Animal Stories - People Talking About Characins



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Latest Animal Stories on Characins (473)

Wendy - 2008-12-22
I need some advice. I have had my Silver Dollar for a long time. I never had this problem until recently. The fish has slowly lost his tail and the rot is eating into the other fins. There is no evidence of any coloring or fuzziness on the fin edges. I have tried Metaplex but am leary of antibiotics since they usually totally mess the water up. I am going to get rid of three Goldfish in the tank (they don't nip) because I think they may be contributing to a high ammonia level. Any ideas on what to use for the Silver Dollar, since they have sensitive skin? You can email: Ldenomme6@yahoo.com

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bettaboy - 2010-05-11
Your problem is that you have goldfish (cooler water, different metabolism, completely different requirements re water chemistry et al) with your Silver Dollar.

Bacteria is there and when it is "evident" is in usually fatal stages - just as with people it lurks...

They do not have sensitive "skin" you have poor water quality - wrong combination of fish - please - the information can not be provided here (degrees and decades of experience) do some homework.

NO Ammonia, balance your water with partial smaller twice weekly changes - place the goldfish (20 gallons per INCH) with extra filtration so on... into another aquarium... and start over AFTER you do some reading up (library or other reliable sources not mouth to mouth info from web).
john m - 2010-05-28
Treat the h20 w/ eriromiacin.
Danielle - 2010-07-30
I have 3 medium Silver Dollar fish in a 120 gallon tank. The smallest one had tail rot last year in which he rapidly lost his entire tail! At first I used Melafix and Pimafix for one to two weeks to control the rot, then I realized that the water quality was failing without the carbon and I decided to stop the treatment and do frequent 40 to 50 percent water changes every three days. Having improved my water quality: No ammonia, nitrite, and low nitrate level under 20, this really allowed the tail to completely grow back in one month. It has been a year now and his tail is thin but clear and back to normal. I really thought he was going to die, but with frequent water changes and affective medication, he survived.

Shamika Daughtry - 2009-10-08
Hello, I always wanted a fish tank. So one day I went and bought me a 29 gallon tank. I had swordtails, tetras, mollies, and platies. Well I was having some bad luck with my tank, my swordtails lived for about a month and died. So I went and got more that were pregnant but a week later they died. So now for the tetras, I had about four, three died three weeks later. So on 10-7-09 I bougout four more tetras. I also have gold zebras, danios zebras. Well I'm just going to wait and see what's going to happen.

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andrea - 2010-02-27
You either have new tank syndrome (bad water quality) or you have a bad fish store you are buying from.
RW - 2010-07-28
For best results with first time tank bought, start by buying the tank and accessories only. Treat the water with neutralizer to remove chlorine which kills fishes. Wash the substrate well in a small basin with running water for at least 3 rinses. Set up your tank and run the filters for at least 3 days w/o any fishes. Introduce the fishes starting with surface or mid water fishes. Add the bottom dwellers last about at least a week since they are susceptible to ingest poisons that may sit on the substrate.

If you are using tap water. Keep at least gallons of it (enough to do a 50% water change) stored at all times pre-treated with neutralizer and only use it at least 2 days after they sit in storage. You may disturb the stored water during storage to release chlorine bubbles depositing on the sides of the container. For best water quality, you may use R.O. though expensive.

Andrea - 2010-05-01
Hi, my name is andrea, I have 13 fish in all in my 35 gallon tank. I got 3 guppies, 2 mickeymouse, 1 color tetra, 1 black moor, 1cat fish, 1 algae, 2 glo-lite,and 2 serpae tetra. One of my serpae is picking on my black moor, poor thing, I had no problem, with the fish till I got the one serpae, think it's a male. He got all the fish scared, what can I do? I also have a 10 gallon tank set up for baby guppies, and baby platys. Will a mom platy go after the baby guppies, they are 1 week old, The platy is due anytime. Thanks, Andrea

