# Anyone Here Have Guppies? Need Help



## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

One of my new guppies is pregnant and she's already given birth. I currently have the one fry in a netbreeder in my 10g. I sprinkled some Hikari First Bites and a bit of freeze-dried daphnia in there but it's not sinking. Will the fry eventually rise up to eat? The momma guppy is in a 2.5g, no filter, with as many plants as I could find on short notice once I realized she was dropping fry; previously she had been with 2 other guppies in a 3 gallon quarantine tank with filter. I know now she dropped at least two fry before the one I found because I found their sad little bodies while cleaning the tank but at the time I was unclear as to whether or not they really were fry (seeing the live fry made it clear in hindsight though). 

My questions are these:
* She seems to drop one a day; right now she still looks quite pregnant so will she continue giving birth until she shrinks?
* How long can the fry live in the netbreeder? Would it be better to put it in an 8 cup Gladware? I am unable to get another tank for it until Monday.
* Are Hikari First Bites okay as food? I wasn't expecting this so the only reason I have the HFB is because they were a free sample with the breeder I bought for my sorority. Thank goodness!

The little fry is pretty lively and zipped around my 10g after falling through the 3-way breeder (stupid thing, even had the plastic bottom on it). At least I got my female betta out before she could have herself a fry meal. It took me quite a while to catch the fry and put in the netbreeder. I would estimate it's about 5 hrs old by now. Any advice or help you can offer to insure its survival, and that of the mother and any other fry I may end up with would be hugely appreciated. Also any advice on feeding and caring for these guppies would be great too. They seem reluctant to eat in quarantine but they have to stay there for at least a week; I won't risk putting them in my 10g until I know they are healthy.

Edit: I can also move the fry to an 8 cup Gladware with a moss ball that is being quarantined, if it would be better for it to be with live plants . . . or whatever the moss ball really is.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Sometimes they take longer to give birth than others, as long as she doesn't start behaving weirdly, like trying to jump out and stuff, she'll be fine. I'd say don't worry about them being in the net breeder, they'll be fine till the mommy's done birthing. don't do big water changes, it might shock them... First Bites is fine, I just crush up normal fish pellets and feed them. Last thing, don't freak out!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Okay, gotta work on that one. ;-) What would I do without you to keep me sane, Fighter?


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

I have some floating plants in my guppy tank and a fair amount of fry tend to stay alive. I don't have homes for the hundreds of fry that have come from my original two females. One of her drops she had almost 40 fry.
As for food... I just feed mine smaller flakes. They will even nibble and pull around full flakes. 
I'm no "breeder" But i have had my fair share of pregnancies over the past year.
As for how long it will take to give birth... when i noticed, she tended to start out slowly with one or two an hour and then by the 5th or 6th hour she would just drop them all fairly quickly.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hmm. So far, she's dropping like one a day. I think she may have stopped altogether but I'll keep her in the 2.5g for a few days more just in case. Maybe she dropped most of them at the pet store before I got her? Thanks for the info, vette91!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

No advice, no breeder here. I have a tiny little Swordtail fry that's over a week old. I didn't find him until the other day LOL Good luck with your fry babies!


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Hmm. So far, she's dropping like one a day. I think she may have stopped altogether but I'll keep her in the 2.5g for a few days more just in case. Maybe she dropped most of them at the pet store before I got her? Thanks for the info, vette91!


If its her first drop its very likely she will have fewer. The older my original guppy got she started to drop more and more. And now she is tapering off. She she might either be an ametuer or she's old. But i'm assuming she's just a youngin'  
best of luck though!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Pitluvs, where are you keeping your swordtail fry? I moved my fry to a Gladware so I could clean the bottom of the tank, now I'm wondering if I should leave it in there or not.

vette91, sheesh, I hope they didn't sell me an old one but with pet stores, you never know. Maybe it's her first drop and she's not too experienced at this yet. The poor little fry looks so lonely all by itself. Is it customary for them to stay on the bottom during the first few days? It does swim up and around but spends most of its time on the bottom.


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> vette91, sheesh, I hope they didn't sell me an old one but with pet stores, you never know. Maybe it's her first drop and she's not too experienced at this yet. The poor little fry looks so lonely all by itself. Is it customary for them to stay on the bottom during the first few days? It does swim up and around but spends most of its time on the bottom.


 
Depending on the drop, some have stayed near the top and some near the bottom. I have never been able to tell a difference between them. Some end up getting eaten by the mother and or other guppies and some live. None have had genetic defects. But i have had plenty stay at the bottom and do fine. So i don't believe that is anything to worry about. There are pieces of food that will drop down there and they will find them.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thank you sooo much, vette91, you're really helping to set my mind at ease. I only have the one fry so far but I bought it a little kritter keeper to stay in so no danger of it being eaten. I imagine when the adults are through with their quarantine and I put them in the big 10g, I'll get some fry eaten but for now, I'm content to raise this little one.  Hehe, I'm a nervous first-time fish mother. Except my dad calls me fish grandmother.


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

Sakura, I was the exact same way when i had my first fry show up. Thats the one thing I was excited for when I bought guppies. I had never bred any fish and this one would hopefully be easy haha. I put them all in a breeder net like you have. After a week or so and they had grown some I released them and they all survived and they all look absolutely beautiful. 
they look similar to this







just with a little more yellow. Mine are "fancy" guppies and that makes a difference.
But best of luck!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Sooo beautiful! I think the tank at the pet store said fancy guppies although only a few of them had truly fancy tails (most were tuxedos, which is the male I ended up with). I have no idea who the father is, of course, but momma guppy has an orange tail with just a teeeeny bit of cobra markings. 

Well, this has certainly been a learning adventure, thank you so much for helping me, vette91. I'll post back if the fry makes it to a week old.


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

Best of luck! I hope your one so far makes it and I hope you get a few more 
you can message me if you have any more questions or anything


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Why would momma guppy just keel over all of a sudden? I just checked on her and she started jumping and darting, then fell over. She's dying and I feel so bad, I don't know how to help her. I put her in a shallow Gladware.  I checked her water parameters and ammonia is fine. One of my other adult guppy girls died yesterday, too. :/ I know my pH is a little higher, 7.4-7.8 but everything else checks out. Before she was moved to her own tank, momma guppy was with the others in quarantine in a 3g with a box filter (3 guppies in all) and daily 75% water changes. I know it's not perfect but it was all I had for quarantine.


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

how recently did you purchase the fish?
It might be some sort of disease or maybe a shock if the water was much different than the store water? Do you/they use aquarium salt? 
I don't think its anything you did. It might be a problem with the birth? but that does not account for the other ones death.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I got them three days ago. The male and the one female who does not appear pregnant yet are both fine. I bought them from a store that is only a few miles from me and I know they use API Stress Coat like me so the water parameters should be close to similar. I have no idea if they use aquarium salt, I'll ask when I go back in tomorrow. That's a good idea, I would never have thought of that. 

I wonder if it has to do with them being pregnant. The other guppy who died was also pregnant but not as advanced as momma guppy was. I wonder if it was a disease or if both guppies really were on the older side and age/stress of a new home got them. I suppose I'll never know. :/ I've been feeding all the guppies TetraColor crisps then switched to TetraColor granules so they wouldn't cloud the water as much. Plus a few bloodworms here and there. They never notice the food until it sinks to the bottom, though. I also tried feeding New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula pellets but they just got sucked into the filter before the guppies noticed them.

The little fry is still alive though. Considering it's my first fry, I would not have expected it to outlive its mother. 

I did order a book on guppies too, should arrive Mon-Tues. I'm hoping it'll have some good pics of pregnant guppies and the birthing process so I know what to look for.

Thanks again for your help, vette91.


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## thePWNISHER (Jun 18, 2011)

Well just from what I know of guppies from forums and not ever owning any, I can tell that if the mother was only dropping 1 fry a day and she didn't drop more than the first 2 she had some sort of complication since usually they will drop the batch within hours of beginning not days at a time. I think that one died from birthing complications for sure if what you've said so far is accurate. The other one dying I have no idea but if the others seem fine then I wouldn't attribute it to a major disease since it would have affected all of the fish you got from the same tank most likely. At least you got a fry to replace the mother so you didn't lose out there. It will give you a more fun experience raising your own fish.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I had a molly who was darting around because she couldn't get her babies out at all, she died pregnant.. It must have been some complication like pwnisher said.. Some people perform caesarians on freshly deceased pregnant fish to get the babies out because otherwise the babies will suffocate and die. I couldn't bring myself to do that though...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks PWNISHER and Fighter, I think you are both right. Everything I've read says they drop them fast and she just never did. And yup, I'm loving my little fry but also super nervous raising it. I'll be happy when (if) it reaches the week old mark and gets a little stronger.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Don't worry, live bearer fry are easy compared to betta fry.. A few mistakes are allowed lol! Out of all my 50 fry, 20 got eaten and 1 died for some reason.. They're quite hardy. They're double the size of a new born betta


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

It died last night. It never swam around much, I worried about it a lot. I wonder if I overfed it or if it was just sickly because its momma was sickly. Poor thing. And two of my cory cats died for no reason, just literally tipped over and were dead within minutes after I scooped them out. They were the corys I've had for three weeks now, too. The newest ones are okay in their isolation tank. Community tanks are hard. >.<


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Well that just sucks X(
Were the cories with the guppies too? I'm guessing baby got something from mommy, fry are pretty zippy when healthy.. I don't think you can feed them too much. Next time don't get guppies, you have bad luck with guppies.. Or get them from somewhere else.. Did you get this batch and the wormy batch from the same place?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, I'm thinking guppies don't like me or my water or something. I got these guppies from a different pet store, one that takes really good care of their fish. So I'm thinking it's me, not the pet store.

The momma guppy was briefly in the tank with the cories when she was in a breeder for a half hour. I'm thinking while Crichton is in QT for his tail (or lack thereof) I'll put Wanda in his spot in the divided tank. I really don't want anything to happen to her.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, do that.. Sometimes guppies get so inbred that they're sick even when they look ok when you buy them.. I don't think it's your fault, might be the water but stuff like this happens. Livebearer pregnancies can be really difficult.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I have two guppies left. I've heard they should be in bigger groups but the two don't seem to be bothering each other. I'm heading to the pet store tomorrow when they get in their new shipment 'cause I want to try a few more panda cories. Should I get one more guppy or just let these two be and hope for the best?


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

i would stick with three just to be safe. My male tends to be a bully unless there are a lot of guppies around. He even tore a few fins when it was the original three.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'll pick up another female then when I'm at the pet store. So far the one girl seems to be okay but I don't want to take any chances. Thanks, vette91.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, with one male and one female, the girl will be bugged to death so get a girl.. Best of luck


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, sorry about all your fishes, Sakura  I love panda cories, so that saddens me even more


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## TheBlueBettaFish (Jun 30, 2011)

I have 1 guppy that always gives birth and 7 guppy fry.

1. Well...guppies basically multiply....so they give birth like...every minute
2. I put my baby guppies in a small 1/2 a gallon tank.
2. I used to feed them egg yolk. Yes, its full in nutrition...so fish can eat it too! And now since their like 4 weeks old, I feed them Omega One but make the flakes powerdery. Also, I heard Hikari isn't doing so well...

Hope that helped!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Diablo, thanks. I just wish I knew what killed the cories. They literally just tipped over and died. Heart attacks maybe?

BlueBettaFish, yes that helps tremendously! When my remaining guppies give birth again, can I PM you for advice?


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## Punki (Apr 30, 2011)

Aw Sakura, im sorry to hear your guppy baby didnt make it. It was all so new, id imagine disease or something. 
Hopefully next time you can raise one up


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They give birth every 3-4 weeks, even if there is no male impregnating them.. They can store sperm for six months at a time. :/ So you're going to be overrun with them sooner or later lol! I don't bother with separate pellets/ flakes.. I give them powdered pllets that the parents eat or freeze dried daphnia. 
Daphnia clouds up water so if you want to use it, feed sparingly.. I hopes I helps!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I remember when I was a kid my parents got me and my siblings a five gallon, and we put in a snail and 2 guppies. Those guppies bred like crazy, and we didn't do anything for the babies, just left them. But by the time all of them died in an accident, we must have had 30 guppies in that thing


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## TheBlueBettaFish (Jun 30, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Diablo, thanks. I just wish I knew what killed the cories. They literally just tipped over and died. Heart attacks maybe?
> 
> BlueBettaFish, yes that helps tremendously! When my remaining guppies give birth again, can I PM you for advice?


Sure! :-D


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks Punki. I'm thinking the poor little fry had a disease or was weak from having a weak momma. :/ It never swam around, just sat there on the bottom breathing hard. I'm just glad Old Man's fry are doing so well, Punki.

Fighter, Diablo, thanks, the idea of being overrun with guppies is . . . *gulp*


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ya, it was pretty disturbing, later my brother got this really small Pleco( I know, it's overstocked, but I'm the oldest of my siblings and I was four at the time) and the guppies cross breezed with the pleco so we had sucker guppies  I know that sounds impossible, but I swear to god it happened


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

No way. I did not think guppies would breed with a pleco. :shock: That sounds disturbingly awesome.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I barely believe it now, but I remember only one survived. I wouldn't try it, cause it probably was extremely genetically unstable, and I'm suprised it didn't explode or something


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## TheBlueBettaFish (Jun 30, 2011)

That's weird...:shock:.....Imma try it! :-D Lol


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm not really sure how it worked, but the babies had guppy bodies and normal sized Pleco-Mouths so their mouth were as big as their bodies


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## vette91 (May 27, 2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFkBjD2Le3k&feature=feedrec_grec_index
for sakura to watch if he wants to see a birth


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

All this talk about guppies and hybrids makes me want a pleco! Too bad they get huge....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Diablo: :shock: Wow, yeah, I'm surprised they didn't spontaneously combust too. It's too bad you were only 4, a video or pics would have been awesome, like Ripley's Believe It or Not.

