Karen B.

@Cory @Irene @Zenzo Greetings! I posted the above question here and on a few facebook groups. A lot of different answers, but also a lot of people wondering about the same thing as me. Your blog article about pea puffer is very informative (https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/pea-puffer) but I still am confused about one thing : what is the fish’ preference? Some say a big shoaling group, some say minimum 3, I read somewhere that a lone puffer will develop psychological issue. There is a difference between the maximum number of fish you can put in a tank vs what the fish need to be happy and thrive. Could you give a bit more details? Do they enjoy/need company? Thank you!

I would like to have pea puffer fish in my 10 gallons. The tank will be planted, heated, have a HOB filter and a sponge filter, substrate will be sand. Spicy only, or maybe with 1 or 2 ghost shrimps I am reading online and doing my research but there is so many conflicting information, I am completely at lost. My goal is to have happy and thriving fish. Personally I only want 1 pea puffer. I hate agression or fish chasing each other (I had a male honey gourami, everyone kept telling me they were a social specy and to get more. I got 2 females and now all the male do is chase them. I was told it’s normal behavior but that’s not what I was expecting as social fish and I enjoy my tank so much less now because of that…) But I read pea puffer do better in group. Even read that a lone pea puffer can get psychological issues… So… can I have your opinion, experience, suggestions? I read a group of 3 is best in a 10 gallons. 2 f and a m, but as juvenile it’s hard to differentiate them… Do I buy like 6, put them in the 10 gallons all together and as soon as I can spot a male and 2 female, bring the other one back? Thank you!

Oh, that’s a good idea! Especially since Gandalf is already trained to follow a paint brush (I feed them with the little paint brush)

Greetings! sooo… I went ahead and got a 10 gallons tank (don’t even know where I will put it yet… 7 aquariums in a tiny apartment is a challenge, as well as finding stand that are solid enough) I would like 2 apistogramma but I beleive 10 gallons is on the small size for them to thrive. Do you agree? I was also always interested by pea puffer. So now that I see an opportunity, I have been reading a lot about them. The problem is there is so much conflictual information… I just din’t know what to do! The tank will be planted, heated, have a HOB filter and a sponge filter, substrate will be gravel. Personally I only want 1 pea puffer. I hate agression or fish chasing each other (I had a male honey gourami, everyone kept telling me they were a social specy and to get more. I got 2 females and now all the male do is chase them. I was told it’s normal behavior but that’s now what I was expecting as social fish and enjoy my tank so much less…) But I red they do better in group. Even read that a lone pea puffer can get psychological issues… So… can I have your opinion, experience, suggestions? I read a group of 3 is best in a 10 gallons. 2 f and a m, but as juvenile it’s hard to differentiate them… Do I buy like 6, put them in the 10 gallons all together and as soon as I can spot a male and 2 female, bring the other one back? Thank you!

Oops, you are right, I was in such shock I didn’t even mention that he is a betta. He is fine now. I usually never move my fish when I clean, it’s just that he has an open wound, and I needed to service part of his filter. I had a very bad experience before with a filter and it spewed all its gunk and 2 days after, my green neon tetra were sick. So as I am clumsy, just for this time, I removed him. Sorry for tour pleco! That do sound like quite the adventure. Btw, thank you for always taking the time to reply to me. You and @Fish Folk particularly really help me and it’s really appreciated.

Greetings! Gandalf has an injury in the front of his head but it’s finally healing. I wanted to do a WC but was afraid the gunk raised in the water could infect his woundso I put him in a small jar. When it was time to put him back in the aquarium, I tried to gently scoop him up (my hand was wet) and release him in the water but he started wiggling so much I think I or he injured one of his pectoral fins. He swims around with the fins stuck to its body. However he can move it, when he swims in place he does but he just seems to avoid using it. He is in a 10 gallons, I had already added prime and stability but added 5 ml of API stress coat. I am looking at him and he seems to be using it more and more. Can they break their pectoral fin? What do you think happened? I feel so bad, I just wanted to spare him the stress of a net…

But what do you do for the equipment that come in contact with the tank while in quarantine, like tweezers, or syphon, buckets, etc? If the have been sitting dry in a bin for more then 2 months, am I safe to wash them in hot water and reuse them?

