a1foxes

Lots of tanks up and running now! Got one stand with 3-20's on the top and 5 -10's on the bottom- all decked out and cycling away.... Got another stand with a 55 on top and 33 on the bottom, same again bubbling away. One has tanks on it, but they arent filled yet- that's 2-25's and a 20 on top and 3- 15's on the bottom. Also got a triple decker with tanks waiting for water and equipment- 3-20's on top, 2-15's and a 10 on the middle and 3-10's on the bottom. Still have 2-55's, a 33, and 3-20's to build stands for. Tanks up before the fish room came about are scattered all over the house, hope to put some of them downstairs with the rest- there is 2-55's, 2-20's, 2-15's, 2-10's and a bunch of smaller betta jars and tanks... hhmm wonder how long it will be before I decide to trade the kids in for more space oh, hey, anyone got some nice fish they might trade for some really helpful fish tank cleaners?

18" deep, 18" high and 36" long. I also have one that is 14" deep, 18" high and 48" long. Can use either one, and there wont be any other fish in it likely.

I'm not interested in breeding rays but I'm certainly intrigued enough to want to get a couple. Gee I got given a very nice tank and was wondering what I should put into it hehe...Now I guess I have to start figuring out what they like for filtration, current and so on? I've got sand, no prob there, can anyone give me some freshwater ray basics?

What store is this? I have to check it out. I will have to look it up, forget the name...I remember WHERE it is, down behind the Walmart on the north end, down there by the river in that little industrial park on the south side of hwy 11. I found out about the place years ago- there was an article about DE in the Western Producer, and being a good paper listed a couple sources where to get it at the time. It was far more new then, some other places have to have it- give UFA a call, they keep all sorts of stuff. Some of the rural towns, you'd be surprised what the feed stores keep- they deal with alot of cattle people, and DE is becoming more and more popular with cattle, so really it cant be that hard to find- just gotta get creative about where to look. Any you get at a feed store, will be food grade cause it has to be fed to calves- so it would be safe for fishies- I know next time I do my cleaning I'm putting it in my filters, and probably mix some into the gravel to kill little nasty critters.

I found a natural product place in Red Deer that sells FOOD GRADE DE in 25 kg bags for about $20. Its 100% safe, not treated with anything, if its safe for calves to eat its safe for filters. I just happened to have some for fly control in my barn- marvellous stuff!

I've spent the last week or so building stands for as many tanks as my new fishroom will hold! Downside, though, have to keep them 2-3 ft away from the walls cause the drywall needs to be replaced due to flood damage. The landlord has stalled that project to the point I can't wait anymore, neither can the fish! Its way too crowded upstairs..... I threw together 2 units today, 1 to hold a 55 on the top and a 33 on the bottom. The other, is a 3 shelf unit, should hold 12 - 10 galls. I'm going to do another one to hold a 55 on top and 33 on the bottom, and need another one for a couple 20's and a few smaller shelves for betta jars. After that, I'll build what i think will fit! I had thought about having a bit of a fishroom party- nothing like a bunch of fishy people hanging around yakking about fish and drinking like one hahah.Any volunteers??? keep in mind, a 55 can hold most people, and i'm sure i could find a nice big pirahna to keep them in check. The biggest project- I need water hauled in! my well water sucks, its full of iron and its not easy to get it all out, so I have to bring my water from the city of calgary. I'll get maybe 1-2 tanks filled per day, tops, if that.....ideas?

Thank God for the internet- it allows a person some self control, thus less chance of offending anyone. This is a very good thing right now cause the comebacks and one liners that popped into my head after reading the latter part of this thread, would likely have me in a heap of, well, something -roll- So whilst I'm sitting here laughing my guts out and wiping away the tears, at least the mouth is clean (the MIND is OFF LIMITS )

I bred guppies as a kid. Then we inherited a couple 33 gal tanks and a 125 gal with a huge oscar (14") and a big koi as well. I kept fish most of the time after that, until my husband wouldnt let me buy anymore after the last one died. We wound up leaving the tanks behind when we moved, that was 10 yrs ago. I got involved with someone who has fish, fell in love all over again(twice!) , then started collecting the odd betta and pleco. I got a 55 gal for my birthday, and the rest is history.

