Woah @.@ Eve I loove your angels they look so good, I hope that you get healthy striped angels, When I get my angels I will try to share pictures.

I just hope they dont spawn. That will create a drama in my tank. I found out today that my ph is very low (4). But the angels are thriving. I'm hoping the low ph will prevent them from spawning. And yes, please share your angel pics when you get them.

At that ph level they might behave like they are trying to spawn but I don't think they will, To tell the genders apart the males should have a bump on their heads and females should have a ski slope like head.

And when I get my angels I will be sure to share them here :3

Update:

So your all probably wandering where I have been all week, I was having trouble hearing out of my right ear, near constant ringing, muffled hearing etc, I thought it was wax so I saw the doctor yesterday assuming that they were going to flush my ear, They didn't flush my ear because it's not wax, I have a raging ear infection so now I'm on an antibiotic, Until the infection clears completely I will be taking a much needed break from posting, but you can still message me and ask questions, I might not get back to you for a few days but I will try my hardest to respond, I will not be posting further updates on my ear, because it's kinda gross and it really isn't something to be overly concerned about, Thank you for taking the time to read this, until next time, whenever that might be, Byeee!

Oh thats terrible! Feel better soon!

Thank you, Eve.

Let's dive in!

Remember those test tubes?

Remember those false positives?

Okay, After doing many experiments on aquarium water (Don't worry the aquariums were empty)

So say you wanna do a Nitrite test, okay fill the vile to the 5ML line, add x amount of drops, Now get the second bottle and do it again using the SAME vile, once that's done put the cap back onto the vile and hold it down, Shake the living shit out of the vile vertically for about a minute, Now you should get a positive, I learned that my Nitrite levels run a little high which means that I need to do bigger water changes, I encourage you to try this test as soon as you possibly can, let me know what your Nitrites are or don't lol I'm nosy.

You like Sharks? Let's talk Sharks.

~Jaws theme.~

Enough of that.

Red Tailed Sharks

Everyone hears, sees or reads the word or words 'Shark' and automatically they either want 10 of them or think they are 'evil'

But I digress, These eye-catching fish should NOT be housed in aquariums smaller than 55 gallons, they get 6 inches but they require a lot of space to swim, they swim on the bottom, top, and middle of the water, fast or strong currents are what they need, NO a simple HOB or Internal filter will NOT be enough.

'It's a shark, it eats other fish'

No actually it doesn't, Red Tailed Sharks are peaceful and are unlikely to go after other fish unless they are protecting themselves.

They are omnivores but freeze dried or frozen foods is important to include in their diet as well, they also need their veggies.

Moving on.

Bubblers, Ah yes those.

You do realize that they don't actually 'improve the oxygen' in your tank right? They are pretty much a glorified 'flashy' or 'distracting' decoration, They literally do nothing except take up space and annoy the crap out of anyone who buys them, honestly stop wasting money on those things, it 'adds oxygen' to your tank by less than 1% If you are having issues with oxygen in your tank and all of your tests are saying 'Oh everything is fine!' No everything is not fine, it might be you or more accurately the air in which you are breathing, What I'm getting at here is, you might need to invest in a good air purifier and set it up above your tank (On a shelf or a tall end/side table etc) You might want to try dusting, vaccuming etc that could be the cause, Don't forget that our fish breathe the same air that we breathe.

Still having trouble?

Try getting a better filter canister filter and add the Fluval UVC in-line clarifier, I will be using this in my tank when I'm ready to get it and once it's setup I will provide updates on it.

Main causes of poor oxygen.

Nitrites are in the danger zone.

Nitrates are in the danger zone.

Inappropriate filteration (Too weak or incorrect for the size of your tank)

Dust, Smoke, Smog, Naturally thin air, Air contamination, Air pollution, Not enough vaccuming, Main cause: Over stocked/overcrowded aquarium.

'How often should I vaccum my fish room?'

I'm not your Mother..Every two weeks..Oh god..That just happened.

...Ahem

'Hasty what media do you plan to use?'

I'm glad you asked that, Here is a list of what I will be using in my canister filters.

Bio-Home Ultimate (2LBs)

Neo Aquario Soft (8 Liters)

Seachem Matrix (Huge bottle with mesh bag)

Seachem Purigen (Huge bottle with mesh bag)

Fluval Bio FX (5L)

Small lava rocks

and an Ammonia pad.

Though I might add more later, when or if I do I'll re-do this list.

'Wait where's the Carbon?'

My main tank will be heavily planted and therefor Carbon will not be used, odors won't be a problem with the media I'll be using.

Bonus:

Red Tailed Sharks would not just survive in a bigger tank they'd thrive, 125 or 150 gallons is perfect for them, Just make sure you have the space for the tank BEFORE you rush out to get one or two, or three or four XD

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

Update:

I am getting hearing back in my right ear slowly and I'm starting to feel less like crap and more like myself again.

Aaaand we're back!, Let's dive in.

