March 21-31, 2007 questions you asked Aqualand

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

Saeed Ghavidel, East Azarbayjan, Iran, March 21, 2007
Dear Sir/Madam,

This is Saeed Ghavidel, manager of Nili Aquatics from Iran.

Our special fields are oscars, severums, angels, and flowerhorn cichlids with more than 1,000,00 units annually. This makes us the largest company in our country in these fields

We were importing tropical fishes from Thailand for one year .Since the pricelist of them is not complete and they haven't our favorite fishes we decided to import our shipment from Malaysian companies too. However, we have very deep friendship with our Thailand companies. We became familiar via internet with you. We request you to send us your last pricelist with all charges of a shipment from Malaysia to order our list as soon as we receive it cause now this is our new year and the fish market is very good in Iran and we haven't any time to waste. So if you want to cooperate with us plz send us your last price list right now to consider it and compare it with other companies and choose one of them and order today. I'm very much looking forward to hearing from you a.s.a.p. Warmest Regards,

A: Sorry, Mr. Ghavidel, we do not sell fish wholesale. LA

Saeed Ghavidel, East Azarbayjan, Iran, March 21, 2007
Dear LA, Thanks for your reply. What's your condition of selling and if it's possible plz send me the pricelist of all your products. Warmest regards,

A: I'm sorry. We do not have an Export License. We are not a wholesale outlet. We are a retail store in Iowa. LA

Joe Carrieri, March 21, 2007
With tadpoles of any specie of frog or toad, is there a stage in their development you should start offering them dead insects? OR should I continue feeding them flaked fish food and water plants until they are almost completely developed?

Also, is there anything specific that they should be fed? Is there a place I can find a list of vegetables to feed them as they grow?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

A: With North American frog and toad tadpoles, you can feed them fish food and know that they're eating better than they would in the wild. If you feed them insects that drown and fall to the bottom, they will eat them by rasping them just like they would eat algae. Fish food is easier and less likely to foul their water.
Some frog and toad tadpoles (such as the African clawed frog) are filter feeders. You will rarely see them for sale in a retail store. LA

John Griffin, England, March 21, 2007
Hello LA. I'm just wondering why my female kribensis cichlid keeps digging pits in the corners of the tank. Is it breeding behaviour? Or what?
Thanks

A: Breeding behavior. Give her a cave at the front of her tank, so you can observe. LA

Ron Lubbers, Houston, Texas, March 22, 2007

Are the common name of rubber eels being imported at this time? Would you know of a dealer in Houston, Texas?

Have a good day,

A: As far as I can tell, they are not coming into the country at this time. I don't know any dealers in Houston, even though one of my nephews lives there. LA

Ken Jones, Houston, TX, March 23, 2007
Hi, I was wondering if you guys shipped plants outside of Iowa. I am located in Houston, Texas and would really like to obtain some riccia from you. If this is possible, could you please write back with prices and let me know whether it is grown emersed or submersed. Thank you very much for you time. Yours,

A: We do not ship fish or critters, but we can ship riccia at this time of year. For 10 bucks, I'll send you enough to make you happy. It grows submersed (floating at the surface). LA

Vishal Samboju, Riverside, CA, March 23
My red devil is wild. I just introduced a smaller rd to be his tank mate and possible breeding partner. But when I checked him in the morning, he was barely alive. So I put in a home-made divider to separate them. But the little rd is really messed up. All he could do is barely breathe. He has blood seeping up his top fin, and he is very stiff,
Do you think that he will get better and live. Oh, and also his eyes are clouding up. Are these sign of death? I took pictures, but you can't see them very well so I left them out. Besides that, what would be a good partner to live with a 3 inch red devil? And can Midas cichlids breed with red devils? Thank you for your time

A: The Sturgeon General says your smaller RD is moribund and not expected to live.
You didn't give the size of your tank. The smaller your tank and the longer he has been isolated, the less likely your RD is to accept ANY tank mate. In this decade of the flowerhorn, I'd say RDs can probably mate with any South American cichlid (of the opposite sex) they do not kill. However, RDs are not known for their compatibility. LA