Greetings! I have a ton of things to wash/disinfect right now, from buckets, pitcher, nets, heater, aquarium tool, tubing, python, you name it! Most of it comes from when I would use these before/during quarantine of new fish, water change, drip acclimate. After use, I would toss them in this plastic bin. I think most of the equipment has been there, completely dry for more then 4 months. There was no outbreak of any disease in the fish room either (touching wood here) during/after quarantine and I always use the med trio. I know of the bleach method, I just hate it. Considering most things have been dry and there was no outbreak of anything, would a good soak in very hot water be sufficient and safe? or is there any other way? I boiled what could be/would fit in. I know you can you dish soap but it seems to take forever and then some rincing and I am always stressed there will be some residue that could harm my fish. Thank you!

Trust me, I picked at my brain in every possible way and for now, I only have that 5 gallons available. But reading your comments and some others on the forum, as much as I want one, maybe they are not for me right now and will use the 5 gallons for another betta. I live in Québec and in an apartment, first storie. So I am limited for space and weight too. My floor is real wood (and I am the clumsiest person!) so water isn’t its best friend. I have been looking for a small rack system but none I was 100% comfortable with. and there is also a question of budget. I am partially invalid and can no longer work full time.

I have always been in love with pea puffer. I tought their minimum tank size was 10 gallons so I never did buy one but learned today that 1 in a 5 gallons is ok. So here are my questions to see if I would be a good fish mum for one. 1 - 5 gallons is small… I do feel guilty for keeping one in such a tiny tank. But for now, it’s the only one I have space for. Maybe in the long run (1 year), I would be able to upgrade him in a 10. 2 - On my 5 other tanks, I always run a duo of HOB and sponge filter. Would a sponge filter alone be ok? Do they create a lot of waste? (Tank will be planted) 3 - Maybe 2 or 3 times a year, I travel for a week or two to see my family. For all my other fish, I have auto-feeder but the option wouldn’t be feasible for a pea puffer as I heard they won’t eat pellets nor flakes. However, I have a friend that come check on the fish every 3 days. Would the puffer survive if he was fed once every 3 days for maximum 2 weeks? Thank you! ps : if you do have a puffer, please post a picture of your tank to give me ideas! Right now my 5 gallons looks like this but I don’t think it would be suitable for a pea puffer?

@EmmaK I agree so much! so grateful @laritheloud and others are sharing their knowledge about these fishes. And just because… here is one of my female sharing a meal with my Corydoras. I love how Cory absolutely do not care or are not agressive one bit.

Greetings! I first posted this : https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/19581-betta-injury-or-growthtumor/ I added a catappa leaf, did a course of Maracyn. Didn’t notice much which lead to this next post : https://forum.aquariumcoop.com/topic/19812-injury-or-tumor-on-my-betta/ Now he is in his 2nd day in level 1 dose of salt. The swelling is all gone. He swims, is super active. I made him flare with a mirror to see if his injured gill worked and while he seems a bit reluctant, he flared/opened it fully. But while doing so, in the last video, you can see it raised his scales. Do fish shed their injured scales? Will it eventually heal or it’s a permanent scar?

Here's a bunch of questions : 1 - When people say to do a WC… does that also mean gravel vacuum or not? 2 - When people say « clean clean water »… what does that mean exactly? 3 - I want to test my water to be able to know what to add for my plants. Which brand sells good drop tests? Is saligert for fresh water or salt water? 4 - Anyone else have this problem : my aquarium coop test strip don’t work for the pH. Maybe it doesn’t like Canadian water? 🤪 5 - My honey gourami chases each other and apparently it’s honey gourami normal behavior. But as it’s a 20 gallons, sometimes they seem to smash into the glass. Can they hurt themselves? 6 - What do you feed (commercial food) your otocinclus? Mine eats the Hikari wafer but that’s all I ever give them and I feel guilty. I would like to offer them some variety. They also have access to catappa leaves - do they eat those? I have repashy soilent green, do they eat that? I know they eat vegetables but I keep forgetting to give them some. 7 - Why is it that everyone on earth says java fern is easy to grow/take care of but mine keeps browning and dying?

