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From: jocelyn 8/01/00
Subject: leaking tank
my cousin found a tank in her garage that she was not using and gave it to me. i have a betta that is living in a gallon fish bowl right now and i would love to give him (mr.furious)a nice 10 gallon condo to live in however when i was rinsing the aquarium i noticed that there was a small leak on one corner of the aquarium. is there anyway to salvage the aquarium? i would appreciate any advice, thanks.

From: Annagirl 8/01/00
Subject: Re: leaking tank
You could try sealing all the edges with aquarium sealant and then testing to see if it leaks...I would be wary of using it though.

From: jocelyn 8/01/00
Subject: Re: leaking tank
hmm.. thanks for the info, i'll try this. does anyone have any advice on good brands of sealant or had any good experiences with this?

From: CT 8/01/00
Subject: Link to fix a leak
http://www.bestfish.com/tips/082098.html CT

From: Trish 8/01/00
Subject: White Cloud fry feeding ? and timing moving to larger tank.
Background: 13 White Cloud fry in a 5 gallon tank w/ UGF that has been set up for around 3 1/2 weeks. I've been diligently testing the water since the babies were hatched (I'm not trying to breed them, it just happened when I got my first two fish). I've seen no increase in Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate yet. However I lost a bunch of fry when I started feeding them according to the fry food directions. I've cut back to feeding them 2 drops of fry food twice a day and the remaining 13 seem to be doing OK. I've also moved the parents to a new larger tank and been doing frequent water changes for the babies. My questions are: how long should I expect to feed fry baby food before moving them to crushed flake food and what size would be safe to move them to my 20g tank with a HOB filter. My filter has a flow control. They are about 1 cm long now. Thanks.

From: Tipperpoo 8/01/00
Subject: Re: White Cloud fry feeding ? and timing moving to larger tank.
You should only start feeding the small fry crushed food when their mouths are big enough to eat it. Its okay to check by putting a little crushed food in the tank. If the fry eat it well then that should be the time to start feeding them the flake food. I too am raising baby fish. I have 5 zebra danio fry that are older than a month. It's pretty exciting to see them grow bigger and stronger. Especially when they get their colors and form their fins. I don't really know about when to move them to the large tank. I just say when they have grown about 4 times their length or if they are too big for adults to eat them they should be ready to go into the larger tank. Good luck to your babies. Bye~

From: jared 7/31/00
Subject: gourami tank
i was thinking about starting a tank that nothing but gouramis, and a few cat fish/bottom feeders to clean up. I was wondering if this was a good idea, and i also need some ompatible species with dwarf gouramis, and leopord cats. And also if they do well in more than 2 in a group per species of gourami. I got hooked on gouramis a while back, when everything but my blue gourami died, so i figured they were the hardest to kill, and they're very pretty also. Thx.

From: Jessica 7/31/00
Subject: salt water or fresh water???
I have a freshwater tank now (20 gallons) and I really want a saltwater tank. I've heard mixed opinions on which is easier to keep... Which one is easier? What are the differences as far as keeping it clean and so forth?

From: lianne 7/31/00
Subject: Re: salt water or fresh water???
Both types have their fair share of work that needs to be done. I, personally, have a freshwater aquarium. My step-father has at water aquarium. Both of us do about the same amount of work on our tank. It's just a matter of which one you want.

From: Kick 7/31/00
Subject: Too many messages
Sorry it is taking some of you a while to download the page. It is my job to delete old messages, but in the past couple of weeks, I have been snowed under at home and have not had time to "weed out" the old or meaningless posts. I will get to it as soon as time permits. Please be patient. Kick

From: CT 7/31/00
Subject: Can you archive rather than delete?
That way old messages will still be available when someone does a search. CT

From: Kick 7/31/00
Subject: Re: Can you archive rather than delete?
Clint is supposed to be working on this, but as of yet, he has not let me know anything. So far right now, when they are gone, they are gone for good. Hopefully later, we can solve this problem. Kick

From: CT 8/01/00
Subject: May I suggest...
Seems as though the WWWBoard cgi script displays .HTML files from the /messages directory. What if you renamed files with a .HTM extension rather than deleting them? That way when someone comes to the board it will display .HTML files and not .HTM files -- while searches will display both .HTM & .HTML. Alternatively, you could just move them off to another directory rather than deleting them. I'm assuming that the site's search engine simply displays contents of files anywhere on the site that match the search criteria regardless of file extension. Thoughts? CT