Colin, Stavely, Alberta, March 23, 2007
I have written to you several times in the past and found your advice to be very useful. Anyways, my question is what/how to feed a hillstream loach? It is currently sharing a ten gallon tank with a breeding pair of blind cave fish, the temperature is just over 70, the pH is about 7.0 and has a sand substrate. I originally bought it as an attractive algae eater but it has not touched any of the algae coating the glass or plants. It will also not touch any leftover flake food or blood worms (which are removed). I have not seen it eat since I purchased it several weeks ago, and it is starting to thin noticeably.
If this guy doesn't make it, can you suggest an algae eater/scavenger that will? Would some banjo cats and algae eating shrimp work? Sincerely,

A: Your hillstream loach (see Borneo Suckers) is not an algae eater. They sort thru algae looking for the tiny animals that live in the algae. If you had a bare tank, you could try feeding them microworms. They prefer cooler, fast-flowing water. Banjo cats are not eaters of algae, but they would eat the foods you list when they fall to the bottom. They eat after you turn your lights off. The algae-eating Shrimp will eat some algae but much prefer the fish foods you list. LA

Holly, TN, March 23, 2007
What fish are compatible with unheated goldfish aquaria besides loaches and plecos?

A: Different goldfish strains do best with goldfish. What type of goldfish are you keeping and what is the temperature of your tank? LA

Holly, TN, March 24, 2007
I have a 60 or 70 gallon tank that is room temp. (around 70 degrees) with 7 small fantails and a pleco.

A: Okay, I would recommend these Cool Water Fishes. LA

Steven Broy, March 25, 2007
I've had an emperor scorpion for about a year and have been feeding it crickets. About 6 weeks ago I fed it a large mealworm and I haven't been able to feed it since. I went back to crickets, and it won't even eat those. Did I do something wrong?

A: Actually you did something right. You varied his diet. Crickets are a good food but not a total diet -- especially if it's the only food your scorpion ate for a year. After saying that, I have no idea why he's not eating. I'd try some different insects or even a pinkie. LA

Mike Haare, March 25, 2007
RE care sheet: http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug,%20Scorpion.htm
The guy that wrote this, honestly had no idea about scorpions other than
that he's slightly afraid of them. I am sad to say I am in the same hobby as
him. I'd suggest just removeing the article, and have someone that actually
knows what they are doing write it. Most antonmy he tried to mention to was completely wrong. Most basic husbrandry comments are wrong, doesn't even mention negative effects of black lights. Again, I doubt he even knows it. To sum it up, it sucks. I hope he can at lest get it right. Cheers,

A: I added your comments to my scorpion page. LA

Jake Holmes, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, March 25, 2007
Yesterday arvo I looked into my fridge and I had no zucchini. So I figured, why not feed cucumber to my plecos?

I dropped 2 thinly cut pieces in weighted with lead and instantly my 5 clown loaches hacked into them with clicking and frantic activity. It took about 5 minutes for my plecos to catch on, but soon enough they were fighting off the clowns for the cucumber. Is this ok for them perhaps 2 times a week or less? It's just that my plecos never really get algae wafers often (other fish grab 'em). They eventually ate 4 pieces down to the outer skin.

A: So arvo means afternoon, eh? Cukes make fair dinkum tucker for plecos. They seem to like French-style cut green beans even more. LA

Tina, March 26, 2007
I'm getting some algae build up in my 37 gal eclipse 3 tank... Will putting in something to control it bother the fish and peacock eel ? I'm going through a filter cartridge a week and only feed once a day. Thanks

A: The Eclipse tanks have those very bright Panasonic bulbs in them. They really encourage algae to grow. I'd reduce the hours of light and add a couple of bristlenose plecostomus. If you want to add chemicals, I'd add AlgaeFix. LA

Nathan Berry, Denver, CO, March 27, 2007
Hello there!! I have recently discovered your site and find it very useful. I have a few of these Japanese and Russian "moss balls" and am skeptical about adding them to my cichlid tank. Will they destroy them? I have one Green Terror and the rest are mbuna. What do ya think? I appreciate your time and look forward to many more hours on your site. Here are a couple a pics of my main tank. Enjoy!!

