Previously Asked Questions - I

Mouth rot on outdoor fish
subject = mouth rot on pond goldfish
Problem = have about 6 gold fish that have some type of disease. The mouth on some is totally missing. No sign of fungus can be seen. I don't know what to try to cure them. If the mouth is that rotten will they get better or should I get rid of them. Any ideas please help me
Size = pond 500gal approx.
Age = 6 months
Type = gold fish & channel cat fish
Number = 9
Change = add every week
Percent = 10% approx.
Primary = Laguna Power Flo underwater filter

To be quite honest with you, I am not familiar enough with the problems of outdoor fish that I would be able to give you proper advice. I would start with determining the conditions in the pool. Koi and Goldfish prefer a high pH, above 7.0 and preferable closer to 8.0, so if the water is acid, that may be one of the problems that is attacking the fish. In general, in the aquarium, I use salt to help goldfish out, so hardness is also a bit of a point for goldfish as well.

Again, if there are no real outward signs, take a very close look at the water, pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and hardness to name most of them. Remember, over time the removal of ammonia and nitrite by natural bacterial action will tend to force the water down in pH and addition of peat may help that drop even more. Take a good look at the water, since the signs of disease seem to be missing. That might be the place to begin.

Secondarily, try to determine if any of the decorations in the pond could be scraping the mouths or cutting them. Hopefully there isn't a broken bottle in there or some other sharp objects that could be causing the problems.

Hope that gives you somewhere to start, sorry I can't help any more than that.

Setting up an Under Gravel filter
subject = Setting up a new Aquarium
Problem = As a wedding gift several years ago, my husband gave me a 55 gallon aquarium. Due to renovations planned we did not set it up. Now that we have finally finished the room it will reside in I am trying to set it up. There is an underground filter system and two Hagen "Powerheads" #301. This all came with the aqarium. I am unsure as to how to actually put the things together. There are 4 lift tubes with 8 places to put them on the filter plates. The instructions, both in the Powerhead and filter boxes are extremly unclear. Because of the lip on the top of top of the aquarium it probably will be better to use the suction cups rather than the using the rim mount. The rim mount seems unstable. Is there such a thing as "Set-up for Dummies?" I have looked through a number of books and some articles, but they seem to be for someone who has previously set one of these things up.

I would like to find step by step instructions. I had an aquarium many years ago in college. I don't remember it being this difficult!

HELP!
>Size = 55
>Age = NEW
>Type = None yet!
>Number = What would you recommend??
>Change = No water added yet!
>Primary = Undergravel
>Secondary = Thinking about putting one in.

Setting up an UG Filter is not very difficult. The four tubes are for use with an air pump, not Power Heads, so ignore them at present. You will need two tubes.

First, ensure all other holes are blocked except for the two that you will need. Location of the Power Head is the first decision. Most people use the Power Heads at the two corners of the aquarium to get the flow moving on an angle to the front center. Other choices include the placement of two separated (non-connected) plates in the center of the tank and moving the water to the outer sides. Either way, it is your choice. You may want to try to move the water in a circle motion, by pointing a Power Head down the length of the back and then the other one directly forward to reinforce the currents in a circle. The choice is entirely yours.

UG filters should be the first thing placed in the aquarium. Before gravel or any decorations. There are many ways to set it up. in your case deal with the plates as two independent systems, do not connect them all the way across, but treat each side as a separate system operated by one Power Head. This will give you better under-surface pull and (hopefully) minimize dead spots. Connect any plates together to get a half, but leave two discrete systems to run, this will allow you later to remove only half at a time should you decide live plants are going to be a later addition and they are having trouble with the flow through the plate.

Set up the Power Heads to the height you plan to use them and then note the where the riser tube must be cut to allow the Power Head to sit correctly. I normally use a saw or sharp knife (carefully) to cut the tube as straight across as possible. I prefer to use a Power Head with the rim adapter - I have always found that to be the best and most solid support, but if the application prevents it, suction cups are a relatively good second choice. They are also good when the Power Head is being placed deep in the aquarium to create currents down below. But, this will eliminate the use of the Venturi air infusion - a very important way to break the water surface. It is also the way to exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen. To keep proper aeration in the tank I use the rim mounts to give me the best Venturi I can get. (again, my personal opinion as a hobbyist)

Once the Power Heads are placed and set up on top of the riser stems, the system is ready to go. One last note. When you have a large tank like you mention, and if you are planning on using a Sliding glass top (55 gallon tanks often do not have a proper canopy, but use a SGT and a light strip), be sure you fill the tank up all the way before you try to cut any support bars, the tank will naturally bow and if you don't wait until it is full - it will be cut way too short.

Fish Losses in a new tank
>subject = New Tank
Problem = I have a new tank. I was improperly advised at the aquarium store and purchased the 30 gallon tank set-up and 30 fish. BIG MISTAKE I now know. (I have only lost 4 fish though!)

It has been two weeks and although I know there may be problems down the road, I have been able to maintain the tank with pH of 7.2, ammonia under .5 and no nitrites are detected. I have been doing this by removing 20%-50% of the water every three or four days and replacing it with distilled water and liquid bacteria additive. Originally, I used well water and had a little trouble with keeping the pH down. We have a water treatment system which injects bicarbonate of soda into the water to raise the pH as well as a filter system which uses potassium chloride. We would let the water sit for a few hours before adding it. However, we switched to distilled water when we discovered that the pH level would rise in the tank from 6.8 when it was originally put in the tank to 8.6 after a day or two. We assume this was from a combination of the chemicals in the household water treatment system. They must have continued to work as the water sat.

