September 1-15, 2005 questions you asked Aqualand

Katharina Baumfeld, Osnabrück, Germany, September 1, 2005
We’d (Museum am Schölerberg, Osnabrück) like to ask your permission to use one of your photos of a Northern Snakehead free of charge for a touring exhibition on the subjekt “Neobiota,” which will be opened in Osnabrück, Germany, on the 10th of September 2005.
We would be very grateful to hear from you soon

A: Feel free to use the photo free. Just credit my website. I can always use more German readers, especially if they’re as fluent in English as you. LA

Tan Ming Kai, September 1, 2005
I would like to know what is the natural habitat of flower shrimp? Is it swamp or forest stream? And, will crabs, barbs, spiny eels be a threat to them?

A: I really don’t know what their specific origin was, but they do filter bits out of the water, and they love fast moving water. Most underwater crabs are a threat to anything they get close to. Most smaller barbs would ignore them. Tigers might pester them. And large barbs would probably snack on them. I doubt spiny eels would bother them. LA

Epiphone, September 1, 2005
Can you send me a picture of what a male fire bellied toad breeding pads look like please?

A: Actually, I’ve never taken that particular picture. If I catch a couple in amplexus in the near future, I’ll take a stab at trying to photo the male’s hands. LA

Brandon, Iowa City, IA, September 1, 2005
Thanks again for your help with my previous questions. This is probably one you get a lot: I have a 7 gallon Eclipse hex with 2 small African cichlids, and 1 remaining feeder guppy (they sure did take care of them in a hurry). I am having problems with ammonia buildup. I feed them only floater foods, so not much should be in the gravel. I use a siphon once a week when I do my 1/3 water change. My ammonia levels stabilize for a day then shoot right back up. Not too toxic, but both fish have their dorsals and pectorals close against them unless you spook them. Is there something I can use to get rid of the ammonia or prevent it? Something I’m overlooking? I use Ammo Lock 2 probably once a week between changes, but it seems like I just can’t keep up with the buildup. Short of bi-daily water changes, what would you recommend? I have heard of ammo-chips, but I don’t know that I can use them with my all enclosed Eclipse filter system. Any suggestion is very appreciated. Thanks again,
Also, what will your hours be over the labor day holiday weekend?

A1: Easy answer first. We are always open 10 am till 2 pm on all holidays.
A2: Seven gallons is really not big enough for African cichlids. You (and they) will have nothing but problems in such tiny quarters. You will wind up with one or possibly even none.
A3: If you are using a Nessler reagents ammonia test kit, you will not get a correct ammonia reading. You need to use the salicylate test kit. Yes, it does cost more but it works. I never use Ammo-Lock 2, so I’m not familiar with how it works, but most ammo-removers will give a false reading on most test kits.
A4: You didn’t say how long your tank was set up, but if it was over two months or so, you probably don’t have an ammonia problem. If you did, the Ammo-Lock 2 detoxifies it. You do have a space problem. LA

Kim & Trent Powell, Des Moines, September 2, 2005
Hello, it’s Kim and Trent. Remember us? We found the giant Sulcata
Tortoise walking down the street on the south side. Well, after one week of living with the tortoise there are a number of reasons (mainly the baby) we’ve decided we would like to try to find him a home. He is a very friendly guy. When we were in the store last weekend you mentioned another pet auction and the possibility of you taking him on consignment for us? When is the next pet auction, and do you think this would still be an option for finding him a home? Any other ideas?

A: Mike and Rick will have a table at the IHS Reptile Sale. We’ll be glad to broker your tortoise for you. Call us at 283-0300 after 10 am and we’ll work out the details. LA

Kevin Powers, Iowa, September 5, 2005
I started keeping cichlids a few months ago and seem to have had some success with my Saulosis breeding. I’ve got approx 28 fry right now that are about 1/3 of an inch and a couple of other females holding. I’ve been told that you are one of the few stores in the area that will purchase/provide store credit for fish. Are these something that you’d be in the market for? How many and how would we go about this?
Also, I’ve got Kennyis in the same tank (1m/2f) and I’ve been debating changing them out due to the level of aggression and getting some Rustys and Pearlmutts to take their place to give a little color variety and tone down the aggression level.
Thanks in advance for your response on the fry and any insight you might have on the swap of Kennyi for the Rustys and Pearlmutts.

A: We can nearly always take cichlid fry, but they have to be at least an inch long. The larger guys (your Kennyis) we can’t take. They would present the same problems in our tanks as your tank. We have ~~plenty~~ too many adult African cichlids. Call us when your salousis reach an inch. We can guarantee you will not get rich from them. LA

Jony26246, September 5, 2005
Do you sell tadpoles that turn into red- eyed tree frogs? And if so, how much?

A: No. LA

Rhonda Rockwell, Okeechobee, Florida, September 6, 2005
I currently own 2 albino oscars. We are moving soon to Georgia. What is the safest way to get them there without loss of life or harm? They are only about 2 to 3 inches. And also, can I house four oscars in 135 gallons of water or is this not a good idea? Thank you so much for your time.

A: I’d put them in a white five-gallon bucket with three inches of water from their current tank. Four oscars should work out until two of them decide to pair off. LA

Robert L.J. Magyar, Norwich University, VT, Sept 6, 2005
Some of your links appear to be broken -- such as Rudolph shrimp.

A: I’m in the process of changing some of the links (214,000). I changed about a third of them over the last couple days. Rudolph works on my end. Check it again and let me know. I’d appreciate it. Thanks. LA

Diane, DM area, September 6, 2005
We are going to be moving out of the Des Moines area within the next few months and are in need of a home for a large tiger oscar and a larger sized peacock cichlid. Does your store take fish from homes? If not, do you know anyone in the area that does?

