Caper

Thanks Caryl! I wasn't sure on the flash and the light issue. Was reading on the net somewhere, about too much light not good for their eyes since they don't have eye lids:) I don't want to blind them trying to get pictures! I'm turning the light on in the morning when I feed them. Usually I'm the only one that feeds the fish. I figure that is the best thing so that I can learn how much to give and get to know their eating habits. But, yesterday, I was sick. I asked my son to wake me when it was time to feed the fish. Instead he fed them. That was fine, except for one thing, I didn't see his note that he fed the fish...and I fed them again! If they end up with an extra feeding, do you skip the next one?

On the subject of feeding...anybody have a burger...just kidding I have been feeding my goldfish, platy, and tetras tropical flakes. I was told this would be enough for them. I have been trying to read up on this, but still soooooo much to learn. I know my poor goldfish shouldn't be in with the rest but he is there and has to stay for now. I've seen different kinds of foods for different kind of fish. But what do you do when you have different species? Can I still put in goldfish pellets or goldfish flakes? What if I wanted to give the goldfish a pea? Is it okay to put a pea in with the other species? I've seen dried...I think it was shrimp and some that were in a cube? It says to give as treats but only give as much as they can eat in 5 minutes or so. So if you give these treats do you still give them their feeding, or do the treats replace the feeding? :-? OHH...so confused!

Good morning all! I bought an ammonia test kit...reading is 0! pH is between 7 & 7.2. I'm still looking for a nitrite and a nitrate test kit. So, I should do tests once a week, right? How does testing fit in with regular water changes? Little...oh heck...a lot confused! If I do my water changes weekly, would I still test? What about if I do the water change every second week? Monday I will be doing a water change. Still trying to get this clear: -vacuum without moving or removing ornaments (once week or every two weeks) -rinse my carbon filter every second week (replace once a month?) -according to directions the bio filter I NEVER replace but if really dirty I can rinse it in the bucket of water that I removed from tank Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh....test, change, test, change....HELLLLLLPPPPPP!

Hi all! When taking a picture with a flash...does it hurt the fish's eyes? When I feed them in the morning, I don't always turn on the light but I do in the evening. My aquarium has incadescent lights. Should the lights be on or off during feeding? If it is okay to have the lights on when they are feeding, I'd do it all the time since easier to see how much food is being eaten, at least until I'm more familiar with the feeding/eating habits? I thought I saw somewhere here about not turning the lights off after you feed them?????? Considering they all go up to the surface at some point when the light is on (especially the platy when he's eating), does the light hurt their eyes?

Hi Billaney, Comparing my tetras to yours: the overall color of my tetras doesn't look as dark as yours, but mine does have the black stripe with the green on top & around the eye, silver above & below the stripes. Do you think when they get a bit bigger, I'll be able to tell better? When I bought them they had 2 kinds of tetras, she told me the ones I had were glolight and the others were "brass". The "brass" almost looked like an orange stripe. But again they were pretty tiny! I'll keep trying to get a better picture of them. I tried to get a better picture of them last night...but they just would not cooperate

Thanks Shelly... :lol: ...IMO...thought it was something to do with a test kit! But with everything I've read, obviously long way from being absorbed (need a computer chip in my brain), I don't remember seeing that you had to test nitrite AND nitrate. Until you and DiverJohn suggested! But then, I have been reading soooo much on the net, as I stated somewhere here before..."system" overload. How long have you had an aquarium? What size? It is great to have a place like this with so many people willing to help. There are only 2 places locally that sell fish, 1 a small pet store and 1 is in a department store. If I go to the 1 in the dept. store and people are buying fish, I'll ask them questions... I can see the headlines one of these days in our local paper reading...Crazy Woman Escorted Out of Mall for Harrassing Aquarium Owners :lol:

Hi Billaney, I don't know if you can tell from this pic, but do you think it is black neon tetra as opposed to the glolight? Silver...irredescent green stripe...black stripe

Hello there DiverJohn! Heh, before I get into the testing kits...must tell you...checked out your pictures today...WOW...especially those angel fish, beautiful! Are yours freshwater tanks? What are IMO kits? Oh, sooooooo much to learn I think I should have started reading about aquariums, hmmmmmmmm, at least a year before getting one! Do I really need to test all those things? At the most, I expected to hear the ammonia, nitrates, and the pH. If I don't test all these things, does that mean I can't have a "healthy" aquarium with healthy fish? About the plants, I really hope that I never have to have real plants...my ex used to tell me I was so bad with plants that I could kill artificial plants Heh...can't get my cat on my drug plan...do you think I can get the fish on it :-?

Hi Caryl, Considering this is all new to me, just looking here at the pics in the members forum...and the knowledge that you all seem to have...that surprises me. Oh my gosh...you'll have to forgive me...long time since high school geography :lol: I was thinking that your climate was similar to Australia and for some reason that you would even have more of a variety of fish.

