July 16-31, 2005 questions you asked Aqualand

A: Unfortunately, the leech victim did not survive, but not because of the leeches which were only temporary. I had isolated him because he was everyone’s favorite chew toy. He was pretty much chewed before the leeches infested him. I’ve been feeding my axolotls snipped up nightcrawlers and rosy reds. I’ll have to check out those Indiana pellets for my guys. LA

A: You’re welcome. LA

Bobby Owen, July, 17, 2005
Hello, I once had a fish that they called a red tailed chelsea. It was a long sleek looking fish with very large, very shiny scales (silver) and red tail and fins. I can’t find anything about this fish or anyone selling one. He was very fast and ate a lot of live fish. Got any info? Thanks

LA
Red-tailed chalceus mix with 4-inch fish other than another chalceus. Great jumpers.

LA
Five-incher eating a feeder goldfish.

A: He’s called a red-tailed chalceus. He’s a characin (big tetra) and grows to about six inches. In addition to fish, he’ll also eat flakes and pellets -- especially at younger ages. They mix well with other similar size fish except for other chalceus. LA

Melodie Fontaine, July 17, 2005
I am into fish big time. I am moderator of my own fish forum and am currently in the process of writing a fish book for beginners. For every fish profile I write, I research about as many different sites as I can to make sure that the info I put down is as accurate as possible. Your site, however, is always one of my favorites to visit. Your profiles are so detailed and are very well written, even fun to read. I just wanted to thank you and tell you how much I appreciate your site! I will be sure to recommend it to anyone in need of some good, trustworthy info. Thanks again!

A: Don’t believe everything you read. LA

Kurt

Kurt Auerbach, July 17, 2005
I found your site and noticed you guys appreciate Oscars. I have a couple you might dig. I’ve attached a picture but you can see more at this web site. I liked your web site and all your pics and information. If you would like to use one of my pictures on your web site feel free. They are gorgeous oscars. See you around
www.electricriver.50megs.com

A: Thanks for the pix. I like the way your black background makes the guy above pop out. Nice treatment. I added your web site so other oscar ~~nuts~~ fans could see more pics. LA

J. Raffman, England, July 17, 2005
Thanks very much for the response. I have decided the wolf fish is the one for me. I have one question I hope you can help with though. Cycling -- is it necessary for 1 wolf fish?
Wolf fish seem to be very hard to come by in this country, in the south of England only 1 place has them in stock, and none of the others can get any in. So naturally I want to buy one now.
Would it be possible for it to survive in a fresh, non-cycled tank? They are surely quite hardy fish, no?

A: Large wolffish are very tough. Baby wolffish are not large wolffish. Several new-fangled products on the market supposedly cycle a tank rapidly. Or you can cycle your tank instantly the olde-fangled way. Gravel vacuum a gallon or two of water from an established African or goldfish tank. Pour it into your new tank (with the chlorine removed). Let it settle for 10 minutes and add your fish. Wolffish are not always available. I think Mick Jagger said it best: “You can’t always get what you want ...” LA

Gary Tiemeier, July 19, 2005
I found your site as a result from a web search for red-clawed crabs. I’ve been looking through a LOT of your pages and I really appreciate the detail and length you go into everything, rather than just a few paragraphs and a photo. Very nice :)

A: Thanks. I always try to add a bit more than I know. LA

Laura Middlewood, London, England, July 19, 2005
I am going to buy three Asian mudskippers but I really don’t know how to set up my tank. I can find no photos. Are Asian mudskippers good to keep? Please let me know. Thanks pj

LA
Similar but much smaller and less shy.

A: Laura, someone named pj is using your computer. Here’s a picture of an Asian/Indian mudskipper. He’s 1.5 inches long -- much smaller than the African mudskipper. There are six more pix on my web site on the African mudskipper page. Tell pj to set up the Asian tank the same way. I consider the Indian mudskipper very hard to keep (in the tank). They jump out of their tank repeatedly. LA

James R., Florida, July 20, 2005
I am interested in knowing more about these fish (Wasp Fish). And possibly purchasing them from you. Do you ship to Florida? I have a customer who had them and seems to have gained a following. I have a few but refuse to part with them. My customer recently lost his due to a tank failure and is looking to purchase new specimens. Any information you can pass on to us would be greatly appreciated. I have looked over your web site and I am impressed with your variety. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!

A: Sorry. We do not ship to Florida. We ship out information only and it’s free. Contact Segrest or Ekk-Will. LA

Diane, Kentucky, July 20, 2005
Hello. I wanted to know more about your rats. How much are they? And the cost of shipping to Kentucky?

A: Sorry. We do not ship to Kentucky. We ship out information only and it’s free. I’m going to invest in an electronic rubber stamp. LA

Jérome, July 20, 2005
Have you millipedes, crab and hermit crab of available for sell or exchange?

A: Yes, but we do not ship fish or critters to France. LA

James T. Dowling-Healey, July 20, 2005
Can you keep guppies and bettas together?

