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Freshwater Aquarium/Questions Answered by Expert William Covington
| Subject | Date Asked |
| new freshwater fish | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I recently bought a new 10 gal tank set up kit. i also bought 2 dalmatian molly, let them rest for a ... A: Mathew, You are experiencing "New Tank Syndrome" here is a web site you can read about it ... | |
| sick betta | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: I am currently trying very hard to get my betta fish better. But am having no luck. I originally ... A: olivia, Ok well thanks for the detailed statement it helps, there defiantly sounds like ... | |
| Irridesent shark | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: My irridescent shark has 2 pinkish bumps around the mouth been there for over a week. What could ... A: Maria, It's really hard to say, it could be that he bumped into something and injured ... | |
| Dalmation Mollies help for a friend | 5/6/2009 |
| Q: a friend of mine has a well taken care of tank that she put 3 Dalmation Mollies in. One male, two ... A: Cathy, Well it could all be linked or it may not be, the bent tail could be Fish TB and I ... | |
| what kind of cichlid is this? | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I have one african cichlid and when I bought it the tag under the tank only said assorted african ... A: Brittany, After looking over some African Cichlid pictures the closest cichlid I could figure ... | |
| Ballon Molly | 5/1/2009 |
| Q: I have a balloon molly I am believing she bred with a dalmatian molly and I was unaware of the ... A: Kayla, Well they may be trying to breed or already have. If your temp in your tank is at ... | |
| Betta nest | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: When I put my male and female together they almost breed, but then the female swims away and breaks ... A: Aurora, Here is a web site that covers the breeding of betta's, however keep in mind that if ... | |
| Goldfish-Fantail | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: I have had a goldfish for approx 1 year. As it is my first fish i had no idea that changing all the ... A: Sarah, Ok a couple things here could be causing your problem: 1 how often do you change your ... | |
| my goldfishes are nipping | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I baught a second-hand fish tank about three weeks back and I set up with new live plants and left ... A: Lovy, Your fish are undergoing what is call new tank syndrome, they are being ammonia ... | |
| inherited several fish tanks and have no idea what to do with them!!! | 4/26/2009 |
| Q: I am really hoping you can help me with this, not problem, but, I guess...situation? Lol. I received ... A: Ashley, First off here is my web page for fishless cycling which is a good place to start: ... | |
| sick flower horn | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: .. maybe you can help with out with my flower horn, I have him just over two years and I grew ... A: Tommy, It's hard to tell what could be wrong, because I am not there to see the fish, but ... | |
| Cichlids / Bullying | 4/25/2009 |
| Q: i've got 4 blood parrot cichlids. One about 6inch and the other 3 4inch. they are about 6-8 years. ... A: Alex, The jewel fish are cichlids, and cichlids are territorial you should not have added 2 ... | |
| Sick Palaty | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: My son's palaty Tickel is sick. At first I thought she was expecting when she became quite fat. ... A: Margie, It's hard to say if your platy is ill, or pregnant. All of the signs you mentioned ... | |
| compatable tankmates | 4/24/2009 |
| Q: i recently bought a freshwater angelfish- it's body between quarter and half dollar size. i have it ... A: Linda, I would say the best way to find out is try, I do know betta's can be community fish. ... | |
| Some red stuff in my tank | 4/22/2009 |
| Q: I think it kinda looks like alage but when I looked but close it looked fuzzy. I checked the web and ... A: Rakash, Red algae is a sign of poor water quality, I would check your nitrate levels. ... | |
| Cichlids | 4/20/2009 |
| Q: Well i just bought two 3" tiger Oscars and one 3" albino Oscar about two weeks ago and put them in a ... A: Brian, Yes they can be lazy, just as long as they are not staying there for a long period of ... | |
| Sick fish | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: My sister set up a 55 gal tank and did a fishless cycle. When her ammonia and nitrite levels were ... A: Pat, Sounds like one of the angels was sick and has infected the tank, the others may have a ... | |
| ram ciclid | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: hi there recently my ram developed a large lump on the tip of his head inbetween his eyes looks like ... A: jonathan, Sorry to hear your situation, however I have a couple questions to better resolve ... | |
| black moor 1 eye bigger than other | 4/19/2009 |
| Q: I was reading another question earlier about the 1 eye bigger, the expert asked if it had a red spot ... A: Karen, If the red spot is inside the eye it could be harmless, however if the red spot is ... | |
| sudden death of cichlid | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: We awoke to the sudden distress of our cichlid, he was white in color when he was normally black. He ... A: Sad, First off let me say I am sorry for your loss. Next did he/she look like this or close ... | |
| Is there something is wrong with my cichlid and rainbow shark? | 4/18/2009 |
| Q: I have a cichlid that has this weird bump sort of thing where it goes to the bathroom. it kind of ... A: Brittany, It’s really hard to tell I see the bump, but after some research I find that ... | |
| Fish dying after water change | 4/15/2009 |
| Q: I am having trouble with my 55 gallon tank. It has the filter that hangs on the back of the tank. On ... A: Rebecca, Your fish are experiencing ammonia poisoning, you need to do another 50% water ... | |
| Regarding cycling | 4/11/2009 |