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Penny - 2010-05-11
Live bearers WILL eat the fry. I was successful breeding platys and guppies only because I removed the mother after dropping the babies. She did eat a few before I got her out. The babies ALL survived. Did not lose any.
If you want babies, remove the adults!
I put the mother back in the community tank.
RW - 2010-07-28
Any goldfish species generally attract nippers. Based on experience a goldfish should not be mixed up most of the tetras and barbs since goldfishes are slow and lethargic while tetras and barbs are very active. Some none aggressive barbs and tetras may pester a goldfish by making them as an itch object. They would glide swiftly and brush their sides or bellies on the head or any body parts of goldfishes.

It is either you keep goldfishes which mixes well with koi, live bearers or you have the tetras and babs with some cichlids.

Frank - 2008-10-29
I have a 29 Gal. tank with neone/black phantom tetras, along with corydora cats and a pleco. Periodically my tetras develop a bloated look, distended abdoman etc. I cannot figure out why. They are in water p/h of 7-6.6 78 degrees, water is well water with a conditioner attached that produces mineral free water. I cannot understand why they develop this condition. Can you help me.

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:) - 2010-07-27
There might be ammonia in the water.

Chuck - 2010-07-24
I also bought two of these as "mixed fruit tetra" not knowing they were artificially colored. After finding out, I felt terrible for supporting this practice and I will not buy anymore dyed tetras. I've had them for about 6 months now and they seem healthy and happy but they have lost their coloring. They are very playful with each other and leave the other fish alone. They are in a 55 gallon aquarium with a few neon tetras, guppies and ghost catfish. They do nibble on live plants, though.

Dwayne Williamson - 2010-06-17
I have had a breeding pair for a tear, males are usually smaller with a more rounded anal fin and female usually larger with more rounded body and pointed dorsal fin. They are breeding at the moment which requires a chicken wire isolation pen with 10mm holes so the eggs can be laid, fall through the holes so the parents don't eat the eggs, which they will. It also pays to plant fine leaved plants, fake or real, directly under isolation pen as the eggs are sticky and will attach themselves to plants as they fall through the pen. Keep temp around 26 to 28 degrees. Feed fry on just hatched brine shrimp and finely ground flake food for 4 weeks. Eggs will take a day to hatch.

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hansgarcia - 2010-07-15
How can you distinguish which is the male and which is the female?

Chaz - 2010-07-11
Neon Tetras are very enjoyable fish. I've had a school of 6 of these for 2 weeks now. They don't mind my Espe's Rasboras. They swim in and out of the plants and keep themselves to the middle of the water column.

They are very cute, playful and peaceful. I'd recommend these to anyone looking for something small to brighten up a planted aquarium.

Monique Marshall - 2010-07-10
I am in the same boat as everyone else. I went to the local petland discounts and saw a beautiful blue tetra, Had no idea it had been dyed until now, I wish I did because I went out and bought a pink one for the other to have some comfort. I wish they would put a notice on the signs such as "Dyed Colored skirt tetra". I feel like I've contributed to the cruelty in some way. But they are perfect fish to begin with. My blue was is always active and loves to eat. But it is very aggressive when it comes to food and it did do a lot of bullying to my ghost catfish.

Dee - 2010-05-06
I have one lepo about 8 inches long in my tank and I introduced a small school of new fish, 3 of the neons were gone by morning, and 2 of my frogs died and it looks like their feet had been chewed or bitten. Also one of my larger neons is missing his back tail as of last night. I'm taking this lepo to the fish store, he is mean!

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Claire - 2010-07-08
I have one lepo now about 7" long he was only maybe an inch when we got him and as he's grown since we've has him he has wiped out my tank....he's eaten the neons, Gouramis, tiger barbs, plecos, rosy barbs, red belly pacu, red eye tetra and so forth. Even 2 blue crawfish.

Sean - 2010-07-06
I have 2 of them, but their body does not resemble them at all. They have red eyes, but their shape and fins resemble a Black Phantom Tetra.

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