From: Karen
Subject: Re: betta fry
Is the water too deep?
What are you feeding?
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
not to sound like an ass but maybe you did something wrong when you got the fish from walmart?
i don't like walmart's fish either, tanks are filthy, rotting bodies of countless fish are in the tanks.
From: SHERRI
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
You are not an ass. I got my little money back. I found out he had some diease and there were dead fishes before i came in.
From: Heather
Subject: cichlid sex
how can you tell the sexes of cichlids? i am in the process of restocking and really don't want to get a bunch of males. is there a trick to finding this out or is it so simple that it's right in front of my nose. please advise. :)
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
what kind? you have your many species of central american cichlids, south american cichlid, african cichlids, etc
From: Heather
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
i was looking at either jack dempseys or those black ones (i forgot what their called...oops)
i heard that they are a bit aggressive, but i don't mind. that's why i'd like to get those "types" instead of pirranah...that's my other choice...and info on them while i'm here?
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
jack dempseys are in fact aggressive, once a full moon you might be able to get a more or less unaggressive one. just look in the tank at the LFS, pick the most submissive jack dempsey, better chances of it not being too agressive. they should be kept in a 30 gallon tank alone or maybe a pair. or what i would do is put it in a 55 gallon with some other agressive fish like firemouths, convicts, etc. be sure to have some caves and other hiding places.
pirahnas(spelling? i forget) may get aggressive, if you want them to be happy, you need to have at least a 175 gallon tank in a school of 5 or so. i recommend 200 gallons though. some tankmates that go well with them are pacus, but they get BIG, too small for a tank really. small groups of pirahnas isn't good, they won't be too happy although some people think they can be. smaller groups can be more aggressive and destructive. i would tell anyone to get them unless they have a big tank and intend to get a school of them. it may be hard to clean the tank too, they have been known to get overexcited and bite the tankcleaner's fingers, often needing stiches.
From: heather
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
ok on the "finger biters"...i like my didgets right where they are...
so, how do you or can you tell the sexes of jd's?
From: Karen
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
From what I know of these it is very difficult.
If you want to breed them put about 6 juveniles in a tank and watch for a pair that is trying to kill everybody else. This will hopefully be male and female.
From: chase
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
pointed anal fin on male.could be wrong.
From: Karen
Subject: Pirahnas
Pirahnas.
They are illegal in many of the souther states so be sure of this in your area.
Are actually a group fish, and since they are a good size fish would need a good size tank. Like Tiger Barbs, the larger the group the less they pick on each other.
They need more than live fish for food and can be trained to eat pellets.
Some types are really mean and some aren't.
A Jack Dempsy and other such aggressive sichlids can actually terrorize a pirahna.
But this really is a special fish with special needs and not a truly good aquarium fish.
From: Alysia
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
Lol, thats a good one Karen! HAHAHAHAHAHA so true
Alysia
From: Karen
Subject: Re: cichlid sex
Some like Angels can be sometimes of you know the trick and get lucky.
Some are real obvious when in breeding mode, some keep it a secret like Oscars. Only they know.
From: Alysia
Subject: Platy ?'s
Hello everyone. I bought 4 platies yesterday. This is my first set of platies although I have other fish. I have a 55 gal tank that I have had for 4 months. I have 3 mollies and 2 guppies. Well anyways I bought 4 plates, and 2 are pregnant!!!!! One looks due anyday!!! The other one seems to not be as far along. The one that appears to be due like at any moment does not seem to have that much of a gravid spot although she has a little one. She is very very pregnant. I was wanting to know how do these fish act before they give birth. (signs) She seems very active and swimming a lot. How many fry do these fish have at one time? Can I put the fry in the breeder net when they are born, because I dont have another tank. How long can I keep them in the breeder tank? I thought about buying a 10 gal. or so and set it up for fry, but i know i will not have time 2 before this one has hers. And also it would not have had time to cycle. Thanks for helping and replying to this post all!!!!
