Petfish.net Message Board Archive No. 21 Part 1

Go To Archives Index

From: rac 5/20/00
Subject: Drinking aquarium water (humans, not cats) ... to Barb
Hmmm, after reading Barb's answer about bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal problems being in aquarium water .. that does not sound good. Anyway, what about when siphoning water out of the aquarium and some gets in my mouth, which I spit out into the bucket. I have five aquariums, three are for raising fry (mollies). I only keep gravel on about 1/5 of the tank bottom of those, so that uneaten food and waste can be "sucked up" easily and quickly (every other day with a small siphon tube). One of the fry tanks has 214 week-old mollies in it (2 mommies, one mommy gave birth to 126 babies), too much waste to not be regularly cleaning. So is the matter of this water just even getting in my mouth dangerous? Thanks!

From: gelfling 5/20/00
Subject: Re: Drinking aquarium water (humans, not cats) ... to Barb
Get a nasal aspirator (the blue bulb thing used to clean baby noses). You can start the flow with that.

From: david 5/20/00
Subject: Re: Drinking aquarium water (humans, not cats) ... to Barb
i would think it might not be a good thing after an extended period of time....why not get a tank syphon that has a little attached hand pump for getting it started....that way there's no risk....unless you enjoy sucking on fish waste!!(kidding!! please don't be offended)

From: Daniel E. Moore 5/19/00
Subject: Type of Water to use in Betta-Vase
I had two Bettas that were in separate vases. One unfortunately passed away due in part to my neglect of not changing the water out. I have since wised up and changed out the water in my surviving Betta's vase My question is which brand of bottled water should I use. I am currently using "Great Value" water that you buy at Wal-Mart. Is there any other brand or any particular type that I should use other than Distilled? Please e-mail me back at the above address. I intend to get two more Bettas and take much better care of them Thank You

From: Travis 5/19/00
Subject: Angel fish in a community tank
ok im getting two small angel fish and neons. ok in my 30 gallon tank already i have 6 head and tail lights, 5 zebra danios,algee eater, and a betta. my aunt who was a former pet store worker told me that angel fish are terriotorial and that i should put my neons in first and when i put my angel fish in they wont fight over parts of the fish tank. and i know that angel fish can eat my neons when they reach a certain size and can be fin nippers. so i will keep a watchful eye out. well tell me what you think and any advice thanks

From: val 5/19/00
Subject: breeding bettas
I have just bred a male & female betta and had total success. The fry hatched and I could see them moving around and everything. I removed the female when I was supposed to and things seemed fine. It is now four or five days later and I took the male out of the tank. I was expecting to see the fry out and about, however, there is absolutely no activity so the fry must have died or something. What did I do wrong? I don't know how to make a long story short, but I am upset because of the failure I had. I am a beginner at this too, just so you all know.

From: Barb 5/19/00
Subject: Re: breeding bettas
What are your water parameters? Are you seeing dead fry or seeing no fry, as in Daddy Betta ate them? Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas

From: val 5/19/00
Subject: Re: breeding bettas
Message for Barb. Water parameters means what? There are no fry in the tank. sorry to say. What did I do wrong besides leave the dad in the tank or is that all?

From: mercutio 5/19/00
Subject: platy question
how many babies do they ussaly have? and, can i fit all of the babies in a ten gal tank for a few days (im going to give most of the babies to some friends

From: Amy 5/19/00
Subject: Cats Drinking Aquarium Water???
Well this is probably a stupid ? But I have 2 cats they are continuously drinking out of my aquarium. I was wondering if this will hurt my fish or pollute my aquarium water?? It doesn't seem to bother the fish or the cats...but I am worried about the long term effects?? Please let me know...

From: Amy 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Cats Drinking Aquarium Water???
Its me again...the lady with the cats drinking from her aquarium! I do have a hood encase anyone was wondering...but my dumb old cats drink from the little bitty holes that my Filters and heater are in! I am going to look into getting a different hood...thanks for all the suggestions!

From: Barb 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Cats Drinking Aquarium Water???
Ok, so I have this bucket in my bathroom that I fill with water so that I'll have room temp water for my bettas and my cats are drawn to this bucket like an oasis! They have no interest in drinking water from anywhere else on this planet and it's a daily mission for them to get past Barb and to the fish water bucket to sneak a drink! I totally wouldn't recommend letting cat germs (nasty bacteria like Pasturella) get into your tank water, yet I can't say that it's ever harmed my bettas. Likewise, tanks contain bacteria such as Aeromonas which can cause a gastrointestinal illness, with diarrhea and the like. Plus there are the water conditioners that you add and while they are probably non-toxic to drink, I'm sure it's not a good idea. So, I'm guessin' that you don't have a lid or a screen on this tank? :) You should stop your cats from drinking the tank water, but knowing cats, you're not likely to win! :) Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: koko 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Cats Drinking Aquarium Water???
Plus if you have to med you tank your cats might get sick from those meds. If a fish is sick.....ect. koko

From: brian burney 5/18/00
Subject: spawning baracudas
My female freshwater baracuda recently layed eggs and i was wondering how to tell the unfertilized eggs from the fertilized ones. How long should the eggs take to hatch?

From: bv 5/19/00
Subject: Re: spawning baracudas
How did you find out the males from females? How big is your tank? I'd like to try breeding my freshies. I'd say the eggs with black dots are fertile, but I'm not sure.

From: brian 5/19/00
Subject: Re: spawning baracudas
I knew the female was a female when she laid eggs. my other two baracuddas, i think, are males because they have a slightly different color to them. I have them in a 29 gallon tank. I don't think any of the eggs survived, it has been a few days and none have hatched.

From: Scott 5/18/00
Subject: RE: Help with breeding cherry barbs
I just bought 2 pregnant cherry barbs. One is due any time. She hasn't laid the eggs yet, do I need to leave the male in until she lays the eggs? Or do we take him out now? Any other advice in breeding them would really be helpful and appreciated! Thank You.

From: mercutio 5/18/00
Subject: msg board
Hello, I have created a msg board about fish. I have seen alot of smart people here that i would like on my board http://pub69.ezboard.com/fmercutio62839frm2

From: Gary 5/18/00
Subject: Where do I START?
The kids brought two guppies home from first grade. I've been interested in getting a fish tank, but never had one before. I filled a 2 gallon bowl with my (good) well water 24 hours before the fish arrived, and they seem happy enough in it. I was thinking to go out and get a 10 gallon tank and the required appurtenances tomorrow. What do you recommend I should start with, without going overboard, until I can learn more. I suppose pump, filter, what else? Heater? Can you recommend a good book which will tell me what I need to know? Looking through the posts here makes it look very complicated, and a veritable plague of disease. I'll check back here mid day tomorrow and hope to find some of your good advice! Oh, one more thing. Both guppies have a black spot on their back half, and the kids claim that means that they are pregnant. Is this true? Thanks!

