|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 19, 2015 12:52:57 GMT -5
I've lost three fish in the last few days. My molly, who had grown to an alarming size, developed the shimmies, which according to the internet could be one of several illnesses. I checked with a fish-keeping friend who has a whole room full of tanks of various species, and he suggested turning up her heater a bit. I did, and she got better, but she still wasn't quite herself, and she finally died. So I was going to move Freckles the betta out of his 5-gallon tank and into her 10-gallon. I went to Walmart for some other stuff and as I passed the pet department (you see where this is going), and saw the little cups of bettas on the shelf, I stopped to look at them and the upshot is, I brought one home and he got the 10-gallon tank. Freckles is getting up there and slowing down and is used to his tank. The new betta is mostly a deep blue, with little hints of green and red and I named him Spock. I had just watched a Star Trek ep. LOL He's quite young, I think, and he is thrilled with his new home. He explores constantly and eats like a horse and has even gotten over being afraid of me and will come to the glass to say hello, all in just a couple of a days.
Then my male guppy died, but not before he did his duty and impregnated the three females I brought home last week to keep him company. I went and got another male yesterday who seemed hearty enough, but he was dead this morning. Maybe I should name the three girls "the black widows." I think I'll let them have their little sorority and maybe a few babies will survive. Guppies eat their own babies, but my brother, who raised guppies when I was little, says that if there are some plants and places for them to hide, some of them will make it. Petsmart would replace the male guppy I got yesterday, but the snails had already begun, um, cleanup crew duties and I decided to just give him a decent burial and call it a day. I was a little worried about him anyway, because the girl who got him out of the tank for me carried him several feet in a net and then took her sweet time getting him back into water, and I thought the stress of being out of water that long might be too much for him.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Oct 19, 2015 20:02:29 GMT -5
Such is life with fish. Back when I had some guppies in the fish tank, a few of the babies were able to survive, so maybe some of the ones you have will make it too. Welcome to Spock, and sorry for the loss of the others.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 20, 2015 10:49:16 GMT -5
I lost one of the females overnight. My friend was right; Petsmart guppies just aren't healthy. I've only had the females for about a week and now there are only two left. They're fine when I go to bed, swimming around and looking healthy. In the morning they're on the bottom of the tank and the snails are all over the bodies and I have to shake off snails to retrieve the body. I can't stand to let the snails do their job. I really think I'll just leave the last two in there until they die, too, and then go ahead and move Freckles into that tank, and call it a day on fish other than bettas. I've had my share of problems with bettas, too, but far more success with them than other species.
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Oct 20, 2015 11:31:30 GMT -5
Sorry for your losses! As Gary noted, such is life with fish.  I've been losing tetras left and right for a while... The whole school (used to be 15+ of them) is gone now. I've decided to stop purchasing new fish, so I'm basically just letting the fish I have run their course (which could take many more years)... but now my bigger tank is just 4 loaches, an albino bristlenose pleco, and 1 bamboo shrimp. |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 20, 2015 14:44:13 GMT -5
I always swear I'm going to do that, and then somebody dies, and I have an empty tank (except for snails, who reproduce in adequate numbers to replace their dead comrades) and I can't stand it and go get more fish. LOL I really do enjoy fish. I just don't enjoy it when they die. My new betta is as lively as a betta can possibly be and seems very happy, and Freckles is hanging in there, too. At least with bettas, I can feel as if I'm saving a life when I bring one home and release him from a tiny, dirty cup into a big, clean tank he can have all to himself. There was one at Petsmart when I got the last guppy whose eyes begged me to take him home, but I didn't have anywhere to put him then.
|
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 21, 2015 17:08:55 GMT -5
Last night we were down to one female guppy, who must have died early in the day because the snails had already completed cleanup before I got home. The last few were finishing and it was too late to retrieve any remains. This morning the remaining female was still lively, but they always are right up to when I find the body, so I don't have much confidence she'll last much longer. I told Clyde we would likely be moving Freckles into that tank tonight or tomorrow night at the latest. Then I really am going to downsize to two tanks and I'm counting on all of you to help me stick to that resolution.
|
|
|
|
Post by cnyguy on Oct 21, 2015 19:51:31 GMT -5
Then I really am going to downsize to two tanks and I'm counting on all of you to help me stick to that resolution. Do you really expect any help from me-- the Great Enabler?  |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 22, 2015 9:03:23 GMT -5
LOL She's still hanging on so far.