Vette91: Thank you for finding that video, that was really helpful. I can now definitely say my momma guppy had something wrong with her. She was definitely not having babies like that. And I don't think she was at the end of her birthing period either because she was still huge. And my little fry was nowhere near that active. Wonder if it was premature? Anyway, I loved the video, it was funny, informative, and I loved the music.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I hope when I get the cories they don't crossbreed with Angelo( that's what I named the new guy), now THAT would be disturbing


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

It could have been premature.. Sometimes momma guppies drop babies when they're stressed, they can even drop underdeveloped babies... The moving around must have stressed her.. 
And seriously? plecos?? I find that really hard to believe lol! Livebearers can cross breed like guppies x platys/ mollies but the reproductive process of a pleco would be totally different. :/ Even the molly-guppy hybrid are so unstable...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I know fighter, I didn't believe it either. I mean, it might have been some birth defect, though


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I wish you had pics XD I'm really curious...
It might have been deformed, like you said... Weird..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

So true


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aren't plecos like big enough to eat guppies? How early (and how small) are plecos able to spawn?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm a non-believer on this, this is just not possible.. I vote defective baby... They get really weird inbred babies sometimes XD Plecos (at least bristlenose) need to be more than 3 inches long and 1 year old to breed.. Common ones must need to get even bigger..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup, I think it was probably inbreeding, I'm with fighter. I'm really can't remember since I was young, my parents just told me that, but I remember him. And I just went to a LFS, and the Albino Cories are so cute!!! Sakura, I have a question. How do you tell the difference between cories? Lol


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I want cories too but they're so expensive  300 for 2! I need at least 4! *cries*
I'm going to find some tetras or platies for my sorority.. Any idea what to avoid in tetras? I was thinking glowlight, those red eyed ones or cardinal/ neon... Or should I just get danios? They're pretty shy...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Don't get danios, theyre notourious fin nippers. I'm not sure about platies, but with tetras I'm pretty sure it's a school of 6+, I think most tetras except neon fin nip


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Guah! I need some fish in there lol! My tank looks empty.. I heard platies do ok but I'm not 100% sure.. Neons might get massacred, no?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

If your talk about peaches is true, they'll be dead in hours, lol.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Peaches has been seriously mellow since I put in the girls, Chunkers is on Time- out right now lol! She doesn't mess with anybody and nobody messes with her.. She must have an aura or something hehehe! I have one danio in my turtle tank, the rest got eaten  So I was thinking about rehoming him with the bettas and getting him some friends.. I'll have to research more though..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ya, I bet handsome and that danio are bff by now, lol. And for a school of cories it's 600 rupees, and that roughly 14 American dollars, right? Lol, the cheapest I've found near me is16 dollars for 4 cories


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yes but 600 rupees will buy me lunch for a week, it'll buy me a new 20 gallon with hood and lights, it'll buy me new a new dress! Lol! And Handsome would never be friends with a fish ( although I can imagine her saying fish are friends not food) she likes to put fish in a false sense of security, then BAM! fish gone...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

wow, I guess things are less expensive in India, because if I went out the cheap food for all 3 meals, that would about cover it. Lol, I wonder why she won't eat that danio, does she ever try?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

She does but then it's easier to catch them in schools and I was an idiot, I bought really small ones.. They went like potato chips X(.. I feel bad too since they'e such sweet fish. The last time I got danios she did the same thing, left one for a long time. Poor thing was so neurotic, it stayed in a corner all the time. I thought the bigger tank would insure survival but I was wrong -___-


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, handsome reminds me of sprite. He thinks everything in sight is edible. I've seen him try to eat carpet, my hair, my shirt, plastic, metal, a bed, window drapes....


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Nah, Handsome is picky.. She knows food from fingers lol! She never bites fingers but when I get her into a new tanks, she will "check" everything from rocks, pipes, filters etc by gnawing them hehehe people are surprised that I actually managed keeping those fake plants for so long XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo, what do you mean by telling the difference between cories? Like how to tell male and female, or how to tell the difference between individual cories? To tell the gender difference, look at them from above: females are broader across the pectoral area and bigger than the males. To tell the difference between individual cories: it's impossible. I named mine for the heck of it but I can't tell them apart. That's why, although technically it was two of my original cory group who died, I kept their names (Kruk, Kuip, Flem, and Miller) and pretended it was the newer ones (Pablo, Posey, and Cain) who died instead. 

That poor danio, it's like hiring a hitman to kill you instead of committing suicide but never knowing when the guy will hit. Sorry, it was an episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine once. The Ferengi was terminally ill and . . . blah blah blah, going off topic. 

diablo, I have a cat who is like Sprite. A cat who chewed a chunk out of my wooden windowsill and part of my CD cabinet, and has chewed up several books (much to my mother's dismay). He also tried to eat the hinges on the door but they were metal and he didn't get very far. He also chewed a hole in a drip hose in the garden and chewed holes in my Crocs shoes. This is a cat, by the way. A CAT. A medium-sized, very mellow, sweet CAT.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That cory name thing made my head hurt 
Yes, I thought I could give the danio a better life with the girls but I'm not sure if it will actually be better X(


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The cory name thing makes MY head hurt too. I don't know why I bother with names . . . sigh. Poor danio, I feel so sorry for it. I'm surprised it hasn't died from sheer stress yet.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They're pretty hardy that way.. Actually they're pretty hardy period. I had one missing, thought it died but it was living in my filter for a week! And I find them to be spazzy but shy, even in groups they don't go near the other fish, just play with each other  If I got them with the girls I'm more worried about the girls not getting their noms rather than nipping.. Since they nip each other anyway -__-


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

That's one hardy danio living in your filter like that. No wonder people use them to cycle tanks.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I heard danios are really hardy. Since you can't tell the difference individually, if it's mostly female I'll name them all Something to be decided later, if mostly boys I'll name them all Steve  Do you have any problems with them trying to breed?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Not so far, no. I think they have to have lots and lots of broad-leaf live plants to want to breed because they lay the eggs on the leaves. Plus, I think my pH is a little too high for them to "get in the mood." ;-)


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Oh good, cause it would take forever to pick all one gender, and even then a " boy" might be a young female. So when it comes time, I'll just pick the healthiest, most active ones


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, that's pretty much the easiest way to do it. Fortunately, although cory cats breed easily, they usually only breed easily if you WANT them to by providing them with the ideal environment. And since they're egglayers with no broodcare, even if they do breed, you can just remove the eggs and destroy them. Cruel but effective population control.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

True, very true. The thing I've noticed with the 2 stores I've been to( petco and 1 LFS) there is one fully grown what I assume to be female, just sitting there, and all the others are roughly the same size, and are active. I have gone to the LFS I like the best of the two LFS and they probably had them, but I couldn't find them because they have four 25 foot rows of fish, so I'd be in there for hours before I found them XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeesh. And I've found with my LFS is that half the time the fish that are in the tank are completely different than the what the tank label says. I spent forever searching for one kind of fish in its labeled tank only to realize it just flat out wasn't in there and some other kind of fish was swimming around.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Never mind, I found a solution to my problem by switching filters.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Exactly, that happens too XD Angelo seems more high strung than aggresive, like diablo will flare and jump up to nip me, but Angelo is still scared of me so whenever I come up he starts freaking out and zooming around really fast  he seems he would be more scared of cories than aggresive.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I posted in the wrong place. That filter comment was supposed to go somewhere else I think. Too many threads open!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, too true


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Let's try this again, here's what I think I meant to post: cories are great with bettas because they stay on the bottom and cories usually stay in the middle to the top. Cories are about as non-aggressive as a fish can be which makes them such wonderful tankmates. I think Angelo just needs some time to settle in and realize that the human isn't going to hurt him. Who knows what the poor guy endured at the pet store. One of my guys, Riceball, was like that for the first three days. I never knew a betta could swim so fast, I thought Riceball was going to hit a tank wall and go right through. He would literally jump when he saw me and take off.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, sounds like him. I got him to eat today, and it was as much as I feed diablo so he should be big and sumo-wrestlerish soon  And I suppose it doesn't help I keep putting my finger in the water to make sure it's warm enough, whoops


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You WANT a sumo-betta? That would be too funny, a big sumo betta who is timid. Actually, if you keep sticking your finger in and leave it there for a moment, it'll help Angelo realize you're not going to hurt him. When I got my first girl, she was super timid so I would literally sit there with my hand in the tank until she'd come over to investigate. Now she's my boldest, brassiest little thing ever.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, Hes really small right now so I don't want a sumo betta, just want him to fatten up  Actually, he seems more use to me now, like he's still a little jittery but is more curious. But I'm so mad at the tetra heat I got, it's a 50 watt and it's suppose to keep the tank at 78, but it's at 76 during the day and 74 at night. Poor little guy, he's a little clamped so I think he's cold


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I've heard the same complaint about the Tetra heater on another thread. Is it one of those preset ones?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yes, I got it because I thought I was going to blow all my money on the tank, and it had good reviews, but it only kept it good for the first day. Anyway, I can get him a better heater soon because I got too much gravel, so I can take it back when I take that back, and I turns out I have enough money left to get the new heater and a plant. Do you have any heater suggestions? I was thinking Aqueon pro ajustable heater


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aqueon is good. I have a Fluval heater, two Eheim Jager heaters, and a whole bunch of Cascade heaters. But so far, the only place I've found the Jager and the Cascade heaters are at an LPS, not Petsmart or Petco.  But I like Aqueon, I'd go with that.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yes, the only thing near me is a Petco, and only petsmart sells the jager so I can't use that. And I considered the Fluval but it's only 25w, not higher enough for 10 gal  thanks, you can have your thread back, lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, sure thing. So I got another guppy girl last night. Now I have three guppies. Maybe in 3-4 weeks, I'll have many more guppies, if one of the girls is pregnant. Can't tell yet if one of them is.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, just gotta love guppies. I mean, they're colorful, always pregnant, and for some reason I think they're name is funny


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I know, it's so fun to say. Guppies! Gup gup gup.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I wonder where that name came from.... I can just imagine some guy...." I dubb thee Guppy!"


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:lol: I dub thee, haha. Plecostomus isn't much better. I wonder where a lot of animals got their names from.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Probably some weird English biologist who it made sense to, lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup, probably. Maybe he named them after himself. Sir Something Guppy.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Sir Jonathan Plecostomus, lol


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Stomus means mouth, I'm not sure what pleco means XP.. I'm disgruntled, what's up?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Why are you disgruntled?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Is it peaches or chunkers?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Or Awesome Sauce.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup. Awesome sauce too.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Nah, Chunkers in a bowl right now and Peaches and AS are just chasing each other, no damage... The website, it's taking so long... I'm bored of looking at it everyday X(
And I'm confused about tankmates..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, poor fighter. Are you at least getting paid well for this website? And I'm not the person to ask about tank mates XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You could try a bristlenose pleco. 5" so one would work in a 20g. Cherry barbs in a school of 5 or more might work. You can try platies, too.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I doubt I'll find a BN pleco but those creep me out lol! I'll have to look for cherry barbs too... I was thinking about platies especially since the girls will get some food off them... http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=76315


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

They creep you out? I think they're sorta cool, who doesn't love a giant catfish who's eyes follow you around the room?....I see your point


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Some of the bigger catfish have weird eyes. Like the Raphael catfish creeps me out.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Those catfish at the aquarium really freaked me out :X The one with the popped eye, especially.. It's other eye was bobbing in and out of it's socket! *shudders*


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

At an LFS yesterday I saw a pleco bigger than my arm O-o


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:shock: to both of you. That poor catfish with the popped eye. And Common Plecos get like 20" long.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Are common Plecos armored? This one had like plates or something instead of scales


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I've seen 5 that long crammed into a 30 gallon at an lfs -__-

They are armored, that's why I thought they would survive Handsome.. Boy was I wrong!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I don't think so. Some of the bristlenoses, like Temmick's Bristlenose, look like they have plates. Some of the whiptails do too, but not common plecos.

Edit: They are? Uhm diablo, don't listen to a thing I just said. ^_^


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Wait, fighter, are you saying you accidentally fed a pleco to handsome?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Wow, Handsome, that's impressive. Eating a pleco . . .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yes, yes I am.. 2 of them -__- Well one and a half. 
Common plecos have spines on their fins too, you need rubber gloves to handle them otherwise it's oww oww oww!

The pleco and Handsome molested each other lol! The pleco sucked her face XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:rofl: Brings a whole new meaning to the term "sucking face." 

I know plecos have spines, so do my cory cats and a lot of loaches. Sometimes my cory cats get stuck in the net and I have to push them free. I didn't realize plecos were armored though. They don't LOOK armored. They look . . . kinda funny-looking.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Dang, I have a whole new respect for handsome. It takes real determination to eat a giant catfish and a half...


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They're really thick skinned, they remind me of hard plastic or plywood hehehe.. Btw do cory cats need sand and nothing else will do? Or is gravel (not pointy but roundish ok?)

Lol! They weren't giant... Around 5-6 inches, she was 3-4 inches at the time. D:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Rounded gravel works fine for cories. I had to put my cories on gravel until I get the tank cleaned out.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I was looking at your album and wondered how a turtle got double chins, my question is now answered, lol

And Cory cats prefer sand, but small, smooth gravel works. If you decide to get them, bronze cories are the hardiest and most temp compadible with bettas. Most albino cories you see are albino bronze cories


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, I'm learning panda corie are cute but a little touchy. Go with bronze cories.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Whoakay, I forgot I asked this here and asked in the other thread again! D'oh!
I'll check out what kind of cories they have.. I hope they know -__-
Lol! Most turtles in captivity will be obese, my girl is on a diet right now but she isn't even as fat as so many that I've seen!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She's fat but at least her double chins make her look adorable.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

She is adorable but whenever I pick her up she decides to scratch me with her huge talons X( Not cute! Lol!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She needs a manicure, haha.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm just happy she's not male! I'd be dead by now.. or at least have no arms!

http://redearslider.com/determining_sex.html


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:shock: Yeah, no kidding. You'd have to wear armor or something to handle a male who liked to scratch.

Oh yeah, that RES I found in my backyard was definitely male. I was scared stiff of those claws.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I'm used to things with claws now. When I got sprite I was creeped out by his teeny tiny nails. Now I'm more scared of his beak , lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

My neighbor has some birds. She keeps the window open so when I go in the backyard I can hear them chirping and singing away. It's fun.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I actually wanted a male till the claws scratched me XD They stay smaller so I wouldn't have to upgrade my tank beyond 70-90 gallons.. With a female, I'll need 120 X(..
This guy I know has a male, poor guy sits halfway in a 2 gallon tank in his window.. He's 6 inches big! And he has all sorts of shell issues.. I feel so bad


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Poor turtle, that's inhumane. Why do people get pets they can't take care of properly?  How long will Handsome live and how big will she get?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, poor turtle  if I'm right, don't turtles live like 60 years?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I know they have really long lifespans, I just wasn't sure how long "long" was. Hehe.

