Log In to KillieNutz Online


Lost your password?
Register

Ready For Fish

May 162018
 

For whatever it is worth, I’ve put in a few more hours working on my fish room and I am now ready to add a few killies.

Essentially, I have my brine shrimp hatcheries up and running, about 20 tanks cleaned and filled with fresh water and my work bench (egg trays etc,) ready to go.  It takes me a little time to do this stuff now. I need to sit for a few minutes after each task is accomplished.  It’s probably in part my legs hurt because of cardiac insufficiency – its like when you run and the legs become fatigued.  I know that the heart itself is fine, but there are some issues with the blood vessels – mainly partial blockages.  So my only excuse is to whine and push on as best I can.  I’m just lucky that diabetic neuropathy hasn’t set in enough to cause problems with me feet.

Currently I am planning on seeing what’s available at the UNYKA meeting as a start, then I will spend some time on Aquabid and hopefully the AKA BNL will start having a few more fish available with better weather.

Unfortunately I won’t be available for the AKA Convention as much as I would like to attend.  It’s been a few years, but this year things just won;t work out with some other obligations I have.  I am not sure where it will be next year, but I am hoping things work out then.   I expect to go to the KKG/Chesapeake Show in Pennsylvania this fall.  It would be nice to see old friends again.

 May 16, 2018  TOM'S BLOG No Responses »

KILLIENUTZ IS A WORK IN PROGRESS ‘AGAIN’

May 142018
 

Yes, I am making some changes in the overall operation of KillieNutz Online.  I have done this a few times over the years, but I think this time I have some ideas that should make navigation easier for most users and a bit more interesting.  One of the things I enjoy is compiling information mainly for my own use, but there is no reason not to share what I come across.  Some of it is information about new species, breeding techniques, killifish care and the overall hobby.  But I also like some other fish outside the killie hobby.  I may very well start adding sections about those.

Anyway, I just wanted my friends and users to know I am actively playing with both my fish and my website again.

 

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 May 14, 2018  NEWS & INFORMATION No Responses »

Time in the Fish Room

May 132018
 

I don’t know if it is the nice weather or just the infection taking over again, but I spent time in my fish room today and did some work to get it back up and in shape.  Strangely, I found a healthy female Notho (guentheri I suspect) swimming in one of the tanks.  She was just a little skinny, but I have no idea how she survived since I really haven’t done anything for many months.  It’s not that I had many fish over the past few years, but I completely ignored the hobby over the winter and well back into the fall.  Much as I hate whining, my legs simply were not well and climbing the stairs and standing long enough to care for the fish was exceedingly difficult.  Fortunately, my E. annulatus and lampeyes are in the living room and they take dry food readily.

So the last couple of days have been strange.  Actually got outside and did some yard work and somehow my legs seem somewhat stronger lately.  So down into the basement I went.  It actually is not in bad shape.  Yes the tanks are mostly dried out (those without a cover), but the covered ones were fine.  I actually have some java moss doing fine in one, so I guess I have a starter culture for that.  I started a brine shrimp hatcher in order to give the female Notho some live food and also spread some into the upstairs tank and make the E. annulatus happy.  We’ll see how long this older BBS eggs take to hatch and what percentage of hatch I get.

What am I going to do?  I am still a bit unsure of my plans – both whether or when we are moving to Florida as well as how my body holds up.  It drives me a bit insane not working with Nothos and I really would like to add some SA annuals too, but do I want to risk ignoring them in a month or two …  I just don’t know yet.  Some days I want to jump in feet first and run 200 tanks again and other days I consider that idea insane.  Realistically, I suspect a few tanks with some easier fish is probably the way to start again.

UNYKA is meeting this coming weekend for the first time in a couple of years.  I think I will see how it goes before I add any fish to the room.

Anyway … stay tuned.  I will let you know what’s going on.

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 May 13, 2018  TOM'S BLOG No Responses »

UNYKA Meeting

May 092018
 

Upstate NY Killifish Association will be holding a meeting on Sunday, May 20th in New Berlin NY.

The get-together will be at Frankie’s Pizza on Route 8 (center of downtown, diagonally across from ‘Stewart’s Gas Station’in New Berlin at noon.   Attendees may purchase food from the restaurant.  The plans are to discuss the reformation of the club, meeting plans and hold a small auction along with general killie chat.  Anyone (or not) in upstate NY is welcome to attend.

 May 9, 2018  NEWS & INFORMATION No Responses »

Killifish Book 2 is in Progress

May 082018
 

I just thought some of you would be interested to learn I am working on the second volume of The Killifish Encyclopedia.

This volume will be focused on African Annuals. (Gee … A on the list)

I am currently looking for photographs for the majority of species and will provide a list of what I need.  Any photographer whose pictures are used will receive a free copy of the book as a thank you, but since the sales numbers of a limited book like this are so low, I cannot afford to pay for each photo.  I am seeking many species that I can photograph myself.