Thanks Mismona...I thought that maybe I misunderstood...that I had to be from New Zealand to be here! Just do not want to offend anyone...all of you are so nice I did change the time zone in my profile....when I came on here the last time, the home page displayed Wed. April 27 12:18 p.m. and since it is STILL Tuesday the 26th here (9:36 p.m.)...it is defenitely your time on the home page :lol: but when I post it registers my time??? I think I'm finally getting the time thing!

Try again! Fishies First Pic It looks like my tank is narrow in the back...but it isn't...must be the way I took pic. This was taken before I had The Three Stooges. Oh my...it is working...thank you so much for all your help folks...I used www.photobucket.com The Little One 1 of The Three Stooges Sam & 1 of The Three Stooges If anyone can make out The Three Stooges...I was told they were GloLight Tetras...but from what I read on the net...sounds more like black neon tetras????? So...what do you think...does it look okay...do I have too much in tank???

Hi Pegasus! Gee...not sure what you mean by that...but if you mean "hooked"...oh my...no pun intented! I AM. I love my fish. I always wanted an aquarium but was too afraid. My biggest fear, before I had the fish, was that I would either feed them too much or not enough. Now that I have the fish...my fears have expanded I was reading one of your postings the other night you sound like someone who has a lot of experience with the fishies. I can't think at the moment but when I was reading it I had lots of questions, thought I wrote them down but I can't find them! Will have to read again and write down my questions for you. Have a great evening...ah...night...ah...day! PS And I am not a man

Oh my gosh...I am so sorry Caryl...I didn't mean anything by that...I was just trying to figure out the time difference. Ummm...am I not supposed to be here? :oops: I was just browsing the net and found your site. I wanted to join because you folks seem to know so much and I need all the help I can. Please let me know and I will leave, I am sorry.

Hi Mustcooktea & thank you for the welcome I'm the person who posted "newbie with fishie-part2". I had trouble the first week (Ick) and had to do daily water changes. I had my water checked and was told the pH was up a bit: I think it was 7.2 they told me around 7 would be better. I don't exactly remember when (between that time and the time I got the tetras), I did have my water tested at the pet store. Everything was fine but pH was up, but I knew this because I tested for it myself (but being new I wanted to be sure!) 7.6. So I bought pH down and gradually began to add. But I wasn't seeing any change, I thought this might have been due to the fact that nothing was added to the water while I was working. Sooooooooooooooo I wondered if changing from bottled water to tap water had anything to do with it as well. I checked my tap water, as per the net, and it was 7.6 I rinsed the tube out with the bottled water and retested my tank, pH was coming down. I just checked now and it is...mmmmm...hate trying to see these colors 8) ...it is between 7 & 7.2. As far as testing the ammonia & nitrates regularly, when I was picking up the test kit for the pH I was looking for the kits for those as well. While at the store, I spoke to a woman who had an aquarium for a long time; and she told me I didn't need to test except for pH. Opinions on this??????????

You found it...wow! So any ideas what I'm doing wrong? And earlier you said the pic was small, how would I make it bigger?

Gee Mystic, I don't know...this is all new to me...duh, sorry about the link, I should have tried it first before I sent to you!!!!

Okay...I'm really loosing it! It sure looks like my goldfish & platy have grown in the month since I've had them that I could understand, but I've only had the tetras since Friday and they look like they have grown. Is this what happens when you get addicted to this hobby...you start to hallucinate From what I've read, sometimes the "size" of their surroundings can influence their size? And does it vary depending on the species?

http://www.snapfish.com/slideshow/Album ... _=24383967 Mystic...is this what you mean...I really appreciate your help Oh...and when I open the pics on my computer...they are jpeg

Thanks folks As a rule, there is no problem for me to do a water change on Monday's... but then I've only had the tank since...1 MONTH today! I only bought the tetras on Friday...so I didn't do the water change today because I was scared it might stress them too much, want to give them time to get used to their new home, does this make since? Therefore, next Monday would be 2 weeks since the last change, so I will be doing the change next week...sound reasonable????

Grrrr...getting frustrated...don't know what I am doing wrong to get pics. Mystic, The site that I used was one recommened here "snapfish" It says the photos have to be jpeg. I can see the pictures on the site.

Okay...this is what it says in properties Mystic Type: Ulead PhotoImpact Image

Hi Mystic, Thanks...I'll try again...ummm...I don't know if they are jpg...I just took them off my camera...how do I find out???? Camera is new too :-?

Hi Eric, Oh...I know you're not the same Eric I know ...so how long have you been living in New Zealand...can you tell me...the time that the opening page shows...is that NZ time...I know it's not mine?????

Hmmmmmmmmmm....must of done something wrong I'll try again :roll: FAILED...again

I hope this works! If it does, the pic of the aquarium...not very good...it looks like the back is more narrow Anyway, here goes: