December 21-31, 2009 questions you asked Aqualand

We don't ship critters or live fish.
When writing us, include your location.
LA_Aqualand@msn.com

Braden Cohen, December 21, 2009
Hey, your website is great and very helpful but for the section on mystery snails. I got a medium sized mystery snail and it surprisingly got eaten by my bristlenose catfish. I saw him well what looked liked cleaning the algae from off his shell. But then when my birstlenose catfish curled up into its shell, my birstlenose catfish ripped of the trapdoor thing and started eating him. And killed him.

A: Hmm. Maybe he did do your snail in. Mine have never eaten any snails, but I don't remember mixing the two. I'll drop some snails into one of my bristlenose tanks and see what happens. It's more likely that your snail died before your bristlenose ate him. LA

Victor-Alan Weeks, Atlanta, GA, December 21, 2009

Hello. Probably a week ago, I got a crayfish. At first he was very active and exploring the tank (ten gallon aquarium). Then he started finding hiding spots , but he was still active and eating. Now, there is this cave that he has full control over. He has cleared the gravel out of the cave and scares fish away. He is still eating well, but has stayed closer to/ in the cave. The crayfish is maybe JUST 1 1/2 inches long scaring and pinching tadpoles, a bronze cory, and a full grown female honey gourami. My ghost shrimp stay away from the crayfish, and the crayfish stays away from my pleco. Is all of this behavior natural?

A: Sounds normal except he hasn't eaten all your fish yet. He will. LA

Brad-ski, December 21, 2009
LA, Could I breed my 6-8in male Jack Dempset with my 5in female?

LA
Male dempseys can be rough on females.

A: Probably. Keep your eye on your male. Sometimes they beat up and kill smaller females. LA

Anthony Ingram, December 21, 2009
Hi there, love the site! Just wanted to let you know an interesting experience I had with water lettuce. It grew great in my pond, but upon moving it inside, most of it died away, or so I thought.
I noticed some of my duckweed had begun growing very large, as big as a quarter in some spots. Looking at it closer made me realize it was in fact water lettuce, just very tiny (just like your dwarf lettuce).
When spring comes back around I will put it back in the pond and see if it takes on its large form again. Will update you then. Thanks!

LA
Dwarf water lettuce in full sun earlier this year.

A: Very interesting question. I'll put some of my dwarf water lettuce in full sun (in my front window) again. LA

tatapeachs, December 21, 2009
Hi, I came across your site in doing some research regarding the iridescent shark. I have one now that's at least 9 inches. I'm not 100% sure on his size. http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs264.snc1/9117_1200371379147_1524425867_549384_6516677_n.jpg That picture is from last September and he's at least 50% larger than that now. I'm looking at getting a new tank but I'm wondering if maybe I should just bring him back to the pet store, as they do allow you to bring back fish that have gotten too big. Otherwise, I'm not sure what to do with him. I had no idea that he would get to the size he is, and I'm worried he'll only continue to grow. It's cruel to keep him in a 5gal tank with another fish (albino rainbow) (seen here in a photo taken a couple weeks ago... http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs075.snc3/14248_1267889947069_1524425867_720407_3071554_n.jpg)
Any advice would be great. Thanks!

A: I couldn't access your photos. However, I'm still chuckling about your name. And I'm not sure whether you mis-typed the size of your tank? Did you mean in a 55 instead of a 5? A 5-gallon tank is definitely too small for an iridescent shark. LA

tatapeachs, December 21, 2009
Nope, no mistake on the tank size. It's a 5gal. I'm not sure if I should take him back to the store (it's been over a year), or find him a home by advertising somewhere.

A: Your photos came thru this time. Growing him to 9 inches in a fiver is impressive. Take him back. LA

Aftab Lokhandwala, Pune City, India, December 22, 2009
I have recently purchased a plecostemus, or Sucker fish as we call them here. He is about two inches long. I, however, do not know what species he is. I think he may be an albino, but I cannot be sure. I hope you can help me out here. I am attaching a photograph of my fish. I have kept him with my African cichlids, which are not even an inch long as yet. Thank you.

AL
Chocolate plecostomus.

LA
Albino sailfin plecostomus.