A: We are a Sturgeon General approved adoption center for large fishes. We won’t pay for the oscar (since we have a couple dozen), but we will pay for the peacock bass. LA

Alex Argiry, September 8, 2005
I see you have several rare pearlscale angelfish varieties pictured including an albino. I have been trying to find even a picture of a Half-Black Pearlscale Veil for some time now without any luck. I know they exist as I remember seeing them at Nienow’s Tropicals about 10 years ago when he was trying to breed them. Sadly his stock was struck down shortly after. If you could shed any light on this variety I would appreciate your help. Thank you

A: I can’t help you other than to say that if I see one, I will take a pic and put it on my site. But now that I think about it, I may have seen something close August 13. I didn’t have my camera, so I have no record. But the breeder size angel was from S&M Angels who have several angel varieties. Go to their web site snm-angels.com LA

Daniel, September 8, 2005
I have a 55-gallon aquarium with a 5 inch pleco, and a 10 inch gar. I would like to add some type of cichlids to the tank to breed. However, when I tried some angel fish, I came in and found my gar trying to down my angel the third day! I talked to my local fish store and they said that I could add other fish like oscars to my tank. I would like to add Kribs to the tank, maybe three, or four. Would these make good additions? If not could I add two or three convicts to my tank? From your site, I was able to decipher a male krib from a female. But, I haven’t figured out convicts yet. Is it possible to try to put a breeding pair of kribs and convicts in my 55, or is it just adding a little spice to my gar’s appetite? Would it help to feed my needle nose more often to help it resist its will to kill? Thank you very much for this information in advance.

LA
Female convicts have a gold belly. Note the eggs on the top of the 4" flower pot.

A: Add the kribs. Make sure they’re too big for your needle nose to swallow. Female convicts have a gold blush on their bellies. They breed at two inches and start killing everything in their tank at three inches. LA

Micah, September 8, 2005
I visit your site all the time, I’m a huge fish, rodent and reptile freak. I was just wondering if you guys were willing to ship animals to me. I’m in Maine. I would buy them full price plus pay for shipping.

A: Sorry, Micah. We don’t ship critters or fish -- not even to Maine. LA

Tim (code name Malawione), Des Moines, September 8, 2005
Hello Larry, it’s me, Tim. I was asked to see if you would like to be a part of our IAA sponsorship program? We have a couple of fish stores on board out East, but as of yet none around here. I can offer you an ad on our web site. The sponsorship does involve your giving paying club members a 10% discount. I will understand if you are not interested in doing this. I will say that we do have quite a few members now and I would bet that a ton of them would come to club sponsor stores first and foremost...Anyway thanks for your time and please send me a shout about your decision. Your friend, Tim

A: I have to decline the 10% discount for IAA members because it discriminates against our other customers. Tell IAA I said thanks for buying my lunch at the last meeting. And thanks to you for dropping off the two boxes of cichlids at Aqualand. I was going to the fair with all my progeny and flat out forgot the fish. Did you get my suggestions for bowl shows (with Aqualand prizes)? Your IAA email contacts all bounced back as non-deliverable except one. LA

Butterfly koi, Nathen Hightower Pic

Nathen Hightower, Texas, September 9, 2005
If you have the time.. a quick inquiry. I believe this is some sort of carp -- caught locally (central Texas) in a small river with a net. It’s a little over a foot long I believe. The filter tube behind him/her(?) is about an inch in diameter. It seems too be a bit more ornamental than the carp you have pictured, so maybe it’s something else? And besides, I like showing off my fish. Here’s a few pics if you’d care for them thanks for your time.

A: It’s definitely a carp -- what most people call a butterfly koi because of the long finnage. Your excellent photo makes it easy to ID. I’ll add it to my koi page with your name on the photo credit. Thanks for the pic. LA

Elizabeth Reiter, Urbandale, Iowa, September 9, 2005
I recently moved to the Des Moines area and I’m very eager to visit your store. My boyfriend and I own a corn snake and a pet bunny. You have tons of great info on your site and I could spend hours reading all the great links. I do, however, have some concerns about a few of the things posted under the Bunny link. I own a rabbit and I’m a member of the House Rabbit Society (National & Wisconsin Chapters). Unfortunately, Iowa doesn’t have an HRS chapter so I’m still a member of Wisconsin. Most of your info about rabbits is very accurate and I can see that you are concerned for their welfare, so I just wanted to point out a few things that might help improve the lives of the bunns you sell (if you sell them, as I said I haven’t been in yet!) and the people who adopt them. I hope you don’t find this offensive, because I really do like your site. I just figured with all the great information you’re putting out there that you’d want it to be as accurate and informative as possible!

A: Elizabeth sent me quite a bit of info -- enoough to make her own bunny page. So, I decided to give her a page of her own. It should appear on my web site by the middle of the month. LA

Clint Johnson, Los Angeles, CA, September 10, 2005
First off, your site is fantastic, and I truly mean it. I will be setting up an African Cichlid tank soon, after not having one for a couple years now. The tank I had was 80 gallons, and had quite a few plants. I love Pictus Cats, and had two in the tank. The problem was, I RARELY saw them except for feeding time when they would fly furiously around the tank, expertly tracking down their food.
I keep reading things like “give Pictus Cats plenty of swimming room” and “they are constant swimmers” etc. And when I see them in shops, they ARE swimming in a large group all over the tank usually along the back wall. (Granted most shops don’t take the time to set up some hiding places for them, leaving them no option but to swim around)
Other articles say they do hide all day, and only come out at night to scavenge, so I am completely confused. Then I remember that all of the plants I had required quite a bit of wattage, so maybe that light contributed to their hiding all the time during the day (?).
So I guess I’d love your thoughts here: Would I have a better chance of seeing them swim around during the day if I bought 3 or 4, and kept the lighting down? Or are they not as active as some folks say?
Please understand that any information will be greatly appreciated :)
I know you must get hundreds of emails, so I do appreciate any time you can afford to help me out.
Thanks so much, and for the great site!

