Pike Place Fish Market, Seattle

 

     My bro and I went to Seattle, Washington to visit our sister and it got a little fishy! We've never been to Seattle and the city didn't disappoint. Seeing our sister was the best part of the trip, but a close second was Pike Place Fish Market. I seem to have fish on my mind all the time, so I decided to share our fishy experience! After we got our coffees at the first Starbucks ever, we walked through the market and arrived at Pike Place Fish Market.

 

 

     That's my bro on the left and Justin Hall on the right. If he looks fired up, it's because he was! I was wearing a SF Giants hat and he had something to say about it. Justin reminded us that we were in Seahawk territory!

 

(Go Seahawks)

 

(Seahawk Wings)

(trying to grab my hat)

(pumped)

(still pumped!)

 

     As hyped as he was, it was all good fun. I think he was preparing my brother for the flying salmon! I've caught salmon, steelhead, brown trout, and rainbows in the rivers and lakes... a lot of fish! They were all slippery. Let's see what happened for my bro...

 

 

     Good job bro! I got to keep my hat because of you. An unforgettable moment at Pike Place Fish Market. I recommend anyone visiting Seattle to visit this place. Freshest fish, and best customer experience! Thanks to Justin and Ryan Rector.

 

(Justin)

(Ryan)

 

     I planned on visiting the local fish shops, but we ran out of time. We were able to visit a few fish at Cabelas in Washington.

 

(trout tank)

 

(sturgeon)

 

     If you want to see a prehistoric animal, look at a sturgeon up close! Remember, if you have any fish questions or want to say hello, please leave a comment or email me. I hope to share some fish keeping tips with you soon.

 

 

Merry Christmas from the Space Needle

 

-YA

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



  

Planted Tanks

 

     I learned something new today. Planted tanks are a lot cooler than I thought! I have friends and family who like fish tanks but want a planted tank instead. There is a big difference between fish tanks and planted tanks, in my opinion. A fish tank has fish, duh, and a planted tank has...plants. Let me break it down for the people who want either a fish tank or a planted tank and for the people who think a fish tank with some plants in it is a planted tank. A bit confusing so here goes.

 

 

(fish tank)

 

     The above picture is a "fish tank" with plants. I grabbed this photo off the internet as an example. Some people would say this is a planted tank because it has plants, alive or fake doesn't matter. The fact is that this tank is a fish tank with some plants which compliment the fish. The plants may do fine even if they have cichlids or other fish which tend to destroy plants. This tank looks good with live or fake plants but does not fit the description of a planted tank. When I think of planted tanks, I think of....

 

(planted tank)

 

     The picture above is what I call a planted tank. A "planted tank" is an ecosystem built around the plants first, not the fish. Fish in a planted tank are merely enhancers, an after thought sort of speak. I personally haven't dedicated a tank to plants only. I have tried to grow some plants with out much success. Keep in mind my tanks are mainly breeding tanks which aren't going to cater to plants. I have done some research on planted tanks and know what they need for success. The two main components of a planted tank are: light and CO2. For example, my breeding tanks are not equipped with CO2 and the lighting is very basic. My light bulbs are just bright enough to illuminate the tank water. So, if you want a tank that looks like the one above I would suggest powerful lights, probably a LED for plant growth and a CO2 setup. Basically, CO2 is held in a canister under the tank and drips small amounts into the tank water for the plants to absorb. These two sources will give you the basic components for a successful planted tank. If anyone has further information regarding planted tanks please feel free to share! Also, if you have any questions regarding planted tanks please let me know and I will address them in an upcoming post. Here is a link to amazing planted tanks. I stumbled upon this sight with the awesome photo gallery. Enjoy!

 



http://www.adana-usa.com/index.php?main_page=album&album_id=82#lightbox[album]/13/

 

-YA

 

 

 



Electric Yellow Cichlid Holding Fry

Molly is Holding Fry

 

 

     Molly, my female Electric Yellow African cichlid is holding fry in her mouth. My favorite part of the fish hobby is breeding! I breed African and South American cichlids in my free time. Here is a picture of Molly holding some fry.

