Im a newbe and just starting out. I bought a test kit that tests 8 different
things ( Fresh Lab Deluxe),  but I 'm not sure how to test for nitrates. It
tests the following. PH / NH3, NH4+ / NO2 / GH / GK / Fe / Co2 / CL2. I've
tested the PH and the Nitrites but see nothing about Nitrates. Any help is
Apprec.

Thanks, Shawn

Just added a few pics. of our small tank. We are in need of a bigger tank. Soon
getting a 135 gal.tank. The fish were won at a fair by the 5 yr. old and never
thought they would make it. They were about two inches and now are 6 in. or so
and doing great. They are 6 months old and were living in a three gal. tank till
a month or so ago. Thanks for looking.

You as well Jay!

Lana Bollers
PO Box 244
Redwater AB T0A 2W0
PH. (780) 736-2424
E-mail: lnthorses@...
www.LNThorses.com
www.pridesnoblewalkers.com/webdesign.htm

----- Original Message -----
From: "tddy2005" <tddybear@...>
To: <UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, January 02, 2010 12:17 PM
Subject: [UniQuaria] Happy New Year All !!!!


>I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a happy new year and to
>all your swimming friends also.
>
>
> Jay
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/UniQuaria
>
>
> Wish to Unsubscribe? I can't imagine why but if you do, send a message to:
> UniQuaria-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com              Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone a happy new year and to all
your swimming friends also.


Jay

Hello,

Unforeseen circumstances have caused UniQuaria to set in place a few guidelines
that all our members should be aware of. These guidelines will be updated as
needed and posted to the list once per month. This frequent posting may be a
nuisance but since new members are continually subscribing, this is a necessity.
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Please be aware that none of these changes or guidelines have been put in place
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Thank you all for understanding.

Giancarlo Podio
Senior List Moderator

I am trying to raise different kinds of "pest snails" so that I can feed my
assassin snails (killer snails). These snails do not reproduce very fast (only
two or three eggs a month and then only if they have plenty of meaty food such
as snails to eat). They also have to have both sexes (they only have one sex in
each snail unlike other snails that have both sexes in each snail so that any
tow can mate).So fay I haven't seen any babies but I have it so heavily planted
that they could hide very easily. They are in with my cherry shrimp that are
reproducing very well.

--- In UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com, Vinodkumar Nambiar <nambiarz@...> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> First n foremost let us know the type of snail that your tank is infested
with. I was facing this same problem with the Ramshorn snail. I got them from
one of the plants. It grew so much that @ one pont my fishes were hadly seen. I
could literally see the gravels moving. Some of the best ways to get rid of it
is to hand pick them out from the tank. U can also use snail eating fish like
oscars etc to keep their population in check. Before gwtting tthem check its
compatibility with tank mates. You can also use a lettuce leaf put it in the
tank with on it for 4-5 hrs. Switch off the lights. They would gradually
accumulate on the leaf. Take it out and clean the leaf. Put it back in n try
this till its under control. You cant completely get rid of this menace but u
can keep it in check.
>
> Medication usually disturb the tanks cycle and can cause harm to other fish.
Most of the time keeping a snail eating fish help control its population.
>
> Regards,
> Vinod
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marcelo <thomas_p_ripley@...>
> Sent: 01 December 2009 22:32
> To: UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [UniQuaria] snails
>
>
> hey all,
> I have a snail infestation on my hands.  probably got by me on some
plant..anyway i was wondering...i know that copper fish meds are toxic to
invertabates.  would a small dose of a copper based medication get rid of my
snails with out harming my fish or plants?  is this even a good idea?  thanks!
>  
> marcelo
>