From: Barb 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Where do I START?
Hi Gary! Yep! That's how it starts... "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish..." :-) and then... well, you may end up an Aquamaniac like the rest of us! Check out the article (http://www.aquamaniacs.net/cyclingsafely.html) Cycling Safely to learn about the nitrogen cycle and how to get your tank off to a good start. Getting good info first off, will save you and the kids a lot of heartache from fishy deaths (not to mention how the fish feels!). Good luck and ask if you need any further guidance. Have fun!! :-) Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Nick 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Where do I START?
Depending on how much you think you like fishkeeping, you might want to get a 20 gallon tank instead. If in a few weeks you're really having fun with fish, you'll want a bigger tank. Additionally, a larger tank is easier to handle because it was more water which means it's easer to keep water quality stable. Petsmart and Walmart have 10 gallon kits for around $50 (that's if you get a flourescent light which is a lot better as opposed to incandescent light) and 20 gallon kits for around $75. I'd go with the 20g because it's easier to start and maintain, and it gives you more space down the road if you get into the hobby and want more fish. The kits come with cover, lights, filter, and heater. You might want to get a better heater later on. The filters are ok, and the lights are good. The filter you should get, imo, is a hang-on-the-back power filter that runs on a motor instead of an undergravel filter which runs on an air pump. If you buy a kit, you'll just need the kit and some gravel. In the meantime, there's a lot of good (and bad) info on the internet. Go to http://www.aquamaniacs.net/ezine.html and read up on cycling a tank (very important) before you begin. There's also a messageboard there. The guppies may be pregnant, as they are quite easy to breed. So maybe soon you'll have fry also, and they're a ton of fun to raise. (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs for more help.

From: koko 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Where do I START?
Its good that your going to get a tank for them, they need it. A heater set at 76 to 78 is good. Also a filter is needed, water conditioner and aquarium salt. The black spot in the back is baby guppies.

From: Sarah 5/18/00
Subject: dead betta. was it me?
I recently receaved a peace lilly tank, two days later I bought a betta. It was fine for 1 day. I woke up this morning and it was dead at the bottom of the bowl. I made sure that I had the propper water, the right food, I even rinsed off the pebbles that I bought for the bottom of the bowl. Can anybody tell me what I did wrong?? I'm thinking of getting another betta but what's the use if it's just going to die. Thank you very much. Sarah

From: Barb 5/18/00
Subject: Re: dead betta. was it me?
Did you use water conditioners to treat the water? Hard to know why he died, but keep learning as much as you can about caring for bettas and I'm sure that you will make a great betta mommy! Remember that bettas in the peace lily vase set-up, before you purchase it, are most often not fed and have been greatly stressed out, from poor water conditions and low water temperatures, which then leads to disease. People falsely believe that the betta will eat the roots of the plant... big fat phooey on these uninformed folk!! I would suggest that you use a different set-up for a your next betta. Take your peace lily plant and put it in a beautiful pot with soil and watch it flourish! Let me know if you need any further help with whatever set-up you choose. Barb
it? control to how And be? may this what ideas Any it. of make sure not I?m But disease. popeye? hreh="http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas

From: Barb 5/18/00
Subject: Oops Sarah!
My contact info didn't make it last post... let me try it again! :) (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Tim 5/18/00
Subject: Red devil
O.k. I got rid of the female last night. Thanks for the help. Next thing I wonder. Is 55 gal o.k. for the one and should I put anything else in there with him. Will anything else survive. Such as a pleco, or jaguar cichlid or something. May sound stupid, but won't he be bored, or unhappy

From: d 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Red devil
The only things I've heard that survive with red devils are other red devils and VERY large fish. Red devils will attack fish twice their size. Large numbers of devils do well, and aggressive fish that can hold their own. Trial and error is the best way to tell though, since each fish is different. Some devils will kill anything they see, and some might tollerate a larger aggressive cichild. I've seen a group of devils with large plecos, but the pleco was 3 times the size of the devils.

From: Tim 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Red devil
I would say I should jsut let him be by himself. He is five inches and we literally here him hit the glass on the tank when our dogs get even near him, I can't clean the tank without him attacking me. I presume it is o.k. to leave them alone?

From: d 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Red devil
They do fine alone. They get very large, about a foot in length. Just don't stick your hand in there unless you plan on getting bloody.

From: Fred 5/18/00
Subject: Help w/ Platies!
Hi! I have a sunset platie that has some weird growth on his eyes. It's a little spot or fleck on the outside of his eye. Kinda wierd. He lurks around the bottom of the tank under the landscaping and won't even come out to eat. He used to be a pig! I've had him for about six months now and don't want to lose him... I don't think it's that "> Subject: Re: Help w/ Platies!
Pop-eye would look like a bulging eyeball. Where is the spot exactly and what does it look like? Does it look like a little white mark on the eyeball itself? What are your water parameters? Can you identify any recent (http://www.bestfish.com/tips/080698.html) fish stressors
? Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Adam 5/17/00
Subject: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
I separated my male gourami so he could go build his bubble nest in a different tank. I left him in there a week and he built his nest to a pretty good size but when I put the female in with him all he does is attack her and bite her fins and bite into her. He beats that crap out of her so I had to take her out. How are they supposed to breed if the male just beats her? What is wrong and what can I do to fix it? Please help!!!!!!

From: Barb 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
Are you talking about a dwarf gourami or the larger blue three-spotted kind? How do the sizes compare between your male and female? Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Adam 5/18/00
Subject: Re: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
I am speaking of the three spot gourami. The male is slightly larger than the female but not by much.

From: Barb 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
Although these gouramis are considered "peaceful" fish, some can be downright aggressive, expecially the male towards the female during spawning... sound familiar? Check out this article on breeding the (http://www.fishaholics.net/ovas/article_gourami.html) Blue 3-Spotted Gourami. Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Adam 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
Okay I read that article it helped alot. but the one thing I am confused on is of the male Gourami beats the craps out of the female is she still going to want ot breed. When they say pummel they really mean it. My male gourami is mean. Also could he become territorial when he is in the tank alone?

