My African Shell-dweller Aquarium

This video explores my African shell dweller aquarium, a freshwater aquarium with Neolamprologus multifasciatus fish, also known as shellies or multies. These fun little cichlids live in old shells and move sand around like crazy.
Enjoy!
Merch:
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Patrons: Claudia Watrin, Justin Duch, Connor Johnson, Cherry's Jubilee Costume and Design, Lisa L. Altizer

Пікірлер: 150

  • @martindunn4545
    @martindunn45458 ай бұрын

    Sorry babe, life in jars just posted, I'm gonna be busy for a wee bit

  • @theotay4715
    @theotay47158 ай бұрын

    The fact that the fish pick up the snails to move them away from the fish's shell is so interesting to me.

  • @WastedTalent-

    @WastedTalent-

    8 ай бұрын

    I had a Blue Spotted Watchman Goby who spit snails out of his cave. You'd hear these "plink" noises and there he was, shooting snails against the front glass.

  • @gamemeister27
    @gamemeister278 ай бұрын

    Still can't believe Life in Jars is this handsome.

  • @nanvolentine9110

    @nanvolentine9110

    8 ай бұрын

    He really has grown up to be a very handsome young man, hasn't he?

  • @allthumbs3792

    @allthumbs3792

    8 ай бұрын

    @@nanvolentine9110 Agree, darling boy to handsome fellow! So smart too!

  • @quitlife9279

    @quitlife9279

    8 ай бұрын

    @@allthumbs3792 I'm so proud that my subscription contributed to his development.

  • @mwellnow5016
    @mwellnow50168 ай бұрын

    8:55 it was really cool seeing them all duck in with almost perfect synchronicity

  • @Fluff_Noodles

    @Fluff_Noodles

    8 ай бұрын

    I wonder what made them do that? It looked so cool

  • @ErebosGR
    @ErebosGR8 ай бұрын

    "a few months, no actually two years ago" is the whole mood of your channel. lol

  • @tamarrajames3590
    @tamarrajames35908 ай бұрын

    The tank is looking beautiful. I love the way you create little worlds, each with its own ecosystem. I have missed you, and am delighted to see you back again.🖤🇨🇦

  • @sackzcottgames
    @sackzcottgames8 ай бұрын

    could you try to replicate that tank from your childhood with leeches , tadpoles and other pondlife? would be very interesting to see

  • @tylervetter2255
    @tylervetter22558 ай бұрын

    Come for the fish and different organisms, stay for the tunes

  • @thorren1633
    @thorren16338 ай бұрын

    Dude you should totally submit this to AVNJ's fishtank rating stream, he's another youtuber who is also an ichthyologist and you'd definitely get a solid rating

  • @DanMarin-lf7fe

    @DanMarin-lf7fe

    19 күн бұрын

    Avnj doesn't know anything

  • @dndndndndn419
    @dndndndndn4198 ай бұрын

    The fish taking the snails and throwing them somewhere else is so funny to me! What a fascinating tank

  • @SherittaNesbitt
    @SherittaNesbitt8 ай бұрын

    I love the story about the window, and being able to pinpoint the time in your life when you became so interested in a subject you love is special. Thank you for continuing to share your hobby with us, and I always look forward to watching your videos

  • @givetanks

    @givetanks

    8 ай бұрын

    😀

  • @wirtification
    @wirtificationАй бұрын

    Cichlids have such a great personality, I think. I have a 29 gallon community tank, a 5 gallon shrimp and snail and dwarf crayfish tank and a couple 2 gallons for baby guppies (those i can catch before they're prey) and shrimp to grow before they go into the big tank again I'm planning a 55 gallon tank for Cichlids only, not the big ones though, just a couple dwarf species. They are so interesting and seem to have more purpose than other types of fish.

  • @TheRealTMar
    @TheRealTMar8 ай бұрын

    Your tank is amazing! I reckon the shells might also add to the hardness. But I think with aquariums often the best way to success is to hardly do anything and things will sort themselves.

