Krissie

Cheers 'KribKrazy' for the re-post of the pic, not sure what i did wrong? He was really cool, and was sad to loose him. He did change in colour a little when he went to different areas in the tank, but mainly just got 'motley' looking, kinda more brown than orange. I really would love another so if anyone knows where i might find one please let me know. He was my pride and joy, and a real character too! Cheers

well i just got back from the LFS, and i bought some plants. Just cheapies, not sure on names but are all different, and i got 10 in total. Chose the ones with good root growth too. Put them in my main tank, and within minutes my big Severum swam up, nipped the tip off one of the 'Flax' type plants and ate it! Comical to see as it looked like a piece of spagetti in his mouth, but not a good sign! I planted them all either under rooks, or through holes in the wood into the gravel so at least the roots are safe. i guess i will see which ones are going to make it and which ones won't. Thanks to everyone for the advice above and will experimant with some of the ideas. Cheers

hmmmmmm.... odd. i can see it when i open the post? any ideas what ive done wrong?

Hi guys. Was just wondering if anyone knew what this wee guy is/ was. We had him last year, but a bout of nasty 'white spot' took him from us. He was not very big, about 2.5 inches, but i have never ever seen anymore in any LFS. When we got the guy at the LFS was a friend, and he didn't know what he was either. I did some research online at the time we got him, and thought he might have been a 'Butterfly' plec? Any ideas, and anyone know where i might find another? He was so brightly coloured, and just stunning in our tank! (going to try to put in a pic for the first time ever... hope it works) Cheers

What if i feed extra courgette and spirilina tabs. Will that stop them getting the urge to eat my plants? My father in law has a community tank with 2 Gold Ansti...? (black eyed Plecos) and i think 3 BN but his plants stay put. One of my Plecos is a common, and the other is just a Red Spot Sailfin, so i'm guessing it may be my Severums that are doing the damage. I will try tying them down, and will look into the clay idea (what sort of clay? Red? Potters? Grey?) They do appear to prefer some plants over others so i will ask around for the least tasty looking ones... lol Cheers

Does anyone have any tips on keeping plants down with two plecos and two Severums in the tank who insist on pulling everything up. I have tried using heaps of lead, but don't like doing that too much as i worry about 'heavy metal poisoning', and using rocks and stuff to weight the plants down results in the plants being nipped off as low as the fish can get. Am i going to have to settle on 'plastic' plants or is there some way i can overcome this. The Plecos are not huge, about 7 and 5 inches. Most of my plants at the moment are either floating or just stems sticking up... looks yuck! Cheers

UPDATE. Both fish now alternating between being at the top of the tank and gasping a little, to going and sitting on the bottom of the tank. Done the water change and added a clean piece of rounded slate for them to 'flash' on, but they are not 'flashing' anymore. Neither looked interested when i went up to feed them, so i left it for tonight. One night won't kill them, i hope! If they survive the night then i'll get the Furran 2 stuff at the LFS during the day and start treatment. The Angel who only started looking sick last night seems to be worse than the one who has been sick for near on 3 weeks, so i'm hoping he pulls through. Will keep you posted. Cheers

hey Alan. Thats a really good point about the anti mould stuff, and very likely to kill fishies too at a guess. A good thing to look out for as well! Grrrr to all things that harm our little fishie friends. lol

cheers for that SW, and i will be getting The Furran 2 tomorrow first thing. Can i treat both at the same time? the wormer pills and the furran 2? What about the itching stone for them? should i put something in? Cheers

I have edited my post as requested but still agree with what my husband has said about Acidic cure silcone. He is a qualified Glazier, and really knows his stuff. Acidic cure silicone contains Acetone (excuse the spelling if it's wrong), the same stuff you get in cheap nail polish remover, the same stuffthey won't use on false nails as it can cause the plastic to burn\melt. Now in my opinion, and it is just my opinion, i would not exactly like to burn\melt my fishies skin, or in a less extreme manor, make them sick, by exposing them to such a harsh acidic chemical. But like i said, this is just my opinion, based on a Glaziers information. Cheers And hey, no harm, no foul.

well this morning things are not looking any better. The angel who has been sick for nearly 3 weeks now is still the same, but with more slime layer coming off and thats about it. Angel #2, who has been fine up till the fin thing last night is now 'flashing' and such, and this is with the lights off! Not gasping though, yet! Im swinging towards a diagnosis of Flukes. It seems to make the most sence, except for the fact that the first sick fish is still alive?! What are the chances of two fish in one tank developing two unrelated illnesses? Pretty slim is my guess.... Q:? Should i put something in the hospital tank for them to 'Flash' against? The tank is bare at the moment, with just the gravel on the bottom, and the intake hose pipe for them to rub on. Will scratching this itch make any difference? Also, if i do have Flukes, and you can't buy 'fluke tabs' anymore, what should i use? Have heard of drontal wormers. But are they tabs for cats or dogs? Does it make a difference? Does it have to be Drontal? I'm going to do a 25% water change today and then add some more Melafix and maybe some cycle just incase. will be here randomly all day. Cheers

hey, the dots on his head are really small, like he's been pricked with a tiny pin, and are just on one side. More concerning... the other angel in the tank has bright red bases to his side fins (forgot what they are called?) About 2mm around the entire base of the fins. This was not there last night. I added some 'Formalin' to the tank last night before bed, as i thought this might help in case it was Flukes or something similar. Could this Med have caused the redness, or is he comming down with the same thing as his mate, but showing different symptoms? Help! Cheers

Tip from hubby.... spraying it with just water alone, before running your finger on it will work for that smooth finnish,(ice block sticks for those who like clean hands) because silicone will not adhere to wet surfaces. no need for any soap or oil. cheers

are you still doing your tank or have you done it? My Hubby is a Glazier and has built heaps of tanks, so he is happy to help with advice etc. cheers