A: I've never kept the moss balls with cichlids, but I'd suspect they'd teat them up like they tear up most other plants. Some they eat. Some they tear up for the fun of it. LA
PS Because they're a little pricey, I'd leave them out of your cichlid tank. Thanks for the pic.

Shannon Priest, Iowa, March 27, 2007
I purchased several cichlids from your store a while back. I have 5 left,
and I was wondering if I could bring them back. Thank you,

A: Sure. LA

Scott C., March 27, 2007
On your parrot (cichlid) page, you say that a parrot is a red devil x severum. It is actually V. Synspillum (redhead) x A. Citrinellus (Midas).

A: Could be. I'll add your info to my parrot page. Thanks. LA

Susan Randall, March27, 2007
We have an iguana who has outgrown his cage. We also have a parakeet who has more cage than he really needs. It goes from floor to ceiling (8 feet) and is about 5 feet by 3 feet -- an estimated 120 cubic feet. My question is, can these guys cohabitate? We're quite attached to both of them, and we'd hate for one or the other to harm their new roommate. Thanks,

A: I can't say that I've ever made that particular mix of room mates. I can't think of any reason(s) they would not get along. LA

Sharon Dougherty, Prescott Valley, AZ, March 27, 2007

I have been trying to find a source for Hoplosternum thoracatum. Your site says you do not ship. Could you give me some information on how to find breeders of this fish? Thank you.

A: Well, I googled "Hoplosternum thoracatum" + breed and looked thru the first 50 hits. I found no web source for you. I'm surprised your local fish stores can't find hoplos for you. We carry them most of the time (like now). They're reasonably priced -- about twice the cost of a cory. The last hoplo breeder I knew personally lived in Detroit, but that was so last millennium it no longer matters. LA

Sheena Jolliffe, UK, March 28, 2007
I got your email address from your web site. I am trying to find the Latin names for both the Brown Severum (not green/khaki) and the red spotted (not gold or red shoulder) Severum. I am desperate to obtain some of these fish in the UK but having a job without the Latin name. I notice you have a vast range of severums and knowledge. Look forward to hearing from you.
Regards

A: Go to tangledupincichlids.com/photo for pics and current names of the severums you seek. Look under Heros. Jeff Rapp does just an excellent job of it. LA

Michelle, March 29, 2007
I had a red and black molly who seemed healthy. I had it for over 6 months, but all of a sudden he started hiding out and he wouldn't come eat when I fed the rest of the fish. I didn't see him for 3 days. Finally he came out of hiding and was VERY bloated looking. The bloat made him almost white in color around that area. About 5 days later I came home from work and he was dead. There was a big pus ball looking thing at the bottom of the tank. It looked like he exploded (his belly was all burst open and white gooey stuff was hanging out). Do you know what this is or what happened? Please let me know. Thanks,

A: Dropsy probably describes your molly's situation best. I've never seen a cure for it. There could be any number of causes -- usually a failure in the circulation system. The failure could be caused by age, heredity, or injury often aggravated by a pathogen (bacteria, parasite, virus). In other words, dropsy nearly always results in death. LA

two questions.

Ozzy Weiss, March 30, 2007
Is it possible to keep an average sized red ear slider (about a 6-8 inch carapace) with an oscar and catfish (both about 9 or 10 inches) safely without the turtle killing the fish? And a question from my father, can African clawed frogs be kept with African cichlids? I thought not, but he argues yes. We need your input to settle the debate.