Now, my problem is this, I have a community tank currently with mollies, guppies, tetras, dwarf gouramis, swordtails, x-ray cats, a shark and danios. The three fish that I lost were 2 sailfin mollies, 1 dalmation molly and a beta. Now, it looks like my two swordtails, the remaining dalmation molly and 1 of the potbellied mollies are turning black. I have looked everywhere trying to find information on what this might be. Can you help?
>Size = 30
>Age = 2 weeks
>Type = Community
>Number = 26
>Change = 8/13/98
>Percent = 50%
>Primary = Regent 20/40

Have you been checking the ammonia and the nitrite levels of your aquarium. 6.8 pH will mean that the ammonia in the tank will be relatively non-toxic since its toxicity and ionization is dependent on pH - low pH means it is in the non-toxic form for the most part and pH above 7 will change the ammonia to its toxic form.

What is more problematical is the fact that your nitrite will begin to build up and that is also toxic to fish. There is no non-toxic form so the regular water changes will be useful to dilute it as it is produced. Addition of bacteria at every water change is not bad, although depending on the product it may not be as concentrated as possible. Constant inoculation with beneficial bacteria is very useful in the beginning and will help the nitrobacter especially since they are the weakest and will not start to populate until the ammonia is removed from the system. That will only occur when enough nitrosomonas have populated to remove all the ammonia as soon as it is produced - usually in about 10 - 14 days. So in your case there is still at least another 3 weeks for the nitrite-removing bacteria to mature in the aquarium after there are undetectable ammonia readings.

As far as the molly turning black, that is not something I know about either, but the most common problems with mollies is that they are brackish water fish and they like to have some salt in their system. The salt is an old time remedy that helps provide the electrolytes and somewhat sterilizes the tank against diseases.

As far as the water is concerned, there are some things you should know, distilled water is not capable of keeping fish alive, first its pH is usually quite acid and there are no electrolytes or other minerals available for the fish to use. Softened water also has hazards, especially is the softening is done by salt. You might want to mix some of the two together or see if you can get some untreated water from a neighbor or someone to see if the coloration problem is a result of the actual water supply. If the nitrite is not dangerous and ammonia is not detectable, don't change your water as often, the new water is not getting enough time to stabilize and mature with the fish.

Filtration for a new Saltwater Reef Tank
subject = Filtration
Problem = Hi , I am going to be setting up a new 36 gallon saltwater system soon and would like to hear your comments on the type of filtration system that I should use. The shop I am considering dealing with has told me that the best filtration system to use as far as cost effectiveness over the long haul is to go with the wet/dry system. I realize the 36 gallon size is at the smaller end of the spectrum as far as saltwater is concerned but, I hope to be able to make it work for my family and me. Any additional advice you can give will be greatly appreciated as I know little as of now, what is required. Thank you for your time and patience with my lack of knowledge on this subject.
>Size = 36
>Age = new
>Type = Community

The best choice for filtration, if you are planning to keep more than just saltwater fish would be the trickle filter. If you want to be successful, the best you can do is get the best equipment you can. Lighting and filters are vital for reefs, filters are vital for fish only, and none will be a waste no matter if you are successful or not, since the equipment will be usable in fresh or salt water, depending on your need. I also suggest getting a protein skimmer if you are planning on keeping invertebrates or corals. That will help make the tight spaces you are going to use a little less susceptible to rapid changes - probably the most devastating thing that can happen in a salt water tank. This is the reason the absolute minimum (in my opinion) is a 30 gallon tank, but the larger you can get, the better and more forgiving it will be.

Hole in the Head Disease??
subject = sick fish
Problem = I have a Goldfish and two angelfish that just barely started to get sick. My two angelfish have a small hole in their heads, and my goldfish just got a red sore, that looks like a blister on the bottom of his gills. One of the angelfish also has a black circle on his head and in the middle of it is a white dot. I'm afraid it could be a parasite. I've had these fish for over three years, and I have never seen this before. I haven't introduced any new fish to the environment, and I do a 20% water change every two to four weeks. What could be wrong with them?
>Size = 80
>Age = six months
>Type = Community
>Number = 10
>Change = 7-16-98
>Percent = 20%
>Primary = undergravel filter with powerhead.
>Secondary = magnum 350
>Media = 7-16-98

I would guess that the environment has gotten a little too polluted for the fish, the symptoms you describe seem to be an inflammation of the lateral line often called hole in the head that attacks cichlids. Angels are cichlids, although they do not get this problem very often. The disease is normally caused by a parasite and the only disease remedy I know is Hex-A-Ex. We get it here in Canada, and it is a German product that up until a couple of years ago only had German Instructions. Newer packaging now includes English directions. The parasite is known as hexamita.

Koi Death
subject = Koi death
Problem = The problem I have is concerning some koi carp. About a month ago we bought five koi carp. There was one very big one (about 20 centimeters long) and four smaller ones, these fish have subsequently all died except one ghost carp (a smaller one.) When these fish were taken from the water there was no visible sign of illness or disease, can you please help or offer any suggestions.

To further enlighten you I think I must tell you that our pond is surrounded by peat blocks which we have been told is to fish life detrimental. But despite this we have four gold fish, are they more hardy than koi's?

Thank you very much for your help
>Size = big
>Age = 2 years
>Type = Koi gold fish
>Number = ??5
>Change = regular
>Percent = 1
>Primary = Main Filter
>Secondary = Additional Filtration
>Media = date

The peat may be causing a problem with the actual pH of the pond, you might have your water tested for ammonia, nitrite and pH to give you an idea of what the conditions are. The goldfish may have adjusted to the actual conditions in the pond and have been able to learn to tolerate them, when new fish are added, there may be such a change differential that new fish cannot adjust and become weakened, stressed and die from the rapid change.

Other than this type of explanation, without have a lot more info I wouldn't want to hazard a guess on the problems.