Aaaanyway, I've got to get off for a while and do some tank maintenance and other fun stuff. I'll be back later.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Bye sakura!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Bye! Yeah they can live 45- 50 years or so, but only their age in captivity is known, wild ones might be older


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Wow, long lived turtle. I wonder how long wild ones DO live


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I have no idea about Red ear sliders but there have been cases of people finding snapping turtles with civil war musket bullets (balls?) stuck in their shells! :shock:


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

HUH?!?! Woah, that's one seriously old turtle


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Do you guys think guppies and rummynose tetras will get along? My tank looks so empty with only three guppies. The cories blend in with the sand. Neon/cardinal tetras or rummynose tetras? Or danios?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Take my danio please lol! I think any fish should get along with guppies... When they have babies though, most other fish will eat them. So as long as you're ok with that its cool.. If you wait long enough, you could just populate the tank with the guppy progeny  Lots of tanks start out with 2 and end up with 50!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

My tank had that! Lol, I guess they would be ok, as long as your fine with them nomin' on the baby guppies


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, I'd love your poor danio, I feel so sorry for it. And I'm not patient enough to wait for my guppies to populate my tank, haha! That's why I only bought 3 because I figured I'd end up with plenty more. But it takes too long! Curse this impatient personality of mine! And yeah, I figured some of the babies will get eaten. It's best that way, hard as it is, 'cause no way can I take care of every single guppy baby.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hmm, I was going to wait the get the cories, but since Platies are like 2 dollars each, I might get them sooner. And yes Sakura, it's sad that you can't take care of all of them  but if one of the 2 female platies I want to get is pregnant, I might just raise one


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You're going to have a colorful tank with the platies and the betta. You and Fighter both. :-D Take pics!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Maybe in a week or two.... After Angelo settles in and I get a filter and Anacharis or Java moss or something...


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm still raising those molly fry, they're around 1/2 an inch big.. I have to feed them 4 times a day -__-..
I will take pics asap, I hope the girls behave!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

What are you going to do with the molly fry once they're grown? Once they're grown you'll just end up with more molly fry, hahah.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

You have molly fry? How many more pets do you have?!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, I don't want that hehe! I want to keep 1-2 that I really liked the colours of, the rest will go to the lfs..
Yeah, I used to have mollies, I gave away the adults though...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ah, ok.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Make sure the 1-2 you're keeping are both female.  Maybe these mollies will be more friendly than their parents since you're handraising them.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I hope so! They come to investigate my fingers and things, they're cute! One has pretty colours, orangy head, blackish middle and silvr tail but it has some spine problems, not that I care though since it gets around just fine.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Daw, he sounds cute. Are you going to keep s/he?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I want to  I have no idea how many will survive but I hope they all do.. So far I've lost one but in the old tank.. The rest got eaten by the adults..  They're so cute when they aren't molesting each other continously XD
The platies I got must be pretty yound they're less than an inch big...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aww, so sweet. Still can't decide between danios and rummynoses and my cory with SBD died. No more panda cories. They're telling me emphatically that they don't like my water. Do you think I can QT 4-5 danios or rummynoses in a 2.5g? *sob* It's all I have left, I'm outta tanks.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

How long do you plan to QT them? For a week, I guess its fine with much changing of the water.. Have a lid though, danios jump!
How did another panda die?? This just sucks! They must be really delicate .. Maybe get a bronze if you want another?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Pandas are really delicate....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Pandas are really delicate. *sigh* When I woke up, it was on its side and I thought it was dead but when I went to get it out, it took off swimming . . . on its side. It spent the next three hours alternately laying there looking dead and doing loop-de-loops upside down and sideways in a Gladware with epsom salt. Then it died.  No more pandas. If the ones I have I live, great, if not oh well, I'm not getting anymore. :/ Aaargh. 

I wonder if I should skip the QT for the remaining new panda and put him with the rest, he looks kinda lonely.

Think I'll go with danios. And yes, I plan to change the water like every day. Thanks.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

So how many do you have now? The pandas that is... I don't know, I'm starting to think you should QT all the pandas since they're dropping so fast 
Danios will be the complete opposite of the pandas hardiness wise, so good choice!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, ya, they are extremely hardy


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I have 3 pandas in the 10g, 1 in the 3g quarantine and I just got home with 6 longfin danios (all they had were longfin). I'll put 3 in the 3g with the panda and 3 in the 2.5g. I think you're right, Fighter, I'd better quarantine the heck out of that lonely panda. Maybe he'll feel better with the danios for company. Hardy fish, I need hardy!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, super hardy seems good for you. And I'm SO HAPPY!!!!! So my dad was reading the Sunday ads like usual, and came to the petco ad. So he called me over and asked if something was a good deal, so I looked, and he saw a 29 gallon that came with heater, filter, and hood, for 80 dollars! So now we might be getting it!!!!! Right now we're deciding between 2 Angel Fish or a bunch of Tetras. Any suggestions for new fishes?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Just not two angelfish AND tetras; angelfish like to munch on tetras. I'm soooo happy for you, a 29g with everything. Sweeet. I can offer some ideas but it depends on what kind of fish you and your dad are looking for. Catfish, colorful fish, cichlids . . . let me know and I'll toss some ideas out. Lucky, lucky you.  Did I mention lucky?

Oh, and good news, it looks like Anju/Zenny is just eggy! There's an egg in her QT container and she dropping eggy poo (like the one she's got now is about an inch long and all gross :shock so she should be fine in a few days.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

No, not both, either or. We aren't looking for Cichlids, more like colorful fish. He loves Angels, but for some reason he absolutely ADORES Kuhli Loaches so I'm waiting for him to find out they could go in there


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

He'd need at least 3, they love company. If you have several and a cave, they'll tangle themselves up into a little ball to sleep. Just beware, they can find the smallest opening in a tank lid and slither out. Cover it well. Gouramis would be great, they're very colorful. You could have a pair of dwarf gouramis, or even bigger ones like opaline gouramis or pearl gouramis. Boesemani's rainbowfish are also really great, as are the Australian rainbowfish. All of those would go well with kuhlis. And you could always get platies.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup, platies are always an option  and we could keep tetras with Kuhlis, right?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup, tetras and kuhlis get along fine because kuhlis are bottom dwellers.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yay! A proper school of tetras and 4 Kuhlis sounds nice  I believe they need soft gravel like cories though.....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, kuhlis LOVE to dig. Not just dig but kinda bury themselves too. A tank of kuhlis and tetras sounds awesome.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Anyone know if longfin danios are supposed to have whiskers? It looks like all my new danios have barbels, like a super thin whisker on each side. Didn't know danios had whiskers so I'm wondering what's up with these guys. Just curious.


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## Amethyst123 (Mar 4, 2011)

I realize your posts are about a week old now, so you have more experience being a guppy grandma, and are probably past the freak out stage (if not - breathe. Don't forget to breathe). Hopefully things are going well. If you still only have the one fry, my guess is that your mommy is young, this is probably her first drop and therefore had fewer babies, but I would also assume some of them were eaten before you noticed them. The mother herself usually doesn't eat for 12 to 24 hours before and during the birth process, but the others in the tank would (maybe that's why they didn't seem interested in the food you put in the tank for them). I've never known any of my guppies, or other livebearers, to take more than a few hours to give birth. The first batch I ended up raising to adulthood were born in just over an hour. We noticed a few babies, separated her out, and an hour later she was surrounded by a cloud of fry. We counted a total of 51 - counted in small batches while transfering them to another tank, in case you're wondering. As you've noticed, they tend to zoom around, and are quite impossible to count while swimming free in a tank.

I have a 47g community tank with guppies, mollies, platys, and swordtails, and I think I ALWAYS have at least a few pregnant girls of one or more species, and often will see anywhere from 1 or 2 to half a dozen fry in the tank. If I tried to separate out and save all the fry, I'd go crazy. My life would consist of nothing but water changes, which already take up a good portion of my "free" time. I've never had guppy fry last in the adult tank for more than a week - and I don't have any bettas in that tank. I would guess that with a female betta you have less chance of fry making it past a few days, since bettas will actively go after the fry. The livebearers will eat their own and each other's fry, but they are more passive about it - if the fry happens to swim past the nose of a hungry adult, it will probably be lunch, but the adults won't actively seek them out as much. If the fry have lots of places to hide (moss is good for this, as are larger stones/pebbles so they can go between them where the adults don't fit) they are more likely to live. I've had a few platy fry live in the adult tank until they are too big to eat, and have taken out a few guppies, a couple of swordtails, and a couple of mollies when I noticed them during cleaning. Sometimes I have noticed them when they are already in the bucket of dirty water, having been sucked up in the gravel vacuum - once, in fact, I pulled 2 guppy fry out of the toilet. 

When I really want them to survive, I separate them as soon as possible, and usually I separate the mom before she starts to give birth or as soon as I notice a baby or two, and put her back in the main tank after. I don't leave fry in the net breeders, or anything else that small, more than a few hours - a day at the most, as they don't really have room to swim enough to grow properly. If you have only a few fry, a few days may be OK. 

I have successfully raised guppies and gotten credit for them at my lfs when they were old enough to sell (the chains won't take them, but if you have any locally-owned, private pet stores in the area you might be able to do this, too). So far I've sold 47 from 2 drops, and have kept 2 males and several females from the same 2 drops. I have another 12 or so that will be going in another couple of weeks. I only saved 15 fry from the third drop before putting the mother back in the main tank because I was overloaded with fry, so I don't know how many she had altogether. I'm keeping at least 2 of this batch - a male and a female, maybe 2 females. I've also got 80+ swordtail fry and about 30 platy fry growing up right now, and about 6 or 7 platys and 2 guppies that are still tiny things. The tiny ones were discovered during water changes in the larger tanks, and once discovered it feels heartless to throw them back in to be eaten. 

My fry and juveniles are currently housed as follows: 29 platys that range from .5" to 1" (from 2 drops): 20 of these are in a 20g long tank with a young male guppy - I want to keep him, but don't want him in the main tank yet where he might get picked on by the full adults, so I'm segregating him from his sisters; the other 9 platys are in a 10g with 4 guppies about .75" to 1" (sisters of the aforementioned male). Another 10 or so guppies (same drop) are in a 10g with 2 adult platys (waiting to go in the main tank when I'm sure they aren't pregnant anymore - the tiny platys came from one or both of these girls, who were apparently pregnant when I got them. Both are different varieties from my other platys, so I wanted a few of their babies to raise). There is also an adult guppy in this tank permanently - I don't think she'd manage a pregancy due to a spinal deformity and , so I'm keeping her away from the boys. The tiny babies are currently in a Sterlite storage bin that holds about 2g of water, and all of the swordtails are in another Sterlite bin that holds about 16g of water. As soon as the platys and the rest of the older juvie guppies are ready for the fish store, the swordtails will be spread out among the 20 long, the 10, and the bin they are in now, so they have more room to grow. By then, the tiny babies will probably be big enough to make it unlikely they'll get eaten, and I'll put them in the other 10g with the adult "disabled" guppy. 

I have decided that I had a temporary episode of insanity when I decided to raise three guppy drops, 2 platy drops, and a swordtail drop all at the same time. I will NEVER do this many at once again. It has been fun, though, and I do plan to do some deliberate breeding, but probably not more than 20 or 30 fry at a time. I will probably keep the 20g long as a grow-out tank, with the 16g bin as a back-up for extra grow-out room if needed. 

With experience, you will know when one of the moms is about to drop a batch, and if you want to raise the fry you can move her to your quarantine tank. Then when she's done, put her back in the 10g, and leave the babies in the quarantine tank. However, with a full drop, which for guppies averages 40 - 60 and can be as many as 100, you'll need a much bigger tank (or more than one) if you actually plan to raise them to adulthood. Mine have been about the size of most of the guppies in the pet stores at about 4 to 5 months. Even in a 20g tank, you'd be at capacity with 20 guppies of 1", which is only half grown, so if you have average 40 fry per drop, with 3 adults dropping every 28 days or so - well, you can do the math. By the way, even if you don't have any males in the tank, your females can hold sperm for several months, so any or all of them could have 4 to 6 more drops without any further insemination. If you have even one male, just assume they are all pregnant again with 24 hours of giving birth. 

Have fun!

Edit: As for feeding - First Bites is fine, especially for the first week or two. Also, as mentioned by others, you can finely grind flakes or pellets for them. If you want to go all out, baby brine shrimp and daphnia make good food for fry, or bloodworms, if you're willing to cut or smash them into tiny enough pieces, either live or frozen. Since a lot of the fry will tend to stay at the bottom of the tank, at least for the first few days (longer if there are adults around), make sure the food breaks the surface of the water. I do this with by simply sticking my finger, with the food on it, into the water and stirring slightly. In a taller tank you can also use an eyedropper or a needle-less syringe to get the food into the lower part of the tank without it getting eaten by the fish nearer the top.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I hope they didn't give you tiny koi fry by mistake  They have barbels and look alot like long fin danios.. Pictures!!
My friend had a kuhli who killed all the goldfish in his tank, he was the colour of blood by the end of it! 
My platies are really shy, it's so cute :3 I have to separate Chunkers for good  She riles up all the girls way too much! Qveen was missing half her dorsal in the morning! :<


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## Amethyst123 (Mar 4, 2011)

Well, my big long post was way off topic by the time I posted it. I have a tendency to read the first page of posts and respond without realizing there are other pages, and in this case LOTS of other pages. Do any of you ever sleep? lol

I'm sorry to hear of your problems with guppy death. It does sound like the mommy was having problems delivering if she still looked really pregnant when she died. Maybe she had a fry caught sideways, blocking the rest from getting out. I'm glad you got another female. A ratio of at least 1:2 is important, and I've found that even then, both females will get run to death by the male. 1:3 or 1:4 is even better. 

If you end up with guppy fry later, my first post may be helpful. If not, feel free to ignore it. 

As for guppies and tetras - may depend on the type of tetra, but neon tetras and guppies aren't really happy in the same water parameters. They can cohabitate for awhile, but the neon tetras like lower pH and warmer water than the livebearers, which is why they are compatible with bettas, at least as far as water parameters go. I originally had neons in my community tank, and all but 2 died. I now have a tank with only neon tetras and one betta, and they seem to be happy and healthy. The betta is a recent edition - He is the most unflappable of my three boys, so when I had to do some moving around, he ended up with the neons. He's been in there for a few days. At first he hid quite a bit, but he is coming out more, interacting with me more. He and the neon tetras basically ignore each other.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! The big post was very useful though, especially since Sakura got another girl, those fish breed like bunnies! Its 5 pm here, so I shouldn't be sleeping hehe but you're awake! It must be so late! Are you a night owl too? 
I'm contemplating getting another mickey mouse girl since they die so easily in childbirth X(.. I lost 2 mollies that way.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Gosh, livebearers are so fragile. I heard that you could get another female, and have it be okay. And thanks for the post on guppies. Hikari first bites and daphnia/ baby brine shrimp will also work with platy fry, no?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

GOD DANG IT!!!!!!! I woke up this morning and Angelo was head down in the gravel gasping extremely hard! So I moved him to a QT to check him out, other than floating head down and gasping, nothing!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You should make a thread on it.. Can he swim ok? Maybe he has SBD?

The same would apply for platy fry..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Sadly, Angelo died  I dont know why, we're trying to figure it out. But now my dad faces me with an interesting proposition. Either we return my 10 gallon and get the new 29, or He gets me a filter and divider for my 10 and we put Diablo on 1 side and get another betta. Opinions?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Amethyst123 said:


> I realize your posts are about a week old now, so you have more experience being a guppy grandma, and are probably past the freak out stage (if not - breathe. Don't forget to breathe).


