Hey Everyone!

Don't forget there is a fish and aquarium section in The Eden Echos Virtual Pet Show! Would love some fishy entries! Virtual Pet Show Contest Link

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Let's dive in!

'So many chemicals, What do they all do!?'

I highly doubt you are using every Seachem, API or BrightWater products on the market.

The vital ones you'll want to maintain your water quality are:

Seachem Prime (Freshwater or Saltwater)

Seachem Safe

Seachem Stability (Use before and after every water change, Weekly or monthly, If you only do your water changes every month then dosing with Seachem Stability should be used weekly, half a cap until you do a large water change)

If you have sensitive/tropical (Rare-ish) fish you'll want to add Seachem StressGuard before and after each water change)

'How do I read test strips accurately?'

The way I learned to read test strips is by dunking them under the flow of my filter and counting to 10 (Best way to time 10 seconds)

'How do I run a High Range PH test?'

To do this, you'll need the API Master Test Kit, next fill one of the vials up to the 5ml line, Now read the High Range PH bottle (It should be on the top) Next securely fasten the cap back onto the vial and shake it as hard as you possibly can, Last steps, Compare the color inside the vial to the color chart, You can write it down if you want but you don't have too, 'When should I do this test?' After or during a power outage, adding new fish, after a huge water change (80% to 90%) Adding new filter media or a new heater, Etc.

'My new fish won't eat anything, What should I do?'

I'm still experimenting with this but, you can try, San Francisco Bay Brand Freeze Dried Mysis Shrimp, whatever your feeding or trying to feed your fish (Fish food only) Soak the food and Mysis Shrimp in Seachem Garlic Guard for 20 minutes and serve, hopefully this helps, You can also try Krill instead of Mysis Shrimp.

Remember, that if you just got your new fish today he or she will not eat anything, You'll want to wait until the next day (Tomorrow) to try and feed him or her.

Debunking a Myth:

As you all probably know..these myths are not my favorite..like at all, Remember when I said 'There is no such thing as too much filteration' Well that is true, but there is something called too much cleaning, So during a water change (Yes I have said that word a lot today) A lot of people do this: They'll remove all of the decor, Over gravel vac, Scrub the glass like a lunatic, change the filter media after doing the mentioned above, You can still do a water change and change your media, don't over clean, your decor really doesn't need it even if there is 'stuff attached' to it your clean up crew will take care of your decor or hardscape (Rocks, Stones, Driftwood etc) If you over clean and go above and beyond your going to crash your cycle, if there is nothing for your beneficial bacteria to grow onto then nothing will survive not even fish, And No beneficial bacteria doesn't float in the tank water, So don't mess with the decor in your tank, it's a mistake that beginners make, I made the same mistakes so don't feel too bad about it.

No bonus this time, That's all I've got for you for now, Until next time, Byee!

Update:

So it seems like another (Hopefully small) heatwave is hitting Canada, Until it is over I will not be posting :/ If you need to contact me regarding your aquarium or fish just shoot me a pm and I will get back to you as soon as I can.

Back at last, Let's dive in!

'Should I order fish during a heatwave?'

No you shouldn't, they will more than likely arrive DOA unless the seller can ship them out to you in 2-3 days and the package can get to you in the morning, which is unlikely, The best thing to do is keep an eye on the weather channel or whatever weather app you have on your phone.

'Do Goldfish need a heater?'

Yes they do, set the heater between 74-75F Remember these are 'cold water' fish so you might even be able to set the heater into the low 60s to mid 70s.

'My water is brown and smells disgusting'

If you have no live plants (Though you might be able to use this with live plants) Try, Boyd Enterprises Chemi-Pure and Seachem Puri-gen, and do a large water change 60% to 80% you might also want to check your media it might be expired or upgrade to a larger stronger filter.

'Why isn't my 50Watt heater warming my 20 gallon tank?'

Because a 50Watt heater is meant for aquariums between 10 and 15 gallons, You'll want to try a 100Watt heater with an InkBird Temperature Controller.