Nitrite in a new aquarium
subject = high nitrite level
Problem = It's been a week that my water is at the 1-10mg N/liter level, ie: red colour with the Tetra Nitrite 1,2 test, temperature is at 80 degrees F, water is very clear, the fishes are losing their colours. The tank was set up 'new' three weeks ago. Presently, the NH3 level is 0, ph is 7.2-7.5, it seems the nitrobacter bacteria are not generating, should I be worried? Thanks.
>Size = 20 gal
>Age = 3 weeks
>Type = Danios
>Number = 6 x max 1"
>Change = yesterday 10%
>Percent = 10%
>Primary = Aquaclear mini, small air stone
>Secondary = none
>Media = none

Nitrite reduction takes more than 7 days to turn. The classic pattern is that the water will concentrate ammonia for 10 days then the more powerful nitrosomonas will generate enough to eliminate all the ammonia as soon as it is created, creating as a byproduct nitrite. This concentrates for another 21 days before it to gets a strong enough population of nitrbacter to turn and eliminate the nitrite as soon as it is created. Nitrobacter is a lot weaker than nitrosomonas, and it is inhibited by ammonia concentrations as well. This is the reason it does not start growing properly until the ammonia has been controlled in the first phase. Note that in this ideal situation the water will not mature for at least a month, the only way to reduce concentration is to do water changes or add a biological starter culture such as Cycle. This will either dilute the concentrations or add the right bacteria to allow geometric multiplication to work in your favor much more rapidly. The added benefit of using a culture starter is also (assuming the culture is pure) that you can begin to bias the bacterial populations toward the beneficial ones and naturally eliminate less desirable strains as they lose the battle for the best colonization sites.

Defining Lithotroph, Heterotroph, nitrosomonas and nitrobacter
The only words that threw me for a loop were:
A) Heterotrophs
B) Lithotrophs
C) Nitrosomonas.
Thank you for your concern.

A Heterotrophs are a different type of bacteria, although the definition is quite broad, they are (as far as I am concerned) the decay bacteria that break down solid particulate organic wastes to ammonia, ash ash and water (at the very end of the process). Often this is not a complete operation as the build-up of sludge (a black tarlike substance in the gravel) shows that the process has not been completed. However, the heterotrophs are instrumental in helping provide the clean hard surfaces for the lithotrophs - at least a proper team selected to be able to do this important job in increasing the efficiency of the nitrification.

B Lithotrophs are nitrifying bacteria - e.g. nitrosomonas and nitrobacter, that take nitrogenous substances like ammonia and nitrite and degrade it to the final by-product of the nitrogen cycle - nitrate.

Lithotrophs require clean, hard surfaces where they attach and colonize, as such they are rarely removed when water is removed and replaced since they do not float, they are attached.

C Finally - nitrosomonas is the lithotroph that Cycle uses to degrade ammonia to nitrite, the first step of the nitrogen cycle. It takes a while for the bacterial population to grow to the correct density to remove all the ammonia produced in the aquarium - in the case of nitrosomonas, about 10 -14 days. Once established, it will generally remove ammonia from the water as fast as it is produced through bacterial action.

Can plants cause trouble for fish
Thank you for answering my questions so quickly! I appreciate the help greatly.

The aquarium is now set up and filled with water. I have placed a few plants and ornamentation in as well. The power heads are running as is the secondary filter (Penguin Biowheel) I added. Now that it is all together, the things I read make much more sense!

I was planning on letting it run for a week or so before adding fish, as I am not sure what I want yet and also want to be sure their habitat is right. Is there a "right amount" of plant material to place in a tank this size (55 gallon)? Does the amount of planting and ornamentation in the tank then reduce the "inches of fish per gallon"? I would prefer to have an under stocked very colorful tank, any suggestions on the type of fish? My gravel is "natural" color, a piece of driftwood, a large rock with three holes and a few small round rocks in a pile is it extent of what I have done so far, along with the plants.

Planting the tank does not really reduce the amount of fish you can keep, remember that plants do produce oxygen, so the level, during the day will rise. It is when there is a really heavily planted tank in the dark that plants revers and use oxygen and release carbon dioxide. You can get a morning kill (early in the morning before dawn in fish farms) this can happen when a pool is deprived of oxygen by heavily stocked biomass and an algae bloom, but I doubt you are even close to stocking the aquarium with this type of bioload.

As far as waiting for a week, that has its pros and cons. The pros are that the water will become stable and any changes in actual chemical properties due to water treatment and chlorine will happen. Then you can get an idea of the real baseline for the water you are using. Without life in the tank, the initial growth of beneficial bacterial will be slower, since there is not an ongoing source of ammonia, although in your case you do have driftwood and plants, both can be a source of decay. That may not be the standard of North America where sterile ornaments and decorations without fish would mean the water would be able to support life. No other compounds would be available to promote the growth of the beneficial bacteria other than the organic materials present in the water supply.

Sounds like you are starting off right.

Beneficial Bacteria
This may be a dumb question Steve, but how do you know if there is good bacteria in your tank? Is it something you can see? When does algae start to build up in your tank.

Beneficial bacteria are ubiquitous - as far as anyone can tell. They are always in the environment and they are very important. The real problem is exactly what you asked since you cannot see them and you can't quantify them. Only their actions can be noticed. Assuming you have good ammonia and nitrite removal, the proper chemical processes are occurring. You know you have the right bacteria - whatever they may be.

I suggest Cycle in most cases because this is a known quantity.

With regular inoculation they tend to become the dominant bacterial strains and they will basically push out less desirable types that can cause trouble and disease. The term used for this is competitive exclusion, the bacteria you supplement become dominant and deny the proper living conditions for those that are unwanted and unsupplemented.

