I Got a Pet Walking Fish (literally)

TerraGreen

20 Apr 202413:21

Summary

TLDRIn this entertaining video, the creator embarks on a unique journey to acquire and care for a mud skipper, a fascinating fish species capable of walking on land. Initially unsuccessful in finding one at a local pet store, the creator turns to an online purchase for just $24, raising suspicions of a scam. Upon arrival, the mud skipper, named Franklin, is introduced to a meticulously designed 40-gallon terrarium, complete with a waterfall, a parkour course, and a diverse aquatic ecosystem. The video documents the challenges and triumphs of creating a dream home for Franklin, his dietary preferences, and an attempt to train him on the parkour course. Despite the initial failure to complete the course, Franklin's love for house flies and the creator's commitment to his well-being make for an engaging and humorous watch.

Takeaways

🐟 The mudskipper is a unique species of fish that has evolved to survive out of water and can literally walk on land.
🛒 The narrator attempted to buy a mudskipper from PetSmart but was informed they do not sell them.
💻 The narrator resorted to purchasing a mudskipper online for $24 from a sketchy website, questioning its legitimacy.
🏡 To house the mudskipper, a 40-gallon terrarium was bought and set up with both water and land sections, including a parkour course.
🏞️ The terrarium was meticulously designed with rocks, waterfall, and plants to mimic a natural lake environment for the mudskipper.
🌱 Aquatic plants were bought from PetSmart, despite being expensive, to enhance the terrarium's aesthetics.
🚿 The narrator used a water mixture with a small amount of salt to simulate the mudskipper's natural habitat.
🐟🔁 Healthy bacteria were added to the water to cycle it and make it safe for the fish before introducing them.
🐠 Four different mollies and some Nite snails were added to the terrarium to create a diverse ecosystem.
🚗 The narrator picked up the mudskipper, named Franklin, and introduced it to its new home, where it demonstrated its ability to walk on land.
🏆 A parkour course was attempted to be built for Franklin to test his jumping abilities, but he struggled with the challenge.

Q & A

What is a mud skipper and how is it different from regular fish?
-A mud skipper is a species of fish that has evolved to survive out of water. Unlike regular fish, mud skippers have the ability to breathe through their gills and also through their skin while it's still wet, allowing them to spend more time out of water.
Why did the person in the script decide to buy a mud skipper from a sketchy website?
-The person decided to buy a mud skipper from a sketchy website because they couldn't find them at their local pet store, PetSmart, and were intrigued by the unique ability of these fish to walk on land.
What did the person do to prepare a home for the mud skipper?
-The person bought a 40-gallon terrarium and set up a water and land area within it. They used rocks to separate the two areas, created a waterfall with a working water flow, and added a substrate of black balls, dirt, and sand.
What were the challenges faced while setting up the waterfall?
-Initially, the person ran out of small rocks and had to use larger ones. They also faced issues with the water flow, which initially looked more like a sewage pipe than a waterfall. The water turned brown, possibly due to the rocks, and sprayed all around the room before they adjusted the water pressure.
Why did the person add a small amount of salt to the water in the terrarium?
-The person added a small amount of salt to the water because mud skippers live in the wild with some salt in the water, and this mimics their natural habitat.
What kind of plants did the person buy for the terrarium and why were they considered overpriced?
-The person bought aquatic plants from PetSmart for the terrarium. They were considered overpriced because they were very small and cost $10.99 each, with one being the size of a finger.
What other aquatic creatures did the person add to the terrarium before the mud skipper arrived?
-Before the mud skipper arrived, the person added four mollies of three different species and some Nite snails to the terrarium to make it more diverse and to help clean algae.
What was the name given to the mud skipper and why was it chosen?
-The mud skipper was named Franklin because the person felt that the fish looked like a Franklin.
What types of food were tested to find out the mud skipper's preferences?
-The person tested house flies, meal worms, nether worms, and crickets to determine the mud skipper's food preferences.
How did the person attempt to get the mud skipper to complete the parkour course?
-The person used meal worms and house flies as incentives and guided the mud skipper towards the course using tweezers. They also added mud to make it easier for the fish to navigate the platforms.
What was the final outcome of the parkour course challenge for the mud skipper?
-Despite multiple attempts, the mud skipper, Franklin, was unable to complete the parkour course as intended. However, the person eventually manually placed Franklin on the second platform, rewarding him with unlimited house flies.

Outlines

00:00

🐟 The Quest for a Mud Skipper Pet

The video script begins with the narrator's fascination with a unique fish species known as the mud skipper, which has evolved to survive on land. The narrator's journey to acquire one includes a trip to PetSmart, only to find out they don't sell mud skippers. Undeterred, they resort to purchasing one from a suspiciously cheap online source for $24. The anticipation of the mud skipper's arrival prompts the narrator to prepare an elaborate terrarium with both water and land sections, including a parkour course. The construction process involves arranging individually wrapped rocks, setting up a waterfall with a pump, and dealing with initial malfunctions. After overcoming various challenges, the waterfall is finally functional, and the terrarium starts to take shape.

