Updated 5/11/2008 Other Specialized Daily FAQs Logs: General, Brackish 
Daily Q&A replies/input from the WWM crew:  Sara Mavinkurve, Adam Jackson, Merritt Adkins, Scott Vallembois, Darrel Barton, Neale Monks, Marco Lichtenberger, Eric Russell, Chris Perivolidis, Pufferpunk (Jeni Tyrell), Chuck Rambo, Bob Fenner, are posted here. Moved about, re-organized roughly daily
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re: dying goldfish 05/11/08 Thanks for such a quick response. Unfortunately I lost another fish today. The day after receiving your response I tested the water. Nitrite was negative, pH was around 7.0. <One possible issue is rapid pH change. This can cause rapid death of Goldfish in ponds, and is one of those "invisible killers" people don't always think of. You should therefore check the carbonate hardness; you're after something like 5-10 degrees KH. Water with a high carbonate hardness should have a pH around 7.5, which is why I'm worried your water might be too soft. What carbonate hardness does is "mop up" acidity, preventing pH changes. That's a good thing, because ponds are prone to a pH drop over time unless you do regular water changes. Under some situations, the pH can plummet very quickly. There are various ways to raise the carbonate hardness of pond water, which we can discuss if need be.> I decided to do an 80% water exchange. During the exchange I did notice several dead hard shelled beetles that I had never noticed in the water before. <Unlikely an issue.> I also found a tan colored insect that I had never seen before (I was thinking maybe some kind of larvae). It was on the liner but when I reached out to get it, the insect dropped into the water and I never found it after that. <Again, likely irrelevant.> The difference between this fish and the others is the intestines were still formed - in the others it was completely liquid. <Likely reflects differences in what the fish have been eating. Goldfish do feed on algae and organic detritus, and their guts are consequently likely to be filled with "silt".> Most of the damaged tail is a result of me picking it up by the tail. I did not find any hard stones in this one. I was wondering if what I thought were stones could be bettle shell. <Maybe.> My son questions if something is injecting its eggs into the fish. <No.> I did redesign a portion of the pond this year. I put out top soil and an organic soil mixture over some of the rocks at the upper corner in which I planted flowers (some potting soil with these). Could they be getting poisoned? <Some plants are indeed toxic, though Wouldn't the smaller, younger fish be affected first? <No idea I'm afraid!> Thanks for all your help!! <Your welcome, Neale.>

Teal Stuff... 05/11/08
There is this teal colored stuff producing on the rocks in my tank and I am worried if it is harmful can you please tell me? Thanks, Jesse
<No real idea without a photo! Most likely algae, which is harmless, if perhaps unsightly. Algae is best dealt with via manual removal. Cheers, Neale.>

White fleshy lump on my Ram! 05/11/08 Hi WWM crew, <Greetings.> I am truly hoping you can help me. Having scoured the web for an answer I am at a loss. First up - tank statistics: 63L, 4 rummy nosed tetras, 3 albino cory's, 3 female + 1 male guppies, one Male and one Female dwarf gourami, and finally one Male + one Female German Blue ram. <Hmm... somewhat overstocked, and more to the point not all these fish are reliable investments. Dwarf Gouramis and Rams are very low down the scale of "good value" fish thanks to a combination of poor farming practice and very specific requirements. For example, Rams need soft, acidic *very warm* water (around 28-30C) to do well; anything else and they become very disease prone. Your Guppies would hate you with the heat of a nova if you put them into sufficiently soft and acidic water for the Rams to do well, while the Corydoras would be severely stressed by the high temperatures Rams like, being essentially subtropical fish. Now, whilst all these fish are sold as "community tropicals", my point here is that that's more a marketing gimmick than a reflection of biological reality.> My problem lies with my male Ram. A few weeks ago he developed a white lump on his back, just at the join of his dorsal fin. At the time he was guarding the latest batch of eggs that the female laid. I had removed a few of the eggs to raise myself (left them suspended in the main tank in a net near the water flow from the filter), as the eggs left with the parents succumb to fungus. In order to feed the fry that hatched from the eggs I had removed, I used green water from an outside "pond". <Whilst I'm thrilled your fish are spawning, I'd suspect that the cyst is somehow related to the fact your fish is (presumably) not in ideal environmental conditions. There's really no two ways to put this: Rams require conditions that *aren't* those enjoyed by most community fish. When kept in community tanks, they sooner or later manifest a problem because their immune system isn't working 100%.> I was slightly concerned about the lump on the male ram, but as he was feeding and acting normally I just hoped that it would resolve itself. It didn't seem to bother him at all, in as much as he guarded another batch of eggs a couple of weeks later. The lump hasn't resolved itself and has recently got much larger and is rather "fleshy" looking now (not cottony). It is cream coloured and lately has red streaks through it, making me think this is blood. <Could be one of at least two things. The first is Lymphocystis, a disease that is reasonably commonly seen with "advanced" fish like Cichlids. It's a viral disease the causes of which remain unclear, but in the wild at least, biologists usually put the appearance of Lympho as being related to water pollution. For the aquarist, the best that can be said is that it's a sign that all is not well. Lympho isn't treatable, but under good conditions will clear up after a few months (or years!). The second option is a simple secondary infection similar to Finrot; i.e., damage to the superficial tissues has allowed bacteria to form a mass of necrotic (dead) tissue. Because the "lump" is red and sore-looking, I'm favouring this latter.> He seems to be in some distress now, as he isn't feeding and seems to be "breathing rapidly" with a wide open mouth (not a the surface of the water though). He is clearly off colour as the female laid eggs last night and nothing she could do could get him interested. <Ah, if the infection is spreading, then yes, that would account for respiratory or other distress. In any case, definitely need to assume Finrot (or similar) and treat with a suitable antibiotic/antibacterial.> I have now seen the appearance of 2 red dots on him (looks a little like blood blisters), one further forward than the fleshy lump on his dorsal but still at the fin/body join; and the other dot on his anal fin, where it meets the body. <Blisters are commonly associated with Aeromonas/Pseudomonas infections of the type that cause Finrot. Put simply, the immune system is overwhelmed by the bacteria, allowing tissue to die. Blockages in the blood vessels result in the red colour.> Having now realized that this is not going to fix itself, I am currently treating him with Bactonex (1ml: 1.66mg Aminacrine hydrochloride + 0.025mg Methylene blue). I have a feeling that perhaps he's picked something up from the pond water that I introduced in order to feed the young fry - He is the only one in the tank that is sick however. I've attached 2 photos that I took (as best I could) that show you the lump, and the two red spots. <While it is certainly possible "something" came in with the pond water, in reality these secondary infections are typically caused by bacteria in the aquarium anyway. Aeromonas for example are "good" bacteria when the fish are healthy, playing a role in the nitrogen cycle by breaking down feces and uneaten food into the ammonia the filter can deal with. But when the fish is weakened (e.g., by being kept too cold) the bacteria can become troublesome. This is *prime* problem with Rams, simply because they have evolved to live in very warm water.> I do hope you can help me identify what disease or parasite he has so that I can treat him appropriately. He is my favorite fish as he is stunning and has grown into a great dad :( <Rams are indeed lovely fish. But they do need warm (28+C), soft (1-3 degrees dH), acidic (pH 5-6) water -- which is not what most of us keep our community tanks at. Because of this, the vast majority of specimens die a few months after leaving the fish farm. For aquarists after a hardier "ram" cichlid, I'd heartily recommend the Bolivian Ram Mikrogeophagus altispinosus, a species that lives in cooler, harder, and more neutral water conditions. Not so pretty perhaps, but easier to keep. Apistogramma cacatuoides is another superb little South American dwarf cichlid ideally suited to "normal" water chemistry.> I look forward to hearing from you soon! Worried Ram Owner. <Hope this has helped. Cheers, Neale.>