A: Yes ... But the betta will eat smaller guppies and shred the tails of long-finned males. LA

Stella Chan, Hong Kong, July 20, 2005
We are from Hong Kong, we have two aquatic plant shop in Hong Kong and one shop in China that does wholesale. But can I just ask if you could give me a Price List of Aponogeton bulb?

A: Sorry, Stella. We do not sell anything wholesale or ship to China. LA
PS It is so hard not to make any reference to Marlon Brando here.

Austin Deponte, July 21, 2005
Hi, I just wanted to write you guys and say that I really enjoy your webpage. I find myself checking it out whenever I have questions about pets or want to see some interesting pictures. Keep up the good work.

A: Sorry ... we do not ship ... oh, wait a minute. Where’s my other rubber stamp? Ah, here it is: Thanks and don’t believe everything you read. LA

Monica Smith, California, July 21, 2005
I’m in CA and am interested in some axolotls. Do you happen to have any available and what are your prices? Thanks

A: We have over a dozen various colored axolotls in stock, but somebody told me it was illegal to ship axolotls into the Commonwealth of California. In any event, it’s too hot to ship anything other than electricity and water into California. And we don’t really ship anything except information (and sometimes we’re right). LA

Monica Smith, California, July 21, 2005
Hi LA, I can’t believe it! I just looked it up and it is in fact illegal to import axolotls into CA but not to export ... interesting. That is going to make it hard for me to find anything! And yes I agree it is too hot. Thanks for replying and best wishes. =)

Jim Goebel, July 21, 2004
Looking for a large albino tiger or super red in the ten inch size range.

A: During June, we had a very successful two for one sale on our large oscars. We had 24. We now have seven (not counting one that is so ugly he will never sell) -- six tigers plus one seven-inch albino. Of course we have mediums and smalls nowhere near the size you want. We have another large one coming in tomorrow but I can’t remember the color. Are you local? Because we do not ship. LA

AQUANEON, Exporter Cardinal Tetra, Brasil, July 22, 2005

I am a small company that sells Cardinal Tetra, Discus, Corydoras e other fishes exclusive from Manaus Cardinal Land .

We have the best quality in Cardinal because we are small company, and possible check all fishes export (different big companies only export volume and not quality).

Here, you have the best supplier of Cardinals in Amazonia and not more lost Cardinal after you open boxes in your company. We have in moment, only :

200 boxes – Cardinal Jumbo – 500/bx - Price usd 0.14

200 boxes - Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma – 200/bx – Price usd 0.14

100 boxes - Hemmigramus rhodostomus – 200/bx – Price usd 0.14

Please don’t hesitate to contact us. In August we’ll have other species of rare Discus and Corydoras. Best regards

A: Lessee now ... 200 boxes with 500 per box? That’s only 100,000 large cardinals. Would they cost less if I placed a large order? (No, I didn’t actually send this answer. That would be rude. However 14 cents is a very good price.) LA

Sanj Vadeketh, Singapore, July 22, 2005
Well dude, I got one last line of questioning to burden you with. Firstly, how
fast do the electric eels grow? Secondly, is the main reason they jump because of space constraint? Lastly, do they cannibalize? Can I put 2 in my pond without worrying about them jumping? How often do I have to feed them? I’m getting juvies 35 cm or 11.5 inches.

A: Good questions -- none of which I know the definitive answer to. I’ve never kept more than one electric eel at a time. I expect you’ll get a growth rate of 15 to 30 cm per year because your housing situation sounds ideal. The main reason they jump out of tanks is because every card-carrying snake-shaped fish in history (especially the air-breathing ones) tries to jump out of every tank in which they are housed (and usually succeeds). I’d feed the little would-be elvers every day. Most of these answers are based upon inductive and deductive reasoning (with a little bit of conductive reasoning thrown in for good measure). LA

Dan Romano, July 23, 2005
What a great web site !!! I have recently purchased a Veil Chameleon and am very happy with him. My question is are there any other lizards that I can put in with him and not have a problem? Also, what is the best substrate to use? If you could help me out, I would surely appreciate it.

A: If you add any other lizard too large to eat, it will probably stress out your veil chameleon. Veils are just not very sociable. Substrate is an easier matter. Since chameleons spend so little time on the ground, it probably makes little difference. Just keep it clean. LA

Kevin Davis, July 23, 2005
I seem to have a brown algae in my 20-gallon aquarium and the two snails I have in there don’t seem to be working on it very well. How or what do I buy to get rid of it? Thank you

A: Cash in a portion of your 401(k) and invest $2 of it in an algae wiper pad. Use it once a week. LA

Shelley (I love toads and frogs!), July 23, 2005
I discovered your outstanding site while surfing for photos I could use to
teach elementary students to make animal reports using the internet and
Windows Movie Maker. They’ll have to do their research online and import photos and other media (some will be their own renderings or photos) and then put them into Movie Maker with their information to show the class what they have learned about their animal.
My question is, may I have permission to use a few of your bullfrog pictures
to make a student sample so they will know what they should strive for?
Your photos are wonderful. I would love to visit your shop but I’m in
Kansas. I will return to your site though. Thank you for your consideration.

