From: Timboi 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Keeping Sharks
You might find someone who can help you on:
www.aquariacentral.com
or
http://www.aqualink-too.com/ubb/board/ultimatebb.cgi
There are alot of people who go to those boards that should be able to point you in the right direction
From: AJB 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Keeping Sharks
All I could tell you is that they probably will not make it unless your water is perfect. What ever filter(s) you find, the combined total would need to be at least 5000gph, maybe more. If you don't mind the noise, a pond filter might work, although I am not sure.
HTH
AJB
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Keeping Sharks
This is a tough one. I could make suggestions but as with AJB, no experience with anything this large.
I do know it is difficult at best to keep sharks and rays, needing a minimum 500 gallons each. Be very sure of the type of shark you purchase as only a few stay small enough for the home aquarium.
You will prbably be able to get the pump info from wherever you order this tank from.
From: Ashli 12/18/01
Subject: Need help with my guppys
hello,
last night i found 5 fry in my tank, so i took my mollies out so they would not eat the fry, sence they are large. but left my two females and my male guppy in the tank with the fry. when i woke up my male guppy was dead, i have no clue why. I still have the females and the fry in the tank togetter. and they seam to be doing fine, please e-mail me if you think i should do something or have any ideas that could help me out,thanks,ash
From: Ashli 12/18/01
Subject: Need help with my guppys
hello,
last night i found 5 fry in my tank, so i took my mollies out so they would not eat the fry, sence they are large. but left my two females and my male guppy in the tank with the fry. when i woke up my male guppy was dead, i have no clue why. I still have the females and the fry in the tank togetter. and they seam to be doing fine, please e-mail me if you think i should do something or have any ideas that could help me out,thanks,ash
From: Clint 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Need help with my guppys
I don't think the guppy's death is connected with your removing the Moliies, it just happens sometimes. When you see a full grown guppy at a pet shop he is probably at least half as old as he is going to live, they don't live longer than a year and a half at the most, many probably less than half that. High temperatures are used at fish farms to make them grow faster but that shortens their life.
He was probably old, and with 2 females to keep up with he was just worn out.
Clint
From: Leslie 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Need help with my guppys
I agree...seems to be what happened to mine, too.
From: Leslie 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Need help with my guppys
I have always had trouble keeping guppies, except for the 6 guppy fry I have right now which are very healthy. I lost about 5 adult guppies over a short period of time not too long ago and still don't know why. None of my other fish died or got sick. Sometimes I guess they either get sick and we don't know it or they're just old and die from that. Since you only said you had one that died, that could be it or just some other change that was made that he couldn't adjust to. He may have died anyways. I know it's certainly happened to me. Hopefully, the 6 fry I have will live much longer lives than their mother or the other adults I had 6 weeks ago. I guess I'd just ask the usual questions: water quality changes, temperature changes, any signs of illness or anything out of the ordinary on either the other guppies or the mollies? Good luck with your guppy fry! Mine are 7 weeks old as of yesterday and FAT!
From: fire ice 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Need help with my guppys
I suggest you take out the guppies also because they will eat the fry. the only fish who won't eat the fry are fry a bit older, but still not able to eat the smallest ones.
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Need help with my guppys
I recently bought a magazine, Aquarium Fish, and they had an article on guppies. See, seems these guys only live about one year, It is possible your was an older guppy.
From: Tigerbarb 12/18/01
Subject: Advice please
Hello Everyone.
First I wnt to thank all the people on this board who have given me advice as i have learned a lot! Thanks!
Secondly, i need some advice about my tropical aquarium.
It is a ten gallon, with a filter and contains One spotted molly, one sailfin molly and three tigerbarbs.
It is cleaned out once a week, ( Three gallons replaced ) but someone suggested that I might clean them out twice a week because of the problem,which is.......
A long time ago, in february or march, i bought my first fishes from the shop but one had a bacterial disease and infected and killed a lot of the others.