| Q: I have had my 10 gallon tank now for 24 days. I do plan in the near future for 20 or 30 gallon. My ... A: Michael, ADDED NOTE: if you could lower the water level so that the filter is splashing into the ... | |
| Goldfish | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I had a power out and my fish were without a filter and air bubbles for 24hours thankfully the power ... A: Rose, Test your waters Ammonia, Nitrite, and nitrates if they all check out then no ... | |
| Our Sick Betta :( | 4/7/2009 |
| Q: my name is Bianka. My boyfriend got me a pet Betta, named Chip for my 19th. We have him in a small ... A: Bianka, Sorry for your loss, the first thing you did wrong was the tank size, a betta needs ... | |
| sick oscars | 4/4/2009 |
| Q: I have two baby oscars and i believe they devoloped ick after i put in a few guppies i was ... A: Selena, Here is a really good treatment for ich, it is used for loaches as they can’t deal ... | |
| RE - Danio (Emma) | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: Danio swimming funnily Question Hi, I have 7 Danios in a fairly new tank and dispite one of the ... A: Emma, I have checked this and the readings are as follows GH - 180, KH- 120, PH -7.5/8, Nitrite - ... | |
| Danio swiiming funnily | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I have 7 Danios in a fairly new tank and dispite one of the Danios getting himself stuck and ... A: Emma, Have you checked your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate? is there any ... | |
| Goldfish | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: I just got 2 goldfish today and they are in a glass fish bowl and they seem to kind of swim at the ... A: Lori, The fish are swimming at the surface and sucking air because there is a lack of oxygen ... | |
| Coldwater Goldfish - Poo Problem | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: I have had my fish for about 3 weeks now and they are living in a BioOrb 30l tank. Although they ... A: Donna, The fish could be constipated, and not a bacteria infection try the pea and see if ... | |
| Dalmation Molly and Zebra Danios | 3/28/2009 |
| Q: I have a 16 gallon tank, there are three zebra danios, (2 male and 1 female), I have regular gravel ... A: Kyle, Most likely the eggs are getting eaten right away here is a web site on how to get them ... | |
| rocks and other decoration | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: Is it ok to put rocks from outside into a freshwater aquarium, or will it kill the fish? Also, could ... A: Jarrod, Is it ok to put rocks from outside into a freshwater aquarium, or will it kill the fish? ... | |
| Cichlids | 3/27/2009 |
| Q: i have a 10 gallon aquarium at my house right now. I am getting a 37 gallon tank and i want cichlids ... A: Austin, Very few cichlids get along with anything but their own species, and with only a 37 ... | |
| "showcase" fish | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: I am currently setting up a 110g tank and I have 3 albino cory cats, 3 barbs(forgot name), 3 more ... A: Jarrod, Hard to say what you think is cool, but if it were up to me I would choose a Tiger ... | |
| Fish Pregnant? | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: I have a 30 gal octagon tank with 7 fish and just bought 4 new fish and one of the Platy's looks ... A: Deb, While it is hard to tell if she is pregnant or not without seeing her, here is a ... | |
| fishless cycle | 3/26/2009 |
| Q: My sister set up a 55 gal tank using shrimp for a fishless cycle. The tank is finally reading 0 ... A: Pat Cool tell her congratz on the cycle. Yes you can use a Diatom filter to clean it, but if ... | |
| Female betta companions? | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: I just set up a 10-gallon freshwater tank in my room and have been through all the basic crash ... A: Corey, The ironic thing corey is that your explaining how inhumane keeping a betta in a jar is, ... | |
| catfish | 3/25/2009 |
| Q: "i just got a catfish and it eats smaller fish but im not sure how many fish to feed it or how ... A: melissa, I would not feed him feeders more than one every other day, and feed him normal fish ... | |
| baby platys! | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: My son got a 5 gallon fish tank for his birthday. He has 3 platys, a tetra, and an algae eater. Last ... A: Jackie, Feed them, and you should be ok, if the other fish don’t get them first, you could net ... | |
| Dalmation Molly | 3/24/2009 |
| Q: We just set up a tank in our office almost a month ago. We started out with a few guppies, and have ... A: Sydney, The first thing to pop into mind is the water parms, but you said they tested ... | |
| Traveling Fish | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I have just recently had to move my parrot goldfish to our new place - I also got them new rocks (to ... A: Sarah, Where did you get the rocks? From a Fish store? Garden store? ... | |
| New tank | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: I just got a used 50 gallon glass tank through Craig's list, and I have several questions before I ... A: Barbara, 1. The tank is pretty clean, but how should I clean it so I know it is safe for any fish I ... | |
| betta and tetra | 3/20/2009 |
| Q: i just got a new male betta today and i have put him in the same 10 gallon tank as my tetra (i dont ... A: Paul, As long as the tetra does not look anything like your betta they will get along. ... | |
| Sick Ryukin | 3/19/2009 |
| Q: I have a 55 gallon tank with 2 ryukin, 2 oranda and one black moor all around 3 inches long and ... A: Alexandra, It is so hard to diagnose gold fish because no one wants to bother...when I tried ... | |
| tank lights & filtration | 3/18/2009 |
| Q: i have a 60g Fishbox aquarium with various fish, mainly molly, 2 angelfish, 5/6 neons & a few bottom ... A: Claire, No you should only leave your lights on at max 10 hrs a day. But your fish do not ... | |
| backup for 75 g freshwater tank | 3/17/2009 |
