Stacey

If your tap water's pH is close to what your tank usually is, then I wouldn't worry about doing larger water changes more quickly. As for how many you should do, I don't know, I would keep changing until the Melafix bubbles are gone anyway......... got some fresh carbon to put in your filter?? Do the fish seem to be suffering from the Melafix? ........Good luck with everything, hope the fishies are ok.

Oh Carp! I missed it!...........I thought meetings were supposed to be the LAST Tuesday of the month..........which'd be next week.........

Well after trying a few livestock configurations, it looks like both bettas can co-exist with fish and snails. I think what I need to do next is figure out how to tell which gender my Ramshorns are and separate them......... there is a lot of egg-laying going on, and I don't have the tank space to raise all those snails! I'm still considering which small fish to add to the other tank, variety is good, but I love the cardinals colour! (Maybe I'll get neons, that'd be different :tongue: ) However, it looks like whatever I decide, neither betta is an overly aggressive loner, so it should be all good.

Maybe an ADF, or a couple of small snails.

Well I'd guess you'd probably have to try it and see............ Do you have Prime on hand? Anytime I get any ammonia after cloning a tank, I just add Prime for a few days and it's all good. (You do know that if you do decide to use Prime to detoxify any ammonia present that it has to be added daily, right??)

I agree with the above comments........... either watch the plant give away section, or check out the local auction. No matter what plant sales you find in stores, cheap or free is always better! I got a fairly large bag of red crypts at the last CAS meeting for $12! (would've been much more at ANY store!

Well, it appears to have worked........ betta and cardinals ignoring each other. I guess I'll just have to keep an eye on them to ensure it stays that way. I'd like to add some cardinals to the other tank, but I think I'll wait a bit and see how they all do.

I just had my hubby remove the areator.......... so I have no useful tips on how to remove yours. But I do suggest that when you do get it off that you just leave it that way! You get used to the water gushing out real fast from the python adaptor......... good luck anyway!

Then you should try the suggestion in my first post......... take a picture of the fish and post it on Plecofanatics! They are really good with ID's over there, they play this game where someone posts a picture of a small piece of a pleco, and then other people guess which fish it is.

Thanks guys. I guess I'll try the move over the weekend, when I've got some time to observe them.

Try plecofanatics.com -the people on that site can probably identify it from a picture.

I've got 2 10 gallon tanks. See signature below for contents. I would like to separate the bettas one per tank. They have both engaged in tail biting behavior since I put them together in the divided 10 gal. Their tails are growing back now, but I want them to stay that way. The bettas are currently experiencing no problems with their snail roomates, but does any one know how they would do with Cardinal Tetras? I'm thinking I'd like to put one betta into the 10 gal. with the tetras and see how he does......... if it doesn't work out I'm thinking I'll switch him back to the other 10 gal. and try the second betta with the tetras........ ideally, if both bettas were amendable, I'd like to have 2 small community tanks going, each containing a betta. Is 1 betta and 6 tetras, plus some snails overstocked? (snail population will be equalized between the 2 tanks) Does anyone have any other suggestions as to which other small fish can live with a betta in a 10 gallon? I read so many conflicting opinions. Thanks.

I've had a few near misses, like when the kid trips over the python hose while the tank is refilling! Fortunately I was right there to catch it. No major disasters (yet) though.

Good thread........ :thumbs: I've been thinking lately that it's almost time to change my hoses.

Alot depends on the size of the tank, for example, my oscar shares a 90 gallon with a pleco. Some other cichlids might work, but they would need to be large enough for the oscar not to snack on.

NatureNut - I have used regular tea tree oil in place of Melafix. My pleco sometimes has a torn dorsal fin, and tea tree oil works fine for this. I've also tried tea tree oil the bettas divided 10 gallon, this I don't recommend. When they came to the top for air, they both started shaking their heads, and generally seeming bothered by the oil on the water, ended up doing an immediate water change and adding carbon to the filter. As for what I keep in the medicine cabinet?? Aquarium Salt, Tea Tree oil or Melafix, Prime(which isn't technically a medicine) .....that's about it. Not much experience with sick fish, not sure what I SHOULD keep on hand.