It has been quite a few months now since I have lost any, and the five I have now have been OK since August at least.
However, recently my tigerbarb started to roll around, not upright, and got these red streaks. I put him in a breeding trap and treated the tank with antibacterial stuff and special aid salt.
This got him upright over night and hes ok now. This has happened twice now! But i managed to save him both times.
Also, my sailfin looks thin.
Why does it come back? Whats wrong with the sailfin??
Thanks for listening. Your advice helps!
From: Leslie 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Advice please
You said you clean out about 3 gallons once a week, but do you also do anything to the filter? When exactly was the last time you put a new fish in the tank? Do you make sure not to use the water they bag them in? It's usually pretty gross and can mess up your tank in a matter of hours, depending on where you're getting your fish. Anyways, when you clean your tank, do you also clean your filter? Is it the kind that uses a carbon filter, and if so, how often are you replacing it? I have 2 10-gallon tanks like yours and in the beginning, it was horrible. I lost a lot of fish, but it was a huge learning experience for me. The last time I lost any, it was because my gourami started munching on the smaller fish. The gourami is now in a tank of his own. Besides that last gourami-thing, it had been a long time since I lost a fish. At the time I only had one 10-gallon tank and it was over-stocked...that's the reason for the second 10-gallon. I do water changes once a week on mine with a testing kit to measure pH, ammonia (my biggest problem), and nitrites. Even when the ammonia level soars, finally falls, then the nitrites level soars, I never lose fish. I change out about 3 gallons of my tank also. The one thing I DO NOT do anymore, is scrub the filter clean. I used to think (before I came here and got educated) that the brown nasty-looking stuff inside was bad. During that time, I also lost fish constantly because I was killing off the good bacteria. As far as your tiger barb, I have had problems with them in the past and lost a whole tank-full once because I just had to have one more and it must've been sick. Do you test your water? This may give you something to go on. Also, I've lost 2 sailfin mollies for no reason. Couldn't see a thing wrong with them and just hours before they were acting fine. Do you use something in your replacement water to take the chlorine out? I don't know if you only added salt to the breeding trap to cure the barb (how much salt?) and then removed the trap, but mollies which appear to be getting sick usually will bounce back with increased temperatures and salt...they love salt in their water.
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Advice please
You covered a lot of good area Leslie.
It seems to me in my experience, which for the new ones is 30 years since I was a kid.
The really easily bred fish like mollies and guppies and a lot of the tetras that the fish are getting weaker. I personally feel like they are being bred so fast with little or no thought towards healthy stock. Thus problems come on much faster and easier.
Really good reply Leslie.
From: Leslie 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Advice please
Thanks for the compliment, Karen!!! I sure don't claim to be an expert in any area and would feel really bad if I told someone something totally wrong. You made my day. Thanks again!
From: Tigerbarb 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Advice please
Oh, and they are fed flake food and frozen bloodworm! ( and occasionally live food)
From: Mike 12/18/01
Subject: Upgrading to a bigger tank
Hi,
What would be the best way to upgrade a 10 gallons tank containing 6 adult fishes and small babies
(guppies(+babies)/platy/cardinal)? to a 20 gallons.
I plan to do it this way.
1.0 Reuse almost all 10 gallons of water from the old
tank
2.0 Place new gravel (upgrading gravel too) in new tank
3.0 Add old decorations, rocks, driftwoods and plants.
4.0 Reuse Old filter (aquaclear mini) as is.
5.0 Install new filter next to old filter and start
both filters.
6.0 Turn on heater and watch temperature until it
stabilizes at the usual temperature as the old
tank.
7.0 Transfer all fish (kept in buckets containing old
tank's water) in new tank.
8.0 Add declorinated water to fill up the 20 gallons
to the top.