A: I would say your plants and lighting had less to do with your pictus catfish behavior than did your African cichlids. Most mbunas will not allow most South American catfishes to live, much less swim about their tank without being skinned alive. Plecos with their protective armor still get their eyeballs plucked out. Most of the synodontis catfishes fare far better in an African cichlid community with the possible exception of the nigriventris upside-down catfish. I would not put any of the various catfishes sold as pictus in an African cichlid tank. LA

Ashley May, September 10, 2005
The rat section was absolutely disgusting. The cages looked filthy, they were on pine (which is just as bad as cedar) and several were housed in small tanks! the min sized cage for 2 rats is 24"x 14"-18"x24"! about 99% of pet store food is crap for rats as well, especially the kind that has corn in it, which is just as hard for rats to digest as it is for humans! The condition of the cage is just horrible, I can barely get over it! How can you let an animal live like that?

A: Eight of these specially built beauties (30 x 18) with lab blocks in gravity mangers and aspen on the bottom house our rats. LA

Tami Sims, Gig Harbor, WA, September 10, 2005
I am running the risk of sounding like a groupie here, but I will say it anyway.
I search the web all the time for info on the fish I see or want to buy. SELDOM do I find a good to the point website with OUTSTANDING PHOTOS. I am right brained... I NEED PHOTOS. And not the photos where it looks like a blurry blender drink.
This is a note to let you know how much I appreciate your site. My husband is from Churdan, so the next time we visit we will stop by.

A: Aw, shucks. LA

Shay McQuaid, September11, 2005
I’ve never taken the time to thank anyone for a website before. But yours is exceptional. The reads are great and the info timely and comprehensive. I only wish I was local to you so that I could use your shop! I could go on and on but I won’t...suffice to say: Thank you for your time and obvious love of pets and such.

A: Hmm ... two in a row. LA

Dave Marquis, Des Moines, IA, September 11, 2005
Hi Larry, it was nice to hear from you. I would like to thank you for the publicity. It’s very kind of you. I would also like to thank you for all your support in the past, donation for the raffle table, gift certificates and such. It’s really great of you and the club appreciates it very much.
I checked and was surprised that we do not have a link to Aqualand on our web site due to your ongoing support. I’ll see to it that one is added. Perhaps we could do something on the ads page as well.
I noticed at our August fair that we are out of Aqualand business cards. We put them out on the club table for the fairs. I don’t know if it helps business much or not but some of the public do pick them up. If you don’t mind I stop by the shop soon to get a new supply.
By the way, our All Bird Show is coming up Oct. 1st. It should be a good show. We are having judges from CA., FL, MA., and MO. They are all from the SPBE.
Thanks again Larry. Hopefully I can meet you the next time I’m in the shop, Dave.

A: Okay. I put the above info on my home page. If I put it in my October eSpecials, it will already be a fait accompli. LA

Jenger Bean, September 11, 2005
EVERYTHING I have read about rodents on that pet store web site is FALSE! NEVER PICK A GERBIL, HAMSTER, RAT, OR OTHER RODENT UP BY ITS TAIL AND NEVER KEEP RATS IN AQUARIUMS!!!

A: Everything? My spelling’s pretty good. LA

Belinda & Barney Mok, September 12, 2005
We have approximately 100 baby Convicts and was wondering if you are interested in them. Please reply and let us know either way.

A: Every time we put a male and female convict together, we also get about 100 baby convicts (sometimes only 50 or 60). So we already have w-a-y more little convicts than we need. LA

Wendy Grimes, Kentucky, September 12, 2005
Hello, I was hoping that you could direct me in the right direction with my baby grey squirrel. I have had him for about 7-8 weeks now finding him at, oh, say 3 weeks (eyes still closed age) and we have really bonded. But I am having a hard time getting him off the bottle. He literally screams at me to feed him. He will eat some cheerios, nuts and oats but not enough to get him where I think he should be with the little I could find to read about the subject. Also could you give me some pointers as to when I should release him, or would I have to keep him over the winter. By the way I live in Kentucky. Well, anything you could tell me would be grateful. Another sucker out here for a little critter. Thanks,

A: Sounds like you’re stuck with him until spring. When those spring hormones kick in, he’ll be more than happy to get outside and cruise the local arboreal loop. Unfortunately, he won’t fear humans. Do you have a dog or cat? Same deal. You may have to keep him forever. Des Moines ordinances prohibit Des Moiniacs from keeping squirrels as pets. Lots of people find baby squirrels and keep them anyway. Our Iowa DNR also prohibits Iowans from keeping baby squirrels. We still do it. (Most of ours are red.) Just be glad you didn’t find a baby raccoon. Most of them turn into little bears. LA

Brandon, Iowa City, IA, September 12, 2005
Thanks again for all your previous help. I seem to have developed small brown patches of algae-looking goo growing on a few places in my tank. I was hesitant to scrape it off, as 1) my tank is acrylic and already has too many scratches, and 2) I have a cichlid that will not eat pellets, flakes or frozen brine, so I didn’t want to cut it off if it was a food source. Do you have any idea what it could be? It seems to be growing on flat (horizontal) plastic plant leaves in ball point pen size dots, and on my driftwood (probably everywhere really). There is also a collection of non-moving bubbles at the top, which survived yesterday’s 30% water change. Fish seem healthy, minus the yellow cichlid that seems to hate all food. Advice? Thank you much in advance.

