# A fish a day...(Thread of the week)



## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*A fish a day...*

Hello, everybody!
I really think a infomative thread about fish profiles can help me as well as other beginners in this aquatic hobby alot! I'll search high and low on the Internet and bring back some basic facts, a couple of pictures... please feel free to add in comments as well as experiences of your own. Okay?


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Basic Facts:
Common name: Guppy
Scientific name: _Poecilia reticulata_ 

pH range: 7-8
Temp: 18-29 C

Swimming level: Midwater
Food: General, easy to be fed
Ease of keeping: Easy, peaceful fish, ideal for beginners
_____

Photos:
















_From: Aquahobby.com_









Photo Credit: Macros Avila


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Comment:
A wonderful fish! Guppies are ideal for beginners in freshwater fish keeping. I keep these guys from a very early stage. They feed on almost everything, from flakes to bloodworms! However, they're safe for aquatic plants.
Guppies come to a variety of colors and tail patterns, so they're beautiful too! Some languages call guppies as "rainbow fish" Vietnamese call them "7-colored-fish"
Guppies are very easy to keep. Though many people would rather not keep them in a community tank with other fish. And they are easy also in breeding. I think most people will isolate the fry after they are given birth.
Just a lil' warning I found at aquahobby is that if amles are put into small place fin-snipping can be a result. This result can also be caused by an unappropriate ratio between males and females. (e.g.: too many males)


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i started out a few years back with 3 guppies, they lived through almost anything!


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

very hardy fish, the female usually has a smaller, less colorful tail than the male; a very good fish for a beginner; very easy to breed


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

I started with a few guppies and now have 3 tanks full. Once you get some that are hearty they are a snap to breed. They come in a variety of colors and with the proper breeding you can rapidly bring out the traits you desire. This is possible because of how rapid these fish breed.


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## Courtney (Jan 18, 2005)

if they are a easy fish to keep , then why do mine keep dying?? i just bought new ones a couple days ago, they were perky and happy in the store, beautiful female lost her to fungus, and lost a male today i medicated the tank and it got cloudy so i had to clean it out tonight...ok im done whineing now..


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

Courtney said:


> if they are a easy fish to keep , then why do mine keep dying?? i just bought new ones a couple days ago, they were perky and happy in the store, beautiful female lost her to fungus, and lost a male today i medicated the tank and it got cloudy so i had to clean it out tonight...ok im done whineing now..


Did you remember to cycle your tank?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

"if they are a easy fish to keep , then why do mine keep dying??"
It is probably because the fish your local store stock are not of good breeding. If you can find some from a local breeder you will begin to see what I am talking about.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Guppies nowadys may lost their origin "hardity" due to the breeding through many years,,,
PS: hey guys, please submit your question (by quoting to another thread cause in this thread people may want to read your experiences only... thanks! If there's something wrong, the owner of the post may fix i t later!  )


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*Fish Profile #2: Platy*

Basic facts:
Common name: Platy
Scientific name:_ Xiphophorus maculatus_

Simple description: variuos in colors, usually found in reg and orange.
Max leght: 4 cm

pH range: 7-8
Ideal temp: 25 C 

Swimming level: Midwater
Food: accept most food, also feed on algea, easy to be fed
Ease of keeping: Easy, peaceful fish, ideal for beginners

________
Photos:








Original








Original

For platy with more colors: click _here_


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

I myself keep some platies. They're very easy guys and very hardy and will get along well with community tanks. Platies will accept almost any kind of food. Especially, they also search high and low for algea so it's gonna be a good janitor . Mine's favorite is tubifex. They also accept flakes! Platies can easily breed! But be careful, the parents can even have their young as meals! It's good to prepare a place for the fry when you see any signal of pregnacy...

Others' experiences:


> In my experience Platies don't do well in water with a pH below 7.2, although I've found that they exist happily in water up to about 8.0.


_Kelsey_
_____________________


> I find that they like blanched vegetables as a little greens in their diet doesn't hurt. I find also as some of you may know that they suit a warm alkaline water, otherwise they die off more quickly. Their reproduction cycle is about every 28 days, they tend to breed quickly.


_Becky_
_____________________
Others experiences are from AquaHobby.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

The Platy is a easy to breed fish. Great for beginners wanting to learn the basics on breeding fish. They love to school but in my experience they can occasionally spoof and jump out of the tank. Make sure to have a good fitting lid.


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## shev (Jan 18, 2005)

note- they like to endlessy torment and peck away at goldfish, they like the slime coating on them, as do mollies.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

a great fish for beginners


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## mlefev (Apr 19, 2005)

I like my platy. I was afraid she'd be lonely with no other platies, but she plays with all the other fish, and seems healthy as can be. She really loves the bloodworms...and lol, if I crush up my old betta pellets a little she devours those too.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*Re*

Hello all, sorry I skip a day as I needed to take care of my forums.
However, my friend, MyraVan, suggest that some Cyprinids are ideal for beginners, because of their low birth-rate. So I move to Cyprinids and zebra danio, very common one, is to begin with.
Common name: Zebra Danio
Scientific name: Danino Reriro
pH range: 6 - 8
Temp: 27 C (ideal)

_________
Photos:


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

I don't own these guys but as the books I read, the friends here. I know that they are very active fish and good for community tanks! They are, also, hardy! 
What is it food? What's the best?


