk go to when starting the hobby, I’m no exception, and that’s the undeniable status quo that come from all businesses that enables cutting out the middle man.
It’s my belief that there is a natural order, causality and regression, supply and demand, exponential growth and carrying capacity. If manufacturers are selling their goods on Amazon, they are doing so to maximize their profits by cutting out the middle man but they will have to deal with cheap knockoffs, resellers, and used products that will undercut their prices, harming their profits. Since you are both a private retailer and aquatic influencer, I believe your position will inevitably be of greater importance since the consumers who are willing to buy actual good aquatic products will buy from you, forcing manufacturers to try and sponsor you to sell their products.
Don’t mind me, I just enjoy discussions like these.
I don't fully agree with #3. Throwing money at a problem "thinking" it will solve it, can be very negative. But, throwing money at a problem "Knowing" it will solve it, can be beneficial.
Here's an examples: I hate topping off evaporation every day. I add an auto-top-off, automating that chore. I cost's money yes, but I eliminate something I forget and dislike; doing so also increased the success rate of that system.
#3 comes down to your personal knowledge level, and where you place value. I agree the FX6 example is correct. But their are multiple chores and reoccurring issues I have gladly thrown $300 at, and never dealt with them again. The ATO example is a $200 item, plus an RO/DI, and a water storage vessel. The value I get in ignoring evaporation is more than worth it.
It also ties into #4. I have one freshwater system. And don't have MTS. So, investing hardware in my one pet project, isn't a big deal to me. It would be a very different story if I had to implement an ATO on 25 tanks. Scale does matter.
OH Jon, I don't consider "bobble heads" toys, cuz you don't really play with them. But--- I do like them-- and those solar thingys that bob around !!! I wouldn't make fun of you. Whatever floats your boat. 😂 I like to laugh, so little things like this make me happy. 😂
I can not belive how much I can relate to so much of this video, especially the retailer part.
My question is Do you ship to Canada?
I always go to my local fish store for my goldfish supplies❤