Algae requires a proper amount of nutrients to grow. This single celled plant will populate almost immediately if the conditions are right. The real limiting factor is phosphorous, since it is the least common element. In general the algae problem comes as a result of excessive addition of phosphorous to the aquarium. And the only way that it can be added is by the aquarist. Usually too much food of a relatively low grade will create an excess phosphorous problem and cause an algae bloom. The best thing is to feed rationally and only once a day as much as the fish can eat in two minutes with nothing hitting the bottom. Also be sure you use a high quality – low phosphorous/ash food.

Green Water in aquarium
subject = Dirty Tank Water
Problem = I have a 29 gallon tank that has 8 aggressive fish and 1 algae eater. The water became a murky green after about 4 months so I cleaned the tank thoroughly and replaced the Auqa Tech filter cartridges and rocks. My tank within 1 week was a light green. I tried Algae Destroyer but to no avail. Within 2 weeks it so green that it was difficult to see the fish among the plastic plants. I have changed the water 6-7 times in the last 2 months and cleaned the tank thoroughly again. I am totally stumped and I live in a small town and no one knows what the problem could be. Please help.
>Size = 29
>Age = 7 months
>Type = Aggressive
>Number = 9
>Change = 7 days
>Percent = 80%
>Primary = Aqua-Tech
>Secondary = none
>Media = date

It sounds like your tank has a problem with too much light. I would look carefully at the tank over time and define when the sun hits it, and where. If the light is hitting anywhere but the front, then add a background to the tank to block direct sunlight.

The second problem may be adding too much food, as there may be too much phosphorous being added with the food. So reducing the amount of prepared foods with high ash content will also deny the algae bloom the nutrition it may need to multiply as strongly as you suggest.

In effect this seems to be an algal bloom, algae is a one celled plant that requires light to grow. When suspended in the water, it always seems to be a result of too much light. If the sun is not hitting the tank, consider the ambient lighting in the room as well, I have seen instances where the tank was in a fully fluorescent lit office with the lights on 24 hours a day, that also caused the water to go green.

Fluval on a reef tank
subject = Filter for a reef tank
Problem = I have a Fluval 403 for my 55 gallon tank. Can I use this to make a reef tank? If so, what should I put in it (%carbon, prefilter, etc.)?
>Size = 55
>Age = 0
>Type = reef?
>Number = 0
>Change = date
>Percent = ??%
>Primary = Main Filter
>Secondary = Additional Filtration
>Media = date

I have used Fluval filters to maintain a reef, but I know that it is not the best technology. I would prefer in a reef set-up to use a trickle style filter. The Fluval would also be used as the main mechanical and chemical filter, but the primary biological filtration would be done with the trickle.

Let me explain my thinking on this matter, since it may be a bit arcane and is the result of my observations rather than some documented thesis. I think that my views as to why a trickle system work so well is important, since they do have serious flaws in my opinion. A trickle system with a reef supercharges the biological filter. The living rock provides an enormous amount of filtration naturally in the system, but it does use a lot of oxygen. The trickle system also is a very powerful biological filter since it is not oxygen limited. By its very nature the beneficial bacteria in a trickle system are contacted by atmospheric rather than water carried oxygen. The amount available to a trickle is thus unlimited. While in the tank oxygen is a limiting factor to bacterial growth.

In fact, it seems that oxygen is increased by the trickle filter within the aquarium. At the very least nothing is drained by the trickle system leaving a full nitrification performed without impinging on the amount of oxygen within the tank. Fluval, UG, or any other filter also uses water carried oxygen, and thus depletes the amount available. I think this is the main reason for such overwhelming success for the trickle system design - not scientific fact, just long-term observation.

The Fluval is a very good filter for most applications, but when the oxygen drain on the aquarium is considered with the amount of biomass kept in the reef system, the added oxygen from a trickle often is the overriding factor. The trickle does have some serious drawbacks - it is an efficient biological breeder, but often the pre-filtration leaves much to be desired. When a lot of waste passes through the system, it can be trapped in the biological media and a decay factory is promoted instead of ammonia and nitrite removal. High rates of flow through are needed for a trickle and cleaning the pre-filter is rare, so this is a common result of an unkempt trickle. By adding a good waste filter such as the Fluval to the system you remove a lot of debris before it becomes a problem. That is why I normally recommend a combination of equipment in a reef to make everything more efficient that it would be alone.

Re: Filtration for a reef aquarium
Thanks! I think you answered the question quite well, actually. I am still getting up to speed on all the biochemistry involved. Basically, if I understand you, all the trickle system needs to have in it is inert materials, and it's main function is going to be moving water through air. I was thinking of getting a good Power Head or wavemaker anyhow largely for aesthetic reasons), so that could be a good substitute. Right now I've just got 55 gallons of salt water and a fluval 403 moving it around. That ought to be fine for the initial residents (I'm thinking of a damselfish, maybe a hermit crab), but I will put in a trickle filter before the live rock goes in around mid-september. Does that sound all right?

The trickle filter does a lot more than just add air and move water. The inert substrate - Bioballs, BioSpheres or other material is designed to promote huge populations of beneficial bacteria, in my case I use a product called Cycle to provide the correct bacterial strains for the inoculation of the filter. It is the trickle system that performs the majority of nitrification, the removal of ammonia and nitrite produced by the fish and other organisms, if not removed adequately it will build up and kill the system.

A Power Head can move water, a wave thruster will change the currents and allow filter feeders a better chance of straining out particles of food, but neither will perform any filtration, and that will not benefit the system. Now don't get me wrong, a Power Head or other current generation within the tank is not a bad thing, but take care of the top priority, powerful and complete filtration before doing that. In most cases you will need a Power Head or other motor to move the water through the filters anyway and will get some current generation that way.