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

There are many types of danios. Longfin, Zebra, Leopard, Giant just to name a few. But since you went with zebra I will keep my topic to them although they are all so similar these statements will likely fit all. 

Zebra Danios are a schooling fish. They are very active and do great in groups of 6 or more. Longer tanks are better for them than tall tanks because of their shape and how active they are. They willingly accept many types of foods like flakes, brine shrimp, and bloodworms. They are also great with most fish they are more likely to be attacked by other fish than attack. If you do not keep them in groups they will become board and become a problem by nipping at fins of other fish.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

The zebra danios were the first fish I got when I started fishkeeping last September. In the photos Max posted, the upper one is a mature zebra, and the lower one a juvenile - as they grow I've found the the stripes widen, and they get to be more muscular-looking.

These really are super fish, and they are one of the best if not THE best starter fish: they are cheap, tough, easy to find in shops, stay small, don't breed so fast that they overwhelm the tank, and they are fun to watch, as they are almost constantly in motion, often chasing one another around.

They feed only from the top of the water. They will get flakes and other food that has started to float down, but if food makes it to the floor of the tank they will leave it there. Mine eat almost any prepared fish food; the only one I've tried that they don't go for is bottom feeder food.

They are best in groups, but to have a happy group of danios you don't need a bunch of fish that look all the same! There are several closely-related species, all pretty much the same size and shape, that get along together and provide a bit of variety for your tank with their different colors and patterns. There are gold zebras, which are just albino zebra danios; leopard danios with spots, and pearl danios that are pearly colored.

I have heard that they can be nippy, biting at the long fins of fish like bettas or antennae of apple snails, but they haven't bothered anything in my tanks (rosy barbs, hillstream loaches, a nerite snail).

All in all, I highly recommend these fish.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

Danio's were my first fish as well... However I began my fish keeping 2 years ago and was intrigued by the bright pink colored GloFish Danio. I knew nothing of fish and the lady at the store told me the story of them being genetically engineered and I was sold. I bought 2 of them, a guppy and a female betta for my 10 gallon tank. I still have one of the GloFish Danio's left and have since added a second zebra danio. They are terrific to watch. Hardy fish, active fish, neat personalities, eat flake food quite well, which is easy and can thrive in a wide range of temps and Ph's it seems from others postings on them...


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

the longfin zebras are the ones i have....they are a great beginner fish and they are very neat looking in a good size school of them


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*Bala shark*

Common name: Bala shark
Scientific name: _Balantiocheilus melanopterus_
pH range: 6 - 8 (ideal: 7)
Temp range: 22 - 28 C
Tank size: more than 500 Liters
Food: General
Ease of keeping: requires big tank, best in shoal

________________
Photos:


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Comments: These guys are cool! They feed on almost everything. One bad thing is that htey are a lil' nervous so a big tank and schooling are ideal!


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

No fair, Are you going through my tanks to pick fish? And no I dont have them all in the same tank.

These fish are very peaceful and do good in community tanks when small. Unfortuanlly they do grow large making them unsuitable for small or most community tanks. When grown they as beautiful if not more beautiful than when young. Their simple coloring and clean lines make them fun to watch. 

Best kept in groups. Another common tankmate for these is the tin foil barb which also grow large. This means you need a very large tank for 2 sets of large schooling fish. 

Because of their body shape they are fast swimmers and need a long tank.
And they are not a shark as their name suggests.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

I have 2 of these guys in my 40 gallon tank. They are 3" currently and in less than a year I intend to upgrade to around 125 gallon for them to have more fun and grow to a healthy size in! They are beautiful fun fish to watch. Eat any and everything. Peacefull with other fish. Slightly skiddish but playful as well. They are quite active... Remind me of my small danios in my 10 gallon tank!


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

my sisters best friend has one of these and a goldfish in about a 7 gallon tank in her kitchen.


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## ALFA WOLF (May 24, 2005)

Do they get along with each other.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

ALFA WOLF said:


> Do they get along with each other.


Well, yes, they're not violent. On the contrary, they're a bit shy...


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Max has requested me to add to the "fish a day" thread while he's busy setting up his forums (they are forums for his English club at school, and I'm sure they would appreciate some native speakers joining and helping them out; they are at http://www.lhpecforums.tk/). I don't think I'll quite manage a fish a day, but I'll try to do a fish every other day.

So we'll start off with the most unusual fish I own, a hillstream loach, specifically Beaufortia kweichowensis. Here are a couple of photos of mine
















There are lots more photos at 
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/beaufortia_kweichowensis.html

These are little fish, max of about 3" long, that look like tiny stingrays. They are loaches, in the family Balitoridae, and thus are Cyprinids. 