A1: It’s red algae. You can get algae wipers that are safe for acrylic tanks. Check your local fish store. Make sure it says acrylic safe.
A2: To get rid of the long-lasting bubbles, lay a sheet of paper on your tank surface for a very brief period. Lift it off before it gets waterlogged. You may need to repeat a couple times, but this should take care of your bubbles. If the bubbles persist, you need a protein skimmer.
A3: You have exceeded your one question per month limit. LA

Jess McIntosh, September 13, 2005
Your website is disgusting, the way you talk about frogs eating other frogs as if it’s “cool” and your comments about mice, highly unprofessional. Your website should not be biased and should be focusing on providing information to your customers, not your own personal views. Get over yourself. Why you even run a pet shop is beyond me, oh wait, no, it makes money, silly me, obviously that’s more important than the animals you sell.

A: It’s my web site so I get to give my own opinion. I even let you express yours. Sorry for keeping this answer so short, but I have to carry all my money to the bank right now. LA

Sara B, Portland, Oregon, September 13, 2005
Hey! You know all those hits you have been getting lately? I probably account for, like, half of them. Seriously. Your site has been an incredibly valuable tool in my recent aquarium research.
I have a question ... actually I have two questions ... hopefully my questions won’t escalate to the point where you have to put a limit on me. I’d hate to be a pest.
First question. I was browsing at a local, um, okay it was PETCO. They were selling those bamboo shoots like everyone has on their desks lately, only they showed them fully submerged in a fish tank. I can’t find any other references to putting bamboo into a fish tank but frankly it looked pretty cool. Soooo ... is this a good idea or just a “PETCO idea?”
Second question. I recently bought a leopard ctenopoma (NOT from PETCO) and while it seems you were fairly unimpressed with them, he has turned into probably the most interesting thing in his tank. He spent his first three days in total hiding in the bristlenose pleco’s cave, but now that he knows that no one is going to eat him he has learned to come to the front every time I pass the tank and he does funny little “feed me” dances. He’s quite charming. I am planning to set up a new tank for him since he will soon outgrow the 15 gallon community tank he is hanging out in (he is already calculating how long it will take for his mouth to get big enough to swallow a danio). I have been researching other fish from his region and in his size range and have come up with Congo tetras and Kribs. Do you have anything to add? Do you think Jewel Cichlids will be too aggressive for the mix? This group will go either into a 40 or 55 gallon aquarium.
Thanks for your great website -- I really appreciate the humor -- and any advice you might be able to give me.

A1: You needn’t apologize for going to PETCO. It can happen to the best of people. I would think lucky bamboo superior to most of the “bog plants” that people buy. And many people have better luck with bog plants than they do with aquatic plants.
A2: Well, I’m upgrading my thinking on the various ctenopoma at this time. I’ve got four types going right now. I like the congoensis best -- probably because they’re larger. The nobles seem the weakest. My ansorgeis are shy. Actually, all are shy. The leopards are spose to be the meanest of all the ctenopomas. I can’t give you any concrete advice on best tank mates because I haven’t kept them for an extended period yet. Kribs and Congos should be fine -- especially in a large tank. LA

Samantha Nomann, Iowa, September 14, 2005
I was wondering, do you know how to ship a green iguana that’s a foot long? It will be going to Kentucky next day delivery. How do your iguanas get shipped to you? We got the iguana from Aqualand. Thank you,

A: Tear up several sheets of newspaper. Stuff them and your iguana into a cloth sack (like a pillow case). Put the sack inside a cardboard box. Add no food or water. Poke a pencil thru the box in several places. Seal, label, and ship. LA

Karen Sue, September 14, 2005
Thanks so much for this one page. How to breed corydoras catfish with pictures I so enjoyed the pictures and it helped me to figure out if I had successfully got them or not. I had baby corys before and a friend gave me some decorations she had in her tank and it killed them all. They had grown so big and the parents died too along with other fish. Slate! That was the killer.
This time, as soon as she laid the eggs, I removed all the fish except the cory fish and sure enough I watched and I now have 3 I spotted this morning. I put decorations back in and can not wait till the babies reappear. Thank you so much for a great web site and the pictures helped me a lot. It made it easier for me to know what I was looking for this time around. Thanks

A: You are welcome. LA

Kyle Stillings, Wisconsin, September 14, 2005
I saw your article on Dermogynus pusillus and I was wondering if you know of any links to where I could get some of these guys? I have looked all over for weeks and haven’t found anything yet. I am pretty much looking for the white version of Dermogynus pusillus but any information would be MUCH appreciated.

A: I get mine from a wholesaler in Chicago (APET). They truck to nearby states. They list them as small albino Celebes half beaks. As you can see from the pix, they are neither albino nor Celebes. However, they are also not expensive. LA

Steve Wechsler, DMD, September 14, 2005
What a great web site! I have a 75 gal brackish tank w/ scats, monos, chromides, archers, black-fin silver sharks, and sailfin mollies. SG 1.005-1.010, pH 8.2. I've seen Java lance fern listed as one of the few plants appropriate for a brackish tank, including your site, but my tank is very brightly lit. Are there any other plants (preferably low maintenance) you’d recommend? Thanks

A: Plastic! Seriously tho, your scats are well known greens grazers. They might even eat the Java fern. If not, the fern will carpet (over time) your driftwood. Cut the light back on one end of your tank and try it. What the heck is a DMD? LA

Steve Wechsler, DMD, September 14, 2005
DMD = dentist
Thanks for the tip.
2nd question: I need a water clarifier (floculator?) suitable for brackish. Most products say not suitable for either fresh or marine. Which am I closer to in this regard? In spite of having washed my crushed coral gravel very thoroughly when setting up my tank a year ago, the water surface still has a coating of white silt, especially after a water change and gravel siphoning. My 30 gallon never had this problem, I think because I had an under-gravel filter and the silt would settle below the plate. My 75 gal has an Eheim Pro II 2028.
Thanks again

