i got a new tank and i got 8 tetras. Some have lighter color then the other. Whats does that mean? ONe of the tetras have no gill. He or she has one on the other side but then on the right he is missing a gill. im scared he might die soon. what should i do to heal him? And also, my algae eater doesnt move much. Is he dying? i mosty see him sticking to the glass or on the ground next to the heat in my tank. does that mean he is dying? he doesnt eat. in scared he is gunna die soon. He is always next to the heater, will he get burned?
2006-09-02 10:34:19 · 7 answers · asked by phatboysteer112 2 in Pets ➔ Fish
Does algae eaters have to eat algae? i dont have any in my tank. sites say that they are good cleaner adn that they eat poopie is that true?
2006-09-02 10:45:16 · update #1
Well I dont know what to tell you about the fish with no gill but I do know that some fish are born with birth defects. Most of the time when they are babies they pull out the bad ones, but because fish stores do not really take the time to look at the fish they end up selling them. Some fish are born with broken back and joined together. For the lighter colored fish if they are neons they might have neon disease. But if you fish are not neons they might have been artifitialy dyed. These fish have a short life spand and will get illnesses easier than non dyed fish. But there color will fade because the fish's body is tring to get rid of the dye in his skin. There are many different types of tetras if I knew what you had I could be more helpfull. As for your algae eater he needs a place to hide in the day time and when the lights are on this is a nocturnal fish. Most of these fish get used to being fed with out looking for food because you feed them. So he might not eat alot when you feed the other fish but he cleens up the rest at night. I had one and it grew to be over 12 inches long and I had to sell him to the fish store because he never cleaned the tank and he always pooped. I went and bought some cories and they do a much better job of cleaning the tank. But I don't think the algae eater is going to die just find him something to hide in. Make sure you water is not too hot put it around 78. I hoped I helped you.
2006-09-02 12:26:29 · answer #1 · answered by Marlena 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If the tetra is missing the gill then there is nothing you can do to heal it. If it is still getting around okay then I wouldn't worry about it. Tetras come is several different colors and if they are artifically dyed then they will fade to their natural color. An algae eater eats by sticking to the glass or sucking on the rocks, he eats algae so he will stay will the algae is. The heater will not burn him, he knows when it is too warm. Algae grows in warm spots so that is probably why he is sticking around the heater. He won't eat fish food, just algae.
2006-09-02 17:41:11 · answer #2 · answered by mlc24_1980 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Aquariums need to be set up at least a month before you add fish. This gives the water time to "settle-out" ... the temperature to regulate, the heavy minerals time to filter out, the chlorine time to evaporate, etc. You can speed up the process slightly by using a product like "Start Right", but you still need 1 to 2 weeks for the temperature to regulate before you add fish. The temperature should be between 72 - 78 degrees (F) for most fresh-water tropical fish.
Since your tank is relatively new, I would say that you don't have any algae for the algae-eater to eat. You need to get a supplement (available at Wal-Mart and pet stores) to feed the algae-eater until your aquarium does start to have algae growth.
Tetras are very hardy fish. As long as the water is warm enough and they are not overfed, they are happy and healthy. Be sure to give them some cover (rocks, plants, etc.) to hide in and around.
Also, you need to keep in mind the size of your tank and your fish . A good rule of thumb is 1-inch of fish per 1-gallon of water. Meaning if you have a 5-gallon fish aquarium, the maximum number of 1-inch long fish you can have is 5.
2006-09-02 17:47:05 · answer #3 · answered by kc_warpaint 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
In order to prevent this the next time, what you need to do is be pickier when choosing your fish at the shop. Look at the fish and see which ones you want and look healthy, and ignore the rest. Let the salesperson know which ones you want out of the tank. If they catch the wrong one, tell them. Sometimes they get frustrated trying to get the ones I want that they hand me the net, all the better I say.
DO NOT let them try to give you a fish that you do not want or it is no sale. It is far easier to care for fish that are healthy and active when you bring them home rather than trying to nurse them back to health. Also if it looks like there is a disease in the tank, don't buy any from that tank, it is not worth the loss of money!!!
2006-09-05 19:28:28 · answer #4 · answered by smiley0_1_1999 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the tetras are fine but i did read that when buying fish dont buy the lighter ones as they could be ill but the one with no gill i am not sure maybee its deformed does it look as lively as the other ones and as for the algae eater they dont move much atall good luck
2006-09-02 17:42:04 · answer #5 · answered by r32 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
how long had your tank been up and running ? don't know what to tell you on the tetra . but on the algae eater if it's a new tank get some wafers for it . also try zuccini or green beans . they love them . it may take him a while to figure out it's food . but try it . good luck .
2006-09-03 01:03:33 · answer #6 · answered by bearangelcindy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call the pet store. They should replace it.
2006-09-02 17:37:26 · answer #7 · answered by NANCY K 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