A: Your turtle will try to eat your oscar and your catfish. He might not kill them or ever catch them, but he'll likely keep trying. I've never tried to keep African frogs with African cichlids. Your cichlids might eventually accept your African clawed frogs. (Most fish think they taste nasty.) LA

Chris Gates, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, March 31, 2007
Hello, First off, I LOVE YOUR SITE! I view it almost daily to look up prospective fish. I'm a college student attending Lake Superior State University. I just bought a 10" Super Red Oscar (at least that's what "they" called it). It's probably just a plain red, but they wanted to sell it. Actually, they wanted to sell it so bad that they gave it to me 65% off. He looks super healthy. His tank was crystal clear, his fins are flawless, and his eyes are bright and alert. For 15 bucks I can't complain, as they were selling 3" "Super Gold Oscars" for $23!! So anyways, I was sure that my paradise fish would be history, as he's only 2.25" long and is kinda slow with that frilly tail. But in the course of a day he went from top-of-the-tank life to rocky bottom life, hiding in each and every cave just waiting to rush the surface and feed. He'll only go to the top when my two 5" gourami's go up, and the little guy will wedge right in between them for protection I assume. "Thor" the oscar has half-heartedly chased after him, and I'm talking slow motion here. He's still getting used to the tank, but I find his relationship with the paradise to be funny. I also have a 5" sun catfish. Unfortunately, the college only lets us have up to a 30 gallon tank, so these guys have another month to live in this 29 gallon tank. I have a 55 at home, and will set that up first thing.
Thanks again for all of the helpful info on your site, like I said, I view it almost daily and it really is the best site I've found so far.

A: You got an excellent price on the red oscar. He'll probably try a little harder to catch that paradise if he gets hungry. Keep him well fed. LA

Mike Manning, March 31, 2007
The pair of Texas cichlids you have on Texas Spawn II look like hybrids between Texas and jack dempseys. Are they?

A: Yes. There was a clue in the first paragraph repeated below. LA

James Barber, November 5, 2006
When I was browsing your site I noticed your Texas Spawning II. I myself own 5 Texas and a Tex x jack dempsey hybrid. I believe the fish on Texas Spawning II are jack dempsey x Texas crosses. Although they are beautiful, I feel you should inform any buyers of the fish that they are hybrids.

A: I do believe you are right. Thanks. LA

Mike Manning, March 31, 2007
I have an 8 foot tank with a 14" male jaguar cichlid, 7" female jaguar, and a 9" tilapia buttikofferi. The tank looks bare. What other cichlids could I keep with them?

A: In a large aquarium, your options are greatly expanded from your choices in a smaller tank such as a 55. Your options further expand when you add only one of each species. This decreases spawning activities. Adding more than one at a time also increases your options. They needn't be the exact same size either. The more hiding places (caves, crannies, crevices) helps. I'm not going to recommend a specific species because you'll also find variations in personality within each species. LA

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	Aqualand Q&As March 21-31, 2007