'Is a turtle a good tankmate for my fish?'

No, but a turtle will happily eat whatever fish are in the tank with him or her, so don't house turtles and fish together unless you don't mind losing your fish.

'I have carpet but I need to do a water change.'

Okay? So do your water change just be careful, if your not sure then lay down a bunch of towels make a path with them, My apartment has carpet and I hardly ever worry about spills, unless you have kids then..Put cartoons on and distract them with the TV or whatever and do your water changes, I don't have kids so I can't say if Cartoons still work XD it worked when I was a kid, if Papa turned the Lion King (The TV series) on that was it I was glued to the TV.

'What if I spill aquarium chemicals on the floor?'

Do you know what a mop is? Using a stain remover on a carpet will also help, just get a cloth wet (Warm or hot water) and scrub you might have to do this more than once especially if you can still smell the chemicals, use gloves if you are using the stain remover.

'How come you don't cover a lot of Saltwater stuff?'

I am still studying Saltwater aquarium fish so it will take a while for me to sift through the BS and the truth and then analyze it properly, I would start a Saltwater tank but those are waayy too expensive for my budget right now.

'How do I know when a pleco is rare?'

Odd question, Usually if the pleco is priced at $200 or more then it is probably safe to say that the pleco or fish is rare or difficult for LFS or local breeders to aquire through normal means, e.g, Ordering in 'fresh' stock or buying new breeding stock, though there are some species of pleco and fish that are just difficult in general to breed.

'Should I buy a fish off FB?'

No you shouldn't, the seller might say x y and z about their fish and use old photos to make the sale, if you buy that fish chances are they're probably not going to survive for very long, so if you must buy fish off of FB ask for photos and video, you'll know if the video or photos are old or not, they will appear grainy and blury, yes this can happen if the seller has an old phone or device, though if the 'sale' seems to 'good to be true' it probably is, The trend these days is to sell an aquarium with the fish included etc, that's all well and good but I wouldn't do that unless you have larger aquariums, people like putting Discus in 40 gallon tanks when they need 200 gallons or more, so don't just impulse buy someone elses aquarium and fish unless you are 100% positive you can actually take them on, this goes for all tanks even Reef tanks, Yes I'm aware there are people out there who like to rescue fish but you need to think with your brain not your heart.

'Hasty are you going to debunk myths anytime soon?'

^^ I'd rather not..but I am due to debunk them soon, No I'm not telling you when, Don't ask.

Well that's all I've got for you for now, I'll see you next time!

No bonus this time either, Byee!

PS:

Chemi-Pure Blue is for Reef, Saltwater and Marine tanks.

Chemi-Pure Elite is for Freshwater, Saltwater and Reef tanks, I will be looking into this product more to see if it is safe for planted or heavily planted tanks.

Oh boy have I got a treat for you guys today, Let's dive in!

PH and how to maintain it.

Ever wonder how to get and keep your PH stable but no matter what you try nothing seems to work? I feel your pain, I also might be able to fix this issue for you.

I know I know trying something 'new' can be scary but hear me out before you flip a chair.

I have been heavily looking into this brand and I think I've cracked the code so to speak, This brand is called Neo Aquario, It's fun to say at least, It's a Korean brand of filter media.

Each bag is for different fish, Hard, Pure and Soft, The instructions I will admit were difficult to read since whoever translated it clearly sold their 5th grade grammar book, but I revised it somewhat.

How to use:

Pour the contents of the bag into a strainer, rinse under cold tap water, repeat rinsing three times and use your fingers to stir the filter media while rinsing it.

Just like all media you will need to replace it, Depending on how stocked your aquarium is you might even be able to make it last for 6 months.

This filter media will affect your PH if you are using Soft it will make your water soft and slightly acidic.

If your water is already unhealthy (Poor filteration, not enough water changes, dirty filter, sick or dead fish/plants etc) then this filter media is probably not for you.

If using Pure you have a lot more wiggle room, It is Neutral meaning that it is perfectly fine to use it on most tropical fish (Excluding Betta's, You will need to use Soft if you intend to use it for Betta fish) You can use either Pure or Soft in Brackish/Black water aquariums.

