Overall: Boobs+!!

[(makeup)]

I really like the shrimp. The translucence(?) is pretty cool, always that's just how the shrimp is xP

 

[Nastyjungle]

i love your shrimps, chou

im thoroughly convinced they are some of the cutest animals out there

 

[Chou Toshio]

Nasty, you have to see their much cuter relatives, the crystal bee shrimp then:

They really love algae wafers:

My Amano Shrimp are about 1.5" long, but they're still about 3-4 times larger than the adult Crystal bee shrimp shown above.

Crystal bees are favorite shrimp for breeders, and there are anything from "wild black/white" with duller colors and no red, to super SS grade Hinomaru, or the SS grade "all white" strain. The highest grade shrimp can fetch over $500 for a single breeding pair!

 

[LeviLamprey]

Awww....such personality in the world of crustaceans! Your artworks are either really detailed and aesthetically appealing or just hilarious (Heracross in UU). Looking forward to more from you! I had no idea you had an art thread, but I'm very pleasantly surprised! ^_^

 

[Rakan]

The shrimp are the cutest, hands-down.

 

[Chou Toshio]

Yeah, even compared to amanos or other caridina, Crystal reds have a stouter nose, a rounder body and relatively bigger eyes-- all things that go towards making them look "cute".

Red Cherry Shrimp are easier to obtain and are nice too though:

The females are bigger than the males, probably about 3/4 in long.

This female is carrying her eggs. All caridina/neocaridina species have the females carry the eggs on her swimerettes under her tail until ready to hatch, and the offspring are benthic (ground-dwellers, not free swimmers) like their parents, taking on the same shape/appearance as the adults from birth (no larval stage). Meaning they're cute right from the get go :3

 

[Nastyjungle]

Hide

Oh my lord

all those adorable baby shrimps

They're hilarious and cute at the same time

Unfortunately, my limited contact with shrimp has been with them when they were dead and traveling to my stomach, haha. But you totally make me want to make my own aquarium! Too bad I've got no funds at the moment or I would!

 

[Rising_Dusk]

I knew he existed...

 

[Energy Storm]

Holy crap what grade are those CRS?

 

[Chou Toshio]

It's all about how opaque solid the colors are. The wild shrimp are almost all black and semi-translucent. While "Red-white" "black-white" and "white" have been bred to higher and higher grades by humans, what determines the grade is how opaque the colors have become.

I'd say the shrimp in the smaller photos are about A grade, while the adults and countless babies in the big picture are probably around C grade.

I'm not really knowledgable but,

 

[(makeup)]

Bottom right corner is cute it's pink <3

 

[Energy Storm]

I think they're all B-A grade, with some S and S+'s thrown around within them. They're extremely pretty, though.

And by the way, do your Amano shrimp actually eat algae? Mine just hang around the filter intake tube and munch the spot algae there, but nowhere else. D: Stupid Christmas moss is riddled with algae and there's nothing that can eat it.

 

[Chou Toshio]

I dunno, since I've never really kept Crystal Red Shrimp :P

As for Amanos-- I do think they're the most active and hardy eaters of any of the caridina/neocaridina I have kept before. I think your shrimp probably get more moving around done when the lights are off too.

As for your algae problems . . . well, algae is always a continuing struggle. :S How big is the tank? What are your equipment/water conditions? Really, animal algae control only goes so far-- the real control has to come from conditioning the tank.

When all else fails, more water changes--bigger and more frequent--are best "can't hurt" cure.

 

[Energy Storm]

My tank is a 55 gallon with fail (stock) lighting, heavily planted. Weekly 20-25% water changes. Ammonia: 0, Nitrites: 0, Nitrates, 0-5ish.

Your tank looks amazing, by the way. Where'd you get that big rock on the left?

 

[Chou Toshio]

Sounds ok to me. Do you have CO2? CO2 usually helps a lot against algae. If you are only using stock lights though CO2 is not a good idea.