A: I consider brackish much closer to fresh than marine. I would think that aluminum sulfate (alum) would work as a flocculant, although I’ve never tried it in brackish. To get rid of the floating silt as you call it, lay a sheet of newspaper on the surface (briefly) and remove it. Repeat if necessary. Capillary action and adhesion should cure your floating silt problem. LA

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We would be very grateful to hear from you soon A: Feel free to use the photo free. Just credit my website. I can always use more German readers, especially if they’re as fluent in English as you. LA Tan Ming Kai, September 1, 2005 I would like to know what is the natural habitat of flower shrimp? Is it swamp or forest stream? And, will crabs, barbs, spiny eels be a threat to them? A: I really don’t know what their specific origin was, but they do filter bits out of the water, and they love fast moving water. Most underwater crabs are a threat to anything they get close to. Most smaller barbs would ignore them. Tigers might pester them. And large barbs would probably snack on them. I doubt spiny eels would bother them. LA Epiphone, September 1, 2005 Can you send me a picture of what a male fire bellied toad breeding pads look like please? A: Actually, I’ve never taken that particular picture. If I catch a couple in amplexus in the near future, I’ll take a stab at trying to photo the male’s hands. LA Brandon, Iowa City, IA, September 1, 2005 Thanks again for your help with my previous questions. This is probably one you get a lot: I have a 7 gallon Eclipse hex with 2 small African cichlids, and 1 remaining feeder guppy (they sure did take care of them in a hurry). I am having problems with ammonia buildup. I feed them only floater foods, so not much should be in the gravel. I use a siphon once a week when I do my 1/3 water change. My ammonia levels stabilize for a day then shoot right back up. Not too toxic, but both fish have their dorsals and pectorals close against them unless you spook them. Is there something I can use to get rid of the ammonia or prevent it? Something I’m overlooking? I use Ammo Lock 2 probably once a week between changes, but it seems like I just can’t keep up with the buildup. Short of bi-daily water changes, what would you recommend? I have heard of ammo-chips, but I don’t know that I can use them with my all enclosed Eclipse filter system. Any suggestion is very appreciated. Thanks again, Also, what will your hours be over the labor day holiday weekend? A1: Easy answer first. We are always open 10 am till 2 pm on all holidays. A2: Seven gallons is really not big enough for African cichlids. You (and they) will have nothing but problems in such tiny quarters. You will wind up with one or possibly even none. A3: If you are using a Nessler reagents ammonia test kit, you will not get a correct ammonia reading. You need to use the salicylate test kit. Yes, it does cost more but it works. I never use Ammo-Lock 2, so I’m not familiar with how it works, but most ammo-removers will give a false reading on most test kits. A4: You didn’t say how long your tank was set up, but if it was over two months or so, you probably don’t have an ammonia problem. If you did, the Ammo-Lock 2 detoxifies it. You do have a space problem. LA Kim & Trent Powell, Des Moines, September 2, 2005 Hello, it’s Kim and Trent. Remember us? We found the giant Sulcata Tortoise walking down the street on the south side. Well, after one week of living with the tortoise there are a number of reasons (mainly the baby) we’ve decided we would like to try to find him a home. He is a very friendly guy. When we were in the store last weekend you mentioned another pet auction and the possibility of you taking him on consignment for us? When is the next pet auction, and do you think this would still be an option for finding him a home? Any other ideas? A: Mike and Rick will have a table at the IHS Reptile Sale. We’ll be glad to broker your tortoise for you. Call us at 283-0300 after 10 am and we’ll work out the details. LA Kevin Powers, Iowa, September 5, 2005 I started keeping cichlids a few months ago and seem to have had some success with my Saulosis breeding. I’ve got approx 28 fry right now that are about 1/3 of an inch and a couple of other females holding. I’ve been told that you are one of the few stores in the area that will purchase/provide store credit for fish. Are these something that you’d be in the market for? How many and how would we go about this? Also, I’ve got Kennyis in the same tank (1m/2f) and I’ve been debating changing them out due to the level of aggression and getting some Rustys and Pearlmutts to take their place to give a little color variety and tone down the aggression level. Thanks in advance for your response on the fry and any insight you might have on the swap of Kennyi for the Rustys and Pearlmutts. A: We can nearly always take cichlid fry, but they have to be at least an inch long. The larger guys (your Kennyis) we can’t take. They would present the same problems in our tanks as your tank. We have ~~plenty~~ too many adult African cichlids. Call us when your salousis reach an inch. We can guarantee you will not get rich from them. LA Jony26246, September 5, 2005 Do you sell tadpoles that turn into red- eyed tree frogs? And if so, how much? A: No. LA Rhonda Rockwell, Okeechobee, Florida, September 6, 2005 I currently own 2 albino oscars. We are moving soon to Georgia. What is the safest way to get them there without loss of life or harm? They are only about 2 to 3 inches. And also, can I house four oscars in 135 gallons of water or is this not a good idea? Thank you so much for your time. A: I’d put them in a white five-gallon bucket with three inches of water from their current tank. Four oscars should work out until two of them decide to pair off. LA Robert L.J. Magyar, Norwich University, VT, Sept 6, 2005 Some of your links appear to be broken -- such as Rudolph shrimp. A: I’m in the process of changing some of the links (214,000). I changed about a third of them over the last couple days. Rudolph works on my end. Check it again and let me know. I’d appreciate it. Thanks. LA Diane, DM area, September 6, 2005 We are going to be moving out of the Des Moines area within the next few months and are in need of a home for a large tiger oscar and a larger sized peacock cichlid. Does your store take fish from homes? If not, do you know anyone in the area that does? A: We are a Sturgeon General approved adoption center for large fishes. We won’t pay for the oscar (since we have a couple dozen), but we will pay for the peacock bass. LA Alex Argiry, September 8, 2005 I see you have