The Chase

Question
QUESTION: Renee,
Do you know anywhere I can buy Brine shrimp for the Mollies and aquarium salt for a good price?

ANSWER: Hi Manahil,

I don't know what country you are from, so I would recommend a Petco or a Petsmart.  They both carry a small bag for about $5.

Brine shrimp - buy that at the same two stores.  Consider getting the freeze-dried, rather than the frozen.  Less chance of parasites being carried in that way.

Hope everyone is healthy today and doing well.

Renee

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QUESTION: Actually not everyone is healthy. Remember the fancy guppy I mentioned? The one in the 2 gallon tank? He is terribly sick. Usually the is swimming at the top of the tank and now he is laying almost motionless except his mouth which is moving slowly, opening and closing. I'm very worried about him and I don't have and aquarium salt! What do I do?!

ANSWER: Good morning Manahil,

Those are very bad signs.  Do you have rock salt?  It's about 2 dollars a box.  

Can you do me a favor?  I realize you have a couple aquariums going, so would you tell me which fish are in which aquariums?

Also, the specifications of each aquarium's filtration?  I am anticipating bad water quality in the tank the guppy was in.  When at the top, it's usually for air.  Although Guppies are top-water fish, he sounds like he's suffering from ammonia poisoning and it's possible there's too much waste in his aquarium.  Is he in with the goldfish?  That might be the cause.

Change out 25% of the water this morning and see if it helps. :)

I am so sorry you're losing another fish.  Sometimes we go through several while we figure out how to make things work.  



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Fancy Guppy filter   QUESTION: I don't have rock salt and I don't know what that is. I have 4 goldfish, 2 green tiger barbs and 3 dalmatian Mollies in my 8 gallon tank and 1 sick fancy guppy in a 2 gallon tank. I don't know what "specifications of each aquarium's filtration" is or how to find out. But I can tell you that the guppy's filter is not too high-tech. There is a part that has a tube that remains dipped into the water and it sucks up the water to the filter. The acctual filtration is a water mill like thing that uses the water in advantage. When the tube sucks up water the wheel rotates. He is not in with any goldfish or any other fish and I cleaned the tank less then 3 days ago and he doesn't poop a lot.
He is my favorite fish because he has always been tough and trying to keep up with other fish without appearing weak. He is strong and I really don't want to lose him.

Answer
Tonight, take out 25% of the water to half a tank, and change it.  

Take the pads out of the filters and wash them thoroughly (without soap, just water) under a fawcet, and put them back in.

There are simply too many fish.  It may require you to change water every 3 days until the water clears up, but salt would help him out a lot.

Rock salt is sold in any grocery store.  Ask the clerk and he will get it for you.  It's only 2 dollars.

I hope the little guy is ok.