nasty little fish

Question
QUESTION: Hi Lynda. I learned abut the snakehead from watching the television last night. There was a documentery on called fishzilla about the snakehead. I think it was on the discovery channel or nat geo wild but I can't remember which channel. The female betta lived a good life. At least now the male won't see her and get stressed with seeing her. I didn't know there was a catfish that xould walk on land too. You learn something new every day ha ha. I wouldn't wnat to keep the snakehead in my fish tank with goldfish then. A 500 gallon tank? Whoa, how big can fish tanks get? That is a huge tank. The fry are doing great, especially Daddy the smallest baby catfish. He is getting cheeky you know. He is hyper to day like his brothers and sisters ha ha. All the fish are doing great. The Betta Olover keeps looking at me as if to say where is the female betta? I had to buy a filter for the tropical tank because the original filter broke and couldn't be fixed. Mum thinks I am overdoing it with the fish but we know our fish don't we?
Danielle.

ANSWER: Hi Danielle,
You do not need a filter with the Betta.  Change his water every week, and he will be fine.  They love to blow their nest when they are healthy, and a filter will destroy it.  It is up to you, but they really don't need a filter. We have a tank at the Pet Shop that is 2000 gallons, their is really no limit!!  lol  We had sharks in it for a while, and then gave the sharks to a Nature Center.  They were pretty, not the big sharks you see, these stayed small.  When they were gone, we converted it to a salt water tank, and it was out of this world!
One of my friends had a tank built to measure in his basement when he built his house.  The Tank went all around his basement, it was beautiful, but let me tell you, hard to clean.  He use to get in there in his swim suit, and wash down the walls.  He had a swimming pool motor on his tank, and it was just awesome!!
I'm happy your fish are all doing well.  Keep up the good work!
Lynda

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QUESTION: Hi Lynda. Imagine if I had a 2000 gallon tank. I would have some very big goldfish wouldn't I? They would be huge. I bet the tank was hard to clean. I don't know how you and your friend coped with cleaning a tank that big. I think I would struggle. My mum put Dasher and Comet backtogether and they seem to be getting along fine now and they haven't attacked each other for a week now, is that weird or what? I didn't put the filter in with the male betta fish, Oliver. I decided to keep it though just in case the filter in my goldfish tank broke and couldn't be fixed. I have lost one of the fry cory catfish. the others are doing great though. I have just changed the water in the tanks. The water in the goldfish tank is back to normal finally. I have been looking up the snakehead and that walking catfish that I can't remember the name of. A member of staff at college has got some of those little sharks and a big catfish called Buddy. I named the catfish. Buddy always swims over to me and shows off for me haha. I don't know what kind of catfish he is but I know he isn't a pleco.  I think Oliver has got swim bladder disease. I spotted it this morning. Dasher and Comet are attacking the filter now but that is better than attacking each other isn't it?
Danielle.

ANSWER: Hi Danielle,

I am very happy that all your fish are doing well.  Make sure that the fish you mentioned doesn't have Swim Bladder.  Bring it to the attention of the Manager.  He will know exactly what to do, well he should.
Sorry you lost a little catfish, but it happens, sometimes they are weak or didn't get enough food because the stronger ones got there first.  It happens.
Have a nice day
Lynda

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QUESTION: Hi Lynda. It's the male Betta, his name is Oliver. The manager just happens to be another friend of mine. He came round for tea and while he was here he had a look at Oliver and said it is definately swimbladder disease. Oliver is the only Betta left now the female died. He was my friends too. Before she died my friend said she won't trust anybody else with her fish and that is why she told me to keep them. The manager gave the fsih a pea and he ate it right away so hopedully Oliver will recover. When the fry were born one of them nearly died but I managed to save him anc called him Lucky. He is still with us. the little fry was not getting enough food as he was weak and struggled to swim. I tried everything for hem. I have lost another fish but I don't intend to lose anymore yet. No way. Can you see why I called the luky cory fry Lucky? Everybody else gave up on him but I didn't and neither did the manager. the pet shop I will be working at specialises in fish and they are very good. I got the filter from there. The manager even has alot of aquariums himself. He has goldfish, Betta fsih, Chichlids. You name it he's got it. You can name any fish and I garauntee you he owns thim. I have my own little saying about fish. It's fish are friends not food. I also say fish are pets not food. You know when I was a kid I called every single fish I owned Bubbles. The same name as that lovely dolphin you told me about. How is the goldfsih. I had a nice dream about him last night you know. I will let you know how Oliver does.
Danielle.

Answer
Hi Danielle,
Seeing as he has Swim Bladder, don't add any aquarium salt to his water.  If he has aquarium salt in his water, change all of his water, as the salt will make him worse.  He must waste.  If he hasn't wasted by tomorrow, you will have to treat him.  "Kanamycin" is very good for Swim Bladder, but hard to find.  Tetracycline, or Furan 2 are also good.  Your friend will tell you what to use, as I am not sure you have these products in your country.
My daughter's goldfish is doing very well, he's a happy little fish.  I went over there last night, and changed his water.  He always comes up to me when I go there, he knows I have some goodies for him.  I always feed him bloodworms.  I always have some on hand, I have so many fish to feed.  He loves them, but like most fish, bloodworms should only be given once a week as a treat.  He sees me coming ...hahaha
Have a nice evening.
Lynda