9.0 After a week, I will stop using the old filter.
Another question that I have is, would anybody recommend the Penguin Biowheel as opposed to the aquaclear ? If I use the Biowheel, I cannot reuse the
sponge from the aquaclear. Am I right ? And it will take a while for it to populate with bacteria.
Thanks.
From: Clint 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Upgrading to a bigger tank
Sounds good. I would put a little of the old gravel in the 20, maybe on the bottom where it won't show, this will kick start the good bacteria in the gravel bed.
I read AJB's reply and agree with it all.
Clint
From: AJB 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Upgrading to a bigger tank
Yes, use the biowheel. They are the best. You will be able to find space to shove the sponge in to get the bacteria going. I have an insert in my emperor biowheel that filters down to 1 micron, you can do so many things with this filter. I would use half of the tens water, and fill the rest up with new water. Then, you can put in about half the fish, wait a week, then put in half of the rest, wait another week, then put the last couple of fish in. That way, your filter will be able to get going, and you probably won't have any problems. You should rinse the decorations well in hot water before you put them in the new tank, to remove any bad guys.
If you have any other Q's, ask em, that is what we are here for. Also see my post to your first post on your ten gallon tank, a little down the page.
AJB
From: Mike 12/20/01
Subject: Re: Upgrading to a bigger tank
Hi AJB,
I was wondering that if I take the same mini aquaclear filter and use it in the 20 Gallons as well as the new filter (Biowheel) then I can move all the fish at once with all the water from the old tank. After a few weeks, I can stop using the mini filter. What do you think ?
Thanks.
From: James Tan Pe 12/18/01
Subject: help me
pls help us by answering this questions.
1.how can we detect if our neon tetras are ready to be breed
2.how can we differ a male from a female neon tetra
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: help me
The females will look rounder, pregnant. Which in a way they are, at least with eggs. Males are smaller and slimmer.
That is when they are ready to breed and also how to tel them apart.
From: Sue 12/17/01
Subject: More Babies
Hi everyone,
Last night I found new fry in our tank. We already have baby guppies that are about 6 weeks old. We have 3 female guppies which are all pregnant and still have their black tummies growing each day. I don't know who could have had these fry. The other fish we have are platys, a black molly (don't know if its male or female) tetras & 2 glass catfish. I don't think anyone else looked pregnant. Any ideas? They just seem to pop out of know-where.
Thanks again,
Sue
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: More Babies
Tetras and glass catfish are egglayers. It is possible some eggs survived and you now have babies.
Livebearers like the guppies and platies and mollies can have multiple babies after having been fertilized by the male once.
Guppies can seem to be pregnant all the time. hence the nickname Millions Fish.
You will just have to watch them grow up and see who they belong too.
Oh, platies and black mollies will interbreed.
From: Sue 12/18/01
Subject: Re: More Babies
Thanks so much for your information. I am learning so much from this web site. I just love it. Sue
From: jessica 12/17/01
Subject: I'm worried
I am worried about my neon tetra. All of his red stripes has come off. It is all pink right there were the red used to be. I haven't seen any of the other fish pick on him and he looked fine yesterday. It looks like his scales right there has come off! None of the other tetras look like that. I am really worried because when I first looked at my aquarium this morning I found one of my firemouth cichlids dead at the top. I don't know what happened to him. Please help!
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: I'm worried
Any other fish in there? How many?
What size tank?
How often do you do water changes.
Do you use any water conditioners or meds?
My first thought when you described the neon was Neon Tetra Disease which is contagious and no cure.
Then you said your firemouth had died and I wondered how it is you had any neons left. I would have expected the firemouth to have a nice lunch.
Could still be neon disease and something else got your cichlid. Were there any other symptoms or marks? Spots or fuzz?
