2feet Aquatic PTS 4.0

Latest addition to my planted tank! :P Purchase a pair of killifishes from AI the other day. Their colours are so remarkable and they really do bring out the best in your aquarium. I wished i had enough for a school of killis and it'd be fun to see 'em breed! The planted tank is doing well, glosso growing up quite fast! Whoever says you can't plant glosso with sunlight only! :P 

I've decided to trim back a whole load of plants, seeing as the water has stabilized. I've cut out all the pennyworts and removed a clump of water poppies. Threw out the mosaic plant too as it'd was loosing to the water poppies! I never knew the water poppies could overwelm the entire tank. I've got shoots nearly 1.5feet in lenght! Never did see this sorta growth in my waterpots! I've yet to see flowers, though having a few buds growing. Wonder if it's a water-level thingie, and the bud have to be outta the water quickly! Will try to get one out and see :P This photos were before the trimming began though, more photos in later updates :)

So yeah...lots of snails around :P I've even added a version of the trumpet snails, was told they'd be good to churn your substrate! Obviously, the LFS i got them from hates them, n were giving 'em away to me for free!! Experiment away i will :)

New yamatos acclimatising to the new environment :) 

And lastly, here's a pic of the baby wagtail! 

I did lose a pair of swordtails and a wagtail, this tank needs a water change every 2 weeks. In my excitement, i made two water-changes in a day... n that has caused me a killi fish... *sob* *sob*! I was moving my tank nearer into the sunlight! Have learnt a valuable lesson not to purchase fishes till tank is good to go! Lets hope the other guy survives...

Aquatics International Sdn. Bhd. (AI)

AI is supposedly the biggest aquaculture in malaysia, but then... I'm wondering if Xian Leng has actually thumb them off that list (they're a listed in our local KLSE!). Comparing footprints, AI actually has a bigger display area, as to Xian Leng, more varieties as well. But then, I am only comparing Xian Leng's Shah Alam and not its entirety. Some people who'd actually gone to their HQ in Muar has profess of its size and magnitude!! But then, who cares about statistics, afterall... unlike panmee, it's the fishes and plants that matters in the end :)  In need of a few more yamato shrimps and more fishes, we headed out there! 

Every shop needs its super display tank to impress and jaw-drop. AI has two, one being a marine tank and another a planted display unit! ... man, I wonder if that's a water-cooled system underneath! Running a canister filter, with metal-halide lights... Plants are so lush and beautiful!

Sorry, didn't really like the marine tank hence no pictures of it! That's the thing about buying fishes and blogging about LFS... You really can't concentrate and do both, esp. when wifey and friends are around. There's only so much photos/fish observation one is allowed before mood changes!

AI is also known for its marine setups and tanks! Beautiful fishes, unfortunately unafforable for the poor plebs like me. At Aquafair 2008, AI was selling baby reefsharks even! If i'm not mistaken, the sales personnel told us they were going for RM600 a piece! fwah.... You'd find an assortment of sea anemones, star fishes, rays... sharks, even cultivated corals. A one stop shop for marine enthusiast! Beautiful tanks... unfortunately, raving mad prices too! :P 

Say hello to a smiling leopard shark :) Just don't shake it's hands!

I do notice these days, AI seems to cater to more expensive pure-breeds. I mean, a few years ago, i never imagine sharks n this RM150 frontosa!! Beautiful as it is... RM15o?! take back n it decides to belly-up?! ouch!!

Maybe Malaysian Aquatic and Ornamental fishing community has matured in taste ... erm, nah!!! But then, AI is an exporter and this may be its extra stock they're pushing out to the local malaysian. Anyway, here's a picture of a portion of their sales setup! I bet'cha this has more freshwater fishes then even our National Zoo of Malaysia! They'd have most fishes in our local market... afterall,  LFS do stock from them! Oh yeah, an in AI... go in groups, the more you'd buy, the better the discounts!

Here's the yamato shrimps!! I purchase them for RM3 per prawn, but got a RM1 discount!

Lovely banana shrimps! Was contemplating this guy... but seeing as  I don't have a big tank, I decided not to! It's lovely to see them sitting in the waterflow, grabbing for food and watching them eat!

A tank of brackish water puffer-fish... fresh fugu anyone?

A cloud of frontosa...man! 

And the resident clean-up crew! Resting between meals :P

Beautiful pearlscale! RM24 bucks!! 

If i had the money, i'd stock my 20feet pond with a few hundred of these comet goldfish... and then throw in a starved toman (giant channa)! What am i saying!! I love fish, i really do!! 

Picture of the guys packing your fishes. They'd pack for local LFS but the even bigger quantities or for shipment overseas, happens all hush hush, behind the scene! Something we'd only get a peek at...unfortunately!

AQUATICS INTERNATIONAL SDN. BHD. 
http://www.aquatics.com.my/
260A Jalan Satu A, Kampong Baru Subang 
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia 
Tel: 60-3-7463559, 7465042 
Fax: 60-3-7463864, 7461978, 7177009

And here's the map! Using the newly done-up Subang Old Airport road, it's a breeze to get there from Ara D'sara! Erm, getting there is rather difficult as there really isn't any roadsigns as the road is under-rennovation, so I'd recommend you to head out with someone who's been there or drop them a call beforehand! :)

Kota D'sara Chilly Panmee (Rest. Super Kitchen)

At long last i manage to get the needed photos to blog about this panmee shop in Kota Damansara! Now, here's the question everyone's asking... is it ever as good as Kin-Kin's, the de facto and benchmark for their version of the spicy chilli pan mee! I can say for sure, it's really is a good contender and i'd place it 2nd only if u consider both bowls side by side with no other fringe benefits! Let's just say... i've been going back to Super Kitchen (SK) instead of Kin-Kin's (KK) for this version of the spicy dry noodle!! This is why i'd return most times...