From: Barb 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Blue Gourami is MEAN!!!!
Sounds like it probably comes down to a judgement call... a little pummeling would be considered part of the act, but if he's gonna kill her, then he's just too mean to breed (at least with this female). I'm sure that he is territorial but he's supposed to be "courting" her and he's just doing it in quite the abusive way. Any gourami breeders out there?? Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: TIM 5/17/00
Subject: Red Devil
Hi there I bought two red devils about 3 months ago. WHat was supposed to be a breeding pair. For the first couple of weeks they showed signs of breeding such as the lip locks. Now the male runs the tank and basically tries to kill the female. DOesn't let her eat and I am afaid he will kill her. He has grown to almost twice the size of here. She just sits at the top of the aquarium on her side. Tries to eat a little. She is not sick this is probably just a fear thing. It is a 55 gallon iregular shape tank and they are now pushing 5 or 6 inches long. Is the tank to small? Should I just let them be, or get rid of one? Will one be o.k. in the tank alone? Thanks for the help.

From: ;l 5/17/00
Subject: Re: Red Devil
If they aren't actually a breeding pair then they should be kept apart. You can put a lot of rocks and plants in the way so they have places to chase each other, but if they're too large for the tank they might hurt each other on the rocks.

From: Kimme 5/16/00
Subject: Water temperature and keeping it cool
I can't seem to keep my water temp below 80 degrees I did a quarterly water change 10 gallons for a 20 gallon tank. The 4 gallons of water taken from the regrigerator after it was treated and the rest at room temp. This brought it down to 74 degrees but it soon goes up to 80 is there any kind of instrument for sale to keep water at a reasonably cool temp in the summer?

From: d 5/17/00
Subject: Re: Water temperature and keeping it cool
YOu can keep the air conditioning on and turn your heater off. The tank water will soon equalize with the room temp. You shouldn't take cold water and just put it in like that. It could hurt the fish. They can take temps of 87 pretty well. Around 90 they might start to get stressed and above that they could die. My tank is usually around 84 or more in the summer and the fish are fine. It also depends on the fish you have. Check to see how sensitive they are to heat.

From: Kimme 5/19/00
Subject: Re: Water temperature and keeping it cool
Unfortunetly we live in upstate NY where we do not need airconditioning? How about thie, I took 3 cooler packs put them in plastic bags and let them float on the surface of the tank. This dropped the temperature a few degrees and the fish seem to like it as they were observed swimming under them and staying there.

From: Alby 5/16/00
Subject: clownfish
What are the best and hardiest clownfish to keep for a begginer. What anemone do they prefer also. Thanks for any information on this subject. Alby

From: jennifer 5/16/00
Subject: EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MY MALE BETTA KEEPS EATING THE EGGS AFTER THE EMBRACE. HELP!!!!!!!!!!

From: Barb 5/16/00
Subject: Re: EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
How did you condition him before spawning? Is this his first attempt at it? Has he definitely gobbled them down or has he perhaps blown some up into the nest when you weren't looking? Don't remove him because if there are any eggs in the nest, he is the one who will be taking care of them. Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas

From: maureen 5/16/00
Subject: Re: EMERGENCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
you should just seperate him from the eggs.

From: Cid 5/16/00
Subject: Anyone know where I can find Black pirahna's in the US?
Im looking for a webpage, e-mail, or phone number to anyone who breeds black pirahna in the USA. If anyone has any of the above please email it to me at cidequilizers.com. Im very anxious to find some black pirahna, so any help is appreciated.

From: David 5/16/00
Subject: Platy Babies
I've had my female and male platys (one of each) for around 2 months - for some reason I never thought they'd have babies. Well, they have, and I've just found a baby platy (just the one so far) in the tank. The baby is about 5mm long. Will the female (or male for that matter) eat the baby if I don't get the baby out? Grateful for any advice I can get - the sooner the better. Thanks. David

From: sue Jensen 5/17/00
Subject: Re: Platy Babies
I just had the same thing happen to me,I am not prepared for this.I went to the store and bought a 2 gal tank.I netted 5 and put them in the new tank.I cant catch the other 4or 5.So far they are staying hid from the other large fish.I dont know what to do next,I am crushing the food and sprinkling it in the tank.I am a beginner,with this hobby,I didnt sleep last nite worrying about the babies.Hope someone can help us.Sue

From: lorie 5/15/00
Subject: mollies pregnant?
how can i tell if my molly is pregnant?

From: nathan 5/15/00
Subject: Dirty alge eaters???
I had a fish tank with the most beautiful angle fish named elvis. I had had the tank for two years. I had no problems what so ever. I bought a small shark, I don't remember what kind but it was pretty docile untill it ate my alge eater. I flushed the shark!!! When I got a new alge eater, I bought a baby one. About two months later Everything in the tank died. It practically happened over night. I noticed that the tank was getting a little foggy but I thought that it was because I went from an adult to a baby alge eater. I talked to the guy at the pet shop, he said that his fish didn't carry any desease or fungus. My question is do alge eating fish carry desease or fungus. Thanks for listening

From: Kirk 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Dirty alge eaters???
two months later?? It wasn't your algae eater. Have you been putting your un-washed hands in the tank lately? when was your last water change? Does your filter still work? Everything got cloudy just before your fish died. If your tank got a disease from the algae eater, It would have happened before now.

From: Alby 5/15/00
Subject: small salt water tank
I want to start a small salt water tank but I am very new to all of this. I am thinking about buying a 6 gallon Marineland Eclipse Tank and wanted to know if this would be a good starter tank. I really only want to keep a maroon clown with an anemone and maybe a goby and some snails or crabs. I would like to have live sand and live rock also. Any reply or information on this subject would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Alby

From: Michael 5/15/00
Subject: Re: small salt water tank
Its a little small for any ype of inverts(anemone), Im not saying it isnt possible but you have to remember a few things. 1. Water quality has to be perfect... no tap water 2. You need about 3 to 4 watts of light per gallon of water. the more the better. 3. You must keep up on supplements and water changes. 4. Buy a good book to learn what you have to do. There is a good site that shows how to start a mini reef tank the url is... http://www.angelfire.com/home/MiniReef101/ It might help you out. Just having a fish only tann will cost you much less and soent require as much car. But again it isnt impossible. Just keep up and you will be fine. Hope this helps

From: Leanne 5/15/00
Subject: Sinking Fish
My fish is a very large Black Molly. He is feeding well, but keeps sinking to the bottom of the tank. He swims about for a few seconds but then falls to the bottom again, and then just lies there. He is not tilting to one side, but I'm extremely concerned. I think he may be constipated. How can I help him?

