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FAQ
General Fish FAQ'S:
I have a question do fry grow faster in a big tank compared to a smaller one my bio teacher said that but i don't know if its true can ya help me out??????
Scott <hexen47@hotmail.com>
Batavia, NY USA - Tue, January 15, 2002
YES! <>>><
Hi, can you suggest so fish for me? I hve a 10 gallon tank, & have 2 clearglass fish, 1 golden aglea eater, & 1 albino cory catfish. I don't want any Mollies, or any Tetras, not in this tank anyway. Pleas help me out thank you.
Oh4forlife <oh4forlife@aol.com>
Houston, Tx USA - Sun, January 20, 2002
The real trick here is to find something that the golden algae eater won't bother. You have the bottom of the tank covered with the cory. How about a hatchet fish? This fish is unusual in shape, silvery in color and hangs out at the top of the water. Another possibility is white clouds which are not tetras but small chinese minnows. If you get white clouds, be sure to get at least three as they are schooling fish and unhappy and shy by themselves.
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I have a 20 gallon tank with about 8 platties that have nearly destroyed my live plants (hygro and wisteria). Are there any types of common plants (i.e. easy to find at most pet stores) that will survive? I was wondering if broad leaved plants might fair better. I really prefer live plants over plastic ones.
Lin <lling39@hotmail.com>
Waterloo, ON Canada - Sun, January 20, 2002
Try some amazon sword plants and feeding your platies some boiled lettuce. <>>><
My boyfriend bought a bristle nose pleco a few days ago. the first two days, the fish seemed fine, looking healthily plump, and almost cleaning all the algae off the back of the 55 gallon tank. then while we were watching it on the third day, all of a sudden it violently jerked its body forward, and died. we noticed that her body had turned very red under the skin, as if she had hemorhaged. no signs of cuts or sores or any other problem. what could have caused this?
Molly
USA - Mon, January 28, 2002
It sounds like Enteric Septicemia. A bacterial disease of catfish. Bacteria is ingested. Very high mortality and in some cases, very few symptoms. Be sure to disinfect the tank before introducing any other catfish! <>>><
hi~ over xmas holidays ,walmart had a bubblegum fishtank,and dumb me didnt buy one. Now they do not have these in stock. I have came across a bubble gum machine.. and before i buy this ,i want to know how i can turn this into a fishtank? Is this possible? Thanks jessica
jessicam21 <jessmoody21@aol.com>
mcewen, tn USA - Wed, January 30, 2002
I wouldn't recommend trying to covert a bubble gum machine. 1. There may be unknown toxins in the paint or metals, 2. The complications of filtration and cleaning. Perhaps, you can find a novelty/unusual fish tank store on the web. <>>><
I have a 10 gallon tank. I am new to this whole fish tank thing. We have had the tank set up for about 4 monthes and now the Ph seems to be dropping. I have read not to do anything about until it gets really bad. however, our tank got so acidic that we had to put Ph increaser in it. Now all of our fish are dying i have no idea how to get the tank back to a good Ph. Help.
Mandy
Denver, CO USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
You need to be careful when changing water chemistry. Consider changing 1/4 of the water in the tank for the next few days. Hopefully, that will settle out the tank. Be sure to use declorinator and water that is within 5 degrees of the same temperature that is in the tank already. Good tank maintenance requires water changes between 10 to 20% of the total tank water on a regular basis. Small tanks require more frequent water changes--once a week or every two weeks, rather than once a month.
Hi On Sat., Jan. 26 I bought some mollies...one was pregnant and had fry Sun. night...how many days,weeks, months,etc. will I have to wait to put them in the tank with the other fish? I have a ten gal. tank w/out lot of plants and I have a silver molly (m), black molly (f),orange? molly (the proud mom)mickey mouse molly(f)and a marble molly(m). I have the fry in a small fishbowl right now and I know they will outgrow that soon....they are less than 1/4 in. long and can hide(and get stuck) under the large gravel...HELP!! Also, the mom looks sluggish...is that normal? I AM treating them for ick, but all the other fish seem fine. Thanks for your help.
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Your fry will need at least a month to grow. You can move them into a bucket when they get bigger. Mom Mollie certainly should be sluggish after that ordeal :)
Hi Me again....how does ick medicine affect fry?
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
I wouldn't advise treating fry for ick. If you insist on treating them, add a little bit of non-iodized salt. Mollies do well with a little salt in their water. (1 tsp for gallon).
Hi Me AGAIN :) My friend said not to put any fish in the same tank with goldfish because their "toxic waste" will kill them....is this true?
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Goldfish do create a lot of waste and shouldn't be mixed with tropical fish. Goldfish are actually a cold water fish and thrive under cooler temperatures. You have to be sure to keep the tank clean if you're going to mix fish.
Do minature Catfish eats smaller aquarium fish?
Blueeagle17 <Blueeagle17@aol.com>
Clover, SC USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Plecos and other catfish have been known to prey on smaller fish,especially at night when some fish sleep on the bottom of the tank.
Hi I saw my mollies breed today, and I have a few questions....What is the gestation period for mollies? When should I put the pregnant mom in a net? The last time my mollies had fry...I wasn't expecting them so soon and had to catch them in a net.....needless to say, they hid under the rocks, got stuck, and some died...now I have 19 istead of 25 or 30. I don't want to lose any this time...I'm hoping to sell them to a pet shop. How many fry do mollies usually have? If left with the fry, but well-fed,will the mom eat them? I know the other fish will, but I don't know about the mom. Also, is it normal for a mom to die after having fry? I read the post about bettas, but I don't think that applies to livebearers. :)Thank you so much for your help!
j
co USA - Fri, February 1, 2002
Whew -- It's difficult to say, when mollies are going to produce young, because they can give birth months and months after the initial fertilization. I wouldn't have high hopes about selling the young to a pet shop. Mollies breed easily and I'm sure most pet shops have plenty of breeding pairs. Just enjoy the challenge of raising the fry. Mom mollies generally don't eat their young, watch out for Dad though! <>>><
We just got a 10 gal tank, 6 goldfish and 1 plecostomas (my son calls a "sucky fish" and was his idea). Anyway, do I have to give the pleco special food or would he get enough from the waste of the six goldfish? I don't have any live plants in the tank. Like many others, we're new to all this and just don't want to mess up! Thanks a lot!!!
Heather
Eupora, MS USA - Fri, February 1, 2002
If you're feeding the goldfish the special food that comes in little hard pellets, you may want to pick up a can of the flake food for the pleco. If you're feeding the goldfish flake food, there is no problem at all. Just be sure to stir some of the food into the tank so it drifts to the bottom. Give enough food for the fish to feed for three minutes twice a day. Goldfish eat a lot. Happy fishing <>>>><
I have recently set up a 55 gallon tank, with fake plants and log. The only temperature that i can get it to stay at is around 70-74 with a PH of 7.2, I have tried to get it to where i can put tropical fish in it but failed. I would like decently big fish (for the size of the tank that is), i have put in a dozen feeder fish (due to the temp and ph level) to build up the atmosphere. What type of fish would you suggest?