T5 Lighting/Planted Tank 5/10/08
Nice to be back again! Hello everyone.
<Hello, welcome back!>
Last month I started my planted tank in my 10 gallons aquarium. I've been using an Iron Fertilizer in my aquarium and the lighting I use is 8watts T5 light, because far as I know this is the best light for planted tanks.
<T5 units are a good choice for planted tanks.>
But as days go by, some of my plants leaves are beginning to became transparent and then die.
<Too little light. What substrate are you using?>
So now, what will I do? Is my light is not enough?
<It is not.>
By the way my plants are Amazon Swords, Cabomba caroliniana, Water Sprite, and Brazilian Micro-Sword and I would like to add Glossotigma elatinoides.
<The last addition may be a bit tough to add in such a small tank, the others will overshadow it very quickly. These all require moderate to high lighting, what you have in not enough. Something 3-4 times your current lighting will be needed.>
And will adding DIY co2 help my plants to grow?
<It can, with all other factors for growth in place, lighting, substrate, etc.>
Thanks
<Welcome, Scott V.>

rainbow fish  5/10/08
hey, I am starting a rainbow fish tank,
<Er... I guess you didn't read the 'house rules' regarding grammar, punctuation, etc.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/faqstips.htm
Also, here in England at least, someone saying "Hey" to a complete stranger is considered extremely rude.>
what are some recommendations (plz no tank sizes)
<Why don't you want to know the tank sizes? All the fish you're considering need a fairly spacious tank, certainly upwards of 180 litres/45 gallons. Non-dwarf Rainbowfish comfortably reach 10-12 cm in many cases, often slightly more. It's just plain cruel to keep them in any aquarium less than 1 m/36" long -- they need the swimming space.>
I am putting 4 Australian rbs, 4 incisus rbs, 4 boesmani rbs,
<You need at least 6 of each of these. Not 4. These are *schooling* fish, and you will NOT see them at their best in small groups. They need to be in big groups so that the males and females are in sensible, equal numbers. ONLY kept this way will the group be peaceful and the males develop their strongest colours. For example, some people try to keep just males, and then wonder why their Rainbowfish don't ever become fully coloured. Well guess what -- those colours are for a reason -- to show off to females. No females, no mating colours. And if you want a nice mix of males and females, you need 6 of each species, at least. In addition, in groups of less than 6 the fish won't school. So instead of nice, coordinated group of fish schooling together, you'll get a jumble of scared-looking fish with weak colours. Trust me on this: after a couple of weeks of this, you'll be very disappointed with your aquarium. So instead of three different species, how about 12 specimens of just one species. The result will look a hundred times better, and this is how professional aquarium designers work when creating exhibits with Rainbowfish for offices, public aquaria, etc.>
like what tank ornaments/substrate etc.
<Rainbowfish do indeed like tank ornaments and substrate.>
Thanx
<Chz Neale>

Is it possibly that my fish could breed with themselves?  5/10/08
They are 2 Calico Fantails one is white coloring and one if dark coloring turning orange so can they mate themselves? Thanks, Jesse
<Obviously they can't mate with "themselves" any more than any other fish can fertilize itself. But if you're asking can two Calico Fantails breed, then potentially yes. Very unlikely in an aquarium though. Goldfish breeding needs to be done in a pond, typically with several males and females kept together because their spawning behaviour at least is primarily group rather than pair based. Cheers, Neale.>

Discus Need Pristine Water 5/9/08
Dear WetWebMedia Crew,
<Hi Samer, Pufferpunk here>
I have discus fish in a 1 and a half meter aquarium.
<How many?>
The pH is between 7.3 and 7.6.
<Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?>
The problem is all my discus are breathing heavily. Two of them are sitting on their side and look very weak. Is there anything I can do to help them?
<Yes, discus need pristine water conditions. 90% weekly water changes would not be considered too much.  Discus breeders do 100% water changes daily. You must start out by doing 25% water change 2x/day for a week & do 90% every week after that. Be sure to match the temperature (discus like it hot: 86 degrees) & use some sort of dechlorinator--Prime works well. This is considering that the tank is not overstocked & it was cycled before you stocked fish in there. See: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i2/discus/discus.htm ~PP>
Thank you for all the help,
Samer
<PS, Please note the changes I made to your punctuation, capitalization & spelling & try to correct before sending in the future, as per: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm.>

The Tubercule  5/10/08
Hi I just want to know what the tubercule looks like or I can give a picture if I can take one that is good enough so I want to know what the tubercule looks like and thank you for helping.
<If your ADULT male Goldfish are in sexual condition, you can't miss them! They look like Ick/Whitespot on the face. Easy as that. If you can't see them, then your fish either isn't a male, isn't sexually mature, or isn't in breeding condition. Cheers, Neale.>

sick Goldfish  5/10/08
Please help Hi crew, my fish are sick and I don't know what's wrong. They are losing their scales and are not eating properly. They are getting very thin and are very slow. Some are having trouble breathing and they have thin, black feces. Their eyes are sunken and some have white grains on their bodies. One also has a whitish spot on its head, it looks like an ulcer. They also have white lines on their heads. What is wrong with them and how do I treat them? The Ph level is 6.8 but I have put them in a hospital tank. My fish are still young and I just got them at around January. They are 4 black moors, 5 goldfish and 3 shubunkins. Thanks, Michelle
<Michelle, without any additional information about your aquarium, my prediction here is poor water quality. What you are seeing is a random collection of secondary infections (Aeromonas, Pseudomonas spp. bacterial infections) that cause Finrot, Ulcers, etc. While you can treat these with antibacterial or antibiotic medications (for example Maracyn or eSHa 2000 but not Melafix/Pimafix) you also have to fix the aquarium. Check the ammonia and/or nitrite concentration. Review Goldfish maintenance. You quite likely have too many fish in too small a tank. Twelve Goldfish should be kept either in a pond or in an aquarium at least 400 litres/100 gallons in size. Anything less will simply not be acceptable. You also need a large filter. With goldfish, that means a filter with turnover not less than 6 times the volume of the tank. So for a 400 litre aquarium, the filter turnover would need to be 6 x 400 = 2400 litres per hour. Finally, Goldfish need hard, basic water. If your water has a pH of 6.8, it is presumably soft water. Never use water from a domestic water softener, and if you have soft water anyway, add calcareous media to the filter to raise the hardness (or some other equivalent method of raising hardness). Do not use sea salt or "pH up" products -- they're irrelevant and potentially dangerous here. Cheers, Neale.>

