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About Chris Robbins
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I have 25 years of personal experience as a pet store employee and manager in the family pet store business. The main part of our business was Freshwater Fish. I can answer questions on; Fish care, diseases, parasites and fish identification, feeding your fish, breeding and sexing your fish, setting up your aquarium, cleaning your aquarium, and "what`s this weird stuff in my tank/on my fish" questions. I am not an African Cichlid expert, not a Plant expert and not a Brackish setup expert. No Pond or Saltwater Questions Please.

Experience
Experience in the area
I worked in and managed my family's fish and pet and fish store for 26 years and maintained the 35 aquariums. My experience also has included in-home consultation and aquarium maintenance for my clients.

You are here: Experts > Animals/Pets > Pet Fish > Freshwater Aquarium

Questions Answered By Expert Chris Robbins
In Category Freshwater Aquarium

Subject	Date Asked

Oscars keep	8/28/2008
Q: my question is this.. recently i had bought this beautiful large oscar for my 75 gallon tank.. so ... A: I'm so glad they are better! The coral sand is indeed what is causing the elevation in pH. It is ...
Fresh Water Fish	8/27/2008
Q: How do I correct my fishes equilibrium? A: It depends on the cause whether it can be treated at all. Treatment also depends on what kind of ...
Sick fish	8/26/2008
Q: How long has your tank been set up?- 4 months How big is your tank?- 20 gallon What type of fish?- 4 ... A: Their bodies aren't always really bloated looking. Maybe just enough fluid has built up to cause the ...
Oscars keep "yawning"	8/26/2008
Q: my question is this.. recently i had bought this beautiful large oscar for my 75 gallon tank.. so ... A: Oscars "yawn" when their gills are irritated. It's probably from an ammonia and/or nitrite spike ...
compatibility parrot with severum	8/25/2008
Q: i have a couple of parrots & they are always hiding is there any solution? what is your idea about ... A: Your tank is just too small for more fish, especially more large cichlids. It's actually too small ...
Gold Mystery Snails	8/25/2008
Q: See I am going to start a fish tank. I am thinking about getting gold mystery snails and platies. ... A: Gold mystery snails and platies will get along just fine. Don't worry about the snails' shells. ...
parrot fish	8/24/2008
Q: My parrot fish have lay eggs in my little cave. I was trying to remember what color was fertilized. ... A: Unless they are actually in the act of spawning it's almost impossible to sex them because there are ...
Top Fin dechlorinator	8/23/2008
Q: The sample bottle of dechlorinator is gone so I bought Top Fin dechlorinator. I just changed the ... A: Don't worry, it isn't going to kill your fish. I have used very large doses of water conditioners ...
2 fish in tank have ailments	8/23/2008
Q: We have a 46 gallon tank, 75 degrees, Marineland Bio-wheel penguin power filter, water changes 15.3 ... A: It sounds like a swim bladder disorder. The swim bladder is a gas-filled organ inside the fish below ...
helppp ammonia to highhh	8/22/2008
Q: IVE HAD MY TANK FOR ABOUT 2 AND A HALF YEARS ITS A 75 GALLON. ITS CAME WITH 2 FISH IN IT ALREADY A ... A: The first thing to do when ammonia spikes is to make a water change. Replace 25% of the water and ...
Dying plecostomas	8/22/2008
Q: 3 years, 75 gallons, all peaceful, 20, emperor dual bio wheel and a magnum, 6.8ph, monthly, approx ... A: I would make more frequent water changes and vacuum the gravel more often. Plecos need very clean ...
I have 2 questions about 2 tanks.	8/21/2008
Q: My name is Kim we have a 10 gallon tank that has been up and running for about 6 months or more. We ... A: The goldfish are probably just getting too big for the tank finally. Try running an air pump to give ...
Dying plecostomas	8/21/2008
Q: 3 years, 75 gallons, all peaceful, 20, emperor dual bio wheel and a magnum, 6.8ph, monthly, approx ... A: Pleco deaths can be from dirty gravel, bullying by other fish, chronic high nitrates and, strangely ...
90 gallon planted tank	8/20/2008
Q: I am in the process of changing my 90 gallon cycled planted tank, and am looking for some new ... A: That sounds like a very nice mix of fish. Ropes can be delicate but you already have an elephant and ...
pleco,moly,fish deaths	8/11/2008
Q: My tank is running for about 4 months. The readings are fine for quite some time. I have been adding ... A: I'm so sorry you lost your favorite fish. That's a shame. There are many possible causes for his ...
parrots	8/11/2008
Q: i have 6 parrot fish in a 70 litre tank, they are still young but two pairs have now got fry.. i ... A: Some parrot fish are sterile, many are not. It was once thought that since they are a hybridized ...
types of fish?	8/10/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon freshwater tank and 4 small fish in it. I was wanting to get a "sucker fish/ ... A: The best algae eater for small tanks is called "Otocinclus". They grow to be no larger than two ...
dying fish and plants	8/10/2008
Q: 15 gal set up 3 months ago (for father's day). initially set up with soil, drift wood, plants, sm ... A: It's okay to leave your filter alone as long as it flows freely. It may look pretty yucky but the ...
dying fish and plants	8/9/2008
Q: 15 gal set up 3 months ago (for father's day). initially set up with soil, drift wood, plants, sm ... A: Aloha Lorraine; The first losses within the first two months were due to New Tank Syndrome I'm ...
cotton ball looking algae	8/8/2008
Q: i have a 30 gal. tank that has been setup 1yr or longer. i have guppies and those pot bellied ... A: You didn't mention what color it is but if it's white fuzzy cotton balls, it isn't algae. White or ...
disease?	8/8/2008
Q: I have a 55 gallon tank it has been set up for about 2 weeks i have two Oscar fish i have an emperor ... A: Your oscars have a parasite known as "Ich", Or "Ick". You can get a medication for it at your local ...
Stocking question	8/7/2008
Q: and thanks for your time. I am planning to set up a 210 gallon tank very soon, and plan to stock a ... A: Oh, GLASS knife....yes, very cool fish and indeed schooling which is unusual for that family. Baby ...
Stocking question	8/7/2008
Q: and thanks for your time. I am planning to set up a 210 gallon tank very soon, and plan to stock a ... A: It sounds like it will be a beautiful tank. I'm so jealous! I don't have room for one that big. ...
New puffer	8/6/2008
Q: i just got a green spotted pufferfish today. I noticed that inthe tank at the store, it had a ... A: He was stressed from being moved. He should continue to settle in to his new home as long as the ...
Sucker Fish	8/5/2008
Q: I have had one of my bottom feeders since it was a baby..(6 yrs).. I just noticed today that there ... A: He may have become injured somehow. Sometimes another sucker fish will accidentally "poke" another ...
Curious & Confused	8/5/2008
Q: My parrotfish just had babies and I want to know how to tell which ones are girls and which ones are ... A: I forgot to answer the question about the upside-down cat...so sorry! He is a threat to the babies ...
15 gallon	8/3/2008
Q: Do you think i could put 1 female kribensis 3 male platies and maybe 2 otocinclus in my 15 gallon?I ... A: If you're lucky enough to get a very docile female kribensis it might work but I wouldn't count on ...
oxygen in freshwater tank	8/3/2008
Q: Is it possible that too much oxygen is not good? I bought an air filter for a 100 gallon tank but ... A: You shouldn't have a problem with too much oxygen because you're only pumping in atmospheric air, ...
15 gallon	8/2/2008
Q: My aquarium as been setup for about a month.Its 15 gallons and i was wondering if i could fit(all ... A: The fish you listed will actually more than max-out the tank for population. For a community tank of ...
tropical fish water ph	8/2/2008
Q: My 125 gallon tank has been set up since january. I have guppies,clowns,plecos,platties,silver ... A: If the pH used to be up higher all the time there may be excess waste in the gravel making it drop ...
terrarium	8/1/2008
Q: How can I tell if a 125g tank is a terrarium or aquarium? A: Sometimes there is no difference and they are interchangeable, but sometimes not. Glass thickness is ...
15 gallon	8/1/2008
Q: My aquarium as been setup for about a month.Its 15 gallons and i was wondering if i could fit(all ... A: That would be one very stressed out bunch of fish if you added a flying for or a redtailed shark. ...
white spot/string on calico goldfish	7/31/2008
Q: Tank has been set up for about 4 months, but just added this fish yesterday. Tank is a 10 gallon. I ... A: I would suspect he is in shock from being moved to a new home and it's possible he has an injury ...
sick zebra danio	7/31/2008
Q: I have a 20 gallon tank with three black mollies, five neon tetras and five zebra danios. One of ... A: It sounds like a case of a Mycobacterium infection. It is commonly called "Fish TB". Unfortunately ...
jack dempsey	7/30/2008
Q: i have a jack who has had his front fin eaten off by a pecostumus, also in the last couple weeks he ... A: It is very typical for any fish to pick on and even kill an injured, weak or sick fish. The pinkish ...
set up for 125 gallon tank	7/29/2008
Q: My husband and I have purchased a used 125 gallon tank and would like to know what size heater you ... A: Heater size depends on the average room temperature compared to the temperature you want your tank ...