several rare pearlscale angelfish varieties pictured including an albino. I have been trying to find even a picture of a Half-Black Pearlscale Veil for some time now without any luck. I know they exist as I remember seeing them at Nienow’s Tropicals about 10 years ago when he was trying to breed them. Sadly his stock was struck down shortly after. If you could shed any light on this variety I would appreciate your help. Thank you A: I can’t help you other than to say that if I see one, I will take a pic and put it on my site. But now that I think about it, I may have seen something close August 13. I didn’t have my camera, so I have no record. But the breeder size angel was from S&M Angels who have several angel varieties. Go to their web site snm-angels.com LA Daniel, September 8, 2005 I have a 55-gallon aquarium with a 5 inch pleco, and a 10 inch gar. I would like to add some type of cichlids to the tank to breed. However, when I tried some angel fish, I came in and found my gar trying to down my angel the third day! I talked to my local fish store and they said that I could add other fish like oscars to my tank. I would like to add Kribs to the tank, maybe three, or four. Would these make good additions? If not could I add two or three convicts to my tank? From your site, I was able to decipher a male krib from a female. But, I haven’t figured out convicts yet. Is it possible to try to put a breeding pair of kribs and convicts in my 55, or is it just adding a little spice to my gar’s appetite? Would it help to feed my needle nose more often to help it resist its will to kill? Thank you very much for this information in advance. LA Female convicts have a gold belly. Note the eggs on the top of the 4" flower pot. A: Add the kribs. Make sure they’re too big for your needle nose to swallow. Female convicts have a gold blush on their bellies. They breed at two inches and start killing everything in their tank at three inches. LA Micah, September 8, 2005 I visit your site all the time, I’m a huge fish, rodent and reptile freak. I was just wondering if you guys were willing to ship animals to me. I’m in Maine. I would buy them full price plus pay for shipping. A: Sorry, Micah. We don’t ship critters or fish -- not even to Maine. LA Tim (code name Malawione), Des Moines, September 8, 2005 Hello Larry, it’s me, Tim. I was asked to see if you would like to be a part of our IAA sponsorship program? We have a couple of fish stores on board out East, but as of yet none around here. I can offer you an ad on our web site. The sponsorship does involve your giving paying club members a 10% discount. I will understand if you are not interested in doing this. I will say that we do have quite a few members now and I would bet that a ton of them would come to club sponsor stores first and foremost...Anyway thanks for your time and please send me a shout about your decision. Your friend, Tim A: I have to decline the 10% discount for IAA members because it discriminates against our other customers. Tell IAA I said thanks for buying my lunch at the last meeting. And thanks to you for dropping off the two boxes of cichlids at Aqualand. I was going to the fair with all my progeny and flat out forgot the fish. Did you get my suggestions for bowl shows (with Aqualand prizes)? Your IAA email contacts all bounced back as non-deliverable except one. LA Butterfly koi, Nathen Hightower Pic Nathen Hightower, Texas, September 9, 2005 If you have the time.. a quick inquiry. I believe this is some sort of carp -- caught locally (central Texas) in a small river with a net. It’s a little over a foot long I believe. The filter tube behind him/her(?) is about an inch in diameter. It seems too be a bit more ornamental than the carp you have pictured, so maybe it’s something else? And besides, I like showing off my fish. Here’s a few pics if you’d care for them thanks for your time. A: It’s definitely a carp -- what most people call a butterfly koi because of the long finnage. Your excellent photo makes it easy to ID. I’ll add it to my koi page with your name on the photo credit. Thanks for the pic. LA Elizabeth Reiter, Urbandale, Iowa, September 9, 2005 I recently moved to the Des Moines area and I’m very eager to visit your store. My boyfriend and I own a corn snake and a pet bunny. You have tons of great info on your site and I could spend hours reading all the great links. I do, however, have some concerns about a few of the things posted under the Bunny link. I own a rabbit and I’m a member of the House Rabbit Society (National & Wisconsin Chapters). Unfortunately, Iowa doesn’t have an HRS chapter so I’m still a member of Wisconsin. Most of your info about rabbits is very accurate and I can see that you are concerned for their welfare, so I just wanted to point out a few things that might help improve the lives of the bunns you sell (if you sell them, as I said I haven’t been in yet!) and the people who adopt them. I hope you don’t find this offensive, because I really do like your site. I just figured with all the great information you’re putting out there that you’d want it to be as accurate and informative as possible! A: Elizabeth sent me quite a bit of info -- enoough to make her own bunny page. So, I decided to give her a page of her own. It should appear on my web site by the middle of the month. LA Clint Johnson, Los Angeles, CA, September 10, 2005 First off, your site is fantastic, and I truly mean it. I will be setting up an African Cichlid tank soon, after not having one for a couple years now. The tank I had was 80 gallons, and had quite a few plants. I love Pictus Cats, and had two in the tank. The problem was, I RARELY saw them except for feeding time when they would fly furiously around the tank, expertly tracking down their food. I keep reading things like “give Pictus Cats plenty of swimming room” and “they are constant swimmers” etc. And when I see them in shops, they ARE swimming in a large group all over the tank usually along the back wall. (Granted most shops don’t take the time to set up some hiding places for them, leaving them no option but to swim around) Other articles say they do hide all day, and only come out at night to scavenge, so I am completely confused. Then I remember that all of the plants I had required quite a bit of wattage, so maybe that light contributed to their hiding all the time during the day (?). So I guess I’d love your thoughts here: Would I have a better chance of seeing them swim around during the day if I bought 3 or 4, and kept the lighting down? Or are they not as active as some folks say? Please understand that any information will be greatly appreciated :) I know you must get hundreds