PapaBear's Growout Form

[Sangreaal]

Oh my goodness! Look at how she changed! Amazing scalage, Larry. And I see shiro pattern on her cheeks. Good. Very, very classy fish, very graceful. Were you expecting such a dramatic change? I was envisioning something entirely different. That black netting has got to be a good sign of strong sumi yet to come.

What did she measure in as? Looks like a pretty good sized fish.

Marie

[PapaBear]

She came in at 7" on the button. I was kinda surprised at that myself to tell you the truth, but definitely not complaining
Really happy with the scale patterning. Good looking skin, but a minor tear along the dorsal during shipping. Nothing that shouldn't heal well though. Very nice looking head, but still trying to get a good head-on photo. The facial patterning has some real potential to break in some good places, just as we were hoping from the original picture and if the sumi blocks break the way we think they may it could be a very nice ichimatsu pattern
She's in the QT now with her new tankmates. They're showing her the ropes, giving pointers on life in Oklahoma, and all that

[mstrseed]

I really like the scales too Larry...................Mine fly to DFW tomorrow so I may not go pick them up until next weekend so they settle down a bit............................................... ....

[Meg]

SWEET!
it will be interesting watching that one!

[The Pond Digger]

Thanks for the great pictures! Really sweet!

The Pond Digger

[koiczar]

Larry

Looking at the original "pick" photo and the ones you just posted, I would say that the sumi will come back when the fish settles down. I've seen this happen in most fish when they first arrive after shipping. Stress lightens the sumi. Wait til tomorrow and see what happens. I bet the color mostly ALL comes back to the "before" look.

Mike

[PapaBear]

I think you're right Mike. A wee bit of stress after flying half way cross the country would tend to lighten things up a bit. I like the way she manifested it though because I got a good look at the scales and skin. She's been in her new digs for less than 12 hrs now and the sumi is 50% darker now than when the photo's were taken. Now the real fun begins while everybody waits to see if they got the same fish in the end that they had in their head from the beginning...

[Sangreaal]

Now we need some "day after shipping" pics, Larry. And how about a good mugshot from the Q? In fact, how about some side and front shots since she's behind glass?

4 1/2 more hours until mine are here.... *LOL* I'm still waffling about putting them in the glass Q or the pvc tank Q. What was Aria 51's water temp when she arrived and what is the temp of her new digs now?

[PapaBear]

There will be "morning after" pics Marie.... really (I'll have to scrub the tiny specs of dust off the glass to get good photo's tho.
Bag water was mid 50's upon arrival, which we allowed to warm a bit before unbagging. Q tank was cooled with water changes in anticipation of that and is now in the low 60's after overnight.
We'll bring it up slow and easy to the high 60's over the next few days and then call it good.

[Sangreaal]

Yeah, those specks on the glass makes autofocusing a bear. So can the biofilm on the inside. Buff 'em up and let's see her! (you knew I was going to be a PITA about this, right? )

I guess I'll put my 3 in with the longfins in the pvc tank when they get here. It's hovering at just below 60 right now so the transfer shouldn't be too shocking. I'd so rather have them in the glass Q, though. Much better observation. Will get the heater going and raise it gradually to 70 degrees, then transfer them there.

T-minus 4 hours until arrival and pics like a gazillion stars popping up all over the boards.... *LOL*