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From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: filter cleaning
There are pros and cons on this subject. Some say that when you exchange for new filters, you have destroyed much bacteria. However, the bacteria is throughout your tank, and changing the filters should not hurt anything. Others say to always just rinse them in the cleaner part of the aquarium water and return. If they are very gunked up (like in a sponge filter), this can be hard to do. I have aqua-clear and emperor filters. I never bother the biowheels on the one and I usually trade off on the aqua-clear. If I exchange the sponge, I leave the carbon. If I change the carbon, I just rinse the sponge in water and return. You will get many different answers here, but Stu, you have been keeping fish for a long time and I am sure that whatever you are doing is working out just fine. Kick

From: lirunaway 9/26/00
Subject: Peacock eel Activity!?
I have a five gallon tank with a Beta Fish and a Peacock eel. Usually The Betta Fish is swimming all-by his lonesome self, while the Peacock eel stays hidden mixing-up the gravel for me. According to the pet store this was the idea so the waste gets stirred-up to the filter. Now I just came back from a ten day vacation. The Peacock is out for the first time since I got it 6 months ago. It's hanging around and the Betta is hanging around with him. I'm guessing it decided to come out after the house was quiet for so long? But now it's been staying out and I'm wondering if maybe it's out because the gravel is toxic (I haven't cleaned it). My ammonia test good and my Ph is 6.8. I'm hoping I'm just being Paranoid and the Betta finially has a new friend (the Beta beat up everything else).

From: Mel 9/26/00
Subject: How do you add water back to your tank?
Hi This isn't an urgent post. I was wondering how everyone here adds treated water back into their tanks. I assume everyone's tanks (more than 20 gal) are on stands, and it can be quite hard to lift water up to that level to pour it in. I do it now by carrying my 7 gallon water jugs onto the stairs next to the tank and siphoning the water in with a short section of tubing. Has anyone discovered another way? Btw... I'm not complaining about the work. ;) I just want to see what others do.

From: Meagan 9/27/00
Subject: Re: How do you add water back to your tank?
I am lucky enough to have two things... one a small house, two tanks in the front room... I extended the nylon tubing on the gravel sweeper to 25', so I just run it out the front door and into my flowerbeds... for fill ups the same 25' nylon hose in attached to pvc fittings and the kitchen faucet... I set the temp, run through the house with the end of the hose in a bucket (running water the correct temp pouring out the end) and put it in the back to fill... I treat the water as it is filling.... I can do water changes on both te 55 and the 29 in less than an hour without ever picking up the first bucket... 8-)

From: Barb 9/26/00
Subject: I use a watering can for my 2 & 5 gal.s n/m
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From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: How do you add water back to your tank?
On my 55 gallon tanks, I use a manual siphon and buckets to drain them, and use a Python automatic siphon to refill them. My water contains no additives or anything and these are all fresh water tanks, no salt. For my 20 gallon brackish tank I use buckets all the way through. I put the bucket on a chair and use a fish-only quart pitcher to gently pour the water into my hand, which is right below the surface of the tank's water. The water in the bucket is salted with the correct amount of sea salt after I fill the bucket to the correct amount and temperature. I use the same method on my 10,5, and 2 gallon, except without the salt. ;) Pretty soon I will have upgraded my brackish water fish to a 55 gallon and will probably use larger buckets containing prepared brine mixtures. kitty fish

From: Brad 9/26/00
Subject: Re: How do you add water back to your tank?
I got a couple of Sierra water bottles (5 gallon), drank the water, and use the empties for the fishes. I dump the water into the tank, then refill them, treat the water with salt and dechlorinator, and let them sit until next week...by the time I need fresh water, it's at a good temp, and it's perfect fish-water.

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: How do you add water back to your tank?
Since the biggest I have right now is a 10 gallon, I'm not usually putting in more than 4 gallons at a time, so I use a 2 gallon bucket twice to make it less heavy.

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: How do you add water back to your tank?
I, too, have the python system for my larger tanks. This is a wonderful thing to have for those who have many tanks. But before I was smart enough to get one of these, I would siphon manually and then fill gallon milk jugs to pour the conditioned water into the tanks. This was straight from the tap. No water jugs sitting around for me. This took a little time walking back and forth, but there was less of a mess and the spillage was minimal. I still use this method on my smaller betta tanks. Kick

From: Mel 9/26/00
Subject: What is the python system exactly? n/m
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From: Rose 9/27/00
Subject: Re: What is the python system exactly? n/m
The Python system is basically a garden hose for fish tanks. That is the easiest way to explain what it is. You buy it at your LFS. I use this too. It's a life and time saver. Rose

From: Kick 9/27/00
Subject: Re: What is the python system exactly? n/m
The python is long tubing with connections at one end to hook it up to your kitchen faucet. Part of the connection switches so that you can either suck water out of the tank or run water back in all depending on how you set it. You need to have enough tubing to reach from the tank to the sink. The end you use at the tank has a valve to shut the water or suction on and off with a larger "siphon" tube on the other. When you change your water, all you have to do is hook up the python to the sink, run the tubing along the floor until you reach the tank. You turn the water on and set the connection so that it sucks. Stick the other end down into the tank, and it siphons the water out. When you are done cleaning, you go back to the sink, set the connection the other way and making sure that the water is the right temp., you put water back in. Now this water has not been treated per all our instructions, so I just add my water conditioner into the tank as I am filling. Works like a charm, and I cannot believe all the time I wasted draining and hauling water to the tanks before I had this. You just have to be careful to shut the valve off at the tank while you are switching the water to run at the sink. I forgot once, and when I returned to the tank, the tubing had flipped out of the tank and was running on my floor....Egads! But overall if you have several tanks to clean, this is the only way to go. Hope I explained so that you can understand. Kick

From: Mel 9/27/00
Subject: Re: What is the python system exactly? n/m
When you add conditioner as you add water, are the fish in the tank? Will they be affected by the small exposure to the untreated water?