1. Kota D'sara is in a slightly less congested part as compared to ChowKit. Getting in and out of the shop, including parking woes and traffic... you'd get to SK easier.

2. Service is with a smile...and yes it matters!

3. You get more options in SK as oppose to KK... Afterall, they've only got a default of dry panmee, wet and yee-mee.. i think. And it's even fixed size! Heck, nobody goes there to eat anything else except their chilli panmee!!

4. Here's the winner point for me... They'd let u 1up your vegie dosage! I've always ordered my bowl of noodles with an extra dose of the green stuff! If u're going to be killin' your digestive tract, at least help ease the traffic with a lil' more ruffage!

5. Per bowl, somehow over the years KK has shrunk! Erm, maybe if someone does a dollar to grams measurement, we'd have a more definite answer here, but I'm comparing bowl per bowl...and SK wins here! My usual is a 2 bowl sit-down in KK... finishing that, i'm still yearning for seconds but knowing it's already tearing me around the seams. After a 2 bowl session in SK. I can't move... seriously!! It's pure gluttony to eat 2 bowls here! What more...trying to consume the third bowl!

6. SK serves HOT chinese tea! 'Nuff said!

7. If you'd step into either places on any given weekend during peak-periods, lets just say expect to wait at least an hour for your bowl in KK! Now, that and the fact that SK's not so "famous" yet... Last trip up, i was there for lunch at apporx 1:30. Taking the last seat in the house, i got my noodles within 15mins!!

8. The last point isn't a real point, as it's rather contradicting... KK' comes with pork lard! Now, here's why KK's still the best, taste-vice..but unfortunately, thanks to the fact I'd wanna see my children grow past puberty, i've been eating at SK. Now, this is an assumption as I'm uncertain if it's really the lack of lard that makes the difference... of if both KK and SK has lard in their noodles. But as they'd say, what you don't see, won't hurt u... :P Lard placebo anyone?

anyone's got any other vs. pointers to add, do please comment!

Okay, so there's actually a technique to eating a bowl of chilli panmee! You can't just eat it off the bowl as really... it has to be savoured! Firstly, get lime (Citrus microcarpa)! Both KK and SK serves them... KK's tend to be dried up while SK would cut 'em for you upon request. My measurement's a lime per bowl. You'd also need a dash of soy-sauce, as the egg needs salting. Approx a tablespoon of the infamous dried chilli goes in next! The combination has to be made proper depending on one's chilli tolerance! To much and u'd end up with a stomach churner, just right and it'd be the greatest thing you've tasted! So ensure total silence, do not operate heavy vehicle and make sure you've ordered your beverage beforehand! :P

Mix them all up, make sure that you'd also break the egg-yolk during this process! What you'd get is an of even, slightly reddish chilli coating and yellow egg-yolk all over your noodles, with a good mixture of achovies and mince pork all over...yummy!

You'd have to dig in quick too as once it cools down and the egg yolk coagulates, it'd harden becomes dry and well... spoil your day!

So here are the needed details I stole of someone's blog...Sorry, complements to your piece of information!

Oh yea, and thanks to John for the recommendation!!

"Super Kitchen Chilly Pan Mee (Batu Road) is located at Jalan PJU5/4, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. T: 03-6141 7398 , 03-2697 0998"

And here's a map to the place too! :)

2feet Aquatic PTS 3.0

In my laziness i've decided to abbreviate the title of my post in lieu of making life a lil' more breathable... ah heck, i'm just gosh darn lazy! :P Afterall, this is suppose to be a photoblog of my hobbies, which if one would take note ... consists of panmee n fishes :) So, Aquatic PTS stands for Aquatic Planted Tank Setup ver. 3.0! Some updates of my tank! Pictures were taken on the 7'th of April, nearly 3 weeks ago, from the day of conception. And what do you know, i'm a happy daddy of two baby wagtails!! They're so small, i wished christmas woul come early this year... n i could afford some really good lenses! Afterall, i'm using a portrait 50mm 1.8 Nikkor on my D40 body. Ergh... as difficult as this is, there really isn't much choice as lighting isn't the best and the standard kit-lens can't catch up...unfortunately. Anyone's got cheap close-up lens n know where to buy 'em?

Glosso's taking roots!! Yay, never thought i'd see the day glosso growing on its own, sunlight fed! 

This is the other baby wagtail! Somehow one guy tend to lurk at the bottom, nearer the substrates while the other will always hover on top, on leaf petals! Hmm... can't be that territorial so early in their life  kah?! 

There's been a few additions to the tank also!! I've bought a pair of ottos, a pair of yamato shrimps and dump in a bunch of snails too!! 

As you can see, there's a whole lot of algaes growing wild in this tank! Hoping this guys will help combat the algae burst all over! :P 

The snails went in first and after a few days, you'd notice the piece of driftwood above had actually cleared!! These are your normal typical snails from a water-catchment near my place! They've grown wild and it seems to eat algaes, though i'm hearing horror stories of these guys eating your plants too! I'm afterall experimenting with these guys, and wasn't too concern.... :P Afterall, it's a small tank :) I think these guys are mystery snails or some sort of pond snails. Time to read up more on 'em...!

This last picture was taken after a few days... Notice the driftwood!

Here's another problem i've got, since putting the tank outside! I get unwelcome visitors at times, especially after a really heavy rain... and loads of insects decided that my lamp is the best place to warm up!! Been feeding them to my cichlids! :P Good source of proteins :) lol!!