I have decided to tell her, when I thought about it, I decided I just couldn't pretent the new one was Gerry........ it's hard though because it's NOT her first experience with death, I KNOW she'll be upset, I'll wait till she comes home though. Another surprise was waiting for me when I got home, it seems Gerry begat another little gift upon Gary before he left us...... the new little one's name will likely be Harry or maybe Mary. (the first 2 babies are Larry and Terry) This answers some questions I had about these guys in another thread........ I did have a breeding pair, they breed a lot more prolificly than the internet had led me to believe, and gestation seems to be about a week. (Unless of course these guys can store sperm, in which case I don't know if any of this is true) One last thing, the growth of this little family has convinced me to buy them larger quarters....... where can I buy a ten gallon tank for a good price? I don't want a kit, just need the tank and lid. And thanks everyone about the tip about Pisces, I got these guys at Riverfront, but I think after I pick up the new tank I'll get 1 or 2 more adults.

Thanks for the quick replies....... The snails are viviparus malleatus, or Japanese Trap Door snails. So it CAN be dead with the trap door still attached........... DAMN I was afraid of that. Fishbrain - no, it's the dead(?) one thats sucked the trap door in farther than I've seen any of them do before.......... Osprey - thanks for the offer, but these guys are brown, not purple, she'd definately notice THAT replacement....... As for whether or not I'll replace "Gerry" I just don't know......... There is a good possibility she wouldn't notice, she is attached to them, BUT, like alot of 9 year olds, they are HER pets - I just get to take care of them! I hope "Gary" (the other adult snail, who smelled mildly funky yesterday, but is still alive today) isn't on his way out.

One of my daughter's trap door snails is possibly dead. I've read that when they pass on there are 2 ways to tell. The first is that they stink. The second is that their trap doors fall off. One snail smells pretty funky, but it's trap door is still attached. The possibly dead one hasn't moved in at least a day, and it's trap door is on but sunken into it's shell somewhat. What I'm finding confusing is that yesterday both adult snails smelled mildly funky, but I saw one move today, so that one isn't dead. However, the possibly dead one smells much worse today. To make matters worse, my daughter is out of town for spring break, and doesn't know about her pets........ if it's dead do I phone her to tell her, tell her when she gets home, or buy her a replacement and say nothing??? New house rule: No more pets that suffer questionable deaths! I've had this problem with ADF's. When it's dead I want to know!

I'd say if you've ruled out any leeching of scum from decorations or additives, then it probably is betta spit. The first time I saw this in my tank I was concerned too. I'd describe it as more of a really thin oil-slick though, kind of rainbow coloured if you look real close........ does it coincide with his bubble nests?

About 3 weeks ago I bought my daughter 2 Trap Door Snails from Riverfront.......... and now we have 4! I did do a bit of reading on them before I bought, and I chose these because they are livebearers and supposed to breed slowly. (didn't want to be overrun with eggs) I wasn't able to find alot of info on them, and I don't know how accurate it was, for example I read that they breed in August, hmmm......... not August yet but the snail population has doubled! How long is their gestation? I don't know if I bought 2 pregnant females, or if I have a breeding pair. We've had these guys for less than a month and already 2 babies. My daughter is very excited, but I wouldn't mind knowing what to expect population wise. I can see a bigger snail tank in the future!

:welcome: back!

Mine only does that during a water change.......... as if he's checking to see how much water he's got left.

umm... do you guys realize that you've been welcoming someone who joined 2 years ago? -roll-

I feed zuchinni raw, use a spoon to weigh it down. (stick the handle through the veggie) I also tie a piece of fishing line around the spoon to pull it back up again. I also usually push a couple of NLS wafers into the zuchinni, so my pleco gets his meat and veggies in one meal. I have read that some plecos really like the skins, but mine just eats the middles.