Caper

Hi Welcome along...boy, you really have MTS! Post some pics sometime. Take care & have fun, caper

Hi Great to have you join...the people are really wonderful here to help Take care & have fun, Caper

I tried to get pics...they are not that good...but Silk is definetely bloated Drospy do you folks think? I can't find anything else with these symptoms (bloat & scales sticking out). He did have a tiny bit of white (not Ick) by his front fins (pectorals?) and by his eye. So I treated with Melafix yesterday & today but if its dropsy, I guess I know what I have to do

Now my black molly has scales sticking out and he definetely looks bloated. I take it this means dropsy :evil: I've been searching the net and these symptoms are only coming up for dropsy.

Did you treat for the whitespot for a few days after the spots were no longer visible on the fish because it is recommended that you do so. I'm not sure about the fins, those with more experience will help you with that. But with that said, when I had a really bad outbreak of Ick awhile back, uh, I mean my fishies some of the neons tails were really a MESS, but those that survived, their fins are fine now.

I have a guppy whose tail was "withering" away (this was sometime ago now) so to speak. No other symptoms or signs of anything else, treated him with melafix and he's fine now.

Okay, the molly is no longer doing the tail standing thing instead he is, ah...swimming really strange, he can swim normal at times but lots of times its like he's sideways, upside down. He's eating fine and nothing that I can see as being abnormal with his looks.

Good luck Js...and keep us updated on how his doing

Sorry about your losses Hmmm...I put peas in with my goldies and my 2 ottos, I wonder if they eat them, I've never noticed them eating the peas. Now, that I have ottos in all my tanks, should I try the zucchini with them, shoot I spelled that wrong didn't I :oops: I did when I had plecos, but haven't tried with the ottos.

Yup...I agree! It really sucks to have such a great hobby and not enough money and not enough room :evil: :evil: :evil:

Oh, I thought that was a must to clean them monthly. If they're full of gunk, isn't that worse????? :-? No, the last time I lost neons was when I had the bad outbreak of Ick. I haven't lost any since then. I've lost platties, a sailfin molly, & guppies. I was just going to edit my post...regarding the sailfin molly. I was trying to remember if it has been since I got him that the neons are hiding most of the time. They didn't when I had the other sailfin. But this guy was a little agressive when I first got him as far as chasing, I think he was showing "I'm the boss here". So, from what you folks have said re:ph, as long as it is stable I shouldn't worry about that being a problem then, right? Also, I have an airstone in the tank (29 gallon with the guppies & other fishies in it).

Hi I'm from Sydney too!... :lol: :lol: ...okay, Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Canada :lol: :lol: Yes, I happened upon this site too when I got my first tank just over a year ago...it is a great place here, the people are wonderful and always eager to help Happy fishy keeping, post pics sometime :bounce: Caper

Thanks all I'm glad I'm not overstocked was starting to wonder if that was a problem. I agree that's what has me worried that they don't seem to live beyond a year, some less. If when I bought a fish, and it was still growing wouldn't that mean it hadn't reached maturity...oh heck, not good at explaining :oops: Obviously I can't tell how old the fishies are :oops: :-? I know that some I probably lost cause of stress when first bought...but months later??? Caryl, the cartridges that contain the carbon are changed at the very least once a month. Nope, and not in the little booklet that came with the tank either. Maybe I'll check to see if I can find out on the web or if the company has an email address. Monthly cleaning: remove 25% water use algae scraper to clean inside walls (this time only did the front of tank to see how my ottos make out with the cleaning) give a good vacuuming (which I move my arti plants and ornaments, used to take out & clean till I had my ottos) clean filter, take apart what I can (bio filter sits in the last bucket of water till ready to start up again) replace cartridges (1,29 gallon & the 10 gallon, have a blue filter that contains carbon) (the other 29 gallon has the bags over the form thingy that you put carbon in) replace water (it's still summer here, so I just get my water ready at least the day before, they are in platic water jugs...and oh yah, add water conditioner)

Hi there...just checked out pics of your tank...awesome

Would overproduction of slime coat be white? I would have thought fungus of some sort?

I agree with Sharn, check out pics on the web & if it is fungus you can treat him...others here will tell you with what.

sharn, much more than I can get here

Duh, sorry: 29gallon 2.5' long 12.5" wide 18.5" high The filter is an Aqua-Tech hang on power filter that came with it (10-20, don't know what that means :oops: :-? ). Ammonia is 0 as is the nitrites, don't have a nitrate test, can't get them here. Got the nitrite kit on the mainland, because can't get them here either! Only plastic plants, gravel that was purchased as "aquarium" gravel, and 2 resin ornaments. My 10 gallon, 3 goldies & 2 ottos, *knock on wood*, is fine. My other 29 gallon, with ottos, red eye tetras & barbs is fine (and oh, this tank has a bigger filter that came with it, purchased tank & filter second hand). Once a month, all tanks get a thorough cleaning including the filters. Mostly once a week, with the occasional 2 week span they all get a 25% water change. The 10 gallon & the 29 gallon with the guppies, have the same kind of filter. A bio cartridge that only gets rinsed in tank water, & a, I think its referred to as a mechanical filter (might be calling it the wrong name) that has carbon in it as well. The 29 gallon with the barbs, has a bio filter (more like a foam kind) and white "bags" over a frame that holds carbon. Geesh, hope I explained all this right :oops: :-? :-?

Can't wait to see the pics Caryl :bounce: :bounce:

Wow, nice tank evil_elmo Oh Caryl, I'd love to have electric yellows Oh well, at least you have a good variety to choose from over there

Is my tank overstocked? or The pH in my tanks has remained constant since the day I got them. Approximately 7.6, maybe a little less since I find it hard to read. The tank I'm speaking of in particular has in it 25 fishies: 4 white cloud minnows 4 guppies 1 platy 1 sailfin molly 2 mollies 4 ottos 9 (maybe off by a couple, they keep hiding) neons I'm beginning to think that some of my fishies that have died I only had for a year before they went to heaven. Overstocking, pH...what else could I be doing wrong? Are my fishies dying sooner than they should? Opions please??

I agree with all of the above I know my goldfish are constantly insisting that I don't feed them enough

I tried a product called "cycle", probably the same thing that you have used. I STOPPED using it, I found it made more problems than it helped. But that's just my experience with it :-? Anyway, don't plan on using it again.

Sorry farmchick...wish I could help...but I've never had babies to catch in the tank...and sure sounds like you have a..a...a...tank full :-? All the ideas sounded great that they gave you...however, for a rare instance you have children (a.ka. fishies) that are apparently listening to their daddy :lol: :lol: "okay, kids when she comes...HIDE!"

Hmmmmmmmmm....46 years...that would make you a baby then when you started 8)