A: Yes LA

Allied Hobo, 1:50 am, July 24, 2005
My parents have just set up a new 20 gallon tank and they have decided to make it a community tank, so I gave them all of my small community fish. So now there is nothing in my tank but cichlids (except the catfish and tinfoil barbs and a big kisser gourami that manages to hold its own against cichlids). So my tank is now almost completely cichlids. My parents brought me home an impressive red oscar that is 6" and a green terror 4" . They eats cichlid pellets (Hikari Gold). I would like to know if I can get a pike cichlid, jaguar cichlid (still on hold), jewel cichlid or a frontosa cichlid. The tank is peaceful (because everyone can hold their own against each other, and we re-did the whole tank and played around with the rock work.
Suggestions from a professional would truly be appreciated.

Suggestion 1: Your parents should not allow you on the computer at 1:50 in the morning.
Suggestion 2: I recommend adding a dozen or so tank dividers. LA

Donna Sorensen, Alabama, July 24, 2005
WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I WOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A CAECILIAN WORM? I HAD TWO SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT I BOUGHT AT WAL-MART OF ALL PLACES. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO FIND A PET STORE THAT HAS THEM. I LIVE IN ALABAMA. MY SON WANTS ONE REAL BAD. THANKS

A: If you live near Mobile, give B&B Pet Stop a call at (251) 661-3473 and ask them to get one for you. Caecilian worms have been on and off the protected list lately so availability varies a lot. Tell Bill I sent you. He may or may not remember me. Tell him Hi anyway. LA

Donna Sorensen, Alabama, July 25, 2005
CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THAT NOW THEY ARE SO HARD TO FIND?

A: Much has to do with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which attempts to protect threatened and endangered species throughout the world.

For instance, our American alligators were once considered endangered, so CITES put them on one of their lists that ~~prohibited~~ outlawed the capture or sale of live alligators or any products made from alligator meat or leather. Anyway, alligators are now back and you can find them on restaurant menus again (not just poached alligators).
Well, caecilian worms have made their way on and off one or more of these lists from time to time and so their availability varies mostly toward the limited side.
If this sounds complicated, you can get more info from cites.org. Your son may need to change his want list. LA

Tom Williams, July 26, 2005
Can I buy fish off your web site?

A: No. LA

Phu Huynh, Texas, July 26, 2005
Hi, I am a wholesaler of freshwater clams in Houston TX. I came across your website and looked in the “mini clams.” article. It was a nice and informative article! Seems that there are no more wholesalers out there. Well if you are interested in the clams, drop me an email. Have a nice day

A: Hi Phu. I decided to stop selling the mini-clams because of the tendency of the larvae to attach to the fish. LA

Letha, July 27, 2005
I have 3 AFCs and one of my females has become bloated -- extremely. I added a bit of salt to the water and treated her with Myracin for a week. When it returned, I immediately started a two week treatment as recommended. She recovered slowly but never completely. I’ve removed her from the aquarium and placed her in quarantine and kept the medication up daily. No changes and she’s not eating. The lack of eating doesn’t really worry me because I’ve read they have been known to do that even for weeks, but I am worried because the bloating won’t go away. We raised Pete and Repeat from tadpoles and bought Oops (albino) at the store to join them just over a year ago. They share a tank with Captain Jack and One-Eyed Willy (he literally only has one eye) also raised from tadpoles, they are leopard frogs that stay “on land” but they all come together -- well, it’s just like one big family. I don’t think they quite understand their differences. I just can’t bear to part with her over something so silly. If you have any suggestions, I’d sure appreciate it.

A: You threw me off at first with the AFC acronym, but I finally figured it out. ACFs are well known greedy gulpers. When they eat, they start shoving stuff down their throat with their “hands.” It sounds like your female swallowed some gravel and couldn’t pass it thru.. Isolating her (as you did) sounds like your best bet. I don’t think the Myracin will make much difference, but it shouldn’t hurt. LA

Moe Anaya, California, July 29, 2005
Right now I’m in the process of moving out of Riverside and into Anaheim , so I’m thinking of setting up a 40-gallon tank till I get a bigger tank. I’ve read on-line that you need a minimum 90-120 gallon tank because they get up to 24” in their life span of 15-20 years, so what I’m actually looking for at the moment is for around ~ 10” sized Potamotrygon leopoldi stingray. Tell me what sizes can you get and their prices. I’m thinking of purchasing one, once I’m all set in at my new place, which is in a month and a half from now, so I’m in no hurry. Hope to here from you soon.

A: When we started communicating, I did not realize you were out-of-state. We’re a retail store serving Central Iowa. We do not ship fish. Sorry. LA

Optimus Primal, July 29, 2005
would knight gobies be compatible with bumble bee gobies?