  • @amberino4240
    @amberino42408 ай бұрын

    Thanks for sharing all of that. You're a special kind of caring person and i appreciate you :) i learned a lot with not a moment of boredom. I wish i had a friend like you in real life.. When i got my first ever tank (25Litres) a few years ago, it was your way of doing things that really inspired me.. well i set it up to cycle and had done weeks and weeks of excited research.. then i had to go away for a few days and when i got back, my girlfriend decided to surprise me by getting 5 neon tetras, an ottocinclus ( in a 1 month old tank..) and a ramshorn.. the ramshorn exploded into many ramshorns.. 2 years later and i still have ONE tetra. Was so sad that my chance to decide was taken away from me.. I just wanna do stuff like you do, and wish i had the education you have.. keep being awesome. People like you have the ability to shape minds and make people appreciate the little (microscopic!) things. Sorry for THIS incoherent rant. I just want you to feel good about who you are and what you've done with your life :) Love from across the pond (uk) :) x

  • @Wario-The-Legend
    @Wario-The-Legend8 ай бұрын

    Every video is fascinating and entertaining as long as you aren't drinking the jars.

  • @MomoSimmer
    @MomoSimmer8 ай бұрын

    I get so excited whenever I see you post. 😊 Thank you for sharing your aquarium with us!

  • @leahnjr
    @leahnjr8 ай бұрын

    They have so much personality.

  • @duijfjekan453
    @duijfjekan4538 ай бұрын

    Omg lijpe video ouwe!!! Kekke muziek ook.🤪

  • @lilysmith9855
    @lilysmith98558 ай бұрын

    LOVE YOU LIFE IN JARS!!!!

  • @GreatNW
    @GreatNW3 ай бұрын

    I have a planted 40 gallon guppy tank that hasn't had a water change in over a year. Before that it went 2 years without one, it was only changed because i was getting rid of the duck weed. The guppies are not all from the same lineage as the originals as i add a few new guppies every year for genetics. But the original genetics are still there. They have adapted to colder, lower ph water conditions aswell. My hope is to get them to a point i can start keeping them outside.

  • @breannbubolz6583
    @breannbubolz65838 ай бұрын

    Thank you for sharing with us! ❤

  • @gabe2252
    @gabe22528 ай бұрын

    That is such a cool aquarium. Your dad sounds awesome too!

  • @gayefanner731

    @gayefanner731

    2 ай бұрын

    They’re Dutch! 🥰 I rest my case ✌️

  • @salmankan1935
    @salmankan19358 ай бұрын

    Nice video really enjoyed it!! keep up the good work! 🤙💪

  • @Crimsoncrescent99
    @Crimsoncrescent998 ай бұрын

    These fish are really interesting! It’s always fun listening to you

  • @AquariumRick
    @AquariumRick8 ай бұрын

    These fish are amazing! I also owned them for about 2 years, I had to sell them due to moving houses.

  • @Scorpionem
    @Scorpionem8 ай бұрын

    cute lil fishes love it !

  • @kevinpowell7948
    @kevinpowell79488 ай бұрын

    Somewhat interesting indeed 🤓

  • @fsm1137
    @fsm11378 ай бұрын

    You can ramble any time thanks for the great content

  • @joosf
    @joosf8 ай бұрын

    Sorry dat ik even reageer in het Nederlands maar ik vind dit kanaal echt geweldig, mijn complimenten en heel veel succes!👌🏼👍🏼

  • @vayllinn994
    @vayllinn9948 ай бұрын

    Life in Jars! yes!

  • @bigsarge2085
    @bigsarge20858 ай бұрын

    So cool.

  • @ungratefulmango
    @ungratefulmango8 ай бұрын

    Thank you for posting this. Really calming to watch and very interesting.

  • @TheLastSecretGarden
    @TheLastSecretGarden8 ай бұрын

    Glad to see you back at making videos regularly! Always interesting, peaceful, and informative.

