Animal Stories - People Talking About Aquarium Tropical Fish



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Latest Animal Stories on Aquarium Tropical Fish (6177)

Melvyn Williams - 2013-04-28
I am so glad I found your site. I have owned BGKs for years and have just been facinated by them. My largest was about 18' in a 75 gallon tank. Anyway. I was always told you could only have one in the same tank for various reasons. Recently, a local retail dealer told me that you can have more than one in a tank, only you can not have two. Given all the comments and breeding scenarios on your site, can you shed some light on this for me. I have 150 gallon community tank and my recent BGK (Ribbon)is approximately 6' and has live comfortably with every one for about six months. Yes, I have occassionally noticed a fish or two mia, however, innocent until proven guilty (some of my community fishes have interesting traits). So I would like to purchase two more if that is possible. Could you give me your opinion please. For the record, I have a variety of Loaches (Clowns 5-2', [Blues, Zebras and Poka Dot 2 each sapprox 2'] Botias, Kulis 3-2') some green corys 2-2', black sharks 2-3', a spotted raphael cat 1- 3', golden sharks 2-2' NOW, angels 3-3' and assorted plecos4-2'-5'. Thanks.

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Clarice Brough - 2013-04-28
The Black Ghost Knives are fascinating fish, and one of my favorites too. These fish don't like others of their own kind though, and are known to fight. Sometimes if a tank is very large, with lots of rocks and decor for fish to have their own territories and out of the line of site of those they don't like, aggressive fish can be kept in the same tank. But mxing them is a really tough call. You do have a large tank, but because these are also large fish the tank isn't really so large for their needs. If you try mixing more than one, just be ready to separate them into their own tanks if they don't settle in together.

susan lee - 2013-04-27
My large Bristle-nose is looking sick, I have had him for over 1 year. He has in the last week big white patches on his skin, can someone tell me what to do? I have been adding melafix to the tank the last 2 days, but it is getting worse.

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Clarice Brough - 2013-04-27
White patches on the skin are sometimes the result of an aggressive tankmate, or possibly a problem with the fish laying near the heater. So I would look for clues on those. But it could also be Columnaris. This is a bacterial infection that's common in aquarium fish, but particularly with livebearing fish and catfish.

Columnaris is usually called such things as Cotton-Wool, Cotton-Mouth, Mouth Fungus, Mouth-Rot, Saddle Back, and several more names. Usually it affects the mouth area, but can also be on the skin, fins, or gills, and even internal. It usually starts with white or grayish white spots on the head, fins or gills, and then develops into a grayish-white film or yellow to gray patches as it eats away the fish's tisuue. The name 'Saddle Back' comes from lesions on the back that extend down the sides.

Melafix is a good general tonic type treatment that can often help, but it may not be enough. To treat Columnaris do a water change and vacuum the gravel. Then treat with an antibiotic, but do so with extreme care. Avoid salt or copper sulfates as these are dangerous for scaleless fish like the Bristlenose Catfish.

Anonymous - 2013-04-25
Hi, just discovered 4 fry [Rosy Tetra] all hiding in my community tank, not sure how old. I have put them in a smaller tank within my community tank and they seemed to be doing really well. JimC

Anonymous - 2013-04-24
What do brackish and hardness mean ?

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Anonymous - 2013-04-24
Also can they make it in a group of 2
Jeremy Roche - 2013-04-24
Brackish means their is salt added, just need to know what salinity they are use too. Hardiness is is how easily these fish are to care for and their ability to live a long life in captivity.
Clarice Brough - 2013-04-24
Water that is brackish has some salt, but not as much as you would find in the ocean (that would be saltwater). It is measured by the 'specifig gravity' (SG) of the water, and can be measured with a hydrometer. There are some wonderful hydrometers available at pet stores that are easy to use. As you can see in the Aquarium Set-up section above, this fish the Amazon Puffer, needs a specific gravity (SG) of 1.005.

Water hardness is basically a measurement of the mineral content in the water, primarily the amount of calcium or magnesium salts. Hard water has more than soft water. Again, as you can see in the Aquarium Set-up section above, these fish have a very broad range from 5 - 25 degrees of general hardness (dGH). A medium range is about 8-12 dGH.

