AboutLynda Expertise I can help you with cichlids, african cichlids, betta fish. I have bred most of them, including the Discus, and Angel Fish, and Rams. I have also bred many african cichlids. I have bred bettas too...well I am a fish nut! I can help you with most diseases, and have experience in setting up a tank. I can tell you tricks on keeping your water alkaline without products. I also speak and write french. I have experience with salt water fish, but would rather not get into that field.
Please when writing to me, give me detailed information. The size of your tank, your water chemistry, etc. The more I know, the more I can help you. I cannot guess at what you have, so please give me information and I will do my outmost to help you with any question you ask me.
Please do not ask me questions on Goldfish, mollies, platies, and guppies. Lynda
Experience I have worked in Petshops in the fish department...was Manager in two...and alot of my experience came from my home where I had 26 aquariums from 20 gallons to 200 gallons.
Publications I have a MSN group but it has nothing to do with fish
Education/Credentials I have finished high school, and went to college, in accounting
Question I recently added two angelfish to my 30 gallon aquarium. they are in with 2 keyhole cichlids, 2 guppies, and a red-tailed shark. I came home from work to find that my tank heater either malfunctioned or got turned up to high and the temp of hte water was 82-84 degrees. the fish were fine except for one angel which was floating in the slight current at the top looking. It would sim a bit and then lay over on its side a tumble around in the current untill he reached the bottom. the it would swim quickly back to the surface with an odd wobbling motion. It now appears to be dead in the bottom of the tank. I am concerned that whatevercaused this could affect my other fish. I took steps to cool of the tank by removing the heater and adding some cold water (with aquasafe) since the tank needed water anyway to replace what i lost to evaporation from my light. Any ideas what could have caused the fishes problems and what I can do to prevent it would be greatly appreciated.
Answer Hi Jerry,
The temperature would not have killed your angel. I keep my angels in 82 degree water all the time. You should have let the water cool down by itself, and not added cold water to your tank. The water reached 82-84 degrees slowly, and the best thing to do, was to let it go down slowly, as a drastic change in water temperature can cause death to all fish. The Angel that died might have been weaker than the other fish. She should not have died because the temperature went up to 82 or 84 degrees. There is another reason, and the reason is a mystery to me, as I did not see the fish, and apart from losing her balance, had nothing on her body. She may have been sick, had a viral infection which would have turned up sooner or later.
Adding an air stone would help, and check your water for ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates. Your ammonia level should be zero, nitrites, zero, and nitrates should be low. This is very important.
I want to mention that a red tail shark should be in a tank all by himself. As they get bigger they are aggressive, and can terrorize a tank causing stress, and sickness to fish. They are very pretty, but should be in a tank alone.
I hope this helps, and that they will all pull through.
Lynda