Adam <amiller@lewisgaleclinic.com>
Salem, VA USA - Sat, February 2, 2002
Gouramis, Bala Sharks, Red tail sharks, loaches are all reasonably hardy fish that will do well in a 55 gallon. If you like Cichlids, they also will do well in a 55 gallon. Most folks would love to have your problem. I have a 40 gallon and 35 gallon tank myself. <>>>><
Hi there - I have a male Beta that we have only had for a week. Today we noticed he appears to have fin rot. I went to the fish store today and they recommended Melafix. I've started treating him right away. This has me a little worried though - maybe Betas aren't as tough as I've heard they are... Is there anything else I can do to take care of him? We have him in a 5 gallon tank, with a filter, and keep the water at 80 degrees. How often should we change the water and how much at a time? Do we need a PH kit? Are there any other things that we should be checking for? We really want to take good care of him.
Terry <terryrparsons@hotmail.com>
Halifax, NS Canada - Sun, February 3, 2002
It sounds like you're giving your beta good care. If you like, you can get him some tiny live food and add a little bit of salt to his water. You don't really need a PH kit, you'll change 1/4 of the water every couple of weeks and that will be fine. Most betas do not get as good a home as you are giving yours. Hope he get's better.
We have had a pleco for about 10 years and he/she was about 5 when a friend gave him/her to us, so Pleco is about 15. I was curious about their lifespan as well (read the post you answered 15 to 20 years), as this fish has outlived so many other fish over the years. I was going to dismantle the tank after all the fish were gone (i.e just not replacing as they aged and died), but when it got down to just the pleco and one bloodfin tetra, I restocked with a bunch of neons and am enjoying the tank all over again. Pleco is really looking ancient, but still pretty lively, considering. Neons are really cool. I just got 4 black neons and 4 blue and red ones. What other colors do they come in?
Carole Green <cgreen6215@aol.com>
Jacksonville, FL USA - Sun, February 3, 2002
Glad you're enjoying the hobby and have such a happy Pleco. Neons basically come in the colors you described. Perhaps the breeders have created something new and radioactive in the past few years :) I remember when they injected glass fish with colors of the rainbow. Neons/cardinals are very pretty because of the iridescence in their coloration. Add the fact that they school and your tank becomes a fairyland. <>>><
hi, i am sorta new to all this fish stuff, and would like to know why the water gets cloudy. i don't have small children who would like to stick their hands in the water and i certainly don't put mine in either. i have a male betta, four different mollies, one albino catfish and one of those really ugly algea eater/catfish. i do have a filtration system and live plants in a 10gal. tank. i forgot to mention that one of the mollies had babies and they are getting quite big. please help before i lose any of them. thank you.
connie
annada, mo USA - Thu, February 7, 2002
New Tank Syndrome -- that's what the fish hobbyists like to call cloudy water. Sometimes if you leave it alone, it will clear up all on its own. Let the tank rest for a day or two. Stop feeding the fish. They'll survive just fine without food for a couple of days and give the tank's biofilter a chance to catch up. Once the biofilter kicks in, the water will start to clear up. If you're impatient, you can buy drops from the pet store that claim to clear up cloudy water. <>>>><
hi, im kind of new in this fish hobby so i need help with my 29 gal.tank i have the tank set up for 3 month now and my ph was at 7.0 always now all of the sudden my ph is at 6.4 am i doing something wrong? i change about 20% of the water every week am i changing the water too much? and i have a 300 and a 150 aquaclear with 14 fish in it my bigger fish is about 3.5 inches then the rest are 1.5 to 2.5 inches. can you please help me. thank you
tony
newark, nj USA - Fri, February 8, 2002
20% of a 29 gallon tank is overdoing it a bit. I'd change your water twice a month rather than every week. Do you have any live plants? Plants would help equalize your PH. Do your fish look stressed? Small changes in PH usually don't harm the fish. <>>><
How can you tell if your molly is pregnant? Also, it is hanging round the bottom. Is this a bad thing or is it a part of pregnancy? Please reply, Peter Mathews.
Peter Mathews <shm@iprimus.com.au>
Perth, WA Australia - Sat, February 16, 2002
Mollies will have a dark spot under their abdomen when they are pregnant. Many mollies come pregnant out of the supplier. When particularly gravid, the molly may get listless. <>>><
Getting ready to stock a 55 gallon tank with Orandas. What kind of algae eating fish do you recommend putting in the tank. Thinking about some otocinclus fish. Is that doable?
Al <allmary_2000@yahoo.com>
USA - Sun, February 17, 2002
The algae eater otocinclus should be fine. <>>><
We have a 35gallon tank in our home with the clear catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis. One catfish is now getting rounder around the belly? Could this fish be pregnant? Their are also two other clear catfishes in the tank as well.
Dan Schulz <dan_schulz@videotron.ca>
Rockland, On CANADA - Mon, February 18, 2002
Your catfish could be pregnant or just fat :) Put some live plants in the tank if you can for a place them to lay eggs. <>>><
I am a beginner. I have a 10 Gallon tank and all of a sudden my fish started rubbing against the decorations, I treated them for velvet dust disease and after 4 days of treatment two of my tiger barbs died and then my albino cory cat died. now my red-eyed tetras are acting funny. they are swimming in circles against the glass and chasing each other. Will i have to dismantle the tank and clean it to get the sickness out of the tank? HELP!!!
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
It would be best to dismantle your tank. Change the gravel and plants. Treat fish separately in a sick tank. <>>><
I have 3 red-eyed tetras. I need to know what kind of other fish are compatible with these. they only seem to chase each other. i had 3 tiger barbs but all died due to velvet dust disease. I also need to know what kind of pleco would stay small enough to be in a 10-15 gallon tank for awhile. I like the clown pleco but can't seem to find anyone carrying that kind. also told by one reference that they don't grow bigger than 6". but other reference says 12". Who is right?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
Most plecos get large, I would suggest staying with smaller cats like corydoras since you only have a 10 gallon tank. <>>><
I just wanted to say, your page is helpful, however there is some incorrect info, or things not being addressed. ONE Goldfish requires 10-15 gallons at least because of waste and potential size. Also, you see to be encouraging people to overstock their tanks. One poster had 2 plecos and other fish in a 10 gallon. While getting more fish may be ok in her case based on water parameters, it should have been mentioned that she should expect to upgrade to a larger tank in the future.
GouramiMommi
NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
Beginning hobbyists often overstuff their tanks, that is true. That's why I recommend the 1/3 water change every couple of weeks to help alleviate the build up of toxins. If the tank is underpopulated, water changes need not be so frequent.
As the fish get larger, most folks take the hint and get a bigger tank <>>><
I want to breed my jewled cichlids but i cant tell witch one is a male and female can you help me please
brock
redding, ca USA - Wed, February 20, 2002
Usually the male will brighten in coloration when it comes into mating season. Females tend to have heavier bodies.
Good luck <>>><
because of your help, all of my <expletive deleted> fish died
???
???, ??? ??? - Mon, February 25, 2002
The care of fish is not an exact science and sometimes the fish are already stressed out to the point of no return.
All I can say is that I am sorry. Be sure to clean the tank thoroughly with new gravel and plants before starting over.
Thanking you in advance...I know I have compatable fish and the right plants and toys (if you will) right temp, etc. However in one of my tanks the water insists on becoming "cloudy"...it's actually kind of strange because it starts becoming "cloudy" on the very bottom first (like a fog) and the drifts up...the fish don't seem to be "stressed" but I am...tried everything...any suggestions or solutions..help!