Solo guppy  5/10/08
I'm sorry to have to ask the question and I have looked in the FAQ'S and couldn't find the answer. Out of the blue I noticed one guppy dead plastered to a plastic plant. I've had 2 guppies in a 5 gallon tank for over a year. The water quality is good - no ammonia, nitrites, etc. Although I have stains on glass and filter from water hardness.
Two questions, this guppy showed no odd signs of behavior before dying, what could have been the problem?
<Quite possibly old age. Fancy Guppies are not long lived. Wild fish are basically annuals, though in captivity "hardy" Guppies (e.g., Feeder guppies) can live for 2+ years. But Fancy Guppies were bred with a view to colour and finnage rather than hardiness, and by the time you purchase an adult male, he may be 6 months old already. So assuming water conditions are good, he may just be life expired. That said, a 5 gallon tank is a lot smaller than I'd *ever* recommend for Guppies because they are delicate and the males are quite aggressive.>
How do I clean water hardness stains?
<Easily removed using a bit of elbow grease (as we call it in England) plus a cloth moistened with lemon juice or vinegar.>
Can this remaining guppy be kept alone or should I put another in there?
<He/she be absolutely fine on his own. Females are gregarious and do best in groups, but males are mutually aggressive and don't have much of a schooling instinct, if any, in captivity.>
after QT?
Your quick response is appreciated.
Irene (stumped)
<Sincerely, Neale.>

Re: Solo guppy  5/10/08
Thank you for your quick and detailed answer.. It is very helpful.. One last question, can I use this lemon juice/vinegar to clean while fish is still in the tank?
Irene
<For cleaning the outside the tank, yes, you can use vinegar or lemon juice. Apply carefully though, to avoid getting it into the tank itself. Cheers, Neale.>

Guppies  5/10/08
I got brand new guppies today and I would like to know how fast they can reproduce? Thanks
<This is in the article we've directed you to several times:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/guppies.htm
Cheers, Neale.>

Chronic Ammonia?  5/10/08
Hey y'all,
Love the site, it has helped me more times than I can count. This is my first time writing in as I cannot find the answer anywhere else. I have had my fresh water aquarium up and running now for about three months. At this time It contains a silver arowana- 8in, a clown knife- 8in, a jewel cichlid- 3in, a common pleco- 4in, and two crayfish. My dilemma is that the ammonia has registered around 4 ppm for about a month now. I figured the test may have gotten old so I replaced it with a new one and the readings are still around 4ppm. Now for the puzzling part: My Nitrites have consistently been at zero since the cycle finished, my Nitrates are around 10ppm consistently, I do bi-monthly water changes of 25%, I do not overfeed my fish, my aquarium is bare bottom, and no one in the tank exhibits labored breathing, scratching, or any other stressful behavior. As I monitored the cycle the ammonia spiked (as it should), and never dropped below 1 ppm. Then I noticed in the months that followed the ammonia would not drop. Now it has apparently skyrocketed to 4 ppm just in the last month as I said. Could there be an inhibitor for the ammonia eating bacteria, or could there be something in my aquarium giving me false positives? I would have to assume that if my ammonia was really this high for any length of time my fish would at the very least be acting funny, and my crayfish would definitely be dead. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
James
<Hi James. As you seem to understand anyway, ammonia comes primarily from the fish, either as an excretory product or else because of the decay of uneaten food. So you could review your filtration and consider whether an upgrade (or perhaps a service) is in order. For fish of the type you're keeping, I'd be recommending turnover rates of 8-10 times the volume of the tank. Things like carbon are (in my opinion) a waste of filtration space, so removing carbon the make space for more biological media may be in order. Water changes of 50% weekly would also be recommended for this type of system, but that's not really relevant to this particular problem. More important might be the size of the tank: unless the tank is fundamentally big enough (in terms of volume) to dilute the ammonia the fish produce, the combination of a too-small tank with too-weak filtration system can result in persistent levels of ammonia. Or put more simply, the filter never gets enough time to remove the ammonia in the system, and the tank isn't big enough to dilute what remains. For these types of fish, the aquarium will need to be 750 l/200 gal in size once the fish are adult, though juveniles might get away with a somewhat smaller system. Now, the other issue is servicing the filter. Filters need a certain amount of care, in particular cleaning. Removing the filter media for a rinse is fine, but some folks overdo this and end up killing the filter bacteria. Conversely, if the filter gets clogged, the lack of oxygen lets the bacteria die as well. One last consideration is your water. Some water supplies come with a certain amount of ammonia; others are treated with chloramine, and this can split into chlorine and ammonia when treated with traditional dechlorinator. So test your tap water. Cheers, Neale.>

Sick Betta 5-10-08
Hi,
<Hello, Merritt here today!>
My name is Kate and I have a Betta named Sashimi who is about one and a half years old. He is usually an active, hungry, happy fish that swims allot and makes bubble nests. I noticed that starting last week, he was not eating his food. I always feed him 10-13 pellets of Hikari Betta Bio-Gold in the morning.
<Whoa! That is too many pellets, Hikari Betta Bio-Gold recommends only 2-4 pellets a day, decrease his feedings pronto!>
Usually he gobbles that stuff up. He lives in a 1 gallon tank with no filter and I do weekly 100% water changes using a Britta filter and add two capfuls of Bettaplus water treatment by Nutrafin.