From: Rose 9/28/00
Subject: condition water as you fill the tank or before you use the python to fill the tank.n/m
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From: tmoss 9/27/00
Subject: Man, i gotta get one! n/m
nm

From: Kick 9/27/00
Subject: tmoss, it is money well spent. n/m
nm

From: Rose 9/27/00
Subject: Amen to that Kick n/m
n/m

From: Joyous 9/26/00
Subject: Betta Food Enough?
I purchased a bottle of Betta Bites. It says that it is an appetite stimulator. It also says feed once a day 4 pellets. So I give him 4 little specks a day. Am I doing this wrong? Is this meant to be a meal for a Betta? It does not seem like enough to me.

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Betta Food Enough?
I use Betta Bio-Gold pellets, not sure if they're the same, but they're really tiny round balls. I was feeding 3-4 twice a day, but I started finding uneaten food, so now I just give two 2x a day and he seems fine with that.

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Betta Food Enough?
Bot of you are doing fine. The giogold is different than the bites, but the properties are still the same. Remember a fish's stomach is about the size of his eye. That should help you to determine how much to feed. I tend to overfeed my "children" and I have some that probably could be weight lifters. It is better to "underfeed" than "overfeed. You might pop in some freeze dried blood worms or frozen brine shrimp occasionally as a treat for them. Most bettas love them. Kick

From: Brad 9/26/00
Subject: Scary lookin' eyes - reponse to Kick and Jaz
Hmmm...No signs of disease or stress of any kind on these fish. Out of six bala sharks only one shows distended eyes. They are not cloudy, just bulging out somewhat. Otherwise their behaviour is normal, although they are normally far more greedy about food. I am hoping it's just a reaction to the chemicals. I did a 50% water change after the treatment, and another 25% change the next day. Have you ever seen this kind of reaction to a medication? There are no other symptoms of disease. Thanks for the help!

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Scary lookin' eyes - reponse to Kick and Jaz
Brad without seeing the fish, I cannot tell you for sure. CT seemed to think is was gas saturation from too frequent, too much water being changed, but then again it could very well be popeye. The drug of choice for this is Maracyn II. If you cannot find this at your LPS, try finding it online. It is rather expensive, but it has saved several of my fish from this disease. He may lose his eye, but at least his life may be saved. There is really no way of testing if there is too much carbon dioxide in your tank, so you might try this test. Stick dry fingers down in the water. If bubbles start to form on them, then you know there is too much gas. (Or if you see bubbles on the glass or the fish, this is a sure sign also.) A remedy is to use full aeration of the water to dispel the gas. BTW, make sure on the Maracyn that it is "II". There is a regular Maracyn, but the properties are different. Hope this helps. Let us hear. Kick

From: CT 9/26/00
Subject: Probably gas saturation
You may be seeing gas saturation problems. That is air bubbles in the blood stream of your fish. It might be a good idea to let your tap water set a bit longer to let more gases escape before adding it to your tank. Some power heads that are set improperly can cause a condition similar to popeye as well. I'd check these two areas before medicating. Hope that helps! CT

From: Jaz 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Scary lookin' eyes - reponse to Kick and Jaz
I still think it could be popeye. Most fish that have it don't really show any other signs of disease and many act completely normal. to treat it there is some stuff called Maracyn 2 that you could use. Good luck! Jaz

From: Brenda 9/26/00
Subject: I'm Moving!!!
HI! I was wondering about transporting fish. I have a 5 gallon tank witha blue and a pink tetra, an angelfish and an algae eater. I'm moving 659 miles away. Can the fish be transported, and how? It may be possible for me to have a new tank cycled and ready when I arrive. The trip may take two days or at the very least about 10 hours(if I drive straight through) and i have a two year old child, so not likely. We are very attached to these fish and have had them for some time. Any ideas? Thanks Brenda

From: CT 9/28/00
Subject: Here's an article that lays it all out...
All about (http://www.bestfish.com/moving.html) moving fish. You can take 'em with you... CT

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: I'm Moving!!!
What I would do, is get a big (2 gallon or so) bucket, fill it up with the aquarium water, and put the fish in it. Then put a lid on, but make sure there are a few air holes in it so they don't suffocate. Then I would put it in the back seat or on the floor, wherever it won't tip over. It's probably a good idea to wrap some styrofoam type insulation around it and under it to keep the heat in, and have it in a place where the sun can shine on it for a little extra warmth. I would feed them the night before you leave, and then not feed them again until after you get there and they're back in their tank again. Also, whenever you stop, take a net and agitate the water so that it can absorb more oxygen from the surface. I think as long as you can make sure they have enough oxygen and are warm enough, they should be alright. Not feeding them until you get there will also slow down the build up of waste in their water, which is the other thing to watch out for. You could probably also use two 1-gallon buckets if you wanted (I would probably put the angelfish in one and the rest in the other, depending on how big the fish are). If you are planning on moving them to a new tank, it would be good to have it set up beforehand if possible, or if you wanted to re-set up the old tank, put the filter cartridge and some of the wet gravel in a bucket filled with aquarium water, this will help it to re-cycle faster when you set it up again. Someone else might have better ideas for transport for you. Hope this helps!