If using Hard, you can use this with African Cichlids and Marine/Reef tanks, This is because of it's Alkaline nature, it's even safe to use with most corals.

Neo Aquario, Hard, Pure, and Soft all contain dormant beneficial bacteria which helps to cycle new tanks, No it won't instantly cycle your tank, but it does help with maintaining a natural environment.

So say if your water is already soft but you can't for the life of you get it to be slightly acidic, Neo Aquario is naturally slightly acidic and over time it will slowly make the aquarium slightly acidic.

For obvious reasons you will want to moniter any newly added filter media added to your filter, water tests should be done daily for a month, you will also need to keep a close eye on your fish, if you notice any unusual behavior discontinue using the media and switch back to your original media, Do a big water change just to be safe.

Does the Temperature of my aquarium affect my PH?

It shouldn't unless you've been messing around with the dial on your heater, Never crank a heater up as fast as you possibly can, To turn a heater up safely you will need to turn it up one Degree at a time per day, a rapid shift in temperature can devastate an entire aquarium, in most cases it'll crash completely and you will not be able to 're-start' your cycle again or your aquarium, you'll most likely have to either gut and scrub the aquarium or throw it out and get a new one.

Faulty equipment:

Ever buy a heater off of Amazon or Ebay and then like a week later it craps out? That might not be your fault, Ebay sellers (The really really bad ones) Like selling tampered with products, meaning that they've done something to the product making it most likely to break and you won't notice that something is wrong until it's too late, Just like Amazon read the reviews if the reviews are bad then chances are buying anything from that seller is probably not in your best interest.

Got a big tank and the whole 'Add a capful' thing isn't working I've got you, Try pouring a 25mL (baking cups, you know the plastic ones with the handle.) into the measuring cup after every water change, doing this for tanks of 260 gallons or more is fine to do if it is a new tank, Those who have 'monster tanks' of 1,200 gallons or more can just pour the whole bottle of your chosen beneficial bacteria supplement into the water, Using the baking cup method will cloud your water but it should clear up in a day or two (Depending on how strong your filter is, It could take longer.)

How can I stop light from getting out of my aquarium?

Applying a black background or painting the back of the aquarium black is a great place to start, as for the top of the tank there are many methods (Most of which do not work) The most effective way to prevent light from escaping is to build a lightweight wooden canopy so it will sit atop your glass aquarium lid, it should NOT touch the light as that might start a fire, You'll want to measure the top of your tank and write down the measurements, Once you have built the wooden canopy you'll need to sand it so that it is extremely smooth, You can then paint it to match your aquarium stand/cabinet.

Bonus:

So say you can't find what your looking for on Ebay or Amazon well I found something that works for both Americans and Canadians, This website is called BigAlsPets, Look for the flag in the top right hand corner of the screen to shop on either the American BigAls or the Canadian one, You'll need to signup for an account before you can shop on the website, they've got a wide variety of aquarium decorations, substrates, food, filters etc, Hopefully that helps.

Debunking myths.

Why..just why?

-_- Oh let's just get this over with.

Pleco's can only breed if you have a 'rain-fall' like filter head/spray bar!

...

For the love of..No plecos will breed regardless of what head you put on your filter, Hell they will spawn if you are using an internal filter, All you need is a good filter, Pleco caves and a damn good flashlight (The flashlight should allow you to see inside the cave without getting your hands and fingers involved)

Fish can live in a bathtub!

No they can't live in a bathtub, they need to be housed in an aquarium.

(Last one)

Fish keeping is for the lazy!

No it's not, if you are lazy this is not the hobby for you, it requires a lot of hard work, time, effort and somtimes it can eat up a lot of your money, so you need to make sure you can keep up.

That's all I've got for you guys today, I'll be back soon hopefully, I am doing a lot of research during the heatwave it's about all I can stand doing when it's hot. Until then byee!

