Caryl

You will need to change the water daily. If you have a bit of plant to drop in there too as the total white might add to the stress. I don't think you need to cover it. I have made temporary hospital tanks out of ice cream containers with holes and slits cut in it (as large as you can without the fish getting stuck in it, or smaller fish being able to swim into it) so the water can move through it then you don't need to do so many water changes. It would get clamped to the side of the main tank with a peg.

Put him in a smaller container, with a smooth base and relatively shallow water and float it in the main tank. This means he does not have to move so much to get himself swimming and won't injure himself further when resting. I would hope increased activity indicated he was feeling better rather than more desperate. As long as he is eating well and does not appear to be stressed, other than lying on his side, I would not euthanise him. It is impossible to say how long it takes to improve as, if it the result of injury, it may be permanent.

You might be fine then but I have heard ram owners say (I have not kept them myself) an aquarium needs to be 6 - 12 months mature but as yours was already set-up, the 6 months should be fine. If everything seems stable at this point though, because it was already matured and is stocked lightly, you might get away with earlier.

Keep us updated on how it's doing.

Not that I can find. What interesting colour changes from young to adult. A pity it doesn't retain the panda colouring.

It is possible it was rammed in the side by the bristlenose and this did some damage. Is it otherwise able to feed? If so, because it looks otherwise fine, I would just leave it and see if it gets better over time. If it starts getting hassled by other fish then I would separate it.

Most of the time we can catch and release/keep etc too but not if it involves native, or invasive, species. We don't mind you shitting in the woods, as long as you are off the path, so nobody stands in it, it is the ones who do it in the waterways who are more of a problem! ?

A video would be helpful please. Depending on how it's bent might suggest a possible cause. Could be swim bladder, poor water quality, food, or a disease. A swim bladder problem is a symptom, not a disease in itself.

I would hold off on the rams until the tank has matured, as that is what they prefer. I would offer some Anubias but not keen to send at this time of year and don't trust the couriers at the moment, from a time-wise point of view, as I am in the South Island.

My typo, of course I meant you are NOT allowed to catch them at all. What do you mean by being very distant from nature? Fishing laws vary in different parts of the country so it would pay to check the local laws with your council, or Fish & Game. We have a lot of unique native flora and fauna here, due to our geographical isolation, so differ from many other countries when it comes to catch and release.

Barbs are good and hardy, an easy care fish. The bigger the group (dependent on aquarium size of course) the more interesting their behaviour. They are more likely to show schooling behaviour in a large group.

You are allowed to catch them at all. Probably because of idiots who do so, discover how nasty they are, then release them in the nearest waterway that probably didn't have gambusia before they released theirs into it. I would imagine gambusia are a lot more widespread in Florida. Rules vary here from council to council. They are more of a problem (the gambusia, not the council) the further north you go with warmer temps.

Somebody with large fish ought to be able to keep him safely as they will soon put a stop to the aggression. Have you got driftwood in the aquarium? Bristlenoses need this.

The only aggression I have ever seen in bristlenoses is from the larger males chasing everyone away from the food! I guess this one has more testosterone than normal ? You should be able to sex the fish now it has grown a bit. Males have bristles running up the middle of their head. Females do not have these (but often have shorter bristles around the mouth) and are a lot wider than the males.

I must admit I have not got around to putting LEDs in my aquarium but should do so. It has very old fluorescents at the moment and I fear if I change it I will blind the fish ? Will build up the LEDs slowly, just in case.

No it isn't. You can't catch, distribute, or release, gambusia in NZ. Gambusia are vicious and attack native fish.

Many don't respond nomad fish. Many also believe it is OK to keep guppies in temperatures that are not so good for them. We try to inform and educate here, not criticise, and hope the information is taken on board.

That looks really neat but it wouldn't suit me. Why people think the sound of water is soothing I don't know as it just makes me want to pee! ?

Knowing Ira, he may already have done so since the thread was started in 2018. Always more good stuff available to use in the aquarium (or to control parts of it) as time goes by and it is good to see what others have done in their own set-ups to give others ideas. They are often cost saving too!

Depending on how many layers of cotton wool you are replacing, swap them one at a time with a couple of weeks in between to give time for the bacteria to grow. Putting them in the tank for a week or two before swapping them out in the filter also works.

Pleased to hear you managed to save most of the goldfish! That would have been a difficult undertaking. Sorry I can't help with snail locations, I just wanted to say I was impressed with the fish saving ?.

Goldfish love to pull up plants so they can eat the more tender bits at the base/roots. Your plant may have difficulty coping with this. I found the only plant they really didn't like was Java fern. I am told it tastes bitter but can't verify that personally ?

The parents won't eat the fry but other fish will. A breeding net might work but, if you have a well planted aquarium with bushy plants, a few might survive without help. A lot of surface plant with trailing root systems is ideal, like Indian fern, water sprite.

Well done!

Guppies are not cold water fish, despite often being advertised as such. They can tolerate cooler temperatures but not cold. Many keep them in unheated inside aquaria but indoor temperatures are usually relatively warm so an unheated tank does not equate with cold water.