Amethyst, thank you! This has loads and loads of information that I need! I even bought a book on guppies but it still didn't tell me what you just told me. Believe me, this information and your own personal experiences is going to help me immensely! Sadly, my one fry did pass away. But it looks like one of my guppies may be due in maybe 2-3 weeks so I will keep an eye on her and follow your advice. Thank you, thank you!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo, Angelo died? Aw no, I'm so sorry to hear that. But whether or not you decide to keep the 10g or get the 29g depends on how much you want another betta or how much you just want fish in general. Kuhlis and platies are awesome, but bettas are, of course, awesome too.  

amethyst, I ended up getting danios. I only have one male guppy at the time and his tail isn't super long so I'm hoping the danios will leave him alone. 

fighter, I looked it up and apparently danios do have barbels but I've never seen them before now. Weeeeird. They're a little stressy in the small tanks, they spazz when I turn the light on to look at them (room light). Should I just move them to the 10g and hope (pray) they don't have anything? I'm afraid the stress will make them sick if they aren't already. Haha, and when I was at my LFS the other day, they have the koi in a big indoor pond and they followed me as I walked back and forth along their pond 'cause they wanted me to feed 'em. Cuute!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm so sorry diablo  I wonder what happened to him...
Can't you keep the 10 as well as get the 29? I would do that :/

Phew! I remember one lfs had longfins and small white kois together and they looked exactly the same! That's why I wondered lol! Piccies? :<


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Well, I'm not getting the 29 gallon because it won't fit on the 10 gallons tray. Tonight me and my dad are going out to Petco, I'm exchanging my heater and he is actually going to buy me a filter. We might get the fish if I see one I like...... I wanted to divide it with Diablo on one side so he gets a heater, but apparently 15$ for a divider is a no-go  actually, when I got Angelo I thought someone bought him because he wasn't where I last saw him, and they had an awesome Blue Dragonscale halfmoon with red fins....... Maybe, if he's still there


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Danio piccies! The last pic is of a danio in the 3g in the bathroom. Those danios are a lot less spazzy and more active than the ones in the tank in my brother's room. And ignore the cat hair in the first pic.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's definitely a danio  They don't look long finned though, I was imagining something else... I always like Danios! Kayoot!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ooo, they're pretty! I like the second one!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

My amazing two-headed danio.  One of the danios does look longfinned but the rest are kind of "enh, maybe, maybe not." Should I put them in the 10g now or let them spazz in their little tanks for a week?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Depends, did they all come from the same tank? And are you putting them with other fish?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Let them spazz I say..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ol, spazz, I love that word


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Actually, I may have to put them in anyway whether I like it or not. My mom is going through her "There are fish everywhere, why would I let you put a 29g in the living room?" bit. I said they were only there for quarantine but she said there ALWAYS seemed to be fish in quarantine. True, true . . . I'll wait a day and see if she calms down. I think I pushed too hard for the 29g. Ooops. 

They all came from the same tank and yeah, they'll be going in with 3 guppies and 3 cories. We'll see . . . 

How are your platies, Fighter?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Are these giant danios or zebras? I had pink ones no idea what they were but they called them zebras..
I don't blame you for pushing too hard  I get the same lecture everyday lol! But I can buy tanks cheap, they seem so expensive there..
Platies are fine, they're so shy though, they swim behind th plants everytime I appear! I'll show you guys pics of them and the mollies soon


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Btw sakura, this may happen to you *copy paste's*
2 of my molly fry died, and one is on the way  All the deformed ones seem to be dying (they were born that way..)Survival of the fittest?
I started changing the water and one brave molly soul decided to investigate and got stuck in my airline hose syphon DX I had to blow him out into the bucket! It was so freaky, he was just sitting in there, wiggling!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, my mom wants nothing to do with pets, and my dad says I can have one, but I can break his resolution


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

*gulp* They'd better be zebras or I'm in BIIIIIIG trouble. I know, I was really kinda wondering because the coloring does look more like a giant danio. I thought zebras were more vibrant than this. 

Aww, I'm sorry you're losing some of your fry. :/ Survival of the fittest, I guess? You did say they were deformed, but that's still sad. And the way your fry was sitting in the bucket wiggling reminds me of when I sucked Sherman up the hose. He was just spinning around in a little whirlpool. Is the little fry okay?

diablo, my mom is fine with pets as long as they don't require tanks in her living room, apparently, haha. My dad is like "whatever you want."


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

He wasn't wiggling in the bucket, he was wiggling, stuck in the tube XD I had to blow him out like a straw! He was stuck for like 5 minutes while I panicked hehehe!
He's fine (I don't know if it's a he) he was swimming aound like nothing happened, the twerp!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:roll: Fish. I'm so glad you got him out safely. I would have been freaking out, too! I probably would have cut up the airline hose into tiny pieces trying to get him out, running the risk of harming him (I overreact easily, lol). Smart of you to think of blowing on it to get him out.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! Funny you should say that! I asked my sister to get the scissors and had the brilliant idea while she was gone to get them XD
Checked google, those are zebras.. I wonder what I had then  they were bright pink!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Pink . . . I'd love pink zebras. There are those GloFish that are bright pink. Technically, they ARE danios . . . How many molly fry do you have left?

So I moved all the danios into the 3g. It's small but if I do twice daily water changes, it should be okay for a week. That should appease my mum for a while. She never liked the tank in my bro's room. And I broke my own rule and put the cory in the big tank already. He seemed freaked out by the hyper danios. Cross fingers. He seemed healthy . . . Sigh. Okay, think everyone's where they're going to be for a while. Anderson nommed off part of his tail but I'm not going to bother with salt. I literally have no more QT tanks, not even a place to put a Gladware. Zenny/Anju is still mopey and pale and won't eat. Crichton's getting new growth on what's left of his fins. Sherman's back in his tank but on a steady diet of brine shrimp to encourage him to GO (constipated twit) and Scooter is getting stronger, even though he'll never be able to swim properly. Whew. Oh yeah. I want more plants for the 10g. 

I want a job stocking fish tanks for people.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Why is Sherman always constipated D:! Stoopid fish! 
I don't think they were glofish, there were only pink ones :/ 
I hope the cories last now, it's getting crazy lol!

I have no idea how many I have because I have no idea how many i started with! Lol! There were around 14 and I think the one that was going is gone too, so I must have 11 left.. :<
Chunkers is so miserable in her tiny bowl, it's temporary but still... I was thinking that maybe I could give her away but I dunno


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Is Chunkers still too aggressive for the sorority?  Who would you give her to? If she goes back to a petstore, she could end up in a lightbulb. :/ Poor girl. Maybe give her a few more chances to get used to sorority life before you think about giving her away. I assume the molly fry are in the 10g now. Where is the lonely danio?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lonely danio is still with the turtle :< I plan on getting him some fraands (although they'll probably get eaten)
I tried introducing her thrice and she just makes everyone go nuts X(.. She's really violent! I don't know what to do... The rest start nipping too when she's in there.. She chases the platies too, the rest ignore them but I'll try once more just in case 
That light bulb thing was horrible! I've posted on my indian aquarium forum if anyone will take her, if I don't get replies, she'll stay .. I feel bad but I don't know what to do XC


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Sadly, that's the risk we all run when we get a girl for a sorority. I wish she'd just take a deep breath and calm down and GET ALONG. I hope she can find a good home.

Well, at least the lonely danio won't be alone while waiting to be eaten, that would probably help.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yeah, it sucks! I hope she does, I'll give her 3 days, I don't want to end up with dead bettas ... 


> Well, at least the lonely danio won't be alone while waiting to be eaten, that would probably help


That is so morose! XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Morose but accurate.  Poor guy. Maybe when the molly fry are all grown up he can go in there with them. Handsome will get fat if she eats any more danios. Fatter, I mean. She's so cute, though.  I love her double chins.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe that's how she gets away with stuff, by being cute XD
I think I did have glofish  http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/165152-pink-danios/


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

GloFish are illegal in CA so I've never seen one in person. But I'd still love a naturally pink fish. Now that all the danios are together, they've all colored up and look more zebras. 

I saw in the same Petco ad as the 29g that they have Russian tortoises. I love tortoises. There was someone in the newspaper a while ago who took her tortoise for walks all the time.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I want a tortoise! We get star tortoises but they're sold illegally 
I want an iguana too!! Want want want!! XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Surprisingly my mom was like, "If we can make sure it can't dig out, maybe . . ." She likes tortoises too. More importantly, it wouldn't be in her living room, haha. I have to do research and see what they eat. If they eat plants, she'll refuse, she loves her garden. In other news, all the danios are happy now that they're together again, even though it's cramped. In still more news, Anju/Zenny is still passing eggs and I got a bubble wand for the 10g, happy guppies!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You could always make it a pen 
And A/z is really loaded isn't she? Can bettas get egg bound?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'd love to take a tortoise for a walk . . .

Yeah, bettas can get eggbound and that's why I'm nervous. She's still pale, still kind of eggy-looking, and yesterday she held on to a 1 1/2" eggy poo for more than 6 hours. If she doesn't improve by tomorrow I'm putting her on General Cure just in case it's parasites/bacteria infection.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

6 hours!? Insane girl! How much epsom are you putting in? If she's releasing eggs though, she can't be eggbound right? Maybe she just ate a lot of them..


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I figured since she was pooping, she didn't need epsom. Do you think she does? She seems to be getting a little floaty butt, though. 

And I found out the Russian tortoise are only 8-10" and they dig a lot. Don't know how we'd keep one in the yard. Bah.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'd put a little epsom in there, just to help the process.. But only if you think she's having trouble.. Although epsom never really hurt anything :>

Also: http://startortoises.net/profile.html
D'aawww!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I think since she has gone all floaty butt on me, I will follow your wise advice and put some in there. And those star tortoises are amazing! Purty.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I love that term: Floaty butt XD
Yes it shall make her poo faster! Its amazing, how poo can make our day XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She was pooing when I poured the epsom salt water in. :roll: Lots n' lots of eggy poo. Geesh, she must have really had her heart set on spawning to egg up this much. I don't know if she ate them all or she reabsorbed them or what.

Yeah, before I got bettas, I would never have imagined poo would be so important. :lol:


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Eggy poo sounds so gross  but it makes us happy XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She looks so uncomfortable, she keeps wiggling her tail all funny like she's, uhm, straining. "Errrrnnn! Errrn! Haha, sorry for the gross sound effects. I think I need a nap, lol.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! Bye Sakura.. Please don't dream of pooing fish XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, now I KNOW I will. Bye!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe sorry!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm back and ticked off. What was suppose to be we'll be home by 4 and go to petco turned into coming home at 6 because he couldn't leave his stupid family reunion


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Its a family reunion, you can go to petco anytime! It isn't going anywhere


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Well, we did go to petco, but he wouldn't let me buy a heater. And he forgot his wallet so I had to buy my family dinner. I didn't see any special bettas, but there was a pretty halfmoon, he had blue dragonscales and his fins were red trimmed with black. But luckily, my dad has a job( he's like a supervising engineer, so he's organizing a renovation, but the place is next to a Petsmart! So I be goin there tomorrow.....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I hate when my dad forgets his wallet. :roll: I especially hate when my dad forgets his wallet on top of the car.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I hate that the most. I think I may be losing my memory, I remember putting my wallet away with about 20 dollars in it, but I woke up with it in the living room with 40 dollars in it O-o


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Your dad must have put it in there


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

He probably did, though I don't know how he found it, I hid it in my room.....can you tell I'm obsessive about money? Lol, either that or a money fairy is running around......I could get use to that  so anyway, my dad says he might take me back to petco today, I was hoping he could take me to that worksite so while he works I could goof around in petsmart, but he only said maybe. If he goes without me, I'm gonna be mad if he gets me a 200 watt heater and a high current power filter. He hinted he was going to do something along the lines


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! Its funny when dads try to be nice but screw up royally! Poor guys, so clueless.. Yet they know everything! :shock:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo, :lol: about the wallet with the money. Good luck with the whole Petsmart/Petco thing. Maybe you'll find another dream betta there?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, that they do! And I found out what Platies I want to get! They're called Panda Platies


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Panda platies! Oooh, do you have pics of what they look like?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Um, no, but I can describe them!!! Their tails and the lower third of their body is black, and the rest is fleshy-white


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

They sound so cute! I'll google them.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I love them!!!!!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Found 'em. So cute! Awesome.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I shall name them Pickles and Posie!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You're only getting two? Get more, the more the merrier!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm only buying two, both female, but if one of them has babies I might raise some and if one is another female, maybe, but remember it's only a 10 gallon tank


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

That's true, that's true. They sound great, take pics when you get them.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Will do, I will name one Pickles, but the other one I don't know about. Any name suggestions for girls? I think I might get the platies first, unless I find my dream betta at petsmart or something


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I like the name Posie, too, that you suggested earlier. Or Polly. Or Priscilla. *thumbs through P section of name book*


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I was considering a P themed tank, like the betta had a P name, too. I was thinking along the lines of the four names Pickles, Papaya, Pineapple, and Pepper. Depends on what color the betta may be


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, a P-themed tank or a food-themed tank? I like those names, though. They sound . . . appetizing.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

This guppy is annoying the heck out of me. When she is in the 10g, she just sits on the bottom of the tank. When I put her in her own QT tank, she just sits at the top. Is she sick? Is she ready to give birth? She doesn't look like it, she's not super big yet. Does she hate the bubblewand? Did she lose a contact lens in the sand and she's looking for it? What is it? Why does she just sit there? If anyone out there knows anything about guppies, help! She's driving me crazy!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

This is why I have no guppies -__-, they're insane! Can't say what it could be Sakura, maybe the water is different in the 2 and one is stressing her out?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:roll: I don't know, I'm about ready to trade them in for platies. I'm liking my danios a lot more. When I feed them, they rush to the food. When I change their water, they nibble my hand. My guppies? When I feed them, it drops to the bottom of the tank and they root around for it several minutes later. And they don't give me the time of day, they're so spazzy.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I love my Swords lol Although they get big, which I didn't know  I do have 4 sword babies though, hoping for females! You guys want a male? LOL They'll look like Daddy, black with blue sparkles. 

I want Platys and Guppies so bad. I told Joe that's the next tank. Or maybe I'll put them in my 10g empty if I can find a place for it. I need a big cabinet for these tanks!

I wish I could get my friend from another forum on here, she got Guppies in march and now she has like over 100 I am sure lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'll give you my guppies, you give me some swords. :-D Except, alas, they'll get too big for a measly 10g.

Question: I have an internal Marineland Duetto filter. It has no intake tube, just some vents in the bottom of the filter housing. Do you think it's a safe filter if one of the gups gives birth in there? I don't want to suck up any fry.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Could you put some panty hose on the bottom of that? I'm not sure it will, but I wouldn't chance it either ya know?