| Q: I need to get a backup in case of power failure , the power has been known to go out many times in ... A: Jennifer, I may not understand what you’re asking; do you need a electrical back up? Or are ... | |
| Cichlid on the bottom of tank | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: I am hoping you can help me before my cichlid perishes. I have a small keyhole cichlid, he has been ... A: David, Its hard to tell what could be wrong with him/her crashing. Is there any other signs ... | |
| baby dalmatian mollies | 3/13/2009 |
| Q: about eight months ago my black and my white molly's had babies. they were unexpected, and the ... A: Ivy, First off 2 things mollies females can hold up to 6 pregnancies at a time, so unless you ... | |
| angel fish | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: can angel fish live with cory, glow fish, dalmation mollys, tiger barbs,tetra-sm hi fin-bl, A: Amy, A lot of times it hard to tell what will get along with what, without just trying it. ... | |
| fresh water fish | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: why am I having a hard time keeping the pH level up in my tank? I have guppies and a molly in the ... A: Cindi, well are you changing the water weekly? Do you have any driftwood in the tank? Any ... | |
| General Questions :) | 3/10/2009 |
| Q: (nice name) I have asked you a question before, and your expert advice worked great. But I have a ... A: Hey Nemo, Good to hear from you again, if your fish don't seems stressed and the plants are ... | |
| Freshwater filtration 75 gallon tank | 3/9/2009 |
| Q: My questions are about the filtration i have in my tank. This is what i have: 75 gal tank, Under ... A: Robert, I would not run an UFG with a Oscar, the Oscars are susceptible to hole in the head ... | |
| Fish information | 3/8/2009 |
| Q: I recently purchased 1 small cichild green terror and 1 chichild medium tiger. Since I'm new to ... A: Andrew, The green terror needs to be in At least a 55 gal tank, and the tiger I am assuming ... | |
| high nitrate | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: my 3 tanks all have high nitrate around 40. how can i reduce it.ammonia and nitrite both 0 ph around ... A: Andy, The cheapest way is to feed less and change more water, 50% water = 50% decrease ... | |
| Is my tetra carrying eggs? | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: Can you tell me of the symptoms of a tetra fish with eggs? My fish has a swollen belly not ... A: Darci, sounds pregnant to me, however its hard to tell, one thing you can do is make sure her ... | |
| Green Water | 3/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a big problem involving green water. In the past two days, my tank WATER has turned totally ... A: Alex, The green water is most likely an algae bloom, caused from to much food, to much light, ... | |
| cichlids | 3/5/2009 |
| Q: i recently added 2 cichlids to my established aquarium, one is doing fine but the other is swimming ... A: Brandon, It does sound like swim bladder, you can google swim bladder disease for info on the ... | |
| Zebra Danio/Aquarium Testing | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a zebra danio that has just started to swim in circles and upside down. I have an adult male ... A: Marica, could be a diseases called swim bladder: Swim bladder trouble - causes loss of ... | |
| rust in tank | 2/28/2009 |
| Q: I moved to a new place and now after 6 month it appears as if i have a large amount of rust build up ... A: Cindy, Rust? are you sure its rust? if it is rust, take what ever metal you have in the water ... | |
| Small Corydoras aenus | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: I recently (4 days ago) bought three very, VERY small corydoras aenus from a local fish store. My ... A: Growth all depends on water quality, food quality, and fish quality. So it is impossible to guess ... | |
| Goldfish and Betta | 1/31/2009 |
| Q: I had no idea it could be air depletion and ammonia piosoning.Do you know the best place to get an ... A: Sorry to hear about your loss. You can get an air pump, hose, and air stone at any local fish ... | |
| Goldfish | 1/30/2009 |
| Q: EMERGENCY!!!!! My little 10 month old goldfish is on one side and kind of floating at the top. I ... A: By your description it sounds like oxygen depletion, and ammonia poisoning. You need to check your ... | |
| is my goldfish sick? | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: I currently have 2 Red cap goldfish in my tank. I've had them roughly around 5 months or so. I ... A: Although I have never dealt with this, I did some research, and I have a couple of thoughts: 1) ... | |
| stock | 1/29/2009 |
| Q: 4 black widow tetras 4 balloon mollies 1 male 3 females 1 dwarf rainbow fish 1 bristlenose plec ... A: Here is a list of your fish and the minimum tank size for each fish: Black widow tetras: 19 gallon ... | |
| farlowella | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: In my tank I have 2 swordtails, a beta, a red tail shark, a farlowella and 2 rummynose tetras My ... A: My first thought on this is your tank temp, what is it? A farlowella can only handle up to 78° F ... | |
| Good stocking mates for my 55 gallon | 1/28/2009 |
| Q: I have recently set up a 55 gallon aquarium. I did a fishless cycle which took about 3 weeks. Its ... A: Sound like you have a good stock right now, I think it is a good idea to add to the schools you ... | |
| 60lt tnk stocking | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: we have a 60 lt tank with a red tail black shark, a bristlenose catfish and a small angel fish. we ... A: No the 60 liter tank will not be big enough the Red tail black shark needs 200 liters(52gal) ... | |
| sex of platies and mollies | 1/10/2009 |
| Q: Yea um hi bill i have a mollie and a few platies as well as some other fish and i was wondering if ... A: I can’t include pictures but I can give you links that have pictures on them, they only give me a ... | |
| male angelfish with large belly | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could give me some insite as to why my make angel has developed a larger than ... A: After looking at the picture, and doing some research it looks like dropsy. Here is a link to some ... | |
