LA

A:  No.  Crowded blackworms die fairly fast at room temperatures.  They would die before you received them.  They require ice and an insulated container just to make it to Aqualand.  The costs of shipping them to you would be awfully high for a $3 item -- just about equal to driving to Des Moines to pick them up.  LA
PS:  Blackworms are a critter.

A:  Fungus looks like hair growing out of its eyeball.  You probably have a bacterial problem which looks like a cloudy eye.  It usually originates from dirty water.  Start by gravel vacuuming your tank and making a 25% water change.  Repeat tomorrow and then every other day until it clears up.  You probably don't need to medicate.  LA 

LA
Their sex looks more like this.

A:  I'm worried, too.  Take him to a reptile vet.  LA

A:  I'm not much good at post mortems, but you might want to add some fish oil to the survivors' diets.  LA

A:  Certain cichlid fry -- discus, chromides, and pikes -- are "glancers."  That is they eat off the slime on their parents bodies.  I've never seen it in angels and I'm surprized Juliet put up with it.  Add one of the water conditioners to replace her slime barrier.  LA

Kathy Potts, Moultrie, GA, November 11, 2010
Larry, One of the members on the fish forum sent in this picture of her Electric Blue Jack Dempsey with the following info:

ERIN

My EBJD is about 2 inches long and I have had him in my tank since about May 2010. Yesterday AM I noticed that instead of being his normal turquoise color throughout his whole body, he was half very very dark blue and half his normal color. His back half is the dark blue. His fins look little chewed up but he gets in fights with the convict cichlids sometimes, but then he is fine. The water parameters are as follows: pH ~6.8 or 7.0, Nitrites and ammonia 0ppm and Nitrates at around 10ppm. I change the water about 20% about a week ago and have had the light off for about a week due to the brown algae problem which has slowed down. 
The dark blue areas look a little dull compare to his normal color but he is eating and swimming fine. I did notice the temp was around 80 to 79F today. I like to keep it near 78 to 76F. 
 

Ever seen anything like it before or have any input about it?    I know you have seen and dealt with tons and tons of fish?

LA
Very unusual.

LA
Here's another one a couple years later.

A:  I've seen it in paradise fish and half-black angels.  In the angels it's genetic.  In the paradise, I have no explanation.  Ditto the electric blue dempsey.  I doubt that there is a half-black germ.  LA
PS:  I've never weighed my fish.

A:  Okay, I admire your persistence.  I ignored your first letter because I don't see much connection between Aqualand and global clients.  Then I checked out your website and figured you know more about your biz than I do, so what's your pitch?  LA
PS:  I'm not a big PayPal fan.

LA

A:  I'm kind of old at moving mystery snail eggs, but I've never had good luck moving them.  Most fish (except cichlids, of course) won't bother the baby snails.  The baby snails appear to bother the parents (just like people) so I would move the parents.  And don't forget to feed the babies.  LA
PS  Don't run over any buggies.

Amy McArtor, Kalona, IA, November 12, 2010
Thanks for the prompt response. By the way your site is the most informative I've come across. I use the info regularly.
Yikes! do i need to feed the babies something different?? 
I guess I can just fish them out and into another tank when they hatch?
No buggy wrecks lately.... thanks again.

A:  Thanks for the kudos.  Your baby snails will eat fish food flakes and be happy.  It's a lot of work picking out 200 b-b sized snails with thinner than paper-thin shells.  LA. 

A:  Pass out the waterproof cigars.  LA

Amy McArtor, Kalona, IA, Jnuary 18, 2011
Snail update: They grew fast... 100 or so snails in the 10 gallon tank quickly became too many. I took them to Ed Fisher at "Coralville Bay " 
I decided since I had the 10 gallon going now that I would keep it going. A few snails and a maybe a couple of gouramis at some point.  I was reading on your site about under gravel filters and decided to give one a try.  I guess I don't totally understand how they work... maybe too simple for my mind.  The air pumping  pulls the water up from under the gravel and out the tube...correct??? How much water should be flowing out of the tubes at the top?? I have a whisper 40 air pump connected.   thanx

A:  The size of the tube affects the waterflow quite a bit.  Go to Under Gravel Filters for a more complete explanation.  LA

LA

A:  A tiger oscar would provide more activity by trying to eat or pester any of your fish small enough to chase.  Some easy to get along with fish that provide more activity include the many colors in the gourami family.  Lots of color variation at an affordable price.  And they're too big to fit on the menu of your current fish.  LA

A:  Get males and females.  Aggression could be a problem in a 10.  In a 55, no big deal.  LA

A:  Actually, you have trematodes (otherwise known as flukes).  Treat them with Lifebearer or Clout.  Depends upon what you find at your local fish store.  I would take out all invertebrates (snails and shrimp).  An assassin snail could pester a mystery snail but that's about it.  LA

A:  I would treat all the tanks.  Use Lifebearer because Clout will mess up your plants.  LA

A:  I can't say either way.  No problem in birds or we wouldn't have eggs for breakfast.  I'd find a male and put a box of moist sand or vermiculite in her cage.  No male?  Just add the box with substrate.  LA

A:  Why not add both?  LA

A:  Three small lizards are fine.  LA

A:  Sometimes females will "flex" their dewlaps also.  Sex won't make any difference on the house gecko.  LA

LA
Dark surfaces bring out their brown coloration.