A: Namaste, Aftab. Lots of my customers also call them sucker fish. I guess that's because it's what they do. Yours appears to be a chocolate pleco -- a color variation of the regular pleco. I'm thinking Hypostomus plecostomus. But don't consider me a pleco ID expert. I go by the name I purchase them as. I've been wrong on plecos before. However, most albinos have a red or pink eye. LA

Ross J. Peterson, Montreal, QU, December 23, 2009
Larry, I'm trying to set up a local visit to an importer and breeder named Tropical Fish Service. Two guys who were aquarists set it up maybe a decade ago. They started with killies on the catalogue but on the web it looks like they dropped them and started importing from Vietnam . . probably from an operation run by Czech nationals working out of Asia.

Lately I've bought 3 golden angels from an amateur breeding them in a 'tight', expensive, well organized fish corner of his apartment. I transported them in subzero weather under a big baggy coat in a backpack strapped on like a snuggly baby carrier in front. It went well though I got very odd looks at bus stops, in the Metro (subway), and from my cat.

On Christmas day or thereabouts I will be helping my daughter set up a 20 g at her mother's place down the street. She's 15 and I cannot decide how much to intervene in her choice of critters. We got a complete setup for $90 with good accessories, including a GroLux. Right off the bang she wants to raise a little "Nemo"; thankfully the shop owner helped explain the diff between marine and freshwater to her. But as for letting her mix n match or trying to steer her, that's to come. At a minimum I guess the first tank should be community and avoid obvious conflicts like soon-to-be oversized Oscars, aggressive fin-nippers or my totally nocturnal Raphael. But beyond that I'm not about to go guppy as the ideal starter fish nor suggest only beautiful swimmers like the labyrinth chocolate and three-spots et cetera.We shall see what we shall see.

I had forgotten what a mess feeding frozen brine shrimp and shredding my own beef heart can be with small mouthed angel fish. They're in a decorative, planted aquarium now but if I get a pair they go to a naked tank and I will start syphoning. Probably the tanks with complex decor will get live food and flakes only to avoid too big a mess . . or I will include three carefully chosen sorts of catfish. (But I have yet to find my pick.)

If the LFS visit comes off and if I find anything interesting in the Vietnam import connection, you will be the first to find out.

Have a happy holiday,

A: Many moons ago I was lucky enough to visit Montreal. I liked the way they went underground with their shopping malls. Very practical solution to your weather. The Czechs have come up with some interesting fish, e.g., red angelfish. Nobody grinds their own beef heart anymore. It's too messy and you can find it frozen this century. Go frozen bloodworms. Your angels will love you. Catch you later. LA

Victor-Alan Weeks, Atlanta, GA, December 24, 2009

Hello. I have been reading through your frog pages and have found a slight error. Under the Mountain Chicken Frog you have as threats "volcanoes and chefs", well actually one of their main threats is the recent outbreak of the Chytrid Fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis).

This fungus has killed and infected many frogs and could seriously affect the pet trade with amphibians. So volcanoes and chefs can hurt the species, but this fungus is impacting the frogs way more. Thank you for your time.

A: Thanks. I'll paste your info below what I wrote. LA

Victor-Alan Weeks, Atlanta, GA, December 28, 2009

Hello. I was planning a trip to go to the local pet store (Petsmart) and buy a couple of angels. Just realizing I have a dominating full grown female honey gourami in the tank, I had second thoughts. Is it okay to keep angelfish and gouramis in the same community tank? Will the angels and gouramis bicker back and forth?

P.S. This morning I walked over to my aquarium to find one of my bullfrog tadpoles cuddled up with the crawdad. The crawdad was wide awake inside the cave ignoring the tadpole. The tadpole was alive and swimming in the cave as well. Can tadpoles and crawdads have a "buddy system"? Thank you for your time.

A: Honey gouramis are too small to bully angelfish. Don't worry about them bickering. Their interactions are what makes them interesting to watch. LA
PS Hungry crayfish do not buddy-up to anything. They eat it. He will eventually invite your tadpole to lunch. Probably this evening.

