rangda

This question is for people who have a bit of a fear of bugs.
I’m planning to get some Neos and some Aussie native shrimps (bigger than neocaridinas but not as big as Japanese Amanos) in a month or two. I love how they look in all of your photos and videos and the tiny little juvenile cherry and crystal shrimps I’ve seen in stores are just amazing and cute and silly busy little things. They spark joy.

But, I saw some rather large glass shrimps in a store yesterday. The shopkeeper had his hand in the tank to pick out Anubias for someone and they all started vaulting around with all their legs flailing.
I got skeezed out. It didn’t spark joy, it sparked fear. Like seeing som

Hello all!
I’ve been reading a little bit about how low KH can cause pH crashes, and I’m a little concerned about the tank I’m setting up a for soft/acidic water species.
Not going for totally black-water, but planted with aqua soil and lots of wood and leaves and things.

The reason I’m concerned is that my city water is already mildly acidic to neutral pH, and has very low GH and KH, usually around 20ppm/1.2 degrees.

Would it be smart to try and boost the KH a little higher for safety, like with crushed coral or whatever else people do, or am I way overthinking this?

Any insight would be very much welcome and appreciated!

I’m a bit stuck in a rut of stir fries, salads and curries lately. Is there anything you like to cook or bake, even drinks you like to make, when you maybe have a little more time to spare and want to get a bit fancy?

Started 20mg/day Carbimazole/neo-mercazole early this month, until today I thought I was gonna be lucky with no side effects. Had some major stress over the last few days, woke up with a massive rash on my legs, torso and inner arms, itching like a MOTHER FUCKER. A rash is the most common negative side effect according to my doc. Got an OTC antihistamine a few hours ago which hasn’t done anything as far as I can tell.

Has anyone experienced the same side effect and found anything which helps?

All I really remember is the floor becomes water and the objects in the room become underwater objects, similar to the way Max’s room becomes a forest in Where the Wild Things Are, but iirc the illustrations were a little more realistic than WTWTA.
From at least as far back as the mid-‘90s.

I was obsessed as a little kid and I’m really hoping someone else remembers it!

I read it in the mid-90s but it was already quite an old book, maybe as old as the 60s. The mouse later saves the whale when he is beached, by recruiting some elephants. It’s a really sweet book that I’d love to find again