Sunfire Platy ...is it sick?	7/29/2008
Q: I have had two sunfire platies (1 male, 1 female) along with two Danio fish living in a 2.5 gallon ... A: She has dropsy, and unfortunately the prognosis is not good. The bloatiness and scales sticking out ...
correct pH tablets and danios	7/28/2008
Q: I have some danios in a 5 gallon tank (how many is too many?) and I want to know if I can put ... A: Your fish were used to the old water and when such a large quantity of new fresh water was added ...
red wag swordtail/ghost catfish	7/27/2008
Q: We just started with fish and we have two red wag swordtails. I've noticed that one will disappear ... A: The hiding fish may be a female and is trying to escape the attention of the male. Or, they are both ...
goldfish with an open wound	7/27/2008
Q: how can cure my goldfish when it has an open wound which i have no idea where did it get it? pls. i ... A: Ulcers and open wounds on goldfish are usually caused by bacterial infections. Bacterial infection ...
Breeding	7/26/2008
Q: I have an albino tiger Oscar fish and two convicts along with a plecostomus(sorry about the ... A: Oscars and other cichlids are territorial so they stake out their own area and dig whether breeding ...
mix communty of fish	7/26/2008
Q: hi about a month ago i bought a 80 gallon tank and the guy included a 10 inch red devil a fire mouth ... A: You need to get that red devil out of there into a second tank or he could kill all your fish. They ...
pectoral fin injury	7/25/2008
Q: did everything to the book with regards to setting up the tank, etc. Water tests and partial water ... A: Are the other fish bullying him? They may need to be separated. Could there be more fish lice in ...
dusty tank	7/25/2008
Q: I have a question concerning the water in my tank. This is my first fish tank. I have a 60 gallon ... A: I know it seems too obvious but you might try wiping the inside of the glass. Sometimes a film ...
New To Fish keeping	7/24/2008
Q: Hey, Im all new to this fish keeping stuff so i apologize if i say anything stupid. Anyways I bought ... A: You don't have to apologize. The information you have provided is very helpful. You can't find out ...
sick pregnant guppy?	7/24/2008
Q: I have recently purchased a pregnant guppy. She has been in my 30 gallon tank with platies and other ... A: If the spots are about the size of grains of salt they are probably ich. It's a parasite that you ...
redtailed black shark	7/23/2008
Q: Its 15 gallons and as tropical freshwater fish.I have 4 wcmm,6 zebra danios,2 albino corys,3 khuli ... A: A redtail shark needs a much bigger tank and he might nip your betta's fins anyway. Your tank is ...
Raising PH/Establishing Biological Filtration	7/23/2008
Q: I'll start from the beginning. For the last 8 months I have had a well established 10 gallon ... A: It is very normal to experience an ammonia spike when adding new fish or when setting up a new tank. ...
Ick	7/21/2008
Q: Do you have to remove activated carbon before dropping the ick medicine in the water ? Will anything ... A: You should remove carbon before using medicine. Carbon absorbs medications just like it absorbs ...
fish tank mates	7/21/2008
Q: i have a 30 gallon aquarium and i have 2 bala sharks(i know thy get bigger in a few years) a red ... A: I'm not sure about any cichlids with those types of fish in that size tank. The only ones I think ...
Bio wheel filter	7/20/2008
Q: I have a tank that I had an oranda goldfish. Before my oranda died he had dropsy and bacterial ... A: Without knowing for sure what disease infected the previous fish it might be best to get all new ...
Chinese Algae Eater: Yay or Nay?	7/20/2008
Q: I am moving in three weeks and can finally set up my 40 gallon (woohoo!); as I already have 3 baby ... A: I say "no" to Chinese Algae Eaters for any tank. They eat algae as young fish but turn very ...
silver sharks	7/19/2008
Q: my tank is 6mths set up is 180 litres with fluval filter mixed fish guamies 3 rest mollies, platties ... A: Silver sharks, also called "Bala Sharks" can be a bit sensitive to water chemistry and water ...
My Oranda is Sick???	7/18/2008
Q: Yesterday I noticed a large pinkish blob around my Oranda's butt. It looks kind of like his/her ... A: It could just be inflammation from constipation, or his intestines may have actually prolapsed. Give ...
beta fish tank	7/18/2008
Q: do you need a filter in a betta tank? A: Bettas don't need filters but it does help the water quality. If you have a filter it should not ...
what is it?	7/17/2008
Q: I was cleaning my fish tank out today and noticed tiny black worms.There were about 10 that i saw ... A: I know it sounds weird but they are probably ""blackworms" just as they look. They are feeding on ...
help my sick fish	7/17/2008
Q: My Fish Question i have 2 Siamese fish and a few months ago my oldest one seem to be sick he ... A: Swim bladder disorder often isn't correctable I'm afraid. There are many causes for it; ...
Balloon Body Gold Ram	7/16/2008
Q: I have had my tank since Christmas. It's a 10 gallon. I have 2 White Shirt Tetras, 3 x-ray tetras, ... A: I forgot to mention that Rams tend to be a bit shy. Adding more plants will help him feel more ...
Angel fish disease	7/16/2008
Q: I have two angel fish in a 20 gallon tank with a carbon type filter. I change the water about ... A: They need to be separated for sure. The stress of being constantly bullied is weakening the sick ...
Poorly Fish : (	7/15/2008
Q: Please help. I have recently (2 months ago) changed my two fish over from a fifty litre tank to a ... A: I would take the new ones back to the fish store. It's just too many fish for that size aquarium and ...
black mollies	7/15/2008
Q: tank setup-3 months tank size-30 gallon type of fish-tropical/black mollies/glow fish fish amount-7 ... A: Yes, the males will eat the babies and so will the females, including the mothers. Livebearing fish ...
Betta spawning	7/14/2008
Q: I have a question about betta fry. My betta fish havent spawned yet, but when they do how long can ... A: Once the fry are "free-swimming" and no longer need to be in the bubble nest it's time to move the ...
getting started help!	7/14/2008
Q: We are interested in purchasing a 10 gallon take w/ various fish but I have NO idea where to start. ... A: Mollies, some tetras and ghost shrimp are actually okay together as long as the tank is big enough ...
Pet Store	7/13/2008
Q: I'm going to turn 16 soon, and I'm beginning to look for a job. I have had fish practically my whole ... A: Go to college and earn a degree if you have that opportunity. With a degree, you have so many more ...
Sick fish	7/13/2008
Q: Tanks has been set up for 4 months and going well Tank is 6 x 2 x 2 1/2 Barramundi x 2 Saratoga x 1 ... A: Whitish fungus growing in places in the tank is usually from a saprolegnia fungus. It is from ...
columbian sharks	7/12/2008
Q: i have a 33 gal. with 2 Columbian sharks (8-10 cm), 4 clown loaches (4-5cm), 2 khuli loaches, and 1 ... A: Your betta was probably eaten but they aren't toxic to other fish. He should have been digested by ...
Vacation Food	7/11/2008
Q: Do you know of a feeding block that has nutritional value and is attractive to most fresh water ... A: I haven't seen those vacation sticks for years and looking at Tetra's site it appears they don't ...
platies	7/11/2008
Q: i set up a tank a while back and added 6 platies (2 male 4 female) 2 angelfish and 3 corydoras and i ... A: Without any information about the size of your tank, filtration, water temperature, maintenance ...
Terrapins moving home......	7/10/2008
Q: my problem is regarding setting up my new tank, im keeping terrapins in the tank not fish but hope ... A: It depends on which type of terrapin you have and how big it gets. I don't remember too much about ...
I think my betta has gill disease!!?!?!	7/10/2008
Q: and first off thank you for taking time out of your day to read my question and try to help me and ... A: I think he has a failed swim bladder. The inflamed gill may simply be irritated by rubbing on ...
Terrapins moving home......	7/9/2008
Q: my problem is regarding setting up my new tank, im keeping terrapins in the tank not fish but hope ... A: "Filter Media" is just the stuff that fills the inside of your filter and collects waste. Follow the ...
3 year old Pleco acting strange	7/9/2008
Q: Tank set up 3 years 55 gallon 1 3 year old Pleco, 10 Mollies, 1 Eclipse cat, 3 Cory cats, 1 Rosy ... A: Jaws was just really stressed by the high temperature. Hopefully he will be okay in a day or two. ...
ick	7/8/2008
Q: I've had a wonderfull tank set up for about 3 years, I got me a new 16 gallon bow front for my 2 ... A: Find a product that doesn't bother catfish or says to use a half-dose with catfish and other ...