Alysia
From: angel
Subject: Re: Platy ?'s
I think I was lucky cause I did have a platy and she ended up having 10 babies and they survived, I ended up giving her away and I sold the babies.
From: AJB
Subject: Re: Platy ?'s
I have had my platy give birth a total of twice. She jumped out of the tank just days before she was due the third time.
I did not see her give birth. She gave birth in my 46 gallon. I now have 4 of her children. They hid on the bottom in the gravel and plants. She will probably hide when it is time. They like to give birth at night, without lights. I would leave her in and hope that some survive. (dont try this with guppies. They are stupid. All 80 of mine got eaten within an hour.)
You can expect her to give birth to approx. 40-100 fry, with 2-10 surviving.
AJB
ps. it probably helps that I have black gravel...
From: cease
Subject: Re: Platy ?'s
Yea newborn platies are very hard to see, pretty much all you can see is the eyes (little black dots). One of my platies gave birth twice, but I only managed to save 2 babies. The others were probably eaten since I have some bloodfin tetras and other fish in the tank as well. If you wake up one morning and your pregnant platy is smaller, lift all the rocks or decorations in your tank as the fry will hide just about anywhere. Try getting lots of plants that babies can hide in without bigger lurking fish eating them. Hope this helps and good luck
From: Alysia
Subject: Re: Platy ?'s
Thank you so much!!!!! I didn't think that they would be that small. Wow!
Alysia
From: where they go?
Subject: can't find my messages!
where are they?
From: AJB
Subject: Re: can't find my messages!
Not loaded yet. Hit reload.
From: CHRISTINA
Subject: Re: can't find my messages!
RELOAD? HUH? I DON'T SEE A RELOAD BUTTON ANYWHERE -- I AM BLOND!!!
From: Karen
Subject: Re: can't find my messages!
I've had a few of my replies never appear. Lost in cyber space.
From: Emma
Subject: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
wazup?
From: koko
Subject: Re: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
No. goldfish dont live very long in a bowl. Goldfish need a filter and 10gals of water per goldfish just to start. Goldfish are very messing fish and take alot of care.
The only fish that I know that can live in a bowl is a betta.
koko
From: Timbo
Subject: Re: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
For some reason alot of people write this, and yet I know of a quite a few people who have had goldfish in a bowl for a few years, but I think you'd have to change the water quite often. One girl I know doesn't even use water conditioner and has had the goldfish for 3 years.
Another goldfish had a glass of red wine tipped in the bowl by some idiot at a party, and yet lived for a fair while after that!
I'm not saying they don't need all this stuff, but I've witnessed gold-fish living quite happily without it.
From: Mary
Subject: Re: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
Ever watch commercials from 3rd world countries? Every living thing is nothing but an outer layer of flesh covering their bones. Babies, children all people and animals for that matter with flies swamping all over them. They’re alive but I’d bet my last dollar that they are by no means happy.
It’s beyond my comprehension how some people can delude themselves into believing that even though they have provided barely enough space for their fish to be able to turn around and that space is daily been infected with toxic such as ammonia from the fishes urine, decaying uneaten food etc. the fish lives quite happily. People, stop pretending you don't see when there's a problem. Just pretend your the fish. By making it personal you'll make the right choice.
From: koko
Subject: Re: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
But the thing I think your missing is that Goldfish living in a bowl get ther life shorten for no good reason. goldfish living in a 10 gal tank to start will live up to 25years and maybe more. As you said one of your friends had one that lived 3 years that goldfish was just a baby.
The way I try to get people to understand this :
Think of your self living in a room of only eight feet high, wide and length. You would feel cramped and would feel sad and have a bad additude. This is the same thing the goldfish go though when living in a goldfish bowl. Most goldfish will grow up to 6" in length, so living in something that is just a gal or two is not enough room. The goldfish gets sad and cant grow and the ammonia spikes and the goldfish gets sick easier.