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Hang in there with me.
I have been gone all day and need to get some shut eye. But if you can hang in there until tomorrow I can tell you what to do on moving the fish. Part of what Carissa says is correct, but there are some other things that you need to do. And not feeding them two days before the move is one of them. Don't mean to step on her toes, but I have helped folks move their fish, and we have been successful. Have only lost one in the last couple of years. I will see you tomorrow and will explain step by step what you should do to get these little guys to their new home. Kick

From: Kick 9/27/00
Subject: Here we go!
This should help you and your friends survive the move you are about to undertake. Hope this helps. Kick If you are being faced with a move to another city or even across country, there is no need to despair over what to do with your special pets that live in your aquarium. You don't have to look for a friend who would like to inherit them or take them to a fish store for someone else to have. With a little patience, the correct handling, items that you will need for the move and proper instructions, this move can happen easily for both you and your pets. They will arrive at their new home and surroundings with minimal stress and upset. I have written in detail how this move can happen easily. I have helped several of my friends (both human and aquatic) pack for a move, and in all the years I have been doing this, we have only lost one fish friend in the process. He had been around for quite awhile, and we all assumed that he was just too old to make the trip. By following these instructions, you should all arrive at your new destination in pretty good condition. You will probably be more stressed than the fish adjusting to your new "environment". l. Two days before the move, stop feeding the fish. This will keep them from fouling the water and using lots of oxygen during the trip. 2. You will need to have large plastic bags (like the gallon zip lock type or bags from your LPS), and if possible a styrofoam cooler for insulation. If there is some type of container that you can put some of your aquarium water in to take with you, this will be great; but if not, that is okay too. 3. The "day of the move", the tank is the last thing to go. The fish need to be placed in the large bags separately with enough water to cover them while laying flat, a shot of stress coat or equivalent and filled with as much air as possible. If by chance, you are moving a larger fish or one with "spiny fins" that will tear a plastic bag to shreds, an unused and rinsed container (that can accommodate the size comfortably) with a lid will work for him. Take another bag with some aquarium water and put your filter media in it. This will hopefully save some of the bacteria for startup at your new home. You can also do this with plastic plants, decorations, gravel etc. to keep as much bacteria intact as possible. 4. If you can save some of the water in another container--good.--but if not throw the remaining water away. Do not move your tank with any water or gravel remaining in it. This creates stress to the glass and seal and can cause leaks. 5. Pack the fish so they are laying flat and try not to "stack" them, one on top of the other into the styrofoam cooler. This cooler needs to make the trip inside the car. Do not put in the trunk or allow the movers to take it. And try to keep the temperature constant. (Don't leave in the car overnight if you stop for the night along the way--take them into the motel with you.) 6. Pack the other items in water safe containers or additional coolers if possible. And pack the tank so that it is the first thing that you "unpack" upon arriving at your new home. If by chance there should be an aquarium already up and running at your destination, I would not advise putting your fish into this tank. They are adjusted to the bacteria, water, etc. of your old water and adding them into another tank could cause stress and illness. 7. If the trip takes two or three days, your fish should be okay. When you stop for the evening, and you are concerned that their air supply is running low; you can do one of two things. You can purchase a battery-operated pump or have on hand an electric pump and airline and when you stop for the evening, give each bag some oxygen. If neither of these is available, you can open the bags and swish the water to get fresh air into the bags. You may be worried over this, but here is something to think about. When fish are shipped to retailers, they are usually in the bags at least two days, and usually arrive at the store in good condition. 8. You have finally arrived at your new home, your tank is up and running, filled with the "new", conditioned water, the temperature is correct and you are ready to add the fish. Acclimate them very slowly. Place the bags in the tank and let them sit for about 15 minutes. This allows the water of the bags to become nearly the same temperature as the tank. After 15 minutes, add l/2 cup of the "new" water into the bag. If after 15 minutes, the fish appear to be okay (no darting or gasping for breath) pour another l/2 cup into the bag and wait another l5 minutes. If all is going well with the fish after l hour of adding the new water at these intervals, you can gently release the fish into the tank. By doing this very slowly, you are adjusting your fish to any pH or hardness differences of the new water. 9. By using the "damp" gravel, the old filter media and any plants or decorations from the old water, you have partially established the tank with the needed bacteria. However, check your water perimeters frequently for the next week or so to watch for possible spikes that might occur if the tank might not be completely cycled. Do water changes as necessary to keep the water safe for the fish. Now that wasn't so bad was it? I hope that I have made the moving of your fish and aquarium a little easier for you. While your fish will be relaxing comfortably, not really knowing they have moved as their "home" still looks the same, You, on the other hand, still have all those boxes to unpack!