Attaching Power Heads to tubing
subject = Require specifications
Problem = Hello, I would really like some specs for the fluval 203. I'm mating the "powerhead" to a different plastic tube. What would be the ideal inside dimensions for such a piece of acrylic tube? You know, so the rubber grommet around the "powerhead" would form a good seal?

Please consider no obligation or liability when responding to this message. I can evaluate things well, but it would be have a place to start.
>Size = 38
>Age = 1
>Type = salt
>Number = 5
>Change = yesterday
>Percent = ??%
>Primary = Main Filter
>Secondary = undergravel
>Media = date

I am confused about what you are trying to do here, as the product you detail is a Fluval 203 - a canister filter not a Power Head. The unit is not made to be a power head, so it would be basically impossible to connect the canister motor head as the input is not made to be connected into a tube. Input is from the top, another very difficult configuratio0n if you are trying to pump water.

Power Heads can be adapted to almost every size tube from 5/8" to 1 1/8" depending on the Power Head. So I can't really comment until you define the application.

I do suggest you look at

http://www.hagenpet.com/pis/ph007.htm

to see the Power Head adapter which does make a solid lock to a variety of tube sizes. Otherwise, you will have to create your own collar for a larger pipe or an adapter to downsize and restrict the flow from a smaller tube.

If you need power in your flow, some head, you might look at the Pro line of Power Heads or the Laguna outdoor series which already has Click~Fit adapters available in the larger models to accept the variety of hoses in the pond situations. The Laguna may be a bit more expensive since they are build for outdoor conditions, so they have 3 prong plugs etc.

You might want to examine the Hagen website - both aquarium and pond for the assorted pumps available.

Bala Sharks
>subject = bala shark problem
Problem = One of our Balas had a disease, I can't remember what it had cotton mouth or some white substance around its mouth. When we treated it we disconnected the filter and added an antibiotic. Everything seemed to be going fine, but then 2 of the balas began to develope red in their fins. One finally died about a week after the filter was reconnected. We have one other bala that has a little red in its fins, not nearly as much. When we tested the pH it was VERY alkaline. We have been adding pH up for a few days now and it is has slightly increased, but is about 7.3 or 7.4. Our bala doesn't appear to be getting any better. Is there any hope? Is there something else besides pH we might want to look into to prevent this >Size = 10
>Age = 1 month
>Type = Community
>Number = 10
>Change = 7/10/98
>Percent = 20%
>Primary = undergravel

Bala Sharks are not one of the fish I am very familkiar with, but I think you may be making a mistake by raising the pH so high. According to Baensch, in the first volume of the Baensch Aquarium Atlas (and I quote)

Prefers a longer aquarium with good swimming space. Sun is good with soft water (about 5o dGH) and water slightly acid (pH 6.5 - 7) keep plants along the tank edges and in the back and use roots for decorations in the center.

The red sounds like a bacterial infection, look at the conditions of the tank carefully, especially for fungus puffs or detritus on the bottom. In a lot of cases the water conditions seem to be an indication. A good gravel cleaing to ensure all food or other wastews are gone and cannot promote fungus growth should be considered when dealing with fast, active fish like the bala.

Bala Sharks II
Hi. I was hoping you might be able to give me some info on Bala or Silver sharks. Like How to distinguish male from female, breeding. Anything would be appreciated

I don't have much experience with Bala Sharks, But I will copy some of the info in the Baensch Aquarium Atlas.

Sex: No external signs. During the spawning season female is generally fatter.

Prefers a longer aquarium with good swimming space. Sun is good with soft water (About 5o dGH) and water slightly acid - pH 6.5 - 7) Keep plants along the tank edges and in back and use roots for decoration in the center.

Not successfully bred in an aquarium and little is known about the specie's special breeding habits. Will probably only be successful in a larger tanks over 75 gallons

A peaceful species which can be kept with smaller species Since the species is a jumper the tank should be covered. The fish may make audible sounds.

UG Filter set-up with Powerheads and Air
>subject = Question about UG setup
Problem = I have an UG filter that provides four stacks to pull water. Two I have connected to an air pump and two I have connected to power heads. I was told that this was a good setup. However, I limited knowledge tell me otherwise: The water will follow the path of least resistance and pull water down the tubes that are connected to the air pump and up the tubes connected to the power heads.

Am I thinking right? Also, how much water draw do you suspect from air pumps? I was thinking of a secondary filtration system. What do you recommend? I am planning a 70 gal tank. Can I get by without UG filtration.
>Size = 37
>Age = 2 weeks
>Type = Community
>Number = 14
>Change = Na
>Percent = NA
>Primary = Under ground with two 30gal Power heads accompaning an air pump suppling to stacks.

Four stacks on the Undergravel filter is probably moving some water up on each stack, however, you are getting a lot more from the powerheads that the air. You don't mention how the unit is set, I would guess that the plates are connected together with openings under each plate. I would suspect that you might be using the powerheads on the outside with air on the inside (or the other way with Power Head on the outside and air on the inside), whatever the set-up, the water being moved is really only around each stack, maybe in a six inch radium with the powerheads, much less with air. The path of least resistance will be right close to the stack. That is why I suspect that water is being moved in each stack.

If you want to provide better, you will have to rip out the system and make it two independent ones, rather than one full one and use two power heads on one side and the air to drive the other, although this may be difficult and not gain much in overall efficiency.

As far as adding filtration, I would be considering the AquaClear filter or the Fluval, depending on what your budget or your proposed species may be. If you want plants - then the UG might have to go in one half (then move the power head to the other half and the problem is solved, as plants have some trouble occasionally being healthy on UG). With live plants, you want a bit less flow, so the Fluval will be the better choice, it allows a wide variety of media to be used. For fish only tanks, and a tighter budger, the AquaClear will move a lot of water and be excellent mechanical filtration to compliment the UG system, allowing it more efficiency in biological removal as the dirt is removed primarily by the AquaClear.

