amb44

Just an update - the betta has been in his ice-cream container since Saturday, and while the rot is worse than I had thought he seems to be responding well to the salt and being away from the tetras. I didn't realise how clamped his fins were, but he has now mostly unclamped his top fin. I will continue to do water changes with salt every day and hopefully he will continue to get better. Thanks again everyone for your help, Amy

Thanks Sheepsnana, once again you've been very helpful

Hello, I am not sure how to tell if my tank has finished cycling. I know that there should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and some nitrates (not sure what the best reading is for this?). My tank as of today's water change has 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites (haven't yes tested for nitrates). I've been doing daily water changes for a few days now to get these readings down to zero. I will be continuing to test every day with water changes as needed, but for how long should I be doing this? The tank has been set up in all about a month, with 3 apple snails from the beginning and fish (originally 12 tetras, now 6 thanks to betta, and 1 betta) for two or three weeks (can't quite remember). I didn't know about cycling before I got set up but have bought an API master test kit and will happily test regularly but don't really want to have to be doing it every day, and would love to be able to do weekly water changes too. Once the tank is cycled, how often do people do water testing? Is it every week when water changes are done or simply when the fish or the tank is looking a bit off? Thanks, Amy

How long should I keep him in with the salted water? Do you think I shouldn't bother buying some Wunder Tonic? There don't appear to be red streaks in the way that I've seen in pictures but in parts his tail is very transparent with a somewhat pinky tinge - it is dependent on where the light is hitting him though. Adrienne, they are neon tetras. The betta used to kill them (I had 12, now have 6) so was going to be separating them. He seems to be alright with the 6 and I have been thinking about putting him in the bigger tank with them but want to get a few more tetras and other fish as well so wasn't sure if the betta would cope or go on another killing spree. I know to avoid guppies but everything I read said that bettas and tetras got on alright. Thanks everybody, I will either be buying Wunder Tonic tomorrow or grinding up some sea salt. Amy

Thanks everybody for your replies. Sheepsnana I will be setting up a tank for the tetras this weekend but as I will have to wait for it to cycle the betta will be stuck with them for a while unfortunately. I was originally going to be setting it up to protect the tetras from the betta but now the tables have obviously turned! alanmin Will a 2l ice-cream container be ok for a hospital tank? I was planning to attach it to the side of the existing tank to keep the temperature up. If not, will an AquaOne mini tank for pregnant/sick fish be ok? Thanks, Amy

Hi, I have just noticed my betta's tail is looking surprisingly short, and on closer inspection has a white outline at the end of his fin. I am a complete beginner - is this fin rot? If yes what is best to treat it with? He is in with tetras and apple snails, will they be ok in the same tank? I don't have a spare tank but could use a coke bottle with an air stone in the same tank is that correct? I will also add that I have been watching one of my tetras chase the betta around the tank tonight and actually nip the tail so could that be the cause instead of fin rot? It's to the point where the normally outgoing betta is now hiding from the tetra. Thanks in advance, Amy

Hamstarr99 that is what I have been thinking, but I'm a real beginner so wasn't sure how valid a thought that may have been. Could that affect the axolotl in such a short time?

No worries about the questions; I would like to know what if anything I have done wrong. My tank wasn't cycled (I know, I know - with my research I read that I could do a water change every day. Won't be repeating this again as I now know with my fish just how important it is to do a proper cycle. My fish are still alive so I am hoping/assuming that I am monitoring their tank correctly). I did use dechlorinator. The water test that the pet shop did indicated no chlorine, ammonia, nitrate, nitrites, and the kH and gH were okay as well (I think those last two are the correct terms?). It did eat a tiny bit of meat. It was a tiny flake of meat as the axolotl was only 4 - 5cm long. There was more meat in the tank which I removed that afternoon as I didn't want it to decay and cause problems. It ate the day I came home to find it on it's back which made me think it could have been obstructed, but honestly can't think how an obstruction could occur after such a small amount of food. The water was fresh into the tank on the same day the axolotl came home. The tank is roughly 54l. Measurements are ~600 wide x ~300 deep x ~450 high. It may have been an outside toxin, but as my other fish tank is in the same room and they are all fine I am not sure what it could have been, and none of the cats are allowed in my room. The only things I can think of that may have been the culprit was a big piece of driftwood that I put in its tank, but I bought this from the aquarium shop, or the pebbles which I bought from the Warehouse. Everything was rinsed of course before I put it in the tank but maybe there was something there that killed the poor little thing. A glow in the dark axolotl?! Haha what will they think of next?! Thank you all for your replies so far, Amy

Thanks for your quick reply. Transport was a couple of hours including the time it took me to quickly fill its tank. I floated the bag in the tank for about 15 minutes to get it used to the temperature. I used pebbles that were nearly as big as the axolotl since I didn't want it to ingest anything. There was no substrate in the petshop tank. Tank mate looked fine, only a small bite out of the top of its tail. I actually did ask for a refund which is why I had to take the water in and they don't seem happy about giving it to me. I will be going back this weekend to talk to the guy who sold it to me as he actually seemed to know what he was talking about. I plan on taking my iPad with me to the store to show all the articles I found showing the pH ranges I found. The axolotl went from being really active in the shop to doing nothing when I put it in its new tank. I expected this since it was new; really didn't expect that it may have been a sign of ill health. Amy

Hi, I recently bought an axolotl, and it died after three days. When I got home from work the day after I bought it I found it lying on its back on the bottom of the tank but it was still alive. I was worried that the filter was too powerful so I scooped it out and put it in an ice-cream container. The next evening it had died. I rang the petshop and they told me to bring it in with some tank water and they told me the axolotl looked fine (just dead!) but the pH was 8 which was 'toxic' to them. I did some research myself and keep reading that, while on the high side, they can live in a pH of 8, and even if this isn't correct, could it really have affected it that severely after less than 72 hours? I don't know if I want to get another one after this, but would like to know whether the pH could have been the cause, or if not what else other's may think it is as I feel horribly guilty right now. Thanks, Amy

Hi, I am either going to get a BTS or a beardie as some point in the near future. I am leaning towards the beardie, but am having trouble finding suitable enclosures for an adult. I remember a few years ago there was somebody on TradeMe who sold great looking enclosures of a proper size with all the light fittings etc. Does that person still do this, or has anybody taken over? I am not great at DIY which rules out making my own enclosure, and the biggest reptile enclosure I can find is an Exo-Terra one which is 900x45x60, which doesn't seem either long or wide enough. Correct me if I'm wrong here. Any help would be appreciated; I am in Hamilton but can drive up to 2 hours to collect. Thanks, Amy

i will definitely contact you when i am able to get one, thank you!

that sounds neat nic, i was hoping i would be able to take it out and about. i will definitely try to get a young one.

thanks mincie this will be my first foray into reptiles, from what i've researched so far they do make good pets right? as in, they generally enjoy the company of people?

hello, i'm interested in getting a blue tongue in the near-ish future but am at a loss of where to get one. are they easy to find? i am in hamilton if this makes a difference. thanks, -Amy