From: Kick 8/01/00
Subject: Re: May I suggest...
CT, a guru in computer technology I am not. I will pass your message along to Clint as he is the one that deals with the site. I only have capabilities of deleting old messages and watching over the board for flaming, spaming and old messages. To re-arrange the site, I do not have the authority for that. We will see what Clint says. Kick

From: clint 8/01/00
Subject: Re: May I suggest...
Hi All, Kick has been doing a marvelous job with the board, although it is a thankless and nonpaying task(for now). Anyway I have archived some of the messages in the latest archive http://petfish.net/arcdex.htm CT your idea is a new one on me, it sounds pretty good. There are so many messages and they build up so fast it would really take a lot of time to even do that and then the search engine would get bogged down too. This really is a problem that I can't seem to find an answer for, but I'm still looking and open for suggestions. Clint !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thanks Kick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From: Annagirl 7/31/00
Subject: Aquababies Strikes Again
I was shocked and horrified to find Aquababies at my local target. With fish inside them already! I think I need to write a letter. Anna

From: B.J. 7/31/00
Subject: To any experienced Betta breeder
Hello, as you might have seen earlier in my posts, I sucessfully bred Bettas a while back. The fry are about 4 weeks old and growing nicely. I have around 75-100 fry that I recently transfered to a 10 gallon tank. After feeding the fry infusoria in the first week, the water became a bit cloudy. I have been doing daily 30% water changes to keep the water free of toxins. Now, the ammonia and nitrites are at 0, but the water still has a haze to it- it looks like new tank syndrome, but the ammonia and nitrites are at 0 and the water comes from an established aquarim. Oh btw, for filtration, all I have going is a sponge filter. My quesion is, will cloudy water harm the fry? I find that most other breeders focus on feeding and not water quality during the first month, but how well can these young fry stand up to water polluted by the infusoria and microworms? Does it even matter if the water is cloudy if there is no ammonia or nitrites?

From: Kick 7/31/00
Subject: Re: To any experienced Betta breeder
The cloudy water will not bother the fry as long as it is free of toxins. You are still feeding the microworms, correct? Liquid fry food and infusoria will create cloudy water, and it could be that the infursoria microorganisms are multiplying in the tank and that is why the water is cloudy. Let me know. Kick

From: B.J. 8/01/00
Subject: Re: To any experienced Betta breeder
Yes I am still feeding microworms, plus a tiny bit of flake food powder. I stopped feeding the infusoria about 3 weeks ago, and it is still cloudy despite daily water changes, thats why I am worried. Like I said, the water that I add during a water change comes from one of my established tanks and is crystal clear and free from ammonia or nitrites. When I set up the tank, I siphoned off water from a larger established tank into the 5 gallon to fill it halfway. While doing so, the siphon tube end in the larger tank fell down into the gravel and siphoned off some debris into the breeding tank. I got all of the debris out of the tank and the bottom is spotless, but the water remains cloudy. So the problem comes from the water I put in the tank to start with, not with over feeding of infusoria. Ive never seen anything like this-moderately cloudy water that looks just like new tank syndrome, only without ammonia or nitrites. My water hardness is fairly low, pH is at a constant 7.2, temperature is always between 79-81. An interesting note: when I hold up a lamp to the tank, the water has a brownish tint to it-almost like brown algae, but this can only be seen when white light is held up to it.

From: Kick 8/01/00
Subject: Re: To any experienced Betta breeder
B.J. It is not necessary to use old aquarium water when changing your water in the fry tank. Just conditioned tap water will do fine. And I would assume that the fry powder is what is causing part of your problem. With the age of the fry, just the microworms or live bbs should be fine for now. The powder will make the water cloudy. As far as the brown tint, you could have some brown algae in it depending on how much light you have over the tank. I experience brown algae on the tubes and sides of the glass that I just have to keep cleaned off. Hope this helps. Kick

From: Ruthie 7/31/00
Subject: What would you do?
I have a female swordtail who has been in my hospital tank for 3 weeks. She's scratching on the gravel.( no signs of ich) I've treated the 10 gal tank with Jungle parasite guard twice. Done the recommended water changes, removed the carbon and tested the water. ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrate 20. She's very thin and spits out whatever I feed her. There are no visible problems aside from clamped fins. I'm stumped.

