Welcome to RAD Ranch Rabbitry

Welcome to our Aquarium pages.  There are both Saltwater and Freshwater interests here. 

This area will likely be edited and retitled to Fish Room.  Debbie has just moved all but one aquarium outside into a designated Fish Room because the floor in the house was giving in (more than usual).  For some reason a 101-gallon tank just didn't seem to fit in the corner of the living room anymore.  HA HA! 

We did an experiment with something and really hit the jackpot!  Now we have started growing out saltwater plankton cultures and they are doing much better than expected.  We won't tell you our secret, but we can supply you with some good "green water" if you want to enhance your saltwater tanks or feed something that is missing this vital part of the food chain!  We can reproduce this endlessly, if needed.  If you check around on the Web, plankton is very overpriced . . . and we offer it by the gallon for what some people offer for just a quart. 

It really helps that are well water is perfect for saltwater stuff.  It has a lot of limestone and is "hard", and does about 99% of the work for us!  We just add the 1% to jump-start everything in the right direction to get the perfect plankton formula.

 

We are "going tropical" so to speak, by diversifying our pet interests.  Debbie decided if she couldn't leave the farm for a vacation on a regular basis, she would "bring the vacation to the farm" instead.  So she is setting up a tree frog habitat and attempting to raise red-spotted newts for fun.  We have tree frogs outside our house already; they are native to this area and do very well.  There will be several different kinds, including some of bright colors. 

 

Also coming . . . Fiddler Crabs, the ones that have an oversized claw on one arm and really are odd little critters to watch.  No doubt they will enjoy our well water situation as well.  Very easy to raise and very undemanding, yet a great source of fun and entertainment. 

 

We currently breed Fancy Guppies!  And have several strains going right now, including Moscows in Double Purple, Blue and Black.  Also have Fancy Guppy strains such as Tequila Sunrise, Red/Blue Grass, Snakeskin, Red Albino, Sunsets, and a lot more that we have produced but do not have names for (yet).   We have literally HUNDREDS of Fancy Guppies at the moment and they have done so well for us that we're expanding.  So we have many to choose from, including some very large females that may already be pregnant.

Outside we have koi and large goldfish ponds.  Some of these were an experiment that turned out better than our wildest dreams could ever imagine!  We literally "threw out" all the extra guppies into a small swimming pool - the kind that has collapsible sides.  It was being used for our aquatic plant bog and the guppies thrived and reproduced in massive numbers . . . outside . . . without a heater . . . without a filter . . . without a bubbler . . . without ANY water circulation whatsoever!  And the water is only about a foot deep.  GO AND FIGURE!!!! 

Some time soon, there are plans for a large dug-out pond.  That is, if hubby can ever get a back-hoe to come in and do the job.  :)  We already have the large-sized koi which were raised from fry and some pretty outstanding colors and finnage already apparent. 

SALTWATER STUFF:

Here is a close-up of the tiny brittle starfish.

A really good close-up; you can see details.

Another close-up of the Chaeto with tiny brittle starfish.

This is the 29 gallon tank; almost full of macro-algae.  (It is now something else.) 

 

Freshwater-Giant Columbian Snails - these are really cool and get large-sized. 

We also have had an EXPLOSION of intense red ramshorn snails!  These are strictly freshwater too, and we have literally hundreds available.

 

Also coming . . . blue ramshorn snails.  Soon as we have them up and going good, we'll post more about them as well. 

 

We recently bought some Puffers which were purchased for the intent of feeding them our extra and cull male fancy guppies.  But they did not eat them.  We are willing to let them go, if we have the right person that comes along and offers a fair price. 

 

Growing wild in our creeks and spring-fed pond are the common little snails that Puffers eat, so we have an endless supply.  We'd be happy to share . . . and especially willing to throw in for anybody that purchases the Puffers!

 

Assorted tadpoles in the ponds are finally growing out and we have probably 2-3 thousand of them.  Yes, thousands!  These are not endangered and they are very small.  Some times we find tadpoles all summer long of assorted sizes/ages and types. 

 

Currently we are trying to get Platys to breed.  We have a little success here.  One female is so pregnant that she looks like a Balloon Molly right now.  :)  Will have photos of these up soon.

 

AQUATIC PLANTS:

We have lots of different kinds, including some large flowering Calla lillies.  They are truly spectacular when blooming!  Also have lots of water hyacinth which is excellent for baby fish/fry to hid in while growing out.  We have a limited supply of very large water lettuce which is finally starting to produce off shoots.  Duck weed is everywhere here . . . we have both the kind growing wild in the ponds and the "cultured" kind that is free of snail eggs and other critters.  It's growing in several of our guppy tanks.