Before I go, as stated before, the world or most of the world is experiencing a heatwave, Stay hydrated, drink lots of cold or ice water, don't wear all black, don't go jogging, don't take your dog or dogs/cats on walks unless you can keep them on the grass the whole way though they are better off not being walked when it heats up, their paws could get burned or they could get heatstroke which they might or might not survive, So don't risk it.

Now I'm done, Byeee, Stay safe and keep yourself and your pets hydrated!

Let's dive in!

Today we are starting on a bit of an upsetting note.

I just learned that idiots and politics are trying to ban tropical fish, this is not only affect the hobby in a negative way but it will also impact you, your LFS, Ordering fish online and out of state, You can go start a petition or sign one, Let's raise some Hell and kick politicians out of our hobby, If this bill passes in America it will ruin the hobby for a lot of people.

On a less depressing note let's discuss knock-off brands and why they really really suck.

Say if you need a filter for your nano tank but you also wanna use UV to keep that gross film off of the top of your water but you don't want to spend the big $$$ on expensive or high end HOBs, so you buy a HOB with a built in UV bulb, One day to a week later it craps out, Why? Because it was a cheaply made knock-off to an expensive, high end or re-called/discontinued product, You can still use those products but they are not worth the money.

I know how you can have the best of both worlds.

Try the Fluval C4 HOB filter with the Green Killing Machine this will help control algae and cloudy water, Amazon also sells suction cup UV lights that you stick to the lid of your aquarium (On the inside) For 10 gallons you'll want to try using two of them, for larger tanks try using 3-4 and up.

Diet:

What does it mean when a fish needs a high protein diet?

It means that the fish or fishes need 40% Crude Protein, so add enough until the protein adds up to between 80% or 127% using liquid supplements will also help to drastically improve your fish's overall well being and health.

Can I make my fish live longer?

No you can't a fish has a lifespan and when that lifespan comes to an end there is nothing you can do.

Can I house Koi fish in a tank?

No you can't, unless you have a custom tank of 2,500 gallons or more, Koi fish are not meant to be kept in tanks they are better suited to large outdoor ponds or massive indoor/basement ponds.

How often should I de-worm my fish?

They are not like cats, dogs or horses, De-worming should only be done when introducing new plants, snails, or fish, DO NOT de-worm your fish monthly or yearly.

How big do monster fish get?

They are called 'monster fish' for a reason, Getting to sizes of 24 inches to 39 inches or more, In some species they can even reach sizes of 4 to 6 feet, Imagine the food bill for those, The White Gourami Fish can get as 'small' as 16 inches and as large or larger than 18 inches, Though I think they get much bigger than that.

Can I keep Jellyfish in a tank?

Well I wouldn't for obvious reasons, but if you know your jellies and understand how venomous some of their stings are than you possibly could keep them in a tank, You'd need a large tank and a sponge on your intake filter head to prevent them from being sucked up, Just don't keep the deadly Box Jellyfish that would make you quite foolish for 'owning' them, just one sting from a single Box Jellyfish could spell out the end of you.

'I saw someone on tik-tok-'

Stop, that 'platform' is just an excuse for idiots to abuse their fish/animals and label it as 'funny' I don't think abuse is 'funny' I actually wish tik-tok was never produced in the first place, it shoud've remained what it originally was, a lousy idea on paper, One day I hope someone sees how and where they went wrong and shut it down for good, but that is just how I view it.

Why do my fish keep making hills from my substrate?

Calm down, this is probably a normal/natural behavior for your fish, don't knock the hill down unless you have no other choice, Some fish actually make hills to attract mates, establish territory, or they are doing it to protect their young, food, territory or they are doing it to protect themselves from a larger more aggressive tank mate.

How do fish see?

Have you ever used the 'Fish Eye' effect on your phone, or editing software? Yeah they see like that it's like watching a 3D movie without the 3D glasses plus everything looks like a giant bobble-head, So yes you look weird/scary to them for that reason lol

Do you have a secret favorite Marine fish?

Okay okay, I thought the Lion fish was cool but let's face it, I love the Batfish they look like they shouldn't even be able to swim with how oddly shaped their bodies are but they swim normally or as normally as a Batfish can swim.