From: Rose 7/31/00
Subject: Re: What would you do?
If you think that you have done every thing you possibly can for her and she's not getting better, it might be time to say good-bye. I know this is not a nice thought but it might be easier on her and on you. This wayyou know that she didn't suffer any longer than than she had too. This is just what I would do. I know it's not a easy thing to do, but it might be better this way for the both of you. I'm sorry for this depressing note. I hope that someone knows what's wrong and you don't have to do this. Best of luck and if need be my regards. Rose

From: Kick 7/31/00
Subject: Re: What would you do?
Before giving up, I would try some internal parasite medications. This is what it sounds like to me. Kick

From: dave 7/31/00
Subject: Feeding Bettas
What is the best way of feeding my Betta?When I put flake or freeze dried bloodworm into the tank it is taken first by the platties and the betta is missing out,as he is slower and spends more time towards the middle and lower part of the tank.Is it a good idea to buy other types of food that sink.If so what are the best types?

From: The Fish Lady 7/31/00
Subject: Re: Feeding Bettas
Hi Dave, First you do not need to have your betta in with the platties, they will nip at the bettas fins and if they have not done it they will. Your feeding problem IS because of the other fish. Bettas are hunters so they may not take the food as soon as you put it in the tank. I would take your betta out and put him in a 2 or 3 gallon bowl or if you have another tank with no fish that will work. Here is some question/answer information for you if you need it Betta Question and answer 1. Can Bettas go with other fish or in a community tank."--- do not put a betta with other fish. The other fish will nip at the fins and that will kill a betta over time. Some say they have bettas with other fish and they are fine but in my 10 years of fish keeping I have found that bettas alone is the best way to keep them healthy. 2. "What size tank/bowl is best?" Well you have some choices; I have many bettas so I do many setups. I have a 25-gallon tank with dividers in it for the bettas and I also have a few 2 and 3 gallon bowls. They really do not need a lot of space so for your one betta I would get just a 2 or 3 gallon bowl; (you might be able to use a goldfish bowl also) 3. "What is the best kind of food? How often do I need to feed?"--Glad you asked, this is where a lot of incorrect information as been going around. Bettas eat meat not plants (flake food) you can try a lot of different kinds of food and see what your betta likes best. Try any of these: brine shrimp (they come in forms of frozen, freeze-dried, and sun dried, I do not use sun dried because the sun sucks out all the nutrence that they need.)Blood worms (comes in same forms as brine shrimp) and then there is some kind of product that called "Betta bits" that I have seen people on this board talk about, I have not used it but KICK says they are good. As for how much to feed a betta, they can be over feed easy, I feed mine (all 10 of them) brine shrimp or blood worms 2 to 3 times a week. Depending on what you get you will just have to see. 4."What kind of water do they like best? What is the best water temp. for them?"-De-chlorinated water only, you can use tap water and add some stress coat to it, the stress coat will de-chlorinate the water and put a protective slime in the water for the bettas fins. Water temp-the water needs to be between 75 and 80 degrees. 5. "What kind of plant should I get? Gravel? Filter? Heater?"--Any plant is fine as long as it is not pointed or has jagged edges it might cause fin damage. Gravel-I have gravel in all my tanks and bowls I am not use what the brand is but I got it at the lps. Filter and Heaters--You do not need at filter if you are going to change the water on a regular time. Bettas do not need air pumps they breath from the top (top water breathers) Heaters- if you can keep the water at 75 to 80 degrees with out a heater than that is fine, my room where I keep my fish is very cold because it is 95 to 100+ degrees where I live right now so the AC is on high. 6. "How often do I need to clean the tank? What stress coat is best?"- I clean my tanks and bowls once a week alternating 50% and 100% water changes. I think, you could do 100% water change every other week with just one betta and be fine. There are a lot of different brands of "stress Coat" sometimes it is called something else. I use the brand that tetra makes. Hope this helps The Fish Lady

From: Rose 7/31/00
Subject: Breeding barbs
Calling all breeders. How do you breed barbs? I would like to breed the tigers (I have a male and female of this kind.) and the greens(just have males so far). How would you go about this. I have a silly question too. Do the males wrap his tail around the female when they mate? I had a 85 degree tank one day and my male tiger was doing this to the female and was also chasing her around the tank. The temp came back down and he hasn't done it since. I was just wondering cause at some point in the near future I would like to give it a shot. Thanks for the help. If you know of any web sites that would help let me know too. Thanks. Rose

