Caper

Sorry to hear about your fish

I still have soooo much to learn...but even I know that was so WRONG! Those poor fish I did a quite a bit of reading on the net and still do...but finding you folks was a God send. I remember being in the pet store one day shortly after I got my first 2 fish...this lady was buying 2 or 3 fish...can't remember what kind now...anyway, I asked her how long she had fish (month)...tank same as mine 10 gallon...what she had in it......any kind at all plus a couple that I had read on the net and were an aggressive fish! Even then I knew you just couldn't go pick fish randomly and put in the tank. Now you folks know how little I know...but it was more than obvious that this woman thought all you needed was water and just add fish!

So these guys are oscars? I thought they were a darker fish...or do they come in various colors too? I also didn't realize they were cichlids. Have to catch up on my reading again treehugga...will their coloring change? Amazing looking fish

Did you check out the disease forum...things there on dropsy. They say a fish with it looks like a pine cone with the scales protuding out.

Thanks jude! When I went outside to have a cig after the passing of my neon I was wondering about a quarantine/hospital tank...are they the same thing? How should one be set up? Small tank do?

I'm not familiar with the melafix...but I had a fish with Ich right after I got my tank...treated with Ich Guard...cured no problem. The experienced folks here can tell you about the melafix...then I can learn about it too :oops:

Thanks Jude.... I hope I can get my 2nd tank soon...then Sam (goldfish) will be in the 10 gallon with 1 or 2 more goldfish.

1 of the neons that was bought for me yesterday...uh...Friday. I noticed this evening he wasn't swimming around like the rest...kept checking on him...he was staying near the bottom of tank...nothing else unusual....but just checked on him...floating...dead. I immediately removed him...checked water: ammonia 0 pH 7.2 nitrite .3 When I took him out I have him a good look, couldn't see anything that looked "wrong". Wondering now...I was going to do my water change tomorrow instead of Monday...will this cause too much stress for the other new neon & the new ottos??? Also, now that I have in my tank 1 goldfish 1 red wag platy 3 black neons 4 neons 2 ottos Is my tank overstocked? I thought with that many I should change my water every week now...what do you folks think? All help is appreciated

Okay...if I win lottery tonight...we will all go there! But must warn you...I NEVER WIN! Who watches Lost? Love it!

Just browing through here...seeing some scarey stuff! From what I've been reading on the net...I know that all fish do not have a long life span ...but...is it a definite that they all get sick at one time or another????

How will I know if they are getting enough algae to eat? Snowman...I got the ottos on Friday...was it too soon for me to try the wafer in with them???? Oh...and is it normal for them to be more active at night...they seem to be swimming around more at night...I'm guessing...looking for algae???????? One more thing...I was reading on the net last night...they have nostrils and it said that they can probably "smell" their food...is this true... If they don't go for the wafers...like you said Snowman...after a week...does this mean they are getting enough algae to eat?

Put in an algae wafer for my ottos...my goldfish is picking at it...will this hurt him...should I take it out...I wanted to leave it in to see if the ottos would eat it????

I am so sorry to hear about hubby's job I hope he won't be without work long. What does hubby do? Shelley is unemployment high in New Zealand...here in Cape Breton it is really bad. No more new fishie...but that will only be for awhile I hope...before you know it you'll be out buying again:) How many fish do you have now...hmmm...is it 3 tanks you have? Glass specialist...interesting...I wonder if any of them here build tanks...but good to know that if I have problems...place to check out...THANK YOU!

Silly question...but how long does algae take to grow? I just want to make sure that there's enough for the ottos...and yet not enough to take over the tank...oh well, one of my biggest fears in getting an aquarium was feeding the fish...now it's clean tank but healthy ottos :-? Thanks Snowman

The last time I gave my tank a good cleaning...used the algae brush to clean off the glass...before I did the cleaning, on the inside all I could see was...how to describe :-? ..hmmm...as if I had cleaned the outside and left a film on it...except was inside...first thought it was on the outside and tried to wipe off, needless to say, was on the inside...duh...sorry not a good description...anyway... When I was using the brush...it looked like white falling down...nothing heavy but could still notice it...I thought this was some kind of algae???? Once I finished the glass was all nice and clear. Took everything out to clean...except gravel...oh and of course the fish ...the ornaments and such were slimey to the touch...again this was aglae...am I right? I've seen green algae in swimming pools...but can't tell if in tank. I know when I was married we had a pool and the people who installed it told us that when the sides started to get slippery (slimey?) it would mean algae starting...so that is why I thought the slime on the ornaments and stuff were algae??????