From: jessica 12/18/01
Subject: Re: I'm worried
I have 3 firemouth cichlids, 4 tiger barbs, 6 noen tetras, and 3 leopard corydoras. They are all in a 29 gallon tank (I know that sounds small for all the fish but they are all babies and I will take them out when it is time). I do water changes every week. Yes, I use AquaSafe water conditioner. It doesn't look like there is any spots or fuzz. I have no idea what happened to me cichlid. It scared me to death when I first saw him. None of the other tetras look like the red stipeless one. Is it only tetras that can getNeon tetra desease or can any of my other fish get? Please help!
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: I'm worried
I recently read where some other fish can in fact get NTD. Interestingly cardinals are not one of them.
Is it possible two of your firemouths are setting up a breeding territory? If so that could be your problem.
From: jessica 12/18/01
Subject: Now I am really worried
No I don't think that my cichlids are breeding because they are pretty small. They are just toddlers. I am really getting worried though because one of my cichlids is getting big white spots on its head. Please help. I really need it advice as soon as possible.
From: Karen 12/19/01
Subject: Re: Now I am really worried
I have discovered cichlids can breed while still quite small. Had an overabundance of Texas Cichlids that way.
White spots on the head. Hmmm, in goldfish that would signal male. I do not believe it works that way in cichlids. I have never kept firemouths myself so hopefully someone who has can step in here and let us know if this is normal.
Anyother symptoms?
From: jessica 12/20/01
Subject: Re: Now I am really worried
I just looked at the cichlid. they aren't just white spots anymore they are more like big wrinkly bumps. when you look at him from the side they very obviously stick out. He is so hard to get a good look at because he is so shy. any other symptoms? he doesn't swim around much and he stays close to the bottom. Any advice? thanx so far Karen!
From: Jake 12/17/01
Subject: Algae
In my tank i have a red type stuff that looks like it's growing on my plants and on my rocks but i am not sure if it's an algea or just dirt that built up because i didn't clean the things i used in my tank very well because i just set it up like a month and a half ago. Well get back to me when you can and if it's algae then i better go get myself an algae eater. Thanks, Jake
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Algae
If it is red algae not many eaters will eat it. take out a decoration and see if it all falls off like dirt or is it all slimey and har to remove. Red Algae is a little more difficult to treat.
From: Jake 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Algae
it is more of a slimy hard to remove substance whats the best treatment for that?
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Algae
If it is red algae which is what it sounds like, first you have to try and find the cause.
How much light for how long. How many fish are in the tank. What and how much are you feeding.
Algae is caused by an abundance of light and or overfeeding/stocking.
Reducing some or all of these might help. First manualy removing as much of the algae as you can.
From: Jake 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Algae
Ok first I leave the light on all day since not much light gets to my room. The typical light is from 6am to 9pm, the amount of fish is 2 angelfish, 2 black mollies, 4 neon tetras, and 3 redwag swordtails. There are also 16 baby black mollies and my female redwag looks pregnant. I am feeding them tropical flakes and about a pinch and a half to two pinches is what i feed them. thanks for your help karen.
From: fire ice 12/17/01
Subject: growing brine shrimp to adults
I think I'm going to try raising brine shrimp to adults. Has anyone tried this? I thiink I'll keep them in a (clean) five-gallon bucket. I've heard to use 1 tablespoon of salt per liter. This sounds like a lot, but it's been on numerous websites so I'm assuming it's right. One thing I can't seem to find, though, is how to harvest the eggs once the adults lay them or even where they lay them (ie: on the bottom, sides, or surface). Thanks!
From: AJB 12/17/01
Subject: Re: growing brine shrimp to adults
If you find San Fransico Bay's home page, there is a link to information on growing out brine shrimp. The URL is www.sfbb.com/index.htm
From: fire ice 12/17/01
Subject: Re: growing brine shrimp to adults
thanks! actually, the page is just www.sfbb.com. the other one didn't work, but it was close.