I have posted already about this but the Maracyn treatment suggested did not work. The injury is still exactly the same. @Cory My betta has this red injury/growth on the side of its head. It looks definitely swollen.I am wondering if it’s an injury (there was a temporary diy divider in the tank between him and my female) and maybe he got his head stuck? Or does it look more like a tumor? I did a 5 days of Maracyn, no visible changes. What should I do next? 10g, 78.5f pH 7 (Api drop test) 0/0/0 (aquarium coop strips. Result is probably because of the meds. The tank is cycled and had been running for over 6 months with 1 HOB filter + 1 sponge filter) KH 40 (aquarium coop strip) GH 150 (aquarium coop strip) No chlorine. 1 WC per week. I use Prime & Stability

@s1_ @Levi_Aquatics @Guppysnail Thanks guys! I rinced them, removed as much unhatched eggs as possible (my hatching rate is so terrible I spend almost half an hour sorting it… and even then, when I freeze the rest, so many unhatched eggs are showing in the ice cubes) And all my fish were happy! Except my betta. They aren’t too sure what to do with this live food. I have very special betta!

My air pump got disconnected for about 2-4 hours I would guess from my zyst hatchery. My BBS were about to be ready to harvest. There doesn’t seem to be many dead BBS, so I was wondering if I can still feed them to my fish or it’s better to start a new batch. Thank you!

Thanks, it’s reassuring in a way. How should I treat it?

Greetings I was looking at my betta and saw this red injury/growth on the side of its head. It looks definitely swollen. I am wondering if it’s an injury (there is a temporary diy divider in the tank while my female’s tank gets ready) and maybe he tried to stick his head in? Or does it look more like a tumor? In either case, How should I treat him? Thank you very much for your time.

Greetings! I am trying to understand what is going on with my honey gourami. In theory, these 2 are females so I would think (sadly) that they are fighting? They are also circling each other, kinda shaking… Should I do anything about it? Is it dangerous they will injure each other? @laritheloud

No, you can’t see them in these pictures.

The fongus fell off I think! I continued Ich-X as you suggested. Here is yesterday and today : He swims, looks around for food and hates me. His gills area is still a bit red/raw. I will treat again tonight with Ich-X Tomorrow I am getting 12 Chili Rasboras that have to go in that tank (it’s my quarantine tank). I will do a large WC but I was wondering: 1 - Move the Cory back in the main tank even if he is not 100% healed. 2 - Leave him in the tank with the Chili, so he will get one round of trio med for one more week. My fear is that if his immune system is weak and my Chili are sick, they could contaminate him. 3 - Move him alone in my empty 5 gallons, add salt and Ick-X for few more days. which option would be the best you think? My 5 gallons is not cycled but I could take the sponge filter of the quarantine tank (it has a sponge filter and a HOB filter) and put it in the 5 gallons to seed it and place a new sponge filter in the 10 gallons. The HOB has been running a long time so I am sure it can handle the Chili.

I left my fish room for 2 weeks. Automatic feeder on, friend was coming to check on the fish every 3 days and did a WC. I came back and my tank was ok - a bit more mulm than usual as I always gravel vacuum when I do my WC but that’s it. So I did a 30% WC/Gravel vacuum… but I accidentally put twice the amount of easy green so I immediately followed with a 15% wc. Since then, my Corydoras’ behavior are all over the place. Some are chilling in their cave. The babies are grazing on everything for food, some are breeding/laying eggs, some are swimming like crazy chasing each other from one side of the tank to the others and others are glass surfing. They haven’t glass surfed in so long, it always stresses me when they do. Planted tank, temp a bit higher then usual (77 instead of 75.5), HOB aqueon 30 filter serviced 2 days ago + sponge filter. 0/0/25 (Kinda high, I am usually around 0-10). pH a bit low at 6.6, kh used to be 0 but I added a bit of Seachem alcaline (half the dose) and it raised my kh to 40. GH used to be 300, now it’s somewhere between 150 and 300. The other fish (3 honey gourami and 6 chili rasboras) are behaving normally. Should I worry? Or are the Cory glass surfing just stressed because of the small changes in parameters while the others don’t care? Should I be doing something?

I have an empty 5 gallons. Obviously it’s not cycled but if I do daily WC, only have this 1 fish, don’t feed too much and I use Prime, do you think I could put him in there?

One of my corydoras got stuck and while I did free him, he was injusred on the top of his head and one of his fins. Sadly fungus has appeared so I moved him in my quarantine tank and I am treating him with Maracyn and Ich-X but the injury do not seem to improve. Day 2 of treatment Day 4 The injury on his head seems to be healing but the fungus on his find doesn’t seem to improve at all. He swims around, looks for food but is a bit shy because he is alone. There is one more day left of the treatment and then I am kinda at loss at what to do? I know Cory said salt is a good solution vs fongus but I seem to recall corydoras being sensitive to salt?

Thank you! And I feel you for the mag float incident. Had one of these on my main tank too. 😭