of emails, so I do appreciate any time you can afford to help me out. Thanks so much, and for the great site! A: I would say your plants and lighting had less to do with your pictus catfish behavior than did your African cichlids. Most mbunas will not allow most South American catfishes to live, much less swim about their tank without being skinned alive. Plecos with their protective armor still get their eyeballs plucked out. Most of the synodontis catfishes fare far better in an African cichlid community with the possible exception of the nigriventris upside-down catfish. I would not put any of the various catfishes sold as pictus in an African cichlid tank. LA Ashley May, September 10, 2005 The rat section was absolutely disgusting. The cages looked filthy, they were on pine (which is just as bad as cedar) and several were housed in small tanks! the min sized cage for 2 rats is 24"x 14"-18"x24"! about 99% of pet store food is crap for rats as well, especially the kind that has corn in it, which is just as hard for rats to digest as it is for humans! The condition of the cage is just horrible, I can barely get over it! How can you let an animal live like that? A: Eight of these specially built beauties (30 x 18) with lab blocks in gravity mangers and aspen on the bottom house our rats. LA Tami Sims, Gig Harbor, WA, September 10, 2005 I am running the risk of sounding like a groupie here, but I will say it anyway. I search the web all the time for info on the fish I see or want to buy. SELDOM do I find a good to the point website with OUTSTANDING PHOTOS. I am right brained... I NEED PHOTOS. And not the photos where it looks like a blurry blender drink. This is a note to let you know how much I appreciate your site. My husband is from Churdan, so the next time we visit we will stop by. A: Aw, shucks. LA Shay McQuaid, September11, 2005 I’ve never taken the time to thank anyone for a website before. But yours is exceptional. The reads are great and the info timely and comprehensive. I only wish I was local to you so that I could use your shop! I could go on and on but I won’t...suffice to say: Thank you for your time and obvious love of pets and such. A: Hmm ... two in a row. LA Dave Marquis, Des Moines, IA, September 11, 2005 Hi Larry, it was nice to hear from you. I would like to thank you for the publicity. It’s very kind of you. I would also like to thank you for all your support in the past, donation for the raffle table, gift certificates and such. It’s really great of you and the club appreciates it very much. I checked and was surprised that we do not have a link to Aqualand on our web site due to your ongoing support. I’ll see to it that one is added. Perhaps we could do something on the ads page as well. I noticed at our August fair that we are out of Aqualand business cards. We put them out on the club table for the fairs. I don’t know if it helps business much or not but some of the public do pick them up. If you don’t mind I stop by the shop soon to get a new supply. By the way, our All Bird Show is coming up Oct. 1st. It should be a good show. We are having judges from CA., FL, MA., and MO. They are all from the SPBE. Thanks again Larry. Hopefully I can meet you the next time I’m in the shop, Dave. A: Okay. I put the above info on my home page. If I put it in my October eSpecials, it will already be a fait accompli. LA Jenger Bean, September 11, 2005 EVERYTHING I have read about rodents on that pet store web site is FALSE! NEVER PICK A GERBIL, HAMSTER, RAT, OR OTHER RODENT UP BY ITS TAIL AND NEVER KEEP RATS IN AQUARIUMS!!! A: Everything? My spelling’s pretty good. LA Belinda & Barney Mok, September 12, 2005 We have approximately 100 baby Convicts and was wondering if you are interested in them. Please reply and let us know either way. A: Every time we put a male and female convict together, we also get about 100 baby convicts (sometimes only 50 or 60). So we already have w-a-y more little convicts than we need. LA Wendy Grimes, Kentucky, September 12, 2005 Hello, I was hoping that you could direct me in the right direction with my baby grey squirrel. I have had him for about 7-8 weeks now finding him at, oh, say 3 weeks (eyes still closed age) and we have really bonded. But I am having a hard time getting him off the bottle. He literally screams at me to feed him. He will eat some cheerios, nuts and oats but not enough to get him where I think he should be with the little I could find to read about the subject. Also could you give me some pointers as to when I should release him, or would I have to keep him over the winter. By the way I live in Kentucky. Well, anything you could tell me would be grateful. Another sucker out here for a little critter. Thanks, A: Sounds like you’re stuck with him until spring. When those spring hormones kick in, he’ll be more than happy to get outside and cruise the local arboreal loop. Unfortunately, he won’t fear humans. Do you have a dog or cat? Same deal. You may have to keep him forever. Des Moines ordinances prohibit Des Moiniacs from keeping squirrels as pets. Lots of people find baby squirrels and keep them anyway. Our Iowa DNR also prohibits Iowans from keeping baby squirrels. We still do it. (Most of ours are red.) Just be glad you didn’t find a baby raccoon. Most of them turn into little bears. LA Brandon, Iowa City, IA, September 12, 2005 Thanks again for all your previous help. I seem to have developed small brown patches of algae-looking goo growing on a few places in my tank. I was hesitant to scrape it off, as 1) my tank is acrylic and already has too many scratches, and 2) I have a cichlid that will not eat pellets, flakes or frozen brine, so I didn’t want to cut it off if it was a food source. Do you have any idea what it could be? It seems to be growing on flat (horizontal) plastic plant leaves in ball point pen size dots, and on my driftwood (probably everywhere really). There is also a collection of non-moving bubbles at the top, which survived yesterday’s 30% water change. Fish seem healthy, minus the yellow cichlid that seems to hate all food. Advice? Thank you much in advance. A1: It’s red algae. You can get algae wipers that are safe for acrylic tanks. Check your local fish store. Make sure it says acrylic safe. A2: To get rid of the long-lasting bubbles, lay a sheet of paper on your tank surface for a very brief period. Lift it off before it gets waterlogged. You may need to repeat a couple times, but this should take care of your bubbles. If the bubbles persist, you need a protein skimmer. A3: You have exceeded your one question per month limit. LA Jess McIntosh, September 13, 2005 Your website is disgusting, the way you talk about frogs