Bacterial Bloom
>subject = Cloudy Water
Problem = I have a 55 gal tank with two oscars in it. Have had the tank and fish since Feb of 98. My water refuses to clear. Chemical tests show that the tank has cycled. I have a double plate under gravel filter with a single power head on one side and a air pump working two air stones on the other plate. There is also a Whisper 2 filter on the tank. I feed pellets twice a day. Water gets so bad (cloudy) after three days I end up doing a 50-75% water change. I have tried doing smaller % water changes, but it dosent seem to help the matter at all. Should I consider another filter system all together? If so could you give me an idea of what I should get?
>Size = 55
>Age = 4 months
>Type = two oscars, about 5 months old
>Number = 2
>Change = 6/6/98
>Percent = 75%
>Primary = UGF, 1 power head, 2 air stones
>Secondary = Whisper 2
>Media = Not changed

I think the best explanation for the problem would be a bacterial bloom. I assume the tank looks like someone poured a glass of milk in it. There are other blooms, algal in nature that will turn the water from light green to as thick as pea soup, but nothing in your message makes me see this as the case.

Now, to bacterial bloom, the basic cause for a sudden or even ongoing cloud in the water is the presence of excessive organic solubilized compounds. The main source of these can be from two areas, the first happens when a new tank is set up and the actual tap water is carrying lots of dissolved wastes that promote the growth of bacteria for a short time. Known as New Tank Syndrome, the phenomenon usually comes into play about three days after set-up and is the result of rapidly multiplying bacteria getting so densely populated as they feed on the available organics that they show to the eye as a milky cloud. Although you may be having a slight part of this with 75% water changes, I think the real problem is the feeding. When there are too many organics available the bacteria suspended in the water go nuts. The only way that organics can be added to the system is by the aquarist, so either the food is causing polution or thee is simply too much of it.

The best thing to do is stop feeding for 3 days - unless your fish have hollow bellies (a fact I truly doubt) then a 3 day fast is often excellent therapy. I would expect the cloud to slowly dissipate and leave during that time. If it does, the best thing you can do is strictly follw the ffeding advice of as much food as they can eat in TWO minutes with NOTHING hitting the bottom. I would also move to feeding once a day.

Bacterial Bloom II
As a reminder - I emailed you about having cloudy water. You advised me to halt feeding for three days and reduce feeding to only once a day after that. Where I am now - You didn't say too so I didn't do a water change either before or since the three day wait thing. Water has remained cloudy, not getting any worse but not getting better either. I'm tempted to try a water change and see how things go with feeding only once a day. Sound good or not? Better idea? Anyway thanks for all your help so far (Was happily surprised by your response to my first call for help!)

Water changes are always a good idea, as long as the water supply is good. Sometimes, the replacement water can be worse than the water in the tank, but that is rare. Just be sure you use a good water conditioner to ensure the water is safe for the fish.

I also agree that moving to a single feeding a day will reduce the input of the organics that are causing the cloud, and would go along with that route as well.

Neon Tetra Problems
>subject = poorly neon tetras
Problem = In an otherwise healty community tank my neon tetras have been deteriorating, symtoms include losing thier shape, and a yellowish granular lump at the base of their tails. I think the tank is basically healty given the other fish - bronze cats, a plec, hachet fish and am interseted in what the disease is thats damageing these fish. Should i just get rid of them to prevent the risk of infecting other fish?
>Size = 35
>Age = 18 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 20
>Change = bi weekly
>Percent = 10
>Primary = bio life system

Neons are not the easiest fish to keep, they have their own disease called Neon Tetra Disease which normally shows as the fish going white and whole schools dropping off. Usually it is not contagious to other species, so if they are attacked, the rest of the tank stays alright. Treatment has sometimnes used antibiotics, but more often they simple are going to go, no matter what you do.

The description you mention does not really fit that problem, granular lumps are gorwths and they can be from a number of causes, although lymphocystis comes the easist to mind. More often this is a problem where a cyst grows in the fish's fins or tail and appears more as a wjhite lump. It often causes no damage as it is felt to be an intermediate form for an organism that dies off because it cannot go forwards with natural hosts.

As far as losing shape, that is not too clear, so I can't really comment, since more often it is color not shape that goes.

In this case, I can't make a knowledgable recommendation, other than to ensure the water conditions and the bottom of the tank are clean. Often these sorts of problems will occur when there is too much junk at the bottom and then causes deterioration in the populations. A good gravel cleaning may be advised, although the amount of water to remove should not be over 20 - 25% at one time. If the gravel needs further cleaning, wait a day and then do it again, it is better to spread major maintenance over a period of days rather than doing it all at the same time, and radically changing the water conditions for the fish.

Second Filter for Aquarium
>subject = Filter choices
Problem = I wanted to know what type of filter to get and how many for a 75 gallon tank with 2 oscars and 2 jack Dempseys. Your site has impressed me about the Fluval Canister Filter. I also Like the magnum canister Filter. Could I get one of each of these? Also what kind of Fluval do you think I would need? and also what kind of Magnum do you think I would need? I know these are messy fish and require alot of filtration I hope you can help me with this subject.
>Size = 75
>Age = 0
>Type = 2 jack dempseys and 2 oscars (all adult)
>Number = 4

I will admit that I am strongly biased toward the Fluval and AquaClear filters, rather than the Magnum. I will pretty much stay away from comments between the two filters. You can do it the way you mentioned, although I would tend to opt for a different combination. I agree that a canister filter is a wise choice, either a 303 or 403 will be worth the expenditure, the bigger the better to offer good powerful biological filtration. The filter volume of the cannister is used fully in the Fluval.