A: No. LA

Johnnypc1, July 30, 2005
I’ve had my Goby Dragon for three months, and for about the past two I hardly ever see it come out of the cave. I know he’s alive because I can see him moving, and I drop his food right into the cave before lights off. How can I make him show himself more often? Thank you.

A: Take out the cave. LA

Jim, Gainesville, Forida, July 31, 2005
I recently found some information on this fish, Vespicula depressifrons, on your website. Very informative. A PLUS!!!!!! Is there anywhere I can find out more about this fish? A friend has one and I would love to acquire one also. Unfortunately I can’t seem to find them.

A: I wrote the page because I couldn’t find any info to speak of on them. I put in what I knew plus 10% (because back when I worked for a large corporation I learned we should all strive to give 110%). Ask your local fish store to order them for you. LA

Le Av, July 31, 2005
Why are you publishing information on iguanas that encourages people to feed them lettuce? Lettuce has very poor nutrition. In addition you show pictures of very small iguanas eating off very large pieces of banana. Although small portions of banana are a relished treat, they should be small in comparison to the good food. You also have a picture of ONE small
iguana with a large pile of carrots. Again, this is misleading to unknowing owners. An iguana that small may have a few carrots, but should also be showing with some nutritious greens (collards, bok choy, turnip greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole, etc.) Also, you are promoting pelleted foods. Although you may sell these items and make money on them, they
really don’t contain the appropriate nutrient content for iguanas.
Please go do some research (Iguana Den, Iguana Mailing List) and correct all the inappropriate information on your site.
You are dooming new iguanas to a poor life and making owners into unknowing ig killers!

A: Thank you for your concern about iguanas. I like people who like green critters that eat leaves. However, you may be just a little too concerned about their diet items. Have you actually researched the nutritional content of the various lettuce varieties? You might want to investigate a little deeper. None of the food items I showed them eating contain poisons. Iguanas should eat a varied diet. Any single food item can cause nutrition problems if fed exclusively. You may also want to look into the pelleted foods more closely. Iguanas are living longer and healthier lives today because of the commercial foods now available. They cost less and contain a more balanced nutrition than most iguana salads. I can assure you that no iguanas were harmed in the filming of the iguana pictures. And I encourage everyone to seek additional information from as many sources as their brains can hold. Remember that you cannot believe everything you read on the internet -- no matter how hard you believe. LA

	Aqualand Q&As July 16-31, 2005 You ask. We answer. Sometimes we're right.