Just sad :(
koko
From: Karen
Subject: Re: is there anything i can do with my bowl? i hate seeng it empty! should i go back to the goldfish in a bowl trick? n/t
Check out the goldfish connection. See how beautiful a goldfish truly can be. Granted these are far nicer than any you would find a local store. However if these had been kept in a bowl they would never look this gorgeous.
http://www.goldfishconnection.com/
From: Karen
Subject: As for other fish
If it is at lest 2 gallons and you are willing to do frequent water changes you could keep 3 white cloud minnows in there. They are a fish that does not require heat and are fairly small.
From: SHERRI
Subject: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
HI, I BOUGHT A MALE DALMATION MOLLY, YESTERDAY FROM WALMART. THIS MORNING I FOUND HIM DEAD AND I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY? ONE MORE THING BEFORE I BOUGHT HIM HE WAS TRYING TO GET SOME...LOL I DONT KNOW HOW TO SAY IT BUT I KNOW YOU UNDERSTAND. THE FEAMLE MOLLY HE WAS CHASING I BOUGHT HER TO BUT SHES STILL ALIVE AND DIDNT WANT TO GIVE HIM ANYTHING...LOL COULD THAT BE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE 3 FEMALES IN THE TANK WITH HIM. PLEASE HELP.
From: SHERRI
Subject: AJB
Im sorry about the caps.
From: Emma
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
sorry dunno about the molly but NEVER buy fish from Walmart. there fish are BLAH! don't live long. that's why they're expensive. they only want to get MONEY MONEY MONEY!!!!!!! i bought goldfish from there for a while. lived for, um.....oh ya! not even 24 hours. >:( I tried another store, well, there fish where better because the fish lived about a week but I did something wrong. so, FISH FROM WALMART IS A BIG NO NO. better luck next store! HTH Emma
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
not to sound like an ass but maybe you did something wrong when you got the fish from walmart?
i don't like walmart's fish either, tanks are filthy, rotting bodies of countless fish are in the tanks.
From: SHERRI
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
You are not an ass. I got my little money back. I found out he had some diease and there were dead fishes before i came in.
From: AJB
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
I AM SORRY BUT DON'T TYPE IN CAPS IT IS HARD TO READ!!!
Don't buy fish from Walyworld. They do not care if they live or not. They want money, greedy little -----.
Did you wait for the tank to cycle? You need about a ten gallon with that amount of fish. If you cycled, I would say it is the fact that walmart dosen't care.
AJB
From: Angel
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
He might had something wrong with him,
I just bought a balloon molly and he died 2 days after I bought him.:( Angel
From: Chris
Subject: Re: WHY DID MY MOLLY DIE
I have three Walmarts in my area. One has a very good department manager that raises fish. I have no problem at all when I get my fish from there. You have to remember most people that work there get paid min. wage and don't give a darn. But you have to be careful anywhere that you get fish, get to know the people and look at the condition of the tanks and fish.
From: CHRISTINA
Subject: BLACK PHANTOM/SERPAE/HEADLIGHT TETRAS
55 gallon tank -- anyone out there have black phantoms? i have 4 serpae tetras and 4 headlight tetras right now and am planning to add 4 more of each along with about 8 zebra danios and 3-4 cories. i have read that serpae tetras can be fin biters so what about going with 4 black phantoms instead? i want my fish to all be happy and i've been reading that most do well with at least 6 or more of their own kind. does this mean that i need 6 or more of each kind of tetra i have or do i just need 6 or more tetras to school and keep them happy? when i got the serpae tetras i had only read good things about them -- that they were excellent community fish, but now i am concerned that if i get too many of them they might start biting at the other fish. also, does the color of serpae tetras get brighter as they get older. i bought my fish at a pet store. they seem happy and are quite active, but i was at walmart today and their serpae tetras were more vibrantly colored. any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
From: Karen
Subject: here is my thought.
