Comments for Pet Fish Care http://markspetfish.com Markspetfish.com "Sharing the Knowledge of Pet Fish Care" Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:09:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 Comment on Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (apistogramma cacatuoides) by Adrian http://markspetfish.com/2008/06/cockatoo-dwarf-cichlid-apistogramma-cacatuoides/#comment-759 Adrian Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:40:13 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=41#comment-759 rwWFbNfLh7WqB rwWFbNfLh7WqB

]]> Comment on Ways to prevent algae growth in your pet fish tank. by Mark http://markspetfish.com/2008/05/algae-problems/#comment-744 Mark Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:00:42 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=1#comment-744 Thanks for the comment! I would have to agree with you and say that it's the excess food falling into the gravel that is possibly causing your problem. I only say this since this is the only thing that you have really changed other then the light. You mentioned that you have goldfish and with that I would remove any heater that you may have going. They are not tropical fish and so you may just get lucky enough with only having to remove the heater. I recommend that you cut back on the food a little for the next week or two and see if the algae problem persists. By waiting you will be able to see if the gravel and the food are really the problem and that way you will be able to find out if weather or not you should switch back to the other gravel or a small pebble size. P.s The beneficial bacteria that was growing amongst the old gravel have greatly been depleted since you added new gravel, so even if the food is not the issue I would be willing to bet that the algae is from this fact as well. I would say that you should wait about 2-3 weeks for the tank to reach a stable state again and then if the issue persists that we should start looking at other possible causes. Thanks again for the comment and keep them coming! :) -Mark Thanks for the comment!

I would have to agree with you and say that it’s the excess food falling into the gravel that is possibly causing your problem. I only say this since this is the only thing that you have really changed other then the light.

You mentioned that you have goldfish and with that I would remove any heater that you may have going. They are not tropical fish and so you may just get lucky enough with only having to remove the heater.

I recommend that you cut back on the food a little for the next week or two and see if the algae problem persists. By waiting you will be able to see if the gravel and the food are really the problem and that way you will be able to find out if weather or not you should switch back to the other gravel or a small pebble size.

P.s The beneficial bacteria that was growing amongst the old gravel have greatly been depleted since you added new gravel, so even if the food is not the issue I would be willing to bet that the algae is from this fact as well. I would say that you should wait about 2-3 weeks for the tank to reach a stable state again and then if the issue persists that we should start looking at other possible causes.

Thanks again for the comment and keep them coming! :)

-Mark

]]> Comment on Ways to prevent algae growth in your pet fish tank. by rbm1230@aol.com http://markspetfish.com/2008/05/algae-problems/#comment-741 rbm1230@aol.com Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:45:18 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=1#comment-741 I have small goldfish and have recently had massive aglae problems. I changed the light which was old and that fixed the problem somewhat but I still get tons of algae on the gravel whenever I move it around it goes flying everywhere. I recently changed from small gravel to large gravel and can this be the cause of all the algae? Is it that the small fish cannot move the gravel adequately with their mouths to get the food that falls between it and the excess food is rotting and contributing to the increased algae growth? I keep the light on about 9 hours a day and the tank is not in direct sunlight and I do have a very small pleco (the tank is only 10 gallons). I have small goldfish and have recently had massive aglae problems. I changed the light which was old and that fixed the problem somewhat but I still get tons of algae on the gravel whenever I move it around it goes flying everywhere. I recently changed from small gravel to large gravel and can this be the cause of all the algae? Is it that the small fish cannot move the gravel adequately with their mouths to get the food that falls between it and the excess food is rotting and contributing to the increased algae growth? I keep the light on about 9 hours a day and the tank is not in direct sunlight and I do have a very small pleco (the tank is only 10 gallons).

]]> Comment on Frontosa (cyphotilapia frontosa) by Mark http://markspetfish.com/2008/06/frontosa-cyphotilapia-frontosa/#comment-739 Mark Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:50:01 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=42#comment-739 Thanks for the comment! I wouldn't risk it, I would add the tumbler right away. Congrats on having a successful spawn and hope it works this time :) -Mark Thanks for the comment!

I wouldn’t risk it, I would add the tumbler right away.

Congrats on having a successful spawn and hope it works this time :)

-Mark

]]> Comment on Frontosa (cyphotilapia frontosa) by claudio http://markspetfish.com/2008/06/frontosa-cyphotilapia-frontosa/#comment-734 claudio Thu, 01 Jan 2009 18:46:59 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=42#comment-734 Hi I'm from Charlotte NC..and I have 3 frontosas..one male and two females..they have spawned twice allready..but the females eat the eggs..last night they spawned again..one of the females is holding eggs..I have a home made egg tumbler..should I use it now or should I wait a little longer and see if she will hold the eggs this time..???.thenk you.. Hi I’m from Charlotte NC..and I have 3 frontosas..one male and two females..they have spawned twice allready..but the females eat the eggs..last night they spawned again..one of the females is holding eggs..I have a home made egg tumbler..should I use it now or should I wait a little longer and see if she will hold the eggs this time..???.thenk you..