From: cd 7/31/00
Subject: To: Rose, About Bala
This fact page - http://petfish.net/bala.htm - will give you a little information about Bala's. I just got two small Bala's myself this past weekend. They are sweet and active. Also, I recently asked a question about treating ick in a tank that also contains scaleless fish, and Kick told me that scaleless fish can get ick, and the medication you should not use is malachite green. She treats ick with aquari-sol and says it works very good by following the directions on the bottle. (Just in case you need to know for future reference.) :) cd

From: Rose 7/31/00
Subject: Re: To CD, thanks
Thanks for the info. I didn't realize the bala's were scaless. Not that it would have mattered much,unless I put them in the hospital tank. I have 2 Pictus cats that are scaleless. Thanks for the tip on them and for the web site. I'm on my way there now. I hope you have as much fun with your bala's as I have had with mine over this last week. They can be crazy and look like fish on crack at times. Enjoy their antics. They will give you hours of fun. Thanks again for the info. Keep in touch. Rose

From: kitty fish 7/31/00
Subject: Too many messages on this page!
Does it take any one else as LONG as it takes me to load this page? lol! Couldn't some of the older or inactive threads be deleted or archived?? kitty fish

From: CT 7/31/00
Subject: Loads fine with a DSL connection :-) (n/m)
n/m

From: tutwiler 7/31/00
Subject: whatzat? n/m

From: Jeremy 7/31/00
Subject: DSL---Digital Subscriber Line(it provides really fast Internet acces!) N/M
n/m

From: jared 7/31/00
Subject: Re: Too many messages on this page!
i agree with her there should be like a 2 week limit on all the posts, or something along that line. It takes forever to load, and it gets annoying too. U also may want to divide it into catagories, so that certain ?'s can be answered on different pages, and won't cluter up other catagories so much. Thx if ne1 does something about this.

From: Kristen 7/31/00
Subject: CT and Kick - Water parameter questions
I just set up a new 20 gallon long tank 4th of July weekend. I transferred some of the gravel and water from my previous 10 gallon before I transferred the fish. The fish were tranferred on July 7th. The tank has been going for about a month. I've been monitoring my water parameters with test strip and have done 3 25% water changes thus far. My ammonia and nitrite readings have been fine until Saturday. On Saturday afternoon, I was doing another water change (the 3rd). My ammonia reading was at the low-end of the "safe" range. However, my nitrite was extremely high! I've never had that happen before. I figured my tank had to go through some cycling again, but it's been fine up until now. After the water change, readings got slightly better. Just for review CT, what is thr difference between nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia? I believe that you start out with nitrite from fish waste and the "good" bacteria break it down to nitrate which is less toxic. I'm thinking that I don't have enough "good" bacteria yet. Will my nitrite problem correct itself when the cycling process is complete, or is there something else I should be doing? All my fish are doing OK and the tank looks crystal clear, but I don't dare add any more until my readings have improved. I also wouldn't have added all the fish at once if this were a new tank, but since I had to transfer the fish over a move, I really had no choice. In the tank there are 4 cories, 4 zebra danios, 4 lemon tetras, and 4 neons. I've had these fish for almost a year and don't want to lose any. They are the survivors! Thanks!

From: CT 7/31/00
Subject: "Cycling Safely" repost
Here's a rehash of "Cycling Safely" from a previous thread: Start the cycle with 1/4 to 1/3 of the full bio-load (start with the hardiest fish you plan to stock). Do not overfeed and do a 20% to 25% water change every other week. Use some AmQuel when your ammonia starts to rise, use at the rate of 10 drops per gallon as needed. You will need a salicylate-based test (the 2-bottle AP ammonia kit works great). When nitrites spike you may need to add some aquarium salt or do a partial water change. After the tank cycles with the first batch of fish, begin adding fish at the rate of no more than a couple per week (until you've reached your stocking limit). Do not add any fish until after the tank has cycled. After the tank cycles keep Nitrates around 5-10ppm for a healthy and stable aquarium. Follow these links for more detailed information on cycling: http://www.bestfish.com/newtank3.html http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html CT

From: Kristen 7/31/00
Subject: pH, water hardness, and alkalinity
pH is in the 6.8 to 7.2 range. Total hardness is 50-120 ppm (moderate). Total alkalinity is 0-40 ppm.