Amphibians Axolotls Caecilian Worm Chaco Toad Mud Puppies Newts General Newts Eastern Newts Golden Newts Mandarin Salamanders Suriname Toad Tadpoles Terrarium I Terrarium II USA Toads Water Dogs Misc. 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Bugs Misc Bugs II Birds Breeding Tips Button Quail Canaries Cockatiels Dove, Diamond Dove, Ringneck Finches Love Birds Parakeets Pelleted Foods Quaker Parrots Parrot Pictures Parrot Pix II Parrot Pix III Dave's Parrots Lizards Alligators Anoles Bearded Dragon Beardies II Calotes Chamel, Jackson Chamel, Panther Chamel, Veiled Crested Geckos Gecko, Golden Gecko, House Gecko, Leopard Gecko, Tokay Horned "Toads" Iguana New Iguana Dragons Iguana Q&A I Iguana Q&A II Iguana Training Iguana Update Cool Iguana Pics Knight Anoles Monitors, Nile Monitors, Savana Monitors, Water Salmonella Skinks Skinks Blue-Tongue Tegus Uromastyx maliensis Water Dragon Misc Lizards Misc Lizards 2 Misc Lizards 3 Misc Lizards 4 Misc Lizards 5 Misc Lizards 6 Misc Lizards 7 Misc Lizards 8 Misc Lizards 9 Snakes Anacondas Boa, Rosy Boa, Red-Tail Corn Snake Garter Snake Green Snake Kids/Corn Snakes Kids/Red-Tail Boas Kids at Pet Expo 1 Kids at Pet Expo 2 Kids at Pet Expo 3 Kids at Pet Expo 4 Kids at Pet Expo 5 King & Milk Python, Ball Python, Burmese Snakes Alive Snakesgiving Snakesgiving II Misc Snake Pix Misc Snakes II Misc Snakes III Turtles/Tortoises Box, Asian Box, USA Races Snapping Sulcata Water Western Painted Live Foods Blackworms Blood Worms Br Shrimp I Br Shrimp II Crayfish 1 Crayfish 2 Crayfish 3 Crickets Daphnia Earthworms Feeder Goldfish Fruit Flies Ghost Shrimp Glass Worms Grindal Worms Infusoria Mealworms Microworms Rosy Reds Super Worms Wax Worms White Clouds Decorating Bubbles Driftwood Gravel Plastic Plants Rocks Slow Growing Plants Miscellaneous Bob's Acclimation How to Start How to Add New Fish How to Keep Healthy Which Fish Get Along? 10 Questions to Ask What is Ich? Under Gravel Filters Sponge Filters Cloudy Water Cool Water Tanks Gravel Vacuums Preventing Disease Feeding to the Max Frozen Foods Green Water Nasty Chemicals Overfeeding Power Filters Rift Lake Salts Quarantine Tank Mini-Tank 2nd Av Bait Pet World Visit Dandelions Aquatic Plants Amazon Swords More Swords Sword Plants III Anubias Aponogetons A. boivinianus A. fenestralis A. ulvaceous Aquarium/Bog Banana Plant Bolbitis Bunch Bunch Plants II Cryptocorynes Crystalwort Dwarf Lily Grassy Grassy II Hornwort Hygrophila Lace Java Lance Fern Java Moss Moss Balls Onion Vermiculite Watersprite	We don't ship critters or live fish. When writing us, include your location. LA_Aqualand@msn.com Saeed Ghavidel, East Azarbayjan, Iran, March 21, 2007 Dear Sir/Madam, This is Saeed Ghavidel, manager of Nili Aquatics from Iran. Our special fields are oscars, severums, angels, and flowerhorn cichlids with more than 1,000,00 units annually. This makes us the largest company in our country in these fields We were importing tropical fishes from Thailand for one year .Since the pricelist of them is not complete and they haven't our favorite fishes we decided to import our shipment from Malaysian companies too. However, we have very deep friendship with our Thailand companies. We became familiar via internet with you. We request you to send us your last pricelist with all charges of a shipment from Malaysia to order our list as soon as we receive it cause now this is our new year and the fish market is very good in Iran and we haven't any time to waste. So if you want to cooperate with us plz send us your last price list right now to consider it and compare it with other companies and choose one of them and order today. I'm very much looking forward to hearing from you a.s.a.p. Warmest Regards, A: Sorry, Mr. Ghavidel, we do not sell fish wholesale. LA Saeed Ghavidel, East Azarbayjan, Iran, March 21, 2007 Dear LA, Thanks for your reply. What's your condition of selling and if it's possible plz send me the pricelist of all your products. Warmest regards, A: I'm sorry. We do not have an Export License. We are not a wholesale outlet. We are a retail store in Iowa. LA Joe Carrieri, March 21, 2007 With tadpoles of any specie of frog or toad, is there a stage in their development you should start offering them dead insects? OR should I continue feeding them flaked fish food and water plants until they are almost completely developed? Also, is there anything specific that they should be fed? Is there a place I can find a list of vegetables to feed them as they grow? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks A: With North American frog and toad tadpoles, you can feed them fish food and know that they're eating better than they would in the wild. If you feed them insects that drown and fall to the bottom, they will eat them by rasping them just like they would eat algae. Fish food is easier and less likely to foul their water. Some frog and toad tadpoles (such as the African clawed frog) are filter feeders. You will rarely see them for sale in a retail store. LA John Griffin, England, March 21, 2007 Hello LA. I'm just wondering why my female kribensis cichlid keeps digging pits in the corners of the tank. Is it breeding behaviour? Or what? Thanks A: Breeding behavior. Give her a cave at the front of her tank, so you can observe. LA Ron Lubbers, Houston, Texas, March 22, 2007 Are the common name of rubber eels being imported at this time? Would you know of a dealer in Houston, Texas? Have a good day, A: As far as I can tell, they are not coming into the country at this time. I don't know any dealers in Houston, even though one of my nephews lives there. LA Ken Jones, Houston, TX, March 23, 2007 Hi, I was wondering if you guys shipped plants outside of Iowa. I am located in Houston, Texas and would really like to obtain some riccia from you. If this is possible, could you please write back with prices and let me know whether it is grown emersed or submersed. Thank you very much for you time. Yours, A: We do not ship fish or critters, but we can ship riccia at this time of year. For 10 bucks, I'll send you enough to make you happy. It grows submersed (floating at the surface). LA Vishal Samboju, Riverside, CA, March 23 My red devil is wild. I just introduced a smaller rd to be his tank mate and possible breeding partner. But when I checked him in the morning, he was barely alive. So I put in a home-made divider to separate them. But the little rd is really messed up. All he could do is barely breathe. He has blood seeping up his top fin, and he is very stiff, Do you think that he will get better and live. Oh, and also his eyes are clouding up. Are these sign of death? I took pictures, but you can't see them very well so I left them out. Besides that, what would be a good partner to live with a 3 inch red devil? And can Midas cichlids breed with red devils? Thank you for your time A: The Sturgeon General says your smaller RD is moribund and not expected to live. You didn't give the size of your tank. The smaller your tank and the longer he has been isolated, the less likely your RD is to accept ANY tank mate. In this decade of the flowerhorn, I'd say RDs can probably mate with any South American cichlid (of the opposite sex) they do not kill. However, RDs are not known for their compatibility. LA Colin, Stavely, Alberta, March 23, 2007 I have written to you several times in the past and found your advice to be very useful. Anyways, my question is what/how to feed a hillstream loach? It is currently sharing a ten gallon tank with a breeding pair of blind cave fish, the temperature is just over 70, the pH is about 7.0 and has a sand substrate. I originally bought it as an attractive algae eater but it has not touched any of the algae coating the glass or plants. It will also not touch any leftover flake food or blood worms (which are removed). I have not seen it eat since I purchased it several weeks ago, and it is starting to thin noticeably. If this guy doesn't make it, can you suggest an algae eater/scavenger that will? Would some banjo cats and algae eating shrimp work? Sincerely, A: Your hillstream loach (see Borneo Suckers) is not an algae eater. They sort thru algae looking for the tiny animals that live in the algae. If you had a bare tank, you could try feeding them microworms. They prefer cooler, fast-flowing water. Banjo cats are not eaters of algae, but they would eat the foods you list when they fall to the bottom. They eat after you turn your lights off. The algae-eating Shrimp will eat some algae but much prefer the fish foods you list. LA Holly, TN, March 23, 2007 What fish are compatible with unheated goldfish aquaria besides loaches and plecos? A: Different goldfish strains do best with goldfish. What type of goldfish are you keeping and what is the temperature of your tank? LA Holly, TN, March 24, 2007 I have a 60 or 70 gallon tank that is room temp. (around 70 degrees) with 7 small fantails and a pleco. A: Okay, I would recommend these Cool Water Fishes. LA Steven Broy, March 25, 2007 I've had an emperor scorpion for about a year and have been feeding it crickets. About 6 weeks ago I fed it a large mealworm and I haven't been able to feed it since. I went back to crickets, and it won't even eat those. Did I do something wrong? A: Actually you did something right. You varied his diet. Crickets are a good food but not a total diet -- especially if it's the only food your scorpion ate for a year. After saying that, I have no idea why he's