What is a Wall tank?

It is exactly as mentioned, A giant aquarium built into ones wall, housing various, Freshwater tropical fish/cichlids/river or lake fish, Though most popular are wall tanks that are literally an Ocean built directly into a wall, I believe there is a man or person in China with the worlds largest wall aquarium if I'm remembering this correctly.

Why do local aquariums have access to fish I can't own?

They are much like Zoos, they're permits etc differ from yours marginally so, they might have a pair or a school of something endangered that you won't get your hands on ever, most places are under a strict contract, meaning that they have to bring the numbers of whatever endangered species of fish within X amount of time, the fry will either be sold to another Local Aquarium or released back into it's natural habitat, Though when they release them they are more like a Conservationist.

What do I feed my snails to strengthen their shells?

Snails like shrimp, Crayfish, and freshwater/saltwater lobster require calcium in their diet otherwise they're shells/exoskeletons will become soft, Too much calcium can kill them, so you'll want to roll their greens (Zucchini must be blanched or boiled) into about 1/2 of a pinch of GlasGarten Snail Dinner you can also feed the GlasGarten Snail Dinner alone just make sure to feed your fish so that they are not diving for or eating it, Another thing to try is GlasGarten Mineral Junkie and GlasGarten Shrimp Dinner, though you should check out the whole or most of the GlasGarten line you might find something you need for your snails, shrimp, crayfish/crawfish and your freshwater or saltwater lobster.

Does the weather stop my fish from spawning?

No, they will spawn regardless of what season it is, aquarium fish are not like wild Salmon.

Do fish make noise?

Yes there a few species who you can actually hear, One of the better known species is the Croaking/Talking Raphael Catfish, and boy oh boy do they sound weird, though this sound they make is entirely out of anger or to ward off predators though they mostly do it to communicate with each other and to their tank mates, How would I describe what they sound like? It's akin to squeaking like a dying rubber duck, That's the best I can explain it lol

Bonus:

Did you buy a 'cool' skull decorating for your tank but one of your fish swam into one of the horns and it died? You need to glue the openings of the horns and other parts that only have one exit shut to discourage your fish from getting stuck inside the decoration, Make sure to glue it before setting the decoration or skull inside your tank 4 days in advance, that way the glue should be more than dry.

That's all I've got for you for now, Until next time, Byeee!

Let's dive in!

I thought I'd post again since tomorrow is going to be a busy day for me, tomorrow is also going to get too 90F.

''How do I tell the age of a fish?''

This can be difficult at times, Some tropical and Saltwater fish will show their age with color fading, loss of appetite, sluggishness, or, sometimes they don't do any of that and you'll never know unless the seller told you but even then they might not be telling the truth.

''My fish made friends with a fish but they are not the same species.'' Yes this can happen, Goldfish are famous for making friends with other fish, For example, a Goldfish might attempt to school up with your school of mollies, For a more aggressive fish to befriend a peaceful fish is extremely rare, The aggressive fish would otherwise eat the more peaceful fish, Sometimes though nature surprises us.

''My fish keeps trying to play with my aquascaping tools whenever I'm trying to trim or service my plants!''

Lol that is adorable! But also poses a risk to his or her fins, Try offering freeze tried shrimp, something a little bigger than the fish's mouth that way he or she will be busy eating/chewing which should give you enough time to cut those runners and dead leaves.

''My filter is making a highly annoying noise.''

HOB (Hang on the back) Filters are well known for making all kinds of noises, Most famously 'rattling' your best bet is to either put something heavy on it or throw it out and buy something waay better.

''Do pet stores sell breeding pairs?''

Not as a rule, Finding a breeding pair of fish is something that almost never happens, and usually the pair was forced to pair up by being confined to a tank much too small for both of them, Suffice it to say that this 'pair' is very likely to split up as soon as they are introduced to your hospital tank, Fighting is more than likely to happen and it will be to the death unfortunately, Just like humans fish must be allowed to pick and choose their mate on their own.