No one gets my Swords hehe I may even put a male in another tank if there is 1m and 3f. They are truly my favorite type of fish.. right up there with Bettas! But I'll take your Guppies hehe

Ya my swords go a little loopy in the 10g


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, you've got a good point about the filter. I may pick up a sponge filter and stick that in there. I also have a small box filter but I don't think it's strong enough to handle a fully-stocked 10g. 

Post pics of your swords!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I only have a video I think... tropical fish are hard to get photos of lol Let me go check...

Mind if I post here? No use in making a new thread, no one posts on them LOL









The 3 I know are Swords hehe Dark orange girl is the Momma of my 3 week old fry and Yellow girl is the Momma of the 3 1 week Swords. She's my fav.









The Sword/Platy females?









The females









4/5 Swords.. The Dad is gorgeous.
(Female Shark Danio in the background, she's a savage)


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## bettaloverforever16 (Jan 14, 2011)

Purty


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think those are platies pitluvs! I loves platies :3 Aren't swordtails a type of platy species? They look so similar... Are your platies shy as well? I'm controlling myself to not go and buy some more, I love them! XD

Edit: One of the platy/ sword females have a weird shaped back, maybe it's the picture but if it really is that way, keep an eye on her.. One of my mollies looked like that, she had whirling disease.. I had to euthanise all my fry yesterday because they all caught it too


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

They're beautiful, Pitluvs. But you're right, a few of those DO kind of look like platies. The Dad sword is very handsome.

Fighter: Do your platies feed easily? I mean, do they come right to the food?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

These pics are months old, the fishes are fine  Must be the picture lol

The Wags look like Platys to me, their faces/eyes look different. Platys can grow to 2-3in but Swords grow to 3-4in+. My swords have gotten bigger, my Wags haven't. My Swords are breeding with the male, the Wags arn't. So I started thinking the other day..... funny because they all hang out together and get stressed if one is missing from the tank. They are all so bonded. I got the two Wags with my 10g tank, guy said they were GUPPIES  So I was told Swords by a forum member, so I went out and got 3 more. Now I'm not so sure! I wouldn't mind if they are Platys though! 

And my Swords/Platys are the nicest fish in my tank, they come to the glass and they are hogs for attention and food. I've had them for a while though and spends lots of time in and around the tank.

Here's a video of them when I come to the tank lol
http://youtu.be/JWKktxwrPps
You know you wan them Sakura!!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I love danios, they're so much fun! Always zipping around and curious.. Guppies look pretty but personality wise *Yawn*
That's a relief! About the picture.. I've become neurotic about it after yesterday -__-
I guess mine just need to settle in then, they're still less than an inch long and they're so cute! Bit of red, a lot of white and the mickey mouse.. Love love :3


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, yeah, I'm thinking of checking with my local pet stores to see if they'll trade platies for my guppies. Platies and swords can hybridize, maybe your wags are hybrids? I can't believe the pet store guy thought they were guppies. :roll: Good grief.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Haha, yeah, I'm thinking of checking with my local pet stores to see if they'll trade platies for my guppies. Platies and swords can hybridize, maybe your wags are hybrids? I can't believe the pet store guy thought they were guppies. :roll: Good grief.


Oh no he was the owner, the tank is second hand. He also had two common plecos in the 10gal with these two Wags. There were 5 Wags, but 3 died before he could get the tank to me. I started looking for a bigger tank right away. Urgh. Horrible. But he gave me the 1g for free, came in use.

I know they can hybridize, and I was wondering why mine haven't? LOL I may go into the LPS when they get a new shipment and compare the Wag Platys to the Wag Swords. I never did that yet (I stay away from fish I can't keep, or I'll want them)


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, it would be interesting to see how the two compare.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I hope your LPS can change those Guppies intro Platys for you


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks, Pitluvs, me too.


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## Hisaki Yuki001 (Jul 5, 2011)

I know this is an older thread, but I found a website that might be of some help if you have any more questions about guppy fry. I used to have a crap load of those little guys once when I had a Goldfish and guppy tank. I found out the hard way that they don't mix well back then because I was really young and naive. Let's just say, after I learned and got a tank...or two, lol, just for my guppies, they flourished. I got soo overcrowned due to them breeding that I had to give them away to a LFS.

As fare as feeding goes, I feed mine crushed goldfish flakes. I never had a problem with using it for food, and like I said, they flourished. The website with more info is below. Hope it helps.

http://guppyplace.tripod.com/FAQS.html


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Good luck on those guppy=platy arragments, lol! I'm getting platies Wednsday night


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hisaki Yuki001 said:


> I know this is an older thread, but I found a website that might be of some help if you have any more questions about guppy fry. I used to have a crap load of those little guys once when I had a Goldfish and guppy tank. I found out the hard way that they don't mix well back then because I was really young and naive. Let's just say, after I learned and got a tank...or two, lol, just for my guppies, they flourished. I got soo overcrowned due to them breeding that I had to give them away to a LFS.
> 
> As fare as feeding goes, I feed mine crushed goldfish flakes. I never had a problem with using it for food, and like I said, they flourished. The website with more info is below. Hope it helps.
> 
> http://guppyplace.tripod.com/FAQS.html


Thanks, Hisaki, this helps. If I end up keeping the guppies, I know where to turn for help.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I be sad..... Yesterday at the petstore I saw the platies and what appeared to be little bubbles all over them, but I found out it was ick  I think I might want Red wag Platies now. Curse my mind, I can't make a decision


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

You can still get the panda platies, just quarantine them and treat them for the ick. Did you tell the employees the poor things had ick? The pet store should treat them even if you don't plan to buy them.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'll tell the petco about them, hopefully they do something, but I don't trust myself to take care of a sick fish, I just think in-adequate. And they sorta annoy me because they're anal fun is clear so I can't tell their gender


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup, good call. If you're not comfortable with the idea, definitely don't take on sick fish. Red Wag platies are pretty too. I'm going to try and find painted platies if I can.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Cool, those are the ones that are golden with different dots of color all over them, right?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

My lfs guy gave me a hi fin platy today, he had kept her just for me, I didn't even know  She's purdy! Looks like a jewel!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, they are. They're pretty. I kinda want something with a dash of color but at this point I'll take anything.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Fighter, awesome! That is so neat he kept her just for you. :-D Hi-fins are so purrty.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Your LFS guy must be so nice, I might have to get a high fin now! God, why can't I make a decision!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Diablo, re: pic comments. You think that cat looks fat in the pics, you seriously should see her run. I laugh until I cry every time. She also has a tail that stays upright and wags just like a dog's, literally wags. All the time. She's a freak of nature, that cat.

I'm pretty sure none of my LPS have hi-fins but maybe one of my LFS does . . .


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I want Peggy, we can be lazy together all day. Does she like the Simpsons? XD, my dads gonna be so mad, the Red Wags are in the same tank as the Pandas at the petco, so we're gonna go have to buy them from the ungodly expensive LFS, they'll probably be 7 dollars a platy -_-


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm telling you Sakura.. Peggy doing the butterfly stroke! Most epic mental image ever! (cat wise) She reminds me of Maru the cat XD
He is really nice, he gives me lots of freebies and is pretty knowledgeable  He's saying he might breed some white crowns, he promised me a pair if he does 

EDIT- 7$?? Are they insane? I got 4 for a dollar!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

They tried to sell me a tank divider for 15$ dollars, for a ten gallon, and there Bettas are like 13$, so if I had to guess I'd say each is like 4$, maybe. And I'm gonna have nightmares about Peggy doing butterfly now, XD. I'm on a swim team, I suck at butterfly, Peggy could probaby beat me XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

wow stuff is surprisingly expensive on your side of the globe!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Nah, only that LFS, at Petco a platy is like 2$


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I just spent the last . . .whatever since my last post trying to get all the **** guppies out of my tank. I chased that flippin' male around for I don't know how long and he's lucky I chucked him in the 2.5g and not out the window. Me tank's a mess now too *sob*

Peggy couldn't the butterfly, her fat pouch would make her float, haha!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! Why did you move them? Returning them?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, poor guppies, I can imagine them....." Ei, ze net, ze net! Eet iz cooming fur ooz!" lol


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol Why are they french? And I read that out loud XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The females were so ridiculously easy, they swam right into the net. That male . . . ugh. My poor cories, everytime they settled somewhere I had to chase them out trying to get the male. Yes, I wanted to get them out so I could put the danios in. I'm returning the gups whether I get platies in return or not. >.< Maybe guppies are nice in general but those ones in particular aren't.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think you just have bad luck with guppies in your area.. They're pretty but not much fun :/


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, but even the ones I got weren't that pretty. Ah, I think you're right, bad experience. Maybe some day when I can devote a huge tank to them I'll get guppies again.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I saw a pretty red guppy at petsmart yesterday...But maybe you'll have better luck with other livebearers, and for some reason I imagine guppies as French


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Le Guppee de Peu. Haha. Yeah, I'm hoping. I really want a livebearer because I think my water is too wonky for most egg-layers. 

Okay, off to the pet store.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Good luck!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm off to bed early today, gym killed me :< See you guys!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Bye fighter! And then there was one.....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm back with three platies, pics soon, off to lunch. Still have the guppies, though. :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Dang guppies, clingers! Lol, what kind are they?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Platy's are $7 each here, right now the Mickey Mouse Platy are on for $0.99 each but everyone bought them up for feeders  There are very few fish at our stores under $6.

Yay for new platys!!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, that's sad, poor platies  I've always wondered why things are really expensive in Canada


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Here they are in their respective quarantine tanks.







This is a hi-fin female, either pregnant or with dropsy - let's hope pregnant







Twin-Bar Mickey Mouse female







Twin Bar Mickey Mouse male

One of my pet stores MAY take trade-ins for store credit. The lady in there told me they only take donations because they only buy from one vendor. I'm like, "But you're going to be selling the fish I donate so what's the difference, why can't you give store credit if you're taking them anyway? I'm in here every freakin' day." But that employee doesn't like me ever since I butted in on her conversation with customers and insisted bettas need heaters. So I'm waiting for the nice employee who works in the fish department and I'll ask her. If she says donations only, I'll give them up. But personally, I think that other employee is deking me 'cause she doesn't like me. And I don't like her. She keeps her bettas in unheated, unfiltered 2g tanks with danios, white clouds, and African Dwarf frogs.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Daw, they're cute! I especially like the Double-Barred female  stupid employee, you might be able to keep a betta alone in a 2 gallon heated, but not with all those fish! God.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I know, right? My absolute disgust must have been evident on my face when she told me that because ever since, any time I go in, she glares at me and keeps me waiting before helping me. One time she just stood there throwing diseased feeder fish to the cichlids and watching them tear the poor fish apart while I was standing there waiting.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

O-o hey, you wanna borrow my bow and arrow, so you can, like, MAKE HER SWISS CHEESE!!!!!!! God, people who have no respect for life make me so mad......how bout we get a shark tank and throw her in it


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm right with ya, diablo. Shark tank, dirty cold water, let's do it.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'll get the sharks from an......aquantence.....and you get the tanks!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Ya, and no shark stick for her!!

Those Platy's are gorgeous, I love Mickey Mouse Platys. We have 5 diff types here, but I can't go to the pet store for at least another week or so, I'm house bound  

We have a few types of Swords too! We have Highfin Platys too, marble and solids though. 

Everything in Canada is more expensive because we have like 1/4 of the population of USA, more land and only 2 large chain pet stores. Small pet stores don't last (since citys are not that large) and there's no competition. So $7 per fish is usual. Cichlids are $15ea, Angels are $20. VT's are $7.. females as well. 2.65g tanks are $64 LOL It's crazy... properly taking care of a pet is expensive here. I mean my rat cage was $500, you can buy the same cage in USA for just under $300.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo, do I even want to ask about your "acquaintance" with the shark? ;-)

Pitluvs, that stinks everything is so expensive. I mean, reaallly expensive.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

If Passports weren't so expensive and I actually didn't like my family, I'd move to the USA in a heart beat. Somewhere in Maine would be nice, since the scenery and weather is the same as here lol JUST for cheaper pet stuff.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

The true sign of a fish addict: moving for the cheaper fish. :lol: ;-)


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol,cheap stuff rocks. And no, you probably shouldn't ask And what are you naming your platies, sakura?


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Cheape fish, cheaper supplies, cheaper tanks, cheaper decorations, cheaper plants.... *breathe* cheaper dog stuff, cat stuff, rat stuff, dragon stuff, cars, houses... although I would still have to order my rat food from Canada but I only have 5 rats and don't plan on getting more anytime soon. Yup! Addicted.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I like rats, but their tails sorta creep me out. But I love how intelligent they are


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Tails don't bother me at all lol I do not however, like hairless rats


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup, those really creep me out, rats, in my opinion, look cute, but without hair.......*shivers*


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Rats. I like how smart they are too but I gotta agree with diablo, the tails do me in.

Names. Not sure yet. How about Pregnant, Not-Pregnant, and Can't-Be-Pregnant.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

The platies are cute :3


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks, Fighter. I want to see pics of yours, I bet they're even cuter.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Now I want Platys!!! I have an empty 10g cycled too, I'm just going to break it down tomorrow  *cries* I hate being house bound 

I agree, more pictures. Let's spam another Sakura thread!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:rofl: Spam away, I love pics! I can't believe I hijacked my own thread about guppies to post about platies. :-D


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe they refuse to come out in the open, they're always hiding when I approach! >_<


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aww, I want pics. Silly platies, robbing me of my pic spam.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

My Swords were like that once... and now you see them, attention.. uh, I can't post the next word lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:lol: Hope my fish never get that pushy, lol.


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Meh, it's the only thing in the house besides the "special" pitbull that gets that happy to see me when I walk into a room. I'll take all I can get! lol


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think even if they want attention my girls would be pushing them out of the way for it.. :roll:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yes, most likely. I can see Peaches charging through the group tailwhipping everyone too slow to get out of her way. :-D

Not sure if one of the platies has parasites or not, red poo hanging by clear poo. :/ Good thing I quarantined. I'll wait till morning for a better look, who knows what they fed them at the pet store . . . 