not eating. I'd try some different insects or even a pinkie. LA Mike Haare, March 25, 2007 RE care sheet: http://www.aqualandpetsplus.com/Bug,%20Scorpion.htm The guy that wrote this, honestly had no idea about scorpions other than that he's slightly afraid of them. I am sad to say I am in the same hobby as him. I'd suggest just removeing the article, and have someone that actually knows what they are doing write it. Most antonmy he tried to mention to was completely wrong. Most basic husbrandry comments are wrong, doesn't even mention negative effects of black lights. Again, I doubt he even knows it. To sum it up, it sucks. I hope he can at lest get it right. Cheers, A: I added your comments to my scorpion page. LA Jake Holmes, Brisbane, QLD, Australia, March 25, 2007 Yesterday arvo I looked into my fridge and I had no zucchini. So I figured, why not feed cucumber to my plecos? I dropped 2 thinly cut pieces in weighted with lead and instantly my 5 clown loaches hacked into them with clicking and frantic activity. It took about 5 minutes for my plecos to catch on, but soon enough they were fighting off the clowns for the cucumber. Is this ok for them perhaps 2 times a week or less? It's just that my plecos never really get algae wafers often (other fish grab 'em). They eventually ate 4 pieces down to the outer skin. LA A: So arvo means afternoon, eh? Cukes make fair dinkum tucker for plecos. They seem to like French-style cut green beans even more. LA Tina, March 26, 2007 I'm getting some algae build up in my 37 gal eclipse 3 tank... Will putting in something to control it bother the fish and peacock eel ? I'm going through a filter cartridge a week and only feed once a day. Thanks A: The Eclipse tanks have those very bright Panasonic bulbs in them. They really encourage algae to grow. I'd reduce the hours of light and add a couple of bristlenose plecostomus. If you want to add chemicals, I'd add AlgaeFix. LA Nathan Berry, Denver, CO, March 27, 2007 Hello there!! I have recently discovered your site and find it very useful. I have a few of these Japanese and Russian "moss balls" and am skeptical about adding them to my cichlid tank. Will they destroy them? I have one Green Terror and the rest are mbuna. What do ya think? I appreciate your time and look forward to many more hours on your site. Here are a couple a pics of my main tank. Enjoy!! NB A: I've never kept the moss balls with cichlids, but I'd suspect they'd teat them up like they tear up most other plants. Some they eat. Some they tear up for the fun of it. LA PS Because they're a little pricey, I'd leave them out of your cichlid tank. Thanks for the pic. Shannon Priest, Iowa, March 27, 2007 I purchased several cichlids from your store a while back. I have 5 left, and I was wondering if I could bring them back. Thank you, A: Sure. LA Scott C., March 27, 2007 On your parrot (cichlid) page, you say that a parrot is a red devil x severum. It is actually V. Synspillum (redhead) x A. Citrinellus (Midas). A: Could be. I'll add your info to my parrot page. Thanks. LA Susan Randall, March27, 2007 We have an iguana who has outgrown his cage. We also have a parakeet who has more cage than he really needs. It goes from floor to ceiling (8 feet) and is about 5 feet by 3 feet -- an estimated 120 cubic feet. My question is, can these guys cohabitate? We're quite attached to both of them, and we'd hate for one or the other to harm their new roommate. Thanks, A: I can't say that I've ever made that particular mix of room mates. I can't think of any reason(s) they would not get along. LA Sharon Dougherty, Prescott Valley, AZ, March 27, 2007 I have been trying to find a source for Hoplosternum thoracatum. Your site says you do not ship. Could you give me some information on how to find breeders of this fish? Thank you. A: Well, I googled "Hoplosternum thoracatum" + breed and looked thru the first 50 hits. I found no web source for you. I'm surprised your local fish stores can't find hoplos for you. We carry them most of the time (like now). They're reasonably priced -- about twice the cost of a cory. The last hoplo breeder I knew personally lived in Detroit, but that was so last millennium it no longer matters. LA Sheena Jolliffe, UK, March 28, 2007 I got your email address from your web site. I am trying to find the Latin names for both the Brown Severum (not green/khaki) and the red spotted (not gold or red shoulder) Severum. I am desperate to obtain some of these fish in the UK but having a job without the Latin name. I notice you have a vast range of severums and knowledge. Look forward to hearing from you. Regards A: Go to tangledupincichlids.com/photo for pics and current names of the severums you seek. Look under