So you've got a Nano tank but your filter just isn't doing it's job or keeps annoying the snot out of you, Today I think I might be able to solve your problem.

Now I don't have an active nano tank right now but hear me out, I know I know most canister filters are too expensive for those on a budget, Have you heard of the Zoo Med canister filter? They come in a variety of sizes.

Example:

5 Gallon tank = 10 gallon canister filter (Lightly stocked, if heavily planted go up a size)

10 Gallon tank = 20 gallon filter

30 Gallon tank = 40 gallon filter

40 Gallon tank = 60/70 gallon filter.

Keep in mind that the above is just for an example and whether or not you choose to use the listed example and mentioned canister filter is entirely up to you.

Substrates and a Secret.

So you know about substrates for planted tanks, Very good, But did you know that they are only useful if they are activated?

That's right they provide nothing to your live plants etc if all you did was wash and add them to your tank, You will need to add 1 capful of each liquid supplement to the soil, after the tank is filled you'll be adding these liquid supplements every week to keep the nutrient value up, Remember, everything in your aquarium is alive and if there is nothing to feed on everything will die off, You can either use liquid supplements or root tabs, Using root tabs means that you will have to place the tablet directly under the root of your plant otherwise it will not work. Root tabs are tricky to work with they begin dissolving as soon as they make contact with the water so if you decide to use them, you'll need to be fast.

'My fish got into a huge fight and one is injured, What should I do?'

Pour one capful of Methylene Blue into the cap, catch your injured fish, once caught keep the captured fish in the water and grab your capful of Methylene Blue and pour it directly into the wound, Now release your fish, You will need to repeat this process for about 1-2 weeks unless he or she has shown signs of healing then reduce the dose until the fish is completely weaned from the medication, Keep in mind that Methlyne Blue is extremely powerful so half a capful is perfectly fine to use.

Here is a list of what Methylene Blue can treat.

Chilodonella

Ichthyobodo (Formally, Costia Necatrix)

Injuries

Epistylis (Not to be mistaken for Ich)

Oodinium (This is a genus of Valvet Disease and it affects Freshwater, Marine, and, Satlwater fish)

Fungal and Bacterial infections. (Not all)

Gill disease. (Not to be used on Gill Flukes or Dropsy)

and Nitrite poisoning (Depending on how far the Nitrite poisoning has progressed)

It can also be used to treat Ich (ich) with an Ich medication and Seachem Stressguard.

So if you don't have a bottle of Methylene Blue I suggest you grab one or two as soon as you possibly can.

'Uhh, You used a lot of big words, Can I please get a translation?'

Oh oopsie, Coming right up.

Chilodonella Uncinata

is a single celled-organism of the ciliate class Aveoles (The lungs)

it causes a cloudy appearance on your fishes body (Stage 2)

(Stage 1) Open or flared gills, Your fish will hang or drift/gasp for oxygen constantly, Treatment should be done as soon as the symptoms start (I have started calling Chilodonella Uncinata, Lung Worm) Stage 3 The skin has begun to produce mucus this combines with Stage 2, Lung Worm is fast and it's progression is not to be taken lightly, Once the fish enters Stage 1 he or she may still die just from the first stage alone.

Ichthyobodo:

This not a parasite, This a stress induced infection that is parasitical in nature and should be treated as if it were a parasite, It will cause a steel-gray color on the scales of your fish and later will produce a blue/gray mucus, The cause for this parasite is stress,Overcrowded tank, Over-feeding, Unsanitary/poor water quality, Symptoms include: Hanging at the surface of the water and gulping oxygen, Lethargy, Weakness, Loss of appetite, You will also notice your fish rubbing against the decor which is an unnatural behavior as fish do not typically itch for any reason, I know that Ichthyobodo is considered a Protozoan parasite but parasites do not appear out of thin air nor can they be produced by stress, Conclusion: The fish will already be carrying said Protozoan parasite, it will weaken their immune system over time the fish will grow progressively worse unless treated, Now Ichthyobodo Necator is a Protozoan Parasite, Methylene Blue might not be as effective for this one as it is an aggressive parasite, Treatment should be either Prazzi, or Seachem Focus and Seachem Matrix, Treat for 1-2 months, you can either add it to their food or the water, Given that this Parasite takes away their appetite adding both medications (Seachem) to the water is probably your best option, And yes you need to treat your whole tank.

Epistylis:

(I'll call it Valvet Disease as it is to be treated the same way.)

The cause of this Disease is, Contaminated tanks, Tools (Aquascaping, Test strips etc) and fish/tank mates, in rare cases some frozen blood worms can carry Epistylis, Methylene Blue can be used for mild cases, for the more progressed cases aggressive treatment is most ideal, It can also live in your nets so be sure to clean them once every week to two weeks, For aggressive treatment Use Seachem KanaPlex and Seachem Matrix mix with food and Seachem Garlic Guard, Mix and let sit for 20 minutes and serve, You can use just KanaPlex and Garlic Guard in the food the Matrix is optional but the treatment for this one can only be added to the food, So Methylene Blue might not be the best choice if the fish/fishes are covered in Epistylis. (Epistylis is common and easily mistaken for Ich, This is NOT ich, it is like Valvet Disease just without the Yellow pigment mentioned before, Regardless I believe that aggressive treatment is the best option, Matrix should be used even if you think you don't need to mix it with KanaPlex, I have started calling Epistylis White Diamond Disease in my notes.)