Otherwise . . . I heard dosing Seachem's Excel can against algae. While Excel is a carbon fertilizer that supplements carbon supplies (alongside or replacing CO2-- keep in mind it is not good enough stand alone for most plants), it also has a degree of algae-cide properties. Just don't overdose.


The rocks I picked up at a certain river in my prefecture. I have gone on a few rock-hunting trips. There's a post about my trip to Mount Hakkai in this thread (page 2). The wood I bought at an ADA supply store in the next town.

 

[Energy Storm]

Well dang thanks for getting my hopes up about those rocks....I guess it's time to go to my backyard and find some nice pieces of slate for the background. ;A;

The problem with lighting is that the price for most T5HO and other high-output bulbs is way out of my acceptable range. I've been thinking of the likes of those long light strips you find hanging on the ceiling in stores and stuff, but I have a feeling those will be quite expensive too.

I've always thought Excel would cause Water Wisteria (Hygrophilia difformis) to melt, does it?

 

[Chou Toshio]

There are definitely some plants who don't like Excel (just like algae doesn't like excel). I'm not sure about difformis . . . it's definitely a possibility . . . it's not a plant I've ever had myself. :S

You'd be better asking on a planted forum about that.

Yeah if there's one big entry barrier to the planted aquarium hobby, it's that . . . it's not cheap. Actually, not only is it not cheap . . . it requires quite a bit of the "geek" gene to get the necessary knowledge. It seems like you got that down though :D

I wish I could help you get nicer hardscaping materials. It's always a challenge to get anything cheap, or to find anything that looks good :(

 

[Chou Toshio]

Smog Update:

Photos:

 

[LeviLamprey]

Wow! Japan looks so epic. When I get older I am SOOO going over there for a holiday!

 

[wickdaggler]

hey man the deadline really snuck up on me and by the time I had something halfway presentable it was grossly past deadline

anyway I'm just here to encourage you to do more of that traditional media with oil/acrylic/watercolor/whatever you used
or at least scan some to put here if you've done some already
you're really good at the impressionist landscape thing and there are like two of them what the hell

 

[Nastyjungle]

I keep trying to not be totally infatuated by that Ho-oh, but it isn't working.
Totally inspired me to do my own piece! Like I said before, beautiful work, perhaps my favorite you've ever done.

As for your photos, they look excellent as usual! Japan is a very neat place, I would love to visit a temple or shrine sometime. A+++ article!

 

[Sadmoose]

Chou Toshio for the scenery ones I'm curious, did you use Oil based paints (Or is it drawn that way) for your scenery pictures such as: "MAC 3: Opposite Colors, "Fleeting Autumn"". Because they look just amazing but ... something kinda pops out to me when I look at them.

 

[Chou Toshio]

Thanks Nasty :D

It's all done in photoshop. It's not a matter of just drawing and using painting tools-- you will get much better results learning how to utilize filters, photo adjustement tools like levels/contrast/saturation/color balance, and layers/layer settings.

I like the water color filter a lot >3> People like to riff on filter use, but honestly it takes time and practice to learn how to use them tactfully so it looks natural. Even if you compare Ho-Oh with my Ash/Pikachu drawing, I think you will see a real progression in my ability to utilize the tools in photoshop.

 

[Chou Toshio]

Everyone should experience the joy that is Asian chaos:

This piece is for the upcoming Japanese project I'm working on (with Bloo HTML'ing and Mingot being the man helping me out with all the uploading stuff).

He's wearing a Mon-tsuki-hakama. A mon is a (circular) Samurai family crest, and this is a formal kimono a samurai would wear with his mon on his chest and arms.

I replaced the mon with Koffing, and you probably get the Japanese flag reference too. :3


Compare to this reference pic of Sakamoto Ryoma (from a drama):

Ryoma Den: Most epic thing I ever saw.


Otherwise, cover art submissions:

 

[kennethcp]

I just adore the pictures you did for the front page.