From: Kathleen 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Sinking Fish
Hi Leanne...Try giving him a frozen pea with thawed with the skin off. Give it to him in little pieces and don't feed him again for at least a few days. Hope this helps!

From: Kimme 5/15/00
Subject: Feeding greens to your fish
I have been giving my fish a leaf of spinach evey 4 days or so leaving it in for 24 hours and then removing it. I have learned peas are also very good for them. Do you parboil them so they are not so hard, through them in the tank whole or cut them in little pieces. Sould I take them out if the fish don't eat all of it and how many should I give them and how often. They get flake food everyday, dehydrated brine shrimp and blood worm every 3days and spinach every 4 days or so.

From: Kathleen 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Feeding greens to your fish
Hi Kimme...I give my Bettas a thawed, frozen pea, with the skin off, cut into little pieces once a week. You don't have ot parboil them. You can take out what they don't eat. I drop one piece at a time in and they immediately swim after each piece and devour it. I wait between each piece I drop in. They don't always get each piece. I think that one pea per fish per week is enough...maybe even half a pea per fish.

From: Trix 5/15/00
Subject: jewels
How can i tell if my jewels are ready to breed?I have a male and a female.

From: Trix 5/15/00
Subject: jewels
How can i tell if my jewels are ready to breed?I have a male and a female.

From: Linda 5/14/00
Subject: Help - Jewel ciclids keep eating the eggs on day 5!
I have a pair of jewel ciclids in a tank of their own who are continually laying eggs every 3 weeks or so. Unfortunately, on about the 4th to 5th day, the eggs always disappear. I am assuming that they are being eaten. Does anyone have any tips as to how this can be avoided? I am reluctant to isolate the eggs from the parents as I have heard that watching the parental process is quite an experience. Rgds, Linda.

From: Trix 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Help - Jewel ciclids keep eating the eggs on day 5!
If you have bigger fish in the same aquarium the parents would assume that they will eat the eggs so they wil probably eat them themselves.Also if you have a lot of plants the eggs probably already hatch and the babies are hiding in the plants.

From: Jay 5/14/00
Subject: Is this board still active?
is 5/14/00 really the last post?

From: Jay 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Is this board still active?
nevermind, just noticed the year is wrong :o)

From: Natahsha 5/14/00
Subject: Thank you Rose
Thank you Rose for telling me your story! I liked the part were you never gave up on that 55 gallon, I was so excited, I ran to tell my husband, I said to him that even experienced people have a hard time with a tank once in awhile. He just smiled and then I new I will start this tank all over again if they do die, I love the fish they make me feel like a kid again and your help and sharing has meant so much! 2 fish have died so far, 3 are left it has been close to 2 weeks and their still hanging on, still very sick but still eating. Thank you! Natahsha

From: Rose 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Thank you Rose
As long as they keep eating you have a excellent chance of bringing them out of the grave. I'm glad you liked the story. Just remember don't give up. In the long run you'll never be prouder to show off that tank. Rose

From: Kimme 5/14/00
Subject: Treating guppie breathing hard at bottom of tank
I have been treating my guppie in a hospital tank with antibiotic tetracycline for 4 days now, she is doing better at least she can swim to the top and is moving around alot more she doesn't seem to be breathing heavily anymore. The directions say treat for 5 days so she has one more day left. How long after that should I leave her in the hospital tank and will she fully recoperate?

From: Barb 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Treating guppie breathing hard at bottom of tank
Are you treating with tetracycline or minocycline (Maracyn-Two)? Isn't this the gup that you are treating for septicemia? If you are treating for this condition, you should treat for a second course (another 5 days) after performing a big water change. Septicemia needs 10 days of antibiotic treatment with the water chnage after the first 5 days. Leave her in the hospital tank until all antibiotic treatment is finished and she is acting normal in every way. This may take you another 2-3 weeks to know for sure. Barb

From: Kimme 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Treating guppie breathing hard at bottom of tank
I am treating her with tetracycline as I read up about septicemia and ruled that afflication out. It could have caused the platty's death but there were no red streaks or any abnormalities on her body. The tetracycline is working, today she is swimming more and has been eating regular. Thank you for all your helpful advice, I really appreciate it as I am a beginner.

From: Alanna 5/14/00
Subject: help i just found a tiny little fish
I know this must sound stupid but I just found a tiny baby fish swimming among the java fern in my tank and I don't know what to do.there are no shops open and the ppl i usually go to are closed so i don't know what to do. please help. bare in mind that i'm new to this i've only had the tank since christmas.

From: Rose 5/14/00
Subject: Re: help i just found a tiny little fish
The easiest thing to do is make sure there is a ton of hidding places for the little guy. If you think you have enough put more in. The more places you give him to hid the better chance he'll have at making it. If you want to raise him yourself and not let nature take it's course let me know. I have tons of ways to keep fry. I use to breed. Rose

From: Alanna 5/15/00
Subject: Re: help i just found a tiny little fish
Thanx the little guy is now in hiding in a large crack in the bogwood. But i'd like to know how to raise them myself though, just for futre reference. thanx again alanna

From: Rose 5/16/00
Subject: Re: help i just found a tiny little fish
First off I need to know as much about your set up as possible. I need to know what fish you have, tank size all that jazz. The more you tell me the better I can help. Rose

From: Gaye 5/14/00
Subject: Are my EYES DECIEVING ME?
I have two Mickey Mouse Platies, a male and female. Water conditions are perfect (PH, Ammonia level). Well here's the thing. My female is pregnant, two weeks. I have been watching the male, he is very healthy, no signs of sickness but he LOOKS pregnant! Can this happen? Can fish change sex? Please answer either here or email. I would appreciate knowing I'm not nuts.

From: rac 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Are my EYES DECIEVING ME?
I have read that swordtails can change sex, but that it happens at or shortly before 3 months of age. Platies are pretty similar to swordtails, but I've never read that platies do that, but for that matter, I have never researched platies (but have swordtails). My male molly also looked pregnant when his female mate was, they were the only two in that tank. I figured it was just that thing where certain men experience pregnancy-like symptoms when their mate is pregnant. That was their first pregnancy together, he slimmed down after that, and he hasn't gotten chubby with subsequent pregnancies. But, Mrs. Molly was quite cruel to him during that first pregnancy, she would make him let her eat first at feeding time, she would dart at him anytime he came near the food (so I trained him to move to the other side of the tank where he would be fed). Maybe his exhibiting pregnant-like symptoms was to make her think he was pregnant too, and for her to not be so cruel to him, but she didn't buy it. During non-feeding times, they were like two peas in a pod, would swim together, sleep near each other, etc.