Matt <MattRock02>
Odenton, Mc USA - Tue, February 26, 2002
What type of filtration are you using? If you don't have an outside the tank Aquaclear style filter, I'd recommend getting one.<>>><
I have a platy that had babies.... i added and algae eater, another platy (orange and black) and a dalmation fish. All of my baby orange platy's have disappeared and now there are little black ones. My orange and black platy died and my dalmation fish died. But the original Platy is fine. How can I tell if the fish are ready to have babies?? I know nothing about this and want to breed more. Where do I find info on these fish??? Any help is appreciated.
marcy <m_scholze@hotmail.com>
Sparta, WWI USA - Wed, February 27, 2002
Some sites with info on platies:http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/livebearers/platies.asp
http://www.aqualink.com/columns/k-livebearer2.html
I have a 5 and 1/2 gallon tank. I would like to know how many fish I can fit in in without them being crowed and haveing room to swim.
Joe
Phila., Pa USA - Wed, February 27, 2002
General rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. <>>><
we have a 50 gallon tank which constantly has BAD algea on the walls, etc, Can anyone recommend a solution?
sandy <camevets@aol.com>
west chester, pa USA - Thu, February 28, 2002
Commercial algae killer? <>>><
My mollies just had babies and lots of them are dying because they got stuck in the gravel. What should I do?
Peter Mathews
Perth, WA AUSTRALIA - Fri, March 1, 2002
You must have an undergravel filter. Short of turning it off, you don't have many options. <>>><
I have a zebra fish and it is fatter than the rest of the zebra fish. How can you tell if there a boy or girl? Also, how can you tell if its pregnant?
Peter Mathews <shm@iprimus.com.au>
Perth, WA Australia - Fri, March 1, 2002
The female is generally fuller-bodied and larger with subdued colors. On the males one can find a golden-yellow background with fine red lines between the weider blue longitudinal lines. On the female, the background is silvery white. Breeding takes place in shallow water no more than six inches deep with lots of plants and some sunlight. Place the female in the tank one day before spawning and add the male the same evening. The pair will normally spawn in the early hours of the morning and the eggs will be deposited on the plants. Good luck. <>>><
I have a 20gal tank I'm having a problem getting the water clear and I just got the nitrite levels down from 5.0 to .50ppm by changing about 6gals water. but now the water is cloudy, but the fish appear fine, I do water changes once a week about two gals each time. I have 14 fish(5 med. Tiger Barbs 1.5 to 2.0 inches,5 Black Ruby Barbs .25 to .75 inches, 2 Bala Sharks 2.0 inches, 2 Plecos 1 is about 3inches and my tiger pleco is 1.5inches, i also have a red claw crab), 1 Java Fern, & some driftwood and using a a hang-on power filter that filters 150gals an hour,the PH is 7.0, Gh & Kh is good, temp. is steady at 80 degrees, I'm going to be buy a 55gal tank this weekend and I do not want the same problems in the new tank what am I doing wrong and what I do I to fix the problem? I've tried water clarifier BY PROQUATICS and it does nothing.
BARB MAN <IZONS62@aol.com>
Plainsboro , NJ USA - Sat, March 2, 2002
I'd increase the water change to 15% to 20% of the size of the tank.
For a 55 gallon tank, make the water change about 8 gallons. <>>><
I have a gourami that I can't tell what kind it is. I thought it was a blue gourami but on the tank we bought it from it said leopard gourami. Is there such a fish? Also, I purchased a extremely small pleco. It doesn't look like the typical pleco, it is dark gray like on top and has a black line down his side and white belly and white dots on the top and bottom of the tail fin. Can you suggest a website or book that I can look at to identify these fish?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NEW YORK, NY USA - Mon, March 4, 2002
Try this website. http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm <>>><
I put algae disc pieces in my 10 gallon tank for my pleco and it seems like my pleco never gets to eat them. My gourami seems to sit and eat it until it is gone. Is this normal? My gourami seems to swim constantly back and forth across the tank until I feed it. Also, the gourami is really thick in the front of his body, could it be female and pregnant? How can I tell what sex it is?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Mon, March 4, 2002
Boil some lettuce for your gourami and pleco, obviously, the gourami is hungry for some greens. Females are generally bigger than the males, they spawn under certain conditions times rather than "get pregnant". <>>><
I have a 20 gallon aquarium that was purchased around Christmas. We have had the water quality checked at the pet store before adding fish. My problem is that I have purchased two plecostomas - both died. Now the tank is growing lots of algae. I would like to purchase another, but not if it is also going to die shortly. Any suggestions?
Adam
Darien, IL USA - Wed, March 6, 2002
Plecostomas as generally hardy fish. Try a different supplier. <>>><
DO I HAVE TO CLEAN MY FISH TANK IF I HAVE A FILTER
cassie
rochester, Washington USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
It depends on the number of fish you have and whether you like clear water versus a sort of yellowish colored water. It's definitely healthier to clean the fish tank and change the water once in a while <>>><
hi i have a problem with my tank i was looking in my gravel today and i seen little worms in my gravel could you tell me how to get rid of them and what causes them id appreciate it alot. thanks
cheryl <rosebud15025@hotmail.com>
clairton, pa USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
The little worms are probably harmless, they probably hitched a ride on your fish into your tank. I wouldn't worry about trying to get rid of them as long as your fish are healthy. <>>><
Can beta fish have light in their aquarium? and do they like it?
ashlee <angel88@peoplescom.net>
lindal, tx USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
Yes, you can have a light with a beta. It would be nice if there are some decorations that give shade (a hollow rock, a plant with broad leaves) so the beta can get away from the light once in a while. <>>><
I have recently moved and when I set up my freshwater tank it began growing algae. Could it be the new flourescent light (my old one burned out), or the well water that I now have?
Linny
Las Vegas, NV USA - Mon, March 11, 2002
It's more likely the location you placed your tank. Is it near a window? <>>><
how do you take care of baby black mollies.
joe
tollhouse, ca USA - Tue, March 12, 2002
You can buy commercial baby fry food, or finely grind the regular flake food for the babies. <>>><
Hi. I just upgraded to a nice 55 gallon aquarium. I have a male and femal molly, five platies, two female guppies, 7 neon tetra, and two small catfish so far. My female molly had about 25-30 babies the day after I bought her! A platy had 2 babies. All but five of the mollies died being sucked up by the regular filter(not undergravel) but mostly for some reason when I put them in a plastic floating breeder type container. Why did the breeder kill 11 fish? I am scared of getting a plague of unwanted fry as well (a few growing up would be nice) This is why my two guppes are femal. Any suggestions?
The Luckster
Sterling Hgts., MI USA - Wed, March 13, 2002
Instead of putting the fish into a plastic floating breeder container. Cut a piece of nylon pantyhose type legging and cover the filter intake with that. It will keep the young from being sucked up immediately. Some fry will die under natural conditions, that's one reason why the mollies, platies, etc. have so many at one time. <>>><
i have several fish tanks a 55 and 25 and several 10's.i wanted to change my 25 to salt water and need to know how to do it and what i need to buy.any sugestions would be great thanks.
