A few weeks back, in the Selva de Fuego, paludarium
kingdom to the Fire Nation, our massive and ravenous colony of fire ants completed the
excavation of the sacred flesh of our deceased 8-legged, Bird-eater tarantula goddess Imelda. The fire ants were nourished and enjoyed the
week-long feast of spider meat, but below the surface of their river, things weren't
working out so festively, for over time, something living, growing, and breathing has made its
way into the river system: A monster. An inconspicuous creature eyed us, as it picked
at debris, goblin-like from the shadows. It was one of the two remaining alien shrimp
colonists, from our attempted biological experiment a few months back, placed in this river to
clean these waters of dead ant bodies. Its fellow shrimp colonists had died and they
never successfully bred as we had hoped they would. I'll get into why that was later. But AC Family, I'm sad to announce that life
in this river has been in peril. A thick green living slime is spreading and
killing even the most prolific of our river's plant life. All remaining White Tigers, our shoal of Corydoras
catfish, were quarantined then re-homed to cleaner waters weeks ago, in fear of the plague
also taking over them. But the very determined green monster continues
to spread its tentacles of death throughout our river, pearling with disgusting bubbles
of gas, as it breathes like a superorganism. Now the health of the river affects the health
of the Fire Nation, who have no choice but to drink from these essential waters. It's hard to believe this river which a few
months ago, used to look like this, now looks like this. Ladies and gentlemen, this is a story of how
I killed a green monster, by cleaning up this mess with the perfect biological team to make
this river great again. In full 4K Ultra HD, welcome to the AntsCanada
ant channel. Please SUBSCRIBE to my channel, and hit the
BELL icon, welcome to the AC Family. Enjoy! Alright, AC Family, so here's the down low
and what I believed happened. Most of the ant kingdoms of our Antiverse
are pretty straight forward and basic, but with the Selva de Fuego, we've been running
into some complications over time, due to its many interdependent biological components,
and needless to say, I've discovered it's been quite the challenge to control each variable,
point and shooting issues as they arise. I'll really be needing your help and suggestions,
so keep on watching until the end. OK, AC Family, are you ready for this? Alright. It all starts with these creatures. She's one of our shrimp colonists, and she's
trying her best to clean up what she can, picking up scraps of decaying matter from
the river floor. These shrimp colonists were members of a biological
experiment of ours, specifically chosen as cleaners for this river because of their low
waste output coupled with their awesome cleaning savvy. The plan was for them to proliferate and deal
with ant bodies and garbage in the water, but the problem was, I had noticed the females
were not releasing young as we'd hoped. Some carried eggs complete with little baby
eyes in each, but the young were never actually seen released into the water. Perhaps these shrimp were a species that needed
partial salt waters known as brackish water for shrimplet development. But with the failed shrimp proliferation project
coupled with the Fire Nation continually dumping their dead bodies and garbage into our river,
the weight of the clean up duties was left to the White Tigers and the few shrimp colonists,
and unfortunately, that team simply wasn't enough. Ammonia levels rose, and even our plants weren't
enough to eat up the ammonia and nitrogenous compounds resulting from leftover decaying
matter in the river, and it led to shrimp dying off, as well as a few White Tigers. I immediately moved the White Tigers out,
which eventually lead to an increase in toxic ammonia levels in the river due to more decaying
ant bodies and garbage left sitting around, and all this ammonia gave the algae monster
the boost it needed to make its appearance, small at first, but little by little, this
algae slime began its creeping invasion of this entire river system. It has since crawled up the surfaces of rocks,
producing a bed of silvery bubbles as the algae monster respired. It appears to have won the war against our
floating plants, by coating their roots, killing them from beneath, opening up the surface
of the water to allow for more light to hit the bottom of the river so the algae monster
could continue creeping its way across the river floor, and coat the leaves of our Saggitaria,
thereby killing it. This elimination of its major competitors
for nutrients, the floating plants and the floor plants, has caused it to become the