In a 55, I would keep my groups to maybe 3 different types of schooling fish. So your Serpaes, Head and tail lights, planned on zebras or Phantoms would be good..
With 8 of each you will have 24 fish. In a 55 I would personally go with a few more in each group, 10 or eleven ( I like the odd numbers in my groups) so now we are talking 33 fish. Keep in mind that with proper care they will grow. A nice school of 5 cories and we are at 38 fish or so. Usually what you get in the stores are about half grown so what may look understocked now won't be.
I would keep gradually adding the fish and then keep it at this level for 6 months. Then you can decide if you want to make any of these groups larger or add another.
Most tetras lose their nippyness in larger groups. They chase each other instead of others.
From: christina
Subject: Re: BLACK PHANTOM/SERPAE/HEADLIGHT TETRAS
AJB -- would love some help on the whole stocking level issue. i don't want to overcrowd my tank -- i want the fish to have plenty of room to move around. also, i'm trying to stay away from all fish that are even remotely aggressive. any help would be greatly appreciated.
From: AJB
Subject: Re: BLACK PHANTOM/SERPAE/HEADLIGHT TETRAS
It means that each species of tetra generally need to be schooled with it's own kind. However, there are expections. White skirts and black skirts will school toghether. Same with neons, glowlights, and cardinals. The same size usually do well toghter. You can get more of the above mentioned fish, provided that you want to. I would increase the cory load to about 10, getting two each of five different species. They will school and it will be cool looking. The color thing; it probably gets brighter during breeding season, I don't know, I don't know anything about serpaes. Remember, about the 1" per gallon rule of thumb is bogus. If you need help with stocking levels, let us know.
Glad I could help. :-)
AJB
From: Greg
Subject: 285 GALLON UPDATE
Sorry i didnt get to post sooner but i was at our cottage but i just got back today! So anymore Ideas?
From: AJB
Subject: Re: 285 GALLON UPDATE
That is a big tank.
You could do so many things, it is uncomprehendable. I don't spell
What do you want for ideas?
AJB
From: Greg
Subject: Re: 285 GALLON UPDATE
Ummm. I dont know what i want to do. I need a lot of suggestions and in like a week im gonna see what i dea is the most popular and probably do that one!
From: Karen
Subject: Re: 285 GALLON UPDATE
7 Silver Dollars, 40 neons or cardinals, 7 Silver hatchets, 5 cories.
10 Beautiful goldfish from the goldfish connection
http://www.goldfishconnection.com/
4 Oscars
50 neons or cardinals, 7 Hatchet fish, 10 cories, a couple of butterfly fish, 10 bleeding heart tetras.
African cichlids
Brackish, you could go with Scats and the catfish, halfbeaks for the surface and glass fish.
One heck of a great biotops tank of the Amazon.
Discus if you like them ( i personally don;'t think they are so great.)
Saltwater fish with or without a reef.
etc etc etc
From: AJB
Subject: more ideas.
Anything you want really. Be careful of water conditions and size.
An all gourami tank with maybe some corys
An all neon/glowlight/cardinal (they will school toghter)
An all wihte, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, black, or purple colored fish tank
Three different types of rasbora
Forty of two different kinds of hatchet (80 total)
and some corys
5 of every different kind of cory within 50 miles of your house with some rasboras
like Karen said:
etc etc etc
AJB
From: Karen
Subject: or
Native fish like sunfish, northerns, bass and the like. If it is legal to keep them n your area.
Pirahnas if they are legal in your area. A nice school of them, but learn all you can about keeping them.
Angels. You could even end up with a couple breeding pair in this size a tank.
From: Han
Subject: Re: Theme
This is a wonderful sized tank: a clean start. What I would say is take a theme: a south american tank or a mexican one.
A great idea would be a lake tanganyika tank - the fish would look like marine fish and you could make caves for the fish, who will each have their own territories.
From: Greg
Subject: Re: Theme
I really like the bumble bee gobies but what else would i be able to put in with them?