 

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 May 8, 2018  NEWS & INFORMATION No Responses »

Going To Try Again in May

Apr 172018
 

This past weekend was supposed to be a reformation meeting for UNYKA after about a 2 year break.  Unfortunately the weather decided to interrupt our plans.  SO now we have tentatively set the next date for a meeting on Sunday, May 20th in New Berlin NY.  Technically Dr. Dan Nielsen will be the host, but we will be meeting at a local pizza shop.

UNYKA has been on hiatus primarily because of the health of some of its members.  Several of us have had serious conditions ranging from open heart surgery, to kidney (failure) dialysis and major surgery for a variety of other concerns.  It’s sad so many of us are ‘getting old’ at the same time.  But the good news is most of us are improving – enough to want to get together again.

Personally, I am going through a difficult time on some other levels.  My wife and I are seriously considering a move to Florida.  Sadly, Winter is becoming hard on both of us.  For me, my heart condition limits how much I am allowed to do with shoveling, etc. and I truly hate the cold weather now – my joints ache more than I want to deal with.  I know, I know … whining ain’t gonna help.  The things I used to love doing – winter sports, skiing, skating are now things of the past. I can no longer do those things.  Basically, I am pretty much restricted to sitting in my office during the worst of the winter weather.

In early May, Phyllis and I will be in Ocala FL to look at homes we might purchase.  We are going there because our close friends Kim and Henry Boyd live there now and it would be nice to spend regular time with them again.  Of course the other reason is to have access to a great killie club, Sun Coast and the friendships I look forward to renewing once we are there.  I also realize I will never run a 200 tank fishroom again, but at least in FL I won’t have to pay out thousands of dollars in heating bills – yes some AC, but we would have that anyway.  My plan is pretty simple – whatever we use as an office will contain 20-30 tanks and everything will be good.  (At least until my addiction takes over and I convert a garage.)

But this is really about getting UNYKA up and running again.  Most of the members are looking forward to holding a meeting and that is what we are going to do.

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 April 17, 2018  TOM'S BLOG No Responses »

I Do Miss My Hobby

Feb 232018
 

Maybe its the drugs I am taking for my ‘cold’ or maybe the winter doldrums are getting to me, but as I sit here, I realize how much I miss keeping killies.

Now there are valid reasons why I cannot do what I used to do – take care of upwards of 200 tanks of fish and Yes I do still have a tank of killies – a community tank in my living room which allows me to use dry foods to feed my E. annulatus, A. biv lagos red and Aplo. normanni, it’s just not the same as going down to the fish room, picking eggs, culturing live foods and raising fry.  Nope they are not reproducing in the community setting, or at least the fry are being devoured before I see them.

Since my heart attacks and subsequent surgery, my energy levels remain low to non-existent.  Maybe for a couple hours a day, early in the morning, I feel well enough to accomplish something, so I have focused on my writing and webdesign.  Yes, I just returned from a cruise and stop at WDW and I pushed myself pretty hard.  Still it has taken me several days to recover at all from the effort.  My body still aches and my legs are fatigued and hurt most of the time.  I really am not a complainer, but when I think of the fish room, it saddens me that I don’t have the energy to do the work necessary.

I also miss the connections I had through UNYKA (Upstate NY Killifish Assc.)  We really need to have a reformation meeting to find out just who is serious about continuing the club.  I firmly believe the social aspect of the hobby is what keeps it fresh.

I admit, I have ignored Killienutz website for awhile now.  I do need to get back to work on it.

Well, so much for my whining for now!

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 February 23, 2018  NEWS & INFORMATION No Responses »

The TFCB Auction was Great

Oct 312017
 

I just wanted to let everyone know how much I enjoyed getting together with the Burlington VT group again.  I even came home with some fish (A pair of guppies and a pair of Chrom. bitaeniatum Lagos red.  I nabbed a few plants also.

It was great to spend a little time with Mike Echt and Carlos Pereya from UNYKA.  We had a chance to talk about getting together soon.

Thanks Dave, Jeanine and the rest of the hard workers of TFCB.

 October 31, 2017  NEWS & INFORMATION No Responses »

Off to TSCB Auction

Oct 292017
 

Well,  I am off to the first auction I have been to in several years – in particular a general fish club one.  I am primarily looking for plants, perhaps a pair or two of killies and maybe something that catches my attention – guppies, odd livebearers or who knows what.  It will be good to see a few old friends and generally chat fish.  I am bringing a few copies of The Killifish Encyclopedia to donate to their auction and perhaps sell.

sp_BlogLink Join the forum discussion on this post
 October 29, 2017  NEWS & INFORMATION, TOM'S BLOG No Responses »
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3