On the bright side, the danios are loving the big tank. They're so fun to watch. On the downside, the guppies are making me feel so dang guilty I can hardly stand it. They just sit at the top or bottom of their little 2.5g tank and look so sad I want to put them back in and say, "There there, I love you!" But I'll be just slightly overstocked as it is (good thing I do obsessive water changes). Do you think it's overstocking with 5 betta girls and 3 guppies in a 10g?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Only slightly but the water changes help  Which tank are the danios in?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Danios are in the so-called community tank with the cories. They are . . . currently trying to eat the cories' food. :roll: I'm going to leave the guppies where they are until I can talk to the one nice employee at the pet store, then go from there. I feel bad, they're making me feel so guilty! Argh. They didn't cost that much, I guess I don't mind donating them if they don't do a trade for store credit. I just hate the idea that they're getting my fish and selling them for a profit and I don't even get store credit to get a sponge filter. >.<


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I just googled pregnant platies and I think one of mine may give birth in the next few days. :shock: She's in her own tank with a ball of java moss, I hope that works. I might get fry!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Woohoo! I think 2 of mine are prego too but they still have awhile before they pop


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

We should have each just bought one platy, we're going to have so many by the time the prego ones are through.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, if you don't raise them, that won't be a problem because platies have a slight cannibalistic problem XD oh, and what do you guys feed your platies? I bought NLS Thera +A regular formula 1mm pellets, would these work?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I just feed them regular pellets and bloodworms, if they can get to the worms before the girls do :/ They're eating algae off of my plants and they ATE my IAL X( All you can see is the veins of the leaf now!
3 female platies mean platy platter for my bettas, I don't mind...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ok, good, because on website it says feed them flakes. I'm getting them soon, in like 2-3 hours  I'm gonna name them after food that starts with P, like Pancakes and Papaya


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Nice XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Or Pudding!!!! I made a list! I can post it if you like!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You should, then we can pick the best


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ok, but it's long! Here it is:

Platy Names:
Pudding
Pickles
Pumpkin
Pepper*
Peanut
Pork Chop
Peanut Butter
Plum*
Peach
Pineapple
Pork Pie
Popcorn
Pancake
Piña Colada
Pita


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yes, do post the list, diablo.  Just try not to make me too hungry again. As for feeding, I just spent too much on Omega One Color Flakes and Omega One Veggie Flakes. My fish eat better than I do. I mean, I just took a look in the freezer and there's more frozen fish food than there is frozen food for me. -_- New Life Thera is good too, though. Should work great.

Fighter, how's the cold? Feel any better? And I read in one of my fish books they like plants but to eat the whole IAL? Wow. 

I always have one fish in a school that just stays on the bottom of the tank. :/ One of my danios is doing that. I stuck it in with the guppies for a while and it swam around but when I put it back in the 10g, it went back to sand-hugging. Is there something about my tank that's causing this? Sheesh . . .


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Maybe the sand sends out some sort of chemical?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

>.< It better not, I spent so much bloody time redoing that tank with that sand . . . Well, whatever, I'll keep an eye on the danio. He swims around every now and then so as long as he's not struggling to breathe or swim, I'll just watch.

Pizza. You forgot Pizza on your list of P/Food names. I like Pancake, that's a funny name.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I didn't forget it, I just don't like the name pizza


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Piiiiiizzzzzaaaaa. Well, my votes for names are Pancake and Pork Pie.  Now I'm off to find potato chips. Great, quality breakfast.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Awesome, very healthy XD I love pizza, just not with a fish XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I like Pork pie, Peanut and Pina Colada 
It was an allergic reaction.. Mucch better now


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm glad you're feeling better, Fighter.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Good, fighter! Going out to get them, gonna be back in a hour or two


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Bye! Can't wait for pics!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks guys  I hate allergies *achoo*


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm so P/Oed right now. For one thing, they didn't have them, but they're getting a shipment IN A HOUR!!!!!! So, on top of that, my mom buys my sister a new tank, and she asked me if it was ok for a betta. So she points at this 3 gallon tank and I say yes. So when we get home, I go check the temp on my 10 gallon, and when I come back, it's like a 1 gallon tank!!!!! So I told my sister she couldn't put a betta in that, and she says" it's my fish, I cab do what I want! I don't care about it, so how pretty the tank is!". So I slapped her. And know they're all calling me things I'm not aloud to type, they're putting that poor fish in a .5 gallon tank, and I'm not getting my platies.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm so happy! My dad took me out and got me 2 Red Wag girls! I name one Pancake(s) and the other one I'm deciding between Peanut Butter and Pepper. I can already tell the difference, Pancake has all black fins, mostly Yellow eyes, and a teeny nip in her tail. Other has mostly Grey-Blue eyes, clear anal fin, and I think she's expecting-_- they're both exploring right now, I can already tell Pancake is the Spazz


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Congrats!  I like Pepper, since they're red and all that...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I named her pumpkin, after her large size XD they're so funny, they're in a glass tank so they can see their reflections, so they probably think they have 10 buddies XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

How cute! Put up pics soon


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I'll try. I decided the fate of the tank, in a month I'll put a bumblebee platy in with them, then a month after that a Peppermint platy


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hey guys, I don't think the platies see the pellets very well, I think pancake at one but I'm not sure. I was going to pick up some freeze-dried bloodworms for them, I was thinking hikari, anyone suggest a brand?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hikari is probably the best. Or Omega One if you see those. Funny, I was about to ask both of you if your platies were eating. I've tried flakes, near microscopic pellets, and frozen bloodworms. :/ I don't know about you guys but I think my platies are anorexic.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I saw Pancake spit one out and eat it again, so I don't know. I know Pumpkin has tried to go after them but can't get them. Are freeze dried OK for the for like 3 days, just to make sure they know floating things are food?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, I'm not sure if platies are as prone to bloating as bettas are. And who knows what they fed them at the pet stores anyway. :/

On the bright side, my danios will eat anything. I dunno, I've had a lot of trouble getting the livebearers to figure out the floating stuff at the top is food.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Platies poop all the time -__- I don't see them being bloated at all lol! Maybe they're eating plant matter in the tank and aren't really hungry? :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

The problem is that even though they are both really active, but the ALWAYS stay at the bottom, and even if they come up, my hand scares them back down -_- in hindsight, getting them Now probably wasn't a good idea because me and my dad are going away for 2 days. But hopefully my mom will feed them. I hope they like bloodworms, oh, and is it weird if platies have egg spots that aren't black, but white?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Eggspots are always white... Gravid spots are black 
I think they're just settling in, mine finally come up to me! Finally!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I hope they do  they scared me last night, I guess they sleep by laying on their belles in the gravel, because that's what they were doing last night, but they're fine now, so....... I actually think the platies are like friends or something, they follow eachother around and don't nip  I think we take feeding bettas for granted, because they have to come up for air anyway, so we feed them then....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

How long have you had your Platies Fighter? 

My two Twin Bar platies are either at the top or the bottom but almost never the middle. My Hi-Fin is a little spazzy (don't think she likes her filter but tough luck) and keeps acrylic surfing in her kritter keeper. Then she hides behind her massive wad of Java Moss so I can't find her and worry.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

My bettas wait for food even without me feeding them lol! Platies are pretty chummy, my MMs seem to be picking on the hi fin though.. Stupids *pouts*
A few days... A week now I guess..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Anyone know how long a platy can last without food? I sorta feel sorry for the platies, I went there earlier yesterday and there was nothing in the wag platy tank, but the employee told me they were getting a shipment later that day, so I went back 5 hours later and the tank was full. They mustve been really stressed


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

So it took about a week for your platies to warm up to you, is that right, Fighter? Then hopefully diablo and I can expect our platies to warm up and start eating within a week, too. 

I hope the move into her new tank didn't stress my pregnant female out. I wonder how I could tell if she was reabsorbing them . . .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yup it took them a week, I had to throw the food in their direction from a distance till then XD
I hve no idea how you can tell that  But I do know females will drop babies and eggs prematurely if stressed. :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

oh god, thats not good for pumpkin. i know its bad to pick favorites, but i already like pancakes better, shes all spazzy and active and shes prettier than pumpkin


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

Yep, I don't know about reabsorbing, but I have experienced premature births from fish I had just purchased, one was a beautiful female guppy I feel in love with, sadly I lost her within an hour but her babies survived and grew into the most beautiful guppies I have ever owned...but I don't think you'd have to worry anymore at this point, they should be settling in just fine, and if she did absorb a few you can garantee she will start making more soon...So many more you will cease to have tank space...or at least that's how it happened with me...I'm over run with GUPPIES!!!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Got back from petco, bought the bloodworms and a net breeder, just in case. I'm starting to wonder if Pumpkin is just bloated, she just let out a giant poo and part if it is stuck -_- it's Normal color, is it being stuck a problem?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Oh my god, anyone who reads this, help! Pumpkin has white whispy-like poo!!! Is this dropsy or is she about to give birth?!?!??


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

IT could be her about to give birth...or it could be a sign of a parasite infection of some sort...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

She's not pineconing, her belly isn't gray( well, I can see it, but I don't think it's gray), her eyes are fine, and she's as active as she was yesterday.....


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Parasites? OR, if she looks pregnant, maybe she's dropping premature babies like Jiro said. My not-pregnant girl has dark poo at the end of a clear thread. I think, I can't get a close enough look.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

So what happened? :? I was asleep and I missed everything!


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Yeah, I'm not sure if platies are as prone to bloating as bettas are. And who knows what they fed them at the pet stores anyway. :/
> 
> On the bright side, my danios will eat anything. I dunno, I've had a lot of trouble getting the livebearers to figure out the floating stuff at the top is food.


My two platy/sword hybrids always look bloated, but my swords alway do as well. Almost as if they always look pregnant lol

Danios are pigs, fast savage pigs LOL All my fish know what the food is, but they figure it out with the Danios in the tank. The 10g fish are not to great with food yet.

---------------

Sounds like a round of Jungle Anti Parasite for everyone? lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

They aren't eating still, the little buggers. Tried New Life Spectrum, tried veggie flakes, tried bloodworms. Grr. I'm going to try some blanched pea tomorrow. Why do all my livebearers refuse to eat? 

I hope my cories are getting enough to eat, danios are pigs as you said, Pitluvs. 

By the way, I think I'm going to start a thread in the compatibility section where people can go to get help for their betta compatible tankmates. No one needs to know that the tankmates aren't necessarily being kept with a betta. ;-) But seriously, other forums aren't nearly as helpful as this one.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Good idea, sakura! I just woke up, I sorta-kinda dread what I'm gonna find downstairs. Im going to have to assume it's pregnancy, because I'm going away in like an hour so I can't do anything  I decided if one dies, I'll still go with platies, if both die, I might start a four girl sorority


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:/ Hopefully just pregnancy. Are they both showing those symptoms?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I went downstairs, they're both fine. Super-active, especially Pumpkin. No, Pumpkin is the only fat one, but I don't think they're showing symptoms of Dropsy because that's Pumpkins only symptom


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She's pregnant. Have you gotten yours to eat?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Dang it, and she choose the time when I go on a little vacation to pop XD I tried feeding NLS, but they ignored it, so I just left 2 bloodworms in there and left them alone, maybe they're shy or something


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## Amethyst123 (Mar 4, 2011)

Sakura8 said:


> Amethyst, thank you! This has loads and loads of information that I need! I even bought a book on guppies but it still didn't tell me what you just told me. Believe me, this information and your own personal experiences is going to help me immensely! Sadly, my one fry did pass away. But it looks like one of my guppies may be due in maybe 2-3 weeks so I will keep an eye on her and follow your advice. Thank you, thank you!


You're welcome! I hope your experience with the next drop is better than this one was.;-)


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo13 said:


> Dang it, and she choose the time when I go on a little vacation to pop XD I tried feeding NLS, but they ignored it, so I just left 2 bloodworms in there and left them alone, maybe they're shy or something


You mean she dropped fry? Whoa. How long is your vacation going to be?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's ok diablo, the fry eat little organisms and algae in your tank, if you're away for a little while, they'll be fine 
Hi btw!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

She didn't drop yet, I'm just saying she probably will soon. Im not away for long, I just got there, spending all day tomorrow, and will be back by Sunday


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think even if she pops they'll b fine... I would be worried that mom gets hungry and eats the fry :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ya, I'm especially worried about that. But hey, if this doesn't work there's 3 more times!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I got up extra early to blanch a pea and soak it in garlic juice and do my platies appreciate the gourmet meal? NOOOO, they snub it completely. *pouts* Even the fish don't like my cooking.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lololol! Sakura XD Maybe they have cookbooks on how to blanch peas.. Give them a bloodworm, they'll be happy


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I tried bloodworms. *note of despair* I *think* the two twin bar platies ate their freeze-dried bloodworms but they ignored the frozen ones. The pregnant hi-fin platy won't look at anything. I suck up a buffet's worth with the siphon from her tank. Picky picky picky. I feel like I'm trying to please the judges on Iron Chef.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Maybe she's going to give birth soon, they're supposed to go off food when the babies are going to come.. Hehehe mine eat anything, as I said, they ate my IAL *cries* Hav you tried pellets? Usually pet stores give them pellets :?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Pellets, flakes, frozen, freeze-dried, everything but live because I never could get mosquito larva to grow. I think I live too close to the mosquito control center. Darn, too bad I don't have IAL, apparently they have a taste for that. Haha, as if I'd waste precious IAL to feed my picky platies. :-D I'll try lettuce next. But so far I've tried tiny pellets, flakes, veggie flakes, spirulina pellets, frozen brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried bloodworms, and the pea. I'm about to toss them a few betta pellets and see if they'll eat those.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You have waaayyyy too much fish food! I think they must know that XD
I just have freeze dried worms, live worms, some pellets and turtle pellets lol! Oh and IAL apparently.. >:
My babies can't be too picky!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

>_< You don't even know the half of it. Here's my list of fish food:

*	Top Fin Color-Enhancing Betta Bits 
*	Omega One Betta Buffet Pellets
*	New Life Spectrum Small Fish Formula .5mm Sinking Pellets
*	Omega One Super Color Flakes
*	Omega One Veggie Flakes
*	O.S.I. Spirulina Pellets
*	Hikari Sinking Wafers
*	Aqueon Shrimp Pellets
*	Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze-Dried Bloodworms
*	Hikari Bio-Pure Freeze-Dried Daphnia
*	Sally’s San Francisco Bay Gumdrops Frozen Brine Shrimp
*	Sally’s San Francisco Frozen Baby Brine Shrimp
*	Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Bloodworms
*	Hikari Bio-Pure Frozen Daphnia

*hangs head in embarrassment*


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

D: Do you even use all of that??


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

*small voice* Yes. Some of it's for the cories, some of it's for the danios . . . is that therapy group for fish addicts up and running yet? I need it.


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

XD I wish I had that much food! All I have are some rinky dink betta pellets and blood worms, if I want to give my fish variety I have to run outside and fish for misquito larva XP XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

-_______________- You definitely need help!


