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

[@martindunn4545]

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

[@theotay4715]

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

[@WastedTalent-]

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]

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

[@nanvolentine9110]

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

[@allthumbs3792]

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

[@quitlife9279]

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

[@mwellnow5016]

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

[@Fluff_Noodles]

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

[@ErebosGR]

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

[@tamarrajames3590]

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]

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

[@tylervetter2255]

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

[@thorren1633]

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]

Avnj doesn't know anything

[@dndndndndn419]

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

[@SherittaNesbitt]

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]

😀

[@wirtification]

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]

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]

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]

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

[@MomoSimmer]

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

[@leahnjr]

They have so much personality.

[@duijfjekan453]

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

[@lilysmith9855]

LOVE YOU LIFE IN JARS!!!!

[@GreatNW]

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]

Thank you for sharing with us! ❤

[@gabe2252]

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

[@gayefanner731]

They’re Dutch! 🥰 I rest my case ✌️

[@salmankan1935]

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

[@Crimsoncrescent99]

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

[@AquariumRick]

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

[@Scorpionem]

cute lil fishes love it !

[@kevinpowell7948]

Somewhat interesting indeed 🤓

[@fsm1137]

You can ramble any time thanks for the great content

[@joosf]

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

[@vayllinn994]

Life in Jars! yes!

[@bigsarge2085]

So cool.

[@ungratefulmango]

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

[@TheLastSecretGarden]

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

[@givetanks]

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

[@aaronbecker5617]

I really need a tank like this!😊

[@nsiderultimaseth]

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

[@TheSeptemberRose]

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]

Blessed upload

[@raptorcastle3284]

One take! I like it! 😊

[@a-a97]

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]

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

[@yellowjoe_]

another informative and entertaining video!

[@tarronadam5435]

Cool little fish

[@TimosGarden]

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]

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

[@624abcdefghijk]

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

[@boy_deploy]

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

[@givetanks]

Indeed!

[@christopherchuauhang4829]

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

[@obieobrien5883]

Never an incoherent rant. Always interesting.

[@claire5244]

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

[@DutchBane]

Koele tank

[@megbuchanan1630]

Your vids are always enjoyable

[@moda78z]

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

[@mysticthecatninja]

love your snail, he's working hard

[@Rexini_Kobalt]

your mini ecological experiences are absolutely amazing!

[@janpack1569]

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]

I fell asleep somewhere around the beginning. Great asmr 💯

[@olofnielsen8844]

Hell yeah

[@tracer97]

Damn. Didn't realise you were jacked bro 😮

[@sebastianpotts8865]

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

[@mazoo16]

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

[@gumpysee3644]

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]

life in jars look so amazing

[@charlespaugh]

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

[@opercula]

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

[@natbromden5838]

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

[@oravenheart]

I love fish I wish I had an aquarium

[@Davidova]

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]

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

[@AlbertoSantosDumont819]

Love your stuff as always!

[@jonnavdpas]

cute little guys!

[@SunSheepOfLight]

Cool 😎 setup.

[@lordeppiothe1]

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]

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

[@lordeppiothe1]

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

[@gayefanner731]

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]

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!

[@Kaityscichlids]

Woohoo! We need some more Life in Tanks videos 😄

[@givetanks]

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

[@gayefanner731]

Cheeky!

[@RookwingsKirk]

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.

[@JoelMMcKinney]

Love your videos bro ❤

[@Desoda_is_my_name_or_something]

How is life going?

[@bassybossy]

Lovely meeting the neighbours!

[@Korvmannen]

Cute video, thanks

[@timhorvat7432]

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

[@darkshireaquatics]

awesome video ✌✌

[@thefatraptor4424]

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]

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]

Great video

[@itsreallyreal1337]

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

[@heykerryann]

🤗

[@RisingRevengeance]

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]

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

[@Nightmancometh76]

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

[@DiesesMax]

YT Legend

[@JadeJ888]

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]

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

[@johnthefrogakakrazert819]

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]

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

[@tonyspamoni5641]

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]

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

[@Bogwedgle]

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]

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

[@mikkelhjorthansen5121]

Hello

[@hermitoldguy6312]

I like trains

[@khaidynasty]

This is awesome!! But do they not inbreed?