Stocking 55 gallon	7/7/2008
Q: Someone is giving me a 55 gallon tank. I was hoping that someone could help me through the steps of ... A: Carbon or no carbon doesn't matter in length of cycling. The Cycling or Break-in Period just takes ...
convicts ciclid babies; cleaning the tank	7/7/2008
Q: I have a 30 gal. tank and i got some convict cichlids i have 3 pairs. one pair in the flower pot on ... A: All tanks really need a 25% water change once a week. Just do your best to avoid disturbing the ...
hungry shrimp	7/6/2008
Q: I have a 10 gal. tank set up since Jan. 07, top fin power filter, pH 8, ammonia & nitrite 0, ... A: I wouldn't worry about the shrimp. They eat algae as well as whatever they can scavenge off the ...
parrot fish swimming upside down.	7/6/2008
Q: Hey there, I just recently got 6 bloody parrot fishes, they're parrots and just today, one of them's ... A: It could be any one of several things; Swim bladder failure, stress, elevated toxins, overeating, ...
Stocking 55 gallon	7/5/2008
Q: Someone is giving me a 55 gallon tank. I was hoping that someone could help me through the steps of ... A: Fish choice is very subjective so look around at different fish to see what you like and ask me ...
large sore on honey gourami	7/4/2008
Q: I have an Eclipse System 6 tank that has been set up for a little over 1 year. There are 2 Honey ... A: It could be a bacterial infection or could even be cancerous. I would treat with Maracyn-Two, an ...
Stress in the tank	7/3/2008
Q: we have a six foot aquarium with several species of tropicals...we did a water change and my husband ... A: It could just be shock or a reaction to the new water, or too much water was replaced. All tanks ...
power outage	7/3/2008
Q: How do I cool down my freshwater tank. It is a little warm usually but during this power outage it ... A: The warmer water itself isn't a problem but it does cause lower oxygen levels in the tank water. ...
Needle Fish Beak	7/2/2008
Q: I have a small needlefish in my 20 gallon high tank that has been set up for a week now, there are ... A: He may have injured himself. Needlefish, also known as freshwater garfish and needlenose gar, are ...
tiny jumping thing at my light	7/2/2008
Q: hey i have 2 jack dem and add a crowfish to my tank i have a 55 gallon tank now i have notice tiny ... A: They are just harmless little bugs. They feed on algae and organic nutrients that build up on the ...
new fish	5/1/2008
Q: I just purchased a blue ram two days ago. I watch the new ones closely at first till they appear ... A: It may be shock. Rams can be a bit touchy when they are moved. If he isn't eating there's probably ...
making a divider	5/1/2008
Q: Im making a tank divider until i can upgrade to a larger tank..is it ok to use pvc piping and ... A: PVC is fine to use in aquariums in my experience. Just rinse it and wipe it (inside and out) very ...
placostamus	4/30/2008
Q: I have a 29 gal tank with a 6-7 in pleco in it. I also have many other fish, guppies, bettas, ... A: Algae cleaning is actually for our own visual benefit and the fish would actually prefer that we ...
placostamus	4/29/2008
Q: I have a 29 gal tank with a 6-7 in pleco in it. I also have many other fish, guppies, bettas, ... A: If the water is healthy (low nitrates, 'zero' ammonia and 'zero' nitrites) you might consider ...
Baby Fish	4/28/2008
Q: "One of my Dalmatian Molly's had babies during the night. I was only able to save 3 of the 10 that ... A: If your breeder tank is the type that hangs inside your regular tank, you might want to get a larger ...
breeding	4/28/2008
Q: Its been(24hrs)since my bettas spawned. will my betta eggs hatch if they are not in the bubble? ... A: They can't survive if they aren't in the nest I'm afraid. The newly hatched fry (babies) need to be ...
green water	4/27/2008
Q: were having lots of trouble with green water in our freshwater tank. it's been set up for about 6 ... A: Green water can be a very frustrating problem to solve. Here is a link to a page of info that ...
Red fungus and Worms	4/27/2008
Q: It swam only at the bottom of the tank and moved very slowly. the next day when i woke up it was ... A: I've never heard of a red fungus on the fish. That sounds very strange indeed. Can you get a photo ...
Blood parrot fish..with eggs	4/26/2008
Q: I have one blood parrot fish and she has laid eggs, they are beige in color. I am reading that if ... A: Unfortunately, without a male of her species in the tank to fertilize the eggs as they are laid they ...
parrot fish	4/26/2008
Q: I have a silver dollar about 2 1/2 inches and a kissing grommie about 3 inches. I want to know if I ... A: Parrot cichlids have pretty small mouths so they probably can't eat the two smaller fish but they ...
black fin shark	4/25/2008
Q: i have 2 black fin sharks and would like to know how to sex them? when i bought them they were ... A: Sexual differences are not known in those guys. They get very large (a foot and a half or more) and ...
Best fish for a 1 1/2 to 2 gallon aquarium w/o heat	4/25/2008
Q: I have a small 1 1/2 gallon aquarium for my daughters room. It has a an air filter/ with gravel but ... A: It's a pretty small tank for anything but one frog all by itself. If the tank temperature stays ...
Green Water	4/24/2008
Q: I'm glad to have found this site, and thankful for your knowledge. I'm having some difficulties ... A: There is a possibility of reduced oxygen levels at night in tanks with green water. Keep it ...
what;s wrong with my guppie.	4/23/2008
Q: can you advise what's wrong with my guppie, she had about 50 fry last week and since then she has ... A: Sometimes guppy moms just don't do very well after giving birth. Keep her isolated and change 25% of ...
my fresh water bass isn't breathing right	4/18/2008
Q: I have a fresh water bass that I was given from a friend .It came in the same foggy water it lived ... A: He's probably in shock and he needs a filter too. Hopefully he will get better on his own in the ...
fresh water bass	4/18/2008
Q: I just got my fresh water bass from a friend who got it from a river and she gave it to me in the ... A: Change some of his water right away. Putting him in all new water could shock him. Replace 25% today ...
fishtank	4/17/2008
Q: I have a bubble eye fish who kept getting his bubble stuck in the filter, so I put very thin fish ... A: The tank is just too small for all those guys to grow up in so it's going to get very dirty very ...
Hi.	4/9/2008
Q: How do I take care algae eaters? I have 2 of them. They live in a 3.7 Marina Goldfish Starter Kit. ... A: There are many different types of algae eaters so without knowing what you have I can't really help ...
New Baby Mollies	4/8/2008
Q: One of my female Mollies just gave birth. I am assuming she gave birth this weekend while I was out ... A: Those little fellas are pretty cute, aren't they? Mollies normally have babies about every 6 weeks. ...
tank size	4/8/2008
Q: How many fish can i keep in a ten gal. tank? People range from 5 to about 15. Some say it depends on ... A: The important thing to know is that it isn't "how many fish" you can have in a tank but "how many ...
acivated carbon in a freshwater planted aquarium	4/7/2008
Q: . i have a 30 gallon tank that's been up for about a year but i just added the plants about a 4 ... A: The carbon would help remove the color but since I'm not a plant expert I don't know how if affects ...
My fish is delievering	4/6/2008
Q: I have a question about my creamsickle giving birth. I just got her today from Petsmart and put her ... A: Poor little thing. The stress of being moved to a new home has prompted premature delivery. What ...
red tiger oscars	4/6/2008
Q: the tail and fins on 1 of my oscars r being eaten away and i dont know what type of disease it could ... A: You didn't give me much information to help you but if he is in a tank with other oscars he may be ...
GUY OR GAL?	4/5/2008
Q: I have 2 ghost shrimps and do they eat sinking wafers? I feed them one sinking wafer for the both ... A: Ghost shrimps are scavengers so they will eat just about anything really. Sinking wafers are just ...
wood changing water color	4/5/2008
Q: I just added two pieces of aquarium safe wood to my 28 gallon community tank. It has turned the ... A: The discoloration is from the natural tannins in the wood still leaching out into your tank water. ...
Malawi Cichlids	4/4/2008
Q: I have a 95 liter fish tank with Malawi cichlids and some cat fish. Hence, I decided to change it ... A: Malawi Lake Cichlids are African cichlids and I'm not an African cichlid expert so I really don't ...
Flower horn fish ... i think blind	4/2/2008
Q: How do cure a blind to be flower horn fish..in the last 5-8days already. right eye first and now the ... A: I need more information; What do his eyes look like? (White coating? Redness? Bulging or swelling?) ...