| breeding bettas | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: i am a hobby breeder, of livebearers, and bettas, sold my first spawn of bettas, they are beautiful ... A: The only reason I can think that he does this is that the eggs should be on a floating plant of some ... | |
| Betta in 2.5 gal tank...to cycle or not to cycle? | 1/9/2009 |
| Q: I've read conflicting info about whether it's advisable to try to cycle a 2.5 gal. tank. Initially, ... A: First off the tank is going to cycle, whether you want it to or not. Second he maybe experiencing ... | |
| Glofish getting exceedingly skinny, bent | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I have several tanks, but one small tank with just a regular glow tetra and one Glofish. The two ... A: After reading your description, it sounds like your fish could have Fish TB or curved spine, read ... | |
| Silver Dollars | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: My mother is moving into a new office where there is an aquarium that is in sad condition. It has 2 ... A: I would go ahead and do 30% water changes every other day until the algae is cleared up, then once a ... | |
| zebrafish | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: Can you advise on how to tell the difference between male and female zebrafish? So far all i'm aware ... A: Here is an excerpt from an article on sexing zebra fish, I am also going to give you the link for ... | |
| Sick betta | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: I have a male Betta in a 1.5 gallon tank with a filter but no heater. We've had him since October ... A: I don’t think Ich can cause fin damage, but I guess anything is possible, to make sure after the ich ... | |
| Sick betta | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a male Betta in a 1.5 gallon tank with a filter but no heater. We've had him since October ... A: It really does sound like Ich, and here is an article where a lot of fish keepers agree is the best ... | |
| Problems breeding betta fish | 1/6/2009 |
| Q: I have got problems breeding betta fish, i've got a male and 3 females the get on quiet well with ... A: Could you give me some advice and tips on breeding them? -Ok the two biggest problems I see is ... | |
| parrot cichld and oscars, compatability | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: I HAVE A 55 GAL TANK WITH A 3 IN. RED OSCAR, SMALL PARROT CICHLID AND MED SIZE PARROT CICHLID. ALL 3 ... A: You just have to keep an eye on them I have a 55 gal with a tiger Oscar and a blood parrot cichlid ... | |
| sajicas | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: simese fighters, and a few i cant name (forgot names) i have always asked at the stores i brought ... A: I didn’t know how to answer this so I did some investigating, and yes they could injure your other ... | |
| betta | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: I just got a new betta fish. I wanted to get him a filter and heater, but my parents refused, so we ... A: To keep a Betta healthy, remember to provide him with plenty of clean, warm water. Your Betta's ... | |
| setting up new tank | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I am setting up a new 55 gal tank, using driftwood and plantings. I am wanting to start with angel ... A: I am wanting to start with angel fish and some community tetras, swordtails, rainbow fish, pleco., ... | |
| Guppy illness / behavior | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I have a 60L tropical biOrb tank with 2 male guppies, 2 female guppies, and 10 cardinal tetras. I ... A: Yes this time the pet store was right you had too many males for your male to female ratio, it ... | |
| RO DI system not resulting in the PH | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I’ve a discus tank and few days ago I bought a brand New RO+DI system. It works perfectly in ... A: Usually, the pH drop is largest for waters with high amounts of alkalinity or HCO3. When there ... | |
| Tank and Fish | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I only have a 10 gallon tank and was wondering what if any kinds of fish species can live in that ... A: Guppies like all kinds of food, some of there favorites are: Baby Brine Shrimp Micro Worms Daphnia ... | |
| spirulina | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: what are spirulina eggs? Can they actually hatch are they a living species? A: The way I understand it, it is a living form of algae used in food for fish and people carrying a ... | |
| angel fish eggs | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: I have a 29 gallon tank with 2 angel fish, 1 gourmi, 2 dannos and 1 cory catfish. I recently put in ... A: Have the eggs turned white yet? If not they may still be good, also are you sure that you have a ... | |
| My fish are dropping like flies! HELP!! | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: I am in desperate need of help for my tank full of fish. I think I know what may have happened but ... A: Without knowing what sickness they have its hard to say what you should do, here is a good site for ... | |
| guppys | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: bill, i was wondering how many guppy's can i have in a 5 gallon aquarium if i already have a ... A: If you’re planning on breeding them, I would get a new tank, 10 gals at least. And to successfully ... | |
| goldfish companion | 1/2/2009 |
| Q: We currently have one calico fantail in a ten gallon aquarium. We feed him about 10 pellets twice a ... A: In a 10 gal tank the only fish I can think of that he would like would be a common goldfish, and ... | |
| cichilds | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: can i keep convict cichilds with a 6 inch spiny peacock eel,2 platys,2 mollies(and there fry),4 ... A: can i keep convict cichilds with a 6 inch spiny peacock eel,2 platys,2 mollies(and there fry),4 ... | |