''Why is my fish breathing hard when the flow isn't that strong?''

Your water flow has nothing to do with it, It means that the oxygen in your tank is too low, Add a wave maker and an air stone and if you must, add a second filter with a stronger flow, You can also double up on the air stone, One on either side of the tank or wherever you choose to put them.

''Why are my fish eating their eggs/fry!?''

Calm down, this is typical of first time parents, once they've laid enough eggs or given birth to live offspring enough times usually they will go from eating the eggs/fry to protecting them, However, stress is the main factor, the more you hover and train your camera on them the less likely they are to stop eating their eggs/fry even fish who are used to you doing that won't be able to handle the stress.

(Last one)

''Can piranha's really eat a human?''

Here we go again -_- No a school of 12 piranha cannot eat a human they can injure and maim a human though, For a school of piranah to eat a human, Flesh, bones and belt buckle they'd have to be starving, and the school would have to be impossibly large, Between 300 and 600 piranaha's, Schools that large simply do not exist, Piranaha are known for eating each other (Cannibalism) When food is hard to come by piranah's will happily turn on each other, now I'm not saying 'Go swim with them and find out' Please don't do that, Just like sharks Piranaha's will swim up and take what I call a 'sample bite' to determine if what is in their territory is food or not. 'What about blood?' Blood doesn't cause them to 'frenzy' the chase and the hunt/kill is what causes them to frenzy, Piranaha's don't 'smell' they detect motion and see it as well, Just like toddlers, kittens, puppies and yearling horses, Piranaha's explore the world (Wild or 'domestic') with their mouths/teeth, Don't let the media and movies/Tv/the internet fool you, Piranaha's are skittish,nervous and very shy they'd rather hide or get away then bite or shred you, I hope I have cleared the air about one of the most misunderstood fish in the hobby, Sure they are not the prettiest things to look at but they can be quite fascinating to watch if you get past the teeth and the whole taking chunks out each other during sparring matches.

I'm not debunking any myths..this time but it's coming.

That's all I've got for you this time around, Byee!

Let's dive in!

So since I'm not doing the day 1 raid on D2 I have decided to come back and post.

''Why is my aquarium lopsided?''

It's not your aquarium, it's the surface you have it on, A leveling mat or a different surface should correct that problem.

''Can I leave a fork in my tank?''

No you really shouldn't do that, the teeth on the fork could injure your fish.

''How can I tell my fish apart?''

They are YOUR fish YOU should be able to tell them apart.

''How long does frozen or refrigerated fish food last for?''

Depending on the brand and whether or not you used store bought foods or not, Most brands last about 3 days in the fridge, some can last for 7 days, Frozen food most commonly lasts about 2 weeks if frozen, if your custom made fish food is frozen sometimes it can last a full month before expiring.

''Why do you hate HOBs and Internal filters so much?''

Because they are a royal pain in the ass, not to mention the noise both filters can make, Plus they are famous for algae blooms and many many other problems.

Debunking myths:

Seriously...again?

¬_¬ Let's just get this over with...

''Betta fish live in shallow mud puddles made by bison!''

Whaat in the fuuuck? ...Are you on drugs!? No Betta fish do not live in mud puddles made by Bison...They live in Stagnant ponds, Marshes and slow moving streams, any Betta fish found in rice paddies typically don't survive very long due to humans coming to collect the rice and taro.

''All fish live in the same place!''

No actually they don't, There are fish from all over the world from different enviroments, habitats, etc, So no they don't all come from the same place, Go back and do your research you clearly haven't been studying properly.

''I can feed my fish scraps from my plate.''

No you can't, fish have specific dietary needs, human food is simply not an option, plecos need leafy greens and so do some fish but not from your plate.

Okay that's all I've got for you for now, Until next time byee!

That's part of my 60g. I recently acquired 2 new angelfish! So now I have 3 koi angelfish and 2 black lace angelfish. After a rocky start everyone is getting along. All I need now is a striped angelfish and my collection will be complete. ❤🐠