Save Gary PLEASE!!!!!!!!	4/2/2008
Q: Do you remember me? Now I have a gold mystery snail and first it was as active as my siamese ... A: Not all snails are active all the time. At first he was probably just getting used to his new home ...
What fish can I have in this tank?	3/25/2008
Q: I would like to have as large of a variety as possible that will be able to function without death ... A: Before I can tell you which of those fish you could add to your tank you should know about the ...
My Pleco is sick	3/25/2008
Q: My mom recently got a normal pleco from her friend to put in her tank (18 gallon I think), and it's ... A: Those are excellent photos! It's hard to get good clear shots of fish. Most of them I get are so ...
perfect goldfish tank mates	3/24/2008
Q: which is all by it's self what would be the perfect goldfish tank mate A: FOLLOWUP QUESTION - "t is a red headed goldfish with a black tail can he and a red black shark be ...
sick goldfish - please help	3/24/2008
Q: Chris, I have a very nice common goldfish. We had him alone in a bowl which I cleaned very often - ... A: If the tail looks like it has very tiny spots like grains of salt, he has a parasite called "ich", ...
Gold fish breeding?	3/23/2008
Q: I have a 10 Gallon aquarium with 4 fantail gold fish and 1 black moore. They have been living to ... A: They are all goldfish, just different varieties, so they all breed with each other. Just like dogs; ...
my goldfish	3/22/2008
Q: My name is Pablo, I have a beautiful 1 year old goldfish, very playful and cute personality. He is ... A: If the gravel is very rough you could try changing it I guess. Be sure to keep the tank very clean ...
goldfish	3/21/2008
Q: I have my 2-gallon tank with only one goldfish in it for 46 days. I change partial water about every ... A: All plecostomus, even smaller ones that get to be about 7 inches long, need at least a 20 gallon ...
my betta fish	3/21/2008
Q: my betta fish is not eating his food unless i put it right near his mouth. he doesn't swim, he also ... A: I really need more information about his tank (size, temperature, how often it's cleaned, etc.) but ...
weird stuff in tank	3/20/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon tank that was set up six days ago. After three days, my ammonia levels were high ... A: It's a bacterial or fungal infection but he needs something stronger than Pimafix. It can't cure an ...
Please Help...my flowerhorn fish looks like she's about to die...don't want to lose her!	3/20/2008
Q: big living in a 120 gal. aquarium we've had her for about a year she has been doing fine until ... A: Poor thing. She may have a swim bladder problem. The swim bladder is an internal organ below the ...
Disease?	3/19/2008
Q: We've had a 10 gallon freshwater tank for a year. Everything's been fine. Over the last month ... A: The tank probably went through a "break in period". Normally it happens in newly set up tanks, but ...
snails	3/18/2008
Q: My daughter,who is 5, has a 10 gallon freshwater tank in her room. It has been set up and running ... A: I am assuming the type of snails you have tried are the larger "Apple Snails". They are sometimes ...
zebra danios breeding behavior	3/17/2008
Q: i have a couple of zebra danios, a male and a female, they are usually very active and chase each ... A: Separate her from all the other fish so she can get a break and heal. She doesn't need a companion, ...
something strange in my tank	3/17/2008
Q: My 47gal tank has been up for 10 months.I have 12 guppies the filter is a under ground and a penquin ... A: It may have been a chunk of waste or food that decayed and became covered in fungus. The fungus can ...
zebra danios breeding behavior	3/16/2008
Q: i have a couple of zebra danios, a male and a female, they are usually very active and chase each ... A: The female usually doesn't just lay on the bottom of the tank. She is stressed and needs to be ...
Filter intake	3/15/2008
Q: How far down should the intake tube be for my filter? In the middle or down by the grvel level??? ... A: It's a matter of personal preference really. I like the intakes down low so it can pick up water at ...
Lionheads	3/15/2008
Q: I just bought three lionhead fish a week ago, I found out later that tanks need to be cycled but ... A: In spite of what the medication label says, you need to make some partial water changes if the fish ...
tank parasites?	3/14/2008
Q: my tank has been set up about 1.5 years. it is 55 gallon fresh water. i have 2 oscars, one is ... A: I don't think it's a disease or parasite. They just need a few days to get used to each other. They ...
Fish Disease	3/14/2008
Q: My and my girlfriend recently bought a pearl scale goldfish from Petsmart. We are only beginner fish ... A: Since he's eating okay and acting fine it may not be bacterial or fungal infection, just ick. The ...
fin rot	3/14/2008
Q: Today I found out my orange and black oranda community goldfish has fin rot. I have had experience ... A: Poor Freckles. Water changes, water changes, water changes. That's the best cure and prevention ...
sveeral troublels	3/13/2008
Q: ok, hi. i just set up my first tank. it is 29 gallos, fresh water, has a extenal filter taht hangs ... A: Your tank is actually overstocked and the fish are really stressed. It's going to get worse as they ...
fish	3/13/2008
Q: I have some corydoras eggs that were laid on Monday. They are in a plastic bare container floating ... A: It takes about 3 days for the eggs to hatch. They live off their 'yolk sacs' for about 3 more days ...
have i already overcrowded my tank, and sick problems, fish species help!!!	3/12/2008
Q: 1x balashark, 1x khuli loach, 1x paskistan loach, 2x clown loaches, 1x serpae tetra, 1x peacock eel, ... A: Your tank is actually VERY overstocked. You didn't mention what size each fish is right now but even ...
White Fuzzy Cloud Fungus in Tank from Overfeeding	3/11/2008
Q: I read your answer to someone else regarding their fish tank having white cloud fuzzy fungus growing ... A: You've really done your homework on this one. That's terrific! You are doing great with cleaning so ...
Stocking a 5 gallon	3/10/2008
Q: I have a 5 gallon tank and it currently holds one honey gourami he's 1 1/2 inches max and a ... A: I think you could safely add two little cory cats. They like to live in groups. They should be able ...
angel fish with cloudy eye	3/10/2008
Q: i heard that if you do water changes frequently for a short period of time that the cloud eye should ... A: I wouldn't use any medications yet. Especially Betadine because it is pretty harsh. If it comes into ...
weird stuff in tank	3/10/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon tank that was set up six days ago. After three days, my ammonia levels were high ... A: The white stuff was decaying organic matter. The bulbs may have been dead and were attacked by ...
My grommie fish	3/9/2008
Q: I have a blue grommie which is about 3.5 yrs old. It is in with 2 angles and a clown loch and 2 ... A: It sounds like a bacterial infection. He could be getting picked on by other fish and you don't see ...
whats up with my guppies	3/9/2008
Q: ok i have 4 male guppies and 8 female, 3 weeks ago 2 had fry so i know my tanks healthy, but 2 of ... A: They may be too old or too young to breed or they are simply sterile. Sterility can be genetic, from ...
"Bubble" on dorsal fin	3/9/2008
Q: To start, thank you in advance for answering my question. Ok, to begin, my tank has been set up ... A: If it's clear it may be a fluid-filled cyst that formed there inside his fin. Or, it could be from ...
breeding of green terrors	3/8/2008
Q: is it necessary to keep male and female green terror in the same tank for breeding or once female ... A: Both male and female Green Terror Cichlids care for the eggs and babies, and they are actually ...
Angel Fish	3/8/2008
Q: "I GOT 2 ANGEL FISH, 3 SMALL TETRAS, AND A MALE BETTA IN A 10GALLON TANK A FEW MONTHS AGO. I KNOW ... A: They do need a bigger tank. Angels should be in a tank of 20 gallons and larger. Angels are in a ...
white fluffy stuff	3/5/2008
Q: We had a beta fish living in a ten gallon tank by himself and it was pretty mucky with a low power ... A: I grabbed your question out of the question pool to see if I could help... I think you added too ...
Molly Fry	3/3/2008
Q: I noticed 3 weeks ago in my ten gallon tank 6 molly fry. They are fry from a black molly and ... A: Congratulations on your new tank! What fun! Baby fish typically do have round bellies. Provide ...
sponge filter	3/3/2008
Q: i just had a question reguarding sponge filters. About how long does it take for a sponge filter to ... A: The sponges need to grow bacteria on them but the bacteria needs a source of ammonia (decaying ...
goldfish	3/2/2008
Q: I have a 29 gallon tank with two hybred (I think part lion-head because they have a little of that ... A: It sounds like a normal color change so I wouldn't worry about it. Many goldfish change color over ...
I'm Stumped	3/2/2008
Q: Chris here is the deal, I have a 75 gallon tank that has been set up for a year.I have one nine inch ... A: Black edges on fins usually indicate ammonia burns. The ammonia is down now but it can spike and ...