Oodinium A.K.A. Gold Dust Disease, This one can be difficult to treat, It is a close cousin to Valvet Disease, It has a yellowish color under bright lights, This parasite lives in the water and attaches itself to your fish, Again, Gulping air is a common symptom, it will also cover your fish in white spots, No this is NOT Ich the spots are smaller and feed on the scales and skin of your fish, Starting from the head (Top) and covering the gills and the rest of the body, Under a very strong light (Two or Four high powered tank lights) The spots will appear Yellowish, Under a weaker light source they will appear to be White when in fact they are not, Methylene Blue may work if you only have just one fish, Yes I said it was strong but it won't work if the fish is too far gone so don't just grab Methylene Blue and start using it, To treat this Try using Seachem Matrix and Seachem NeoPlex along with Seachem Focus, Though not in that order.

Order should be as follows:

Seachem NeoPlex: 1 Scoop

Seachem Focus: 1 Scoop

Seachem Matrix: 1 Half or less Scoop.

Seachem Garlic Guard 2 Capfuls (Use Seachem Entice for Saltwater)

Before meds: 1 Table spoon of floating or semi floating pellets, Mix and let sit for 20 minutes and then serve (Yes you can treat the whole tank with this as well, Only add Seachem Matrix if the Gold Dust Disease is extremely bad, Stick with Seachem NeoPlex and Seachem Focus at first and if no change seems to occur within 5-7 days, Add 1 full scoop of Seachem Matrix to the mixture and extend treatment for 1-2 months, 3 Months being the longest though it is unlikely treatment should last for 3 months but it could happen)

(Holy shit this is long, Sorry!)

Nitrite poisoning:

This one should be pretty obvious, Can be treated with Methylene Blue or a very large water change 90% or more, It could also be something in your filter that has expired (Needs to be changed) and is leeching toxins into the tank.

Here's what else Methylene Blue can be used on.

Fertlized Fish Eggs to prevent the spread of fungus, you will need to have a set of very steady hands and an eye dropper and elbow length gloves (Sterile) and only treat the affected eggs (They will be white and chunky kind of like the egg-sack of a spider)

Gill Disease:

Easily treated with KanaPlex you can add it to the water or to their food, Treat for 1-2 weeks, You may have to increase the dosage if no changes are noticed in a week, So increase to two leveled scoops instead of just one.

Phew that was a lot to take in, Huh? Well since I was away and all I figured I owed it to you guys, I could've kept going but I didn't want to sit here all night, So I'm coming back again and will continue to discuss Diseases/Parasites/ Treatments next time I'll call it Part Two.

Because of how long I went on for I'm not doing a 'Bonus' that will hopefully be in part 2 lol.

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

(Psst...If you aren't sure what your fish has, Send me a picture or video and I will try and help you the best that I can, Just a reminder though, When using any kind of medication, Remove your Carbon, Purigen, and turn off your UV if you are using one until treatment concludes, Also I am not a Vet I'm just someone who has done her homework and research, I'm not the type to give up on a fish without at least trying my best to make him or her better, That said, I'm not responsible nor accountable if your fish does pass away, Thank you for letting me help you and your fish to the best of my ability, Lastly, You may not use or make a profit off of my research, findings and advice, and claim that YOU did it when I know for a fact that you did not, If I find out and I will, let's just say that's not going to end so well for you, and like any good scientist I will have my posted research destroyed, Meaning this forum will be gone but only after I have stored everything on my Google drive, So please DO NOT try and sell any of what you read here, My offer of help extends beyond HEE I have a discord and I will help via the text but don't invite me to your channels etc I'm not about that anymore, Thank you for respecting my research, To get my discord you will have to ask me for it, A family member brought it to my attention that someone might try to steal the information that I have been sharing here so I decided to make it very clear to everyone that permission to use it is not given and never will be.)

When I said 'Matrix' I meant MetroPlex! That's what I get for looking at my notes and shopping list at the same time -_-

Update:

Posting might be slow, I have begun to work on one of my more delicate projects when it's done I might share a picture or two, Keep in mind I'm not an expert and drilling something as fragile as 'thick' plastic is not only nerve wracking it's also my first time modifying something as important as this, What is it? The pre-filter pipe for my canister filter, I got part way finished with drilling the final hole in the back before my 4 volt drill died, I'm not done though I still need to drill the sides which should prevent my canister filter from making a shit load of noise.

Sorry if that was long, I'll see you guys soon, Bye!

I gave up on cannister filters. I had a fluval and it wouldnt seal for anything.