guppy question  05/09/08 Hi guys (and gals!) Love your site. Been a while since I had a question for you though. I have a 55 gal freshwater tank. Been running for over a year. All parameters are awesome. I got a couple of female guppies the other day. One of them has not eaten at all. She has no other symptoms that I can see. She swims around, not hanging there. I have looked at her with a magnifying glass and cannot see anything in her mouth, although it's not opening very wide, and nothing external. A moment ago I saw her 'yawn', but not sure if that is something. Just completely uninterested in food. This is now the 5th day. A bit concerned, as all I have ever seen is all my guppies eat like pigs! Would that have anything to do with bacteria or parasites?? She's a new one so I guess you never know... thanks Tamara <Hi Tamara. Can't do anything with this information. Please tell me *what* the water parameters are -- unfortunately for me, the word "awesome" doesn't confer anything in terms of pH, water hardness, temperature, nitrite, or nitrate. Get back to me with (at the very least) the pH and the nitrite, and perhaps we can go somewhere in terms of diagnosing the problem. In the meantime, start here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/guppies.htm Almost all sickness in fish comes down to water issues rather than bacteria or parasites that come out of the blue. So check everything is right from that angle first, and then worry about the very improbable stuff. Cheers, Neale.> Re: guppy question  5/10/08 ok...the ph test kit I have goes to 7.6 and that's the color, but not sure if it would show a different color if higher or not. <7.6 is an acceptable pH for Guppies, provided the water hardness is high as well.> Ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 0 <All fine.> All others are doing great. Guppies (2males 6 female), Blk Phantom, Blk Neon, Glolite, Raspbora, 2 corys and a rubberlip pleco, oh yes, and a bunch of trumpet snails. <Ideal water chemistry for Guppies is not the same as that required by Tetras and Rasboras, so I don't recommend keeping these fish together. But if you've had success hitherto, that's fine.> This is a new guppy to my tank 5 days ago...that's why I was wondering about the symptoms being bacterial or parasitic. <Possible if a new purchase; hence the reason we recommend quarantining. Quality of livebearers is variable, and many Guppies and most Mollies are reared in brackish rather than freshwater to reduce the problems of various diseases. When these livebearers are moved into freshwater aquaria, they often become sick. Because livebearers all tolerate salt, that's a useful tool to use when acclimating new fish. But if you have Tetras and Rasboras, adding salt isn't an option. At useful salt doses, these fish will die.> She is not a full grown female at all, so shouldn't be age. Thought if it was stress from moving from tank to tank (pet store to home 10 min drive) that it would be over by now. <Unlikely to be the cause.> The other one I got at the same time is doing great....again...so odd seeing a guppy not eating they are usually pigs!! I've noticed she has done a bit more of the yawning or mouth stretching, which probably wouldn't have noticed without the lack of eating. Any thoughts? <I'd certainly move this fish to your quarantine or hospital tank, and perhaps maintain in slightly brackish (SG 1.003-1.005) conditions. Keep away from your other Guppies for 4-6 weeks, just in case this is a contagious problem. I'd be worried (for example) that the fish has Hexamita or Camallanus, both of which are reasonably common among mass produced ornamental fish. Fancy Guppies at least are very variable in quality, often bred to a price rather than standard, so they should ALWAYS be isolated after purchase. Cheers, Neale.> Re: guppy question  5/10/08 just saw something coming out of her mouth, like a bit of foggy slime or something. Assuming that's bacterial growth?? <Much more likely either undigested food (yes, fish do vomit) or mucous. Quarantine, optimize water conditions, and observe. Given the problems appear to be with the digestive system (lack of appetite, regurgitation of something) I'd be expecting either worms (e.g., Camallanus) or protozoans (e.g., Hexamita) to be likely issues. Research these complains (lots here at WWM), look out for corroborating symptoms, and then treat as required. Cheers, Neale.>

pictures of my betta 05/09/08 I just took some photos of him and attached them so you can maybe see how severe the illness is. I would really appreciate any advice you guys have. <Yikes, that's one sick betta. It definitely looks like it's starving. If you're feeding it well, then this would be a symptom of something else. Here are some resources: http://www.bubblenest.com/ http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/bettadiseases.htm> -Erika <Best, Sara M.>

Calico Fantail Eggs? 05/09/08
Well My calico fantail has whitish string coming from it's rear end what are these? Please and thank you.
<Hello! That's the first sign of constipation. The white strings are feces. If you don't feed enough green food, Goldfish become constipated, and that's what you're seeing here. So, stop with the flake/pellet food, and switch to greens of whatever type suits you best. See here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshmalnut.htm
Cheers, Neale.>

bettafix not helping fin and tail rot  05/09/08
Hi! This question is for Bob. I have a smaller male betta fish with quite a serious case fin and tail rot, I'm pretty sure based on what I've read on here. I have had him since last August and he has about a 2 quart bowl with no filter or heating system. I used tap water with Prime by Seachem brand conditioning drops that remove chlorine, chloramine, and ammonia, and detoxifies nitrate, and nitrite, and provides a slime coat. The room temperature was always sort of on the colder side about 65-70 degrees because I was living in a college dorm with a roommate who liked the room cold. I didn't know that colder temperatures could be harmful to bettas. I would change the water about every 2-3 weeks because it would develop a slimy-cloudy film on top. I always fed him one food pellet a day and sometimes an extra one because he always ate like a pig. Around the middle of this past April, I noticed parts of his fins starting to disappear like they were being torn off and he was not spreading them out like he used to. I immediately changed his water and didn't think that it was anything serious because he was still acting normally. Then a few days later, I brought him home with me from college for the summer. My house temperature is much warmer (about 77-79 degrees.) A few days after I was home, I noticed that he didn't seem to be feeling well and a little more of his tail and fins were missing. I went to Petco and asked the fish expert what it could be and what I should do. She gave me Bettafix medication. I changed the water to my home tap water and added the prime and bettafix medicine as directed. I continued to add the Bettafix for 7 days without changing the water as directed. On the 8th day, I noticed he looked like he was getting worse. So I changed the water and some tiny pieces of his fin came off in the net. He also looked very pale, he's an aqua blue color, but he looked like a pale-translucent-blue-grey I went online and looked up betta diseases and fin and tail rot seemed to match my fish's condition. I freaked out and rushed to petco to get a better medication. I told them the bettafix they gave me before wasn't working and what was happening to his fins. The fish "expert" told me that he probably wouldn't make it and gave me a different type of bettafix and aquarium salt. I changed the water, added the prime conditioner, a pinch of the salt, and the new bettafix. This was yesterday (5-6-08.) Then I fed him and he ate like a pig as usual. This morning he looked like he was feeling better, he was vibrant aqua and his fins and tail were spread out. Then, this afternoon he started to look sick again with his fins and tail clumped together. I tried feeding him but when he tried eating the pellet, it was like he couldn't get it in his mouth. He kept missing it or he wasn't opening his mouth wide enough, or it was too big. So I cut the tiny pellet in half and he finally was able to eat 2 halves. Eating has never been a problem for him before so I'm really worried. So, I went to petsmart and I learned that the old bettafix I used and the new bettafix I was using was the same thing in a different bottle. I checked both of them and they both have .2% of melaleuca in them. I read on the internet that bettafix is good to treat fish who have mild cases of fin and tailrot or who are recovering from it, and in secondary cases, they need something stronger. The girl at petsmart told me that any other medication would be too strong for him because he is in such a small bowl. But if he has a serious case of fin and tail rot, then will the bettafix be enough to stop it? I read that online that I should try Maracyn-TC by mardel, is that a good choice? Please tell me what I can
do to save him.
-Erika
<Erika, "bettafix" and other tea tree oil-based products are indeed very unreliable and (in my opinion) not worth using. Maracyn would be a much better bet for fixing Finrot on a Betta. So yes, use that. Salt is neither here nor there when treating Finrot, but do remember that lowland Betta species like Betta splendens like quite warm water so certainly maintain the tank at around 25-28 degrees C. Frequent water changes and good filtration are also critical, because ultimately Finrot is caused by poor water conditions. Don't force food into the poor little chap, and if he doesn't want to eat right now, don't worry about it. When he gets better, his appetite will return. Cheers, Neale.>