My 55 gallon tank	3/1/2008
Q: It has been set up for 6 months. 55 gallon Bala Shark, 4 mollies, 1 sunset platy, 1 frog, 1 loach ... A: Poor guys. If the spots on the fish look like salt, it's ich. If they look more like patches, it's ...
pregnant fish	2/29/2008
Q: i have a female swordtail(black) and a male(orange). the female always sits at the bottom of the ... A: When fish rub on things it's called "flashing" and it indicates irritation of some kind. They are ...
Molly and Platty	2/28/2008
Q: The first day after i'd put the fish one platy disappered then yesterday the other platy disapered ... A: The fish deaths may have been because of "New Tank Syndrome" caused by the Break-in Period. It can ...
Molly and Platty	2/28/2008
Q: The first day after i'd put the fish one platy disappered then yesterday the other platy disapered ... A: Your tank is still in the break-in period so there are probably toxins elevated and the fish are ...
help	2/28/2008
Q: I have had my tank for years, its a 10 gallon I dont know what my fish is called but its a goldfish ... A: Poor little fella. It could be an internal bacterial infection. He sounds very sick though so I ...
Bala shark problems	2/27/2008
Q: my tank has been set up for 4+ years, it is 46gal. I have 2 bala sharks, 1 pleco, 4 Goldfish, I know ... A: It sounds like a bacterial infection. The salt is good to use but along with it I would use "Maracyn ...
Quick Question	2/27/2008
Q: I put some Stress Zyme in my tropical tank after changing 25% of the water and vacuuming the ... A: It is important to monitor the levels of ammonia and nitrite for sure, especially in a newly setup ...
Fish smell	2/27/2008
Q: We just moved 6 hours away and we have had our fish for a while and we have, we lost three in the ... A: Just keep cleaning until it doesn't smell anymore. I would change 25% of the tank water every day ...
small little things...	2/26/2008
Q: i presently changed my fish tank water and i found this little thing about as long as my thumb nail ... A: Do they look like very very small clear lobsters? They could be a type of glass shrimp. There are ...
Sick Beta	2/26/2008
Q: Chris: My daughter has a sick Beta. The symptoms are listed below. Hope you can help. Thanks DR ... A: Poor guy. Change his water every day and keep his tank in as warm a spot as you can. Fresh clean ...
fish behavior	2/25/2008
Q: I have a newly set up 29 gallon tank. I set it up a week ago and got a bala shark for the tank ... A: He's just scared and may even be in shock from getting a new home. It's probably the first time he's ...
white spots on my fish...	2/25/2008
Q: 1) set up for 2wks 2) 55gal 3) 4 Gold Mollies; 2 Gold DoJo's; 2 sharks; and a blue lobster (he's ... A: If the spots initially looked like salt specks it is a parasite called ich. Your fish store should ...
fresh water tank	2/25/2008
Q: i am setting up a fresh water fish tank in a school lesson and am wondering how often i will have to ... A: When the tank is going through the "Break-in Period" it needs testing every day to monitor toxin ...
unusual behaviour	2/24/2008
Q: i have a 46L tank (NZ metric system) with 5 small coldwater fish (couple of shubunkins, a comet and ... A: That's great! They are going to just love their new tank! The filter is usually adequate if the ...
Im getting some new fish for the first time ever	2/23/2008
Q: I'm getting 2 new fish and i don't know what kind but anyway, I don't know what to put in there like ... A: Mollies do best when there are at least two females per male. This is because male mollies are eager ...
green spotted puffers	2/23/2008
Q: 1) tank has been set up for 3 weeks- fish were added 3 days ago 2) 10 gallons 3) green spotted ... A: Darkening indicates stress for sure, but not necessarily disease. Stress leads to disease though so ...
Snail is no longer in shell	2/22/2008
Q: We have a ramshorn snail and a larger cream colored snail. Today I noticed that the larger snail is ... A: Poor guy. Sometimes fish could harass a snail until it dies but unless his body looks damaged it ...
Needle Fish	2/22/2008
Q: 8months-55gal-loaches,tiger barbs,rainbow shark, mollies-bio wheel-ph 7,NH3 0,nitrite 0,nitrate ... A: Needle Fish are voracious predators and will indeed eat fish that are half their size if they get in ...
MY GOLDFISH IS DYING??!!!!!!!	2/22/2008
Q: My tank has been set up for 1 1/2 years and is 30 gallons. I have goldfish only. 6 about 2-3 ... A: It sounds like his swim bladder has malfunctioned. The swim bladder is an organ inside the fish that ...
Im getting some new fish for the first time ever	2/21/2008
Q: I'm getting 2 new fish and i don't know what kind but anyway, I don't know what to put in there like ... A: To know what you need I have to know some details; What kind of fish do you think you might be ...
Skinny Bala Shark	2/21/2008
Q: I have a 55 gal tank with a dragon fish, 2 clown loaches, 1 Plecostomus, and 2 Balas. The Balas ... A: One of my balas was getting a bit thin when being fed on flakes until I switched them to a small ...
pacu	2/20/2008
Q: I have a 29 gal. I think this fish is a pacu. I recently inherited this monster is at least 5 in. ... A: It is very possible he has burned himself. Or, he injured himself in the tank somewhere. Pacu can be ...
Floating Ramshorn snail problem	2/20/2008
Q: I have two snails one is very active and one was not when i first got them which was about a week ... A: It may sound weird but sometimes snails take a little "vacation". They retreat into their shells for ...
Angelfish	2/19/2008
Q: If I was to buy a big angelfish and small angelfish would they work good together? or is it better ... A: I usually recommend similar sized angels be in a tank together. If the large one is already in your ...
Dieing fish	2/19/2008
Q: Hey Chris, I've asked you a couple of questions already and you've been really good with your ... A: I'm glad I could help in the past, and I hope I can this time too... The fish store gave pretty ...
I have ich	2/19/2008
Q: I have a 30 gallon tank that has been set up for about 2 months. All of my levels are fine and i ... A: Clown Loaches are well-known for being ich "carriers". The spots that are still on the fish will ...
New Tank	2/18/2008
Q: 1. 2months 2. 10 Gallons 3. 2 2(inches and 1 fish 1/2 inch) 4. Over the tank 5-15 gallons 5. Nitrite ... A: I'm so sorry you and your fish have been put through all of this. The fish store gave you some very ...
My dwarf gouamie	2/18/2008
Q: i have a dwarf male gouramie and it keeps hiding in my pirate skull and barely comes out what is ... A: He might just be a shy fish. Provide decorations or plants that go all the way up to the top of the ...
fantail guppy	2/17/2008
Q: I have 2 black Mollies, 1 silver molly, a placostumus, and two fantail guppies (both male). All of ... A: Goldfish eat guppies if their mouths are big enough so be careful. Guppies need very clean water to ...
Dwarf gourami breeding / tank cleaning	2/17/2008
Q: My male dwarf gourami built a bubble nest in my community tank 2 weeks ago amidst the leaves of a ... A: Change the water as usual and he will rebuild the nest as needed. It would be better to move him to ...
unusual behaviour	2/17/2008
Q: i have a 46L tank (NZ metric system) with 5 small coldwater fish (couple of shubunkins, a comet and ... A: I'm not sure whether you mean they are near the air bubbles or opposite the air bubbles, but they ...
Black moors and other stuff	2/16/2008
Q: I am doing a science experiment on my goldfish. I have a small black moor and a goldfish. I have ... A: Moors really can't see very well because of their eye shapes so that might be the problem. Or maybe ...
swordtail babies	2/16/2008
Q: my swordtail just had babies, i was able to save 3 from the mouths of the other fish i now have them ... A: It isn't very comfy in there for them and they are probably very scared from being out in the open ...
pink zebra and fancy guppy	2/16/2008
Q: how can you know the gender of a pink zebra and a fancy guppy? A: Adult Zebra Danio females are more round in the belly. Males are slimmer and smaller. Guppies are ...
algae?	2/15/2008
Q: I have a 29 gallon f/w aquarium that I have had set up and running for 14+ years. I have about 18 ... A: It could be the algae wafers, I think you're right about that. Keep running the H.O.T. filter for ...
tropical tank	2/15/2008
Q: This will seem like an odd question I know, but I am worried about my aquarium. I have a small tank ... A: I am the bearer of bad news I'm afraid. I'm very surprised that your fish store owner is not aware ...
algae?	2/15/2008
Q: I have a 29 gallon f/w aquarium that I have had set up and running for 14+ years. I have about 18 ... A: The fuzzy greyish white stuff is simply decaying food or waste. Decaying organic matter becomes ...
Black Moor and Black Shark	2/14/2008
Q: I bought a Black Shark to go along with my Black Moor, Koi, and 2 algae eaters. He would hide behind ... A: Black sharks are aggressive and territorial, often hiding and then chasing the other fish. They are ...