From: ~deb 9/28/00
Subject: Re: Here we go!
Kick, can you possibly post this really helpful information as an article somewhere? : ) ~deb

From: Kick 9/28/00
Subject: Hope to soon.
Yeah, I can post to this site I am sure as soon as Clint gets home. I also have a website where it will be posted, but I haven't given the address out yet as I am just learning this wonderful thing about webpages. I will email Clint with the info and hopefully he will put it up for us. When I get more done to my website I will give you the address so all can check it out. Thanks for the compliment,BTW. Kick

From: ~deb 9/28/00
Subject: cool~ n/m
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From: JB 9/26/00
Subject: attacked fish!
Help. I have a black ranchu fish which has been in a tank with a blue oranda (amongst other things). The oranda however, recently became quite agressive and attacked the ranchu, resulting in him not having much of his fins left. (His tail fin isn't too bad but others are quite ragged) I have obviously removed him from the main tank but he doesn't swim very far now and looks generally unhappy. I don't think he is eating much either. Does anyone know what I should do? Will his fins grow back? How long will this take? Is there anything I can do to help? Thanks, JB

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: attacked fish!
Boy! Some goldfish are moody! :P To aid your Ranchu in recovering, aerate the water to the furthest exent (ok, so not BOILING with bubbles), and add about 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon. Predissolve the salt in a container of tank water, only re-add salt when performing a water change. And try to do a partial water change of at least 30% every 2-3 days. If he doesn't seem to be getting better, or gets worse, consider feeding him an anti-bacterial food. MediGold from www.goldfishconnection.com is a good brand. Expect his fins to have grown back fully within 2-3 weeks. Good luck! kitty fish

From: Sharon 9/26/00
Subject: Betta
I have a problem. The betta in question will not eat. We have tried to feed him, but he will not eat what is put in his tank. He has been in this tank for at least five months. We have tried several different types of food. The food sinks to the bottom and we have to get it out. He has lost his color, but his fins are still red. He is now a tan color. He look skinny and is getting skinner every day. What can we do to help?

From: The Fish Lady 9/26/00
Subject: what are you feeding your betta?
I cant help till you tell me what you are feeding him. As Kick asked also about the vase, if you did have him in a vase you need to read my article on bettas in a vase here is a link www.geocities.com/newsgirlhj/page5.html this is my index there are 2 betta stories on there if you need more info and I do not get back to the board in a few days. The Fish Lady

From: Barb 9/26/00
Subject: BTW, what is his name?
Hi Sharon! In order to help, we need some more info please! Tell me about his tank... size, etc. What are your water parameters (ammonia, etc.)? Does he have any tankmates? How long has it been since he has eaten? What have you been feeding him? Do you see any problems with his fins, skin (body),eyes, breathing or swimming? When he's resting, do you see any worms coming from his anus (how's that for a question!)? If you don't see any of the above problems, then I would suspect that he has either internal parasites or fish TB. The internal parasites can be treated with medicated food and fish TB can be treated with antibiotics, like Maracyn 2 or Kanamycin, but apparently is very difficult to treat. Let us know the above info and we will see if we can narrow the diagnosis down for you. I look forward to your response. Barb

From: Barb 9/26/00
Subject: P.S. Sharon...
As fish TB is one of the possibilities of why your betta is wasting away, you should be very careful handling the tank's equipment and water. The same TB bacteria that infects fish also infects humans and can do so through the skin. It would be best to wear gloves for the time being, when handling tank items. Barb

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Betta
How old is he? What kind of tank, how often do you do water changes? What kind of food are you giving him? How long has he been not eating? Does he act sick otherwise?

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Betta
Was this betta ever in a vase where for a time only roots were provided as food? Another question is what are you trying to feeding him? If he, indeed, was in a vase with only roots to eat for a period of time, the food you are feeding is "foreign" to him now and he does not know what to do with it. The only other thing I might say is that if you are not feeding the "right" thing, he may not be eating because of it. Bettas like meat. They most generally do not eat flakes. Betta biogold, betta bites, freeze dried blood worms and frozen brine shrimp are all at the top of my list for feeding. If you are feeding one or more of these and no eating is taking place, how about trying something "alive" like microworms or live baby brine shrimp. The movement may entice him to charge at it and eat. That is about all I can tell you at this point. If there is anything else you might be able to tell us, we may be able to help more. I will tell you that not too long ago, I purchased the prettiest yellow betta with turquoise fins. That little devil would not eat "anything" from the time I brought him home. No other illness was apparent, and to this day, I do not know why he would not take food. I even went to fry food thinking maybe his gullet was to small for the other. Nothing. He didn't live very long needless to say. Fish can go a long time without food, but you can tell that this is getting the better of him. Try the things I have suggested and let us know what happens. Kick

From: ron 9/26/00
Subject: mollies
i have 5 regular? mollies, two dalmation mollies, 1 ballon mollie, 1 african frog (dwarf), And two purple crabs in a tank. i seem to have more babies than i know what to do with. but my question is ive noticed that two of the regular mollies are constantly swimming around the ballon mollie and would like to know if they can breed or not?

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: mollies
As far as I know, all mollies can interbreed no matter what type they are, just like swordtails and guppies.

From: Bob Stewart 9/26/00
Subject: New tank "Do I need to supply oxygen?"
I have just brought my golfish in from the outdoor pond which had a waterfall that I assumed provided oxygen. I have put a filter and a submersable pump into the tank but just wondered if a suply of air is required as well.