Samantha <sistersam16@yahoo.com>
douglasville, ga USA - Wed, March 13, 2002
First you need to change the substrate to a coral/calcium gravel. Add a strong filter and sea salt mix. Run the tank for about a week then add a small fish under one inch in length for a month to get the biological cycle started. Gradually, add other denizens but keep it to down to 5 inches of fish. If you want invertebrates like sea anemones you'll need to get a special coral sea light fixture. Change 15% of the water twice a month. <>>><
my tank water turns neon green after two or three days. what to do to stop the greeness?
alita
ny, ny USA - Thu, March 14, 2002
If your tank is near a window, move it further away from the light. If it's turning green under regular light conditions, I'd try some over-the-counter algae killer. <>>><
I live in a rural area where we have water from a well. I just got a new fish tank and set it up (no fish yet) and tested the PH. It was off the chart alkaline wise. I tried adding PH down stuff to it but have so far put in about 5x the recommended amount and it is still off the chart, way above 7.8. On a lark I tested my bottled spring water and it was a perfect 7.0. Is this safe to use instead of putting tons of chemicals in the tap water? Does it lack anything else that fish may require? Is it safe to assume that bottled water is neither to hard or to soft? Also I was going to get a couple of neon tetras and am looking for some other colorful smaller fish that would all play well together any suggestions? I am not interested in breeding or anything like that, I just want them to be pretty to look at. I'm also looking for a catfish that would remain on the smaller side hopefully with some interesting markings vs. just the silvery color. Any help would be appreciated.
Vicky
Melrose, NY USA - Fri, March 15, 2002
Bottled water of ph 7 would be perfect for your neon tetras. There are some nice catfish that come have pretty patterns of stripes or dots that would be fine companions. <>>><
i have had a fish tank with golden gourami for about sixs months all has been well until now, one of the fish will not feed and has become very pale in colour it is resonably active at times do you have any advise? Thanks Nigel
nigel <nigel3@btinternet.com>
london, uk - Sun, March 17, 2002
About 90 percent of all fish-related problems are due to contaminated or insufficient water from filter, food dosages, having too many fish in one aquarium or moving location. None of these seem to be implied in your case. You may want to remove the pale fish from the others in case the fish has something contagious. Put the fish in a large container of water (preferably a two gallon bucket) in a warm space and add a small amount of salt to the water (1 tsp to the gallon). If you have a spare air tube and pump put it in the container also. Otherwise, change a cup of the water per day. Do not feed it the first day, try a little food on day two. When the fish looks better, you can put it back in the tank with the others. <>>><
My children's goldfish have ick. I put the "Quick Cure" drops in and within a few hours the fish were all bottom dwellers. I did a partial water change but I'm afraid to put the drops in again. I took out my carbon filter, because the Wal-mart clerk told my husband I was supposed to, and stuck in a filter with no carbon. They, the fish, seem to be doing better since the water change but I need to know if it is okay to put in drops. The water temp is 66 degrees and I don't know how to raise it unless I purchase a heater and I really don't want to if I don't have to. Any advise??
slejan
State College, PA USA - Sun, March 17, 2002
If you have a heating pad, you could place that near the tank to raise the temperature a little -- say to about 70 degrees. Another way to heat your tank would be to put an incandescent lamp near it (standard light bulb). Continue to do partial water changes (1/4) every couple of days and leave off the medicine as your fish are sensitive to it. Try getting some liquid vitamins for the fish. It might strengthen them enough to overcome the ick infection naturally. Ick is almost always caused by temperature changes. <>>><
Should I put some type of drops in the tank to prevent disease?
Dr. Fish
SanDiego, Ca USA - Mon, March 18, 2002
The only product I would recommend is "Stress Coat" and that's when you introduce new conditions to the tank -- i.e. new fish, large water change, new plants, etc. <>>><
I have been having a lot of problems keeping corys..They live for 2 days and then they die.The first 3 that were killed i just throw away but after the next 3 starting dieing i put in bag to take back to the store..I have 5 black tetra , 5 headlight tetras ,1 neon , 2dwarf frogs and 1 molly..This morning i got up and seen one of my cories swimming very wierd like he couldnt keep his balance so i scooped him out and noticed his back fin was gone..Then remembered making a comment to a friend that the last 3 didnt have back fins on either(I thought they may be the first to rot)but this one was still alive and trying to swim..Fin rot wouldnt happen overnight and this backfin was almost completely gone..Do i have a killer in the bunch of fish i mentioned..They hang out under driftwood with the frogs!!!!would they bite off the fins
eric k
somewhere, PA USA - Mon, March 18, 2002
I do not trust the frogs <>>><
I am extremely interested in breeding fish. Over the past five years I have had prodominitly Pirhana's. During this time I have aquired a 90gal, 75,30,20,10 gallon tanks. With my breeding I have started with what I have heard is easiest live bearers(mollies) 2 Female silver 1 Male silver 1 Female black this one apears to be pregnant from purchase. They're in the 30 gallon tank with 2 Aqua clear filter 200 and 150. both hooked into undergravel filter system. Have breeder net set on back of tank but, have not put B/molly into yet when should I do this. So the babies won't get sucked in? If I don't aprox. how many on an avg. might survive? My 90g tank has 1 14inch pure tiger oscar 1 10inch Jack Dempsey 1 4inch African cichlid. This African cichlid alway's fight w/ either the jack or my 18inch pleco, baby 2inch pleco also show's sign of harrasment. This tank only used to dwell Jack and 7inch pleco but Jack killed the pleco in 20 gallon tank while in the process of moving. Recieved the Oscar and 18inch pleco from friend and bought African cichlid after to try and sort of have more fish per space. Is this community a good mix or should the african cichilid be eliminated? I Also would like to find a place to order rare cichlids via mail African or South American. Feel skilled only to a certain extent please help.
Eras
Linc, Nebraska USA - Tue, March 19, 2002
The mollies should breed without any real help. Watch for the black spot on the belly to grow in size. With practice, you'll get a sense of how big it should be before putting her in a breeder net. If you keep only mollies in the tank, you'll be full up to your eyebrows in them shortly. Cichlids are born to fight, they are very territorial. They should be kept to themselves and not in a community tank. You could try http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/ or http://www.africanaquatics.com/ for rare cichlids and catfish. I have not bought from these sites, so no guarantees. <>>><
The water in our fish tank turned a dark dark green. we could'nt even see the fish. we used a product that was supposed to make the water clear. we tried it since we had tried everything else. it worked for a few hours and now its starting to turn green again. What sould we do? all we have in the tank is 1 plant and the gravel.
Denise
Surrey, Canada - Wed, March 20, 2002
What sort of lighting does this tank have? It sounds like you have an algae bloom from bad water conditions. You may have to redo the entire tank to get rid of it --change water, gravel, filtration plant, etc. <>>><
I have had a 30 and a 50 gallon fish tank in the past(fresh and Salt water) and have decided to set up the 50 gallon (Fresh water) for my daughter, but I was talking to our local pet store when we were getting some new items, and they said that they do not reccomend using a bottom filter anymore. I thought to myself that this is strange, they were the same people that told me I needed it in the past. Can you advise what would be better to use it or not? Thank You.
Kyle <lykkenk@aol.com>
Oswego, IL USA - Thu, March 21, 2002
Yes, the new school of thought is that outside filters are better as they are easier to clean if there is a contamination. <>>><
How warm does a tropical fish tank need to be?
Rako <Rako@teknomail.com>
nottingham, USA - Thu, March 21, 2002
I'd keep it between 72 to 78 degrees. <>>><
I currently have black skirt tetras and head&TAIL light tetras ,2 african dwarf frogs,1 apple snail ,3 cories and a pleco..I have heard that i could actually add a male betta to this mix if i wanted..I didnt think they were community type fish but if they are would love to get one..
eric k <porkdog81@lycos.com>
PA USA - Sat, March 23, 2002
I would not recommend a betta for this community tank. The tetras and the frogs are a threat to the betta's welfare <>>><
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General Questions:
General Fish FAQ'S:
I have a question do fry grow faster in a big tank compared to a smaller one my bio teacher said that but i don't know if its true can ya help me out??????