problem with RES and white stock above head  05/08/08 Hello WWM, <Hiya, Darrel here tonight> We have 3 red eye sliders, with the temp been 78-82, feeding them reptomin, two filtering system and all reptisafe for the water treatment. I Also have uv light that I cant not remember at this time the ratings on it. Now about the wound or whatever. It started as a white spot and now today its showing what appears to be reddish color and the skin is peeling... <The water temp is a little high -- 65 to 78 would be fine -- let then bask under a heat lamp to get any warmer. I'll include a link at the bottom of the page. Reptomin is a fine food, a good quality Koi pellets are essentially the same food for a lot less money> I've attached a link to my photobucket so you can see the pictures. Hopefully be a better explanation for the turtle...can you please inform me on what this might be perhaps?? <Good pictures, Gino. Everything I see points to simple mechanical damage -- that means rubbing or cutting on something, even on the top of his carapace (top shell) as he climbs in or out of the water. It is too localized and right near where the neck tends to rub on the shell to be a systemic infection.> <Read below for my recommendations? Thank you. Gino PS: Is it possible that rocks might have gotten in its neck and cause it to get injured???(there tank we put them into when clean has rocks in it) <Yes, somehow this is an injury and we want to heal it before an infection sets in. First, take him OUT of the water and keep him out until the neck heals. You don't have to go to any great expense ... even a cardboard box with high enough sides that he can't climb out will be just fine. An animal is as generally good shape as this one appears to be can be without water and/or UV for months if necessary, so don't worry about that. (A) Take him out to some place dry (B) After his skin is actually dry, dribble or drop some Betadyne or any kind of iodine solution on the neck (C) Every day, place him in a shallow bowl of water for 5 minutes to hydrate and eat -- he may NOT eat, don't worry about that yet -- and then when he's back in his box and dry, repeat the Betadyne. Keep this up for a week or so and the skin should heal nicely.> <In the mean time, observe his behavior for how & why he was straining & rubbing his neck -- or look for the sharp rock or corner in his permanent home. Once he's healed and you've found & fixed the source of the abrasion, he can move home again an get what otherwise looks like GREAT care from you.> <Regards, Darrel P.S. read this: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/RESCareBarton.htm > http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_203.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_201.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_199.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_197.jpg this picture shows how the neck looks from a profile shot http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_194.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_191.jpg http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a46/gEE805/IMAGE_188.jpg

Filtration needs for outdoor RES habitat 05/08/08
Greetings and salutations WWM Crew,
<Hiya Kathy -- Darrel here>
Thank you for your wonderful site! Very informative.
<And you show a great deal of wisdom and taste for noticing!! Congrats!>
After an exhaustive, yet entertaining, search through the pond, turtle (slider) and filtration pages, I am left with a few remaining questions as to how to provide the best outdoor environment for our RES.
<You have questions? We have ... um ... well .... let's wait & see>
A bit of background may be helpful. Our RES "George" joined our family quite unexpectedly one day. One of our dogs discovered George wandering through our backyard and kindly alerted us of his presence by barking like mad! Given that we live in a Central California suburban subdivision and have a fenced-in backyard, his arrival was something of a surprise. After a fruitless canvas of our neighborhood, we determined that George was to become part of the family.
<so far, so good>
George is a male RES with a carapace of approximately 6 inches. Right now, he resides in our 167 gallon outdoor pond. The pond has a 450 gph in-pond pump, a biological filter, pond plants (including very tasty water lilies, water hyacinth and duckweed) and a small fountain nozzle. The water temperature ranges from 65 to 75 degrees for much of the year; in summer, however, the water temperature can reach the mid-80's. Since George's arrival, we have also added a floating, basking platform for his sun-worshipping pleasure (of which, he makes great use). George eats Koi pellets and occasional "Turtle bites", which he enjoys quite a bit, as well as plenty of water lily foliage and spinach/greens.
<sounds nice!>
And, now, at long last, my question(s)...
The biological filter seems to be handling the addition of George very nicely. In reading through the turtle pages, however, I see that it may be inadequate for his long-term health and well-being. In your opinion, should I look to add a mechanical filter as well? If so, what type/size would be best suited to the task? Also, if I do need to incorporate the mechanical filter, should it be used in-line with the biological filter or independently? The filtration pages have so much information that I must confess to being a bit confused and in dire need of clarity.
<Hmmm .. clarifying pond filter questions! A veritable fountain of puns (OH DARN!!! I just did one!)>
<If, by a Biological Filter, you mean one of those in-pond basket thingies attached to the pump, then I'd say yes it could probably need augmentation. That said, remember that the surfaces of the pond, plants, etc. are ALL part of the biocycle. Just like in an aquarium, the thing we call a biological filter is often adding some amount MORE biological filtration to a working system>
<To keep it simple, it is a practical impossibility to have a substantial enough biological filter to keep up after turtles the way you can for Koi. With JUST GEORGE it may be possible, but if he writes to his family in Denver and invites them over ... or if you're minding your own business at the pet store when a Slider or Cooter leaps from the tank and into your shopping cart (don't laugh -- it happened to me last week) then you have to augment your system with more mechanical cleaning AND ... begin more frequent water changes. What I'm suggestion is more like a canister power filter that you can fill with physical filtration as opposed to something like a 'barrel' type filter filled with bio-balls.>
<Also, please keep in mind that you are working in partnership with Mother Nature in any pond and Mom is the senior partner. Research your options for "over wintering" George out of the pond, because even in Turlock and even for an animal that can survive in frozen ponds much further up north, it's still very hard on them and our job is to always look toward improving his odds.>
I thank you, in advance, for your advice.
<You're welcome. We hope you like it.>
Thank you,
Kathy in Turlock, CA
<If the advice doesn't fit, bring it back & we'll fix it for free!>
<Darrel>