Heros. Jeff Rapp does just an excellent job of it. LA Michelle, March 29, 2007 I had a red and black molly who seemed healthy. I had it for over 6 months, but all of a sudden he started hiding out and he wouldn't come eat when I fed the rest of the fish. I didn't see him for 3 days. Finally he came out of hiding and was VERY bloated looking. The bloat made him almost white in color around that area. About 5 days later I came home from work and he was dead. There was a big pus ball looking thing at the bottom of the tank. It looked like he exploded (his belly was all burst open and white gooey stuff was hanging out). Do you know what this is or what happened? Please let me know. Thanks, A: Dropsy probably describes your molly's situation best. I've never seen a cure for it. There could be any number of causes -- usually a failure in the circulation system. The failure could be caused by age, heredity, or injury often aggravated by a pathogen (bacteria, parasite, virus). In other words, dropsy nearly always results in death. LA two questions. Ozzy Weiss, March 30, 2007 Is it possible to keep an average sized red ear slider (about a 6-8 inch carapace) with an oscar and catfish (both about 9 or 10 inches) safely without the turtle killing the fish? And a question from my father, can African clawed frogs be kept with African cichlids? I thought not, but he argues yes. We need your input to settle the debate. A: Your turtle will try to eat your oscar and your catfish. He might not kill them or ever catch them, but he'll likely keep trying. I've never tried to keep African frogs with African cichlids. Your cichlids might eventually accept your African clawed frogs. (Most fish think they taste nasty.) LA Chris Gates, Sault Ste. Marie, MI, March 31, 2007 Hello, First off, I LOVE YOUR SITE! I view it almost daily to look up prospective fish. I'm a college student attending Lake Superior State University. I just bought a 10" Super Red Oscar (at least that's what "they" called it). It's probably just a plain red, but they wanted to sell it. Actually, they wanted to sell it so bad that they gave it to me 65% off. He looks super healthy. His tank was crystal clear, his fins are flawless, and his eyes are bright and alert. For 15 bucks I can't complain, as they were selling 3" "Super Gold Oscars" for $23!! So anyways, I was sure that my paradise fish would be history, as he's only 2.25" long and is kinda slow with that frilly tail. But in the course of a day he went from top-of-the-tank life to rocky bottom life, hiding in each and every cave just waiting to rush the surface and feed. He'll only go to the top when my two 5" gourami's go up, and the little guy will wedge right in between them for protection I assume. "Thor" the oscar has half-heartedly chased after him, and I'm talking slow motion here. He's still getting used to the tank, but I find his relationship with the paradise to be funny. I also have a 5" sun catfish. Unfortunately, the college only lets us have up to a 30 gallon tank, so these guys have another month to live in this 29 gallon tank. I have a 55 at home, and will set that up first thing. Thanks again for all of the helpful info on your site, like I said, I view it almost daily and it really is the best site I've found so far. A: You got an excellent price on the red oscar. He'll probably try a little harder to catch that paradise if he gets hungry. Keep him well fed. LA Mike Manning, March 31, 2007 The pair of Texas cichlids you have on Texas Spawn II look like hybrids between Texas and jack dempseys. Are they? A: Yes. There was a clue in the first paragraph repeated below. LA James Barber, November 5, 2006 When I was browsing your site I noticed your Texas Spawning II. I myself own 5 Texas and a Tex x jack dempsey hybrid. I believe the fish on Texas Spawning II are jack dempsey x Texas crosses. Although they are beautiful, I feel you should inform any buyers of the fish that they are hybrids. A: I do believe you are right. Thanks. LA Mike Manning, March 31, 2007 I have an 8 foot tank with a 14" male jaguar cichlid, 7" female jaguar, and a 9" tilapia buttikofferi. The tank looks bare. What other cichlids could I keep with them? A: In a large aquarium, your options are greatly expanded from your choices in a smaller tank such as a 55. Your options further expand when you add only one of each species. This decreases spawning activities. Adding more than one at a time also increases your options. They needn't be the exact same size either. The more hiding places (caves, crannies, crevices) helps. I'm not going to recommend a specific species because you'll also find variations in personality within each species. 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