Regarding the keeping more than one... in the 'Social Behaviors' section above, you can see that it is suggested to keep at least 3 of them, though more would work as well.

Larry Villajuan - 2013-04-24
how do i know the male and female blue moorii hamp head. its a deferent color and shape

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Clarice Brough - 2013-04-24
The 'Sex: Sexual differences' section above gives you a good idea of how to tell the difference between the male and female. As it points out, it is difficult, only once they are mature are your chances are a bit better.

Teresa Sloan - 2013-04-24
We just bought a BGKF last night. I had seen him the previous week-end and fell in love. We also bought a silver-tipped shark. My question is more in regards to the filter system. When my husband started to leave for work this morning, we found we had a casualty last night in that (we think) the ghost had gotten too close to the filter and was sucked up. I don't think the filter end sits that close to the bottom of the aquarium, and he was so happy lying among the rocks. The shark seems fine, but I'm just wondering if the ghost did swim too close to the filter and got caught up in the suction or if perhaps something else had happened and it was just his remains that got caught there. We've had smaller fish in there with no problems of them being caught up in the filter.

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Clarice Brough - 2013-04-24
So sorry to hear about your casualty. Iif your filter is really robust, with a lot of suction, you might want to cover it with some aquarium filter foam. That will keep any fish from getting sucked up.

liz - 2013-04-22
I have six blue moori juviniles in a five foot community tank. my tank is very mixed with fish that arent supposed to be compatible, but i have never had any problems with them. the moories have been a great addition to the tank, swimming around in a group together they don't disturb any of the other fish, and vice versa. my bossy parrot fish tried to show them who the tank boss was at first, but they quickly put him in his place and peace has reigned ever since. I realise that at some point i will have to get another tank for all the bigger species in my tank, but that is a few years away yet and I am enjoying watching them all together at the moment.

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Clarice Brough - 2013-04-22
Very nice that your Blue Moorii additions are doing well and everybody's happy! I've had similar situations Liz, fish that aren't supposed to be compatible doing fine if the tank is large enough and there is enough diversity in decor and tankmates to keep everybody occupied.

Shirley - 2013-04-22
I have a question that I am not able to find an answer for. Jethro(my goldfish) flipped himself out of his tank onto the carpeted floor where he was found by my three Chihuahuas. I heard the commotion and hurried to see what was happening. Jethro was stretched out on the floor, not breathing, and minus part of the very top of his tail. I picked him up, saw that he was still alive, dusted him off and put him in his tank. He revived nicely, thank goodness, but he looks odd without that part of his tail. Any chance of it growing back? Please say yes!

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David Brough - 2013-04-22
Ahah... good news! The fins will probably grow back unless it was nibbled back to far into the caudal penduncle. What a survivor, glad you found him in time.

Greta - 2013-04-18
Hi, I'm a teacher and have had three beautiful Comets for 6 months, since my students won them at a Halloween carnival. We did a lot of research and have them set up in a large tank that we regularly clean. We'd like to upgrade the tank in terms of decoration--currently there is none--but don't know what works better, silk or plastic plants? We've read that plastic can poke fragile goldfish eyes, but silk can get frayed and eaten, thus causing intestinal blockage. Help, please? We'd really love to keep our goldfish happy and healthy for years to come. Thanks so much for any advice you can provide. ~Margarita

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Jeremy Roche - 2013-04-19
Any of the choices will work! The silk will give more movement and action in the tank. I prefer silk or live plants. To fray or break there would need to be something causing it besides the goldfish. Make sure to properly clean anything you put in the tank.
David Brough - 2013-04-21
Goldfish are pretty sturdy unless you have bubble-eyes or telescope types. Plastic should be fine for them. Ive kept them with plastic and live plants and had no problems. Live plants are the best for the aquarium but they may need more maintenance like fertilizer and gravel they can grow in. Ive no experience with silk.

Max miller - 2013-04-20
Hi i have a 45 gal long with 3 black anglefish i have a tank divider with cichlids like convcits and parrots and green terror they are all about 3-4 in and the angels are 3-4 inch can the angles be with the cichlids

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