Caryl

Do you have a test kit? Frankly, if there was anything wrong with the water quality, the betta would get sick first ?

Stop looking so hard at the fish! She looks fine and their fins look different depending on how much they have flared them. They can get a bit roughed up by the males or from scraping them as they zip into their hidey holes. Unless she develops red streaks down her fins she is likely fine. The landscaping of your tank looks fine and there isn't anything particularly sharp that could damage the fishes too mush. More important is to check the water parameters - nitrates, nitrites, ammonia and pH. Do you have any other fish in the tank apart from the 2 bristlenoses and the Betta?

Hard to tell from the photos but I suspect nothing is wrong with him. Their natural colouring is brown and, depending on genetics, it may be a result of him reverting, or partially so, to his natural colour - like goldfish change colour as they age. It may stay like that or the dark colour may spread. If there is no redness or extra raggedness to the fin I would say he's fine. Their pectorals can get a bit tatty anyway as they dart in and out of tight places. I am interested in the wide red patch on top. One of mine has that too and I figured it was a result of him ramming himself into a tight hole and scaping the top of his body but perhaps it is normal. It comes and goes on mine and doesn't seem to affect him health-wise anyway.

Ambulia?

Are there any fish clubs in your area? Members may be able to help you re-home your fish.

It is a hard way to learn but you will have learned a lot and are unlikely to repeat the mistake again. I think many of us have gone through mysterious deaths while we try frantically to figure out the problem and wonder why we took up fish keeping! Onwards and upwards and good luck for the future!

Personally I think it would be over-stock but I prefer lightly stocked aquariums to start with. You have a larger margin for error if something goes wrong and it is a lot easier to keep the water parameters at their best. I was looking up blue phantoms, as I know nothing about them, but the article I read says they prefer a fast flowing water oxygen-rich environment to do well and fast flow does not suit discus. Phantoms also need a mature aquarium so couldn't be added straight away anyway. They also prefer a lower temperature than discus, which are better at higher temps.

Good to know you figured out the source of the problem.

As time goes by and the tank continues to cycle, you may be fine as it balances. The nitrites and nitrates are more important than the pH. Good luck with your fish keeping and don't hesitate to ask questions ?

I thought curled gills were most often associated with too much ammonia so poor water conditions. Do regular water changes and test the water for ammonia. Sometimes it will improve but sometimes the damage is permanent.

Welcome to the forums! Have you tested the water pH, nitrates and nitrites? Neons are very sensitive to water conditions and I suspect adding them to a new tank is the problem as they need a well established tank. Have you read about cycling and how important it is? I always cycled a tank with guppies or any hardy fish a similar size. If I had a 2ft tank, I would start with 4 guppies, wait 1 month then add another 4 and repeat until the required stocking level was reached. Never lost a fish as this method built up the good bacteria to match the fish numbers. A 3ft tank I would start with 6 guppy sized fish and repeat as above. A 4ft tank got 8 guppy sized fish.

Like livingart, I would say it is not worth much, if anything. It would probably be cheaper to replace than try and find parts or repair. I either have one myself, in my box of spare aquarium bits, or I biffed it long ago. You should be able to test it yourself as there is little to go wrong in them. Either it goes well, goes but not well, or doesn't go at all. If it goes well, give it to someone starting out but warn them it may not last much longer. If it goes, but not well, it is likely to be stuffed diaphragms and you can tell by looking at them. They will have disintegrated or have holes in them, especially along the creases. If it doesn't go at all, biff it. If they couldn't find the parts for them 13 years ago, you're not likely to do so now.

Are you wanting a metal stand or wood? Talk to an engineering firm to get a custom metal one made or a joiner for wooden. Or, as suggested, contact a local club as they will know someone I am sure. Local aquarium shops might know someone to recommend too.

Good to hear your dad is OK. Keep us updated on how you get on.

It never hurts to add to an old post as technology/supplies/ideas etc change over the years. I'm sure your link will be useful to other fishkeepers thank you.

That's an understatement - and the journey continues. The garden shed was almost completed today (and still needs to be moved fully into position closer to the fence) and we can run power to it because we had power to the pond pump. We will be able to keep the mower charger (and mower) in the shed along with the outdoor furniture. We even have 2 or 3 gardening implements! The paved area is where the pond was and the shed is on the slab at the far end of the 1st pic. Now with ramps front and back, and the new paths, Grant can get easily in and out of the house and right around it as well ?

The trouble is your definition of cold. Sure they can survive in cooler water but prefer it warmer. A "coldwater" tank in a modern, insulated house will be a lot warmer than a "coldwater" tank in an uninsulated house, or outdoors.

Sounds like NZ except we wait longer for new fish but generally our internet is good in most places. My husband and I visited Perth about 4 years ago and were taken down the coast staying in different places along the way. Loved the ANZAC Centre in Albany in particular. Many years ago I belonged to a UK based fish site (site no longer exists) and when we visited the UK they arranged a meeting for site members at a fish shop centrally located for many of the UK members. It was great putting faces to names we had only interacted with in a forum. About 20 people took the time to travel there to meet with us. Later on our journey we also got to meet Dick Mills, who wrote many fish books (most of my reference books at the time were by him) and Peter Cottle who specialised in danios. This was back when the internet was in its infancy and we still used books as our main references. ?

I use salt to sterilise tanks. Not sure if it is good enough for what you need to do though. Our local Recycling Centre has a hazardous waste disposal area where you can take old paint etc so if you have one of those, I would contact them to see if they will take your substrate and plants. Well done for protecting the environment! I wish more would think before disposing of unwanted stuff.

I agree with the other two ?

Whereabouts in Aussie are you? After all, it is a little bit bigger than NZ ?

The pond is no more, neither are many of the shrubs that surrounded the pond. They had never been pruned and had become straggly and leggy. The Chinese silk tree, the first thing we planted when we built the house 43 years ago, had to go as it was shading the solar panels. The landscaper is readying the ground to re-seed the lawn. The pond is now a paved BBQ area. The concrete slab at the far end will have a large garden shed on it. Dirt between pavers and concrete slab will be grass with 2 flowering cherries planted. Grant can now get off the front verandah and circumnavigate the house! Hopefully they start on the back door ramp this weekend. The blobs on the stock trough water surface are pollen ?

Hi Sea Gull and welcome. It is when you lose a whole tank of inhabitants that you wonder why you enjoy the hobby then your other fish spawn and all is well again ? My husband and I are in the middle of making the house and yard wheelchair and walker friendly so have filled in our 9m x 3m (approx) pond to make way for an access ramp. We have 12 fish in a stock trough (saved from the pond) and they will be finding a new home next door so we will be able to visit them. We were having difficulty doing pond maintenance anyway but we had 16 years of enjoyment with it. That will leave us with just a 4ft tropical in the lounge (down from 18 aquariums at the height of the hobby). I am waiting for the seals to give way as it has been in situ for over 20 years now and they say you should replace aquarium seals every 10 years. Every time we have a decent quake I wonder if this is the one that creates a flood through the lounge, dining and kitchen area. Our 4ft only has Odessa barbs and gold and brown Ancistrus aka bristlenoses.

Having never used anything except aquarium gravel, I can't help you but hopefully someone else can. My plants have only ever had gravel and fish poo.

OK. If I remember, I will send them next Monday so they don't get stuck en route. PM me your address. It will be $10 for the crypt and anubias (total, not each) plus whatever the courier costs. Once sent, I will tell you courier cost plus my account number.