sole dominant organism in this entire river system. But today, we shall execute the killing of
this algae monster in our river, and AC Family, I had the perfect cleanup crew in mind. The first thing we needed to do was eliminate
the possibility that perhaps these added shrimp had introduced some kind of illness, virus,
or parasite to the river system which caused the inhabitants to die out. The shrimp were quarantined before introduction
but there was still the possibility they could have been long term carriers of some bad agents,
and I just wanted to eliminate that possibility, so I went in to treat the river with some
medicine. Like a floating green ghostly mist, it drifted
past the plants, rocks, and substrate, consecrating all surfaces with its antibiotic touch to
dispel any cursed pestilence. The green clouds of antibiotic filled the
river waters and the currents carried its clouds downstream. Soon the river was completely immersed in
the solution, as it sat peacefully green and recovering. The green medicine was everywhere, but it
wasn't done. I added more. Die possible micro-killers, die. Check it out, AC Family. And that was it. Now, it was time for the next step. Phase 2. AC Family, meet our new cleaners. Shrimp, but a much smaller species from Taiwan,
known as Neocaridina davidi. They were restless, they were eager, and they
were the better candidates, as far as shrimps go, for cleaning our river and proliferating. In fact, the reason we chose that other larger
shrimp species when we first embarked on our biological shrimp experiment, and not these
smaller ones, was because if you recall back, at the time, the babies of the shrimp were
also supposed to be perfectly sized food, for a school of guppies that used to live
in the river, called the Guppy Gang. Well, Mother Nature had other plans in store,
the irony glaring in our faces, and it turns out, the opposite happened: the shrimp ended
up eating the guppies! But without guppies to feed now, these shrimp
were definitely the better choice. They also breed in freshwater and don't need
brackish water to establish big healthy shrimp colonies. They've also proven to be doing a superb job
at keeping the Golden Springs clean so far, so I did want to try placing them in our river
to work their magic at cleaning up algae and biological gunk. I specifically chose red, orange, and yellow
shrimp, hot firey colours to set our river ablaze. Here we go, AC Family, let's do this! Before moving in the shrimp, I needed to make
a few preparations. First, I needed to place a foam covering over
the filter's intake. This would ensure baby shrimp don't get sucked
up into the filter. There we go! Woops, looks like a few ants went under trying
to attack the foam! They'll make their way back to the surface. Next, I needed to add more balls of enriched
soil, to help soften the waters for these shrimp. Let's make it rain soil balls! This new soil will also help support and nourish
our Saggitaria back to health, so they can beat the algae monster. And after some water acclimatization, now
we add the shrimp! And so AC Family, have a look at what our
river looks like now. My what a sight! Our new river was a gorgeous firey shrimp
haven. I was spellbound by the beauty before me. The shrimp hadn't waited a single moment to
start their mass cleanup duties, grazing eagerly on algae, working around the bubbles. They quite enthusiastically migrated to all
parts of this deserted river. It was amazing how quickly and effectively
they worked, as they picked away in search of algae and edible bits. They instantly started stripping the rocks
clean of algae. The algae monster simply had zero chance against
our voracious team of hungry shrimp. Shrimp were also busy upside down stripping
algae off the roots of our floating plants. Now one thing you may notice is that I added
some gorgeous java moss, to add to our team of plants to help outcompete the algae for
nutrients in the water, and also make the shrimp feel much more comfortable in this
river. The shrimp clung onto these bushy, pillowy
clouds of moss, also picking it clean of any tasty edible bits. Ugh, look at how cute and gorgeous this orange
shrimp is as it stuffs its mouth with food. The moss would also help block out some of
the light hitting the bottom, which would be lethal to the algae monster. But guess what AC Family, it looks like our
moss helped someone sneak in to our river! Have a look at whom I spotted swimming around! A baby fish! Haha! I guess he must have been scooped up with
some java moss when I bought it from the pet store and well, he's now a Selva de Fuegan
immigrant. I guess we can keep him, too. I'm interested to see what species he is! But this fry was not all. Are you ready for this, AC Family? These next creatures will blow you away. I still needed some agents to clean up some
