AboutBenty Expertise GOT A QUESTION ABOUT:
Basic needs for specific fish, illnesses, best tankmates, breeding, water chemistry, tricks to safely cut corners, and/or “stupid” questions? Maybe I can help! :)
I like to explain why you do things in aquariums (like why to use spring instead of distilled, or what pH numbers mean, ect.) so you understand why and not just taking someone’s word for it. I also like giving answers where you have two choices so you can choose which is best for the time and money you can commit to your fish. I understand how tight money can be and how expensive fish related things get.
I will NEVER leave you with an “I don’t know.” Ever. I hate that. That would waste your time and that's just mean. :)
Puedo contestar tus preguntas en español también.
Experience I have had tropical fish since 1999. I currently have: a 55gal, ten 10gal, 3 five gallons, three 2gal, and a bunch of jars and bowls. At the time I'm typing this, I have: 14 angels, 13 goldfish, 73 bettas, 12 barbs, 5 catfish, too many guppies, 4 gouramis, 2 plecos, 10 loaches, bunch of swordtails, and probably a few others, lol.
I love to rescue fish. I've had everything from mutant danios, to one eyed goldfish, to my newest adoptee, a 2 year old betta with a MASSIVE tumor problem. He was brought to a pet shop and left there because the lady didn't know what to do with him. He's pretty scary looking. One of the guys at the store there I know let me have him. :D YAY! Elephant Man lives in a gallon bowl with pretty stones in my bathroom.
Plus!!!
I sell: veil, delta, halfmoon, plakat, and crowntail bettas as well as halfblack and blonde tuxedo fancy guppies. Ask me about it sometime.
Expert: Benty Date: 1/12/2008 Subject: 5 year old overfeed our fish!
Question My 5 year old son poured half of a tetramin tropical fish flake .42oz bottle into our 18 gallon tank. We have 6 tropical fish in there. Help me please I don't know what to do. I have just now noticed it as the water is foggy and all the food has sunk to the bottom of the tank. Are my fish going to die? Please help me. Thank you, Amanda
Answer Hey Amanda,
First thing first:
Take out any flakes you see with a net or cup.
Then Change 40% of the water and clean the gravel well. An ammonia spike is going to happen because the fish ate a lot and will of course, poop a lot out. This isn't that bad. Test it in two days or so to see if it's in dangerous levels. If it is a little high, add some Ammolock or some other ammonia blocking agent. Your fish should be ok.
Don't feed for two days (unless you have fry or some other special case). If the water doesn't clear up within 2 days of the change, replace the filter cartridge (the white gross thing full of black carbon). In the really, really, rare case that it STILL isn't clear, change 15% of water and leave it alone till regular cleaning time has come. You can put the fish food in a medicine cabinet (it can also remind you to feed your fish) or on top of the tank to keep from having a repeat. Also, you know how there is a foil cover on the new food containers to keep them fresh? Well when you get a new one (should be not too long since half of your food is gone now, lol), cut only a small hole in it. Just use it as a shaker. It limits the amount that comes out (unless he just punches his finger in it, lol).
Drop me an e-mail if the water doesn't clear up, or if anyone gets sick, or a question, or whatever! bentyisthecoolest@yahoo.com. I set my quota to 1 question per day here because I have college so it's tough to respond back to me sometimes.