  • @givetanks

    @givetanks

    8 ай бұрын

    It's a lot of work to make video's - breaks tend to just happen as burn out happens fast

  • @aaronbecker5617
    @aaronbecker56178 ай бұрын

    I really need a tank like this!😊

  • @nsiderultimaseth
    @nsiderultimaseth8 ай бұрын

    NEW LIFE IN JARS CONTENT LETS GO TODAY IS A GOOD DAY YEEEEEE

  • @TheSeptemberRose
    @TheSeptemberRose8 ай бұрын

    I remember looking into getting some of those shell dwellers many years ago. They were a lot harder to get back then....in the early 2000s. It's great to learn so much about them from you!

  • @owinw1
    @owinw18 ай бұрын

    Blessed upload

  • @raptorcastle3284
    @raptorcastle32848 ай бұрын

    One take! I like it! 😊

  • @a-a97
    @a-a978 ай бұрын

    I've been a subscriber for 5 or so years and glad to see you posting again. Your videos are always a reminder to stay curious, appreciate all forms of life, and to be passionate. Welcome back!

  • @tracybowling1156
    @tracybowling11568 ай бұрын

    I really, really enjoyed this incoherent rant. In fact, I'll listen to any kind of rant you have scheduled for the future.

  • @yellowjoe_
    @yellowjoe_8 ай бұрын

    another informative and entertaining video!

  • @tarronadam5435
    @tarronadam54358 ай бұрын

    Cool little fish

  • @TimosGarden
    @TimosGarden8 ай бұрын

    i have those guys as well, very cool species! I keep them with a bunch of zebra danios, those spawn every other day and essentialy feed the young multies with high value eggies :)

  • @glennk.7348
    @glennk.73488 ай бұрын

    Great story about the origins of the tank and how it got you into biology!!

  • @624abcdefghijk
    @624abcdefghijk8 ай бұрын

    So happy to see you're making videos again! Congrats on the degree.

  • @boy_deploy
    @boy_deploy8 ай бұрын

    I really love your natural setup 😊 That is so awesome!

  • @givetanks

    @givetanks

    8 ай бұрын

    Indeed!

  • @christopherchuauhang4829
    @christopherchuauhang48298 ай бұрын

    I was having a bad day but saw you upload and now I'm watching with a big smile on my face. :)

  • @obieobrien5883
    @obieobrien58838 ай бұрын

    Never an incoherent rant. Always interesting.

  • @claire5244
    @claire52448 ай бұрын

    Amazing aquarium! Love your videos so much, your rants are very interesting :)

  • @DutchBane
    @DutchBane8 ай бұрын

    Koele tank

  • @megbuchanan1630
    @megbuchanan16308 ай бұрын

    Your vids are always enjoyable

  • @moda78z
    @moda78z8 ай бұрын

    Nice to have you back! I do prefer when you show more close ups of the tank like you used to 👍

  • @mysticthecatninja
    @mysticthecatninja8 ай бұрын

    love your snail, he's working hard

  • @Rexini_Kobalt
    @Rexini_Kobalt8 ай бұрын

    your mini ecological experiences are absolutely amazing!

  • @janpack1569
    @janpack15698 ай бұрын

    Always a wonderful surprise getting your notification of a new video. Thank you they are always interesting. Hope to see more down the road.

  • @ManillaThrillah
    @ManillaThrillah8 ай бұрын

    I fell asleep somewhere around the beginning. Great asmr 💯

  • @olofnielsen8844
    @olofnielsen88448 ай бұрын

    Hell yeah

  • @tracer97
    @tracer978 ай бұрын

    Damn. Didn't realise you were jacked bro 😮

  • @sebastianpotts8865
    @sebastianpotts88658 ай бұрын

    float hornwort at the top so you don't need a nutrient dense substrate

  • @mazoo16
    @mazoo168 ай бұрын

    That is a really pretty tank, great set up for those guys!