Amphibians Axolotls Caecilian Worm Newts General Newts Eastern Newts Mandarin Salamanders Surinam Toad Tadpoles Terrarium I Terrarium II USA Toads Water Dogs Frogs Bull Clawed Dumpy Dwarf Fire-Belly Green Tree Leopard Pac Man Pyxie Red-Eyed Tree Misc. More Misc. Animals Bunnies Chinchillas Degus Ferrets Gerbils Guinea Pig Hamsters I Hamsters II Hamsters III Hamsters IV Hamsters V Hedgehogs Kittens Kids & Kittens Mice Parasites Rats I Rats II S-T Opossums Sugar Gliders Water Bottles Bugs Crabby 500 Crab 04 Results Centipedes Cray/Lobsters Crayfish II Crayfish III Cray, Yucatan Fiddler Crabs Shrimp, Algae Shrimp, Aqua Shrimp, Red Shrimp, Flower Shrimp, Ghost Hermit Crabs Hermit Crabs II Madagas Roach Mantids Mini-Clams Mini-Crabs Giant Millipedes Red Claw Crabs Reiman Butterfly Snail, Apple Snail, Colombian Snail, Land Snail, Malaysian Snail, Mystery Snails, Trapdoor Scorpions Tarantulas TarantulaWeen II Misc. Bugs Birds Breeding Tips Canaries Cockatiels Dove, Diamond Dove, Ringneck Finches Love Birds Parakeets Pelleted Foods Quaker Parrots Parrot Pictures Lizards Anoles Bearded Dragon Calotes Chamel, Jackson Chamel, Panther Chamel, Veiled Gecko, House Gecko, Leopard Gecko, Tokay Horned "Toads" Iguana New Iguana Dragons Iguana Q&A I Iguana Q&A II Iguana Training Iguana Update Monitors, Nile Monitors, Savana Monitors, Water Water Dragon Salmonella Skinks Misc. Lizards Snakes Boa, Rosy Boa, Red-Tail Corn Snake Garter Snake Green Snake Kids/Corn Snakes Kids/Red-Tail Boas Kids at Pet Expo 1 Kids at Pet Expo 2 Kids at Pet Expo 3 Kids at Pet Expo 4 Kids at Pet Expo 5 King & Milk Python, Ball Python, Burmese Snakesgiving Snakesgiving II Misc. Snake Pix Turtles Box, Asian Box, USA Races Snapping Water Live Foods Blackworms Blood Worms Br Shrimp I Br Shrimp II Crayfish 1 Crayfish 2 Crayfish 3 Crickets Daphnia Earthworms Feedr Goldfish Fruit Flies Ghost Shrimp Infusoria Mealworms Microworms Rosy Reds Wax Worms White Clouds White Worms	Add your location. It makes your questions more interesting. Sometimes it also helps answer the question. Thx. LA Rheann Pic Grimace Gargamel Rheann K. Thow, Sacramento, CA, July 16, 2005 I still visit your sight regularly and I came across the picture of the Axolotl with the leeches covering him. Did he survive? I want to tell you that my two Axolotls are doing great! I have named the black one Grimace Gargamel, and the white one Titus. I love them very much, they eat great and have grown. I recently had a similar problem but with I believe flat worms in my tank. I had to strip my tank apart, and sanitize and boil everything. The worms haven’t come back. I also had to replace the sand with new sand, so my tank isn’t finished cycling. I have to wait another week or so, as the nitrate is still a little high. I bought some duckweed to help keep the light out and to keep the tank clean. The little gold Axolotl with the leeches, when I saw the picture, I nearly cried, as I love Axolotls. I am so glad that you found the problem right away and did what you could for him. Does your store have any more Axolotls? I plan to breed my Axolotls in the future when they are around 18 months or older. I have included several pictures of my Axolotls. They are living in ice cream buckets and a small 2-gallon tank with twice a day water changes until the tank is finished cycling. Don’t worry, the black stuff in the pictures at the bottom of the buckets isn’t poo, it’s black sand. I had to have some traction in the buckets because they were sliding around so badly when they wanted to swim. I felt badly for them. They eat earthworms, and occasional crickets about once a week as a treat, and Indiana University Axolotl pellets each night. I love my Axolotls! I finally got a digital Camera. It also takes movies. I just wanted to let you know how the little guys were doing. I am very happy with them. They have brought me so much joy! A: Unfortunately, the leech victim did not survive, but not because of the leeches which were only temporary. I had isolated him because he was everyone’s favorite chew toy. He was pretty much chewed before the leeches infested him. I’ve been feeding my axolotls snipped up nightcrawlers and rosy reds. I’ll have to check out those Indiana pellets for my guys. LA John Skorat, July 16, 2005 Just discovered your website, as I’m sure you know it’s fantastic. Thanks for all the hard work. A: You’re welcome. LA Bobby Owen, July, 17, 2005 Hello, I once had a fish that they called a red tailed chelsea. It was a long sleek looking fish with very large, very shiny scales (silver) and red tail and fins. I can’t find anything about this fish or anyone selling one. He was very fast and ate a lot of live fish. Got any info? Thanks LA Red-tailed chalceus mix with 4-inch fish other than another chalceus. Great jumpers. LA Five-incher eating a feeder goldfish. A: He’s called a red-tailed chalceus. He’s a characin (big tetra) and grows to about six inches. In addition to fish, he’ll also eat flakes and pellets -- especially at younger ages. They mix well with other similar size fish except for other chalceus. LA Melodie Fontaine, July 17, 2005 I am into fish big time. I am moderator of my own fish forum and am currently in the process of writing a fish book for beginners. For every fish profile I write, I research about as many different sites as I can to make sure that the info I put down is as accurate as possible. Your site, however, is always one of my favorites to visit. Your profiles are so detailed and are very well written, even fun to read. I just wanted to thank you and tell you how much I appreciate your site! I will be sure to recommend it to anyone in need of some good, trustworthy info. Thanks again! A: Don’t believe everything you read. LA Kurt Kurt Auerbach, July 17, 2005 I found your site and noticed you guys appreciate Oscars. I have a couple you might dig. I’ve attached a picture but you can see more at this web site. I liked your web site and all your pics and information. If you would like to use one of my pictures on