of the rotting plant life along with the algae, i.e. dead Saggitaria leaves that had fallen
victim to the algae monster. And AC Family, did you spot it? Meet our new friend, an elephant snail, from
the genus Tylomelania. He's called an elephant snail because, well,
look at at his face! He's got a proboscis that makes it look like
he's got a small elephantine trunk. This elephant snail is gold-coloured, and
woops, carries around a huge unicorn horn-like shell. And check out this snail's friend. Another elephant snail, only darker-coloured
with yellow spots. It made me laugh watching these two lumber
around. I mean, why on earth would nature give these
elephant snails such massive heavy shells, but such small bodies. Whatever the case, the two sure were entertaining
to watch! The snail began to feed on some decaying Saggitaria. These snails are hamaphrodites, meaning they
possess both male and female parts. Come mating time, one chooses to be the male
to do the fertilizing, and one chooses to be the female to give birth. How they decide is apparently a mystery. But, if we're lucky, perhaps they may mate
and produce babies for us. I find them cute and hope they eat lots in
our river. I also will be supplementing their diets,
as well as that of the shrimp with pellets. And so now, the cleaning team is complete. The shrimp have been doing an amazing job
at cleaning up the algae from literally all surfaces, the snails have been busy wandering
the river, lugging around their over-sized shells, chewing up what they can in their
path. AC Family, check out what the river of the
Selva de Fuego looked like two weeks later! The algae had been eaten up and has begun
to die. It was no longer carpeting the floor as it
once had and this looked so much better. The
shrimp themselves have also begun to breed. Check out those eggs! It looks like we can expect to see some shrimplets
in here, as I see several shrimp carrying eggs. I can't wait for this shrimp colony to establish! There is hope once again for the river of
the Selva de Fuego, as our team remains busy stripping every last bit of algae monster
from all surfaces of the river. I just love watching them work. It's super therapeutic! They're even cleaning each other! Haha! The Fire Nation above have no idea that below
them are heaven-sent agents of rehabilitation, cleaning up their waters and eliminating the
algae monster which wreaked havoc in these waters. But now here's where I need your help, AC
Family! The Fire Nation will inevitably dump garbage
and dead bodies in these waters again, and I don't know if the shrimp will be able to
consume them all, which would once again lead to a surge of poisonous ammonia and nitrogenous
compounds, so we may have to add another creature in here that eats dead ants and ant garbage. But the question is - what? If any of you are aquarium enthusiasts, please
do leave your suggestions in the comments for creatures I could add in here to help
clean up the ants' bodies and garbage in between weekly water changes. Of course, I realize the ants wouldn't be
the sole source of food for the added creature, but any animal that could help consume dead
ants and ant garbage sitting at the bottom of the river would truly be a big help to
keeping this river clean. Also, as you know on this channel, you guys
are the ones that name the inhabitants and colonies that inhabit the Antiverse, so leave
your name suggestions in the comments section for the fire-coloured shrimp, the elephant
snails, and our baby fish who by the way today looks like this. He or she has been growing! What species is this fish? Anyway, I will choose my top 5 favourites
for us to vote on in a future video. As is consistent in nature, this river has
changed and evolved over time, in response to various changes and events. Though some aquarium enthusiasts might find
this Selva de Fuego paludarium to be a nightmare of a project, seeing as there are so many
uncontrollable variables, I don't. In fact, I love this journey we've been embarking
on together with this ant kingdom known as the Selva de Fuego because the design just
keeps on getting better and better, aquiring new stability with every adjustment. I also couldn't have done it without your
help! Trying new things, especially things untried
before, is how we learn, and to me, I believe we're experiencing a micro-taste of how evolution
and the biological world works. Challenges necessitate new solutions, which
is our cue to move in and create new sustainable designs. The Selva de Fuego is a prime example of how
death creates a new design for life. I will surely keep you updated on the progress
of this ever evolving river, but it looks like tonight, there will be no more scary