Scott <hexen47@hotmail.com>
Batavia, NY USA - Tue, January 15, 2002
YES! <>>><
Hi, can you suggest so fish for me? I hve a 10 gallon tank, & have 2 clearglass fish, 1 golden aglea eater, & 1 albino cory catfish. I don't want any Mollies, or any Tetras, not in this tank anyway. Pleas help me out thank you.
Oh4forlife <oh4forlife@aol.com>
Houston, Tx USA - Sun, January 20, 2002
The real trick here is to find something that the golden algae eater won't bother. You have the bottom of the tank covered with the cory. How about a hatchet fish? This fish is unusual in shape, silvery in color and hangs out at the top of the water. Another possibility is white clouds which are not tetras but small chinese minnows. If you get white clouds, be sure to get at least three as they are schooling fish and unhappy and shy by themselves.
<>>><
I have a 20 gallon tank with about 8 platties that have nearly destroyed my live plants (hygro and wisteria). Are there any types of common plants (i.e. easy to find at most pet stores) that will survive? I was wondering if broad leaved plants might fair better. I really prefer live plants over plastic ones.
Lin <lling39@hotmail.com>
Waterloo, ON Canada - Sun, January 20, 2002
Try some amazon sword plants and feeding your platies some boiled lettuce. <>>><
My boyfriend bought a bristle nose pleco a few days ago. the first two days, the fish seemed fine, looking healthily plump, and almost cleaning all the algae off the back of the 55 gallon tank. then while we were watching it on the third day, all of a sudden it violently jerked its body forward, and died. we noticed that her body had turned very red under the skin, as if she had hemorhaged. no signs of cuts or sores or any other problem. what could have caused this?
Molly
USA - Mon, January 28, 2002
It sounds like Enteric Septicemia. A bacterial disease of catfish. Bacteria is ingested. Very high mortality and in some cases, very few symptoms. Be sure to disinfect the tank before introducing any other catfish! <>>><
hi~ over xmas holidays ,walmart had a bubblegum fishtank,and dumb me didnt buy one. Now they do not have these in stock. I have came across a bubble gum machine.. and before i buy this ,i want to know how i can turn this into a fishtank? Is this possible? Thanks jessica
jessicam21 <jessmoody21@aol.com>
mcewen, tn USA - Wed, January 30, 2002
I wouldn't recommend trying to covert a bubble gum machine. 1. There may be unknown toxins in the paint or metals, 2. The complications of filtration and cleaning. Perhaps, you can find a novelty/unusual fish tank store on the web. <>>><
I have a 10 gallon tank. I am new to this whole fish tank thing. We have had the tank set up for about 4 monthes and now the Ph seems to be dropping. I have read not to do anything about until it gets really bad. however, our tank got so acidic that we had to put Ph increaser in it. Now all of our fish are dying i have no idea how to get the tank back to a good Ph. Help.
Mandy
Denver, CO USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
You need to be careful when changing water chemistry. Consider changing 1/4 of the water in the tank for the next few days. Hopefully, that will settle out the tank. Be sure to use declorinator and water that is within 5 degrees of the same temperature that is in the tank already. Good tank maintenance requires water changes between 10 to 20% of the total tank water on a regular basis. Small tanks require more frequent water changes--once a week or every two weeks, rather than once a month.
Hi On Sat., Jan. 26 I bought some mollies...one was pregnant and had fry Sun. night...how many days,weeks, months,etc. will I have to wait to put them in the tank with the other fish? I have a ten gal. tank w/out lot of plants and I have a silver molly (m), black molly (f),orange? molly (the proud mom)mickey mouse molly(f)and a marble molly(m). I have the fry in a small fishbowl right now and I know they will outgrow that soon....they are less than 1/4 in. long and can hide(and get stuck) under the large gravel...HELP!! Also, the mom looks sluggish...is that normal? I AM treating them for ick, but all the other fish seem fine. Thanks for your help.
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Your fry will need at least a month to grow. You can move them into a bucket when they get bigger. Mom Mollie certainly should be sluggish after that ordeal :)
Hi Me again....how does ick medicine affect fry?
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
I wouldn't advise treating fry for ick. If you insist on treating them, add a little bit of non-iodized salt. Mollies do well with a little salt in their water. (1 tsp for gallon).
Hi Me AGAIN :) My friend said not to put any fish in the same tank with goldfish because their "toxic waste" will kill them....is this true?
j
co USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Goldfish do create a lot of waste and shouldn't be mixed with tropical fish. Goldfish are actually a cold water fish and thrive under cooler temperatures. You have to be sure to keep the tank clean if you're going to mix fish.
Do minature Catfish eats smaller aquarium fish?
Blueeagle17 <Blueeagle17@aol.com>
Clover, SC USA - Thu, January 31, 2002
Plecos and other catfish have been known to prey on smaller fish,especially at night when some fish sleep on the bottom of the tank.
Hi I saw my mollies breed today, and I have a few questions....What is the gestation period for mollies? When should I put the pregnant mom in a net? The last time my mollies had fry...I wasn't expecting them so soon and had to catch them in a net.....needless to say, they hid under the rocks, got stuck, and some died...now I have 19 istead of 25 or 30. I don't want to lose any this time...I'm hoping to sell them to a pet shop. How many fry do mollies usually have? If left with the fry, but well-fed,will the mom eat them? I know the other fish will, but I don't know about the mom. Also, is it normal for a mom to die after having fry? I read the post about bettas, but I don't think that applies to livebearers. :)Thank you so much for your help!
j
co USA - Fri, February 1, 2002
Whew -- It's difficult to say, when mollies are going to produce young, because they can give birth months and months after the initial fertilization. I wouldn't have high hopes about selling the young to a pet shop. Mollies breed easily and I'm sure most pet shops have plenty of breeding pairs. Just enjoy the challenge of raising the fry. Mom mollies generally don't eat their young, watch out for Dad though! <>>><
We just got a 10 gal tank, 6 goldfish and 1 plecostomas (my son calls a "sucky fish" and was his idea). Anyway, do I have to give the pleco special food or would he get enough from the waste of the six goldfish? I don't have any live plants in the tank. Like many others, we're new to all this and just don't want to mess up! Thanks a lot!!!
Heather
Eupora, MS USA - Fri, February 1, 2002
If you're feeding the goldfish the special food that comes in little hard pellets, you may want to pick up a can of the flake food for the pleco. If you're feeding the goldfish flake food, there is no problem at all. Just be sure to stir some of the food into the tank so it drifts to the bottom. Give enough food for the fish to feed for three minutes twice a day. Goldfish eat a lot. Happy fishing <>>>><
I have recently set up a 55 gallon tank, with fake plants and log. The only temperature that i can get it to stay at is around 70-74 with a PH of 7.2, I have tried to get it to where i can put tropical fish in it but failed. I would like decently big fish (for the size of the tank that is), i have put in a dozen feeder fish (due to the temp and ph level) to build up the atmosphere. What type of fish would you suggest?
Adam <amiller@lewisgaleclinic.com>
Salem, VA USA - Sat, February 2, 2002
Gouramis, Bala Sharks, Red tail sharks, loaches are all reasonably hardy fish that will do well in a 55 gallon. If you like Cichlids, they also will do well in a 55 gallon. Most folks would love to have your problem. I have a 40 gallon and 35 gallon tank myself. <>>>><
Hi there - I have a male Beta that we have only had for a week. Today we noticed he appears to have fin rot. I went to the fish store today and they recommended Melafix. I've started treating him right away. This has me a little worried though - maybe Betas aren't as tough as I've heard they are... Is there anything else I can do to take care of him? We have him in a 5 gallon tank, with a filter, and keep the water at 80 degrees. How often should we change the water and how much at a time? Do we need a PH kit? Are there any other things that we should be checking for? We really want to take good care of him.