your web site feel free. They are gorgeous oscars. See you around www.electricriver.50megs.com A: Thanks for the pix. I like the way your black background makes the guy above pop out. Nice treatment. I added your web site so other oscar ~~nuts~~ fans could see more pics. LA J. Raffman, England, July 17, 2005 Thanks very much for the response. I have decided the wolf fish is the one for me. I have one question I hope you can help with though. Cycling -- is it necessary for 1 wolf fish? Wolf fish seem to be very hard to come by in this country, in the south of England only 1 place has them in stock, and none of the others can get any in. So naturally I want to buy one now. Would it be possible for it to survive in a fresh, non-cycled tank? They are surely quite hardy fish, no? A: Large wolffish are very tough. Baby wolffish are not large wolffish. Several new-fangled products on the market supposedly cycle a tank rapidly. Or you can cycle your tank instantly the olde-fangled way. Gravel vacuum a gallon or two of water from an established African or goldfish tank. Pour it into your new tank (with the chlorine removed). Let it settle for 10 minutes and add your fish. Wolffish are not always available. I think Mick Jagger said it best: “You can’t always get what you want ...” LA Gary Tiemeier, July 19, 2005 I found your site as a result from a web search for red-clawed crabs. I’ve been looking through a LOT of your pages and I really appreciate the detail and length you go into everything, rather than just a few paragraphs and a photo. Very nice :) A: Thanks. I always try to add a bit more than I know. LA Laura Middlewood, London, England, July 19, 2005 I am going to buy three Asian mudskippers but I really don’t know how to set up my tank. I can find no photos. Are Asian mudskippers good to keep? Please let me know. Thanks pj LA Similar but much smaller and less shy. A: Laura, someone named pj is using your computer. Here’s a picture of an Asian/Indian mudskipper. He’s 1.5 inches long -- much smaller than the African mudskipper. There are six more pix on my web site on the African mudskipper page. Tell pj to set up the Asian tank the same way. I consider the Indian mudskipper very hard to keep (in the tank). They jump out of their tank repeatedly. LA James R., Florida, July 20, 2005 I am interested in knowing more about these fish (Wasp Fish). And possibly purchasing them from you. Do you ship to Florida? I have a customer who had them and seems to have gained a following. I have a few but refuse to part with them. My customer recently lost his due to a tank failure and is looking to purchase new specimens. Any information you can pass on to us would be greatly appreciated. I have looked over your web site and I am impressed with your variety. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! A: Sorry. We do not ship to Florida. We ship out information only and it’s free. Contact Segrest or Ekk-Will. LA Diane, Kentucky, July 20, 2005 Hello. I wanted to know more about your rats. How much are they? And the cost of shipping to Kentucky? A: Sorry. We do not ship to Kentucky. We ship out information only and it’s free. I’m going to invest in an electronic rubber stamp. LA Jérome, July 20, 2005 Have you millipedes, crab and hermit crab of available for sell or exchange? A: Yes, but we do not ship fish or critters to France. LA James T. Dowling-Healey, July 20, 2005 Can you keep guppies and bettas together? A: Yes ... But the betta will eat smaller guppies and shred the tails of long-finned males. LA Stella Chan, Hong Kong, July 20, 2005 We are from Hong Kong, we have two aquatic plant shop in Hong Kong and one shop in China that does wholesale. But can I just ask if you could give me a Price List of Aponogeton bulb? A: Sorry, Stella. We do not sell anything wholesale or ship to China. LA PS It is so hard not to make any reference to Marlon Brando here. Austin Deponte, July 21, 2005 Hi, I just wanted to write you guys and say that I really enjoy your webpage. I find myself checking it out whenever I have questions about pets or want to see some interesting pictures. Keep up the good work. A: Sorry ... we do not ship ... oh, wait a minute. Where’s my other rubber stamp? Ah, here it is: Thanks and don’t believe everything you read. LA Monica Smith, California, July 21, 2005 I’m in CA and am interested in some axolotls. Do you happen to have any available and what are your prices? Thanks A: We have over a dozen various colored axolotls in stock, but somebody told me it was illegal to ship axolotls into the Commonwealth of California. In any event, it’s too hot to ship anything other than electricity and water into California. And we don’t really ship anything except information (and sometimes we’re right). LA Monica Smith, California, July 21, 2005 Hi LA, I can’t believe it! I just looked it up and it is in fact illegal to import axolotls into CA but not to export ... interesting. That is going to make it hard for me to find anything! And yes I agree it is too hot. Thanks for replying and best wishes. =) Jim Goebel, July 21, 2004 Looking for a large albino tiger or super red in the ten inch size range. A: During June, we had a very successful two for one sale on our large oscars. We had 24. We now have seven (not counting one that is so ugly he will never sell) -- six tigers plus one seven-inch albino. Of course we have mediums and smalls nowhere near the size you want. We have another large one coming in tomorrow but I can’t remember the color. Are you local? Because we do not ship. LA AQUANEON, Exporter Cardinal Tetra, Brasil, July 22, 2005 I am a small company that sells Cardinal Tetra, Discus, Corydoras e other fishes exclusive from Manaus Cardinal Land . We have the best quality in Cardinal because we are small company, and possible check all fishes export (different big companies only export volume and not quality). Here, you have the best supplier of Cardinals in Amazonia and not more lost Cardinal after you open boxes in your company. We have in moment, only : 200 boxes – Cardinal Jumbo – 500/bx - Price usd 0.14 200 boxes - Hyphessobrycon erythrostigma – 200/bx – Price usd 0.14 100 boxes - Hemmigramus rhodostomus – 200/bx – Price usd 0.14 Please don’t hesitate to contact us. In August we’ll have other species of rare Discus and Corydoras. Best regards A: Lessee now ... 