Recent content by MarkLehr

I would suggest that you make an effort to keep 15 or 20 gallons of water so as not to stress the fish. The first thing you should do when you start breaking the tank down is to drain water into your transport containers. Do this first! Sometimes when you wait until the end you will find that...

Once your tank has cyceld initially you should not have a cycle again. Just make sure you do not stock your aquarium to rapidly with fish. In saltwater, simply because of the expense, most people never add so many fish at once that this becomes a concern. The real answer is in the details. I...

I definately would not even consider an undergravel filter. About 8 years ago I removed undergravel filters from 48 aquariums all at once. I had no negative experiences as a result, other than some sludge to clean out of the aquariums. Having planned this move, every aquarium had a sponge...

That fish is a Platy. Not really a matter of opinion.... :roll:

It is very difficult to judge the cause of your problem, and an accurate diagnosis is difficult. Is this the only fish infected? It doe not appear to be a parasite, so if this is the only infected fish then I would suggest euthanizing the fish, or at least removing it to a separate aquarium...

I belive most people underestimate the number of fish an aquarium can comfortably hold. The important factor is to be certain your fish will get along well together. As long as compatability is not an issue, and you are careful to select fish which you know you can care for, I see no reason...

Some years back I was at my LFS shopping for saltwater fish. One of the employees, Jeff was his name, was talking with another customer. To truly appreciate this, you have to visualize the seen. Jeff was staring this customer in the eye, really focus, intensely sharing his aquarium knowledge...

While reading, my first thought was "man, this is a long post." My next thought was "what is the point to this." Finally, I realized that you are every bit as much a fish freak as me. I am still laughing. Great story. Sequel! I am not the story teller you are, but I once found a Paradise...

The only benefit might be helping to oxygenate the water and a slight benefit to keeping pH stable. Overall, you would be much better to aggressively use activated carbon. In saltwater, the organic impurities in your water will bond at any place where water and air meet. This bond creates...

What source are you using for help? Several problems here. First, your aquarium is way to small. Second, both of these species are extremely difficult to maintain long term. Any hobbyist who needs the help of an online forum does not need to be keeping either species. Finally, neither the...

Great suggestion CZCZ. Cherry barbs really color up nicely, especially the males, after they are in your aquarium for a few weeks. Other options, all of which need a few months to settle in before you will really be impressed by the color, include: Gold Barbs, Black Phantom Tetras, Bleeding...

You should just remove the snails manually on a weekly basis. Here is what you do: Overnight place a shallow container or even a tupperware lid on the floor of your aquarium. Add lettuce, cucumbers, etc. In the morning your lid will be covered with snails. Remove them and repeat overnight...

I believe most LFS treat for ICH on a daily basis. They replace evaporation at the end of the day and then medicate overnight, for an accurate dose. I have mixed feelings on this, but it is probably necessary considering the volumn of new fish which come in and out of the store without...

I have noticed that firefish think it is trendy to wear the occasional mood ring. Personaly, i just find it "trendy" and think your fish is going thru a phase.

Please make sure that you have live rock in your aquarium before you remove the biowheel. Live rock is certianly the desired choice of biological filtration for your aquraium. However, you must have some source of biological filter. I did not see anything in your post or in your profile...