I have a fire eel who's about 6 inches or so, and he eats like a pig too. I feed him on blood worm, and occasionally some 'Nutrafin Max, Sinking complete Food Tablets' (sorry but thats what they are called?) I used to feed him on shrimp, the type you make the cocktails out of, and he liked them, but he dislocated his jaw twice, so i stoped them. I also on occasion catch live freshwater 'shrimp type things' from the streams in the Waitakeres, and he hunts them down at night. My other eel is a Native Fresh water eel, who is only a baby, about 4-5 inches long. He eats blood worm, and anything he can scavange off the bottom. Both live together with other fish and i have seen no problems yet. My Hoplo cats bother them a little at feeding time, but it is just a tickle then they're off. My fire eel is really tame and will come and sit in my hand at feeding time if i dare put my hand in the water. (my Clown Knife like to taste test my fingers!) Cheers

All my fish are in the same tank except my Angels, which are in the hospital tank because one is unwell. My fresh water eel is fine, eats heaps, but hides alot too. the tank temp sits around 28deg, but often warmer as we have a very hot house, lots of north facing windows! My fire eel is quite cheeky and tame and if you put your hand in at feeding time he'll come and sit in it. I love my fish heaps. As for the big tank, yes when it leaked it made a huge puddle! My husband had a bucket taking water out of the top (trying hard to miss the fish!) and i had the job of trying to mop up what i could with about 20 towels and a mop-o-matic mop. Talk about stoopid! We had to put the fish into a 40ltr tank overnight while we got the current one back up and running. Poor fishies! The all survived, except one, and Krib, who never made it out of the big tank. (i think he went out the window with a bucket of water in our haste) Thanks for all the 'Welcomes' and i look forward to discussing fishies with you all. Cheers

My Angel is white, so things show up easily on him. I will raise the temp as suggested on the hospital tank, i must have got it the wrong way round, i thought cooler was better for sick fish..lol...oops! I will try and get the meds on thursday from the LFS. I really hope it works as i feel really sorry for the little guy! he looks so sad all the time! I was thinking that maybe he wasn't 'cleaning' himself, because he doesn't seem to want to do anything but sit there in the corner, and was kinda wondering if this was the reason for the arrival of the 'skin' stuff on him. I would normally give them Blood worm and flakes, but have not been feeding them the blood worm since they have been in the Hospital tank as there are no bottom feeders to clean up any leftovers, and flakes seem to just go straight up the filter intake if they are left to sink any. Should i keep him on his normal diet of both or just stick to the flakes while he is in there? Thanks again for your advice,andplease keep it comming. I am yet to loose a fish to an unknown cause, and i hope to keep it that way. Cheers

Well he is still sick, but i have noticed a new development. It looks like his skin is falling off. Yes, his skin, not his scales or whatever. He also has a few 'pin prick' size black dots around his facial area. Where the skin is coming away it is reddish, but not raw. The skin is comming off mainly around his face and on his fins. It looks like slightly fluffy strands of cotton. The other Angel in the tank, who has been with him from day one, is not sick, and is showing no signs of illness either. I am still stumped as to what to do for this wee guy, and have been searching the net for answers, but so far nothing. Please help if you can. Cheers

I guess i should have posted here first before jumping right into the disease section...lol I have been keeping freshwater Tropicals for about 3 yrs now and have finally settled with a semi aggressive tank. I currently have 2 Male Severums (thought one was a girl till recently..lol ) 2 Hoplo Cats, 2 lochata loaches, 2 plecos, 1 killiefish, 2 Angels, 1 fire eel, 1 Native Eel, 1 Clown Kife...umm yep i think thats it?! I know there is some conflict between some of my fish, or should i say 'there will be' but most are still young, and we are trying to build a stand for my big tank so we can seperate the trouble makers from the others. My 'big' tank is roughly 1800L x 900W x 1100D, and made of 10mm toughened glass. Had it set up once but the stand bent and the tank sprung a leak! Anyway, am in Auckland, and enjoy my fish heaps. Cheers

have tested the water and all is as it should be. He is not gasping at the surface which is what is confusing me. He just sits there, slightly curled. The hospital tank is always running, but i have it a few degrees cooler than my main tank. It's water is all tested and is fine too. As said above.. he's been like this for two weeks and is not any worse nor better. A LFS suggested maybe some sort of brain damage infliced by my clown knife possibly chasing him at night? i'm not convinced as i see my tank alot when the lights are off, and the knife is not aggressive towards any other fish (although i know he will be when he grows up a little bit ) But hey... who knows! Any and all advice will be gratefully recieved. Cheers

Hi, i have an Angel Fish who has been acting weird for about two weeks now. All he does is sit in the corner of the tank (it is now in the hospital tank) with his head upwards, about an inch from the water surface, and slightly curled. He is mildly interested in food, but when he eats he 'shimmies' backwards after taking the food into his mouth. He is not gasping, but appears to be using his fins more than his counterpart to stay still. This has been going on for about two weeks and he is not improving, nor is he getting worse. There is no swelling anywhere on him, and i have tried Epsom salts just incase, as well as the frozen pea theroy. This behaviour started the day after i had to add about 1/4 of the tank size of fresh water to the tank as we lost some water due to thirsty cats and evaporation. The cats have not 'spooked' him as he is used to them drinking out of there, and i usually notice when the cats are there. HE IS THE ONLY SICK FISH in the tank. The other Angel is fine and also in the hospital tank but mainly for company as they are tightly bonded. Any Advice would be good as i am not sure whether to leave him be or 'put him down'. Thanks