200 boxes with 500 per box? That’s only 100,000 large cardinals. Would they cost less if I placed a large order? (No, I didn’t actually send this answer. That would be rude. However 14 cents is a very good price.) LA Sanj Vadeketh, Singapore, July 22, 2005 Well dude, I got one last line of questioning to burden you with. Firstly, how fast do the electric eels grow? Secondly, is the main reason they jump because of space constraint? Lastly, do they cannibalize? Can I put 2 in my pond without worrying about them jumping? How often do I have to feed them? I’m getting juvies 35 cm or 11.5 inches. A: Good questions -- none of which I know the definitive answer to. I’ve never kept more than one electric eel at a time. I expect you’ll get a growth rate of 15 to 30 cm per year because your housing situation sounds ideal. The main reason they jump out of tanks is because every card-carrying snake-shaped fish in history (especially the air-breathing ones) tries to jump out of every tank in which they are housed (and usually succeeds). I’d feed the little would-be elvers every day. Most of these answers are based upon inductive and deductive reasoning (with a little bit of conductive reasoning thrown in for good measure). LA Dan Romano, July 23, 2005 What a great web site !!! I have recently purchased a Veil Chameleon and am very happy with him. My question is are there any other lizards that I can put in with him and not have a problem? Also, what is the best substrate to use? If you could help me out, I would surely appreciate it. A: If you add any other lizard too large to eat, it will probably stress out your veil chameleon. Veils are just not very sociable. Substrate is an easier matter. Since chameleons spend so little time on the ground, it probably makes little difference. Just keep it clean. LA Kevin Davis, July 23, 2005 I seem to have a brown algae in my 20-gallon aquarium and the two snails I have in there don’t seem to be working on it very well. How or what do I buy to get rid of it? Thank you A: Cash in a portion of your 401(k) and invest $2 of it in an algae wiper pad. Use it once a week. LA Shelley (I love toads and frogs!), July 23, 2005 I discovered your outstanding site while surfing for photos I could use to teach elementary students to make animal reports using the internet and Windows Movie Maker. They’ll have to do their research online and import photos and other media (some will be their own renderings or photos) and then put them into Movie Maker with their information to show the class what they have learned about their animal. My question is, may I have permission to use a few of your bullfrog pictures to make a student sample so they will know what they should strive for? Your photos are wonderful. I would love to visit your shop but I’m in Kansas. I will return to your site though. Thank you for your consideration. A: Yes LA Allied Hobo, 1:50 am, July 24, 2005 My parents have just set up a new 20 gallon tank and they have decided to make it a community tank, so I gave them all of my small community fish. So now there is nothing in my tank but cichlids (except the catfish and tinfoil barbs and a big kisser gourami that manages to hold its own against cichlids). So my tank is now almost completely cichlids. My parents brought me home an impressive red oscar that is 6" and a green terror 4" . They eats cichlid pellets (Hikari Gold). I would like to know if I can get a pike cichlid, jaguar cichlid (still on hold), jewel cichlid or a frontosa cichlid. The tank is peaceful (because everyone can hold their own against each other, and we re-did the whole tank and played around with the rock work. Suggestions from a professional would truly be appreciated. Suggestion 1: Your parents should not allow you on the computer at 1:50 in the morning. Suggestion 2: I recommend adding a dozen or so tank dividers. LA Donna Sorensen, Alabama, July 24, 2005 WOULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE I WOULD BE ABLE TO PURCHASE A CAECILIAN WORM? I HAD TWO SEVERAL YEARS AGO THAT I BOUGHT AT WAL-MART OF ALL PLACES. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME TRYING TO FIND A PET STORE THAT HAS THEM. I LIVE IN ALABAMA. MY SON WANTS ONE REAL BAD. THANKS A: If you live near Mobile, give B&B Pet Stop a call at (251) 661-3473 and ask them to get one for you. Caecilian worms have been on and off the protected list lately so availability varies a lot. Tell Bill I sent you. He may or may not remember me. Tell him Hi anyway. LA Donna Sorensen, Alabama, July 25, 2005 CAN YOU TELL ME WHY THAT NOW THEY ARE SO HARD TO FIND? A: Much has to do with CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) which attempts to protect threatened and endangered species throughout the world. For instance, our American alligators were once considered endangered, so CITES put them on one of their lists that ~~prohibited~~ outlawed the capture or sale of live alligators or any products made from alligator meat or leather. Anyway, alligators are now back and you can find them on restaurant menus again (not just poached alligators). Well, caecilian worms have made their way on and off one or more of these lists from time to time and so their availability varies mostly toward the limited side. If this sounds complicated, you can get more info from cites.org. Your son may need to change his want list. LA Tom Williams, July 26, 2005 Can I buy fish off your web site? A: No. LA Phu Huynh, Texas, July 26, 2005 Hi, I am a wholesaler of freshwater clams in Houston TX. I came across your website and looked in the “mini clams.” article. It was a nice and informative article! Seems that there are no more wholesalers out there. Well if