  • @gumpysee3644
    @gumpysee36446 ай бұрын

    grow some pothos or something like that out of your tank and it will compeat with the blue-green alge and eventualy kill it off

  • @skhanvlogs
    @skhanvlogs8 ай бұрын

    life in jars look so amazing

  • @charlespaugh
    @charlespaugh8 ай бұрын

    Thank you for having posted yet another informative and entertaining video for our enjoyment!

  • @opercula
    @opercula8 ай бұрын

    Great update !! That's one dynamic ecosystem...

  • @natbromden5838
    @natbromden583815 күн бұрын

    Dude. How tf is it possible that you can make something I totally dont care about so entertaining 😂

  • @oravenheart
    @oravenheart8 ай бұрын

    I love fish I wish I had an aquarium

  • @Davidova
    @Davidova8 ай бұрын

    Thanks you for sharing, dear aquafriend! May be you need plants on surface of water on shell or pots, as many people make for riparium?

  • @natureman494
    @natureman4948 ай бұрын

    I'm liking the new format you've been doing recently

  • @AlbertoSantosDumont819
    @AlbertoSantosDumont8198 ай бұрын

    Love your stuff as always!

  • @jonnavdpas
    @jonnavdpas8 ай бұрын

    cute little guys!

  • @mimemouse997
    @mimemouse9978 ай бұрын

    Cool 😎 setup.

  • @lordeppiothe1
    @lordeppiothe18 ай бұрын

    nice video as always! i got a little idea for a video. i think it would be very interesting to see if you can create a thriving aquarium with troips, (longicaudatus) then try to replicate their reproduction cycle, eggs hatching, reaching adulthood, laying eggs, drought and then starting over. in the wld they live in shallow ponds that dry up over time, then in the new season rain creates a new pond and the eggs hatch. I think it would be a cool idea for an ecosystem .

  • @gayefanner731

    @gayefanner731

    20 күн бұрын

    Sounds fascinating but rather demanding on his time?! 🤷🏼‍♀️

  • @lordeppiothe1

    @lordeppiothe1

    20 күн бұрын

    @@gayefanner731 its not thaaat much work but yeah more then the usual jar project or wild corvid training

  • @gayefanner731

    @gayefanner731

    20 күн бұрын

    Thanks for your reply, I’m just thinking at his age n the opportunities that, no doubt, will come his way; not to mention burnout, he needs to be free, FREE, FREE AS A BIRD!! 🕊️

  • @dylanjamesfoster2720
    @dylanjamesfoster27208 ай бұрын

    Greeting from Mexico! I personally really liked the unscripted nature of this video. Felt very personal. It was very enjoyable. Can't wait for next video! Hope your projects are going well!

  • @RookwingsKirk
    @RookwingsKirk8 ай бұрын

    I've had four of a certain brand of heater/thermostat [*cough*Boyu*cough*] break and each time the heater kept going, with a runaway effect getting the water hotter and hotter. Two of those times I caught it before much damage was caused but the last two times I didn't discover it until they were at 49° and 48° respectively. Of course the fish were floating and unsaveable, but my dogs were going mad because they love fish soup >. Just watch out with your heaters because it's heartbreaking to lose friends who you've known for ten+ years because they cooked to death. One was my "monsters" tank which contained other people's unwanted huge catfish and plecostomuses [early this year, so I've restocked that with new rescues], and the latest was full of Dwarf Neon Rainbows and Norman's Lampeyes - and about a hundred huge apple snails - which you could have used for your little guys, except when I buried them in a mass grave in the garden, my two dogs dug them up and snacked on everything. A dear friend has helped me replace the remaining of that brand of heater, so I'm going to start from scratch and get glass catfish which I've loved forever.

  • @Kaityscichlids
    @Kaityscichlids8 ай бұрын

    Woohoo! We need some more Life in Tanks videos 😄

  • @givetanks

    @givetanks

    8 ай бұрын

    I got a few on my channel if you need more stuff lol

  • @gayefanner731

    @gayefanner731

    20 күн бұрын

    Cheeky!

  • @JoelMMcKinney
    @JoelMMcKinney8 ай бұрын

    Love your videos bro ❤

  • @Desoda_is_my_name_or_something
    @Desoda_is_my_name_or_something8 ай бұрын

    How is life going?