Terry <terryrparsons@hotmail.com>
Halifax, NS Canada - Sun, February 3, 2002
It sounds like you're giving your beta good care. If you like, you can get him some tiny live food and add a little bit of salt to his water. You don't really need a PH kit, you'll change 1/4 of the water every couple of weeks and that will be fine. Most betas do not get as good a home as you are giving yours. Hope he get's better.
We have had a pleco for about 10 years and he/she was about 5 when a friend gave him/her to us, so Pleco is about 15. I was curious about their lifespan as well (read the post you answered 15 to 20 years), as this fish has outlived so many other fish over the years. I was going to dismantle the tank after all the fish were gone (i.e just not replacing as they aged and died), but when it got down to just the pleco and one bloodfin tetra, I restocked with a bunch of neons and am enjoying the tank all over again. Pleco is really looking ancient, but still pretty lively, considering. Neons are really cool. I just got 4 black neons and 4 blue and red ones. What other colors do they come in?
Carole Green <cgreen6215@aol.com>
Jacksonville, FL USA - Sun, February 3, 2002
Glad you're enjoying the hobby and have such a happy Pleco. Neons basically come in the colors you described. Perhaps the breeders have created something new and radioactive in the past few years :) I remember when they injected glass fish with colors of the rainbow. Neons/cardinals are very pretty because of the iridescence in their coloration. Add the fact that they school and your tank becomes a fairyland. <>>><
hi, i am sorta new to all this fish stuff, and would like to know why the water gets cloudy. i don't have small children who would like to stick their hands in the water and i certainly don't put mine in either. i have a male betta, four different mollies, one albino catfish and one of those really ugly algea eater/catfish. i do have a filtration system and live plants in a 10gal. tank. i forgot to mention that one of the mollies had babies and they are getting quite big. please help before i lose any of them. thank you.
connie
annada, mo USA - Thu, February 7, 2002
New Tank Syndrome -- that's what the fish hobbyists like to call cloudy water. Sometimes if you leave it alone, it will clear up all on its own. Let the tank rest for a day or two. Stop feeding the fish. They'll survive just fine without food for a couple of days and give the tank's biofilter a chance to catch up. Once the biofilter kicks in, the water will start to clear up. If you're impatient, you can buy drops from the pet store that claim to clear up cloudy water. <>>>><
hi, im kind of new in this fish hobby so i need help with my 29 gal.tank i have the tank set up for 3 month now and my ph was at 7.0 always now all of the sudden my ph is at 6.4 am i doing something wrong? i change about 20% of the water every week am i changing the water too much? and i have a 300 and a 150 aquaclear with 14 fish in it my bigger fish is about 3.5 inches then the rest are 1.5 to 2.5 inches. can you please help me. thank you
tony
newark, nj USA - Fri, February 8, 2002
20% of a 29 gallon tank is overdoing it a bit. I'd change your water twice a month rather than every week. Do you have any live plants? Plants would help equalize your PH. Do your fish look stressed? Small changes in PH usually don't harm the fish. <>>><
How can you tell if your molly is pregnant? Also, it is hanging round the bottom. Is this a bad thing or is it a part of pregnancy? Please reply, Peter Mathews.
Peter Mathews <shm@iprimus.com.au>
Perth, WA Australia - Sat, February 16, 2002
Mollies will have a dark spot under their abdomen when they are pregnant. Many mollies come pregnant out of the supplier. When particularly gravid, the molly may get listless. <>>><
Getting ready to stock a 55 gallon tank with Orandas. What kind of algae eating fish do you recommend putting in the tank. Thinking about some otocinclus fish. Is that doable?
Al <allmary_2000@yahoo.com>
USA - Sun, February 17, 2002
The algae eater otocinclus should be fine. <>>><
We have a 35gallon tank in our home with the clear catfish, Kryptopterus bicirrhis. One catfish is now getting rounder around the belly? Could this fish be pregnant? Their are also two other clear catfishes in the tank as well.
Dan Schulz <dan_schulz@videotron.ca>
Rockland, On CANADA - Mon, February 18, 2002
Your catfish could be pregnant or just fat :) Put some live plants in the tank if you can for a place them to lay eggs. <>>><
I am a beginner. I have a 10 Gallon tank and all of a sudden my fish started rubbing against the decorations, I treated them for velvet dust disease and after 4 days of treatment two of my tiger barbs died and then my albino cory cat died. now my red-eyed tetras are acting funny. they are swimming in circles against the glass and chasing each other. Will i have to dismantle the tank and clean it to get the sickness out of the tank? HELP!!!
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
It would be best to dismantle your tank. Change the gravel and plants. Treat fish separately in a sick tank. <>>><
I have 3 red-eyed tetras. I need to know what kind of other fish are compatible with these. they only seem to chase each other. i had 3 tiger barbs but all died due to velvet dust disease. I also need to know what kind of pleco would stay small enough to be in a 10-15 gallon tank for awhile. I like the clown pleco but can't seem to find anyone carrying that kind. also told by one reference that they don't grow bigger than 6". but other reference says 12". Who is right?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
Most plecos get large, I would suggest staying with smaller cats like corydoras since you only have a 10 gallon tank. <>>><
I just wanted to say, your page is helpful, however there is some incorrect info, or things not being addressed. ONE Goldfish requires 10-15 gallons at least because of waste and potential size. Also, you see to be encouraging people to overstock their tanks. One poster had 2 plecos and other fish in a 10 gallon. While getting more fish may be ok in her case based on water parameters, it should have been mentioned that she should expect to upgrade to a larger tank in the future.
GouramiMommi
NY USA - Tue, February 19, 2002
Beginning hobbyists often overstuff their tanks, that is true. That's why I recommend the 1/3 water change every couple of weeks to help alleviate the build up of toxins. If the tank is underpopulated, water changes need not be so frequent.
As the fish get larger, most folks take the hint and get a bigger tank <>>><
I want to breed my jewled cichlids but i cant tell witch one is a male and female can you help me please
brock
redding, ca USA - Wed, February 20, 2002
Usually the male will brighten in coloration when it comes into mating season. Females tend to have heavier bodies.
Good luck <>>><
because of your help, all of my <expletive deleted> fish died
???
???, ??? ??? - Mon, February 25, 2002
The care of fish is not an exact science and sometimes the fish are already stressed out to the point of no return.
All I can say is that I am sorry. Be sure to clean the tank thoroughly with new gravel and plants before starting over.
Thanking you in advance...I know I have compatable fish and the right plants and toys (if you will) right temp, etc. However in one of my tanks the water insists on becoming "cloudy"...it's actually kind of strange because it starts becoming "cloudy" on the very bottom first (like a fog) and the drifts up...the fish don't seem to be "stressed" but I am...tried everything...any suggestions or solutions..help!