| help with getting more fish for my aquarium | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I am a beginner aquarist. I have a 15 gallon tank. I have 2 penguin tetras, 2 bleeding heart tetras. ... A: Here is an article on tetra and tankmates: Compatibility: Most tetras are peaceful fish that mix ... | |
| Cloudy tank | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a 55 gal tank with gold fish, a couple of swordtails and a large platy. I have a 30-60 ... A: Any suggestion on how to clear it up? -Well you could be over feeding, with goldfish you ... | |
| Clown Loche Lost color in tail | 12/30/2008 |
| Q: I have a 20 gallon freshwater community tank. 2 mollys, 2 angel fish, 2 guppies, 2 dannies. I added ... A: temp in tank is 74 and all levels are good. PH 6.8. what is wrong here? -other than your going ... | |
| RO DI system not resulting in the PH | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I’ve a discus tank and few days ago I bought a brand New RO+DI system. It works perfectly in ... A: I already answer this question, I told you if the CO is not present in your water then there will be ... | |
| My oscar is causing damage to the other one | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I have two Oscars one is around 5 inches long the other is around 4 inches long. The larger one is ... A: Is there anything else that i can use for them to use as a breeding spot a glass plate or maybe ... | |
| My oscar is causing damage to the other one | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I have two Oscars one is around 5 inches long the other is around 4 inches long. The larger one is ... A: Here is an article on what to expect when the Oscars are mating: "A pair of breeding Oscars will go ... | |
| transferring cichlids | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: i hav an existing 55 gal tank with 2 oscars, 2 jack dempseys, 3 firemouths, 1green terror& 2red ... A: First off good idea to transfer. Second no, I would do a fishless cycle on the new tank, Just ... | |
| Unusual Wound on 2 Dalmation Mollies | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: Hope you can help with a bit of a startling problem we've only just noticed with 2 of our Dalmation ... A: After investigation the only thing I can come up with is that you have an aggressive fish in the ... | |
| cichlid care | 12/27/2008 |
| Q: I have inherited a 35gl tank with cichlids from a man unable to care for them no more due to health ... A: Yes they are at risk, and the cloudy eye sounds like it could be ich. And you most likely will ... | |
| high nitrite levels | 12/26/2008 |
| Q: I'm really new to fish keeping. Bought 30 litre tank. run it for 2 weeks without fish, tested ... A: Well it sounds like your tank is going through its nitrogen cycle; usually the ammonia will spike ... | |
| ok, i'm not stalking you... i promise | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: i just thought of another question... how do i feed baby snails to my puffers? won't i chance an ... A: Like I said drop them in front of there path, or just put them in there, yes you do risk an ... | |
| oh yeah... i forgot to mention... | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: with the puffer fish thing... i have a 10 gal. aquarium full of nothing but hatching baby apple ... A: I would do this; feed some of this other food once a day: Bloodworms *Black worms *Meal worms ... | |
| new cichlid tank | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: 2 and everything has been set such as the filter and gravel and decor. When am I allowed to actually ... A: Tanks take any where from 5 to 8 weeks to cycle, you can get an ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate test ... | |
| my figure 8's and their behavior... | 12/23/2008 |
| Q: i currently have 3 small figure 8's, and they contently swim up & down along the aquarium walls. ... A: OK a couple of things, how old is the tank? Have you checked your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates ... | |
| Convicts | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: Could you please tell me a little something about convicts breeding and how long after they lay ... A: Someone once described breeding convicts as "just add water and fish", and this is pretty accurate! ... | |
| my fish are dying | 12/21/2008 |
| Q: everytime i buy a few new fish some of them dont servive am i doing something wrong. do we need to ... A: Well it could be a number of things, and it is hard to tell without detailed info on what it is you ... | |
| Lighting | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I have started my 5 gal aquarium cycling as you suggested so hopefully soon i will be ready to start ... A: how much light should i use and is it best to have it on a timer? I have never thought about turning ... | |
| Aquarium Lighting | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I have two tanks.One,a 42 gallon with 2 Orandas,1Black Moore,1Ryukin,1peppered cory cat,1large ... A: The best thing to do with lighting is 1 watt per gallon of water, if there hanging out on the bottom ... | |
| probems w/ ammonia | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I have a 12 gal. tank. 3 fancy tail guppys, 3 mollies, and 1 loney cory that needs a friend. My ... A: How old is that tank? if it is under 8 weeks old it is still cycling, but even if its not sounds ... | |
| fresh water fish tank | 12/19/2008 |
| Q: I'm having problems with my fish tank. The water is a greenish color and I have changed it twice ... A: The water is a greenish color and I have changed it twice replaced the filters and even added ... | |
| cleaning and set up | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: I am going to get a 55 gallon aquarium for christmas and i was wondering if you add the water or ... A: I add half the water then the deco, then the rest of the water. And no do not take the fish out ... | |
| AQUARIUM | 12/18/2008 |
| Q: WHAT ELSE CAN I USE FOR AQUARIUM BOTTOM INSTEAD OF GRAVEL IS THERE ANY OTHER OPTION. ESPECIALLY FOR ... A: WHAT ELSE CAN I USE FOR AQUARIUM BOTTOM INSTEAD OF GRAVEL IS THERE ANY OTHER OPTION. ESPECIALLY FOR ... | |