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

-_- Yes...I do XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hahaha not you Jiro! You're still ok.. Sakura has gone over without a safety net lol!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup, she definately has. How weird would it be if platies ONLY ate IAL? Actually Sakura, I tried Diablo's pellets on them, to no avail. That might be because I have a weird brand, Wardley


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

That's weird, maybe they're eating when you don't look? I had to really throw food in from a distance or they would run >.>


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I left FD bloodworms in there today and left( they float) and came back right before I left, they weren't touched!!!! Picky fish, you better eat soon!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They'll get hungry enough and they'll eat, don't worry about it


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I tried putting food down to their level via straw... When I put it in the water everything got loose


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## Pitluvs (Jun 22, 2011)

I have quite the list too *hangs head with Sakura*

- TetraMin Topical Flake
- Nutrafin Betta Basics Shakers
- Hartz Tropical Flakes
- Aqeuon Betta Pellets
- TetraMin Algae Wafers
- TetraMin sinking Pleco Pellets
- Nutrafin Betta Max Pellets
- TetraMin Betta flakes
- Sally’s San Francisco Bay Frozen Brine Shrimp
- Sally’s San Francisco Frozen Baby Brine Shrimp
- Sally’s San Francisco Bay Frozen Glassworms

And about 7 types of Goldfish food I'll never use! I hope to add NLS to this list. And yes I use it all, since some fish prefer one over the other. I wish we had Hikari here. I want some bloodworms and daphnia now!!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

D:
Actually, if all this stuff was available to me, I'd probably have it too! >_> 
Thank the Lawd I don't lol!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, why are we so obbsessive about fish XD? I want a black dragon HM.....my dream betta


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Okay, the two twin bar platies will eat the freeze dried bloodworms, nothing else. Gugh, I hope I can wean the little buggers off of those and onto healthy pellets. Pregnant girl won't eat anything, I'll just assume it has to do with her being pregnant. 

I tried mosquito larvae. I never got any to grow.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Must be because of the mosquito control thing you were talking about... At least they're eating right?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup, at least they're eating. They went with the unhealthy fast food instead of the nice gourmet salad. :-D How are your platies doing, Fighter? And how is Chunkers?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

The platis finally come up to me! Finally!! :,D *happy tears*
They eat everything I give them, I'm so happy  The Chunky lady is still in a bowl, I got a storage container out for her but it had a crack X( so I'm buying a new tank today  hopefully some other stuff too *shifty eyes*


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yay, I'm glad your platies are warming up to you.  Are the MMs still picking on the Hi-Fin? Maybe now we can have pics. Do you plan to keep Chunkers then? Maybe someday she'll mellow enough to go into the sorority. Maybe.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Nah, they're all getting along now 
I'll get pics asap :3 Chunkers will have to live on her own, I'm getting her a nice tank today  I don't want to take a chance putting her back in..


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm glad it's all working out.  Chunkers is a queen betta who deserves her own palace.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Seems like it lol! My gma's going to flip XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yup, I bet she is. So when you go to get Chunker's a nice tank, DON'T LOOK AT ANY FISH. ;-)


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'll do my best .___. 
Bf is going to be with me so hopefully he wont let me do anything stupid


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I hope he won't


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Wow, i ask my mom to take care of my fish for 2 days and she already messes up. She called me and asked what temperature my heater was on because she thought it was a light control and I said it's 76, and my tank doesn't even HAVE a light!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Next time leave a written manual for her.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Actually, I did. I told her not to touch the heater, and of course the minute I leave, what does she do? Thank god I told her to leave Diablo alone, when I come home my platies will probably be in 90 degree water, Libby will be bloated, and Sprite will be Cussing -_-


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Aaaand, just who taught Sprite how to cuss, hmm? ;-)


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I mean she probably will, I watch my mouth around him, they aren't known as a big talking species, but you never know


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:lol: I saw a parrot on Animal Planet once who cussed like crazy. It was funny to hear a parrot have to be bleeped.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, I'm friends with the lady who runs a LPS that specilizes in rodents and parrots, but has a decent selection of reptiles and sometimes bettas, I got Diablo and Sprite there, but she had this parrot once that she told me about, the family was moving a long distance or was foreclosed or something so they had to give away the parrot back to her. So a couple days later, a lady walks in and the parrot says " that's a nice peice of a**, mommy!"


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:shock: :rofl: Bwahahahaha! *thinks about it some more* Bwahahahahah!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

That nearly killed me...I started laughing so hard XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You guys went nuts while I was gone, didn't you?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yes, we save fun for the 4 hours your asleep


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

My platies are eating bloodworms while I'm not looking! Frozen ones, too. We're making progress. Now if Pregnant Mama could just drop her fry so I can move her in with the others . . .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I wasn't asleep lol! I went shopping for fishy stuff, came back with one more >.>
Yay Sakura! Can't wait to see some fry here too :>


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Really, fighter? What kind of fish is it? Betta, i'm guessing? I hope platies can last as long as bettas coming to food, I doubt may mom is gonna be able to feed them.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yup! http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=77228
They'll be fine, you worry too much lol!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I don't worry about people, just animals. me: " I wonder how my guys are doing" Sibling: " Im hungryyyyyy....." Me: I DONT CARE!!!! This happens more than once a day. And your new guy us adorable, fighter!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Thanks diablo, I felt really bad for him :<
Hehehe I'm like that too.. Fishies over humans!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Make it three, I'm the same way. Humans can fend for themselves. Animals and fishies on the other hand . . .


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

People yell, scream, cuss( well, I'm guilty, too), and make fun of you. Pets like you no matter what. Well, Sprite and I sorta have a Love-Hate thing going on, but we like eachother, he'll step on my hand and fly to my shoulder and hair every chance he gets and let's me pet him, and I just love his cuteness and his big attitude on his little body. And he walks really funny, makes me laugh, he sorta does a waddle but he can go REALLY fast on foot. What were we talking about? Lol


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I dunno, last I remember we were talking about a parrot in a pet store who should learn to watch what he says around women . . . 

We have a restaurant with an outdoor seating area that we go to and I love watching the fat birds waddle around with tortilla chips in their beaks. 

I hope your platies are okay, Diablo.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

lol, sprite is indeed a pretty chubby little guy, and now to the hate part of my parrot relationship. He bites me, I don't like him to bite  I hope they are.....if she kills them, I'm gonna kill her. Metaphorically, I think. But if that unfortunate event does happen, I'm gonna hold it out for a dream betta. Let's hope it doesn't come to that


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I love fat birds :3 My mum has renamed these bids called gagglers as fat birds because they look like feathery potatoes on toothpicks XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I hate fat birds with toothpick legs, they freak me out. As a matter of fact, I was creeped out by Sprites feet at first, though they fit his body, they aren't toothpicks, bit now I'm fine. Actually, Sprite isn't fat over all his body, he just has a beer gut XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I find toothpick leg birds cuddly looking XD I always want to hug them but they fly away .__.
Omg you give your parrot beer? XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

No, I don't XD and I have sad news, guys. My mom just called, Pancake died this morning  I asked her if it was the heater, but she said when she changed it back she felt the water, it was normal Temperature, so it wasn't that. At least pumpkin is still alive, and I'll have more babies soon


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

:< I wonder what she had.. Was she going to have babies as well? Sorry about Pancake Diablo..


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I Dont think she was, though she might have. I've had such bad luck with fish, first Chuck, then Angelo, and now this. Now that I think about it, I thought chuck died if columnaris, but it was on his body, not mouth, so it actually might have been Fur Coat Syndrome


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

No it was probably columnaris or a fungus, apparently fur coat is a hoax, there's no such thing! Thank heavens! Was Chuck around before you joined here? Maybe there's something in the water? What conditioner do you use? r maybe they were sick when you got them


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Actually, Chuck was the reason I joined this forum, he was my mom's birthday present, and a week after we got him he passed. I use Prime Conditioner, but maybe one of the NLS pellets got stuck in the bottom and rotted....


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Prime is supposed to be a great conditioner.. I doubt a pellet would have caused his death.. But that's sad, that you didn't get to enjoy with him. But he must have been the one to hook you on to bettas :>


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Actually, no, Diablo was the first betta. By the NLS pellet, I meant the 10 gallon with the platies. I think now I might keep one of the babies and get another betta, either dream boy or maybe a girl. I hope I can raise the babies, I'm In school 8 hours a day and it starts at the end if August, so •_• I hope by then the babies can last 8 hours w/o food


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Ah, ok... I was confused o_o
I'm sure they can, they eat a lot of stuff that is naturally present in the tank, you should put in some plants, they will help them if they get hunger pangs


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I hope they will, I just hope that whatever pancake had pumpkin doesn't get....i hope she doesn't die, but if she does I would love a sorority. Too bad I can't get one, because right after I got my ten gallon I mention the Idea to my mom, and she said, and I quote" It sounds like a B**** pool" -_- hey, nobody ever accused my family of have clean mouths


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Rofl! Your mom is hilarious! I don't think you should rush into a sorority either.  Get one girl first, get to know her and then once you understand they're girly behaviour, you can get a sorority, believe me! Its less stressful that way XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Don't forget, I already have a girl. And Im saying it woudl be cool to have one, but I'm not going to get one. I like the idea, but I'd have to get tons of fake and real plants, extra tanks, yada yada yada  I'm probably gonna end up with either a platy tank or 2 platies and a betta


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

O yeah you do.. I think I'm getting sleepy lol! I'm so happy you're going with the platy thing! Some people just rush into a sorority without knowing anything.  You is awesome!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Night fighter!!! I want what's best for my pets, so I try to keep the ones I have comfortable. And besides, I'm too lazy for a sorority 

Edit- extra question: do females flare the same as males? Because when Diablo flares, his gills go vertical, but I've never seen Libby raise her gills before, is she just friendly or is there something I don't know?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They do flare but they don't have the beards males do  Good night diablo


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Night!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Might as well talk to myself...... I really want that pretty girl at petco, I wonder what I could name her....


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

LOL, you could name her serendipity XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ugh, can't pronounce that XD i hope she's still there, she was either a VT or CT, her body was gold with a line of blue iridesence on the top of her body, and her fins were red and gold butterfly


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

XD she sounds beautiful! :-D


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Yup, there was also a Red cambo CT that caught my eye.....I'm worried the platies are gonna eat her or something


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

diablo13 said:


> Might as well talk to myself...... I really want that pretty girl at petco, I wonder what I could name her....


:lol: For a moment, I wasn't sure you were talking about a fish or a pretty store clerk you had a crush on. :-D


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

@ sakura- *face palm* LOL!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, couldn't help it. Sorry, sorry.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Sakura, why would I talk about what to name a store clerk? XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Wasn't sure if you were trying to think of a cute nickname like "honey" or something like that. :-D Which, by the way, is a surefire way to get rejected. At least by me.
Guy: "Hiya, honey, wanna go on a date?"
Me: *smack*
Wait, is this why I'm still single?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

No, I'm a guy, and I should know we LOVE to be smacked


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

So, if I'm smacking guys left and right, why am I still single?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I don't know... ;D I mean, I like people who, yknow, have literally thrown me off a cliff..... Ya, I really need to move XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I think I'm worried about you, Diablo.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Don't be, I'm fine, it was only 7 feet


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Ah, in that case, I shan't worry at all. ;-) Now if it had been 10 feet or more I might be concerned . . . You do know we're both :crazy: don't you? 

I have fry. Fries? Whatever, little baby platies. Don't know how many, they're all hiding in the Java Moss. I'll leave the momma in till tomorrow so I'm sure she's done giving birth, then out she goes.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yay! There are fryin the world!  Congrats, both of you! I have no idea when mine are going to pop or if they did and my girls cleaned them all up!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I have 8 fry as far as I know. She seemed to have trouble giving birth but at least she hasn't died like the guppy did. 

My mom was like, "Won't she just give birth over and over? What will you do with all of them?"

She gets upset when I tell her I'm just going to let them get eaten so I said, "I have ways."

Diablo, you've got lots and lots of platy fry!


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Lol! My mom would get upset too.. My dad still hasn't forgiven Handsome for many a eaten fish


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

:lol: At least you don't have a pet that eats mice. I bet your dad would have gotten extremely upset if you had a pet that ate Nadia or one of the other girls.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, you only counted 7? I spent half an hour getting all the babies out from the tank and into the breeders net, I got like 20 of the little buggers  then I showed my dad them and he was like " why didn't you just put the mom in the net?" oh -_- stupid me


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'd be extremely upset if something ate Nadia! I'd hunt it down lol!
I think my platies had fry because they don't look big and don't have the gravid spot anymore but.. But where are the fry! :shock:


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

LOL in that post about the pretty girl at the pet store...I was also like, uuuhhh...oh he means a fish girl! XD 

Oh and YAY for PLATY FRY!!! XD Its good to know everybodies do'in good ;-)


@fightergirl2710- If there's one thing I've learned its that Fry are expert hiders, so chances are that if one of your fish gave birth they are right under your nose...or in the proud mommies tummy...again X.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Or in the betta girls' tummy lol! My mollies didn't have a light on their tank but I could see the babies, these guys have the whole works and I can't even see one DX


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Since my tank has sparse decorations( 1 vase/cave and 1 silk plant) I could see them easily, I got about twenty, like 5 were in the vase, 7 in the plant, and the rest were blending into the gravel  smart little things....


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## NCBettaMom (Jul 24, 2011)

I don't yet! But, I want some guppies! I love guppies, mollies and tetra! Would love to know more on them.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Guppies are petty but boring lol! I love tetras (tetrae?) I had mollies but they were very ill tempered! I love the platy fish, they poop a lot but they're very sweet and interactive


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, true the poop thing. I nearly had a heart attack seeing what those fish had done XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I have no idea how many my platy girl gave birth to before I noticed. Maybe she ate the rest and I only tuned in for the last 7 or 8. But that's plenty, I don't know what the heck I'm going to do with them. 

Diablo, if they don't eat the crushed pellets, you can boil an egg and drop a teeeny bit of the yolk in there for them.

On another note, I tore down my community tank because the plastic plants were literally turning red from algae. It's BARE! I need more live plants. The danios are mad, the cories are hiding out in the cave and poor Crichton is hanging out at the top with Floofi wondering what the bell happened to him.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, gotta love fish when they give you the " what the hell?!?!" face XD I hope I can go get daphnia today..... On the brighter side, I finally got pumpkin to eat a FD bloodworm, 1/2 of one last night and 1 this morning  I'm gonna look around my entire town to find live ones I can permantely feed her. Can you permantely feed fish frozen ones? Anyway, only one fry died, don't know why, but It was before the water change, and all if them survived that


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Question: Isn't Floofi supposed to battle algae??
Frozen are just as good as live I think... I don't get frozen ons though, live are readily available :roll:


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I have a pet store betta who will only eat frozen bloodworms. Aside from nomming off all his tail and most of his other fins, he's just dandy. I say if that's all she'll eat, feed her frozen. 