My Betta is Sick!	2/14/2008
Q: We have a betta that used to live in a vase with a live plant. The plant starting growing a film on ... A: He may have a problem with his swim bladder. The swim bladder controls buoyancy and if it fails he ...
eggs?	2/13/2008
Q: my sanail laid these eggs or somthing on the top of my tank..and i was looking up about it and i saw ... A: I doubt the light would affect them. When the snails lay their eggs outdoors in ponds the sun hits ...
My Betta is Sick!	2/13/2008
Q: We have a betta that used to live in a vase with a live plant. The plant starting growing a film on ... A: He may just be stressed and is just trying to get used to moving water and a new environment. It may ...
Hard water	2/4/2008
Q: Chris, My brother would like me to ask you how to get his water softer he lives out in the country ... A: I have had many clients using water softeners that use both sodium and potassium to recharge the ...
ryukin sos	2/4/2008
Q: Chris, thank you for your quick response to my question last week about my injured ryukin. I treated ... A: Poor little guy. I would just keep doing what you are doing. If he is showing signs of ammonia ...
Swim Bladder?	2/3/2008
Q: We have about 20 goldfish in our backyard pond and we know each one of them (except for the newest ... A: Poor Lucky. I really have to tell you that most fish don't recover from a bent spine. I'm amazed ...
Pregnant Platy	2/3/2008
Q: I got some platys in my 20 gallon tank. About 2 males and about 3 or 4 females. One of the ... A: Platies can have babies about every 4 to 6 weeks or so. They will deliver anywhere from 10 to 30 ...
parrot fish	2/2/2008
Q: i have a blue parrot fish in a community 90 gal tank some silver dollors , pink tail chealues, ... A: This will probably not be what you want to hear, but here goes....He will lose his blue color over ...
Callamanus worms	2/1/2008
Q: I have an infestation of callamanus worms in my guppies!! I've tried Panacur, but that did not work. ... A: Camallanus worms are a very tough one to treat. I know you already tried it but Panacur ...
Black Ghost Knife	2/1/2008
Q: ive had a freshwater aquarium for about 2-3 months now, the problemed fish is my BGK, i have 1 BGK, ... A: Black Ghosts just cannot live in such a small tank. They grow to be over 18 inches long and need ...
long fin mollie	1/31/2008
Q: i am logged in in photobucket dianspics/mollies. this is a video of the mollie. any help will be ... A: It kind of looks "fuzzy" or cottony. If so, it is damaged tissue and has become infected so it may ...
Nitrite	1/31/2008
Q: "Hi, I got a couple questions for you , first i will start by telling you about my setup. I have a ... A: I'm so glad it's doing better! I think it is still trying to finish balancing though. Leave the ...
black molly swimming almost vertical w/ tail up	1/30/2008
Q: I have a 75 gallon freshwater aquarium with 2 swordtails, 3 red-eye moes, a rainbow shark, 2 queen ... A: The swim bladder is an organ inside the fish right below the spine. It controls buoyancy. When the ...
Tank Cycling	1/30/2008
Q: I have a 47 gallon aquarium with a 60 gallon hang on filter. I did not intend to cycle it with fish ... A: Keep doing what you are doing. It's perfect. What may be happening is that there could be nitrate ...
Parasites in Aquarium?	1/30/2008
Q: I am currently using the stock filter, I had one Zebra Danio in the tank with ammonia and nitrite ... A: Unless we know what kind of parasite it was, I really couldn't guess if it can die off by leaving ...
upgrading tanks	1/29/2008
Q: Chris, I'm planning on moving my Cichlid(1) into a larger tank. I've read and heard many opinions on ... A: Moving a larger fish isn't that much different than moving smaller ones. Just be careful to have ...
color changing betas	1/29/2008
Q: i just bought to betas from a local pet store one male and one split tale female both a very dark ... A: She is probably stressed from getting a new home. Some fish react very strongly and others seem to ...
fish scales	1/29/2008
Q: my fish has scales near the back of his body that look like their cracking. I had another fish that ... A: If by "cracking" you mean to say that the scales are sticking out in one spot it may be an infection ...
injured ryukin sos!!	1/28/2008
Q: PLEASE HELP!!! My 3 year old ryukin is very injured. He got caught in the filter when no one was ... A: Poor guy. He's probably in shock. Change his water every day and do use some aquarium salt. I would ...
Popeye	1/28/2008
Q: Okay, I have uploaded some pics of my molly (Keilala is her name), on my myspace page for you to ... A: I could view your page but to view your pics I have to have a myspace account and I don't. You can ...
Cloudy water	1/27/2008
Q: I have had just a little 10 gallon tank set up for years. Recently the water started getting ... A: If there is no sign of any nitrate at all in there, it may mean the tank is not finishing the ...
bug or parasite in my tank	1/27/2008
Q: i have a 55 gallong tank i have had it for years but here lately we have had some bugs or parasites ... A: They are just harmless pond creatures. They feed on the waste your fish make. Annoying, but ...
White algae?	1/27/2008
Q: First things first. I have a 37 gallon freshwater tank, diy co2 injection, 20w full spectrum light ... A: Excellent that you are using the gravel-filled stocking. It's exactly what the system needs to ...
White algae?	1/26/2008
Q: First things first. I have a 37 gallon freshwater tank, diy co2 injection, 20w full spectrum light ... A: I think it's just part of your particular system's break-in period. There is unprocessed waste in ...
popeye	1/25/2008
Q: I have a 55 gal. tank just set it up about three months ago. I have a female dalmation molly and ... A: It's very possible that large eyes are normal for her. If it isn't getting any worse I wouldn't do ...
freshwater tank	1/25/2008
Q: I have a 155 gallon freshwater tank. In it are 2 Oscars, 1 pacu, 2 catfish, 2 bala sharks, 6 other ... A: I'm so glad you don't have an undergravel filter. Whew! I've had to remove those before and it isn't ...
freshwater tank	1/24/2008
Q: I have a 155 gallon freshwater tank. In it are 2 Oscars, 1 pacu, 2 catfish, 2 bala sharks, 6 other ... A: Make a series of water changes to help the fish until we can get this straightened out. Toxins are ...
parasite	1/24/2008
Q: i have been reading about your other questions, and i was curious about a what i think might be a ... A: First, test the water to see if the fish are being stressed and itching from irritation from toxins. ...
Filtration	1/23/2008
Q: "Hi, I got a couple questions for you , first i will start by telling you about my setup. I have a ... A: I'm so glad the turtle went to your friend. You and the turtle will be so much happier in the long ...
Pearlscale eyes	1/22/2008
Q: We just purchased a pearlscale 1 week ago. Our tank has been set up of just over a week, its a 28L, ... A: It sounds like a condition known as "pop-eye". It can be treated with antibiotics available at your ...
Filtration	1/22/2008
Q: "Hi, I got a couple questions for you , first i will start by telling you about my setup. I have ... A: There is a pretty heavy bio-load in there. Turtles are very messy guys and need a lot of food to ...
Freshwater fish identification	1/21/2008
Q: Just bought these two fish. No. 1 alleged to be a barb and No. 2 a platy. Can you possibly identify ... A: The first one looks like a "Congo Tetra", definitely not a barb. Look at the tiny fin behind the ...
fishh	1/21/2008
Q: I went to a birthday party and they gave out gold fish. my sister got one and she got one.my sisters ... A: Poor guys. Your survivor may be in shock. You didn't mention what size tank he is in, but he ...
Growth on Fantail	1/20/2008
Q: My tank is 35 litres and been running for over a year. The fish in question is a fantail and appears ... A: If it seems threadlike and off-white, it could be an anchor worm. There is medication to treat them ...
mystery illness kill my fish!!!! help please	1/20/2008
Q: Mystery sick fish what medication to use? hi im new to the forum and hoping you can help me and my ... A: It does sound like a parasite. Especially since the water tests are good. Look closely at the skin ...
Newbie! Totally lost with no help from pet store! Think my fishys may be in danger :S	1/20/2008
Q: My tank was set up literally about 10 hours ago and since then I've been researching and realising ... A: Don't worry, you are doing just fine. White Clouds are cold water fish so they do not need a heater ...
tetra with deep ulcer	1/19/2008
Q: I have a tetra (bleeding heart) that has developed a large ulcer/lesion on its back, behind its ... A: If the redness is gone and all you see is white tissue, it probably is healing. Especially since he ...
Diet for goldfish	1/19/2008
Q: I have been feeding my goldfish Wardley fish flakes and giving them frozen peas once a week. Is ... A: Flakes take up moisture so quickly that it really isn't necessary to pre-soak them. As soon as they ...