 

(Molly)

 

     Electric yellow African cichlids come from Lake Malawi in Africa. The Electric Yellow cichlid is known to like caves and come from deeper parts of the lake. I graduated from gold fish to cichlids by accident. I originally wanted a salt water tank and read every book about salt water and reef tanks. The salt water world was a bit too pricey and time consuming at the time. When I saw the cichlid tank at my local big box store it was very pretty. The cichlids looked like salt water fish but only needed fresh water conditions. Long story short, I haven't set up a salt water tank yet and love breeding cichlids. Molly is actually a fry raised to adulthood and was bred from my first Electric Yellow, Jane. Here is a look at my grow out tank of Electric Yellow cichlids.

 

(grow out 38g)



 

     Breeding African cichlids have been a lot of fun. I've bred multiple kinds of African  and South American cichlids. As I have mentioned in a past post, the Electric Blue Jack Dempsey's have been especially challenging and fun! Whether they are mouth brooders (African) or egg layers (South American), I enjoy both breeding methods. The fish farming aspect of the hobby is very rewarding. Creating 25-100 fish from a spawning pair of cichlids is amazing and I'd like to share this process with others. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding breeding. I will be posting more breeding tips and stories in future posts. I spend most of my time focused on creating more fry! As I expressed before, I would love to have an online fish store of my own. I think it would be awesome to share the fish hobby with others. Building an inventory of fish through breeding and other means would be a large task, but with your help it is possible. Hope to see you on the next blog and thanks for helping me create Yukon Aquatics!

 

(Big Sur, CA)

 



     P.S. Did I mention I like to backpack? Nature is the name of the game! Get outdoors and enjoy Ma nature or bring nature into your home with a fish tank.

-YA

 

 

 



 

Fish For Filter

 

     Today I went to my local fish store and traded in some cichlids I bred at home. I used the credit I received for the fish and bought an AquaClear 70 power filter. I wanted to share this filter with you and explain its mechanics.

 

 

 

(aquaclear 70)

 

This filter breaks down ammonia and nitrite very efficiently due to the media. I often tell my friends about this filter when they ask what to get. I tell them about this one and how it works. Whether they get a AC 70, a freshwater refugiuam , or a canister filter my goal is to let them know how the filtration is working inside.

 

(filter diagram)

 

     This diagram shows what is going on inside the filter. The water is pumped to the bottom where the sponge is located. The sponge is a great place for beneficial bacteria to grow. Sitting on top of the sponge is some activated carbon in a bag. The water passes through the carbon and cleans the water by trapping small particles. On top of the two lower sections of media is a bag containing ceramic rings. The ceramic rings also grow beneficial bacteria which helps break down ammonia and nitrite. These filters help fish grow up healthy!

 

(media inside filter)

(filter)

 

     I had to share this filter with you. I'm always super excited when my fish earn new filters. They get better water, I do fewer water changes and everyone is happy happy happy. I like these filters because they hang on the back. I try to put multiple filters on each tank. I hope this post helped you understand filters and how they work. If you have any questions please let me know!

 

-YA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Wigglers!

 

     We have wigglers! My blue gene Jack Dempsey's finally reached wiggler status. Wigglers are South American cichlid babies at three to four days old. It's a long story about how this pair arrived in my tank and I look forward to sharing it with you very soon. My blue gene pair is special to me. They have the potential to produce many Electric Blue Jack Dempsey's which happen to be my favorite cichlids.  

 

(blue gene Jack Dempsey pair)



 

     The above picture is the pairs first clutch or batch of eggs on a clay dish. They were unsuccessful with their first two batches of eggs. It normally takes new parents two to three times to get wigglers. Well, third time is a charm for these guys! I could go on and on about these two fish alone but I won't right now. I had to give an update on their success.

 

(first clutch)

 

     This is a picture of what their eggs look like. Super sticky little eggs from the mom. She's currently doing a great job raising her new babies and I couldn't be prouder. Even if she decides to eat or kill her babies it's ok. I know she's making progress each time she lays eggs. Watching South American cichlids hatch little ones and raise them to adulthood truly is a sight to see! I hope to have many photos and updates regarding these young parents success.

 

(wigglers)

 

     Above is a photo of the wigglers. Hard to see anything clearly but they are there I promise. They are the little brown spots on the bottom of the clay pot. In a lonely 40g tank in my fish room magic is happening. I'll keep you updated on the status of the little guys.

 

Alright, exciting stuff... Desmond Sandy submitted a question in the comments! Not sure how I'm going to address these in the future, but I'm going to answer his question at the end of this blog.