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Oct 22, 2015 9:08:18 GMT -5
I think if I didn't have this situation of taking care of a huge Cichlid in a tank that's way too small, I might be more tempted to buy more fish... But changing 2/3rds of the water every 5 days to keep his water clean and the stress and guilt of trying to keep him healthy (he has some very stubborn fin rot but otherwise seems healthy) in that tank is too much for me and it's put a negative spin on keeping fish... I'm just done with it. He does not seem miserable, but he deserves better. We're all pretty attached to him and rehoming him is not appealing-- I keep looking for tanks on craigslist but I really want one that is acrylic, at least 50 gallons, and hexagonal or square for him to have more room to swim, but no luck so far, and I can't afford a new one right now. So, I can be helpful in helping you stick to that resolution  As my school of tetras has slowly died off I've resisted the temptation to get the remaining guys more buddies, despite knowing that they don't do well in small numbers... I haven't wanted to perpetuate the cycle. |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 22, 2015 12:09:29 GMT -5
I can vouch for the ability of snails to help keep the tank clean. And the algae eater fish in the guppy tank hardly leaves anything for the snails. I have to feed them algae pellets more often than I was used to.
I had named the three female guppies Mary, Rhoda and Phyllis and only Mary is left and she's still very lively this morning. Before he passed on, the male impregnated all three and Mary is still pregnant, so maybe she'll let some of her babies survive and repopulate the tank, but if not, I'll just let her live out whatever time she has alone and move Freckles after she's gone. Freckles is getting up there for a betta and has slowed down noticeably, but he's healthy enough. He eats well and his color is good. Mary is quite energetic and also eats very well so maybe she'll "make it after all." (If you got that, I know how old you are now. LOL)
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Oct 22, 2015 13:04:35 GMT -5
I'm fairly certain my Cichlid would kill anything else living in it's tank. But maybe snails would be safe. My other tank has all bottom feeders (aside from the shrimp) at this point and they keep the tank spotless. But whether it looks clean or not, that Cichlid produces so much waste that the nitrate levels get way too high way too fast. There's just not enough water to dilute it all. Honestly it's amazing that I can keep the nitrogen cycle going with how much water I change on such a regular basis, but so far, it works. Here's to hoping Mary pulls through I've only seen the Mary Tyler Moore show maybe twice-- I'm old enough to know of it (34), and I saw reruns when I was young, I believe... it took a bit of google to put that all together, but it wasn't unfamiliar  |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 22, 2015 14:27:35 GMT -5
The bettas let the snails be, and bettas are usually kind of combative, though I had a female betta living with my molly and they got along. The molly was kind of lethal for the snails at first, but she settled down and quit eating them after a while. They're recovering now that she's gone and have had a couple batches of babies, so their numbers will be back to normal soon. The other two tanks had a full complement of snails already or I'd have moved the snails out when I realized the molly was eating them.
How big IS this cichlid, anyway?
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Oct 22, 2015 14:38:52 GMT -5
Too big. He's probably 10-11" long and easily 1.75-2" thick at the thickest point. I'm sure he could get a whole large snail, shell and all, in his mouth. And he's in a 20 gallon tank. When we got him, he was less than 1" long. They weren't even my fish tanks at the time, and I had no knowledge of his eventual size potential. He is still able to turn around without brushing against the glass, but it's close. He's got a cave in there that he can hide in and I think ultimately he's comfortable, as he has never known anything but this tank, but I am sure more exercise and space would be very beneficial for him. Certainly more water would make my life easier. Sometimes Cupcake will lean her head over the side while sitting on the top and he immediately comes over to investigate. He just wants food, and I don't think she really cares that he's there, she's just trying to pick at the fish tank... but it looks cute |
|
|
|
Post by siobhan on Oct 22, 2015 16:24:35 GMT -5
Good grief, that is big. My molly was about a half inch or three quarters when I got her and she was over three and pushing four inches when she died. If she hadn't gotten sick, she would have probably outgrown her tank, especially since she was the only fish in there at the end. I had no idea, either, that she'd grow that much. Another reason to stick to bettas, because they do grow a bit, but nothing like that, and I only have space and equipment for 10-gallon tanks.
|
|
|
|
Post by aaron on Oct 22, 2015 17:16:37 GMT -5
Yeah, he is a big fish... My understanding is that for a Cichlid this size, a 75+ gallon tank is ideal, although a 50 gallon tank would be functional. I can't imagine cramming anything bigger than 50 or 55 gallons in our apartment though. Were I ever to buy fish again, you can be sure I would be very aware of their maximum size potential before considering a purchase. I like fish that can't possibly outgrow their living environment Bettas and 10 gallon tanks sound good. Even my 29 gallon tank is very manageable. I change half the water every two weeks, the bottom feeders keep it clean, I replace the filter media periodically, and that's about it. Although at some point the live plants are going to overrun the tank at the rate we're going so i'll need a pruning strategy of some sort. I'm not thrilled about the idea of having a huge 50+ gallon tank to take care of, but I would manage. |
|
I've been losing tetras left and right for a while... The whole school (used to be 15+ of them) is gone now. I've decided to stop purchasing new fish, so I'm basically just letting the fish I have run their course (which could take many more years)... but now my bigger tank is just 4 loaches, an albino bristlenose pleco, and 1 bamboo shrimp.
As my school of tetras has slowly died off I've resisted the temptation to get the remaining guys more buddies, despite knowing that they don't do well in small numbers... I haven't wanted to perpetuate the cycle.