eating other frogs as if it’s “cool” and your comments about mice, highly unprofessional. Your website should not be biased and should be focusing on providing information to your customers, not your own personal views. Get over yourself. Why you even run a pet shop is beyond me, oh wait, no, it makes money, silly me, obviously that’s more important than the animals you sell. A: It’s my web site so I get to give my own opinion. I even let you express yours. Sorry for keeping this answer so short, but I have to carry all my money to the bank right now. LA Sara B, Portland, Oregon, September 13, 2005 Hey! You know all those hits you have been getting lately? I probably account for, like, half of them. Seriously. Your site has been an incredibly valuable tool in my recent aquarium research. I have a question ... actually I have two questions ... hopefully my questions won’t escalate to the point where you have to put a limit on me. I’d hate to be a pest. First question. I was browsing at a local, um, okay it was PETCO. They were selling those bamboo shoots like everyone has on their desks lately, only they showed them fully submerged in a fish tank. I can’t find any other references to putting bamboo into a fish tank but frankly it looked pretty cool. Soooo ... is this a good idea or just a “PETCO idea?” Second question. I recently bought a leopard ctenopoma (NOT from PETCO) and while it seems you were fairly unimpressed with them, he has turned into probably the most interesting thing in his tank. He spent his first three days in total hiding in the bristlenose pleco’s cave, but now that he knows that no one is going to eat him he has learned to come to the front every time I pass the tank and he does funny little “feed me” dances. He’s quite charming. I am planning to set up a new tank for him since he will soon outgrow the 15 gallon community tank he is hanging out in (he is already calculating how long it will take for his mouth to get big enough to swallow a danio). I have been researching other fish from his region and in his size range and have come up with Congo tetras and Kribs. Do you have anything to add? Do you think Jewel Cichlids will be too aggressive for the mix? This group will go either into a 40 or 55 gallon aquarium. Thanks for your great website -- I really appreciate the humor -- and any advice you might be able to give me. A1: You needn’t apologize for going to PETCO. It can happen to the best of people. I would think lucky bamboo superior to most of the “bog plants” that people buy. And many people have better luck with bog plants than they do with aquatic plants. A2: Well, I’m upgrading my thinking on the various ctenopoma at this time. I’ve got four types going right now. I like the congoensis best -- probably because they’re larger. The nobles seem the weakest. My ansorgeis are shy. Actually, all are shy. The leopards are spose to be the meanest of all the ctenopomas. I can’t give you any concrete advice on best tank mates because I haven’t kept them for an extended period yet. Kribs and Congos should be fine -- especially in a large tank. LA Samantha Nomann, Iowa, September 14, 2005 I was wondering, do you know how to ship a green iguana that’s a foot long? It will be going to Kentucky next day delivery. How do your iguanas get shipped to you? We got the iguana from Aqualand. Thank you, A: Tear up several sheets of newspaper. Stuff them and your iguana into a cloth sack (like a pillow case). Put the sack inside a cardboard box. Add no food or water. Poke a pencil thru the box in several places. Seal, label, and ship. LA Karen Sue, September 14, 2005 Thanks so much for this one page. How to breed corydoras catfish with pictures I so enjoyed the pictures and it helped me to figure out if I had successfully got them or not. I had baby corys before and a friend gave me some decorations she had in her tank and it killed them all. They had grown so big and the parents died too along with other fish. Slate! That was the killer. This time, as soon as she laid the eggs, I removed all the fish except the cory fish and sure enough I watched and I now have 3 I spotted this morning. I put decorations back in and can not wait till the babies reappear. Thank you so much for a great web site and the pictures helped me a lot. It made it easier for me to know what I was looking for this time around. Thanks A: You are welcome. LA Kyle Stillings, Wisconsin, September 14, 2005 I saw your article on Dermogynus pusillus and I was wondering if you know of any links to where I could get some of these guys? I have looked all over for weeks and haven’t found anything yet. I am pretty much looking for the white version of Dermogynus pusillus but any information would be MUCH appreciated. A: I get mine from a wholesaler in Chicago (APET). They truck to nearby states. They list them as small albino Celebes half beaks. As you can see from the pix, they are neither albino nor Celebes. However, they are also not expensive. LA Steve Wechsler, DMD, September 14, 2005 What a great web site! I have a 75 gal brackish tank w/ scats, monos, chromides, archers, black-fin silver sharks, and sailfin mollies. SG 1.005-1.010, pH 8.2. I've seen Java lance fern listed as one of the few plants appropriate for a brackish tank, including your site, but my tank is very brightly lit. Are there any other plants (preferably low maintenance) you’d recommend? Thanks A: Plastic! Seriously tho, your scats are well known greens grazers. They might even eat the Java fern. If not, the fern will carpet (over time) your driftwood. Cut the light back on one end of your tank and try it. What the heck is a DMD? LA Steve Wechsler, DMD, September 14, 2005 DMD = dentist Thanks for the tip. 2nd question: I need a water clarifier (floculator?) suitable for brackish. Most products say not suitable for either fresh or marine. Which am I closer to in this regard? In spite of having washed my crushed coral gravel very thoroughly when setting up my tank a year ago, the water surface still has a coating of white silt, especially after a water change and gravel siphoning. My 30 gallon never had this problem, I think because I had an under-gravel filter and the silt would settle below the plate. My 75 gal has an Eheim Pro II 2028. Thanks again A: I consider brackish much closer to fresh than marine. I would think that aluminum sulfate (alum) would work as a flocculant, although I’ve never tried it in brackish. To get rid of the floating silt as you call it, lay a sheet of newspaper on the surface (briefly) and remove it. Repeat if necessary. Capillary action and adhesion should cure your floating silt problem. 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