From: CT 7/31/00
Subject: Nothing wrong with these numbers
Are these numbers from your tap water? You're not adding any pH adjusters, right? CT

From: Kristen 7/31/00
Subject: Re: Nothing wrong with these numbers
These are the numbers from the tap water after adding "Start Right" to remove the chlorine. I never add adjusters. I just thought you'd want to know these parameters.

From: Kristen 7/31/00
Subject: Picked up a test kit a lunchtime
I stopped by a pet store at lunch and piced up a test kit. This kit looks more accurate than the test strips. We'll see how my ammonia and nitrite are tonight. The test kit is from Aquarium Pharmaceticals.

From: alexis 7/31/00
Subject: leaping bettas
My bettas were recently separated from a community tank where there was too much agression and violence. They now reside in individual mason jars, and I have noticed them jumping out. After one made a successful suicide leap (found her in the morning--too late), I covered the rest of the jars enough to prevent repeat events, but I hear them (girls) leaping up to the top of the jars anyway. My question: Is there anything I can do to help calm the fish down? I assume that this leaping is an escape response to having been in a hostile situation. As I mentioned, they are now in individual mason jars, covered to let oxygen in and keep them in, with a little soothing water prep in the water (it has some aloe, and de-chlorinator, soothes damaged fish, etc.).

From: The Fish Lady 7/31/00
Subject: Re: leaping bettas
YOu might have to much water in the bowls, use less water and see if that helps. If you cover the bowls the betta will not have enough air. The Fish Lady

From: kitty fish 7/31/00
Subject: Re: leaping bettas
Try adding a few sprigs of live plant. They may not be comfortable in a bare jar. Jumping could also indicate your water quality is not what it should be. kitty fish

From: Michelle 7/30/00
Subject: ph question
Thanks to C.T. and Newbie who helped me to sit out my new cycling and ammonia crisis. Ammonia is down to 0 and I am waiting for nitrites and nitrates to do the same. I know I am close to moving my ghostknife over since my tanks cycling seems to be coming to a close, but my ph is very different in both tanks and I'm not sure how to go from here. In new tank I am at 7.6 old tank 6.6. Realized that my tap water is about 7.6 and ro water is about 6.6 so last water change 2 days ago I added tap to raise my old tanks ph and ro to lower my new tanks ph. Looks like they haven't budged. I have AP's proper ph 7.0 but am not sure if I should use it. Is moving my ghost over with such difference dangerous? How should I proceed? Thanks ahead for your help. Michelle

From: CT 7/30/00
Subject: Re: ph question
The difference in pH between 6.6 & 7.6 is tenfold! A 15 minute "float and dip" transfer from one tank to another is going to be very stressful. I'd think twice about such a move. Your use of RO water -- which lacks any buffering -- is going to make your pH very unstable. A pH of 7.6 right out of the tap is fine for most of the tropicals out there. I think you should slowly transition to using treated tap water in your tanks. You want to avoid having the tank pH shoot up to 7.6 too quickly. Alternatively, if you must use RO water pick up some "RO Right" from Kent Marine and leave the "pH adjusters" on the shelf. Hope that helps! CT

From: Rose 7/30/00
Subject: Re: ph question
When you move the ghost over to the new tank do it slowly, ie stick the ghost in a bag with some of the old tank water. Then over put the bag in the new tank (just as you would when bringing him home from the pet shop). Over the course of an hour or two slowly add some of the new tank water to the bag with the old tank water. By slowly I mean a little bit every 15-20 minutes. This way you are slowly getting him use to the new pH levels ect.ect. Most fish are good at this I don't know how the ghost will do. you might want to doubble check with your lps. Good luck. Rose

From: Yiwen Chang 7/30/00
Subject: Space for kribensis
How much space is best for for a pair of kribensis and its fry?

From: Bruce 7/31/00
Subject: Re: Space Needed
I would'nt go smaller than a 15 gal tank. Having it well planted will help.

