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.
Question We just purchased some new fish and someone was pregnant when we got her. About 8 days ago we found 19 baby fish swimming in the tank. We isolated them and have been feeding them crushed adult food three to four times a day. Only the smallest of specks since they are babies. We've changed the water daily to keep the Oxygen level good. BUT! Yesterday one died, tonight a second one, and I can tell another one isn't doing well. In the last day or two when they eat they had regular brown stings of fish poop . . . now it's rather milky and doesn't break off like normal. They are swimming around with it attached to them. Please help! The water temp is set to 75, it's a 5 gallon tank with a baby breeder (shoe box sized tank that floats) Please help! - And, we don't know what kind they are either! :-)
Chris
Answer Hey Chris!
Congrats on babies! Sorry about the 3 that weren't doing well. Since they were born they are from a "livebearing" fish. Most fish lay eggs and spawn. A few kinds like guppies, mollies, swordtails... give birth. What do the fish look like? Anything like these pictures? http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/livebearers/livebearers.htm
The white poop is one of two things:
A parasite from overfeeding or
they are constipated.
Cut back on the feeding. Feed every other day.
If it's a parasite, the white poop will be less but still there. If there is still a few white poops after a week, treat with a Coppersafe or any parasite treatment from a petshop. People at the store will try and tell you white poop is normal. They see it all the time and assume it is normal. Just because they all are invested with parasites doesn't mean that's normal, lol. They just don't know. That's fine. (Just don't share something if you don't know.) Anywho!
Put only a little, tiny, teeny, pinch. 1 or 2 flake pieces per little guy if you can. It's better to feed in multiple times a day anyway. they grow faster and healthier. make sure they eat all are almost all of the food before you feed. they should eat the whole thing a day. if not, you're overfeeding. DUN DUN DUN!!! The WORST SIN IN ALL AQAURIA! YOU SHALL BE BEATEN FOR THIS ACT OF REBELLION! lol. Nah. It causes a lot of problems, but people make it out to be worse than it is. I overfeed. And I don't care. lol. As long as you know you do and are willing to accept the consequences of it like fouling water, high ammonia, high fungus levels, and stuff... go for it! You change your water A LOT. So that's not a problem. Speaking of that, do you have a filter on the tank? You don't need to change the water so often if you have a filter or an airstone. Every 2 days works without anything. Oxygen levels are higher at the surface so if and when your fish stay at the top (not just begging for food but constantly up there... maybe even gasping) you NEED to give them air. If they gasp then change the water more often.
I have a 5 gallon tank myself and I change it every 2 weeks. It has a biowheel filter on it. If you have a filter or airstone you can work less. It's nice to get to be lazy. lol.