bibisera, Australia, December 24, 2009
Hi -- Sorry to hear about the fates of your chocolate gouramis. I must admit I've been a little luckier. I bought 2 from LFS and they turned out to be a pair. They bred within a few months and although fry mortality was high from the 1st clutch of about 13, 2 survived. The parents bred again in the next month -- fry released into the water the night before the tank was to be relocated into temporary position for floor renovation -- darn! When the renovation started, I lost 1 from the 1st clutch due to relocation
process of the tank. All the fry from the 2nd clutch were retrieved by mum within 24 hours of being moved and kept there for a further 2 weeks until the tank was moved back into original position. Fry were released by mum again within 24 hours of settling in. However, majority did not make it. So far only spotted 1 fry from the 2nd clutch every so often amongst the
floating elodeas. Still have junior #1 from the 1st clutch -- quite a big
"boy" now with lovely markings. Hoping junior #2 makes it as well and maybe even a few more from 2nd clutch. My theory for large loss of fry is, they got to learn to eat quickly. Also hope big brother have not been snacking. I think parents been mating again. Only time will tell.
Tank conditions -- didn't check. Tank is a 3 footer well planted tank. They
love to sleep "upstairs" amongst floating plants but love to hide
"downstairs". In the "new" set-up, the tank only houses the choc gouramis. I think they deserve the real estate.

A: Everyone has better luck with chocolates then me. You can get more surviving fry if you house them in very shallow water (couple inches). Add an airstone. Then feed them newly hatched brine shrimp (hatched daily) and microworms. Add a mystery snail for clean up. LA

Isaiah Gardner, December 25, 2009
I know you don't ship items but could I buy some Christmas moss?

LA
Matt Helgeson's 75-gallon tank.

A: Sorry, Isaiah, I don't have any Christmas moss. However, I know some one who does. I'll try to talk Matt out of a chunk and send you some later. It's a little cool here lately. Email me again in March. LA
PS If you just want the regular Java moss, ditto in March.

Addendum December 29, 2009

LA

Well, look what I found yesterday in one of my tanks. Email me in March. LA

Peta Hewit, Australia, December 26, 2009
First off, thanks for all the info and pics you've provided on this site. We've referenced it often when setting up our tanks.
Perusing your other animal fact sheets I'm happy to see you also have my fav lizard: blue tongue skinks. I hope you won't mind me adding and clarifying a bit of info on it for you.
You have them listed as originating in New Guinea. Apart from one subspecies "Tiliqua gigas" all blue tongues are found in Australia. I live in Geelong which is south of Melbourne. Eastern blue tongues (olive coloured with dark bands) are very common lizards here and I sometimes find wild ones living in the back garden. A little north in the high country I have caught many blotched blue tongues which are various shades of grey and spotted instead of banded.
I adore these snarky, easy to keep, not so little guys. They are almost mandatory for any local reptile keeper to have a blue or two. They are also very cheap to purchase being so common and easy to breed.
My absolute favourite sadly you don't have listed. Which is a pity as I think they are the number one best lizard to have as a family pet. It's a very special member of the blue tongue family 'Tiliqua rugosa' known locally as the 'shingle back' or 'stumpy tail'. These guys are truely gorgeous. If you ever get the opportunity to own one please do. You won't regret.
Basically the shingle back lizard is a very large fat variety of bluetongue which has scales that resemble a closed pine cone. It has a short fat stump tail for storing excess fat. It uses its tail defensively as the tail looks vaguely like its head, thus confusing predators about which end to grab. It gapes and sticks out its wide blue tongue as a defensive threat like other blue tongues but it isn't nearly so grumpy and almost every specimen I've come across handles easily. It's also big and sturdy as an adult so a good lizard for younger kids to handle with supervision of course. There is also something very cute and 'teddy-bearish' about its face. lol
My fav stumpy did not have an enclosure to live in. He was such a mild mannered guy I just left him to wander about the house as he pleased. I could usually find him by following the time of day. (He'd be sun basking in particular window spots where the sun was shining through.) At night he would make his own way to a box on my bedroom floor with a hole cut in the side and stuffed with shredded newspaper where he would sleep. he had an uncanny intelligence for a lizard. He'd appear at the kitchen door when I was preparing meals and wait for me to give him food. I've never had another reptile who knew to do that.
I haven't bred stumpies but I had one gravid female which I bought because she was covered in tics and the shop owners didn't act on my advice to remove them. (I paid the U.S. equivalent of $35 for her.) She dropped 3 fat little live born a month later. Local breeders tell me they have between one and three live born, normally two which are quite big for new born reptiles. The adults tend to be monogamous and fairly faithful to each other breeding season after breeding season.
I've attached a couple of googled photos. The second shows a newborn stumpy next to it's mum so you can see they're a pretty decent size at birth.
Thanks again for providing a wonderful site. I hope you enjoy this bit of info about my fav lizards.