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: New tank "Do I need to supply oxygen?"
How big is the tank? Is the water well circulated? The oxygen a fish gets from the water is not from air bubbles, but rather from the water being circulated up to the surface where it can absorb oxygen. That is the purpose of air bubblers, to circulate the water so that there is a high turnover at the surface. If the pump and filter keep it circulating well, I don't see a need for an additional air bubbler. How many goldfish are in the tank? The recommendation for grown goldfish is 10 gallons per fish, anything less and you could get ammonia poisoning and waste buildup.

From: Leesa 9/26/00
Subject: slime coat disease
About a week ago I wrote inquiring about a greenish, pearlescent coating on a few of my tiger barbs. As suggested, I tried treating them with Malachite Green and so far have not noticed a difference in them. I followed directions and gave them three treatments, then did a partial water change afterwards. My question is: The pH is hovering around 8.0-8.5 and the CO2 around 3.7 Everything else seems to be okay. Would this cause the treatment to be less effective? Thanks, Leesa

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: slime coat disease
The high pH could possibly hinder the medication from working. However, I am puzzled as to why you treated with malachite green. I guess it may be good for several things, but ick is the main reason for using it. Maracide is a medicaton made for slime disease. You might give it a shot and see if you find any improvment. The very high pH could be causing the problem with the fish's slime coat. This is rather high for barbs. But if they have been in the tank for a period of time, I would say to give the Maracide a try and let us know how it turns out. Kick

From: Barb 9/27/00
Subject: Re: slime coat disease
Hi Kick and Leesa! Malachite Green does treat the trio of bad boys, which cause slime coat disease... Chilodonella, Trichodina and Costia. At the Kordon site, it also mentions that "pH has a negligible effect on increasing or decreasing the toxicity" of Malachite Green, i.e., it has little effect on the level of the drug. I have read that Acraflavine is the treatment of choice for slime coat. What is in Maracide? I haven't found yet if pH in any way effects the slime coat. Salt certainly effects it... a little salt promotes production of the slime coat and a lot of salt, strips it away. Barb

From: Leesa 9/27/00
Subject: Re: slime coat disease
Hi Kick and Barb, Thanks for the feedback. I used Malachite Green because the guy at the aquarium shop and I looked up some different meds and found that it would work as well as anything else and was a little less toxic...but I am certainly willing at this point to try something else. So which should I use, the Acraflavine or Maracide? I also have some pH lowering formula which I have not used as I didn't know how safe this is for the fish or if it is really necessary. I also have 2 rosy barbs and a yellow algae eater in the tank, which is 20 gallons. What do you think? By the way, I am new to this and really appreciate and enjoy the message board! Leesa

From: Kick 9/27/00
Subject: Re: slime coat disease
Glad to have you with us. Either of the medications would be fine, depending on what you can find easily in your area. I would not advise using any chemicals to lower or raise the pH of the water. This is a never ending battle trying to keep it stable and fluctuations in pH is worse by far than them be adjusted to the pH level you have. Hope we have helped. Good luck and let us know if you need anything else. Kick

From: lynds 9/26/00
Subject: Is My Betta Full of Eggs??
Does anyone know how to tell if your female betta is ready to spawn?

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Is My Betta Full of Eggs??
An egg tube protrudes and they look more plump. When they are really ready to spawn, they may drop eggs prematurely. The vertical striping doesn't necesarily mean they are ready to spawn though, it just means they are excited (I had some very young bettas who would get the vertical stripes when I fed them, but they weren't old enough to spawn yet).

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Is My Betta Full of Eggs??
I've never bred bettas before, but I think females were said to develop vertical bands along their bodies and an egg tube was to protrude from their vent. Hope this helps. :) kitty fish

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Is My Betta Full of Eggs??
All the above information is correct. If this is a rather young female, then I would assume that maybe she is indeed, full of eggs. But let me ask you this. Are her scales sticking out and looking strange? If this is the case, then she is suffering from dropsy which is a bacterial infection. The breeding tube is usually always visible on the female but when full of eggs, she will be full only right under her gills. Usually her whole body is not swollen as happens in dropsy. I hope for the eggs. Don't worry if she is. She does not have to breed and will eventually drop them and return to normal size again for a while. And please don't attempt breeding if you choose to do this until you know how to properly do it. There is a lot to learn for taking up this time consuming job. Kick

From: margeret 9/25/00
Subject: I found the perfect munchies for my goldfish!!! but I still have questions
Now as I said In earlier messages that I want to grow this plant in a seperate tank to have a constant supply. And in order to do this I need to know how to grow em'. So any way my question is how do you grow these wonderful goldfish munchies. any ideas?

From: margeret 9/26/00
Subject: My friends call me both but it is really maradeth
thanks

From: margeret 9/26/00
Subject: can you root the elodea plants?
thanks Kitty Fish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: can you root the elodea plants?
You can stuff the ends of elodea in the gravel, but the plants aren't truly rooting plants. They will send off these weird little thin shoots that wrap around nearby objects, plants, rocks, and eventually make their way down into the gravel. I guess they could be considered roots. If you plant your elodea, be sure to provide bright lights to reach all the way down to the bottom of the tank. kitty fish

From: maradeth 9/26/00
Subject: sorry I forgot to mention the name of the plant, it is called elodea.
Thanks!!!!!!!! I love this message board

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: So is it Margeret or Maradeth? LOL!
Elodea, or Anacharis, is a very easy plant to grow. Moderate lighting and moderate to high fertilization will get you tons of it. This stuff grows like nothing else! Read my response to your post below, if you haven't yet. kitty fish

From: Stephen 9/25/00
Subject: Sick fish, please help!!!!!!!
My friend has a 29 gallon tank, with maybe about four or five fish in it. He keeps the tank clean and the water quality is very good. However, he has been noticing strange behavior with his fish. His fish have been rubbing themselves up against the glass and the decorations in the tank as if they are itching themselves. Does anyone know what is wrong with them and how he could fix it? Stephen

From: Stephen 9/26/00
Subject: New information!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay. My friend says that he does not notice any spots on his fish. So, if it is parasites, how can you treat for them?