I have 2 Skunk Loaches in one of my tanks.
They actually pile the empty snail shells behind a rock in the corner
after they finish eating them.
These loaches stay small 2-3" and are peacefull fish but they are very
territorial twords other bottom feeders like Cories.
Once the skunk loaches establish "Their Zone" they give chase to
invaders.
They dont bother ottos, plecos, Chineese algae eaters, or other
community fish at all.
But corys they will give chase to.
With skunk loaches you should have a rock pile somewhere in the tank.
They dig in to crevases between the rocks,
They arent into caves but LOVE crevasses and plants.
If you have floating plants with roots hanging dow they LOVE cleaning
the roots.
These little guys are alot of fun to watch.
They also like to come out and sit on rocks or on the substrate for
hours at a time so I would say the are not really "shy" fish.
  .........
Kuhli Loach question
        Posted by: "Marcelo"
hey guys?  will kuhli loaches eat snails??  i known that clown
loaches will but they get too big for my tank.  i have a snail problem
and would like to solve it.  thanks!  
marcelo

the only thing i see is syticimia(spelling) by the way those fish in the pic are
not koi they are fantail goldfish if they where koi they would be huge right now
even in a small pond koi would be atleast 2 ft by now and thats just in a 30 or
40 gal pond
how big is your tank?
how often do you do water changes?
how often do you feed?
how many are in the tank?

Unfortunately, no. (It would certainly help out in my tank if they did!)

- Trevor

Marcelo wrote:
>
>
>
> hey guys?  will kuhli loaches eat snails??  i known that clown loaches
> will but they get too big for my tank.  i have a snail problem and
> would like to solve it.  thanks!
>
> marcelo
>
>
>
>
>

Hey everyone!  First off, I wanted to thank all those who responded to my
previous post regarding cycling my 125 gallon tank.  The addition of stability
and prime really did the trick of regulating some of those spiked levels.  All
fish seem happy and content, and the tank has becoming a breeding factory with
more babies than I can handle.  Luckily, they are not all maturing.  The tank
water looks good, I'm running duel magnum 350's (one to polish, one to filter,
and a penguin 300 for biofiltration.

Here's my question of the day...

I am getting some algae growth on the inside glass and more visibly on the
stones and fake plants.  This is not a planted aquarium, and therefore, the
addition of algea chemicals is not recommended.  I keep the lights on about 6-8
hours a day.  My plecos and the army of chinese algae eaters can't keep up.  Any
suggestions of a chemical safe to use in an unplanted aquarium, or any ideas as
to how I can control and prevent.  (I have used the complete darkness for 3 days
trick, but that is a very very temporary solution and the algae was back within
a week).

Any help would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!  Will post pictures when I get
everything back to its sparkly clearness again.

-topher

Yesterday, while cleaning my new FX5 filter, my small catfish(3")wandered up
into the the return nozzle in my tank. After I was done at the sink, I started
re-connecting the filter and turned it on. I then noticed that Lucky was missing
in action. After looking in all the spots where he could be, I checked the
filter return nozzles and nothing. Then I started taking the hose apart and saw
a lifeless tail. I carefully took the nozzle apart and hoped for the best but he
was not moving then, all of the sudden, Lucky, as he is now called, started
flipping about. I picked him up and put him in his pond and he is good as new,
but I'm sure he has a story to tell his other fishy friends.

 

the red on the convicts is   a female   its normal thats how you tell sex and its prob thier babies and they breed like mad   treat for ich they will have more if you dontyoull have no fish



--- On Fri, 12/11/09, meacham.stacey <meacham.stacey@...> wrote:

From: meacham.stacey <meacham.stacey@...>

Subject: [UniQuaria] cichlid babies, HELP

To: UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com

Date: Friday, December 11, 2009, 11:28 AM

 

Help, I have a new placostmous? (bottom feeder) which started Ick in my tank. I cannot do a water change or use the gravel cleaner because I have a batch of baby cichlids that just hatched. Can I use an Ick liquid medicine in the tank or will it kill the babies. Also, my smaller convict cichlids have bright pink sides which may be a fungus or part of the Ick. The blood-red pink on their sides seem to come and go as a cycle. Is this related to reproduction, fungus, or Ick? any suggestions would be great.

Sounds like you are having an algae bloom.

This can be caused by leaving lights on for to long.

The cure: Put a towel or blanket over the tank, so the tank is in complete darkness for a couple days... remove the blanket and wallaaaa new nice clean tank.

 

Not sure how this will affect your live plants... I did not have any when we had this problem.