| Guppies | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I have a problem. Do guppies get pregnant at the Pet store before you buy them? Just because they ... A: Do guppies get pregnant at the Pet store before you buy them? -yes, or on there way to the pet ... | |
| aquarium filters | 12/17/2008 |
| Q: I am setting up a new tank[ 50 gal] and would like to know what kind of filter do you recommend? ... A: First off thank you for asking me this question, Second I actually dislike undergravel ... | |
| Goldfish Epidemic | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: Hey Bill, I've asked you a question before, and your advice helped me out so I decided I could ... A: Glad to hear your goldfish is recovering :) As far as you current sick fish I did some ... | |
| new tank setup - critical question | 12/15/2008 |
| Q: My dad's girlfriend had around a 10 gal tank (not sure how to check the size) and my dad cleaned the ... A: I am going to assume he cleaned the inside of the glass, if so take all of the fish out into a ... | |
| Overstocked tank? | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I find there's a zillion resources out there saying what the 'right' amount of fish is for an ... A: Sorry really sorry to hear about you loss, I understand as I had to euthanize a female guppie last ... | |
| New fish owner | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I just bought a new aquarium. My husband and I did the 24 hour thing. The PH is perfect, etc. We ... A: First off thank you for asking me this question. Next temp isn’t your only concern, yes the ... | |
| is it 2 much | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: i have 150lt freshwater tank which i`ve had for 1yr in it i`ve got 6 swordtail`s and 6 swordtail`s ... A: First off let me thank you for asking me this question. Yes you are already at an ... | |
| Algae Growth!!! | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I have aAbout a month or two ago, I planted a plant in my aquarium (not sure of the name). Now it is ... A: First off let me thank you for asking me this question. I would check into getting a UV ... | |
| Guppie Behavior. | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: First time ive ever owned a fish of this Species. i purchased(wild) 1 male and 1 female Guppie from ... A: New tank syndrome...your tank isn’t cycled, and the fish are probable are under considerable stress ... | |
| freshwater beginner | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: I do not have an aquarium yet but am going to get one soon and i do have some questions. first off I ... A: First off let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question. First off I was wondering if it ... | |
| Guppie Behavior. | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: First time ive ever owned a fish of this Species. i purchased(wild) 1 male and 1 female Guppie from ... A: First off let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question. Second off how long has ... | |
| in4mation | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: i have a 20 gallon aquarium and 3 balloon mollies 1m and 2f. 1-i just wna know that can i keep more ... A: First off let me thank you for letting me answer this question for you. Next here is some good ... | |
| hello | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: i want to ask one more question that my goldfish is a butterfly tail..is it a fancy one?? ANSWER: ... A: Ok the rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish (max size) for every 1 gallon of water. With that in ... | |
| Planted Tank | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: Hey Bill! I currently have 2 freshwater tanks. I had one male betta in each, but recently, one of ... A: Yep that sounds good, and for the 29 and 90 gallon I recommend doing a fishless cycle for 3 reasons: ... | |
| Shubunkin scepticemia | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: Yesterday I noticed that the dorsal fin of one of my shubunkins seemed to have blood in it and he ... A: Hellen, I was just wondering, is it fairly obvious when the fish is cured? Will the red go ... | |
| Planted Tank | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: Hey Bill! I currently have 2 freshwater tanks. I had one male betta in each, but recently, one of ... A: First off let me thank you for asking me this question. ROLE OF THUMB: 1 inch of fish (at its max ... | |
| plecos | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a plecos that is about 5 years old. Last night he started jumping out of the water and ... A: With the removal of your plants the nitrates have most likely risen, I don’t know what level they ... | |
| plecos | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: I have a plecos that is about 5 years old. Last night he started jumping out of the water and ... A: First off let me thank you for letting me answer this question. I did some investigating and ... | |
| hello again | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: i want to ask one more question that my goldfish is a butterfly tail..is it a fancy one?? A: Let me start off by apologizing for not answering fast enough the first time:) Yes that is a ... | |
| Shubunkin scepticemia | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: Yesterday I noticed that the dorsal fin of one of my shubunkins seemed to have blood in it and he ... A: First off let me thank you for asking me this question. Second the issue does sound like fin ... | |
| help!! | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: can you tell me in which exact temperature a goldfish will stay longer??i have one in a fishbowl..is ... A: First off let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question. Second, most goldfish ... | |
| platy | 12/12/2008 |
| Q: ANSWER: Hello Joel, First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my ... A: In my experience I would say most likely, tonight night or early morning she will give birth. I ... | |