From: Karen
Subject: Re: Theme
One of my top ten.
They only get to be a little over an inch long, can be tricky to feed.
I kept mine with black mollies as I thought the contrast would look nice. Then I switched to glass fish. Not easy to get healthy ones, only have two left.
Basically it is anything that won't eat them.
From: chase
Subject: Re: Theme
discus.can be hard.
From: Hannah
Subject: Re: Theme
Bumblebees are quite territorial. They're Ok with each other as long as they have their own little patch. Its not really a good idea to put anything in with them, or they will get stressed. But, i think they are so interesting, that you really don't need anything else in there.
From: CHRISTINA
Subject: ottos vs cory catfish
now i'm looking at going with the cory catfish instead of the otto. pros and cons of each?
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: ottos vs cory catfish
you can have both, otos are algae eaters, cories are bottom feeders
From: AJB
Subject: Re: ottos vs cory catfish
Cory: pros: Easy to breed and keep. Many different color varietys. Eat food off bottom. Very fun to watch. Easy to find. petshops will usually take extra babies. Stays small. Cons: Dosen't eat algae
Ottos: Pros: Eats algae. Easy to keep. Fun to watch. Active. Cons: Likes groups. Gets kinda big. hard to introduce.
I would go with some corys.
AJB
From: Eddie
Subject: Re: ottos vs cory catfish
otos don't get big, unless 1.5" is big for you
From: CHRISTINA
Subject: ottos vs cory catfish
now i'm looking at going with the cory catfish instead of the otto. pros and cons of each?
From: Jill
Subject: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
hey, i heard that bettas water has to be warm or around 70 75 temps.... how in the world do i keep the water warm put a heater by it?????? i have no clue what to do about this so please help me before my betta freezes to death!!!!! email me at CrzyJill01@aol.com... the "0" is a zero by the way. GOd bless yall and thanks!!!!!!
From: Karen
Subject: Re: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
What size tank or bowl is he in?
They sell heaters for small tanks.
I keep my bettas at room temperature all year round, and I live in Minnesota and do not keep our house above 70. My bettas live an average of 1 1/2 - 2 years.
I think as important as temp is, keeping it constant is key. up and down will make any foish sick. Some bettas do need heated tanks as they are just prone to being sick. I attribute this to weakening of the genetic pool by betta mills. These guys are just being bred at such a rate quality is going down.
From: Han
Subject: Re: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
You could use a heating mat under the bowl/tank. This won't take up room in the tank.
From: Karen
Subject: Re: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
This is a good idea, just make sure it is for aquariums. Glass tanks can crack if the bottom is hjeated to much or to fast.
From: Michelle
Subject: Re: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
I have been worried about this lately with my fish. I bought a little oscillating heater that I place next to my fish's bowl. Is this a good idea. I am really worried that the water is too cool. Is there a good tool for testing the water or will something like a meat thermometer work? I could use any advice possible. I am worried about my fish.
From: karen
Subject: Re: HOW DO I KEEP MY FISHTANK WARM FOR BETTAS???? HELP ME!!!
Aquarium thermometer, pretty cheap.
From: Herman Came
Subject: help a sick black moor
my black moor has had a recent bout with fungus(i think) he had white patches behind and between his eyes. we took a q-t soaked with iodine and rubed ion the patches(as recomended by our fish store guy). this helped. then we isolated him in a small 1 gal tank and salted it heavily. mot of the gunk flaked off. he is acting much better but his eyeballs are still cloudy. what can or should we do if anything???
From: Karen
Subject: Re: help a sick black moor
His eyes may or may not clear up. I have noticed telescope goldfish sometimes have cloudy eyes. If the fungus has cleared up i would give him an extra day or two in quarantine to see how hw does.
I do hope you are doing regular water changes, every day. I gallon for a goldfish is very small, even for a day.
How big a tank is he in normally and how many fish?