  • @bassybossy
    @bassybossy8 ай бұрын

    Lovely meeting the neighbours!

  • @Korvmannen
    @Korvmannen8 ай бұрын

    Cute video, thanks

  • @timhorvat7432
    @timhorvat74328 ай бұрын

    Try increasing your flow by adding a small powerhead or something like that to get rid of the blue green algae

  • @darkshireaquatics
    @darkshireaquaticsАй бұрын

    awesome video ✌✌

  • @thefatraptor4424
    @thefatraptor44245 ай бұрын

    Make an ecosphere big enough that sicklets can live in it! Maybe they could be the apex predator in a simulated pond. Like a mega project. ( my bad for the spelling of the fish, I forgot how to spell it)

  • @em-zo7vy
    @em-zo7vy8 ай бұрын

    I've kept a number of African (and some South American) cichlids over the years, but never tried Shell Dwellers. Your video has inspired me! Thank you for sharing. May I ask what substrate you have under the sand, and what lighting keeps your plants looking so healthy?

  • @ManillaThrillah
    @ManillaThrillah8 ай бұрын

    Great video

  • @itsreallyreal1337
    @itsreallyreal13378 ай бұрын

    I’m convinced my cichlids can differentiate my face from others. Maybe cause of feeding? Very intelligent fish.

  • @heykerryann
    @heykerryann8 ай бұрын

    🤗

  • @RisingRevengeance
    @RisingRevengeance8 ай бұрын

    Seems like a fun fish to watch. I'd like to mess around with something like them but I don't think my cats would allow it.

  • @kzookid2051
    @kzookid20516 ай бұрын

    Incoherently rant on! I've enjoyed your channel for years now, and it's always interesting to see what's going on.

  • @Nightmancometh76
    @Nightmancometh768 ай бұрын

    I'm surprised you didn't mention the microfauna in there!

  • @DiesesMax
    @DiesesMax8 ай бұрын

    YT Legend

  • @JadeJ888
    @JadeJ8888 ай бұрын

    what do you do with the baby fish when you get rid of them? also watching them move the sand around is so interesting and fun!

  • @eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis
    @eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis8 ай бұрын

    I wish I had the money to run an aquarium. I really want to get otocinclus to breed.

  • @johnthefrogakakrazert819
    @johnthefrogakakrazert8198 ай бұрын

    I am experimenting with selecting aquarium fish for cold resistance. Are you saying these are living and thriving at 18 or 20 degree celcius? And do you have any thoughts about my project?

  • @Poohze01
    @Poohze018 ай бұрын

    I can see how someone could spend a lot of time watching these busy little fish!

  • @tonyspamoni5641
    @tonyspamoni56418 ай бұрын

    i had oscars growing up and i agree cichlids are pretty chill aquarium fish. generally just do their own thing unbothered by you. we kept plecos to deal with algae, it was the only thing the oscars would allow to share a tank with them. do you know how many generations your colony is up to?

  • @shreyavathsan3561
    @shreyavathsan35618 ай бұрын

    The tank looks amazing! Your videos really do make my day :)

  • @Bogwedgle
    @Bogwedgle5 ай бұрын

    If you have cyanobacteria problems it's because the water oxygen levels are too low, which doesn't surprise me because you seem to have no water movement and extremely low density of plants for an aquarium with no water movement. If you wanna really get rid of it you're either gonna need to get a filter or bubbler in there to get the water circulating or add a plant that really pumps out oxygen.

  • @jpwein88
    @jpwein884 ай бұрын

    Have you tried making an ecosphere with water that has bioluminescent algae in it?

  • @mikkelhjorthansen5121
    @mikkelhjorthansen51218 ай бұрын

    Hello

  • @hermitoldguy6312

    @hermitoldguy6312

    8 ай бұрын

    I like trains

  • @khaidynasty
    @khaidynasty8 ай бұрын

    This is awesome!! But do they not inbreed?