green monster, at the bottom of the Fire Nation's river bed. Alright, so now we move from the crisis we
had in the waters, to the crisis we have on land. So as you know, Imelda, our bird-eater tarantula
has now passed, and has transitioned back into the earth, but there's just one problem
with that. As you may recall from past videos, our goddess
actually played an important role particularly for the Fire Nation, and more specifically,
an important role at containing them! I used her ant-proof webbing to keep our fire
ants from climbing out of their setup, but AC Family, now that Imelda the bird-eater
goddess has died, the Fire Nation has rejoiced and taken full advatage of her passing. I usually harvest and install new webbing
every time I notice the barrier weakening, and well, AC Family, it looks like time's
up. New webbing is due for installment, as the
Fire Nation has managed to tear up the barrier that has kept them captive inside the Selva
de Fuego all this time. In fact, we are now in a grave state of emergency. And so AC Family, we needed a new source of
webbing, and it just so happens, I've found the perfect source. A provider of silk many times stronger and
more repellant than that of Imelda's. She can also produce more of it, in a single
day than Imelda could in a week. AC Family, behold the new goddess of the Antiverse. Alright AC Family, what did you think? Do you like the new state of the river in
the Selva de Fuego? I truly hope these shrimp and snails thrive
in here. Only time will tell! Also, next week is a big one! We meet the brand new goddess assuming the
thrne of the Antiverse, and trust me, she's one of the most stunning 8-legged creatures
I've ever seen! So hit that SUBSCRIBE button and BELL icon
now so you can keep updated on these epic stories of Antiverse, and hit the LIKE button
every single time, including now. Also a special announcement! It's that time of the year again, guys! The holidays are upon us, AC Family, and as
usual, we've got a great Holidays Promo for you ant keepers and ant lovers wanting to
get into the hobby this year! Anyone ordering our new Ant Towers, which
are already on sale, or any of our Hybrid Nests or Hybrid Nest Gear Packs, will also
get our newly revised 2019 version of the Ultimate Ant Keeping Handbook, with new and
updated ant keeping info, a huge new section on nuptial flight schedules and distribution
info per species, and tonnes of gorgeous ant photography. Just order an Ant Tower or Hybrid Nest or
Hybrid Nest Gear Pack, add the new ebook to your cart and use the coupon code "AntLove2019"
and you get the e-book for free! If you've always wanted to start ant keeping,
don't miss out on this opportunity and check out our ant keeping gear at AntsCanada.com. Just a reminder that this Holidays Promo ends
January 1st, 2019, but you need to order by Dec 17 if within USA, or by Dec 10 if outside
USA, if you would like your package to arrive before Christmas. Give your loved ones something meaningful
and educational for the holidays. Ants will fill their hearts with wonder and
fun. I look forward to you all keeping ants with
me! If you're new to the channel, and want to
catch up on all your AntsCanada Lore, feel free to binge watch this complete story line
playlist here, which traces the origins of all the ant colonies of the ant room, so you
can follow their stories and better appreciate how these ant kingdoms came to be, and why
we love them so much! AC Inner Colony, I have left a hidden cookie
for you here, if you would just like to watch extended play footage of our new shrimp and
snails living in the Selva de Fuego's river. Watching them somehow is so therapeutic and
oh so satisfying! Check them out. You'll see what I mean! And before we proceed to the AC Question of
the Week, I'd like to plug my daily vlogging channel, daily vlogs of my journey as a Youtuber
with creatures like my baby African Grey parrot! If you love birds and animals, I'd love for
you to meet my new cute little bird! Hope you can subscribe when you're there. And now it's time for the AC Question of the
Week! Last week we asked: How do axolotls find food? Congratulations to It's Anish who correctly
answered: Axolotls find their food by
sense of smell and movement. Congratulations, It's Anish, you just won
a free e-book handbook from our shop! In this week's AC Question of the Week, we
ask: Why were these smaller shrimp
better suited to this river than the larger ones we initially chose? Leave your answer in the comments section
and you could also win a free e-book handbook from our shop! Hope you can subscribe to the channel as we
upload every Saturday at 8AM EST. Please remember to LIKE, COMMENT, SHARE, and
SUBSCRIBE if you enjoyed this video to help us keep making more. It's ant love forever!