Black moor	1/19/2008
Q: I have a black moor fish that is now changing colour. Around the gills the colour is now golden to ... A: As long as he is acting fine it is probably just a natural color change. Goldfish can change color ...
betta can't eat	1/18/2008
Q: My betta can't seem to get his food into his mouth, even though he keeps trying. Also hasn't been ... A: There are several possibilities. Have you had him very long? Has he eaten for you before? If he is ...
ghost knife fish	1/18/2008
Q: Chris: just last night i noticed one of my black ghost knife fish swimming around all directions, ... A: They probably need to be separated or need more room in general. When in conflict, fish react with a ...
sick fish	1/18/2008
Q: i have just purchase a white mollie and it has developed red on its underside and near its tail fin ... A: If it is a new fish I would take it back to the store. Most fish stores offer a guarantee of at ...
nitrate	1/17/2008
Q: I have a 33 galllon tank, it's been set up for about 7 or 8 months, i have 2 koi (both about 7 ... A: A nitrate level of 10 to 20 ppm is really not bad at all, but if it goes way up (past 40) in just a ...
guppies	1/16/2008
Q: i am doin' a science project for school. I have to find out if the guppy is living in an optimum ... A: There is more to optimum living conditions for fish than just temperature, pH, and oxygen. The fish ...
Diet for goldfish	1/16/2008
Q: I have been feeding my goldfish Wardley fish flakes and giving them frozen peas once a week. Is ... A: I like to give my goldfish some kind of vegetables at least three times a week. Some good examples ...
gourami color change/dying	1/15/2008
Q: I have an established tank. The pH, nitrite and amonia all read ideal. I had a yellow gourami ... A: I'm really glad they weren't rocking. It's from a nasty parasite. I might go ahead and use Maracyn ...
Fish wound	1/15/2008
Q: I've had my 40gal tank cycled for 4 months, the tank for 5. I have 4 goldfish, 2 pearlscales & 2 ... A: I answered your question on the one with the photo links, but just thought of something else too. ...
gourami color change/dying	1/14/2008
Q: I have an established tank. The pH, nitrite and amonia all read ideal. I had a yellow gourami ... A: OOPS! I forgot to answer part of your question and gave the wrong name of the parasite in the last ...
getting some new fish	1/14/2008
Q: I just bought a 10 gallon, warm water,freshwater tank. Sorry but i don't really know the Ph levels ... A: Welcome to the wonderful hobby of fish keeping! There are some other things you will need and will ...
what is in this tank	1/14/2008
Q: have a ten gal tank. Has been set up for three weeks. Have four starter fish in it. Used water from ... A: Whitish stuff on the bottom is usually from decaying food being infected by saprolegnia, a water ...
*irrisdecent fresh water shark SICK**	1/13/2008
Q: *******Dear Chris, Very worried. My shark is almost a foot long. I've had him for 3? years. I did a ... A: He may have a swim bladder problem. The swim bladder controls buoyancy. There are many causes for ...
Silver Dollar - fuzzy gray spot with bubbles	1/13/2008
Q: 55 gallon, community tank, 15 fish(small 1" to large 3"), have had same fish for over a year... ... A: I don't think the Rid-Ich will have any effect on this because he doesn't have a parasite. It sounds ...
too many swordtails	1/13/2008
Q: I have a large aquarium with a variety of fish. I have red swordtails that reproduce faster than I ... A: Any fish with a mouth big enough to eat them should automatically do so, including the parents. Cut ...
lionhead goldfish	1/12/2008
Q: I have had my tank set up for over 2 1/2 years, it is a 40 gallon, I have 1 lionhead, 1 black moor, ... A: Goldfish do change colors over most of their lives so it could simply be new color developing. ...
gourami color change/dying	1/12/2008
Q: I have an established tank. The pH, nitrite and amonia all read ideal. I had a yellow gourami ... A: There area several possibilities. It's really hard to say why a fish died if there are no other ...
Puffer fish	1/11/2008
Q: Chris: One more question to ask you. I have had my South American puffer fish in with the black ... A: Sometimes puffer dentistry is necessary in spite of what you feed them. Crab legs, clams, and ...
Scales	1/11/2008
Q: I accidentally fed my tropical fish goldfish food flakes. Now my two red-eyed tetras are missing ... A: I don't think the food had any effect. I've used goldfish food in when I run out of the tropical ...
high ammonia levels	1/11/2008
Q: I took your advice and I checked my test kit to see if it used salycilate as the testing chemical ... A: As long as there is high ammonia and/or nitrite it is necessary to do very frequent changes. If ...
Snails trapped in castle	1/10/2008
Q: We have two snails in a small fish tank and they appear to keep getting trapped in a castle on the ... A: They just like it in there I guess. Since they are able to get in, they should also be able to get ...
Pictus Catfish	1/10/2008
Q: I have a 55 gallon tank that has been set up for 2 weeks. We have 2 pictus catfish and about 7 ... A: If they look like salt specks they are from a parasite called "ick". You will need to do three ...
Molly Upside Down	1/9/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon that has been running 3-4 weeks so we are still cycling. It had 2 african dwarf ... A: It's okay that both fish are getting medicine. There isn't anything else you can do right now. The ...
Placostamus	1/9/2008
Q: Chris, I have a 150 gallon tank with 2 placostamus'... 14 inches and 12 inches. I would like to know ... A: Common Plecostomus are egglayers but are difficult, if not impossible, to sex. They just don't ...
Fish compatibility	1/8/2008
Q: Chris; I have a 30 gallon tank with 2 black ghost knife fish and one african puffer fish, all three ... A: I would be very leery of putting ropes back in with your other fish because it's already fully ...
Molly Upside Down	1/8/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon that has been running 3-4 weeks so we are still cycling. It had 2 african dwarf ... A: You may have to use an antibiotic for fin and tail rot. When fish get injured they can easily become ...
sick black moor	1/8/2008
Q: my black moor has been experiencing scale loss for about a week and now there's a patch of scales ... A: It could be a number of things. Injury, infection, bullying by other fish, overcrowding or water ...
Overdose in Tank	1/7/2008
Q: I have a 26 gallon tank I have recently set up and have no fish in it yet, I have filled, heated, ... A: There may have been an unusual combination of minerals or chemicals from the water line break, I ...
Overdose in Tank	1/7/2008
Q: I have a 26 gallon tank I have recently set up and have no fish in it yet, I have filled, heated, ... A: That's very strange. I've used triple and quadruple doses of AquaSafe and related products before ...
Molly Upside Down	1/6/2008
Q: I have a 10 gallon that has been running 3-4 weeks so we are still cycling. It had 2 african dwarf ... A: It's hard to say what went wrong with the sick one so let him stay in the 2 gallon and change his ...
fresh water fish same as beta	1/6/2008
Q: We have had a Betta fish. It died of couriosity. It got stuck in a shell and couldn't get out. We ... A: I'm so sorry you lost your betta. There really aren't any other fish that can stay healthy in a ...
signs of injfection	1/5/2008
Q: i just asked a question about my axolotls damaged tail earlier today. you said it will grow back if ... A: If it gets red, fuzzy or looks like it has cotton on it, that's infection. I don't know what you can ...
my axolotls fin damage	1/5/2008
Q: i have an axolotl and just recently i have moved it to a bigger tank. sadly as i was moving its rear ... A: As long as there is no infection and the water is kept clean, it will indeed grow back. Axolotls are ...
My Fish's Age	1/5/2008
Q: My tank has been set up for almost 10 years<br> <br> I have a 10 gal community tank, with a typical ... A: Bettas are typically 8 months to a year old when they are shipped to fish stores. It takes a while ...
One heck of a disease?	1/4/2008
Q: Alright well first off here are my statistics -33 gallon freshwater aqaurium that has been set up ... A: The system could be too low in oxygen. Perhaps the bass tolerate it less than the others, maybe ...
high ammonia levels	1/4/2008
Q: My goldfish are HUGE (5" & 7"). They were living a beautiful, happy life in a 30 gal. tank with a ... A: The cloudiness is probably from the Maracyn Two. It really makes a mess of the tank for awhile. Keep ...
Freshwater fish	1/3/2008
Q: Chris: One more question for now. First of all, thanks for the replies so far on my other ... A: As long as he is healthy otherwise and it doesn't look infected I wouldn't worry. They can be ...
crayfish aka lobsters	1/3/2008
Q: I was wondering if you knew anything about lobsters or crayfish I tried to google it but couldn't ... A: They are very territorial so they can't be with their own kind. They do regrow their legs and claws ...
cichlid	1/3/2008
Q: "Can you tell me a little about the personality of a firemouth cichlid. I am thinking about getting ... A: Happy New Year to you too! Firemouth Cichlids can live with each other and other large aggressive ...
New tank set up etc.	1/2/2008
Q: i have a 60litre tank, which i began cycling about 20days ago,i added 2 mollies 5 days ago and they ... A: Simon; In my answer I meant to type "LOWER" pH Not "LOSER" pH. Sorry! I caught it too late.... ...
cloudy water	1/2/2008
Q: We have a 10 gallon tank. It was set up and running for a week before we got fish. We got 4 feeders, ... A: There are just too many fish in the tank and if it has not been set up very long it is going through ...