HELP!! I have a sick mollie! 05/08/08
Hey guys, it's Alia again! You were so helpful last time, I didn't think I would need your assistance again. I have a 10 gallon brackish tank with five mollies (I'm getting a new one though! :) I have a twenty gallon long tank setup). The pH, in my ten gallon tank, is 7.8, alkalinity 240 ppm, hardness 185 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, nitrate 20 ppm. I know the nitrate is, currently, too high. I replaced the carbon filter last night, hoping that it would help lower the nitrate levels along with frequent water changes (once-a-week). Anyway, on to my sick mollie. Blade, my male mollie that is sick, has been rather lethargic for the past two weeks. I separated him from the rest of the mollies, with a tank divider, for a couple of days. He is now back with the others and I just noticed that he shivered and he looked like his skin was itchy. He tried rubbing against a tank ornament. I checked and he didn't have any white spots due to ick; however he swims around with
his dorsal and posterior fins sagging moderately. I know I've read about a disease with symptoms similar to this. My problem is that I can't remember what the disease is and how to cure it. Please help me save my little Blade! Thank you so much!!
<Not sure precisely what this disease is; could be "the shimmies". Do also look for signs of Finrot and Fungus. If "the shimmies", then optimal water quality, plus reasonably brackish water (around 9 grammes of salt per litre) should do the trick. "Teaspoon per gallon" amounts of salt *do not* make brackish water, and won't help. 9 grammes of salt is about 1.5 level teaspoons of salt, and that's about how much you need per litre for greatest chance of success. Cheers, Neale.>

Bartholomew the Betta 5/8/08
Dear Wet Web Media,
Thank you so much for all the help you gave us while we had our cherished Betta, Bartholomew. On April 30th our little guy passed away so we have made a $50.00 contribution in his memory.
We have included Bartholomew's Eulogy.
Thanks again,
Bart's Mom & Dad
<Thank you, our condolences on your loss. I must apologize, the format of the eulogy will be lost in the plain text/non HTML format. Our fish can become as near and dear to our hearts as any other being in our lives. Again, sincerest condolences, Scott V.>
Bartholomew’s Eulogy
“The Best Little Fishy in the Whole Wide World”
“Our Best Buddy, Our Friend, Our Hero, Our Champion, Our Joy, Our Little Boy”
May 1, 2008
About Bartholomew, To Bartholomew, For Bartholomew and to all Betta Owners, we offer these words in honor of our abundantly loved little guy:
Last night, April 30, 2008 at approximately 11:30PM, our little cherished Betta, Bartholomew, finished his time here on Earth and passed on forever into the timeless home of our hearts and memories. With him has gone a piece of our souls and we will forever be connected to him and him to us. God’s promise is that love endures all things and so we know our abundant love for our precious little guy will come full circle in God’s time and at God’s place. For now Bartholomew rests in peace in a special flower pot on our porch with his favorite “housie”, bridge, rocks and spring flowers that match his spectacular colors.
Reminiscing back to the first day…………………..... Bartholomew stood out from all the other Betta’s in the Pet Store with his vibrant color of reddish, turquoise/blue. He came in this little cup labeled Betta Crowntail. Everything was perfect about this little Betta. We named him Bartholomew, a little fish with a big name. Who ever thought that this little guy would become our little boy with such a personality that would make you laugh and could teach you about life.
When we first brought Bartholomew home we placed him in a one gallon tank. The tank had a filter but no heater. A few months later we got him a bigger five and a half gallon tank, a new filter and a heater. We put Bartholomew into his new home with his “housie”, bridge and some plastic plants he could rest on. At that time we did not know much about caring for Betta’s. A few months later, Bartholomew came down with fin rot. We began treating him following the advice of an aquarist. Bartholomew did not respond to this care, so we began to read up on Betta’s, learning about their personality and how to take care of them. We did research on the internet and came across Wet-Web Media whose advice and guidance would become very valuable to us throughout Bartholomew’s life. We began treating our little guy with antibiotics to rid him of the fin rot but he was still not doing well, so we packed him up and took him to Aquarium Adventure where the aquarist, Peter told us that he was mal-nourished. Peter also said Bartholomew was depressed. He gave him black worms and from there on Bartholomew came alive. Everyday we watched him grow; he began to develop a personality that would make our friendship, love and bonding with him ever lasting. We kept asking ourselves; “How could this little fish be so smart”?
Bartholomew was not a Betta, well, yea he was a Betta but let me tell you what this little guy really was. Bartholomew was our best buddy, our friend, our champion, our hero, our little boy. He was in every sense of the word a “miracle”, God’s fascinating creation and a wonder. Bartholomew was and remains in our hearts a gorgeous, bright, adorable little guy with a personality unmatched. Yes, this little Betta, all 2 inches and 1 ounce (if that), that he was. Each time we approached his tank he greeted us with excitement, a dance, and eyes that could talk. He played hide and seek with us and would poke his head around the corner to see if we were looking. We played a sort of tag, each time pressing our finger against the glass, he would dart away only to come back for more. At times we would just stare at each other and see who outlasts who. But above all, this little fish taught us life lessons; make sure you play, make sure you love, be loyal, enjoy what you’ve been given, be happy to see others, eat with gusto. And above all, when the chips are down give it your best shot and leave the final decisions up to God. You see, Bartholomew was not only a great joy, he showed us courage under great adversity. When we did not know how to properly care for Betta’s, he endured his environment. When he contracted an illness and we came home one mid-day and found him shriveled and obviously dead, appearing stuck to the top of the filter, he startled us by flinching as if to say “I’m still here, but I need your help”. In his later years, again arriving home at mid-day to check on our ailing little guy, he again appeared to be a goner, motionless at a bottom corner of the tank. Later that evening when we came home, we found him in the same exact position and knew his illness had gotten the better of him. He did not react to anything we tried including bright light and tapping on the tank. We prepared ourselves for the worst. Then, lo and behold, the little guy took off to the other side. We thanked God above for that. But then the time came. After an extended period of time battling illness Bartholomew succumbed. Together with him, we exhausted every avenue to restore his health but it was his time. In his last days and hours we literally manipulated nets to assist him in remaining upright in his tank. During water changes in his hospital tank we would place him in a net and gently lower him into a large cup. He behaved like an angel looking at us as if to say “I know your helping me, I will wait patiently”. His eyes said time and again “I love you Mommy and Daddy”.
Most people would think Bartholomew was just a fish, but for us he was our little boy. He always put a smile on our faces. Bartholomew was a fish with a special personality. We will always remember his personality; his flaring at us, the heater, the filter and even the thermostat. We will always remember how he danced every time he saw us; we called it the Bartholomew jig. He would dance especially wild when it was time to receive his yum-yums. We’ll always remember the times he played hide and seek with us. Bartholomew was a tough little fishy, who survived several fungal, bacterial and parasite infections and flirted with death a couple times. We learned a lot from him, we learned to never give up and to be a survivor at all times. There will never be a little fish again like Bartholomew; he will be greatly missed!
Our hearts are crushed, and tears are flowing like a mighty river. But this little guy gave us so much joy and taught us so much about life that we will march on with courage and enduring love in his honor. All the hours toiling for our little guy, all the sleep lost, all the many, many trips to the fish stores and all the time and emotion put into our little Bartholomew can not come close to what he gave to us.
Bartholomew, you gave us a love-filled, heart-warming two and a half years that we will always cherish. We will always remain as one with you. We are forever together.
With love from deep in our hurting hearts,
Your forever grateful,
Mommy and Daddy