From: Heidi 7/30/00
Subject: New Red Flame Gourami in tank not doing so well...
We just purchased some new fish for our tank yesterday, one of which was a male Red Flame (Dwarf) Gourami. Since being put into the tank, he just sits behind plants perfectly still, almost looking petrified to move. He didn't eat when we fed the other fish this morning. We also have a blue gourami that will chase him once in a while, but that's the only time he'll move. There are also 7 tiger barbs and a rainbow shark in our tank, which leave him alone. We don't know if he's just stressed from the new tank and still adapting, or if there's something more that could be wrong with him. Does anyone know about their adaptablilty to new tanks and how long that could take?

From: Jennifer 7/30/00
Subject: Re: New Red Flame Gourami in tank not doing so well...
I tried to keep Flame Dwarfs in my community tank, and I also had problems. From what I have since read, I gather that they are far more peaceful than other gouramis, so they won't usually thrive in an aquarium with their more aggressive cousins. Also, I have found that my tiger barbs are quite nippy, even when kept in 'schools'. Although I am far far from being an expert, I predict that you will have some of the same difficulties that I had. Perhaps you could return your new fish to your LFS and get one that will fit in better with your semi-aggressive community.

From: emma 7/30/00
Subject: help with guppies
I have a tank with 1 adult platy which has had nine babies. I also had two guppies, however one died. After a couple of weeks I bought another three guppies to keep the other one company. After adding these guppies to the tank I noticed that two of them had odd swimming behaviour. They would be swimming quite normally and then suddenly stop and their whole bodies would bend to such an extent that they looked like they would snap. It was as if they were in shock. This would happen for a couple of seconds and then they would go back to normal. I quickly noticed that my original guppy was displaying the same behaviour which it never had before. One of the new guppies died quite quickly and then my original guppy died. This was after developing a brown line down it's stomach followed by red marks on it's body. Now one of the other guppies looks ill. It's tail is totally compressed which is making swimming difficult. My platies appear fine, so what am I doing wrong with my guppies?

From: Barb 7/30/00
Subject: Re: help with guppies
In the immortal words of CT... "What are your water parameters?" Please describe in more deatil what you mean by "red marks". Red streaks could mean not only poor water conditions (high ammonia or high nitrites), but systemic bacterial infection that would need to be treated with antibiotics. Red spots could indicate a parasitic infection. Red sores mean something else all together. It sounds like the fin may be clamped (is that what it looks like?), which is a sign of fish disease (fishy stress) or that the water parameters are off. Give us more specific info and maybe someone will be able to help you with this situation. Wish you and your guppies luck. Barb

From: emma 7/31/00
Subject: reply to CT and Barb
Unfortunately the guppy with the clamped tail did die last night. I do test my water regularly for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and they are absolutely fine. The PH is okay too. I have recently added some aquarium salt however because I had heard that it was better to add this than medicine, could this be the problem? I have also recently bought an air pump (with a 6 inch air stone attached) to provide more oxygen than my internal sponge water filter. The red marks on the other guppy were red streaks on the scales, not the fins. I hope that this info is of more help. I really would like to keep more guppies as I love their individuality so would appreciate any advice.

From: Barb 7/31/00
Subject: Re: reply to CT and Barb
Sorry to hear your guppy died :( By my count... you have one guppy left and a platy with children? I would agree with CT that it sure sounds like a bacterial infection (hemorrhagic septicemia) got your guppies. I would be worried about the other tank inhabitants contracting the infection. Hopefully, CT will comment on whether you should treat the tank with antibiotics (Eg. Kanamycin or Furazone) for a bacterial infection. It sounds like you noticed them being sick after you introduced the gups into the tank. Did you quarantine them before putting them with the others? CT... is it standard practice to quarantine this type of fish, from the LFS, before introducing into one's tank? Or do most just kind of take their luck and go for it? Take care, Barb

From: CT 7/31/00
Subject: A few more questions (you can never give too much info)
* Are all your fish gone now? * How big is the tank? * How long had the tank been up and running? * Is the sponge filter the only filter you're using? Sounds like a bacterial problem -- potentially caused by secondary infections from bad water quality or parasites. The only way to know for sure is by taking a small scraping from your fish and viewing it under a microscope. This is way outside the realm of most aquarists (myself included). And by the time you make an accurate diagnosis it may be too late to make a difference. I'd nuke the tank and start over with the highest quality stock I can find. Make sure you're providing enough filtration, aeration and are not overfeeding or overstocking. Follow my "Cycling Safely" advice -- relax & pour yourself a frosty beverage. CT