From: Kristin 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Are my EYES DECIEVING ME?
To my knowledge, livebearers do not change sex. Do the scales of the fish appear to stick out like a pinecone? If so, your fish may have Dropsy, which may be fatal. Is the fish swimming normally? Is there any signs of swim bladder trouble? How often are you feeding your fish?

From: Lucas 5/13/00
Subject: Feeding my Blue Gourami
I have 2 Gourami Im a beginner how many times should I feed these guys a day and what ? I have been feeding them flakes once a day is this right ? Please email me back or post reply Thanks. Lucas lucstratoy-comm.com

From: trix 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Feeding my Blue Gourami
The reasonable amount of time would be 1 to 2time s a day but it also depends how much you feed them .You should feed them as much as they can consume in 5 minutes.

From: Trix 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Feeding my Blue Gourami
The reasonable amount of time would be 1 to 2time s a day but it also depends how much you feed them .You should feed them as much as they can consume in 5 minutes.

From: Trix 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Feeding my Blue Gourami
The reasonable amount of time would be 1 to 2time s a day but it also depends how much you feed them .You should feed them as much as they can consume in 5 minutes.

From: Koti Kirby 5/13/00
Subject: Betta not eating and showing signs inactivity
The message says it all. He went from eating about 5 pellets a day to none in a short period of time. I have him in a betta bowl, I think about a gallon. I changed his entire water about two weeks ago, against the advisement of my boyfriend. I know I shouldn't have but I just couldn't keep it clean. Anyway I didn't clean the rocks off so some good bacteria should still be in there. Anyway I just want to know if this is a bad sign. He doesn't appear to have any physical signs of being sick, but just stopped eating and not quite as active. I done a 25% water change, thanks to all...Kirby

From: Barb 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Betta not eating and showing signs inactivity
Lots of things could be going on. First of all, check out this link to... (http://www.bayoubetta.com/basic_care_sheet.htm) Betta Basic Care and see if you performed the water change properly. If you want more info, you'll need to give more details as to how you are caring for your betta, such as bowl size, how often you're changing the water, etc., in order for folks to help you specifically. A one gallon bowl, for example, needs to be changed every week and it sounds like you are going much longer than that between water changes, so you are likely poisoning him with his own waste. Also, his water temperature may be too cold. Start with the above Betta Basics and please ask if you need clarification or further help. Barb

From: Caitlin 5/15/00
Subject: Re: Betta not eating and showing signs inactivity
It probably wasn't giving your fish a 100% water change that has made him inactive (I do a 100% water change on my three bettas every 4 days) It was probably not cleaning everything thoroughly. Whenever you change his water clean EVERYTHING VERY WELL!!!! Maybe you have not cleaned his tank out in a while. Just think how you would feel if your house smelled bad and was just plain dirty all day every day and getting worse. If you need aditional info e-mail me at greyhound4hotmail.com and visit the website www.bettatalk.com I hope that you have good luck with your fish!

From: Bill 5/13/00
Subject: Antique Aquarium
We have an antique aquarium made by a company out of Chicago called Jewel Aquariums. This piece has a stand made of cast iron seahorses covered in brass with an aquarium on top with brass crains on the corners. We want to refurbish this piece and we are trying to get information about its' history. We know that my father-in-law bought it in the 1920s. Can anyone help?

From: Barb 5/13/00
Subject: Re: Antique Aquarium
Wow Bill!! What a great find in that aquarium! I suspect that it was made in the 1910's or early 1920's of the Art Nouveau style (you mentioned a seahorse and I'm thinking that there are probably curves to the design of the stand, rather than an Art Deco look, which would have been later in the '20's. I searched around a bit and came up empty handed for finding such a company named Jewel Aquariums. I found a Juwel Aquariums, but they have only been in business for 30 years. I did find out that the term "jewel aquarium" is a synonym for a "designer aquarium". I'm assuming that the company's name is on the stand or you have documentation that this is the company's name. I would contact the (http://www.sheddnet.org) Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and see if they can give you some guidance as to how to track down the history of this stand and tank. Let me know what you find out as I am both an aquarist and an antique lover. Let me know if I can help you further. You can find me at the link under my name or by e-mail. Good luck Bill! :) Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Link to Barb

From: P 5/13/00
Subject: Rose; would definately like more info for my Arrowana..
So if your last post is correct, then tank size is my main issue? I didn't think that he was too big for it yet. How can your friends help? Thanks for the reply.

From: Rose 5/13/00
Subject: Re: Rose; would definately like more info for my Arrowana..
P here is the place that I got the info for your Dexter. http://clix.to/redbelly1966 Go there and look for the forum titled Arowana. Go there and tell them what is going on. They can help better than I can. Good luck. Rose

From: alex 5/13/00
Subject: leaking aquarium--what do I do?
I've just noticed that my 10 gallon aquarium seems to be leaking, little by little. I can't figure out where it is leaking from, but it seems to be somewhere from the bottom, as that is where I'm seeing water. I know that I need to patch it somehow, but is there a way to do this without having to completely drain it? I hate to think about having to start from scratch. Suggestions or resource links would be appreciated.

From: Nick 5/14/00
Subject: Re: leaking aquarium--what do I do?
It's a lot easier to just buy a new 10g tank, which costs around $8-10 at Petsmart, Petco, or Walmart. All you'd have to do is transfer everything over, including the water. Then you won't have to start all over.

From: alexis 5/14/00
Subject: Re: leaking aquarium--what do I do?
If I just transfer everything, live plants included, and rocks, do I really not have to start over? I assume that you just have to move everything very very carefully, but any other tips? I will probably not buy a new one, but rather try to patch this because I do not live in the US and aquariums are very very expensive here. Any patching tips?

From: P 5/13/00
Subject: Re: leaking aquarium--what do I do?
If your tank is leaking slowly, then you leadk is probably not at the bottom. Keep a towel around the bottom of it and wait a few days to see if the water level stops dropping. There are only four places that your tank can be leaking from the top and that is the four seams where the glass comes together. After your water stops draining, you will know how far down your leak is. You can buy some silicone from your LPS to patch up the leak. If you discover that you really are leaking from the bottom, I would suggest buying another 10g and transfering everything. Then you can repair your damaged tank and broaden your collection

From: Rose 5/12/00
Subject: P check out your message on your Arowana
I think you might want to check out your message on your arowana. It'll make him and you both happier. Rose

From: matt 5/12/00
Subject: sick clown loach
hello, i've got a 29 gallon tank that until recently contained 3 seemingly healthy clown loaches. i noticed today that i hadn't seen them for a while (i've been intensely studying for grad school entrance exams, and i guess i didn't notice that i hadn't seen them in a while). today i lifted a rock and found 2 of them dead, covered in white film, and the third, with some white spots (like the film, but less covering) on it. it's been swimming around some, but i want to remedy this before i add any other loaches to the tank. i've heard about "ick" and "velvet," but i don't know much about these. what could have caused this? what can i do? is this going to affect my other fish? i really want to save this guy and the rest of my tank. please let me know.