]]> Comment on Characins (tetras, hatchetfish, piranha, ect.) by All you need to know to keep the Red-Bellied piranha (pygocentrus nattereri) | Pet Fish Care http://markspetfish.com/2008/06/characins-tetras-hatchetfish-piranha-ect/#comment-718 All you need to know to keep the Red-Bellied piranha (pygocentrus nattereri) | Pet Fish Care Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:54:27 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=33#comment-718 [...] For more information on Characins click here. [...] [...] For more information on Characins click here. [...]

]]> Comment on Guppy Sexual Maturity, When do guppies mature? by Mark http://markspetfish.com/2008/05/guppy-sexual-maturity-when-do-guppies-mature/#comment-717 Mark Sun, 28 Dec 2008 19:25:06 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=32#comment-717 You know what, that sounds like a great idea! I have a video of the guppies on their profile but I'll add one here too. Thanks for the advice. -Mark You know what, that sounds like a great idea! I have a video of the guppies on their profile but I’ll add one here too.

Thanks for the advice.

-Mark

]]> Comment on Guppy Sexual Maturity, When do guppies mature? by little girl http://markspetfish.com/2008/05/guppy-sexual-maturity-when-do-guppies-mature/#comment-715 little girl Sun, 28 Dec 2008 07:59:13 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=32#comment-715 you should have a movie of your guppies, there like the prettiest of all fish, cuz of the variety, and different styles. you should have a movie of your guppies, there like the prettiest of all fish, cuz of the variety, and different styles.

]]> Comment on Pictus Catfish (pimelodus pictus) by Mark http://markspetfish.com/2008/08/pictus-catfish-pimelodus-pictus/#comment-714 Mark Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:54:36 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=52#comment-714 The fact that he is in a 10 gallon tank could be the reason for him being slower moving. I had to place mine in a temporary tank at one point when I had a problem and I noticed my Pictus catfish not moving at all for periods of time, so the lethargic movement is most likely from the lack of room. The rip on his dorsal fin indicates that he was in a fight or there is something sharp in your tank. So there is no need to worry there, every now and then mine rip there fins as well, the fins heal rather quickly though so no need to panic. But if it's a fight then you might have a problem. What other fish are in the tank? They are hardy eaters and this worries me that you say he is not eating. So I will ask a few questions: How often are you feeding them specifically? And what type of food is it? Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this quickly, just email me if you would like at mark@markspetfish.com -Mark The fact that he is in a 10 gallon tank could be the reason for him being slower moving. I had to place mine in a temporary tank at one point when I had a problem and I noticed my Pictus catfish not moving at all for periods of time, so the lethargic movement is most likely from the lack of room.

The rip on his dorsal fin indicates that he was in a fight or there is something sharp in your tank. So there is no need to worry there, every now and then mine rip there fins as well, the fins heal rather quickly though so no need to panic.

But if it’s a fight then you might have a problem. What other fish are in the tank?

They are hardy eaters and this worries me that you say he is not eating. So I will ask a few questions: How often are you feeding them specifically? And what type of food is it?

Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this quickly,
just email me if you would like at mark@markspetfish.com

-Mark

]]> Comment on Pictus Catfish (pimelodus pictus) by jenndoak@bellsouth.net http://markspetfish.com/2008/08/pictus-catfish-pimelodus-pictus/#comment-713 jenndoak@bellsouth.net Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:43:11 +0000 http://markspetfish.com/?p=52#comment-713 I just got a tank for my 7 year old son. We bought 8 fish (small for a 10 Gal Tank.) All of the fish seem to be doing well. It has been MANY years since i cared for a tank. Except for the Pimelodus Pictus. He was very active the first day and ate 2 times per day. Today i noticed is top fin is split so he has a large spike and the whips, for lack of a better term on his right side are limp and weak. He looks like he could be dying. How do i help it? He is still making circles around the tank, but he is slugish and not eating. Thank you, Please hurry! Jenn Jenndoak@bellsouth.net I just got a tank for my 7 year old son. We bought 8 fish (small for a 10 Gal Tank.) All of the fish seem to be doing well. It has been MANY years since i cared for a tank. Except for the Pimelodus Pictus. He was very active the first day and ate 2 times per day.

Today i noticed is top fin is split so he has a large spike and the whips, for lack of a better term on his right side are limp and weak. He looks like he could be dying. How do i help it? He is still making circles around the tank, but he is slugish and not eating.

Thank you, Please hurry!

Jenn
Jenndoak@bellsouth.net

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