From: Karly 12/17/01
Subject: bubblenets problems
im breeding two bettas and the female is completely conditioned and is visibley ready, vertical stripes and a belly FULL of eggs. the male flares at her and she trys to get as close as she can but mr male has yet to make a bebblenest in the tank. the water is new and conditioned and its pretty warm but still no bubblenest is there any way to stimulate bubblenest making
From: Eric 12/17/01
Subject: Re: bubblenets problems
Hi,
Male betta seems to like to make a bubble nest if there is something floating on the surface to make the bubbles around. My betta likes to make the nest around the heater tube. You could try something like plastic leaf hung so it touches the surface or something like that. I'm going to make a guess on this, but I think since they have to gulp in air so often when they make a nest, it helps if the air is moist and warm. You could put saran wrap, the kind used for covering food, and wrap the opening of the tank. That, combine with a heater, will make the air above the water warmer. If you're using a heater, might want to keep an eye on water temp.
good luck,
Eric
From: fire ice 12/17/01
Subject: Re: bubblenets problems
make sure the temp is at 80 or 82, maybe try conditioning them a bit longer, varying the foods more, or try doing a 50% water change, I know this makes my betta make a buble nest up to 3/4 to 1" thick! it's amazing
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: bubblenets problems
And to add to all this. If you try all these great tips and he still does not make a nest.
Some males just do not make a bubble nest or very good ones.
From: Nika 12/17/01
Subject: tank decorations
Are flower pots okay for tanks? I've seen some in tanks that are used as caves. I forgot what they're made of, but they're the standard reddish color ones that come in any size.
Do they alter the pH any?
Thanks for the help!
From: AJB 12/17/01
Subject: Re: tank decorations
As long as they are clean, they will be ok in you tank.
AJB
From: fire ice 12/17/01
Subject: Re: tank decorations
yep, they're fine & I guess they don't alter the pH cuz they're in mine and the pH is stable and constant whether the tanks have them or not
From: Kathleen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: tank decorations
They're made from terra cotta clay...usually from Italy. I'd wash them first with a lot of hot water...no soap. They can make the water cloudy if you don't do that.
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: tank decorations
Do not use any that had plants in them. Any fertilizers or pesticides that were used on the plants will be in the clay as it is very porous.
I recomend only using new ones.
From: Eric 12/17/01
Subject: aggressive minnow
Hi,
I have 5 white cloud minnows in a 5 gallon tank. There is this one minnow that keeps picking on the other minnows and making them stay to one corner of the tank. It seems like a constant thing. I think it's also trying to nip at their fins. Also, he keeps displaying his fins. And it's not even the biggest minnow in the tank. Should I worry about it? Is the tank too small for 5 minnows?
And there's a small minnow that stays in the corner most of the time. When I first got the tank, I had 6 minnows, and one of them always stayed in the corner too, and it died a week ago. Now there's another one that's holding up the corner, and I'm afraid the same thing will happen. Should I move one or two fish?
Thanks for you help!
Eric
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: aggressive minnow
Hiding up in the corner is stress from being picked on. 5 white Clouds in a 5 is ok.
Make sure you have a thick plant in there for the fish to swim around. If the bully keeps it up I would remove him. Every now and again you get a rogue.
From: Mike 12/17/01
Subject: Chaos in 10 gallons.
Hi everybody,
I desperately need advise and help. I have been reading and getting all my knowledge
from petfish.com as well as from the message board.
I love this site.
I have a 10 gallon setup slowly over 2 months. Everything was fine until I introduced a catfish.
(I agree that I should have quarantine the fish but I only have one tank now)
After I introduced the catfish, it did not do well and was just sitting there. I was told that
I need to have at least 2 of them. So I went back to the fish store to buy a second one. As I
look over the tank, I saw one dead catfish in it. So, I decided not to get the fish and wait a while.
As I get home, I found that my catfish was dead too.
The next day I went back to the store and they told me that it was a bad batch of fish
and they gave me full refund. In fact only a few catfish was left.
I got a red platy instead.