From: Carissa 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Sick fish, please help!!!!!!!
I think if they are itching against things, but they don't have white spots, it could mean parasites.

From: Rose 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Sick fish, please help!!!!!!!
Ask your friend if he see's white spots on his fish that look like grains of salt. If so it's called Ick. To give you a cure for this we need to know what kind of fish he has. Rose

From: Stephen 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Sick fish, please help!!!!!!!
He has one elephant nose, two gourami, one loach, and a plec.

From: Rose 9/26/00
Subject: Medication for the sick fish
These directions are if your friend dish have Ick. If he does the Ick will look like little grains of salt on the fish. I use aquari-sol. This is what you want to do. Turn the heater to 85 in the tank. Put aquari-sol in the tank, 12 drops for every 10 gallons. Do this till there is no sign of the white spots on any of the fish. I do a minimum of 10 days which is about how long it will take. This will not harm his fish in any way. If he has a real bad case of Ick he can get a product called Clear-Ich. It comes in a white dry pack bottle in a green box. It's made by Aquatronics. I'll warn you now that this may be difficult to find. It's a coloreless, odorless medication. I like the Clear-Ich because it's a 3 day treatment and I have only had to use one dose in the tanks that have gotten it. What you do with the Clear-Ich is fill the bottle half full with cool water, cap and shake well. Fill the bottle to the neck with cool water, cap and shake. Add 1tsp. per each 5 NET gallons of aquarium water. Repeat treatment every 3 days consecutivly. Take 3 days off from the treatment. Then if needed do another 3 day treatment. When using take the carbon out of your filter. If you don't the carbon will eat the medication and won't do your fish any good. I hope this helps. Good luck and let me know how it goes. Rose

From: Kick 9/26/00
Subject: Meds for parasites
Stephen, it may be parasites or it could be that even tho his water is clear and clean looking, the perimeters could not be good for the fish. Have him check the ammonia, nitrItes and pH. But if these are okay, then I would assume parasites. Parasite mediation can be of different brands, and there is also a Pepso food by Jungle that he can feed the fish. Tell him to ask LPS what is available in your area to treat this. Kick

From: lance 9/25/00
Subject: Is there a limit to how many plants you put in a tank?
How many plant could I out in my 1 gallon tank. I am going to put 2 guppy sized fish in the tank. hope there is enough info here because that is basically all. Oh ya will an incandescent light be sufficient for the plants? Thanks for helping me so much. I really like your board, it's quite cool. Thanks again!! Lance

From: Lance 9/28/00
Subject: Kick, it is a very tragic story
I Finnally built up enough courage to do the surgery on the goldfish. I put the goldfish in a small shallow container and then did the surgery. I took the tweezers and pulled on the foreign body. And to my surprise it was not stiff any more and it came out with great ease. It just fell of. Now that I think of it It was a worm. Now to come the tragedy the goldfish ...... DIED.....Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!ooooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhh!Wheep, wheep,wheep.

From: Neona 9/26/00
Subject: Re: Is there a limit to how many plants you put in a tank?
The limit to how many plants is how many will live. Without enough nutrients the plants won't survive in any tank. So with only a ouple fish you probably will want to stick to only one or two smaller type plants. It also depends on the shape of the tank. Try Java moss or Java fern sine they are easy to grow and very hardy. You don't really need a light specifically for the tank, you could use indirect light. Keep tank in well lit area, it should suffice. I suggest for round bowl to use a shorter, grass-type plant and maybe one larger fern-type plant. Foxtail works really well. Keep in mind live plants continue to grow when kept well and that some fish such as goldfish, mollies, platys, and swordtails will nibble on your plants some. Good luck with your tank. By the way, thriving live plants can make a filter obsolete. And plants need darkness as well.

From: lance 9/25/00
Subject: thanks a million Kick!!!!!

From: Barb 9/25/00
Subject: Lance...
If you are the same Lance with the goldfish with the "foreign body" sticking out of it... How did you handle it? I am very interested to know what you did! Thanks! Barb

From: lance 9/25/00
Subject: sorry I meant how many plants could I

From: Kick 9/25/00
Subject: Re: sorry I meant how many plants could I
Lance, a l-gallon is not very big, and I am not real sure how well live plants would do in it. I am sure there are some species, but I do not know which ones. Tanks can withstand a great deal of vegetation as long as the quality is right to provide food to them. An incandescent light might work, but you must be careful not to boil your fish. This type of lighting makes the water very warm in that small of a tank. I guess I am really not too much help here tonight. Stick around though, and I am sure the plant growers of the board will be of some help. I have a tank with plants, but am ready to throw the whole shebang out the window. Have had nothing but problems with it since I set it up. I guess I just don't have a green thumb when it comes to the aquatic plants of the world. Kick