05:01

🌿 Creating a Terrarium Ecosystem

The second paragraph details the ongoing development of the terrarium. The narrator adds wood and black balls to the land area behind the rocks, followed by a layer of dirt to mimic a natural environment. For the water area, a layer of sand is added. Despite the initial unsightly appearance, the addition of plants, albeit expensive, transforms the terrarium into a visually appealing habitat. The narrator also incorporates a light with a blue night setting to simulate nighttime conditions. Before the mud skipper's arrival, the narrator populates the terrarium with mollies and Nite snails to create a diverse ecosystem. The anticipation builds as the narrator waits for the mud skipper's delivery, and upon its arrival, the video captures the moment the mud skipper is introduced to its new home, showcasing its unique ability to walk on land.

10:02

🏃‍♂️ Franklin the Mud Skipper's Parkour Challenge

The final paragraph describes the narrator's attempt to feed Franklin, the mud skipper, various insects to determine his dietary preferences. Franklin is particularly fond of house flies and mealworms, though he struggles with larger crickets. The narrator then constructs a makeshift parkour course to test Franklin's jumping abilities. Despite initial failures and adjustments to the course, Franklin is eventually coaxed through the course using mealworms and mud as incentives. The video concludes with Franklin being rewarded with unlimited house flies after a failed attempt to complete the parkour course without assistance. The narrator expresses hope for future videos featuring Franklin and encourages viewers to subscribe for updates.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Mud Skipper

A mud skipper is a type of fish that has evolved to survive out of water for extended periods. It is capable of 'walking' on land using its pectoral fins. In the video, the mud skipper is the central focus as the creator wants to keep one as a pet, highlighting its unique ability to survive both in and out of water.

💡PetSmart

PetSmart is a popular retail store chain specializing in pet products and services. In the script, the creator mentions driving to PetSmart with the intention of buying a mud skipper, but they do not carry them, which leads the creator to seek an alternative method of obtaining one.

💡Terrarium

A terrarium is a sealed, transparent container that houses plants or small animals, often simulating a natural habitat. In the video, the creator purchases a 40-gallon terrarium to create a home for the mud skipper, which includes both water and land sections to accommodate the fish's unique needs.

💡Parkour Course

Parkour is a training discipline in which participants move through a series of obstacles by running, jumping, and climbing. In the context of the video, the creator builds a 'parkour course' for the mud skipper to test its jumping abilities, although it ends up being more of a 'walk course' due to the fish's difficulty in jumping between platforms.

💡Aquatic Plants

Aquatic plants are plants that have adapted to living in watery environments. They are used in the video to decorate the terrarium and create a more natural-looking habitat for the mud skipper and other fish. The creator comments on the high cost of these plants at PetSmart, reflecting on their small size relative to their price.

💡Waterfall

A waterfall is a feature in the terrarium created by the pump and tube system that allows water to flow from a higher point down into the water area. It serves both an aesthetic and functional purpose, providing a dynamic element to the habitat and simulating a natural environment for the mud skipper.

💡Franklin

Franklin is the name given to the mud skipper in the video. The creator chose this name because it felt fitting for the fish's appearance. Franklin becomes a central character in the video as the creator documents his feeding habits, attempts to get him to navigate a parkour course, and ultimately rewards him with his favorite food, house flies.

💡House Flies

House flies are insects that are offered as food to Franklin, the mud skipper. The video shows that Franklin has a strong preference for house flies, which he actively hunts and consumes. This preference is used as a reward for attempting the parkour course, even though Franklin ultimately does not complete the course as expected.

💡Mealworms

Mealworms are the larvae of a type of beetle and are used in the video as another type of food offered to Franklin. Although Franklin shows interest in mealworms, he struggles to eat them due to their size and the difficulty in capturing them, highlighting the challenges he faces as a predator in his new environment.

💡Nite Snails

Nite snails, also known as mystery snails, are added to the terrarium to help clean algae. They are beneficial for the overall health of the terrarium's ecosystem, contributing to a balanced environment for the mud skipper and other fish to thrive in.

💡Mollies

Mollies are a type of freshwater fish that are introduced into the terrarium along with the mud skipper. They are mentioned as having different appearances, such as zebra-looking and goldfish-looking varieties, adding to the biodiversity of the habitat and providing visual interest.

Highlights

Discovered a species of fish, the mud skipper, that can survive out of water and has evolved to walk on land.

Attempted to purchase a mud skipper from PetSmart but they only sell goldfish.

Ordered a mud skipper online for $24 from a sketchy website, questioning if it was a scam.

Created a custom 40-gallon terrarium with separate water and land areas for the mud skipper.

Encountered a problem with the waterfall feature, initially resembling a sewage pipe.

Successfully built a working waterfall with the help of a pump and spray foam.

Added a substrate of black balls, dirt, and sand to the terrarium to mimic a natural lake environment.

Purchased overpriced aquatic plants from PetSmart to enhance the terrarium's aesthetics.

Incorporated a light system that can simulate day and night in the terrarium.

Added healthy bacteria to the water to prepare it for the mud skipper and other fish.

Introduced other fish species like mollies and Nite snails to the terrarium for a more diverse ecosystem.

The mud skipper, named Franklin, was successfully added to the terrarium and began exploring.

Franklin demonstrated the ability to breathe through his skin in addition to his gills.

Franklin's feeding preferences were tested, showing a liking for house flies and mealworms.

Attempted to build a parkour course for Franklin to test his jumping abilities.

Franklin was initially scared of the parkour course but was eventually coaxed to complete it with the help of mealworms.

Franklin was rewarded with unlimited house flies after completing the course.

Viewer engagement was encouraged through subscription prompts and requests for video ideas in the comments.