you are interested in the clams, drop me an email. Have a nice day A: Hi Phu. I decided to stop selling the mini-clams because of the tendency of the larvae to attach to the fish. LA Letha, July 27, 2005 I have 3 AFCs and one of my females has become bloated -- extremely. I added a bit of salt to the water and treated her with Myracin for a week. When it returned, I immediately started a two week treatment as recommended. She recovered slowly but never completely. I’ve removed her from the aquarium and placed her in quarantine and kept the medication up daily. No changes and she’s not eating. The lack of eating doesn’t really worry me because I’ve read they have been known to do that even for weeks, but I am worried because the bloating won’t go away. We raised Pete and Repeat from tadpoles and bought Oops (albino) at the store to join them just over a year ago. They share a tank with Captain Jack and One-Eyed Willy (he literally only has one eye) also raised from tadpoles, they are leopard frogs that stay “on land” but they all come together -- well, it’s just like one big family. I don’t think they quite understand their differences. I just can’t bear to part with her over something so silly. If you have any suggestions, I’d sure appreciate it. A: You threw me off at first with the AFC acronym, but I finally figured it out. ACFs are well known greedy gulpers. When they eat, they start shoving stuff down their throat with their “hands.” It sounds like your female swallowed some gravel and couldn’t pass it thru.. Isolating her (as you did) sounds like your best bet. I don’t think the Myracin will make much difference, but it shouldn’t hurt. LA Moe Anaya, California, July 29, 2005 Right now I’m in the process of moving out of Riverside and into Anaheim , so I’m thinking of setting up a 40-gallon tank till I get a bigger tank. I’ve read on-line that you need a minimum 90-120 gallon tank because they get up to 24” in their life span of 15-20 years, so what I’m actually looking for at the moment is for around ~ 10” sized Potamotrygon leopoldi stingray. Tell me what sizes can you get and their prices. I’m thinking of purchasing one, once I’m all set in at my new place, which is in a month and a half from now, so I’m in no hurry. Hope to here from you soon. A: When we started communicating, I did not realize you were out-of-state. We’re a retail store serving Central Iowa. We do not ship fish. Sorry. LA Optimus Primal, July 29, 2005 would knight gobies be compatible with bumble bee gobies? A: No. LA Johnnypc1, July 30, 2005 I’ve had my Goby Dragon for three months, and for about the past two I hardly ever see it come out of the cave. I know he’s alive because I can see him moving, and I drop his food right into the cave before lights off. How can I make him show himself more often? Thank you. A: Take out the cave. LA Jim, Gainesville, Forida, July 31, 2005 I recently found some information on this fish, Vespicula depressifrons, on your website. Very informative. A PLUS!!!!!! Is there anywhere I can find out more about this fish? A friend has one and I would love to acquire one also. Unfortunately I can’t seem to find them. A: I wrote the page because I couldn’t find any info to speak of on them. I put in what I knew plus 10% (because back when I worked for a large corporation I learned we should all strive to give 110%). Ask your local fish store to order them for you. LA Le Av, July 31, 2005 Why are you publishing information on iguanas that encourages people to feed them lettuce? Lettuce has very poor nutrition. In addition you show pictures of very small iguanas eating off very large pieces of banana. Although small portions of banana are a relished treat, they should be small in comparison to the good food. You also have a picture of ONE small iguana with a large pile of carrots. Again, this is misleading to unknowing owners. An iguana that small may have a few carrots, but should also be showing with some nutritious greens (collards, bok choy, turnip greens, dandelion greens, endive, escarole, etc.) Also, you are promoting pelleted foods. Although you may sell these items and make money on them, they really don’t contain the appropriate nutrient content for iguanas. Please go do some research (Iguana Den, Iguana Mailing List) and correct all the inappropriate information on your site. You are dooming new iguanas to a poor life and making owners into unknowing ig killers! A: Thank you for your concern about iguanas. I like people who like green critters that eat leaves. However, you may be just a little too concerned about their diet items. Have you actually researched the nutritional content of the various lettuce varieties? You might want to investigate a little deeper. None of the food items I showed them eating contain poisons. Iguanas should eat a varied diet. Any single food item can cause nutrition problems if fed exclusively. You may also want to look into the pelleted foods more closely. Iguanas are living longer and healthier lives today because of the commercial foods now available. They cost less and contain a more balanced nutrition than most iguana salads. I can assure you that no iguanas were harmed in the filming of the iguana pictures. And I encourage everyone to seek additional information from as many sources as their brains can hold. Remember that you cannot believe everything you read on the internet -- no matter how hard you believe. LA © 2005 LA Productions Aqualand Q&AS Q&As Jan 05 Q&As Feb 05 Q&As Mar 05 Q&As Apr 05 Q&As May 05 Q&As May II 05 Q&As Jun 05 Q&As Jun II 05 Q&As Jul 05 Q&As Jul II 05 Q&As Aug 05 Q&As Aug II 05 Q&As Sep I 05 Q&As Sep II 05 Q&As Oct 05 Q&As Nov 05 Q&As Dec I 05 Q&As Dec II 05 Q&As Jan I 06 Q&As Jan II 06 3600 Sixth Avenue Corner of Sixth & Euclid Avenues Des Moines, IA 50313 515 283-0300 Home Fish Other Stuff	Anabantids Betta Leaf Betta Breed 1 Betta Breed II Betta Info Betta Housing Betta Pla Kat Choc Gourami Climbing Perch Gourami Pix Kiss. 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