From: Carissa 9/25/00
Subject: naming fish :)
As you can probably tell from the subject, this post is not of emergency importance. :) I have noticed that most people name their fish, the same way you would name your dog or cat. Maybe I just have a mental block, but fish names don't just come to me like they have for other animals I've had. The only fish I have who has a name is Mr. Fishy, and that's because he acts so stately and important, yet innocent (I know he has to be building those bubble nests sometime, but even when I catch him underneath it, he just comes swimming out like he was swimming there anyway, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with that strange bubble contraption which he has no idea where it appeared from and he had nothing to do with). Anyway, the rest of my fish haven't inspired me with a name yet. They do have personalities, such as my Plecostomus who has infinite patience with my male platy who for some strange reason thinks there's food growing on his back and tries to eat it until the Plecostomus finally moves over on the glass in a grumpy-how-dare-you-wake-me-up manouver and the platy never fails to look surprised as he realizes it's actually another fish under there and swims off, only to forget and return an hour later. Or my lavender female betta (who I very cautiously introduced to my platies a couple of weeks ago) who eyes everyone in the tank suspiciously, but minds her own business until feeding time comes...and then everyone else better remember who's boss. But all the same, names just haven't hit me yet for these fish. Does anyone know of a good fish-name site?

From: Mel 9/25/00
Subject: Re: naming fish :)
I don't know of a good fish naming site, but from the personalities of your fish, you should have no trouble at all! "the platy never fails to look surprised as he realizes it's actually another fish under there and swims off, only to forget and return an hour later. " I wish I had a pleco. :)

From: margeret k. 9/25/00
Subject: goldfish munchies
I was just wondering if there are any plants that my goldfish would like to munch on and eat. If there is a plant or plants I would also want to know the basic care for these plants for I want to grow them so i have a constant supply. Thanks

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: goldfish munchies
I've found my goldfish just absolutely love to tear apart dwarf hygrophilia! :P Its a fast growing plant and doesn't need much care along the lines of light or fertilizers (though if you're growing plants to keep up as goldfish food, you should propogate them as well as possible!). Fresh vegetables are just as good for goldfish as the live plants, probably even moreso. Orange pulp, honey dew melon, cantaloupe, mango, romaine lettuce, boiled brocolli crowns, boiled de-hulled peas, spinach greens, and carrots are all good and good for them snacks for goldfish. Hope this helps! kitty fish

From: margeret 9/25/00
Subject: sorry, I meant that i would grow them in a different tank.
Are there any other plants than lettuce that i can grow in tank? Thanks for all the help!

From: Kick 9/25/00
Subject: Re: sorry, I meant that i would grow them in a different tank.
If you mean to grow them to feed to the goldfish, I am not real sure. I just know that they will eat greens. Tell you what...I think Kitty Fish or The Fish Lady (can't remember which one) might be able to help you if you stick around until they happen upon the board. They are really more into the goldfish than I am. They might have some good aquatic plants that will grow easily yet be very tasty for your buddies. I just know that lettuce is a great love of my guys. Kick

From: Kick 9/25/00
Subject: Re: goldfish munchies
Probably not a good idea to have plants in your goldfish tank if you want to "grow" them. They won't last long at all. I put some romaine lettuce in my goldfish tank every once in a while as a diversion, and they destroy it. Lettuce is good, but if you want plants to grow, you better find another tank. Kick

From: Mel 9/25/00
Subject: barbs harassing barbs
I had three 3/4 inch gold barbs who were looking lonely, and hiding all the time. I went out and bought three more today (since they like to be in schools). Well, I put the three new ones in, and immediately two of them were being harassed by all three of the older ones. I got the three new ones from the same tank at the store, so I don't see what is making them so disagreeable! The picked-on fish look a little lighter and don't have as many dark spots as the ones picking on them. Should I ask the pet store if they keep TWO kinds of gold barbs in their tanks that are incompatible? I thought I would have noticed. Please help me very soon... I don't want any of them to die from stress. Perhaps I should move them into a jar so they won't get overwhelmed.

From: Mel 9/25/00
Subject: I forgot to add
I forgot to add that the way they're harassing them is by "roudning them up" like sheep. The older barbs chase circles around the two lighter colored new ones.

From: kitty fish 9/25/00
Subject: Re: I forgot to add
Your fish are probably just being territorial. The first Barbs have established themselves in the tank and they see the new Barbs as invaders in their territory. Do a water change and remove all decorations. After refilling the tank, replace the decorations in different spots. The territory will look new and the fish won't know who is dominant over where, forcing them to re-establish themselves. HTH! kitty fish

From: Mel 9/25/00
Subject: Update
I don't think my neighbors would appreciate me doing a water change right now. I took out the decorations, pushed the gravel around, and replaced the decorations in different places like you said. I'm happy to say that the fish are pleasantly traumatized. ;) They're disoriented enough to be nice to each other, and stable enough to eat. WOW. Barbs are aggressive feeders. Fat little guys.

From: Mel 9/25/00
Subject: Re: I forgot to add
Thanks Kitty fish! I was thinking of adding more barbs once the tank is done cycling. I don't think I should add any more now, since it is a new tank. Should I change the decorations around every time I add new fish?