| red bellied piranah | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: over the last few days my piranah has developed white fuzzy spots over his head and large one on his ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down for 3 ... | |
| Water flow in a 60 gallon. | 12/11/2008 |
| Q: I just set up a 60 gallon tank for about 2 months now. Here are the current fish in my tank: 2 red ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down for 3 ... | |
| air pump effiency | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: i have a 20 gallon with 2 angles and a small pleco and a 40 gallon air pump but it doesn't work like ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| filtration | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: any ideas about what to do with a filter that causes the current to be too strong for my fish? When ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| Starting a fish tank | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: We would like to set up a 20 to 45 gallon fish tank in our living room. Because of it's location ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| guppies | 12/10/2008 |
| Q: I bought two female guppies. I looked up on line and found out that they were both pregnant!!! They ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| dying molly? | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a female balloon molly who is absolutely huge. Today she "puffed" out her scales and sunk to ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| Overstocked tank? | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: I find there's a zillion resources out there saying what the 'right' amount of fish is for an ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| SA cichlid tank | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: I have a 55g cycling now w/ ecocomplete substraite and a 20g high w/2 Bolivian Rams, 2 Khuli ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| Dying fish.... | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: I was wondering if you could help me. It started when i had one beta fish and me and my mom bought ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| Oscar tank | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: .I have a few questions please. Currently I have 2 Oscars a midas and texas cichlid 1 bichir and 1 ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| platy | 12/9/2008 |
| Q: hi i have a pregnant platy she has a gravid spot that is black on her abdomen and she looks like a ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| catfish eggs australia | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: ..... i was just wondering is there any way to buy catfish EGGS in australia by mail i ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| goldfish | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: Recently my goldfish have been just "sitting" on the bottom. They are still eating ok but just sit ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| freshwater puffer fish | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: ive got a 190 ltr tank.i wonder if you could please advise me on the biggest freshwater puffer i ... A: First off let me say I am sorry for taking so long to get back to you, my internet was down, and ... | |
| tank setup | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: i want 2 setup a 125gal tank for sa cichlids. can u help with the essentials; such as how much ... A: Ok first of all let me thank you for asking me this question. As far as a tank set up, I use a ... | |
| Setting up new freshwater tank | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: I am setting up a new freshwater tank. It is a 40 gallon. I have never had one this size. I have 3 ... A: First off let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question for you. I have 3 female bettas ... | |
| goldfish | 12/8/2008 |
| Q: Recently my goldfish have been just "sitting" on the bottom. They are still eating ok but just sit ... A: First off let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question. Second it could be a ... | |
| platies | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: Is my platy about to give birth? well i have a female twin bar platy and a male the female has a ... A: First of all thank you for picking me to answer this question. Second by your description it ... | |
| new aquarium user | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: new 20 gal aquarium lost a water frog, cat fish and a gold fish that was gold, white and black. ... A: First of all let me thank you for choosing me to answer this question, and sorry for your loss. ... | |
| I just got this fish.... | 12/7/2008 |
| Q: .. I have a 55 gallon tank that I set up at the end of the summer. I needed to bring my plecos and ... A: Sure here it is: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/weather-loach-misgurnis-anguillicaudatus ... | |
| betta...him or her?? | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: I have a betta, a short-tailed betta, that has the little white dot that females usually have....but ... A: First of all let me say thank you for choosing me to answer this question. Second I don’t keep ... | |
| Really gross fungus | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: I cleaned out my filter yesterday with help from my partner. Normally I expect a bit of gunge, but ... A: First off let me say thank you for choosing me to answer this question. Second I would of coarse ... | |
| redtailcatfish | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: hi i have a 4inch redtail catfish but the tail is black the store i got him from has a 3ft redtail ... A: Good Morning Timothy, First off thank you for choosing my to answer this question. Here ... | |
| redtailcatfish | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: the store i got it from had a 3ft in a 240gal with a black tail. is thi common A: Good Morning Timothy, First off thank you for choosing my to answer this question. Here ... | |