Re: red ear sliders 05/08/08 Hi Neale I am so sorry to bother you again but I really need help. I don't know what to do next. I don't want my little turtles to get sick or die. <Indeed not!> It has been a week since I put them in the 75 gallon tank. I have the two filters working up to 40 gallons each. (order another for 130 gallons). Have 75 watt basking light, florescent light, and 5.0 ubv light. O.k now I know this green slime because my basking dock has green algae on it. <Algae is harmless, but most easily removed with a pad or scraper.> There is a film on the water. Now my filters are making soapy looking bubbles on top of the water. <Ah, likely too much organic material in the water (consider what polluted lakes look like -- froth!). So, reduce the food DRAMATICALLY, do a big (90%) water change, rinse the filter media in aquarium water. Switch to low protein (i.e., plant) foods from now on, and use high protein foods (pellets, seafood) once a week and only in small amounts.> Water is turning cloudy with what looks like white flakes in it. <Do remember turtles (like all reptiles) shed their skin, and this looks like big, transparent flakes of dead skin.> It kind of looks like when the turtles shed. Could it be that they are shedding so much from going from a 10 gallon tank to a 75 gallon tank. <No idea.> Please help turtles and me in desperate need. Thanks Christine <Hope this helps, Neale.> Re: red ear sliders  5/10/08 Hi Neale <Christine,> Thanks for the information. I changed the water and hooked up another filter. I purchased an eheim 2017. <An excellent purchase; I have the Eheim 2217 (a similar unit) and while "old school" in design, these filters are reliable and very effective.> So now I have the three filters going. A noisy little filter. <You can perhaps phase out any small filters after 3-6 weeks (to give the bacteria time to colonize the new filter media in the new filters). Provided you're offering at least 6 times the volume of the tank in turnover per hour, you're fine. With turtles, have one really big external canister filter is what you need, and the less clutter inside the tank, the better. I bought a useful little unit called an Hydor ETH, basically a heater you put into the outflow tube from the canister filter. When I kept turtles, I found myself replacing the heaters once a year, because the turtles would eventually smash them. So perhaps worth considering.> I have given them romaine lettuce for the first time and they are really not sure what to do with it. They are looking for their pellets. <I bet. The issue is this: imagine someone who loves steak. And then their doctor tells them they need to eat salad and cut out the red meat. Yes, the steak is bad for them, and yes, the salad is good for them -- but does that mean the person would be happy to eat only salad? Nope. Same with animals; when they get used to high protein diets, they can be very sniffy about switching to the greens they should be eating. But your job as the pet owner is to be strong, and give them what they need, not what they want (like kids, I guess).> What other kind of green is good for them? And I really don't know how much I should be feeding them daily? <There's a great article on "salad options" here: http://www.redearslider.com/plants.html Note the point that as turtles age, they need more greens. And also, not all greens are equally good: some are 100% safe, some are best used as treats, and others should be avoided altogether.> They will be a year in at the very end of July I think. Every time I go over to them its like they are hungry and looking for food. I don't want them to be fat and I don't want them to be starving. <Absolutely no risk of them starving at all. In common with all reptiles, turtles can go for long periods without food. Many carnivorous reptiles will literally only eat a few big meals per month. Herbivores and omnivores eat rather more, but still only less than 20% what a similar sized mammal or bird would eat. So provided you are offering the right foods and otherwise keeping them in good shape, they will eat when they're hungry.> Have a good day Christine <Likewise yourself, Neale.>

Cardinal with blister/worm? -05/07/08 Hello WWM Crew! First, I have to thank you for the invaluable resource that you provide to all aquarists. Your website is brilliant: a veritable mine of information! That being said, I (of course) have a problem. <Thanks for the kind words.> One of my cardinal tetras has me stumped. At first, I thought he/she had mechanical damage from running into something in their habitat. Later, a sizable white spot developed inside of a large, clear blister. Additionally, on this individual only, a large swatch of black has developed beneath the eyes bilaterally, stretching from the mouth towards his/her gills. The black "stripe" lies beneath the iridescent blue scales that cover the cardinals body. For the time being (and since the "blister" started to develop some time ago) the cardinal is acting entirely normal, schooling with the 29 others, eating extremely well, full cardinal colour, no scratching or abnormal behaviour. A second cardinal has begun to show the lighter/clear patch of discolouration that preceded the "blister." <Ah, given the "syndrome" is spreading, I'm obviously thinking about Pleistophora as a possible cause. Whilst Cardinals do not seem quite as susceptible as Neons, they can still catch the so-called "Neon Tetra Disease". There's no known cure, beyond breaking the cycle of infection, which seems to be sick/dead fish releasing infective stages that get into healthy fish. Isolating symptomatic fish is the preferred first step.> Tank specs: ammonia, nitrite, 0. Nitrate, less than 5, more than 0. Soft water, pH 6.8, mixed treated tap and RO. Fluorite substrate, heavily planted. Tankmates: 30 cardinals (two symptomatic), four M. altispinosus (asymptomatic), one SAE (asymptomatic). The tank has been fully cycled for about 6 months (fishlessly, so much easier! Why doesn't everyone do it this way?). The tank is kept at 82 degrees F. Partial water changes are done at least weekly (often times more often…there is still sediment on all of the plants from the Fluorite!) and the gravel is vacuumed each time (around the plants). <All sounds ideal for tetras.> I found a reference on WWM to worms growing in blisters on a Raphael Cat. Is this one and the same? <Blisters can of course be caused by a variety of things. People get blisters from things as diverse as badly fitting shoes and Bubonic plague. So one should be very careful about assigning causes to just one symptom of this type. What's more specific to Pleistophora is changes in colouration, loss of appetite, shyness, and then eventually death. Infected fish, particularly species other than Neons, can last for many weeks even months before death.> I found the reference here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebindex/catfshdisfaqs.htm . However, the same individual got two different answers from two different experts (you guys really are): "This is likely some sort of "worm" parasite (more likely a digenean trematode/fluke but maybe a nematode)… The Paragon might help... there are other vermicides... Levamisole, Fenbendazole, Piperazine... that might be tried" and "The blisters are really bacterial infections eating away the flesh of the fish. Treat with Nitrofuranace after you do a 30% water change and serviced the filter." <Blisters can indeed be caused by both these things. Unless you're a microbiologist, it is really impossible to know what the problem is. So the best you can do is run through the likely causes one at a time, trying different treatments.> There was also a reference to Dieter Untergasser's "Handbook of Fish Diseases": "There is one treatment method suggested in there that sounds like it should work (method C6)." I am afraid that I do not have this book, as I have never had any trouble with disease in any of my tanks (well, I rehomed African Cichlids for someone else that had been horribly abused, but that required nothing more than better husbandry and a larger tank). I checked local libraries with no success. I will purchase it now, but I'm afraid it will be a couple weeks to arrive. May I enquire as to this "method C6"? <No idea I'm afraid. In any case, with very small fish, the fish often doesn't last long enough for the treatment to work. It's simply a size issue. So while I'd certainly consider isolating and treating infected fish as best as I could, in this case if it *does* seem to be "catchy", I'd perhaps painlessly destroy both fish to stop the problem spreading.> If this is what is mal-affecting my cardinal(s), how should I treat? Should I treat everyone in situ or should I remove the affected individuals to the hospital tank? Do I need to tear down the tank to stop everyone getting infected if this is a parasite? Would they best be treated orally or as a bath? If I have to treat in situ, is there a medication that is plant safe, or do I have to remove the plants? I have attached a photograph of the cardinal (and learned that cardinals are camera shy, and move fast!) that shows the blister, white spot, and black under his/her eyes. I just noticed that the photo makes the cardinal look like it has popeye, but I can assure you that it is only a trick of the light. <Isolate the infected fish for sure; perhaps maintain them for 2-3 weeks simply by providing good food and water and see what happens. Treat with an antibiotic or antibacterial if you want. It is possible the blister is nothing worse than a secondary infection caused by (for example) fighting. In this case, you should see some signs of improvement. But if the fish continue to deteriorate, get back in touch. At worst, you've isolated the potential source of infection and your other tetras should be fine. I have long since given up keeping Neons because of the plethora of mystery diseases they seem to come supplied with. Cardinals, though more expensive, are tougher and better value in my experience. But even so, you might be unlucky.> Sorry for the novel of an email, but I wanted to provide you with all of the information I could. Thank you for all of your help, and the excellent resource you have compiled for all of us (it is becoming harder and harder to resist that reef tank…). <So they tell me.> To you and yours, a wonderful day and weekend. Thanks, Tianna <Cheers, Neale.>