From: Rose 5/12/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
Ick is the easiest thing to get rid of but also the easiest to get. Loaches are very prone to it. Bad water quality will get it started as will being picked on being chased any kind of stressor will cause an illness, Ick being one of them. As far as treatments go be very careful in what you treat your Loaches with. Loaches are scaleless fish and are very sensitive to Malachite green and to Clout. If you do use something with Malachite Green in it start at half dose or less and see how they react to it. If they react badly water change pronto and new carbon. As to what meds to use that's up to you and what your LPS has available. Barb may be able to help more with that. Rose

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
Hey Matt! Does the loach look like he is sprinkled with salt? If so that is Ich, which they are very prone to and often get simply from the stress of being added to a new tank. You need to use a product like RidIch+ with extreme caution just using 1/2 dose to test with first and then add the other 1/2 dose if all goes well to achieve the full recommended dosage for Ich. There are other products like Jungle's Ick Guard II (not the I), which contains formalin and acriflavine and while it potentially has less chance of toxicity, it can also screw up the bio filter. If when using RidIch+, the fish have a bad reaction (and the majority of the time things go just fine), emergency measures to get rid of the drug are to squirt in some AmQuel, add the carbon back and perform partial water changes. Remember to remove any inverts in your tank. For more guidance on treating your tank, please post at the (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm1) Help section, answering all the questions at the top of the page in your post there. See you there and wish you luck! Barb

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
Hey Matt! Does the loach look like he is sprinkled with salt? If so that is Ich, which they are very prone to and often get simply from the stress of being added to a new tank. You need to use a product like RidIch+ with extreme caution just using 1/2 dose to test with first and then add the other 1/2 dose if all goes well to achieve the full recommended dosage for Ich. There are other products like Jungle's Ick Guard II (not the I), which contains formalin and acriflavine and while it potentially has less chance of toxicity, it can also screw up the bio filter. If when using RidIch+, the fish have a bad reaction (and the majority of the time things go just fine), emergency measures to get rid of the drug are to squirt in some AmQuel, add the carbon back and perform partial water changes. Remember to remove any inverts in your tank. For more guidance on treating your tank, please post at the (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm1) Help section, answering all the questions at the top of the page in your post there. See you there and wish you luck! Barb

From: matt 5/12/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
thanks for the info. my water parameters are normal, except the nitrate levels are high (around 10 ppm). i feel like something is wrong with my tank in general; just when things appear to be going well, something bad happens. i lost 1 of 2 african dwarf frogs about a week ago, and since posting my last e-mail, i lost a common pleco (just noticed this a few minutes ago). do you have any advice to offer as to what might be the issue here, or how i can figure this out?

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
Are you the Matt that I know from my Aquatic Frog forum by any chance? As I said before, please post in the Help section that I linked to as more minds than my own can help sort this out. Did the pleco look as if he died from Ich? I need info on the ADF death. You've got something contagious in the tank (that is, if your water params check out... a nitrate of 10 isn't going to kill). Get posting there so we can help to avert anymore deaths. BTW, did you quaratine the new loaches before putting them in the main tank? Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm1) Help

From: matt 5/13/00
Subject: Re: sick clown loach
barb, i'm the same matt, wasn't sure if you were the same barb. i'm going to go to that help section and post every detail about what has happened in my tank. matt

From: beccy 5/12/00
Subject: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
hi everyone, i am a new fish owner so i need some help with these things! i set up a 10g tropical aquarium about 10 weeks ago. i started out with 2 live plants and 2 black skirt tetras for the first 9 weeks and then had my water tested (was good) and added the following fish - 4 neons, 2 painted glass fish and 1 chinese? algae eater (he's small and grey). i use the following additives in my tank -cycle (to reduce fish loss) -aqua plus (for the water) -kent (freshwater plant supplement) 4 days after adding these new fish i found 1 glass fish dead, floating upside down below a rock. i took him back and replaced him with another. i just went to feed them and see that my remaining original glass fish has white fuzz on his head in front of his eyes. it looks like it covers all over his nose and over his mouth. he has been in my tank for 1 week tomorrow. all other fish seem to be doing fine and no one else has this. what might this be and how can i fix it?? i really hate losing fish! also my glass fish don't seem to be to interested in the food i give (flakes). is there something else i should be feeding them? and last question for right now. my larger black skirt tetra sometimes changes color. i mean that sometimes his back end and fins are very dark and somedays they are very light silver. my other tetra is always very light, but the larger one changes. is there any reason for this? do you think it might be an indicater of something wrong in my tank? any replies are appreciated! beccy

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
Hey Beccy! Rose nailed the diagnosis on this one! If any fish are eating, then feed them Tetra brand's antibacterial food, which contains oxy-tetracycline effective against Flexibacter (Flavobacterium) infection. You may have difficulty finding it as Tetra recently discontinued making this product, but perhaps you'll find some on the shelf at your LFS! Unfortunately, this infection can be swift and deadly. Do as Rose advises... Treat with plain Maracyn in the water. Treat with Tetra's antibacterial food. Keep the water temp less than 77*F. Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: beccy 5/12/00
Subject: Re: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
Thank you for the advise Rose & Barb. I will get the maracyn and search for the tetra's food tomorrow. In the meantime I am getting the temperature down. The fish are all eating except my other glass fish. He is the one that I am really concerned about right now as the only fish I have lost have been 2 other glass fish. I know that when I bought the first 2 last sunday there was quite a few in the tank at the PS and when I went back on thursday there was less than 10 left. I am wondering if maybe the tank at the store was actually infected and they were losing fish? Anyway I will focus on the fish I have left for now and keep you posted on my progress. Again Thanks! Beccy

