A:  Cataracts or opaque lenses occur fairly often in "buggy-eyed" cichlids housed in aquaria with "old water."  Especially in oscars which crank out lots of digested food.  I've always attributed cloudy eyes to opportunistic bacteria that attack when the fish is stressed by dirty water.  If left uncorrected, their cloudy eyes will eventually deteriorate and result in permanent blindness.  What works for me is not a medication, but doing a 50% water change using an under gravel vacuum cleaner.  Then add same temp water right out the hose (plus a water conditioner)..   Repeat if necessary.  It usually clears up if you corrected the problem soon enough.  Oscars seem to love a 50% water change.  Smaller fish can't always handle massive water changes, so you may want to go 25% a few days in a row.  LA

VL

A:  Vieja synspila, the red headed cichlid.  Just google his name avd you'll get the info you want.  LA

A:  The magnum H.O.T. is a diatom filter if you add the diatom powder to your H.O.T. with the micronite cartridge.  Most people use their micronite cartridge without the diatom filter.  This results in a clogged cartridge after six or so uses. The H valve keeps the water circulating so your cartridge stays coated with powder when moved from tank to tank. 
I prefer to not blow loose diatom powder into the fish tank because it is temporarily unsightly -- not because it is harmful to the fish.. I think their gill rakers strain out the powder.  LA
PS  When clean, your H.O.T. runs at 250 American gallons per hour.  The longer you run it, the slower it gets.  The slowness doesn't hurt your filter or its effectiveness.  Your filter just runs faster if you use it mainly as a water polisher.  When using it as a continuous flow filter, fill that "wire basket" full of carbon.  Always fill that basket with something or the floss cover becomes clogged and crushes the basket.  I've had one of their 350s running continuously on a turtle tank for more than a decade.  It gets hot when it gets clogged, but no harm done.

A:  Just spoon the powder in dry.  Don't breathe any of it.  It bothers people, not fish.  You can leave the filter running continuously if you prefer.  Machts nichts either way.  I also like the H.O.T. since it's easy to move from tank to tank -- especially when you use the H valve that continues circulating the water so the diatom powder does not fall off the micronite cartridge..  It's also easy to seal because it has an O-ring that lasts a long time.  Failing to line up the O-ring correctly lets air into the filter.  LA
PS:  It is engineered so it's nearly impossible to put together incorrectly (much easier than a computer).

LA
Almost adult plus one baby hitchhiker.

A:  No, we now sell dubia roaches.  They are softer and tastier.  Maybe a little larger.  If you want their price, call 283-0300.  LA

LA

A:  Exactly one dozen plus or minus 6.  LA
PS  I feel like the Delphic Oracle.

A:  I haven't found dwarf hamsters to be particularly stinky.  We don't give ours access to a sand bath spa.  A weekly change of their bedding easly takes care of unwanted odors.  However, most sand bath fans recommend changing the sand weekly.  Sounds like you need to change yours more often.  Better yet, pull the bath tub after 10 to 15 minutes to prevent them from using it as a toilet.  Hamsters usually pick one spot to urinate.  Sounds like yours have decided their sand bath tub is the place to go.  Take it out after they take their bath (15 minutes)..  LA

A:  Not really velvet -- just an unexpected trick of the camera.  Velvet is much smaller.  It rings each scale and gives them a velvety appearance.  Dirty water encourages velvet to set up camp.  Regular water changes usually mean you'll never see velvet in your tanks.  If you see it for real, any of the medications containing copy will usually control it.  LA