Over a couple of days, I noticed bad things happening to my tank, which has 6 cardinals,
1 pair of guppies with about 6 frys, and the red platy (plus an algae eating shrimp). First
I lost one cardinal. One of his/her eyes was swollen. I read about it and concluded that
it could be a fungus attack. My water seems fine except for a high PH, slightly greater than 7.6.
Then after a few days, my female guppies who gave birth to 2 sets of babies over 2 months started
going sluggish, staying at one place with rapid gills movements. I did not noticed anything
on her, except for her big tummy as always. I also noticed mouth fungus on another cardinal.
I ran to the pet store and they advise me on Melafix, which is a tea extract remedy, which
supposedly was not going to harm my beneficial bacteria and the 2 java ferns that I have.
I put one capful each day. 3 days passed and I lost the female guppies and now the cardinal
with the mouth fungus is starting to go sluggish with rapid gill movements. Plus yesterday
I saw one cardinal losing balance and he died this morning. I have the impression that the
medication could be causing problem and is not working. What should I do ?
Another question is "Am I overloading the tank with the 6 small frys ?".
I was waiting for this boxing day to buy a 20 gallons tank and transfer my fish to a bigger
home. But now that they are dying I am not sure if they will even make it till christmas.
Please let me know what steps I should take ???
From: Timboi 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Chaos in 10 gallons.
Alot of people have alot of different things to say about Melafix. Tea-tree oil (Melaleuca [sp??]) is an effective natural antisceptic for humans. I believe it probably works as a healing aid for fish as well, but whether or not it can cure fungus or bacterial problems, I am sceptical about. I think it probably will help to stop wounds becoming infected, but other than that I doubt it is a cure-all.
I find it highly dubious that it can kill only 'bad' bacteria, but I do have alot of faith in it's ability to heal wounds (wouldn't go camping without it)
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Re: Chaos in 10 gallons.
I used it for about amonth in my 55 goldfish tank and had no noticible change so I am inclined to believe the bacteria survived.
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Chaos in 10 gallons.
Seems to me your tank is overcrowded, so any disease you introduced is going to spread rapidly.
I have used Melafix for velvet and torn fins and it worked great. I did add 1/2 tsp salt per actual gallon. If you have 10 fish in a ten gallon it is overcrowded, unless all you have is ten very small fish like neons or white cloud mountains and even then you pushing the limit.
Sluggish and rapid gill movements are classic signs of ammonia poisoning, can also signal other things.
I would do daily water changes, maybe 3 gallons a day. You mmight switch to a fungus cure, maybe use it with melafix but read the labels to see if there are any warnings against mixing the melafix.
From: Mike 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Chaos in 10 gallons.
Hi,
I will try water changes until things get better.
I will also be switching to copper treatment as suggested by Clint. It seems to me that the Melafix is somehow harming my cardinal. One of them lost balance and eventually died.
I will be reducing the load once I get my 20 gallons. I think I will try to catch all the small little guppies and the shrimp and transfer them to a small container before I start my copper treatment.
Thanks.
From: AJB 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Chaos in 10 gallons.
You could also add some salt. It is used commonly by itself, or with other medications. Go to your LFS and fine some aquarium salt. Put in one tablespoon per five gallons. Copper will kill most anything with out a backbone, such as shrimp, snails, and clams. That is why had-a-snail works so well. There are many ways for a fish to 'lose its balance' so to speak. A chiclid I had got internal injuries to its swim bladder, from bulling that I was unaware of at the time. One night, I came home to find him upside down, and he died later on that night. When you get your new tank, put the gravel and rocks and decorations in first, then wait 4-6 hours and put in the fish. That way everything will beable to become somewhat stable. Then put in three small fish or one bigger one. Small being cardinals, and a bigger one being a guppy. If you know about cycling a tank, then you probably know about how ammonia can and does kill fish, and rapid gill movement, loss of 'balance', and several other problems you mentioned can result from toxic ammonia levels.