This I'm curious to see. While I do have my store preferences for various reasons, and my fair share of bad experiences as well, I understand the business, I understand fish, and I understand the different concepts some of the stores use. If some of the stores could take a little constructive critisism now and then, really it should work. Even though I've had my share of problems with a couple stores lately, I"m not beyond changing my current opinion. I'm used to working with very large organizations, 1 was an agricultural association and the big job was putting on 1 large event every year. AT least 100 different departments, and chairpersons for those and various volunteers. Imagine playing referee for them butting head about who's project is more important, oh , yes, critisism too....I got very good at mediating, thats why I wound up high in the ranks, and no one killed each other. There is more than one side to every story, and there is more than one way to keep/sell fish, good and bad in every method. I must admit it would take alot of investment for me to set up a store and do things the way I think should be done. I'm one to take the best of every technique, and employ them all. The real issue- is how the store and their supporters can deal with a little CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM, rather than taking offense and then taking it personally.... Should be interesting

55 gallons

That is about how i feel! I still think marriage is no different to the days that we were together before we got married. The only difference i can find is now we sleep in the same bed and i have to wear a ring (another totally different issue!). We were together for 8 years before we got married... you can call us high school sweet hearts. we may have to make a comprimise... i'm thinking that i will be able to drop off my lots... browse to see if there is anything that i need... give my money to a fellow aa member that can bid for me... leave the auction to spend the day with my wonderful wife (constantly thinking about if i won the lot or not)... probably a nice dinner to follow... on the way home pick up my lot's from this fellow aa member... get home and fight about i spent too much time with my fish on her... i mean our day. life can be too complicated sometimes! The problem with to many relationships, is that people go into them thinking the other person will change, the intersts or 'hobbies' will fade out etc, and as true dedicated fishaholics we all know that wont happen. Best bet, either be involved with a fishy person, or with someone who already has a 'grip' and knows that you and your hobby are like kids- a package deal. My ex is an ex partly because he tried to change me. Dating a fishy person isnt the whole answer, but it most definitely would help!

I have a couple of tanks with very high current/flow rates and I'm wondering if there any species (other than bottom dwellers) that like fast current? My angels really seem to like it, but I want something different in the other tank.

I used to think that vets should know everything about domestic animals/pets, thats why they go to school for 4 years right? Actually, I believe it is eight years for general, 10 to specialise. thought it was 4 yrs in school the 4 yrs practical

I used to think that vets should know everything about domestic animals/pets, thats why they go to school for 4 years right? Well, I entered the world of rabbits more than 25 years ago, and to my dismay I was told by one vet that in his entire years at school, rabbits were given only 1 day. I have used a vet for 2 rabbit problems- 1 needed stitches or he would bleed to death and the other was so malnourished he needed an IV and vitamin shots to survive. Since then I can give my own. I have used vets for rabbits to get health certificates required by airlines when I ship them, usually to the US or overseas. I usually end up telling the vet what they need to check for, and most dont really know that rabbits dont get immunizations....There are alot of pet/domestic rabbits out there, and one reason most will never see a vet is money, but another is that vets dont know anything about them anyway. Rabbits were the reason I got into microbiology in the first place, now I simply buy my own supplies at UFA or the farm vets' office and treat myself. I used to produce commercially, 300 fry per month and a base herd of 600. Tens of thousand of animals. Thats more than any vet. The only thing I lack is a lab of my own, and even without one I can do my own cultures if need be. Its so bad, really, I don't want to waste my trying to talk with someone who is not only clueless, but not even motivated enough to learn stuff on their own . There are the odd ones who are at least willing to try, but they are few and far between, and most of us with less common species are so disgusted with past experiences we dont even want to try anymore either. If we do, guaranteed a big bill whether the outcome is good or not . If its a $50 rabbit or a $200 reptile, a $200 bill is alot.

first thing I checked, took the stuf out and made sure. :cry:

Cleanest, sweetest tank I've got . Not very many fish, just a few angels and syndontis to clean up, great flow and filtration- fishy heaven you would think. I started that tank just for that one fish, the others in there were picked to suit his needs. He had to come out of the water a full 6 inches to get out. Its a half canopy, not much room to get my arm in never mind a fish that size to get out. Worst of it- traffic delayed us getting home by about an hour, I'd say he'd only been dead 30 minutes or so when I got home. That really sucks.

As if losing $500 worth of new fish isn't bad enough, the kids and I lost our #1 favorite fish today- a 12 inch L25 Scarlet Pleco. He was worth a pile of cash as well, but kids don't care, they just lost a pet, same as if it was a cat or dog. Not sure how a pleco like that jumps out of tank where the water was 4 inches below the top, kinda got to wondering if there isn't some nasty old ghost running around here picking off fish! Yesterdays other losses, well, we know what caused that, this is just bizarre. The tank is mighty empty and suddenly no one is interested in hanging around it anymore. He's big enough and special enough to the kids to get himself a shoebox coffin and his own spot under a tree outside. :boxed: :boom: :cry:

I use salt on a regular basis, most tanks I keep are at 80-86 depending on whats in them. Temp wise ich dies at 90, but salt isnt enough to get rid of it entirely on its own. Thats why I nuke my tanks to 90, salt and coppersafe at the same time, for at least 2 ich cycles, just to make sure its gone. Also means its easier to determine sources....