Tiliqua rugosa

A: Thanks for your input from the Land of Oz. You'd be amazed at how much more your "wild life" costs over here. Can you give me the source of your photos? I need their permission before I can add them to my blue tongue page. Thanks. LA

Robert Pierce, Texas, December 26, 2009
Hello, I have a dojo loach in my tank of guppies. Somehow I’ve managed to raise guppies like I’ve never seen in stores before, So the idea is to promote the future propagation of their unusual colorfulness and finnage (is that a word?). There are a couple of them that literally look like fire going across the tank. They’re very “line bred” I got them from my aunt and uncle who had a guppy explosion, they all started from 2 guppies, now there’s over 200 between our two tanks.
I’ve gone off on a tangent. The reason I’m writing is to ask if the darned dojo is going to eat the guppy fry or somehow inhibit them. Their breeding has seemed to cease since I got them. Over half the females look pregnant but there’s never any fry.
Now I need to go re-re-arrange my cichlid tank. My yellow bullhead just jerked half the artificial plants up. I have more trouble with him tearing up plants than I do with the Oscars in the tank. Determined little fellow will pull on them till they come up.
Thank you so much. Your site has been unbelievably helpful since I’ve found it a couple months ago

A: Yup. Your dojos will eat your guppy fry day and night. LA

Pete Lee, December 26, 2009
Hi, I love your website! I have a few questions?

1) Does a parakeet/budgie need any kind of material to sleep on or does it just sleep on perches?

2) Also, could you feed them crickets?

3) Something about fish but I forgot, so that's all the questions I have.

A1: They sleep on perches. But when caring for their eggs, they sleep in their breeding boxes.
A2: Birds with pointed beaks will eat bugs. Hookbills pretty much stick to seeds, vegetables, and fruits.
A3: 10-4. LA

Tony Terrell, VA, December 26, 2009
Hi I am from Virginia and I love your website. I have just finished reading about the peacock bass and have a question. Where could I buy one of these fish? Thx.

A: We sell them at Aqualand about one-third of the time. They're not rare. Your local fsh store can probably get them for you. LA

Chris Affinati, Schenectady, NY, December 26, 2009
Hello, A while ago I mentioned I had some fry in my 10 gallon guppy/platy tank. I now have babies in my 55 cichlid tank. I just found 3 of them about 3 weeks ago. I figured out who the mom and dad are. Now there is just one baby but I think the parents are having a new batch. The father rearranged some rocks and dug out a few caves which the mom spent quite a bit of time inside. He kicks the crap out of anyone near these caves. The original baby can usually be found hiding somewhere in the vicinity as well. How long will his aggressive behavior continue because a few of his other companions are looking kind of beat up? I haven't seen any new eggs or anything and I can't tell if momma scooped them up or not but she seems to eat fairly well and is not getting picked on by the others. Also, in a crowded 55 would it be reasonable to expect at least a few babies to survive to adult age? I have done some of my regular gravel vacuuming but don't really want to mess up the home they created. I just worry about not keeping the water as clean as it should be, and I'm afraid if I scare the baby out of hiding he will get swallowed. Any suggestions?
I know it's only one question a month and I have already asked several but my other question is along the same lines. I got 5 kribensis for my 10 gallon tank. 2 albino and three regular. Two of the regulars decided they liked each other and have been super aggressive towards everyone else. It has been at least 3-4 weeks and the female's belly is very crimson and has been since about day 2 after my purchase. How much longer will their courting go on, or is it like an indefinite thing? The odd 3 out are forced to hover at the water's surface. And now that I think about it, most of the other fish are forced to do the same. Even the corys get picked on by the breeding pair. If they actually have the babies will they mellow out some and how long exactly should this whole process take?
Thanks as always,

A: The pair's aggression will not decrease when their babies hatch. They will get more aggressive. There's no way to set a specific time on any species' breeding schedule. Temperature, diet, and environment affect their activity, as does their size and age. You need patience. LA

Isaac F., December 27, 2009
Just something I noticed on your website, thought you would like to have some more information LA.
On your Snapping Turtle page, you have listed that you cannot have a snapping turtle "alive" in the state of Iowa and you say below one of your pictures "Sorry, you can't keep snapping turtles in Iowa."
If you legally buy one from a dealer/breeder you can own them as pets. Also the law in Iowa states that as long as you have a valid Iowa fishing license you can have up to 100 pounds of live turtles, or 50 pounds "dressed", either common snapping, softshell or painted turtles caught from the wild. If you purchase an additional license you can have an unlimited amount of live turtles.
http://www.iowadnr.gov/fish/regulations/turtle.html
http://www.iowadnr.gov/license/commercial.html
Here is a link to the illegal turtles to have in Iowa without a special permit.
http://www.iowadnr.gov/wildlife/files/wildinfo.html
Just FYI.