On Dec 14, 2009, sharkbait885 <sharkbait885@...> wrote:

Hello everyone,

I would appreciate some help from the group. I have a koi fish for over 5 years
(I do not add new fishes in the tank for over a year). About 6 months ago it
started to show a small white spot nearby the caudal peduncle (inner side) that
is slowly growing in size and forming a fat round bag attached to the fin.
It eats and swims just fine and it does not show any disease symptom.

Some photos for reference:

http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio1.jpg
http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio2.jpg
http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio3.jpg

Anyone has any idea what it that? Some kind of parasite or genetic problem?

Thank you!

Gabriel

I have a 70 gal up and running for 4 months now and its doing great,Thanks to a
book i found that answered all my questions.
In the past i had so many problems the best answer i found is SLOW DOWN!
I was going to fast every week i would buy more fish or something else and never
gave my tank the time it needed to cycle.
but this EBOOK saved me a lot of money and a lot of dead fish.
The answer to everything you need to know when starting a tank or keeping it
running good can be found here, Take a look.
<a href="http://d10a7dzjqmkl4m74yg-bskelcg.hop.clickbank.net/"
target="_top">Click Here!</a>

my water looks like pea soup! How do I fix it? I have live plants, severum's and
african clawed frogs in the tank. I just tested my water and everything looks
fine.

The water in my 55g frog tank looks like pea soup! It has been this way for
about a month now and none of my frogs are getting sick thank God! I have tried
everything from extreme water changes of 75% to using Algaefix from API. I have
live plants but I am willing to sacrifice them for the sake of the frogs. PLEASE
HELP!

Elaine,
       I will be setting up a new tank and was checking out the local fish
suppliers, when I went to our local PETCO found they used UNTREATED TAPWATER. 
Perhaps the problem was with the new fish and not your tank. Strongly recomend
useing a quarantine tank from now on.  Even if the pet store take excellent care
of the fish they could have been exposed to a pathogen before they got them.  I
sounds to me like you are an wonderful aquariest.
                                      Shannon

--- In UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com, "Deb" <ddick@...> wrote:
>
> Elaine:  that really doesn't sound overstocked.  don't let anyone intimidate
you.  I'm sure if you looked at any of our tanks, they would probably be
classified as overstocked.  you were doing something right to have those fish
last that long.  the most important thing you can do is water changes.  even if
you might be overstocked, if you keep up the water changes, they should be fine.
LaGuna is beautiful.  I live in SC.  I usually order my fish on line as my fish
stores aren't good here.  don't feel bad.  we are all still learning.  I just
lost three of my discus in a 46 gallon tank.  BTW, it might be controversial to
most but I learned from the experts, I take 75% of the water out of my tanks
each week.  seems to work for me.  good luck and don't be sad.  you have
accomplished more than most aquarist have with your fish.  I've done some dumb
things and have lost many a fish in my time.  It's a learning process and you
are young and sound very smart.  good luck.  Deborah
>
> --- In UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com, "seremarcus" <seremarcus@> wrote:
> >
> >  8 fish for a 30 gallon tank was overstocked?  It was stable for a very long
time like this, so I didn't think it was overstocked.
> >
> > Yes, I can see I upset the balance when I decided to add more fish.
> > Stupid mistake. I kinda forget about the 2 catfish since I never see them,
so I had decided I wanted some more fish.  I have learned the hard way, and at
the expense of my fish that have been with me for so many years.
> >
> > I live in Laguna Beach, CA.  My independent fish store went out of business,
so I need to find a new place to buy fish.
> >
> > Elaine
> >
> > --- In UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com, Jimmie R Davis <jimrdavis@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Your tank was overstocked in the first place.  They had reached some kind
of balance.  When  you added more fish, you upset that balance.  Where are you
located?  How close is the nearest fish store.  I buy my fish 30 miles away from
my house.   I would get a larger tank too.  A thirty is nice, but a 55 is so
much nicer.
> > >
Nadine
> > >
> > >
> > > At 07:16 AM 11/4/2009, you wrote:
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >Hello,
> > > >
> > > >I have a 12yr old established live plant 30gal tank.
> > > >
> > > >2 - huge upside down catfish (8yrs old)
> > > >3 - flying foxes (7yrs old)
> > > >1 - angel (5yrs)
> > > >1 - neon rainbow (5yrs)
> > > >1 - tiger barb (2yrs)
> > > >
> > > >I decided to by a few more fish. My regular fish store went out of
business, so I purchased my new guys at PetSmart.
> > > >
> > > >2 - tiger barb
> > > >1 - rainbow
> > > >2 - bala sharks
> > > >
> > > >The first 5 days they looked healthy and all was well. Then they started
dying. A few got ich, so I started treating the tank aggressively with Rid Ich +
. Everything started dying, even my old guys that I have had for so long died.
It was very sad. I did water changes and the meds every 12 hrs. Now all that is
left is the older rainbow, the small new rainbow and one of the old catfish. The
three of them look healthy (can't really see the catfish much though) and the
tank seems stable again I guess Plants are all ok.
> > > >
> > > >There must have been some other diseases in the new water with the new
fish besides ich, I don't know. I know I made the mistake of adding the water
with the new fish, and buying from a chain store.
> > > >
> > > >So, what do you think? What do I do from here, continue partial changes
or leave alone now? When will I be able to restock my tank, and where the heck
can I buy good fish? Does anyone buy them on the internet?
> > > >
> > > >Thanks!
> > > >Elaine
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>