 

Q:

I have one cichlid in a 30 gallon tank with sand, a couple of river rocks, and a live plant.  It's a Jack Dempsey (I think) and he seems healthy and happy in his tank, but I'm worried about some algae that's growing on everything.  I'm a little lazy about upkeep and rarely do water changes, and (to finally get to the actual question) I'm wondering if you know what causes this algae to grow and if it is going to be bad for the fish (Marco). Thanks.

A:

Desmond, thank you for the question! You have a 30g tank and one Jack Dempsey cichlid, that’s awesome, he must be a happy guy with no roomates cramping his style. I completely understand your concern about the algae build up and Marco’s wellbeing. A: The algae is good for your tank. It is breaking down the nitrate levels in your water. The three levels you need to worry about in this order:  ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Your filter, sand, walls of tank and décor have beneficial bacteria which break down ammonia and nitrite leaving the end product nitrate. Nitrate is commonly used to help plant growth. No difference with algae. So, the algae is actually helping with filtration and Marcos environment. As far as algae build up is concerned, it’s probably green all over your tank (feel free to email me a picture of your tank, ill post it on my Facebook!).  The buildup normally has to do with the amount of sunlight the tank is exposed to or a powerful light. Try turning the light off for a week, it may reduce the algae. Reduce the sunlight by keeping the blinds closed or move the tank. For advanced hobbyist and a fun project you can create an algae scrubber.  I like the home made version for simplicity and cost. Check out this link, it should describe what an algae scrubber is all about. Hope this helped out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGLnBvDkaO0

 

      If you have any questions regarding fish please leave me a comment or subscribe, thank you!

-YA

                                                   

 

 

 

 

 

 



 





Welcome everyone to Yukon Aquatics!    

     My name is Sam and this blog post is the beginning of something great. So many subjects to write about but I will first start with who I am and what Yukon Aquatics is all about. Sam I am, and I'm very excited about YA. I'm addicted to fish keeping, aquariums, breeding fish, talking about fish, visiting local and far away fish shops, visiting large aquariums such as, The Monterrey Bay Aquarium, watching fish related videos, reading fish books, and most importantly... sharing this amazing hobby with other people. I have two cats, Mr. Smee and Drake. I live with my girlfriend Ashley and couldn't be happier.  I'm a recent college graduate, I live in Northern California, and love the outdoors. Anything regarding nature is where I feel at home. So, fish come as a natural comfort.. they are amazing creatures that make me feel good. I feel when you stare into a fish tank you catch a glimpse of mother nature. I enjoy business, starting something from nothing. I like working with people and playing as a team. I can often be found on the golf course attempting a birdie putt. Ashley and I are avid backpackers and Nor Cal never disappoints. You'll learn more about me later.

     Yukon Aquatics! Okay, so Yukon Aquatics is brand new, today, this blog, first time it's ever been mentioned anywhere. YA will someday be larger than just words in this blog. I hope it will be a very successful online/brick and mortar fish store! As I mentioned, I'm addicted to the fish keeping hobby, the aquarium industry, everything fish.  I love fish and would enjoy every moment of owning a fish store but, I'm going to need help for my dream to come true.

Action plan for YA

     I'm starting from nothing. I have five tanks with different cichlids and live bearers, not much for inventory. Starting from nothing implies that my garage isn't packed with a ton of tanks full of fish, but that would be awesome! So, my idea consists of a fish store documentary. My plan is to document the entire journey from day one. I will blog, make videos, and use social networking platforms as tools for documenting the progress. My love for fish will propel me forward. I'm not worried about money per say, I'm worried about support. I feel with enough support anything is possibly. Simply put, I will give of myself as much as I can in hopes that someday I will be standing inside YA as a real fish store. I hope that my journey will help you discover that anything is possibly if you follow your passion!

The way to help me out!

     I can answer just about any fish question you have; from how do I clean my fish tank to how do I breed Electric Blue Jack Dempsey's. If I don't know the answer I'll find it and give you a response. Ask as many questions as you want!! That's all I need, questions from you regarding fish. So, if you want to help me create Yukon Aquatics, and you want to watch an amazing transformation  of one persons passion into a reality please support this blog. Send me a question, comment or say hello and I'll be sure to reply. Much more to come so please stay tuned and feel free to subscribe so you don't miss out on this amazing journey.

Thanks,

Sam



(Mr. Smee)