LA

A:  I bet you think I like typing out inventory lists.  Wrong.  The only way you can tell if you like a snake (and vice versa) is to meet it in person.  Drop on by and take a look.  Just a reminder that snakes over six feet in length are illegal in Iowa (without a permit).  LA

A:  That's the same picture you sent me on January 13.  They are still severums.  LA
PS  I have no idea whether your fish store is trying to mislead you or not.

A:  Time to start taking notes.  LA

LA

A:  Toads shed their skins and eat them -- not very common, but it happens..  This is probably what took place rather than her barfing up her stomach.  Just relax and let her do the same.  LA
PS  As far as I know, the only critters that puke up their stomachs then suck them back in are the star fish and sea squirts.

A:  The worms in your guava were definitely not from wingless fruit flies.  Otherwise they would not be in your guava.  Since you will be feeding the larvae to your fish, it makes no difference whether their parents could fly or not.  LA
PS  There are hundreds of different fruit fly types.

A:  The winged ones are even easier to culture.  LA

A:  You want the larvae (maggots) not the adults.  Cut your ripe guava in half.  Put half outside for the fruit flies to visit.  Each female lays 400 to 2,000 eggs.  From egg to adult takes 10 days or less.  On day five stick your guava in a container of water to dislodge the maggots.  Pour the water thru a net and feed the larvae to your fish.  Put the uneaten 1/2 guava outside to re-inoculate it.  If you want more production, put the other half outside also.  LA

A:  NO.  The maggots sink like a wiggly rock.  LA

LA
Two-inch Corydoras haraldschultzi Corydoras sterbai.

A:  About four of these guys popped up in a bag of mixed corys.  I tried to ID them with Dr. Burgess "Colored Atlas of Miniature Catfish."  For some reason, it was the only cory I identified on that page.  I got it wrong.  Go figure.  Thanks for the help.  LA

A:  No.  You already have a Petland there.  I'd hate to put them out of business like the one in Des Moines.  LA

A:  Do not confuse our website with our store.  We cannot possibly carry all the items covered in our website.  Thanks for the encouragement, but I'll stick with my single store.  LA

LA

A:  Very intriguing question.  You have aroused my curiosity.  Who can differentiate male Madagascar roaches sufficiently to keep track of individual sheds?  Before I sold my 400 head Madagascar roach ranch, it never occurred to me to keep track of which ones molted and when.  Now it's too late to determine empirically because I have switched my allegiance to dubia roaches (far less hassle and a softer body).  I can tell you that mantids stop shedding once they grow their wings.  So maybe Madagascar roaches do the same thing (except for the wings)  They perhaps go thru their allotted instars and that's it.  American roaches go thru 6 to 14 instars -- even fewer if they get stomped on.  Madagascar roaches become adults at their seventh instar.  I cannot attest as to whether they cease molting at this stage.  If you ascertain the answer keep me posted.  I'll recommend you for the Nobel Prize.  Nobel Prizes look great on a résumé.  LA
PS  I'll add your question to my roach page.  Somebody out there knows the answer.  They're just not talking.

A:  Alright, I'll add your name suggestion to my bull shark page.  LA

A:  Alright.  There were no chocolates available this week.  I order again next Thursday.  Call by Wednesday if you still want some.  LA

A:  Treat it exactly as you would a very large bullfrog.  LA

A:  Sure -- West African countries of Cameroon and Equatorial Guinea.  But since they export only 300 per year, you will have to stand in line.  Why not stick with American bullfrogs? Or as they say in Canada, bullfrogs?  LA

A:  You sent me your breeding plans earlier. $40 seems very high for spiderlings.   Most breeders keep their spiderlings in pill bottles.  LA
PS  Don't count your spiderlings before they hatch.

A:  I currently have a two-inch crawdad in a breeding tank of 10-inch flowerhorns.  Crawdads can ward off aggressors until they molt.  At this time they are soft and helpless (and tasty).  I'll add your comments to my crawdad page.  Thanks.  LA

A:  Crayfish get quite lethargic at lower temperatures.  She perked up when you brought her home to a cozy, warm tank.  She'll do fine in the five or the ten.  LA
PS  My computer couldn't open your picture because it was too big, so I added one of my photos.

A:  Thanks.  Got it this time.  Formidable claws.  I forgot to mention earler that I've never seen one molt when they're "in berry."  LA

A:  Sure, but just give them as a treat.  They prefer hard chewy foods to keep their teeth ground down.  Apples are a good choice, but just give yours a single slice. LA

A:  I couldn't open your picture.  It was too big.  Send it again plus your location.  With no clues, I'd guess it's a baby bullhead.  LA

A:  Hm, sort of a clue.  Looks in the face like a small sunfish of some sort.  I keyed in fishes of Alabama and found nothing remotely resembling this critter.  Sorry.  LA

A:  Hydro sponge filters work great.  You can keep your power filter from sucking up babies by putting a piece of panty hose over the intake and securing it with a rubber band.  You will need to clean your intake frequently.  LA

A:  Red devil or Midas cichlid.  I can't tell them apart.  LA

A:  Well, I'm no frogologist, so I'll add your report to the page.  Whoops, there's 10 Misc Frog pages.  Which one was it?  LA
PS  I thought all frogs were kissing frogs.

A:  Sounds like you have diatoms.  Changing their water just makes them grow faster.  You can filter them out with any power filter that uses diatomaceus earth.  Or you can kill them with a product called AlgaeFix.  Filter feeders love them but can't consume enough to make a dent in the population..  LA

A:  Not quite rich but I do own my own car.  I don't normally like to brag, but it's a '95 Nissan and most of the doors work.  LA