For the second form of filtration I would suggest that you look seriously at an AquaClear power filter, rather than a canister. The reason behind this is the fact that they are messy, and you want a powerful mechanical filter to remove the suspended solids as fast as they are kicked up. By combining power filtration with a canister, you get the best of both worlds, the Fluval offers some mechanical removal, but the real job is done by the power filter, that is one of their most important strengths. The canister, assuming you can pick and choose your filter media and use enough of it, will provide strong biological and chemical abilities for the tank. This is where you can experiment with assorted filter materials and specialize the media for the tank characteristics.

I know this was not the type of comments you wanted, I am not about to go into a comparison of the Magnum versus the Fluval, I am not unbiased and thus this is not a fair response to expect from an independent website. If that is what you want, though, I could do it, but you will have to ask it, my opinions are available, but as I said, it is not fair to express them without warning you of my experience.

I would suggest you visit the Hagen website for more information on the Fluval and the AquaClear systems. Both are found in the Product Information System, and although some pages load slowly, you will see the manuals for both available there.

http://www.hagenpet.com

Small White Worms in tank
>subject = Small White Worms in Tank
Problem = I have a 45 Gallon tank which I have had for about a year now. Three weeks ago I moved and therefore had to pack the fish up too. I put the fish into a smaller transportable tank (10 gallon tank) for moving, keeping the same water from the larger tank. Upon moving I again setup the 45 Gallon tank and kept the 10 gallons of original water plus adding new.

I expected to have some problems from the move/new tank water and now the stress is beginning to show. My black molley has one white spot on it's back (doesn't look like ich as it's one larger spot as opposed to many small ones). Also, when I look closely at the glass of my tank, I notice what appears to be some sort of worm. They are so small you almost can't see them, but when you do, there are hundreds of them on the glass. They wriggle around and are white in color. I have never seen these before. I don't see them on the fish at all, but it is hard to see.

As a precautionary measure for both problems, I immediately placed a garbage bag over the tank to make it dark and haven't fed them for one day now. I had a bottle of medication (I can't remember the name right now) which said to use for various things such as ich, parasites etc. which I have one drop per gallon and repeat every 24 hours (I started this process on Sunday, June 14th). I looked a bit on the internet but could not find any specific information advising about these worms. Do you know what they are? How to treat them? Also, regarding the black molley do you know specifically which disease he has?

I have other fish (mostly tetra's) and they seem to be fine so far.
>Size = 45
>Age = 0 months
>Type = Tropical
>Number = 15
>Change = June 3, 1998
>Percent = 90%
>Primary = bioweel
>Secondary = air hose under gravel

I am going to have to make a few assumptions with this problem, as the white worms you mention are usually found in an older aquarium that has a large amount of waste build-up accumulated. As such, I must assume that you added the same gravel back in, and it was not thoroughly washed out - which does make sense as the biological bed with its beneficial bacteria could be killed by chlorine in the rinse (from untreated municipal water supply).

I have seen white worms in long established aquaria where they get so dense in population that they are forced up onto the glass by sheer numbers. Usually the aquarium is not well kept - since they are getting food from slime on the glass. The good news is that they are harmless as far as I have ever known. In your case, if you did rinse the gravel somewhat, the same mechanism may be at work, although in a different manner, the worms may not be finding any food in the gravel bed where they are in almost tank, so they are migrating to find food above the gravel layer. I would guess they were there all along in the old tank, but by being moved, their habitat was disturbed and they are looking to find a better location.

The general "cure" for things like this is to deny food (something you seem to already have done) so that they will die back to a number that is sustained invisibly in the gravel.

As far as the molly, you might want to consider adding some aquarium salt. Mollies are really brackish water fish, and will do much better if an amount of aquarium salt is in the water. They show all sorts of symptoms that will be reduced and eliminated with proper salt in the water. White patches are one of them, clamped fins are another.

Aquariuim Salt in the aquarium
>subject = Salt as a water conditioner?
Problem = No problem, just looking for ways to improve. I have two tanks (10 & 29 gal). 10 gal for 2 years, 29 gal for 3 months. The new 29 gal tank took 6 weeks to get established, which was a little discouraging (I lost 4 fish) but the water tests are great now - and the fish are flourishing. One fish had some fin rot so I moved him to the ten gallon tank and treated him with tetracycline with good results. My question: while discussing the fin rot problem, the fish "manager" at PetSmart suggested conditioning the water with salt. They have cannisters of salt in all the tanks at PetSmart. (Freshwater tanks!)

She said that the salt helps the fish resist disease and improves their overall health. She said add about a tablespoon of salt per 10 gallons and add more salt proportionally with water changes. I am unsure about this suggestion and have not found this recommendation while browsing various aquarium sites. What do you think?
>Size = 10 & 29
>Age = 24 & 3
>Type = Community
>Number = 4 & 20
>Change = every two months
>Percent = 20-3-%
>Primary = undergravel
>Secondary = whisper carbon mechanical filter
>Media = 12 months and 3 mos

Once upon a time, long, long ago when access to drugs was very difficult and proportionally more expensive to obtain, a standard remedy (and one I also suggest -actually in my last response just sent out a couple of minutes ago for white patches on a molly) was to use non-iodized salt as a disinfectant, and to help maintain the fish better.

As I said, it is an older remedy that many aquarists have forgotten since there are so many new wonder drugs available to treat each and every disease. The dosage sounds about right, and the comment to add more as you do a water change should also come with an extra warning, don't put it in if you are just replacing evaporation, pure H2O leaves, so the salt remains. You don't want a salt tank, and you are NOT using marine salt, that is very different. You are also not using table salt which has iodine in it and will cause problems.