Live and even plastic plants can carry ich as well. Gravel is notorious for it, the used stuff anyway, thats why I even disinfect that stuff with salt, vinegar and boiling water before i use it. The fish, well, can carry it without showing any signs, and if the LFS tour today found some evidence of a fungal or anything, and its a central system then its everywhere. I may have 40 tanks, but I still individually filter every single one. EVen my cleaning hose and bucket gets sterilized after I clean an infected or suspicious tank. I guess my experience in bio-sealed livestock facilities has taught me a few important habits i keep now. EVen my nets, live in a dip for parasites and diseases/fungus etc. The best stores in my opinion- individual filtration on all tanks, they keep new stock for at least a couple weeks before they sell it. When I deal with this type of store, I've never had to take one back. I have nothing but respect for them, I recommend them to all .Best in town,hands down!!!!

I just plucked the last of them out of the tank- they all croaked. One thing I do know, I won't even set foot back in that place again. I've spent alot of money there in the last 8-9months, many thousands actually, but neither me nor anyone close to me will go in again. Its not worth it. I have less casualties getting fish shipped in from Florida or Bangkok! I'll be buying from breeders mostly now.

I know some stores will not sell stock in for less than 2 weeks, and some have a 2-3 day turnover. Filtration systems make a difference- individual systems are easier to detect problems and deal with them, and with big community systems things get spread easy and go undetected. My system is set up to keep problems isolated and deal with them effectively. I know ich can go undetected for quite some time, but proper treatment before signs show still should kill it regardless. In my case, given my ich killing procedures between batches of new fish, the source isnt hard to pin down, not everyone is so lucky. Some sources are better than others for sure. For a while I was going on the 'lottery' thing as well, you take your chances right, but when you get 3 cases, all from the same source, well, those arent great odds so I guess I won't play that game no more.

Well, 12 -1 inch size fish should be ok in a cycled 20 gallon, especially since they were way more crowded than that where they came from. No food waste, and I syphon for leftovers every 2 days. I use extra filtration on all my tanks, twice as much as they need typically. Like I've always said, I'm very fussy and don't leave much to chance anymore. I sterilize everything I buy, and if I move anything from tank to tank as well. Germs/bugs dont like me!

I guess I've commented about this before, but it seems all the precautions I can muster can't prevent it. I keep 'quarantine' tanks for new fish. I have lots of space, so I've made a habit of doing this. Saves my other fish right? When a new batch has been in the tank a month, then i farm them out to wherever. I clean the tank heavily, coppersafe and salt it, crank the heat for 2 weeks before the next water change, then its another full 2 weeks before i put anything in the tank. I make damn good and sure theres not little buggies in there when new fish go in, and the water is cycled and safe. Sure enough, I bought $300 plus worth of fish from one place, put everything in the one tank. Compatible species, no issue there at all. 2 croaked the next day and I got them replaced, but then, at about day 10 they start dying. Day 13 and the first signs outward signs of ich. I know without a doubt it came in with the fish, but now I've lost over $200 worth that the store wont replace because of a 3-day rule thing. I know not everyone is honest about why fish die, I know not everyone is as vigilant with new fish etc, so I understand why some places might refuse to replace croakies. On the other hand, some people who know their way around and do everything right, get screwed. I'm so pissed I may never set foot in the place again. Its the second time it happened from that same place- to me, and once to a friend as well. Never had the problem with fish from other places, even 'tender' ones, so yes I am a bit miffed today. Don't suppose there is anything I can do about it, other than taking my business elsewhere in the future? People ask me why, with all the fish i have, I don't have central/sump system. Well this is why- at least I only lost the fish I bought, but I"m still out a few hundred bucks.. :pff:

Imperial in Calgary has some that might be the same thing, but alas using a different name. They called them skunk botia, however I'm thinking, they are botia 'beramodi'???sorry the spelling might not be quite right i dont have my book handy. I have 4 of them, they are alot like green tiger botias, only they have the red dorsal fin. Mine make 'clicky' noises when they scrap or its feeding time. same ones perhaps?

When I was at Golds last week they still had a few. I bought mine there a few months ago, growing like weeds!