Also, when you get your new tank, get a filter made by marineland with a biowheel on it; they are simply the best, and no, I am not a salesman. :-)
If you have any other Q's, Karen and I and everybody else will answer them fairly quickly. Also try the chatroom, about 4% of the time someone is in there, but I will be there tonight.
AJB
From: Laura 12/17/01
Subject: Aggressive male sword
I have four swords, two males and two females. I had them in a two gallon tank (I know, I know, too small!) for about a month. They did fine, even spawned, and I saved some fry. Well, I moved them up to a five gallon hex. Now, one of the males has turned aggressive, he really started pestering the other three. In the interest of peace in the tank, I've put him in "solitary" in the 2 gallon. Is this common for swords? I didn't intend on having 2 males, this one was supposed to be a female, but turned out to be an immature male. Now I know how to tell from the fins which is which! : )
From: Angel 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Aggressive male sword
they normally act like that to be teratoral
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Aggressive male sword
Not to uncommon
From: Angel 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Aggressive male sword
yes is normal behavior with swordtails I have alot of swords
Angel
From: Laura 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Aggressive male sword
Thanks everyone!
I guess he'll stay in solitary. I'm going to give him away to one of my friends. I think the other three are plenty for the 5-gallon tank anyways. : )
From: Lois 12/17/01
Subject: Neon tetras fins look nibbled!
Hi people--3 neon tetras in 7 gallon tank with two young female bettas. Looking this morning and tips of some fins appear nibbled on all 3. Have never seen the bettas even approach them. Likely to be doing it to each other or are they sick? Please, any thoughts? Thanks!
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Neon tetras fins look nibbled!
Could be the female bettas or it could be the neons doing it to each other. Neons do need to be in a group, 5 or more.
Let's start with the 7 gallon tank. The 2 female bettas or a group of neons but not big enough for both.
Then tetras are nippy fish unless kept with a larger group of their own kind.
Female bettas can be a bit on the aggressive size, and the neons may be just small enough to look like lunch.
From: Lois 12/19/01
Subject: Re: Neon tetras fins look nibbled!
Thanks, Karen. Unfortunately illness is making some rather major changes in the tank right now (posted above). I do not think it was the bettas--at least they are not that much bigger than the neons right now, and seemed to be ignoring them, although who knows what was going on with the lights out.
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Help! Minnow floating
Gotta agree with Timboi on this one. Most likely a bacterial infection or an accident. I have seen fish that were trapped in a plant for awhile act this way when they got loose.
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: found a starfish
Go to the fishstore and get salt for saltwater fish. There ar minerals that these guys need. As for the amount I am unsure, might say on the box.
As the fish is starting to smellit is probably dying and it is too late to save it anyway but you can always try.
If you are close enough to the ocean you could carry back ocean water but this has its risks also.
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: minnow and ghost shrimp
I keep ghost shrimp in my brackish tank and they are always carrying around babies. Bumble bee gobies love them.
I also have one in my newt tank which is straight fresh and it is doing very well. They do add to your bioload and you don't have much room, you may have to do more frequent water changes.
From: Karen 12/18/01
Subject: Gotta go with this one
Changing colors in bettas is not always a bad thing, but fins clamped is never good.
I'd keep his water very fresh withfrequent water changes and the suggested meds.
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: Bala Sharks and Ghost Knifes
I am not sure of the size of a 25 gallon tank, length and width.
These guys can reach 9-12 inches from teh ones I have seen, but have heard they can get longer. The ghost knifes I am talking about.
Bala sharks like their own company and can reach over 7 inches.
From: n/a 12/17/01
Subject: Re: me too , and i should've known better:(-n/t
n/t
From: Karen 12/17/01
Subject: Re: fading colors?
Glad that was it.
From: Kathy 12/19/01
Subject: Re: What are these white worms?
I too have these worms,in my salamander tank. I have found feeder goldfish eat them. I would love to know what they are. Could it be the crickets we feed my salamander?