Matt <MattRock02>
Odenton, Mc USA - Tue, February 26, 2002
What type of filtration are you using? If you don't have an outside the tank Aquaclear style filter, I'd recommend getting one.<>>><
I have a platy that had babies.... i added and algae eater, another platy (orange and black) and a dalmation fish. All of my baby orange platy's have disappeared and now there are little black ones. My orange and black platy died and my dalmation fish died. But the original Platy is fine. How can I tell if the fish are ready to have babies?? I know nothing about this and want to breed more. Where do I find info on these fish??? Any help is appreciated.
marcy <m_scholze@hotmail.com>
Sparta, WWI USA - Wed, February 27, 2002
Some sites with info on platies:http://www.fishprofiles.com/profiles/livebearers/platies.asp
http://www.aqualink.com/columns/k-livebearer2.html
I have a 5 and 1/2 gallon tank. I would like to know how many fish I can fit in in without them being crowed and haveing room to swim.
Joe
Phila., Pa USA - Wed, February 27, 2002
General rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per gallon of water. <>>><
we have a 50 gallon tank which constantly has BAD algea on the walls, etc, Can anyone recommend a solution?
sandy <camevets@aol.com>
west chester, pa USA - Thu, February 28, 2002
Commercial algae killer? <>>><
My mollies just had babies and lots of them are dying because they got stuck in the gravel. What should I do?
Peter Mathews
Perth, WA AUSTRALIA - Fri, March 1, 2002
You must have an undergravel filter. Short of turning it off, you don't have many options. <>>><
I have a zebra fish and it is fatter than the rest of the zebra fish. How can you tell if there a boy or girl? Also, how can you tell if its pregnant?
Peter Mathews <shm@iprimus.com.au>
Perth, WA Australia - Fri, March 1, 2002
The female is generally fuller-bodied and larger with subdued colors. On the males one can find a golden-yellow background with fine red lines between the weider blue longitudinal lines. On the female, the background is silvery white. Breeding takes place in shallow water no more than six inches deep with lots of plants and some sunlight. Place the female in the tank one day before spawning and add the male the same evening. The pair will normally spawn in the early hours of the morning and the eggs will be deposited on the plants. Good luck. <>>><
I have a 20gal tank I'm having a problem getting the water clear and I just got the nitrite levels down from 5.0 to .50ppm by changing about 6gals water. but now the water is cloudy, but the fish appear fine, I do water changes once a week about two gals each time. I have 14 fish(5 med. Tiger Barbs 1.5 to 2.0 inches,5 Black Ruby Barbs .25 to .75 inches, 2 Bala Sharks 2.0 inches, 2 Plecos 1 is about 3inches and my tiger pleco is 1.5inches, i also have a red claw crab), 1 Java Fern, & some driftwood and using a a hang-on power filter that filters 150gals an hour,the PH is 7.0, Gh & Kh is good, temp. is steady at 80 degrees, I'm going to be buy a 55gal tank this weekend and I do not want the same problems in the new tank what am I doing wrong and what I do I to fix the problem? I've tried water clarifier BY PROQUATICS and it does nothing.
BARB MAN <IZONS62@aol.com>
Plainsboro , NJ USA - Sat, March 2, 2002
I'd increase the water change to 15% to 20% of the size of the tank.
For a 55 gallon tank, make the water change about 8 gallons. <>>><
I have a gourami that I can't tell what kind it is. I thought it was a blue gourami but on the tank we bought it from it said leopard gourami. Is there such a fish? Also, I purchased a extremely small pleco. It doesn't look like the typical pleco, it is dark gray like on top and has a black line down his side and white belly and white dots on the top and bottom of the tail fin. Can you suggest a website or book that I can look at to identify these fish?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NEW YORK, NY USA - Mon, March 4, 2002
Try this website. http://www.planetcatfish.com/core/index.htm <>>><
I put algae disc pieces in my 10 gallon tank for my pleco and it seems like my pleco never gets to eat them. My gourami seems to sit and eat it until it is gone. Is this normal? My gourami seems to swim constantly back and forth across the tank until I feed it. Also, the gourami is really thick in the front of his body, could it be female and pregnant? How can I tell what sex it is?
Jenn <DeliGirl2002@aol.com>
NY, NY USA - Mon, March 4, 2002
Boil some lettuce for your gourami and pleco, obviously, the gourami is hungry for some greens. Females are generally bigger than the males, they spawn under certain conditions times rather than "get pregnant". <>>><
I have a 20 gallon aquarium that was purchased around Christmas. We have had the water quality checked at the pet store before adding fish. My problem is that I have purchased two plecostomas - both died. Now the tank is growing lots of algae. I would like to purchase another, but not if it is also going to die shortly. Any suggestions?
Adam
Darien, IL USA - Wed, March 6, 2002
Plecostomas as generally hardy fish. Try a different supplier. <>>><
DO I HAVE TO CLEAN MY FISH TANK IF I HAVE A FILTER
cassie
rochester, Washington USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
It depends on the number of fish you have and whether you like clear water versus a sort of yellowish colored water. It's definitely healthier to clean the fish tank and change the water once in a while <>>><
hi i have a problem with my tank i was looking in my gravel today and i seen little worms in my gravel could you tell me how to get rid of them and what causes them id appreciate it alot. thanks
cheryl <rosebud15025@hotmail.com>
clairton, pa USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
The little worms are probably harmless, they probably hitched a ride on your fish into your tank. I wouldn't worry about trying to get rid of them as long as your fish are healthy. <>>><
Can beta fish have light in their aquarium? and do they like it?
ashlee <angel88@peoplescom.net>
lindal, tx USA - Sun, March 10, 2002
Yes, you can have a light with a beta. It would be nice if there are some decorations that give shade (a hollow rock, a plant with broad leaves) so the beta can get away from the light once in a while. <>>><
I have recently moved and when I set up my freshwater tank it began growing algae. Could it be the new flourescent light (my old one burned out), or the well water that I now have?
Linny
Las Vegas, NV USA - Mon, March 11, 2002
It's more likely the location you placed your tank. Is it near a window? <>>><
how do you take care of baby black mollies.
joe
tollhouse, ca USA - Tue, March 12, 2002
You can buy commercial baby fry food, or finely grind the regular flake food for the babies. <>>><
Hi. I just upgraded to a nice 55 gallon aquarium. I have a male and femal molly, five platies, two female guppies, 7 neon tetra, and two small catfish so far. My female molly had about 25-30 babies the day after I bought her! A platy had 2 babies. All but five of the mollies died being sucked up by the regular filter(not undergravel) but mostly for some reason when I put them in a plastic floating breeder type container. Why did the breeder kill 11 fish? I am scared of getting a plague of unwanted fry as well (a few growing up would be nice) This is why my two guppes are femal. Any suggestions?
The Luckster
Sterling Hgts., MI USA - Wed, March 13, 2002
Instead of putting the fish into a plastic floating breeder container. Cut a piece of nylon pantyhose type legging and cover the filter intake with that. It will keep the young from being sucked up immediately. Some fry will die under natural conditions, that's one reason why the mollies, platies, etc. have so many at one time. <>>><
i have several fish tanks a 55 and 25 and several 10's.i wanted to change my 25 to salt water and need to know how to do it and what i need to buy.any sugestions would be great thanks.
