LA
Young roseline shark.  Good looking fish.

A:  Sorry, we don't ship fish.  I can tell you that roseline sharks are on the pricy side.  Ciao.  LA

A:  Sure, if you live in the central Iowa area.  You did not indicate where you live in your email.  If you're close, tell me how many you want.  They'll be at Aqualand Wednesday.  They cost $5 each.  Let me know if you want some.  LA

A:  Your gnats are eating the extra food your messy turtles miss.  Their food's getting mixed into your bedding.  The life cycle on most gnats is 10 days (temperature affects the timing).  Throw out your current bedding and use newspapers.  Replace it every four days.  The gnats will starve out unless there's some spoiled fruit in the neighborhood. 
One "better living thru chemistry" option involves one of those Shell "No Pest Strips."  I have no idea how they affect turtles.  We have one in with an iguana.  He seems unaffected.  He's mean but has been since he arrived.  "Mean" usually indicates good health.
Another chemical solution revolves one of the bird cage mite sprays.  Most are pyrethrins or faux versions thereof.  They don't harm birds and should not harm your turtles.
Several of the reptile product manufacturers make a "Mite Off" product that's harmless to reptiles.  It should knock down your gnats.  LA

LA

A:  Tough to answer.  They all get along when small.  Most get along with their own kind as adults.  I've rarely mixed adults of different species.  So, you're on your own.  LA

LA
Handful of mantis egg cases.

A:  Mantis egg cases over winter outdoors.  They freeze (at least around here), they get rained on, and the sun beats down on them on sunny days.  They're pretty tough.  If you want to hatch them indoors, put them in your refrigerator for two or three months.  Yours might be more temperature sensitive than the ones we find in Iowa.  Store your egg case in a sealed jar so your refrigerator doesn't desiccate them.  LA

A:  If you mix your turtle and oscar, your turtle will live.  Your oscar will not.  To save your oscar, change 50% of his water with a Gravel Vacuum.  Add new water with a water conditioner.  Slowly raise his water temperature to 80 degrees fahrenheit and feed lightly.  Repeat the tank cleaning in three days and once per week thereafter.  LA

A:  No prob.  I also want you to email me your second draft.  I'll mark the errors in your English and you can decide which ones you want to change.  For starters:  In English class, always capitalize "English" and the first person pronoun.  I know you guys use quote marks and periods differently, so I won't bother with those.  Let's get an A on this paper.  LA

A:  Still no prob.  We still want a A on your project.  LA

A:  Newly hatched brine shrimp nauplii or microworms would be preferred, of course.  If you can get frozen brine shrimp or other frozen foods don't blenderize them.  Use a straight-edge razor blade to shave very thin slices from the frozen block.  Thaw and feed these micro-shreds to your fry.  LA
PS  If they're eating the pulverized flakes, keep feeding them.  Add snails for clean up.  Do frequent water changes with aged water.
   

Vicki Erickson, MA, February 18, 2007
RE Feb 13 email on ghost knife spawning
I could only get a picture of one baby ghost knife. The other one is hiding. I don't know how old they are, maybe 7 weeks. We never saw them from egg to baby. The big one is the dad.

A:  I don't know.  Perhaps Vicki will see your query and update us.  LA

A:  They run about $45.  Not exactly the cheapest fish in the tank.  We only have one today (11/29).  We won't have more until next weekend.  Treat them like any other barb.  LA

A:  Egg yolk makes possibly the worst fry food ever invented.  IF you can get any of the frozen BRINE shrimp, shave them with the razor blade.  Ditto if you can get frozen blood worms.  LA

A:  Transport your oscar in a half-filled 5-gallon bucket.  Use a battery operated air pump from your local bait house to aerate his water.  I'll let you decide which fish(es) to keep in which tank.  You can always keep an equal-sized plecostomus with your oscar.  LA
PS  You forgot to ask me which T-shirt to wear.  Actually, you can learn quite a bit about transporting by watching any of the Jason Statham training films.  LA

LA
Friendly iguana.