A:  If your log is brown. your anole is probably trying to blend in.  You have a wide range of temps so he should be able to find one that suits his needs.  I've found that most do fine at around 75.  He doesn't really need a hide box.  He's more of a "watcher" looking for tasty bugs.  You have a water bowl but he's more of a dew drinker.  Sprinkle him a couple times a day.  Then try not to feed him too many crickets at one time.  Crickets chew on lizards when the lights go out.  LA

A:  Your anole looks quite happy to me.  He's turned brown because of the dark substrate.  I've noticed they usually turn bright green when I grab them and drop them into a plastic bag.  Your cage looks fine.  The only change I would make is to put a background on the back of your tank so you can't see the wires in back.  LA

A:  Likely there is, but I don't know it.  You can probably tell by doing a blood test like they do on birds.  The test would cost much more than your dragon.  LA    

A:  Don't mix them.  Your dragon wll eat your anoles.  LA

A:  Should be a good mix.  LA

A:  The advantage of distilled water is that it's less likely to leave water spots when you sprinkle your anoles.  However, you still need to clean your glass walls because anoles tend to "decorate" the glass with their droppings.  Otherwise, distilled water is a total waste of money.  LA

LA

A:  Actually no.  I have not seen a wolffish for about three years.  We get the electric cats about half the time.  Call 515 283-0300 to see if we have them in stock today.  LA

A:  It won't hurt your plants to have your budgies nibble on them. However, make sure the plants you select contain no toxins.  LA

LA

A:  Canaries usually get "banded" with a little metal or plastic ring that goes around their leg. They usually have a date on them.  I don't think age makes much difference in taming them.  Age does make the males more likely to sing.  LA

LA

A:  You didn't include a picture, but your description fits the patriot crab.  They have several names.  They use their claw for snagging lunch and pinching the crap out of their owners.  LA
More info at:
Patriot Crabs
Patriot Crabs II
Patriot Crabs III

A:  The picture above is from Mongabay.com.  They ID it as Cardisoma armatum.  Same as the patriot crab.  They also call these the pacific crab from Costa Rica.  Treat your crab exactly like the patriot crab and you'll both be happy.  LA

A:  Got it.  You mean the original silver angel.  Give us a call at 283-0300 and they can tell you prices and sizes.  LA

A:  Most retailers pay 1/4 to 1/3 the retail price of their fish.  The chains usually just say NO!  We prefer locally bred angels at Aqualand because they are healthier.  Most angel breeders raise large groups of the same variety.  Retailers prefer smaller groups so they can provide more variety.  Wholesalers offer a variety of sizes and types.  Your best bet is to raise your angels and sell them at the nickel size for $2.  You can't afford to raise them to the 1/2 dollar size.  The public prefers the smaller angels (at least at Aqualand).
Shipping fish is a big problem -- particularly in cold or hot weather.  But, if you want to try it, you have some choice angels and you can show your potential customers what they look like.  Don't sell them cheap.  You have primo angels.  And your packing materials will cost a bundle (plus your time and effort).  I'd say go for it.  LA
PS:  I've made a little chart that tells our wholesaler's prices for today.  The chart will not be included in our Q&As.

LA

A:  We usually stock the little dudes.  Give us a call @ 283-0300 for sizes and prices.  LA

A:  Both koi and goldfish can survive at 44° F if you acclimate them gradually.  If you go from room temp tp 44° F too fast, they're not likely to make it.  Also, don't try it with fancy goldfish.  And when you bring their temp back up, it usually triggers them to spawn.  LA

A:  He is digesting his lunch.  He will go "all around and about" again when he gets hungry.  LA

LA

A1:  Convict cichlid males can be quite rough on the usually smaller females -- especially in a smaller tank like your 10.  In a 55 no prob.  The female may be "hiding" because she's protecting a new batch of eggs.  Anyway, it's a good idea to take him out for a while.  Put him in a bucket even.  This gives her time to recover and regroup.  Leave her in her current home.
A2:  Tortoises prefer defecating in water.  They'll do it every day (depending upon how much you feed them).  Pink in the urine is not a good sign.  You really should have him checked by a reptile vet.  In the meantime warm him up to 85F.  LA

A:  For bottom feeders you can find several Synodontis species.  They will not eat your algae.  Chinese algae eater will eat some algae.  Start with bigger (non-bite size) Chinese algae eaters.  They're usually speedy enough to survive with African cichlids,  Better yet, you can occasionally find various Garra species on the market.  They're usually uglier than Chinese algae eaters (and much pricier).  LA

A:  As long as you do not add small synos or Chinese algae eaters, they do great with African cichlids.  If you add bite-size fish, they will be eaten.  LA