CONGRATULATIONS Pies on your amazing, fabulous, extraordinary, etc., etc, etc...new aquarium. I was in awe when I went through looking at the pics...WOW

More money...yah...I agree with you there Shelley...never enough :roll: They gave you a tank with fish they had caught???? What kind of fish? I'm glad it worked out for you...your Mom has fish too...family affair! What kind of place did you take your tank to be re-sealed...is it an actual shop that repairs aquariums? I have too many fish in my tank now...I bought the 2 otto's the other day...and because I've been kinda depressed lately...my son's girlfriend went out and bought me 2 more neons to cheer me up. So, if the son of a *&^%$ ex pays my support next week...I'm going to get another tank. Unfortuantely, I'm only going to be able to get a 29 gallon since I don't have a lot of room here.

When I took them home yesterday...they were quite active...when I came home from work today...not as active...but still ok...but just checked them...active again like last night...do these guys normally become more active in the evening?...Can they tell time :lol:

Are saltwater...reef...marine...the same...I know they are different names...but...??? I was browsing the net one night...don't remember the darn site...anyway, they had a pic posted of...I think it was a marine tank...but had all artificial things in it...except for the fish of course

Thanks Snowman When I first saw them...thought they were ugly...but now I think they are cute, my Oscar & Felix. They're more active then I expected them to be...mind you I only had them since last night...lol...when I first saw them swim...I thought OMG are they supposed to being swimming around...duh :-? I wasn't sure at all about the cleaning, especially the glass...ummm...won't they keep the algae off the glass????...and I didn't know they would eat leftovers...lol...the flakes that is Can they jump out of the tank?

I had a posting in the beginner's...but since I found out that they are actually a catfish...thought I'd post here Snowman...wasn't it you that recommended these...I now hummingbird suggested the bristlenose...but couldn't get any...from the pics I've seen on the net...they do look like otto's...but since I don't have much luck with the people you buy from here...thought I'd check with you folks so...would say they are otto's? What advise do you have on keeping these guys healthy? When I do the monthly water change...that's when I usually clean everything in the tank...glass, ornaments & such...when you have algae eaters...should I still do this...or will I destroy the algae they need to survive? How will I know if there is enough algae for them? How often should I put in an algae wafer? I hope I'm making sense...really bad week...brain is fried! Oh...and I did put one wafer in last night...but took it out after awhile cuz they didn't go near it. PLEASE HELP ME

Caper is so happy...gets up this morning...and no LEAK...whew! Thanks for the help...and it is good to know what should happen if a leak occurs. If a tank isn't moved, could it still end up with a leak...umm...does silicone loose its...lol...whatever...over time. Shelley you said you had one of your tanks resealed, how come you had to do that?

At least I have all of Friday ahead of me :lol: :lol: I'm sorry to hear that you're not feeling well...now...I hope you're taking good care of yourself...

Thanks Shae & Shelley, It's almost an hour since I put the thing on the tank...and it doesn't appear that the water level has moved...and I haven't noticed any more water at the bottom. But I will keep an eye on it for another while, or else I won't sleep tonight...I am so glad that tomorrow is Friday...um...ah..shoot you guys are on Friday already I something did happen it was good to find out that I could do that! But thanks for the help

I don't have the heat on and its warm... not sure what you mean by this? Do you mean a hotwater tank? How the heck are you Shelley? How are your fishie doing? If I had to do that, put fish in bucket...would I just use the buckets I use for when I'm cleaning the tank and put water from the tank in them...and I could still use the air pump right? But your probably right...I wouldn't think a tank would just suddenly spring a leak...other than putting the new fish in and moving an algae wafer I didn't do anything else.