From: barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
Ideally, remove the sick fish from your 10-gal into a "hospital" tank, to reduce the risk of spreading infection to your healthy fish. It's always a good idea to have a smaller tank (a 5-gal would do fine for you now) with filter on hand for such needs. It is always a good idea to quarantine your fish for 2-4 weeks before entry into your main tank, to be sure that they have no disease. These glassfish as you can see wouldn't have graduated from the quarantine tank. Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Rose 5/12/00
Subject: Re: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
Beccy from what you wrote I think you just found out what Fexibactor is. This isn't a true fungus and it's a pain to kill. The thing you need to do is treat the tank with Maracyn (not Maracyn II). It's a antibiotic that if caught early enough can kill Flex. It is seen a lot around spring when the warmer weather comes in. Keep your tank temp below 77 degrees. Any higher and it grows like gangbusters. Yes, fish can die with in a matter of minutes to a matter of days with this. It's a nasty thing to have to deal with. If you have any more problems or questions ask. Rose

From: beccy 5/12/00
Subject: Re: something's on my glass fish! and other questions . . .
i don't thinkhe'll make it!! i just noticed this growth about 20 minutes ago he was still swimming normally. i'm sure it wasn't there this morning!! he is now swimming madly, in circles, bumping into the glass and sometimes just sort of floating near the top. i don't think he has much time or that i can save him now, but i don't know what to do with him! i don't have a hospital tank or any meds (which i am going out tomorrow to buy some of everything to keep on hand). do i just wait for him to die? what about my other fish? i don't feel like a very good parent right now :( beccy

From: beccy 5/12/00
Subject: he's gone
30 minutes after first sighting of the growth my fish is gone. i can't believe it happened so fast. i really watch my fish - everytime i feed them - and i'm so sure there wasn't anything on him this morning. he's out of the tank, but what has he left behind? :(

From: Bill 5/12/00
Subject: Sick Oscar
I have a oscar that is about 9-10" long and about six years old. It has developed a growth on its side that is from the inside out. It looks like a ballon and cause the fish to float to the top of tank. It is active but cannot keep off the top of tank except for put extra effort to swin. Any suggestions on what It is and what I can do.

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: Sick Oscar
Very interesting symptom Bill. I need more info before I can try to advise you. Please go to the (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm1) Help section and answer the questions at the top in a post there. In your post, also specify exactly where on your oscar's body the "balloning" is as well as the size of the "balloon". Did he recently jump or was he dropped? How long have you noticed the symptoms for? What, how much and how often are you feeding him? Did you recently feed him something just prior to the onset of this and was it something different than his usual fare? Thanks. Barb

From: Bill 5/13/00
Subject: Re: Sick Oscar
The tank is 55 gal., ph 5.0 no other fish in tank,eats normal, all water checkes have proven nothing wrong. This started about three months ago. It would swim on its side, and was slugish. I used penicellen, for three weeks, no change. Talked to person at pet store and was advised to try copper. Still no reposne It was about the eight to nine week stage that the growth begin to appear. It has been getting larger and now is alittle smaller than a tennis ball. The sink appears to be stretched from the inside. I was sure it was going to die and was hopeing so. Now it just appears to be unable to go to the top for food, and floats with this large growth on its side above water level.I really don't know what else to say about it.

From: Barb 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Sick Oscar
I still need to know where it is on the body. So, it's on his side? Is it at the front or the tail? Also, is it floating on the top, like a balloon would or does it hang from the bottom of him as he floats on his side, like an "anchor". Things running through my mind are a cyst/abscess, which could be drained by a Vet; maybe some herniation of the swimbladder; or a tumor. I can imagine that cystic masses, like an abscess or something with the swimbladder, will float, but a solid tumor would not float. Please make clearer for me what you mean by he can't get to the top for food, yet he is floating on the top of the water. Have you thought of taking him to a Vet? You wouldn't want to put down your 6-year old Oscar, if he has a treatable condition. Barb

From: Bill 5/13/00
Subject: Re: Sick Oscar
The tank is 55 gal., ph 5.0 no other fish in tank, eats normal, all water checkes have proven nothing wrong. This started about three months ago. It would swim on its side, and was slugish. I used penicellen, for three weeks, no change. Talked to person at pet store and was advised to try copper. Still no reposne It was about the eight to nine week stage that the growth begin to appear. It has been getting larger and now is alittle smaller than a tennis ball. The sink appears to be stretched from the inside. I was sure it was going to die and was hopeing so. Now it just appears to be unable to go to the top for food, and floats with this large growth on its side above water level. I really don't know what else to say about it.

From: gelfling 5/14/00
Subject: Re: Sick Oscar
Have you considered euthinasia? It sounds like this fish is suffering. You have been treating it for three months with no improvement. I think it's time to say goodbye. :( There are several ways to humanly put down a fish, but the easiest is freezing. Put the fish in club soda (an anesthetic), then place in the freezer. Just a thought. I've never had to do this but I think it would be easier than watching your fish suffer any more.

From: Emma 5/12/00
Subject: help with silver shark
Can anyone please tell me why my silver shark has started to float upside down. It seems to be in some sort of trance as only realises when it bumps into something. I'm really desperate as some of my other fish are starting to peck at it. I have had the shark out of the tank once already and into a separate tank, it seemed fine after a few days so I put it back in the main tank.

From: gelfling 5/11/00
Subject: kribs
Hello all! This is my first time posting on this board. I was wondering if any of you have experience with kribs. I bought 3 about a week ago, 1 male 2 female. The male will not stop chasing the females. He's not happy unless he has them at opposite ends of the tank. He won't even let them eat. Is there anything I can do about this?

From: Trix 5/14/00
Subject: Re: kribs
I had a couple of kribs a while the same thing would happen but none of them got hurt for the 3 years that i have had them.The reason they probably do that is because they are territorial and whant their own teritory and chase out whoever goes into their territory.I hope this ansswers your question.

From: keith 5/11/00
Subject: platy question
How long does it take for a platy fry to get to full size? how long does it take for a pregnant platy to have her babies? Im new at this, and i was wondering if I could put two or three goldfish with my platies and thier babies?

From: Rose 5/12/00
Subject: Re: platy question
Nope. goldfish need to be kept at lower temps than Platies do. Goldfish also have different needs than the Platies do as well. Rose

From: keith 5/11/00
Subject: platy question
How long does it take for a baby platy to get to full grown size? how long does it take for a pregnant female platy to have her babies.

From: Rose 5/12/00
Subject: Re: platy question
Hey Keith go to www.aquamaniacs.net and one the main page there is a article titled "Swordtails" The information on swordtails can be used for Platties and for Mollies. If after reading that and you still have questions ask and I'll be glad to help you along. Rose

From: keith 5/17/00
Subject: Re: platy question
Thanks rose for your help keith

From: keith 5/11/00
Subject: platy question
How long does it take for a baby platy to get to full grown size? how long does it take for a pregnant female platy to have her babies.

