AboutRon Coleman Expertise I am an expert on cichlid fishes, particularly New World cichlids. My broader expertise includes the behavior, ecology and reproduction of fishes in general. (I am NOT an expert on Goldfish. Please do not ask me questions about why your goldfish are sick -- they are almost always sick due to the way that they are sold). Also, please do not use abbreviations, such as "my GT has a swollen
eye" because I don't know what a "GT" is. The more clearly you can explain your question, the better chance I have of understanding what it is that you seek. Thanks.
Experience I teach at the California State University, Sacramento in the Department of Biological Sciences, and I run a website, called the Cichlid Research Home Page . I also write for many popular aquarist magazines, and I am editor of Cichlid News magazine. I am a scientist and I spend my time teaching fish biology, ecology, behavior and evolution and doing research on the reproductive biology of fishes, particularly cichlids. I do research in the laboratory and in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Mexico. My main interest is understanding the evolution of parental care in fishes. I am interested in encouraging greater public awareness, understanding and participation in science.
Organizations belong to American Cichlid Association, Pacific Coast Cichlid Association, American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists, etc
Publications Cichlid News, Tropical Fish Hobbyist, Freshwater and Marine Aquarium, Science, Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, Copeia, Canadian Journal of Zoology, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, AUK, Environmental Biology of Fishes
Expert: Ron Coleman Date: 6/6/2008 Subject: my beta might be sick.
Question hey my white beta with blue and white fins that was clear and beutiful had recently turned up with black streaks and spots. The body is ok though that part didn't turn black.i'm really worried about it. he is eating well and swiming very much but it's side turned a bit pink and the sides where the gilles are are big and bulgy like it has cancer or something.the tank is on my desk in a corner it gets light from a desk lamp and no sunlight.and also it turns sharply at a 90degree angle when it swims and goes up on the surface of the water alot.i have never had a fish before so i don't know alot about it.in the tank there is no rocks ,compagnion or plant in it. also it swims alot and kind of looks mental. i didn't clean his tank yet i just got it on may 31. but i do feed it everyday one pellet a day like the store keeper said and i take a cup of water from the tank and put in new water again like the store keeper said. i do put in clorine as much as the guy told me to put in but only when i completly wash the tank not when i take a cup and refill.please help me. is my beta sick? sorry this question is long it might cover the bases. please tell me more about this .
Answer Hi Jeanie,
The stuff you add in (the chemical) is not chlorine but rather chlorine remover. Chlorine is deadly to fish. You need to add the chlorine remover anytime you put new water in the tank that has chlorine in it, which includes most city water supplies.
There is no reason to completely wash out a fish tank. Doing so kills off all the good bacteria in there that are what really keep the water and the fish healthy. Stick to changing 25% of the water at a time.
It is possible that the black streaks are the result of the untreated water that was going in the tank but it is hard to say.
-- Ron
rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>
