Aquarium people

"Tynk" wrote in message
oups.com...

�I'll probably weaken and get 3 small clown loaches if I see healthy
ones. :-) They've always been a favorite of mine.

That may be harder than you think. Often, as I have found out with the
last 6 or so I have had in the past 5 yrs, that they can carry
internal parasites. You can't tell if they look healthy on the
outside. In time they simply waste away and die.
I had such fun with the last 2 sets of Clowns I had because they
became quite tame, and not the usual scardy cats.

I may be remembering wrong but isn't there a food now that contains
something to get rid of internal parasites? I know Tetra makes food with
antibiotics included, but I can't remember who makes the one for internal
parasites.

They were always begging for attention, as well as food. I couldn't do
anything in the tank or near the tank without them being right there
in the mix of young angels and female bettas. I miss them, but after
the first the few I had all died slowly (wasted away), I tried again.
Another 3. Same thing. They look fantastic when you buy them. They go
through QT looking great, eating like pigs, and then months later they
look like a bag of bones swimming around with a Clown Loach coat on.
Too sad.

Oh, that is depressing. I haven't had that experience with CLs. When I
sold my three several years ago they had reached around 4 to 5" and were
several years old, still colorful and well fleshed out. Maybe the tetras I
bought had some infection, something internal. They would slowly become
lethargic, not really emaciated, lose their appetites.... then I would find
them dead. This would also happen with those powder-blue and chocolate
gouramies (sp?). The pearls would live for years. Although they get a
little larger than I like, they're gentle fish, not overly active and not
destructive.

That's why this time I just want fish to LOOK at and enjoy. I don't want
to
see fighting or have to worry about how to dispose of unwanted fry. Any
live bearers will be males only. :-))

You mentioned in another reply maybe female Bettas.
If you don't want to see fighting, then skip them.
They will fight to win the spot of alpha, and may have to put the
others in their place from time to time.
You may also see a take over.

I guess I'd only get one then. I've seen beautiful blue ones at PetsMart
for under $2. Blue is hard to find in tropicals hereabouts. If she starts
to harass any other fish she can be removed.

This isn't always a battle, as some times it's nothing more than
posturing. However, sometimes it can be brutal, and one would need to
be removed.
It's not that they're mean, or bad tempered, but like a pack of dogs
or wolves their needs to be a chain of command.
Many often see this as bad tempered fish. I don't see it that way at
all.
A school of Bettas (females only or females and one male) is run just
like a pack of wolves. Each has their place, and some must be a little
pushy at times to keep it. When the *why* of their behavior is known,
you see them in a completely different light.
--

RM....
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
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