Re: FW Cardinal with blister/worm? 05/08/08 Hello Neale, Thank you for your advice on my cardinal issue. I have isolated him/her in a separate tank, and am working on catching the second. I hadn't even thought of NTD! Urg! The possibility didn't even cross my mind, since the fish is just as active as the rest of the school, and still the first to food. <Which all sounds positive, so fingers crossed the blisters heal by themselves.> There is also no white necrotic tissue present- only a clear blister (still with regular, bright colouration beneath, despite how the picture appears…), with an ich like spot inside. <Odd.> But...alarm bells ringing! When I took the cardinal out of the tank, I noticed that it does have a "lumpy" appearance. I hadn't noticed, because it is so subtle that you can't see it except when looking at the cardinal from above. <Well, keep an eye on things. Do provide the isolated fish with shade and good clean water so it isn't too unhappy.> As far as an anti-parasitic, do you have a recommendation that may work? <Wish there was. So far as I know, nothing works reliably, or even half the time.> I figure that if it is NTD, an anti-parasitic won't do any more harm. I would rather not sacrifice the fish if I do not have to, but in the event that they do begin to suffer, I will certainly break out the microscope. <I certainly hope the boffins at the "fish medication" labs come up with something for Pleistophora; it's a real plague and so depressing to watch. But breaking the cycle of infection/re-infection is essential, which is what you've done.> Thanks again, Tianna <Good luck, and keep us posted. Neale.> Re: Cardinal with blister/worm?  5/10/08 Hello again Neale, I hope you are enjoying your weekend! <Indeed I am! A lovely summery sort of day here in England.> I think the mystery of the white-sphere-filled-blisters on the cardinals has been solved. I went to perform a water change on the hospital tank, and ARGH! What appeared to be nematodes, of all different lengths, free swimming in the tank. The white spot (which, I guess, is a mass of subcutaneous parasites) in one of the cardinals had shrunk considerably. <Never seen this, or even heard of it. Sounds quite nasty. In any case, I'd immediately use some sort of antibacterial/antibiotic to prevent secondary infections caused by the burst cyst. An anti-helminth drug such as Prazi Pro should deal with the nematodes. But that said, most worms have complex life cycles that can't be completed under aquarium conditions (for example, they need to go through a bird or snail before they can back into a fish). So provided there were no secondary infections and the Cardinal otherwise recovers, I'd actually be cautiously optimistic.> This brings up another question that I will beg your help with. <Indeed?> Since removing the two symptomatic cardinals from the display tank, the "mystery illness" had gone wild. Nearly half of the cardinals are now showing symptoms. Clearly, there are nematodes in the tank that I can neither see, nor remove. Would it be more beneficial to just treat the entire display tank, and stop torturing the poor fish in a "naked", uncycled hospital tank (especially if there are parasites living in the display that will simply reinfect the fish again)? <In an uncycled tank, you can use Zeolite to remove the ammonia directly, and that's cost effective and reliable with very small fish like Cardinals.> As my hospital tank is only 10 gal, I cannot realistically move all 30 cardinals plus the other inhabitants to tear down the display to disinfect. I could be wrong, but I think this would do more harm than good. <Agreed.> Before the "big break" in this mystery, I had purchased some of Seachem's Cupramine as a shot in the dark. Would this be effective against the subcutaneous nematodes, or would I be better served by exchanging it for something like Praziquantel (if I can find it)? <Cupramine is certainly worth a shot before trying anything else.> I always quarantine new livestock, so seeing this now, after several months in the tank and having been quarantined for a month prior to moving to this display is mind numbing. I guess nothing is fool-proof! <Quite. As I say, this disease is something I've never encountered. Possibly Bob Fenner can offer more advice.><<Sorry to say, RMF is out traveling and without sufficient internet access. -S.M.>> Thank you so very much for all of your help (both on this mystery, and the rest of this website!) <We appreciate your kind words.> Have a great weekend, Tianna <Enjoy your weekend, too. Cheers, Neale.>

Calico Fantail is acting weird, no info. -05/07/08 he/she is rubbing against mid-water and near my other calico Twister I want to know why this is happening and Twister is less fat then him/her so I want to also know how to tell gender <... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwlivestkindex.htm scroll down to the sections on Goldfish. You offer no useful data... Bob Fenner> re: Calico Fantail is acting weird -05/07/08 Is it possible that my calico fantails are able to reproduce with themselves? <Yes. Cheers, Neale.>