From: kitty fish 9/26/00
Subject: Re: I forgot to add
You'd probably only have to switch the tank decorations around if you were having a problem. Maybe they will get more amiable with age. :P kitty fish

From: Brad 9/25/00
Subject: Scary-lookin' eyes
Hey there! I just completed treating my community tank for a mild case of Ich with Maracide. The fish seemed quite disturbed by the medication. Now that the filters are back in and the medicine is gone, their behaviour is getting back to normal. My bala sharks, however, are still very twitchy, not eating much, and one has pretty badly bulging eyes. Anybody seen this before? Shouldn't be an illness...they've been treated with Maracide for parasites, and before that they were treated with Melafix for bacteria. No signs of trouble until I used the Maracide. Thanks, B.

From: Jaz 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Scary-lookin' eyes
Sounds like popeye, Any more details? There are hundreds of diseases and we'll more info to give a clue to what it is. Jaz

From: Brad 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Scary-lookin' eyes
Hmmm...No signs of disease or stress of any kind on these fish. Out of six sharks only one shows distended eyes. They are not cloudy, just bulging out somewhat. Otherwise their behaviour is normal, although they are normally far more greedy about food. I am hoping it's just a reaction to the chemicals. I did a 50% water change after the treatment, and another 25% change the next day. Have you ever seen this kind of reaction to a medication? There are no other symptoms of disease. Thanks!

From: Brad 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Scary-lookin' eyes
Hmmm...No signs of disease or stress of any kind on these fish. Out of six sharks only one shows distended eyes. They are not cloudy, just bulging out somewhat. Otherwise their behaviour is normal, although they are normally far more greedy about food. I am hoping it's just a reaction to the chemicals. I did a 50% water change after the treatment, and another 25% change the next day. Have you ever seen this kind of reaction to a medication? There are no other symptoms of disease. Thanks!

From: Kick 9/25/00
Subject: Re: Scary-lookin' eyes
Are the eyes bulging out or just kind of clouded over. Like Jaz, we need a little better description to help. Kick

From: Lynn 9/25/00
Subject: I'm not trying to start anything but...
there is a real proble with the way walmart keeps its fish. And I have heard some complaints about it on every board I have been too. And a lot of you see it whenever you got to the stores. I am aware its NOT only walmart but most other chain stores and some neglagent petshops as I found out the other day. DOAF(defenders of aquarium fish) is trying its best to try to improve the conditions for the fish. Rescueing a few every know and then won't help much even if every fish keeper did so, putting a stop to the whole issue will. I expect all that really do care sign the petition and try to educate beginner hobbist. Her link to the petition is on the message below as most of you know. Thank you. :) P.S. Kick, I hope this is appropriate. If not I am truely sorry.:) Lynn

From: Kick 9/25/00
Subject: I get the point, but.....
I see what this group of people called the DOAF is trying to do. This is good that you care, but I think there are some things that you are not quite getting. I have not a clue as to the ages of the folks that belong to this organization, but before you petition a company about something you have to understand that they are running a business, and the name of the game in our market today is to make money while providing goods and services that folks will purchase. You are upset at Wal-mart because the fish are not properly cared for. I have seen the same thing in Petsmart and Petco and just about every chain there is. The only place you probably won't find this is in a small aquarium or pet shop that is privately owned, and the people who own it are very well versed on the care of fish and/or pets. The problem is there are not a majority of "aquarists" who want to work in Walmart or Petsmart or Petco or have their own business dealing with fish. First of all the pay is not comparable to the knowledge or education the hobbyist may have. Secondly, do you realize just how hard it is to find people that want to work at all nowadays? If all of these places find someone to just "show up" on their scheduled days to work, they feel they are doing good. Instead of petitioning this Walmart or any of these chains, I have a couple of very good ideas for the folks of the DOAF. If you are that concerned over these fish and the care they are receiving, then maybe you should get a job at Walmart or any one of the other places, and at least at that store you will know they are being cared for. They maybe will even allow you to travel from store to store to teach the employees what they need to know. Another option is to "volunteer" your time to these chain stores, passing along your knowledge and expertise of how the fish need to be cared for (or even helping to clean all the tanks) so that all the employees will know just what to do. I am not trying to be "smart" here or condemn your idea. I have written many letters over the betta/vase setups so I really am on your side. But if it were not for some Walmarts and these chains carrying fish, the hobbyists that have no other place to shop would have to find another hobby because the aquarium fish and equipment would not be readily available to them. And Walmart, along with all these other chains, "need" people to work. If the person is knowledgable in the aquarium department, how lucky they are, but this usually does not happen. And with the turnover of employess most of these chains have, they would never be done "teaching" the art of fishkeeping. (We all know it is a little more than learning how to price things or running a cash register.) I do understand your concept of "if you don't know how to care for them, don't have them", but this just does not happen in the business world. The point I am trying to make is there will be no time at all when everyone is doing exactly as we think they should. And the older you get, you will realize that there are quite a few things you have no control over and must learn to just "grin and bear it". I can't remember how the proverb goes exactly, but it is something like this. "Dear Lord, please help me to change the things that I can, to accept the things that I cannot and the wisdom to know the difference". I hope your petition will do some good, but in order to have better care of the fish, these folks need to "know" how to do it. Now you have voiced your opinion and I have voiced mine, and anyone wanting to sign the petition has the correct website to do so. But let's get on to other things now and do what this board is meant to do and that is help us hobbyists to help the fish have good, long, healthy, happy lives. Kick