Hello everyone,

I would appreciate some help from the group. I have a koi fish for over 5 years
(I do not add new fishes in the tank for over a year). About 6 months ago it
started to show a small white spot nearby the caudal peduncle (inner side) that
is slowly growing in size and forming a fat round bag attached to the fin.
It eats and swims just fine and it does not show any disease symptom.

Some photos for reference:

http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio1.jpg
http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio2.jpg
http://76.163.43.180/gcalin/kinguio3.jpg

Anyone has any idea what it that? Some kind of parasite or genetic problem?

Thank you!

Gabriel

Help, I have a new placostmous? (bottom feeder) which started Ick in my tank. I
cannot do a water change or use the gravel cleaner because I have a batch of
baby cichlids that just hatched. Can I use an Ick liquid medicine in the tank or
will it kill the babies. Also, my smaller convict cichlids have bright pink
sides which may be a fungus or part of the Ick. The blood-red pink on their
sides seem to come and go as a cycle. Is this related to reproduction, fungus,
or Ick? any suggestions would be great.

Hi Shannon..
If you can afford the decorative sand I say "Go for it!"
I have substrates in my planted tanks but I also have 2 tanks that I
used sand in.
one with no plants is a goldfish tank..I used the "Orinoco" sand mixed
with some cheap small grained gravel that I bought locally at the fish
store.
Perfect mix for the Comets, and easy to clean.
Then I put the same mix into my guppy tank and added plants to see if
they would grow...The plants took over the tank in 2 months. they have
to be thinned out every few months.
What I have noticed about the "Orinoco" sand is the smell.
It has a forest type smell to it, unlike any other sands I have used.
and the fish love it.
I highly endorse the decorative sands.
.........
http://www.adgshop.com/Substrate_System_s/1.htm
..........
Posted by: "shannon barry"

Thanks for the info and link.  I will not be useing live plants but
artifical ones so would you recoment the decrative sand?   Shannon
________________________________
From: "feastofsoul13@..." <feastofsoul13@...>
To: UniQuaria@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wed, December 2, 2009 10:12:00 PM
Subject: [UniQuaria] Re: Proper Substrate For Planted Tanks
 
First off if you have corys or any catfish, plecos, loaches, that feed
on the bottom and dig..you DONT want to use "eco-compete" which is made
from sharp volcanic rock because it shreds their barbells right off. (It
happened to me) poor things I had to move my corries to another tank
with soft substrate their barbells were GONE and took almost a year to
grow back. 2 of the corries got infections from it and died.
"Flourite" is ok IF mixed with other substrates but I have had problems
with it as a stand-alone substrate. (Its not too catfish friendly)
because of the sharp edges. (I have many bottom feeders) so I have
experimented with alot of substrates.
........
Heres a link to what I consider to be one of the best substrates ot
there but then again it is not the cheapest way to go..
......
http://www.adgshop.com/Substrate_System_s/1.htm