From: Sorren 5/11/00
Subject: Sunnyspot-Hello!?
It's been awhile,just wanted to know how you and your fish are doing?

From: Lauren 5/11/00
Subject: HELP! my goldfish is dying
Ever since we put an algea eater in the tank, my goldfish has been acting really wierd. The algea eater died I think because he got caught up in a plant... i was on vacation and neighbors were watching him. Since it has died, the goldfish hardly moves, and his tale is disintegrating. It almost looks like the algea eater nibbled off the top of the fin, and the tail is disintegrating. I was wondering if this could possibly be because either the algea eater attacked, it hada disease, or something else could be wrong. Thanks!

From: koko 5/11/00
Subject: Re: HELP! my goldfish is dying
Algea eater love to nibble on the goldfish slim coat. I think it might have had help from the algea eater and the shredding fins are also caused from ammonia spikes in the tank. Ammonia also eats the fins. I would do at least a 20-30% water change add some Amquel to the tank and Aquarium salt one table spoon per 5 gals of water. http://www.kokosgoldfish.com koko

From: Barb 5/11/00
Subject: Re: HELP! my goldfish is dying
Koko's right... he's probably dying from ammonia poisoning, so quickly perform the life saving measures that Koko suggests. Overfeeding can lead to such ammonia problems. The goldie also has some tail rot going on, so, clean conditioned water is the key and treating with an antibitotic such as Maracyn-Two will help. What size tank are we talking about? Who else lives there? What are the water parameters, that is, the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels? How long were you gone for? If the first partial water change doesn't do the trick and you don't have AmQuel on hand (go send someone to the fish store to buy some now!), then do a series of 10% water changes, as needed until you relieve fishy distress. Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm5) Goldies

From: mel 5/11/00
Subject: cycling my 20 gal.
Hi, I recently started a new freshwater aquarium. It is a 20 gallon aquarium and the demensions are 24*12*16. I have a penguin 125gph power filter with a bio-wheel, a heater, and I have recently purchased a double-bulb flourecsent lamp with two 20 watt 24" bulbs. The tank has been running for about 2 months and I have about 15 baby black mollies and 15 baby guppies in there that I thought would start the nitrogen cycle. Today I measured the ph,amonia,nitrate, and nitrite. These were the results: PH-7.4 Nitrate-40-60 Nitrite-2 Ammonia-.2 Does anyone know how to lower my nitrite or will the bacteria do it for me? Is my aquarium ready for fish yet or do I need to let it run some more? I was hoping to put some tiger barbs in there along with 2 or 3 clown loaches. I also want to have some live plants such as amazon sword and moneywort. Any Ideas? Thanks for all of your time, Mel

From: Barb 5/11/00
Subject: Re: cycling my 20 gal.
Check out (http://www.aquamaniacs.net/cyclingsafely.html) Cycling Safely. Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Cid 5/11/00
Subject: Any Black Pirahna breeders in the US?
I'm looking to get some black pirahna. Does anyone know a webpage, phone number, or e-mail I can use to reach a breeder within the US so I may buy some? Any help at all would be appreciated. Dave

From: mercutio 5/11/00
Subject: HELP
my sword tale wont leave my betta alone, ther in a 10 gal tank with a few others (one other black sword 2 platys, 2 cory 3 zebra danio, and one ghost shrimp) the black sword leaves every body alone (there both females) any help would be nice,,, can i spank the sword or make her sit in the corner?

From: Rose 5/11/00
Subject: Re: HELP
get a small kritter keeper and float it in the 10g. Fill it up with tank water put the swordtail in and leave him there for a few days. It's the fish equilvent to the penelty box in hockey. change some of the water out daily to keep it clean. to do that tip one corner into the tank and let it stay that way for a minute or two (providing the sword will let you). That's all there is to it. Rose

From: Barb 5/11/00
Subject: Re: HELP
Swordtails often harass bettas, so having the two in the same tank may never work, even with a "time out"... worth a try though... he does need to be punished! Ok, so I'm just kidding! :) Barb (http://pub36.ezboard.com/faquariumbbsfrm3) Bettas

From: Kimme 5/11/00
Subject: What kind of disease can kill a fish in just 12 hours, can swim bladder?
I have a molly that was fine last night when I woke up this morning he was at the bottom of the tank and when he came to the top it was in a spiralling motion. This has happened to me a couple of times with different fish. I'm at a loss as to what it can be my tank is in perfect water conditions.

From: Barb 5/11/00
Subject: Re: What kind of disease can kill a fish in just 12 hours, can swim bladder?
Was this kind of "spiraling" activity very shortly before they died? Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Kimme 5/12/00
Subject: Re: What kind of disease can kill a fish in just 12 hours, can swim bladder?
It took about 3 hours afterwords for her to die. I moved her to a hospital tank first.

From: Barb 5/12/00
Subject: Re: What kind of disease can kill a fish in just 12 hours, can swim bladder?
I believe that this spiraling activity before death is what people refer to as the "throes of death", which I think is seizure activity, indicating a dying fish. I don't believe that the presence of this activity gets you any closer to understanding the cause of death. Remember, no external signs of disease on the body/fins, rapid death and more than one fish effected in the tank = poisoning either from a water chem abnormality (eg. high ammonia) or directly from a chemical OR from inadequate oxygenation OR from septicemia. Barb (http://www.aquamaniacs.net) Aquamaniacs

From: Just checking 5/11/00
Subject: Board active??
Is this board currently active? I noticed the year of the posting dates are all 00.

From: koko 5/11/00
Subject: Re: Board active??
The board is active but for some reason the dates are one year off. I think that is strange too. koko

From: P 5/11/00
Subject:
YUP,, the board thinks it 00 still.

From: Cedric 5/11/00
Subject: Oranda Floating Upside Down
One of my orandas is floating upside down. I have treated it for swin bladder disease, but that did not seam to help. Any suggestions?

From: koko 5/11/00
Subject: Re: Oranda Floating Upside Down
Feed him Frozen Non salted peas. Thaw the peas then remove the huskes and give a pea to the goldfish once a day. Also if your feeding the goldfish pellet food you need to soak the food in water for at least a min. Pellet foods swell in the stomach just like you eating breads or pastas and will make you bloat. koko http://www.kokosgoldfish.com
 

Next