A:  We have one albino and one regular hedgehog at this time.  We have several snakes, lizards, and turtles.  Too many to list.  Call 283-0300 for a complete list.  LA

A:  Domo arigato for your kudos, but it's not really work.  LA

A:  Sounds like diatoms and red algae to me, not bacteria.  Just in case, cut their food in half for a week.  And since, it's more likely two kinds of algae, treat them with AlgaeFix.  LA

A:  If you have a male and a female jewel (your chances are 50/50), you already have a full tank.  Jewels get very territorial when they spawn.  And they're about spawning size.  About all you can mix with them is a pleco (which will likely eat their eggs when you turn off their lights).   LA

A:  I used to breed my own angels, but now I tell other people how to do it (less work than breeding and feeding them myself).  Teeny angels are the body size of a dime.  We don't like teenies.  Small body size is the size of a nickel.  Medium body sizes range from quarter to half-dollar size.   Breeders are at least a year old and are larger than a fake silver dollar (not the fake gold-colored dollars).  LA

A:  I'm assuming Ruby is a water turtle.  You can give her vitamin A thru her food.  You can also find liquid vitamin A you administer via eye dropper right into her mouth.  If you can't find a reptile product, use one of the bird supplemements.  You cannot overdo the water changes on a turtle.  They respond well to clean water.  Try to find the turtle eye wash that Tetra TerraFauna makes.  That will also help.  If you move her heat light closer, you can make her warmer.  Heat always helps.  Crank her up to 90 F to speed up her metabolism.  LA

Lisa Tasker, Manchester, England, UK, November 29, 2008
Hi there, I have just been veiwing your information page on Red Claw Crabs. I just yesterday bought 4 small red claw crabs and put them into a 96 litre tank that has matured for 4 weeks. The temperature currently is at 72 degrees and there is lots of food for them. Last night I noticed that one of the crabs was on its back. Thinking that it had died, I went to take it out but its legs began to move. I put it back into the tank and thought I would just keep my eye on it. A couple of hours later 2 more of the crabs showed the same symptoms -- on their backs but still moving. I have come to them this morning and again the same thing. I can't even find the fourth?? I think it is hidden in the foliage possibly with the same fate.

Is there anything that I am doing that would make the crabs be in this condition so soon after introducing them into the community tank, or are they simply sleeping?

Please can you get back to me with any help and advice that you may have? Many, many thanks in advance.

 

LA
They need access to air.

A:  Your crabs' symptoms sound like they are drowning.  They need access to the surface.  Drop the water level and add some wood or rocks that will let them crawl out of the water.  If this is not the answer, make sure that you've not added any medications.  Many meds will zap invertebrates -- especially those comtaining copper (but others, too).  Email me back if neither of these solutions solves your problem.  LA

LA
 

A:  If he's terrified of tarantulas, I'd probably get him a Pokemon Gameboy.  If you want a tarantula for yourself, the rosehars cost $30.  We have about eight of them.   LA

A:  I haven't had one for a long time.  If I had one, I'd keep it in a well covered tank.  They're nocturnal, so they need no specialized lighting.  This also means you won't see yours as often.  Feed him insects in the evening.  And give him a spoonful of fresh baby food frequently.  He'll need a water bowl and a hide box.  Keep the substrate in his hide box moist.  Add a heat pad at one end.  Handle him very little.  LA

A:  Most water turtles can only swallow in the water.  Although I've seen some red ears break this rule.  You can keep them like a tortoise if you wish, but I'd at least give him a bowl to drink from.  LA
PS  I think water turtles are happier in the water.

LA
Six Indian dwarf puffers, one bumblebee goby and a live blackworm in a two-inch bowl.

A1:  Dwarf Indian puffers will eat your snails and stay small.
A2:  Red algae grows under low light conditions.  Algae helps "eat" your fish wastes.  Bristlenose plecos will eat it.  LA