A: Hey, thanks. I read IDNR's website and their printed regulations. You are so right. I'll add your correction to my snapper page. LA

Andrei Teo, Singapore, December 27, 2009
Hi, I have learned a lot from your website. And again I would like to thank you for the advice on Java ferns for my fighting fish. Now they are happy swimming about in their tanks. I own 2 red eared sliders, one male named Tardy, another Snapper. Tardy kind of sticks his privates out, and it got bitten by snapper. So this happened a few times, but I noticed the biting and all till I saw what actually happened. I thought it was having a period (didn't know tardy was a male).
So today (December 27, 2009) I had just finished cleaning their tank and 15 minutes plus later, the water turned like a brown green and there was like bubbles that should not be there. So did what I mentioned above happen again or is there an infection? They are eating well. Tardy and Snapper act like nothing ever happened. What happened? And another thing, they are always fluttering their claws like they are doing a mating dance? They are always checking each other's butts. They seem to be in heat. Please assist me on what I should do and what is happening. Thank you
I have a pet crayfish. I have been feeding it with fish food, but it doesn't seem to be eating it. But it is still surviving for quite a while. My question to you is, what is it surviving on? And I have tried tubifex worms, but they are too messy and not always available. Tried feeding cabbage too, but nothing seems to work. So what should I do? Will it be safe, if I put the crayfish with my fighting fish? Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

A: Sounds like your brown/green water probably emanated from an errant bubble stream from beneath your under gravel filter. Your fluttering claw report definitely sounds like pre-mating ritual. Crayfish love fish food. His mouth is in his chest. Watch closely. LA

A.J. Ferino, Brooklyn, NY, December 27, 2009
Dear Sir or Madam, I will be getting a young (not hatchling) Garter Snake this upcoming week, and I would like to ask a few questions about feeding. The store that ordered it for me claims that they eat exclusively live food, but both your website (which I love, btw) and the forum I frequent said that they should have no problem taking dead fish or even pieces of fish. I prefer not to feed live, even to my Bichir and Newts (although I know it comes with the territory sometimes). I figured that since most retailers feed them live Goldfish, that dead Goldfish or Silversides would be readily accepted. What do you guys think?

LA
Say adios to Mr. worm.

A: Garter snakes will eat dead fish. They actualy prefer earthworms. LA

A.J. Ferino, Brooklyn, NY, December 27, 2009
Thanks for the reply! I wanted to mention that I love Aqualand Pets Plus website, and I'm even well known for browsing the site in school. You guys have my dream jobs, haha...

A: Excellent. Next time you're in Des Moines, drop by and I'll let you clean a few dozen aquariums. LA

Skydin, December 27, 2009
Hi, I found the info on the site useful. I have a few glass lizards, and I've been looking for days for live captive-bred (no parasites) snails, but to no avail. It's an important part of their diet. Would you sell and mail some to me? Then I could create a habitat for them and feed a couple a week to them. I'm sure they could be made to survive the trip. Thanks

A: I've usually got snails up the Wazoo (a small river in northwest Iowa) and will send you some for free (plus postage and handling). However, it is below zero here once the sun goes down. Email me again in March. LA

Skydin, December 27, 2009
They will eat water snails, but from what I heard terrarium snails carry parasites. I kind of meant terrestrial snails o.o Are they just like the round kind stuck on the inside of terrariums? Or do they actually have more of a body. Thanks,

A: I'm not sure what you mean by terrarium snails, so I can't answer your question. They will be ramshorn snails like the ones above.. LA

Skydin, December 28, 2009
Thanks, and Happy New Year :)
p.s. Do you know anyone who sells Scheltopusiks in the U.S.?