I don't know what you mean by canisters of salt in all tanks, but addition of aquarium salt to many aquarium communities, especially smaller community tanks is a generally good idea. There are some species where there may be a problem, but in the long run most fish will at worst tolerate it, and at best do much better and color up well with it in.

I hope that helps you make up your mind, wonder drugs are great for some things, but salt is a preventative, not a cure. Of course, if you are asking for my personal philosophy, I am very conscious of stress in the aquarium and believe this is the primary cause that shows up secondarily as disease. With this point of view, I try not to make my water a chemical soup of all sorts of compounds that mixed together may result in unforseen reactions. Too often the aquarist is adding too much food, treating with every chemical he can get his hands on, and then wonders at the mysterious deaths. I prefer to treat only as a last resort, using biological methods (Cycle, Waste Control, TurtleClean to create a beneficial bacterial water purification system). If the species warrant the addition of salt, use that. I stay away as much as possible from treatments that I don't find to work. Anti-biotics are a last resort, and only when there is actual disease, I never use them to prevent.

Anyway, I may have rambled on a bit, but it was a surprise to hear of someone actually reverting to the old style remedy of aquarium salt as a preventative. The more natural you can provide, with as few drugs as possible, the less stress on the fish and the more healthy the environment. Cultivate the bacterial bed for nitrogen removal, feed lightly and more rarely than the fish would like, and treat with the right medication for the problem, follow the treatment regime and remove as much as possible when it is over.

The Danger of snails
>subject = DEAD FISH
Problem = I recently purchased a few plastic plants reason being I had a snail infestation and the snail rid killed all my plants.Well I had about 15 neons which were purchased about a week prior they seem to be doing fine. When I got the plants I also got a pH test kit. pH was about 7.0 I've heard that neons need about 6.6. So I add the plastics plants and 30 drops of pH down. It took about 4 days for them all to die. So could it be the plastic or the ph drops? Thanks if you reply.
>Size = 15
>Age = 16 months
>Type = Community
>Number = 16
>Change = 6-6-98
>Percent = 100
>Primary = whisper 15

I would doubt that the plastic plants killed the fish, in fact I also doubt that the pH down killed them either, assuming the pH drop was not radical. My guess is that if you test now, the pH will be pretty much back where it started, I don't have a lot of faith in drops, since the buffering capacity of water is quite good in most cases. You may get a drop for a while, but then the natural characteristics of the water supply often overcome the drop and send it back to where it started. I see it like a wall, where you gradually get to the height of the wall by adding a lot of compound, suddenly it overcomes the buffering capacity wall, and the pH drops like a shot. Anything you add at that point makes a truly radical difference. Then, almost as suddenly, the buffer reasserts itself and the water goes back to the original pH as the buffers absorb the acid and neutralize its effects. You should be aware though, that over time the acids created by biological action on wastes will tend to drop pH a lot more gradually, so pH should be tested on an ongoing basis.

So, if I dont believe the plants killed the fish, and I also doubt that, unless the drop was dramatic, the pH killed the fish, then what did?

I suggest it was ammonia, and that was generated by the snail rid you mention. Snail Rid does its job - often too well. In most cases even a 1/2 dose will create a 100% kill. You do get the job done, but what is often unsaid is that you have to get the dead snails out as fast as possible, since they pollute the water better than anything I know of. If even a couple of dead snails were left in the tank, often so small they were under the gravel or something, the water can rapidly become deadly to fish. A good water change and test for ammonia and nitrite might be in order before you add new fish. Neons are quite touchy in a lot of instances, and the combination of the snail toxin and a sudden rise in pollution from dead organisms more readily explains the sudden deaths than the pH or plastic plants.

Salt for Mollies
>subject = Flaking skin
Problem = I have a White Sailfin molly and it has had so many things wrong with it. I gave it medicine for that because it seemed to have ick and tail and fin rot. I gave it that green ick medicine and penicillen tablets for the tank. But now it has big chunks of skin falling off of it and its fins are all rough on the edges. It acts normal. I don't think there is anything wrong with it, but do you think that giving them two many medicines at once will make it shed and have raw edges on its epidermis? I gave it the ick treatment for about two months solid non-stop, is that bad for the fish? It was the only thing that would get rid of the ick. What do I do about the flaky skin?
>Size = 10
>Age = 24
>Type = Community
>Number = 3 sailfin mollies
>3 orange swordtails
>1 loach
>26 swordtail fry
>Change = june 1 98
>Percent = 25%
>Primary = A pump thing that sticks out of the rocks with pvc piping under the rocks that makes it so the air goes under the rocks too and then blows out into the fish tank after goes back up through the pipnig. We payed alot for it so it must be good.
>Secondary = There is none
>Media = If the last Media change means the last time I changed the entire fish tank was about 2 years ago.

I would suggest an old style remedy in this case, go to your aquarium store and purchase some aquarium salt. Mollies show all kinds of symptoms when they don't have enough salt in the water. Unless you seriously overdose, the salt won't bother, and probably will help the rest of the fish in your aquarium. It adds electrolytes and drops the constant fight to keep compounds in the body against the osmotic tendency for the compounds inside the fish to disperse outside to the environment.

Salt also acts as a disinfectant that will help control problems like ich and other parasites. In the old days it was a common staple in the aquarists arsenal, but nowadays with the heavy reliance on drugs, the beneficial characteristics of such a lowly compound are often overlooked.

Building your own aquarium

>subject = do-it-your-self
Problem = Can you say, if somewhere in the web is good instructions to build own aquarium.

Sorry to say I haven't run across anything on how to build an aquarium. To be honest with you, I haven't looked because long ago I figured out that it often is cheaper to buy an aquarium pre built, they are usually only slightly more expensive than it costs to buy new glass and the silicon, if you already have the glass and silicon, that is a different story, but you will probably need a frame and those are simply not sold separately in most cases.