Samantha <sistersam16@yahoo.com>
douglasville, ga USA - Wed, March 13, 2002
First you need to change the substrate to a coral/calcium gravel. Add a strong filter and sea salt mix. Run the tank for about a week then add a small fish under one inch in length for a month to get the biological cycle started. Gradually, add other denizens but keep it to down to 5 inches of fish. If you want invertebrates like sea anemones you'll need to get a special coral sea light fixture. Change 15% of the water twice a month. <>>><
my tank water turns neon green after two or three days. what to do to stop the greeness?
alita
ny, ny USA - Thu, March 14, 2002
If your tank is near a window, move it further away from the light. If it's turning green under regular light conditions, I'd try some over-the-counter algae killer. <>>><
I live in a rural area where we have water from a well. I just got a new fish tank and set it up (no fish yet) and tested the PH. It was off the chart alkaline wise. I tried adding PH down stuff to it but have so far put in about 5x the recommended amount and it is still off the chart, way above 7.8. On a lark I tested my bottled spring water and it was a perfect 7.0. Is this safe to use instead of putting tons of chemicals in the tap water? Does it lack anything else that fish may require? Is it safe to assume that bottled water is neither to hard or to soft? Also I was going to get a couple of neon tetras and am looking for some other colorful smaller fish that would all play well together any suggestions? I am not interested in breeding or anything like that, I just want them to be pretty to look at. I'm also looking for a catfish that would remain on the smaller side hopefully with some interesting markings vs. just the silvery color. Any help would be appreciated.
Vicky
Melrose, NY USA - Fri, March 15, 2002
Bottled water of ph 7 would be perfect for your neon tetras. There are some nice catfish that come have pretty patterns of stripes or dots that would be fine companions. <>>><
i have had a fish tank with golden gourami for about sixs months all has been well until now, one of the fish will not feed and has become very pale in colour it is resonably active at times do you have any advise? Thanks Nigel
nigel <nigel3@btinternet.com>
london, uk - Sun, March 17, 2002
About 90 percent of all fish-related problems are due to contaminated or insufficient water from filter, food dosages, having too many fish in one aquarium or moving location. None of these seem to be implied in your case. You may want to remove the pale fish from the others in case the fish has something contagious. Put the fish in a large container of water (preferably a two gallon bucket) in a warm space and add a small amount of salt to the water (1 tsp to the gallon). If you have a spare air tube and pump put it in the container also. Otherwise, change a cup of the water per day. Do not feed it the first day, try a little food on day two. When the fish looks better, you can put it back in the tank with the others. <>>><
My children's goldfish have ick. I put the "Quick Cure" drops in and within a few hours the fish were all bottom dwellers. I did a partial water change but I'm afraid to put the drops in again. I took out my carbon filter, because the Wal-mart clerk told my husband I was supposed to, and stuck in a filter with no carbon. They, the fish, seem to be doing better since the water change but I need to know if it is okay to put in drops. The water temp is 66 degrees and I don't know how to raise it unless I purchase a heater and I really don't want to if I don't have to. Any advise??
slejan
State College, PA USA - Sun, March 17, 2002
If you have a heating pad, you could place that near the tank to raise the temperature a little -- say to about 70 degrees. Another way to heat your tank would be to put an incandescent lamp near it (standard light bulb). Continue to do partial water changes (1/4) every couple of days and leave off the medicine as your fish are sensitive to it. Try getting some liquid vitamins for the fish. It might strengthen them enough to overcome the ick infection naturally. Ick is almost always caused by temperature changes. <>>><
Should I put some type of drops in the tank to prevent disease?
Dr. Fish
SanDiego, Ca USA - Mon, March 18, 2002
The only product I would recommend is "Stress Coat" and that's when you introduce new conditions to the tank -- i.e. new fish, large water change, new plants, etc. <>>><
I have been having a lot of problems keeping corys..They live for 2 days and then they die.The first 3 that were killed i just throw away but after the next 3 starting dieing i put in bag to take back to the store..I have 5 black tetra , 5 headlight tetras ,1 neon , 2dwarf frogs and 1 molly..This morning i got up and seen one of my cories swimming very wierd like he couldnt keep his balance so i scooped him out and noticed his back fin was gone..Then remembered making a comment to a friend that the last 3 didnt have back fins on either(I thought they may be the first to rot)but this one was still alive and trying to swim..Fin rot wouldnt happen overnight and this backfin was almost completely gone..Do i have a killer in the bunch of fish i mentioned..They hang out under driftwood with the frogs!!!!would they bite off the fins
eric k
somewhere, PA USA - Mon, March 18, 2002
I do not trust the frogs <>>><
I am extremely interested in breeding fish. Over the past five years I have had prodominitly Pirhana's. During this time I have aquired a 90gal, 75,30,20,10 gallon tanks. With my breeding I have started with what I have heard is easiest live bearers(mollies) 2 Female silver 1 Male silver 1 Female black this one apears to be pregnant from purchase. They're in the 30 gallon tank with 2 Aqua clear filter 200 and 150. both hooked into undergravel filter system. Have breeder net set on back of tank but, have not put B/molly into yet when should I do this. So the babies won't get sucked in? If I don't aprox. how many on an avg. might survive? My 90g tank has 1 14inch pure tiger oscar 1 10inch Jack Dempsey 1 4inch African cichlid. This African cichlid alway's fight w/ either the jack or my 18inch pleco, baby 2inch pleco also show's sign of harrasment. This tank only used to dwell Jack and 7inch pleco but Jack killed the pleco in 20 gallon tank while in the process of moving. Recieved the Oscar and 18inch pleco from friend and bought African cichlid after to try and sort of have more fish per space. Is this community a good mix or should the african cichilid be eliminated? I Also would like to find a place to order rare cichlids via mail African or South American. Feel skilled only to a certain extent please help.
Eras
Linc, Nebraska USA - Tue, March 19, 2002
The mollies should breed without any real help. Watch for the black spot on the belly to grow in size. With practice, you'll get a sense of how big it should be before putting her in a breeder net. If you keep only mollies in the tank, you'll be full up to your eyebrows in them shortly. Cichlids are born to fight, they are very territorial. They should be kept to themselves and not in a community tank. You could try http://www.ohiexchange.com/armke/ or http://www.africanaquatics.com/ for rare cichlids and catfish. I have not bought from these sites, so no guarantees. <>>><
The water in our fish tank turned a dark dark green. we could'nt even see the fish. we used a product that was supposed to make the water clear. we tried it since we had tried everything else. it worked for a few hours and now its starting to turn green again. What sould we do? all we have in the tank is 1 plant and the gravel.
Denise
Surrey, Canada - Wed, March 20, 2002
What sort of lighting does this tank have? It sounds like you have an algae bloom from bad water conditions. You may have to redo the entire tank to get rid of it --change water, gravel, filtration plant, etc. <>>><
I have had a 30 and a 50 gallon fish tank in the past(fresh and Salt water) and have decided to set up the 50 gallon (Fresh water) for my daughter, but I was talking to our local pet store when we were getting some new items, and they said that they do not reccomend using a bottom filter anymore. I thought to myself that this is strange, they were the same people that told me I needed it in the past. Can you advise what would be better to use it or not? Thank You.
Kyle <lykkenk@aol.com>
Oswego, IL USA - Thu, March 21, 2002
Yes, the new school of thought is that outside filters are better as they are easier to clean if there is a contamination. <>>><
How warm does a tropical fish tank need to be?
Rako <Rako@teknomail.com>
nottingham, USA - Thu, March 21, 2002
I'd keep it between 72 to 78 degrees. <>>><
I currently have black skirt tetras and head&TAIL light tetras ,2 african dwarf frogs,1 apple snail ,3 cories and a pleco..I have heard that i could actually add a male betta to this mix if i wanted..I didnt think they were community type fish but if they are would love to get one..
eric k <porkdog81@lycos.com>
PA USA - Sat, March 23, 2002
I would not recommend a betta for this community tank. The tetras and the frogs are a threat to the betta's welfare <>>><
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