A: I don't know anyone who sells Scheltopusiks. And come to think of it, the snails I will send you will be water snails. Will glass lizards eat water snails? LA

ntvper, Albuquerque, NM, December 28, 2009
Love your site always have always will great information.
noticed on your tarantula page and a side bit of info that you put in about and I quote "Provide Water. Keep a small water dish in their cages. Tarantulas expire very quickly when kept without water. (Forget that nonsense about them living in the desert.) " Not true. I live in Albuquerque, New Mexico and where my dad lives in the area we call a high mesa also being a desert Tarantulas abound. Granted their not fancy pet store tarantulas but yes the desert does have them and they do live here.

A: I didn't mean it was nonsense that they live in the desert. Many do. I meant don't expect them to live without a water source. Desert tarantulas live in burrows and exist on the dew that occasionally occurs. They need a water bowl in captivity and a weekly misting. LA

ntvper, Albuquerque, NM, December 28, 2009
On your misc frog page V with the caption (On the glass they look like this -- not peepers. No clue as to species. They're from Kansas.) I noticed a pic of what might be a typical Spadefoot Toad. The only difference is I have never seen mine ever climb the glass. I claim to be no expert no matter how many species of frogs and toads I have kept over the years. But the markings do match.

A: I couldn't find the comment on Misc Frogs V. Give me some more clues and I'll add your comment to the right page. LA

ntvper, Albuquerque, NM, December 28, 2009
http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Frogs,%20Misc%20V.htm tenth picture down from the top markings similar. Here's a page with a couple pics of the type I've seen here. Maybe they''ll help. http://www.californiaherps.com/noncal/southwest/swamphibians/pages/s.m.
stagnalis.html

A: Okay, I see which ones you see. They're not spadefoot toads or any type of toad. They are frogs from Kansas. LA

Bri McCloud, TN, December 28, 2009
I recently got a marine hermit crab. Well I picked him up and brought him home. I have the basics down, saltwater, aerate the tank, but I'm having a lot of difficulty finding information on the marine variety. Everything I'm finding is land crab. Can you help me? Thanks!

A: Don't sort for "hermit crabs."
Sort for:
"marine hermit crabs"
"ocean hermit crabs"
"saltwater hermit crabs" LA
PS Most marine hermit crabs are very destructive in a saltwater setup. They eat any thing they run across.

Bri McCloud, TN, December 31, 2009
The crab I have is by himself in a one gallon critter keeper. He doesn't move much even when we put blood worms in with him. I'm doing my best but I'm still flying blind. Thanks

A: Saltwater critters are much more sensitive to water parameters than freshwater organisms. You probably need a 10-gallon or larger habitat to filter it successfully. If you can talk to a real life saltwater retailer in person, you will get better info than surfing the web. Said retailer will probably want to test your water for starters. You may be ahead to consider a new lower maintenance pet. LA

Phounthavy Sounavong, December 28, 2009
Hello I need to buy some Indian almond leaf. Do you have it? And how much does it cost?

A: We have it in different sizes. Call 515 283-0300 for details. LA

Phounthavy Sounavong, December 29, 2009
It doesnt matter about the size. I want your cheapest price. Don't need to be fancy leaf you know.

A: $6. LA

Phounthavy Sounavong, December 29, 2009
how many leaf is for 6 dollar

A: We have it in different sizes. Call 515 283-0300 for details. LA
PS Call 515 283-0300 for details.

BOB, Virginia, December 28, 2009
Hi Larry, That was an excellent article that you wrote about hand feeding baby birds. Very nice pictures to go along with the info. In your article you wrote this at the end:

"Last Words. We don't recommend taking your hand-fed bird outside. We live in peregrine falcon territory. One of our customers was relaxing on his deck with his tame quaker parrot enjoying the evening breeze. Suddenly a peregrine swooped down and absconded with his quaker parrot." LA

That warning couldn't be more true for my area too. Except our problem bird isn't so much a falcon but a pesky red tailed hawk instead. A hawk was chasing after a pigeon that slammed into my apartment door, dazing and nearly killing the pigeon. The hawk then grabbed the pigeon and flew to the top of my two story apartment building and had dinner. This happened about a month after I sent you the article I wrote on nandays. So now, Kiwi the nanday conure stays inside. I have worked with a red tailed hawk before in a large pen and used to hand feed him dead rats. The hawk would eventually fly to me on command and land on my hand. I did this barehanded but was amazed at how much grip these birds have and ended up using gloves. So even if I could fend off an attack on Kiwi from a hawk; the grip from the talons would probably kill him. It just isn't worth the risk. Kiwi now stays inside. Have a happy new year!