Freshwater fish	1/2/2008
Q: Chris: Also, what do you recommend i feed the african butterfly fish?? I have tried bloodworms, ... A: Some of those guys will only eat live food. Mine always enjoyed live tubifex or bloodworms but you ...
Freshwater fish	1/2/2008
Q: Ok first of all, i have a 30 gallon aquarium, a 20 gallon aquarium, and a 10 gallon aquarium. The ... A: Don't add medicine unless you actually see for sure they have parasites. I really don't think that's ...
BABIES!	1/1/2008
Q: How long has your tank been set up?2 years <BR>How big is your tank? 90 gallon <BR>What type of ... A: Yikes. That's quite a quandary. Call your local fish stores and see if they are interested. ...
Betta not eating and anti-social	1/1/2008
Q: I have owned this beautiful betta since July and he had been doing very well till a few days ago. I ... A: If it has been a long time since you actually changed any water, it's possible the water was too ...
problem with parrot fish	1/1/2008
Q: my parrot fish has a bubble comming out of what appears to me to be his butt.the fish acts and looks ... A: It's really hard to say what it could be for sure but a fluid-filled cyst is likely because it's ...
water has stuff floating	12/31/2007
Q: i change the water 30% or so every week or twice depending on how dirty water is i have 5 koi 1 at ... A: Your tank probably just needs more surface agitation. If you could get an airpump and run an ...
chichlids not eating	12/31/2007
Q: I have a 100 gallon tank with two emperior 400 filters that have been going for 1 and half years ... A: It could be an intestinal parasite of some kind. Or, you could be right and it's constipation. It's ...
3 month old silver mollies sick	12/31/2007
Q: I have two tanks - 20 gallon w/3 guppies, two silver molly and 1 flame dwark guarami. The other is ... A: I would suspect the chinese algae eater is bothering them at night. They are vegetarians as babies ...
aquatic snails	12/31/2007
Q: I have a couple of questions. I had a snail free fresh water tank and bought a couple of live ... A: Keeping snails in a baby tank (or any tank) isn't such a bad thing unless they start to ...
fish problems	12/30/2007
Q: I have had the same fish for about 4yrs and have had no problems with him and I care for well. When ... A: It could be a water quality issue or a swim bladder problem. Have the water tested for the levels ...
betta fish died	12/29/2007
Q: What happen when a betta male fish die? Do I put a differnt male betta fish with the pregnant female ... A: Male and female betta fish should not be together all the time. They can hurt or kill each other. ...
Goldfish problems	12/29/2007
Q: I have one goldfish in a 30 gallon tank. He's not too big and I keep the tank relatively clean. I ... A: It isn't uncommon for fish to breathe harder after a water change when the old water is not in good ...
Goldfish problems	12/29/2007
Q: I have one goldfish in a 30 gallon tank. He's not too big and I keep the tank relatively clean. I ... A: It sounds like his immune system is very weak for some reason. It may be a water quality problem, ...
betta fish acting weird	12/29/2007
Q: Hi, my betta fish lives in a 1 gallon tank with a a UGF and air stone. Lately, he has been very ... A: Poor little guy. There are a few possibilities for his symptoms. Digestive problems are the most ...
Is my Sailfin Molly Pregnant	12/28/2007
Q: I have set up an aquarium and it's been about two weeks now that I've had them and bought them as a ... A: Sorry I missed that part of your question. To tell when livebearing females such as mollies, ...
Just a couple of random questions.	12/28/2007
Q: I was just wanting to know a couple of things about a couple of fish species. First of all is the ... A: A Senegal Bichir needs a very large tank because they grow to be over 3 feet long. I wouldn't try to ...
lungfish compatibility	12/28/2007
Q: I have a lung fish and was wondering what is compatible with it. A: He is probably going to have to remain alone I'm afraid. Lungfish are predators and will eat ...
my betta	12/27/2007
Q: =D I have had this betta fish for about 2 years now and ever since he has had curly frayed edges on ... A: Curled fins on bettas is a genetic trait. It develops in some bettas as they mature. For show bettas ...
sick betta	12/27/2007
Q: i'v had my betts for about 6 months and he was really doing well i changed his tank water and he got ... A: I would keep changing the water very often (daily or every two days) and be sure his water ...
Fish won't eat HELP!!!!	12/27/2007
Q: I am having major problems with my fish. I have a 30 gallon tank with an aqueon 10 power filter and ... A: I would check the water chemistry so get some test kits or have the fish store test it for you. If ...
Apple Snail	12/26/2007
Q: How long has your tank been set up? About 3 weeks How big is your tank? 10 gallon What type of fish? ... A: Apple snails do that sometimes. It's kind of like a vacation. If he is dead he will hang out of his ...
Clear water	12/26/2007
Q: I cannot seem to keep the water clear in my 29 gallon tank. I have clownfish now....will it hurt to ... A: Baking Soda will not clear up your water. It will cause the pH to rise and stress your fish. If the ...
More Bacterial Infections!	12/26/2007
Q: About a week ago I asked about my goldfish infection and upgrading to a twenty gallon. I got some ... A: He may have a resistant strain of bacteria infecting him or his immunity is compromised and he is ...
Is my Sailfin Molly Pregnant	12/25/2007
Q: I have set up an aquarium and it's been about two weeks now that I've had them and bought them as a ... A: If your tank is new the male may have died from the effects of "New Tank Syndrome". Your tank's ...
getting started	12/25/2007
Q: im new in this hobbie i have 3 bala sharks, 3 rainbow sharks and 2 algae eaters.. i think i started ... A: Those guys really need to go back to the store I'm afraid. They all get way too big for a ten ...
hot or normal????????????????	12/23/2007
Q: Will it be better if I pour some filtered boiled water into the tank and pour the rest of the water ... A: Don't change the temperature of your betta's water by adding hot water unless you have a way to keep ...
high ammonia levels	12/23/2007
Q: What can I do to remove the ammonia from my 55 gal. It has been set up for months.I do water ... A: If you have used ammonia removing water conditioners you may be getting a false positive on your ...
Popeye	12/23/2007
Q: I have a 10 gal tank with two goldfish (lost one about two wks ago) the tank is 8wks old. I read ... A: I'm so happy you found someone to finally give you such excellent advice and get your tank back in ...
Betta Compatibility	12/22/2007
Q: I have a 2 gallon tank, fully cycled, with one happy little blue crown tail male betta. I have read ... A: Actually the tank can safely only support your betta and nothing else. If you want to try anyway, ...
Sick fish?	12/22/2007
Q: I have 2 pictus catfished in my tank. I just recenlty put them in. They seemed fine when i put them ... A: If they can't stay upright they are not well. You didn't mention anything about how long the tank ...
STILL WON'T EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	12/21/2007
Q: I already have put my fish uder a lanp all day and all night,but he still won't eat.What can I do to ... A: You have to provide a heat source for him somehow that will sustain his tank water at 80f. If your ...
problems with sick goldfish/cycling/ medications	12/21/2007
Q: my tank is 10 gal. It has been running for about 1 1/2 years. I have 1 bubble cheaks goldfish and 2 ... A: You are probably quite right, your tank is trying to restore it's balance. It was from the addition ...
African Dwarf Frogs	12/20/2007
Q: I have an African Dwarf Frog in a 5 gallon tank with a couple of white clouds, and a couple of hi ... A: Poor guy. He may have been bitten or he has an infection. The leg will probably not grow back but it ...
Cycling new tank, added 1 guppy, died	12/20/2007
Q: We (newbies) had setup a new 5 gallon tank on Friday, added AquaPlus to tap water and Cycle to the ... A: That's a shame. I'm sorry this has been such a traumatic event for your little one. It might just ...
Bacterial Infection on Goldfish	12/20/2007
Q: I won a goldfish at a school carnival 5 years ago, and after a few years of not knowing anything ... A: You are actually doing much better than most people trying to keep goldfish. Especially since you ...
STILL WON'T EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	12/19/2007
Q: I already have put my fish uder a lanp all day and all night,but he still won't eat.What can I do to ... A: He needs his water temperature to be 78f to 80f. Once you get it up there and it stays there he ...
black worms	12/19/2007
Q: i've got these tiny black worms in my filter cartridge. they've got barb lookin' things on one end ... A: I can't seem to find anything and can't think of anything that looks like what you have described. I ...
oranda with popeye	12/18/2007
Q: My red and black oranda has popeye. I have had experience with it before but I was wondering if ... A: Have your water tested for the level of NitrAtes (Not nitrItes, they are different). If you find ...
HELP!	12/18/2007