| goldfish looks like fin rot | 12/6/2008 |
| Q: lion head, 1 telescope two bubble eyed and 1 common) one sucker cat and couple of snails fishes all ... A: Good morning Bob, First off thank you for choosing me to answer this question. After ... | |
| I just got this fish.... | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: .. I have a 55 gallon tank that I set up at the end of the summer. I needed to bring my plecos and ... A: Fish Part 1: the Gourami problem is to many males they get competitive and the 2 picking on the one ... | |
| swordtail | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: i was up all night reading and researching fish and some of their habbits. also i was looking up on ... A: The problem if thats what your question is sounds like fin rot, after some investigating this is ... | |
| aquarium stocking | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: i'm contemplating on buying either a 100 or 125 gallon tank to raise sa cichlids(ie;oscars,jack ... A: Lets work with the 125 gal well Oscars require a minimum of 55 gallons per fish that brings us to ... | |
| cichild | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: why do my fish swim on the top of the water alot? ANSWER: Hi Opanga, What temp do you keep you ... A: Ok the first thing I see and most likely the problem is over stoking and here is why: 55 gal tank ... | |
| cichild | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: why do my fish swim on the top of the water alot? ANSWER: Hi Opanga, What temp do you keep you ... A: what type of cichlids are they? the second thing comes to mind is water quality what are your ... | |
| cichild | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: why do my fish swim on the top of the water alot? A: What temp do you keep you tank? if its in the upper 70's to lower 80's then I would say its probably ... | |
| Goldfish Escape-ee | 12/5/2008 |
| Q: Hey Bill, My goldfish (named Smeagol) recently escaped from his aquarium. My sister found him (who ... A: Ok first of all the first thing that pops into my head after reading your message, is why did he ... | |
| Algae Bloom | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I had an algae bloom happen in early October (tank set up for a year now). Since then, I've been ... A: Well first of all algae blooms are usually caused from to much light, I would start by making sure ... | |
| Silver Mollie, swollen lips | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: Adult (over 1 yr old), female silver mollie has very swollen lips. Lips do NOT appear 'cottony'. ... A: Good Morning Tracy, Sorry to hear about your mollies. The male mollies defiantly look ... | |
| SHOULD I RESTART MY TANK? | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I have a 12 gallon eclipse tank that had one black moor goldfish (Mr. Wiggles). I've had the tank ... A: Good Morning Janine, First off let me say, I am sorry for your loss, it’s hard when you loose ... | |
| swordtail | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: i was up all night reading and researching fish and some of their habbits. also i was looking up on ... A: Good Morning Faye, Females mature at about 3 months of age, perhaps sooner in a warmer tank. ... | |
| Mating question | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: I have an adult female pink convict(3.5" long) and a jeweled, not sure of his age, or sex to be ... A: I wasn’t sure how to answer this, I would imagine that since they are both convicts, that they ... | |
| aquarium stocking | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: i'm contemplating on buying either a 100 or 125 gallon tank to raise sa cichlids(ie;oscars,jack ... A: Well that’s a difficult question to answer because you don’t have a definite type of fish you’re ... | |
| swordtail | 12/4/2008 |
| Q: we have different tank setups like two oscas on their own and a cichlid only tank and two comunity ... A: Ok water cant be near on and not have an adverse effect on fish. if this is the case I recommend a ... | |
| Zebra Danio with Dropsy | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a 29 gal tank with 4 danios, a female dwarf gourami, 2 loaches, 2 guppies, 1 turquoise ... A: My first question is what type of loaches, and possible overcrowding? I would defiantly do a 50% ... | |
| Gourami | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: I have a dwarf Gourami. Gouramis are new to me. I am used to goldfish but decided to venture on to ... A: Ok it is very possible that it could be overcrowding, the rule is 1 INCH of fish per gallon of tank ... | |
| swordtail | 12/3/2008 |
| Q: we have different tank setups like two oscas on their own and a cichlid only tank and two comunity ... A: I spend a lot of time breeding Dalmatian Mollies for friends, and guppies for feeding my Tiger ... | |
Freshwater Aquarium
Answers by Expert:
William Covington
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
Currently I keep a wide range of species and have a lot of experience in; cichlids, platies, goldfish, bettas, dalmatian mollies, fancy guppies, clown loaches, corydoras catfish, and zebra danios, feeding, care, and fishless cycling tanks(I feel it is more humane.) I know some about breeding, as I breed Dalmatian mollies, and fancy guppies. If I don’t know the answer I will do my best to get an educated answer for you. I don’t know anything about saltwater except its a pain in the rear.
Experience
I have experience in setting up fishless tanks, compatible species (community tanks) experience, what to and what not to feed certain species, cleaning the tank, and all around fish care.
Organizations
My local Fish club "Clown Loaches and you"
Education/Credentials
I own and maintain a large number of tanks with many various tropical fish species. During my fish keeping past I have learned a lot of the myths and truths about tropical fish care. Currently I keep a wide range of species, as well as taken numerous classes on fish keeping.
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