A: Yup. You gotta watch out for all those raptors. Even owls can occasionally grab a little dog let outside to check out the trees. LA
PS sorry I didn't write back about the snow. Our puny 16 inches seemed dwarfed by reports from around the country. And our snow looked unimpressive against my white house and white garage.

Matthew Dagenais, Windsor, Ontario, December 29, 2009
I'm having some trouble getting info on Red Bellied piranhas. My fish recently spawned and the eggs never hatched any real reason why? Also I'm looking for alternatives to comets. I'm under the impression that pinkies, beef heart, and calf liver are OK to use, but after reading your site I'm not sure. Excellent site I enjoy the ribbings towards the laws. There were two cases of piranhas caught in the Detroit river over the last 10 years. At this climate in those waters, yeah, right. Any help would be great and I will keep checking your site.

A: Any place with lakes where Les Portageurs' pine-pitch sealed canoes fell apart is way past a tad too cold for piranhas. The legislators that outlawed piranhas evidently watched James Cameron's Piranhas II -- The Spawning. It was a sad movie. Many of the piranhas died at the end. Anyway, piranhas spawn fairly readily in a large tank. They will spawn for you again. You'll get hundreds of eggs. Provide a large "mop" of nylon yarn for them to spawn in. They will protect their spawning site and eggs. Do not extract the egg-filled mop bare-handed. Treat the fry like any other tetra fry. Keep them well fed or they will eat each other. LA
PS The Windsor nobs I've met are a partying mob.
PPS Oh, yeah, back to the food. Pinkies cost too much. Liver is incredibly messy. Beef heart's okay as are goldfish. Supplement with krill. Most piranhas learn to eat cichlid pellets. The inch-longers prefer pellets.

Victor-Alan Weeks, Atlanta, GA, December 29, 2009
Hello. I have a female green anole in my terrarium and the local pet store does not sell green anoles. Would it be fine to buy some brown anoles instead?

A: Try to limit your questions to one per month. If it's the brown anole with a stripe down its back (sort of a bunch of little xxxxs, I wouldn't mix the two. What complicates your question is that green anoles turn brown sometimes. LA

Stacey Baker, December 29, 2009
Hi, I have had my iridescent shark for 7 years now. I bought him as a baby and he was around 2-3 inches long at the time. He is now around 14 inches long. He is my baby :D I have him in a 55 gallon tank with some guppies and other small fish. He is a gentile giant. He started getting a few lumps on him, and I was worried it was a tumor. However they opened up and I found out they are ulcers. I am getting some meds from the fish store that I bought him from mailed to me. I love my shark, he is part of my family. It bothers me so much to know he must be in so much pain. He has more bumps on him now and I know they are going to burst open soon. I hope the treatment works and should have it in a couple of days. I've included a few photos of him. I also agree with others who have written in, he has his own personality. He doesn't care for me cleaning the tank, however he lets me touch him when I just put my hand in. I'm really worried about him, some may think it's foolish to care so much about a fish. When you have cared for something for 7 years, how can you not care and love them? :D

A: Iridescent sharks remain at the top of my favorites list -- inspite of the fact that some in the hobby are trying to ban them. Let me know if the treatment works and what it is. LA

Michelle Bright, December 30, 2009
My frog was doing fine since we got it. Then one day I went to the pet store to get more crickets and they were out. The lady told me they love mealworms too. So I took those until they got more crickets. Melbourne ate them like crazy at first, then became very uninterested. We have gotten 2 bags full of crickets since, and he won’t eat any. Last week, he was being lethargic and so I picked it up and force fed him a cricket. Then like a little baby, he spit it back out. So I don’t know what to make of this. I don't want him to die, but my husband is SURE he will be gone before I get home tonight (12/30/09) What did I do wrong? And is it too late to help him?? Thanks,

A: Melbourne (and other frogs) can last several days without food. From his name I'm deducing he's an Australian tree frog. Sounds like he's full of undigested food. I'd start by warming him up six or eight degrees to speed up his metabolism. LA

Michelle Bright, December 30, 2009
Okay.I will call my husband right now to do that. Umm, what is the best way to do that?? We have another frog, same kind but much bigger..Sydney.