Yes, Floofi is supposed to combat algae but this stuff is higher up than she reach. It's up near the light and it was disgusting. I used a brand new toothbrush to scrub them down and after the first plant, the toothbrush was unrecognizable.  Floofi would need an army and a school of otos to deal with this algae.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I can only get frozen, but if I have to I'll scoure the area for them. Oh, and maybe floofi is teaming up with tikis missing ball  I actually think the pellets are too small for her, she would swallow them and spit them back out, then swallow again and onward, but eventually they sunk, but with the FD she just gobbled it up. She was actually doing this really cute thing last night, she would put her black lickstick above water and moving it really fast so it looked little she was nibbling something and then released abunch of bubbles out of her mouth


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Frozen is fine. Easier than live. After all, you have to keep live bloodworms . . . alive.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, true, very true, and what's the difference between frozen and live, other than, yknow, frozen and live...


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

You know, one way I won my battle with algae was a bunch of sails...of course they were smaller snails that came in on new plants by accident not really pet snails, but ever since those guys showed up I have ceased to have algae problems...seriously...and they don't even eat my tank plants...at least not the living stuff...they breed like mad though...I usually have to remove quite a few of them before the end of every month...


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They're pretty easy to keep alive but you have to refrigerate them and clean them twice a day or they will smell so bad, they WILL make you gag :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Clean them? How? Do they have little wormy diapers  no, you use a colunder or something, right?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I use a brine shrimp net and dump them all in, wash under cold water for a minute, clean and fill the container to put them in with water and dump them in the container.. Usually the dead ones stay stuck on the net but sometimes you have to remove them from the container as well, then just rinse the net and place the worms in a cool dark spot.. Dark spot is important otherwise they get this weird tough skin all over them and the fish will find them difficult to eat :/ They smell if you forget to clean them... Seriously!

If you get wild caught ones you might find some leeches too so be careful! I found a leech a few days ago, I fed it to my turtle >.>


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Awesome, but I think frozen sounds easier. 0-0 I find its really funny how handsome with eat anything


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Jirothebetta said:


> You know, one way I won my battle with algae was a bunch of sails...of course they were smaller snails that came in on new plants by accident not really pet snails, but ever since those guys showed up I have ceased to have algae problems...seriously...and they don't even eat my tank plants...at least not the living stuff...they breed like mad though...I usually have to remove quite a few of them before the end of every month...


Yeah, I've squished a few baby pond snails before they could breed on me. But I dunno, I just don't like the look of snails. I mean, I know aquatic snails are different than land snails but they still look like . . . snails. 

But on the other hand, this gives me an excuse to get live plants and *try* to get my dad to pay. He owes me money.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I owe my dad money..... Apparently 15$, but I got the LFS to pay him back 4 because I returned a silk plant and bought pumpkin with it


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm going to the LFS, be back soon.... Or not


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I'm a bit grossed out by snails and they poop constantly


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'M BACK!!!!! They didn't have diphnia, but they did give me HBH baby bites for livebearers and some tetramin tropical flakes for pumpkin, and I put a pinch of baby stuff and a crushed up flake, and the fry ate it!!! I don't know which one, but I took the flakes out and they're eating the baby food!!!! YES!!!!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hooray! Did Pumpkin eat her food too?

The whole concept of a snail pooping a lot is just . . . disturbing.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Nah, pumpkin is still playing with her reflection on the bottom XD but she ate a whole FD worm today, so I'm happy  I just removed to baby stuff and put in flakes, and some are eating it, I wonder if it's the same piggy platies or each one has a preference?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I don't think one could eat all that! :shock: If you feed them regularly, all of them will get a bit


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hmm, just counted fry, only saw 12, this morning was 18 :/ I'm gonna feed them 3 times a day, morning baby food, afternoon mix, and evening flakes. Is this good?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Sounds good.. Don't bother counting, you'll never manage lol! Do you have gravel where you're keeping them? That makes it hard too!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I got a net breeder and put all of them in there, so they're I the ten gallon put protected from pumpkin. I just counted 13, but the problem with the breeder is, although the net is fine and fits the frame, on the bottom it dips allittle beneath the frame, and I think a bunch of the fry are hiding In between the frame and net :/ the LFS guy said he would give them a home, but he didn't say anything about paying. Not that I need to be paid, but it would be nice XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

They like to hide in weird places, my mollies would hide under the net when I would tryto remove them -__- I was terrified of squishing them!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, that they do


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I try not to adjust the net, like you said, I might squoosh them  i just hope at least 1 girl makes it to adulthood.....I'm deciding between Pickle and Cheeto for the future female name


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe let them grow fins first XD what if you end up with a ton of girls?!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

What if I end up with a ton of boys XD I wonder what they really will be? Do you think I could tell the difference now if I used a magnifying glass to see their anal fins?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I don't think they have anal fins yet, it takes 1-1.5 months to tell


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ok, I was planning to give them to the store when they weren't super teeny and could eat normal food, is 1.5 old enough?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I don't know about platies but judging from my mollies, no :/... My fry were half an inch big at that age... Really small!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Diablo, you might want to take the fry out of the net breeder and put Pumpkin in. If you keep them in the netbreeder, it'll stunt their growth.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Mine were free range XD they swam around, ate what their parents ate etc.. Once they get bigger than the adults' mouths, they wont try to eat them. 
Wouldn't Pumpkin freak out in there?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

She might but it's better than trying to keep over a dozen fry in there for a long time. Are there a lot of plants? Get lots of plants for them to hide in, then letting them roam with Pumpkin won't be such a big deal. Find Java Moss if you can.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think even plastic plants are fine, especially floaty ones, they like to hide in them at the surface.. I'm sure one Pumpkin can't catch all 18 if they're well hidden.. :shock:


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ok, the net breeder came with some silk plants in it, but I was thinking keeping them in there until they are bigger, like maybe a week? I know where I can get java moss, but it's like 6$ for a little clump -_-

edit: oh, and I thought they would be big enough by 1.5 months because they reach sexual maturity at like 2-3 months


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Plus those little buggers are FAST! I saw my Mama Rose try and take a bite out of one and it just shot right off before she'd even moved a fin.

Got any duckweed in a pond? That would work too.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I think their lack of fins makes them more streamlined lol!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Like tadpoles with big, big eyes. :-D

On another side note, I had to take Crichton out of the community tank. He was beating up on the danios. :/


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I don't know about duckweed, but at this point I owe my dad and mom allot of money, I think I owe my dad 15$ and my mom 6$. Not allot, but when your broke.... That's why i was hoping they would pay me for da babies


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Aw, poor danios  would 2 platies and a betta be a community tank or a tropical one? Just curious


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Tropical community? XD
Sakura, how is Crichton that fast?? Is it because he bit his tail off? -__-


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Both. A tropical community tank. If it was coldwater fish like white clouds and goldfish, it would be a coldwater community tank.  Plus, it just sounds more impressive when you say "tropical community tank."


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

fightergirl2710 said:


> Tropical community? XD
> Sakura, how is Crichton that fast?? Is it because he bit his tail off? -__-


Yeah, I think that's definitely part of it. He'd just hover at the edge of the tank and wait for one to shoot by, then he'd head butt or nip at it. They're so dumb, they kept right on going around in circles past him instead of just dropping down and swimming lower.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

*facepalm* They make up for brains with speed I guess :/
diablo- Maybe mine didn't grow too fast.. I dunno :<


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, nobody said fish were smart XD actually, I saw pumpkin go after one I rescued, she moved fast toward him and he pressed up against the bottom of the net, and I was like " aw, he wants to be with his siblings!" so I scooped him out XD


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Crichton isn't much smarter. He got himself wedged in the cave with the four cories. That's when he discovered cories have spiny fins that poke. Boy, he got out of there in a hurry.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Owowowowow! Why was he hanging with the cories? Do they hate him because he's different?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, poor crichton  I feel like one of those inexperienced people you find every now and then on the breeder forum who know nothing about spawning bettas, but try to put them in a 2 gallon to spawn or something. I feel so inexperienced, with all my questions and what-not


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

He didn't know they were all in there until he forced his way in. I saw them all trying to get out of each other's way and then he shot out of there like he sat on a cactus. I swear I heard the cories laughing.


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Hey, I'm in the same boat.  We can be newbies at this together. Except I may have to let someone eat my fry just because I really need the tank for Crichton.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I'm just raising her first batch, the next 2-3 I'm going to be like you and let them be eaten... But they're so cute, I'm not sure I could stand that!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I was stupid and bought a male. I'll have lots of batches. What was I thinking.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

You were thinking.. Mmm new betta food! Must add to horrendously huge collection...


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Ya, I didn't buy a male because I didn't want a fish farm, lol! Just gave the babies 1/4 of a crushed up flake...


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

fightergirl2710 said:


> You were thinking.. Mmm new betta food! Must add to horrendously huge collection...


*hangs head* Yeah, that's about it. I never knew I had such a cruel streak. I'm sorry little fry! Wonder if it's too late to return the male . . .


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Let him be.. I was thinking the same thing so its ok! Lol! I wasn't trying to guilt trip you


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Haha, no, you're not the one guilt tripping me, the little fry are. Their big eyes looking up at me, "How could you be so cruel?"


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

I think my fry hate me. " Eyi! Why iz ze net cooming fur meh anh onleh meh?"


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

There they go again, being French. :lol: Nah, your fry don't hate you. They hate the net.


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Their parents don't care, why should you? XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Don't be mean about my net!!!!! And yes, in my mind everything under an inch long is French XD if I put them in the big tank, will they still come up to feed?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeah, they will. You can also make sure some of the fry food sinks down. Haha, French platy fry . . .

I was supposed to put Crichton in with the fry so he would eat them but I just can't do it. I want to raise at least one batch. I'll let him eat the next one.


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

I've raised many batches of babies(guppies I mean) My tank actually no longer has any of my original fish(except for the tetra's), its all babies I've raised from fry. THey are all beautiful and I love every one of them, but there is a point where I stop netting the mother's when they give birth and just let the fry fend for themselves. This is the best way IMHO, I just don't think I could ever intentionally feed my little baby fry to the other fish so I just learned to step back and let nature take its course...this way, only the stronger bigger fry live on and the weaker one's become betta/guppy food...

The moral of this story, don't net the fry if you intend to use them as food! You get way too attached this way ;-)


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Yes, I agree with Jiro! Free range baby!


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I hope an LFS around me somewhere will take the fry when they're grown. I ended up putting Anderson back into QT for his tail (looks like fin rot, the tips are bloody) and Crichton went back in the divided tank with Riceball. It's a good thing fish can't talk, the'd be cussing me out for moving them around so much.

Jiro, what kind of filter do you use when you have the guppies? I have an AquaClear 20 hang-on-back power filter, would it suck up fry? Just for future reference when I put the platies into the big tank and they give birth there. I was lucky to catch this one and put her in her own tank with a box filter.


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

Its a little embarrassing to say but I've had this filter so long I actually don't remember the model...I tell you that thing is almost as old as I am, it date's back to my dad's fish years which was quite awhile back.

Its a large, hang on back filter, meant to handle your average 55 gallon. It's almost prehistoric and I'm sure the old dinosaur has sucked up a fry or two in its day, which is why I usually keep my fry in a breeders net on the side of the tank where the filter's current doesn't reach until I'm sure they are strong enough to handle it...Plus when I know I have small babies I raise up the intake tube until the filter's current is weak enough for the fry to swim in...that's pretty much the way I've always done it and I have more guppies than I can handle >.< I tell you, there is not secret to raising live bearers, all it takes is warm clean water and they will find a way...trust me ;-)


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Thanks, Jiro.  I got lucky/unlucky, the girl I had was pregnant right from the store so she went straight into her own tank. But I imagine by the time the next batch comes along they'll all be in the community tank with the filter. I'll raise up the intake tube just like you said. It's not like I want a huge survival rate but I also don't want an unpleasant surprise when I clean the filter. And I don't want the fry to suffer. I'd rather they just get *snap* eaten real fast.


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

I know what you mean, I always used to watch that filter intake nervously, I never have liked the idea of a baby getting stuck to it or getting sucked inside it >.< but I've actually never seen a baby get sucked into it, neither have I found any "unpleasant surprises" when cleaning it so I assume the babies are smart enough to stay away from it...


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Maybe you can cover the intake? Like with pantyhose? :/


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

That's good to know. If worse comes to worse, I guess I can put some filter wool up the tube.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

God, my filter is in the tank, a tetrawhisper 30-i, I'm gonna have to check the strength of the water pull now......


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Is the Tetrawhisper an HOB or an internal?


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Mine is in the tank, it has to be underwater to work, so I guess internal


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Internal. If it has thin vents at the bottom to draw the water in, it should be okay, I think. I don't think fry can get drawn into internal filters nearly as easily as they can with HOB. And from the sounds of it, they're smart enough to stay away from filters of any kind.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Hopefully they're smart enough. Isn't very reassuring their brains are the size of pinheads


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Yeeeah, well . . . here's hoping.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Exactly, my little babies are going up and eating the flakes, it's adorable! Should I be worried that their stomachs aren't getting big?


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

No . . . I don't think so. The stomachs of mine never get big either.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Good, don't want my young charges going hungry


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I forgot to declump the bloodworms while feeding and Kami took the whole clump and was swimming around with it, with the rest following her.. She finished the entire thing! No noms for 2 days! -___-


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Lol, kamikazee!!! She ate an ENTIRE clump? God, I'm surprised Peaches didn't kill her XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Peaches and the rest were looking around all confused at the top while this nut was at the bottom, with ALL the worms, that gave her a headstart to finish them all when they started chasing her -__-


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

O.O You mean she ate the whole clump by herself...while the other fish were chasing her! XD That sounds hilarious XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Poor kamikazee, I imagine she looks like a balloon Molly now XD


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

I was trying to get it away from her by getting half my arm into the tank and she was running from me too, She couldn,t even swallow it, she was just holding on! Peaches on the other hand decided to jump at me, as usual.. So I couldn't get the worms away from Kami and my living room had puddles all over. XD Funneh but not when cleaning up! Luckily no bloatiness!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

God, I have to change Libby and Diablo's water this afternoon.....see my signature XD


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## Jirothebetta (Jul 15, 2011)

XD thats sounds like a fiasco...shame you couldn't have gotten it on camera XD

Oh and Diablo...I LOVE YOUR SIGNATURE XD


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Made it up meself


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

I'm tuning in a little late but :rofl: Kamikaze! *tears from laughing* I wish I'd seen that.

Diablo, how're your platy fry doing today?


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## fightergirl2710 (Jun 9, 2011)

Kami got a big rip out of her tail for it too :roll: Sigh.. Silly girls!


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Doing good, they're awesome


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

Kami's lucky she was so busy swimming and couldn't swallow all of those at once or she'd be HUGE!

Diablo, glad to hear the fry are doing good.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Poor Kami, nobody likes nips


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## Sakura8 (May 12, 2011)

My one girl who is newest in the sorority looks like a crowntail her tail is so nipped. I feel bad.


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## diablo13 (Jul 1, 2011)

Poor girl


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