L number Banana returns

[CatCam]

Hello everyone! So many familiar fishy friends from the past. I couldn't remember my old user name until I saw the "What do you look like?" thread and found it.
I have a lot of threads to catch up on to see what everyone has been up to.

I have a question about a Catfish breeding challenge from some time around 2008? -ish?
We started a challenge to try to get banjo cats to breed but I can't find the thread. I still have one of the original fish from that challenge and I'm about to upgrade his tank and get him some friends but it got me wondering how old he is. Does anyone remember that challenge or know how to find the original thread?

Wonderful to see so many familiar people and to see all the new people.

[bekateen]

Hi @L number Banana / @CatCam. Welcome back!

Here it is, I think: The challenge part II

But that's labeled as "challenge II", so I don't know if you wanted that one or the one before.

Searching through older posts, I find this. Maybe it was the challenge, part I? Easy to breed ~ easy to sell?

Cheers, Eric

[CatCam]

Hi bekateen,
Thanks so much. That one looks like it's a challenge for breeding several different catfish, not just Banjo but I scanned through quickly and there's all kinds of info about getting help with my first larger tank. Where's the crying-with-delight emoji? So much hope and excitement in those newbie questions!
From the info I got there I can guess that my banjo is 14 or 15 years old, probably 14-ish. I was able to check the info tab from my old profile and it sounds like it's the same tank that I'm redoing now.
Next mission is to find a store that sells catfish. My old favourite store sold their store to people who weren't experts. Terrible service, unhappy fish.
My only option to find some buddies for my banjo is a big box pet store. It's a hidden bonus because I think they sometimes order fish without looking at what comes in. I might find some oddities in their tanks.

I'm excited all over again. Btw, I still have my wee 2011 Ninja250, wouldn't trade it for the world. Freezing rain today so I can't run out and buy fish - probably a good thing...

Thanks for your help bekateen!

[bekateen]

Good luck. Yeah, I see different species of banjos come in too. I've had both

Bunocephalus coracoideus

and

Bunocephalus verrucosus

. Would like to get the

Bunocephalus knerii

which I see occasionally, but was never able to grab them when they were available.

Here's some other possible links for you to check, that might be the Bunocephalus challenge:

• How to breed Bunocephalus?
• Banjo catfish instead of MS
• new to fishkeeping, wondering what catfish I can get
• Re: My next catfish challenge?

Cheers, Eric

[bekateen]

Where's the crying-with-delight emoji?

Other than the side laugh (this one, ), I don't think there's a crying-with-delight emoji... and my eyes are too old to see all the tiny emojis when I click the "view more smiles" link.

However, considering your old user name, maybe this is most appropriate for you when you're delighted:

Cheers, Eric

[CatCam]

Yup, that's perfect. I've been reading through my old posts and it's amazing how many things I've completely forgotten. Proper names for fish I had for years? I had to look up a few. That's so pathetic, lol. I'm not even 60 yet so I can't blame it on age.
Looked at the pics of my old Banjo setup and have decided that the old one I have left looks a little bloated in comparison to other pics on here.
I guess it's time to refresh my memory on tank parameters, etc. to make sure he's okay. Haven't used any medicine in that tank since forever. Haven't changed his food since forever either. Maybe now that he's old, I should offer a few other options.

My test kits are all expired so I'll be adding that to my shopping list BEFORE I even dare to look at adding anyone to his tank. I won't even look at their stock yet. When I looked back at my old posts, it looks like I got 5 banjos on ~Feb.13, 2011. The little dude deserves respect so I'll make sure everything is happy there before I mess with his home by adding other fish. Planning ahead? Hmm, that's a new concept for me.

[bekateen]

I imagine you've already read this, but if you haven't, then check out my Shane's World article in breeding banjos: https://www.planetcatfish.com/shaneswor ... cle_id=532

To this date, banjo catfish have been the only catfish I've bred where I needed some height to the tank, since they have a habit of swimming up in the water to expel eggs. You can see the behavior in my YouTube videos, HERE.

Cheers, Eric

[CatCam]

Heehee, I have both of those pages open on other tabs. Very helpful indeed. I also have the basic fishkeeping article open to refresh my brain. The tallest tank I have is only 24 inches high or 60cms so I think that will be okay. Just started going through my old box of aquarium goodies and found a fry box that could hang in the corner if needed. My main focus is to keep the old guy happy and healthy and get him some friends to give him some new stimulus. Babies would be a bonus.
I just tried the microwave--> freezer method for a piece of lettuce and he's on it already. He's been living on shrimp pellet mix. Now I feel like I neglected him a bit by not offering more food choices. I don't recall the banjos ever eating the food I put in for the stickfish or the vegetarians.
Thanks for the tips!

[bekateen]

Wonderful. FWIW, my banjo's favorite foods were very meaty - absolutely loved live blackworms, and enjoyed frozen blood worms too. For manufactured pellets, shrimp pellets and New Life Spectrum Sera A+ pellets were always accepted.

Cheers,
Eric

[Viktor Jarikov]

Welcome back L number Banana! Glad to find out you are alright and still in the hobby. I recall not long before you went MIA many years ago, you got yourself a new hobby, namely, motorcycles. I feared your new hobby and your disappearance could have been connected.

[CatCam]

Welcome back L number Banana! Glad to find out you are alright and still in the hobby. I recall not long before you went MIA many years ago, you got yourself a new hobby, namely, motorcycles. I feared your new hobby and your disappearance could have been connected.

Oh dear! I hadn't thought of that. I should have popped in to make sure friends knew I was busy with a new job and taking care of my wonderful hubs after his operation (successful!) and not gone-gone, like an angel.
I only ever went fast in controlled situations. I don't trust car drivers to be able to see me. My favourite thing was to ride at night when there was no one on the road or out in the country so I could stop and look into every little creek and stream. Never found a single Madtom. Boo-hiss for that but I'll keep trying.
Never felt the need to get a bigger bike either. Perfect size, quiet as a..ninja? Heehee sorry.

Thanks for worrying. I may even be getting a car license soon. Yuck. Don't want to but as we all get older, I may have to drive others at some point. Unless it's an F1 car, I have zero interest but we do what we have to I guess. Pretty excited to be starting up one of the old tanks. I have a lot of reading here to do to catch up on new info and make some plans.