A: Sydney, another clue that he's an Australian tree frog. Go to your LFS (local frog store) and get an under cage reptile heating pad. One that heats into the 80s. Or fill a quart jar with water and add an aquarium heater. If you have at least three inches of water, you can use one of the submersibles. You can set the specific temperature you want on them. LA

Michelle Bright, December 30, 2009
Okay..thank you. How did my names give it away?? LOLOL

A: Just a lucky guess. Now, get back to your donuts. LA

Michelle Bright, December 30, 2009
HA ha ha..I work at the Corp office in Ankeny..Facilities Maint. We don't do donuts..we do candy! LOLOL Thanks again for everything.

Michelle Bright, January 4, 2010
Hi Larry. I don’t know if you’d remember me, but I have the “Australian Frogs” Sydney & Melbourne.
Well, Melbourne didn’t make it. I emailed everything you said to my husband and he did it right away, but I guess on Friday it was over. He was gone before I even got home from work.
Thanks for your help. I hope you had a great holiday weekend.

A: I remember you like it was only last year. Sorry that Mel didn't make it. LA

Tony Halsey, Oklahoma. December 30, 2009
Hi there, I was wondering where I could find water dogs? I did notice that you do not ship live critters. If you don't mind, can you tell me how to find them or how I can find a place or what to look for to seine for them? Thanks, Tony

A: I get mine from Nebraska. They are sold only in units of 50. They usually convert to salamanders within three months. Your best bet for seining: a local farm pond with very few fish. LA

Tami Klinefelter, Brandon, MN, December 30, 2009
Hi, I just got a male fiddler crab from Wal-Mart. We asked questions with the associate in the department and were confident with our purchase. But now after doing lots of researching online, no so much. It was in a freshwater set-up with tetras (red eye), so what do I need to do? I put it in a small tank with rock and filled it with water. I read that the fiddler crab should be in a salt water set up with sand or gravel? How and where do I need to start? I am lost and confused, can you help me? I spent hours researching and still am not sure on what needs to be done. Is it true that if I keep it in a freshwater set-up that it will die in a few weeks? Is freeze-dried shrimp okay to feed it? Can I put it in my larger 55 gallon freshwater tank with a variety of schools of tetras, a couple of catfish, a plecostomus, and one goldfish (the goldfish my daughter won from her 4th grade class three years ago and was told that it would not live this long)? Please any help and advice would be appreciated.

A: Most crabs sold in pet stores are captured from brackish water areas -- really weak salt water areas. Add 2 or 3 teaspoons of salt per gallon of water. They need access to land or they will drown. Do not put yours in your 55. He will drown. He will eat whatever you give him. I'd feed one of the commercial crab foods. Crab foods have more variety than the FD shrimp. LA

Kim Smith, Longview, TX, December 31, 2009
NICE PAGE!!! You have wonderful pictures and information. Because I am a newbie…and cheap, I want to confirm what I read.
I make “caves’ for my Cichlids out of landscape rock…works very well..and instead of grinding the rock to cover the glue, I was thinking about vermiculite. Is it ok in my Cichlid tank? I also have a lot of plants, so I want to make sure all will co-exist. I have attached a picture of the cave I just finished for the new “baby” tank.
Thank you!!
Note -- I was planting plants, so it is a bit cloudy messing in the substrate. I also have mussels and snails in there with the baby yellows

A: I'm happy to hear from fellow cheapies. Pothos will work underwater for a while, but it's really a land plant. Adult African cichlids love to shred plants. Pothos will survive with baby fish. Your dracaena in the pot in the back will last much longer. I would keep vermiculite out of any cichlid tank. They would continuously stir up minor "dust storms" of vermiculite. Most cichlids will eat/pester mussels and snails. Otherwise, your setup looks and sounds fine. LA

Kim Smith, Longview, TX, January 1, 2010
Thank you for the quick reply. What I believe you saw as dracaena is actually monkey grass. It has been in our goldfish tank for probably 3 months now. Still kicking!
We actually use the goldfish to test everything before the cichlid tanks.
On the vermiculite, I was going to use it to "cover" the glue on the next cave. It would be dusted on and stuck to cover up glue, so the fish couldn't actually dig in it. I completely understand how big of a mess it would be if it were loose.
Thanks again!! Happy New Year!!

A: Excellent. LA

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