You've heard of suckmouth fish, well, these can be called suckerbelly fish, as almost the entire underside of the fish forms a sucker which they use to cling to rocks, wood, glass, the filter, pretty much any smooth surface. They are highly adapted to living in cool, fast-flowing streams: their flattened bodies and sucker bellies help keep them in place while they feed on the "aufwuchs" (tiny creatures) that live in the algae on the rocks. They can swim in open water (and in fact they are surprisingly fast when they do so) but they prefer to cling to things, shuffling forward while they scrape the glass/rocks/wood with their underslung mouths.

These are fairly shy fish. Anytime I rearrange the tank they disappear for about a week, hiding behind the filter, wood, etc. When they are comfortable with their surroundings, they are out and about a fair bit, but if I can't see them I don't worry. I know they are there.

They are territorial. I have two of them; one is quite a bit bigger than the other. Whenever they meet, the bigger one sort of jumps on top of the other one, and the little one swims away. In fact, whenever the little one sees the bigger one coming towards him, or notices that he's come a bit too close to the big one, he scoots away to avoid confrontation. This is normal for them; it's a way of establishing dominance. Luckily these little fights are don't harm the fish, as they have nothing capable of inflicting any damage!

These fish are not appropriate for the average tropical fish tank. Because they are so well adapted to living in fast-flowing streams with lots of dissolved oxygem, thier blood is not very efficient at collecting oxygen from the water. Thus they need lots of oxygen in the water. This is best accomplished by having cool water (19-22C, 65-75F) and either having a good flow of water to keep the surface of the water moving or using an airstone or Venturi device on your fitler outlet. The idea setup is a "river tank" as described in Martin Thoene's excellent article on the fish, 
"Hillstream Loaches: The Specialists at Life in the Fast Lane" at
http://www.loaches.com/hillstream_loaches.html
However mine are doing very well in an unheated tank (temps 20-22C) with a HOB turned up full blast, and the outlet just below the surface fo the water for lots of surface agitation.

What do they eat? Well, in their natural environment they eat little tiny creatures that live in the algae on the rocks and such. In my tank, that's exactly what they eat. You are supposed to feed them other things, like sinking tablets and bloodworms, but mine have never eaten them. A few times I've tried putting some bloodworms right next to one. He'll ignore it, and then a rosy barb will come along and eat it. Perhaps if I didn't have the rosies in the tank, the little guys would have more time to contemplate the food and would try it and find that it's good. Still, they seem to be doing all right on their algae-only diet. I've had them for about 6 months now and they look and behave normally. Note: although the they do eat algae, they don't seem to make much of a dent in the algae population in the tank, so don't get these fish for clean-up duty. 

I you want one, here in the UK you are most likely to find them in shops labelled as "Hong Kong Plecos". I have asked shop keepers about "hillstream loaches" and they don't have a clue what I'm talking about!

For more info on B. kweichowensis and other hillstream loaches, see
http://www.loaches.com/hillstream_intro.html
http://www.petresources.net/fish/article/choice/hillstream.html

If you have hillstream loaches, post your experiences with them!


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*re*

Thanks MyraVan, I'm free a bit now cause the board crashed lol but we gotta restore so busy back soon...
However, there're some pics I found at loaches.com maybe you'll like them


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Today's fish is the rosy barb (common), aka Barbus conchonius or Puntius conchonius (scientific). This is a picture of two of mine:








These fish are barbs, and thus are cyprinids. They are brightly colored and very active, tough, common in fish shops, and reasonably priced. This makes them good as beginner fish.

Size: mine are about 2 1/2 inches. Evidently this is on the small side, as most websites list their max size as about 4 inches. Oh, I just found a website that says, for size, "2 to 3 inches in my experience although some books claim up to 6 inches", so I'm not the only one with smaller rosies... Despite my fish not living up to the published sizes, I agree with published suggestions of 20 US gallons as the minimum tank size, since they are such active fish.

Sexing: These fish are very easy to sex. When their colors are good, the male is a brilliant orange, while the females are a kind of subdued yellowey orange. Also (at least in my tank) the male is a bit bigger, while the females are a bit plumper. 

Temperature: 18-23C (64-73F) As you can see, these fish like it cooler than most other tropical fish. They can be easily kept in an unheated tank. In fact the tank that I have them in is unheated, and the temp is usually 20-22C. Their colors are better at the lower temperatures. Usually they are kept at typical tropical temperatures in fish shops, and mine are much more brightly colored than the ones in the shops. In shops usually the males are a subdued orange, while the females are almost silver.

Food: a huge variety of stuff. They eat any prepared fish food I've put in the tank, including bottom feeder food. They eat at all levels in the tank: surface, midwater, and bottom. They've eaten most human food I've put in too, like shelled peas and bits of hard-boiled egg. These fish are extremely greedy. Don't have as tankmates fish that are shy at dinnertime, else the shy fish will starve. I've got them in with danios, who are fast enough to compete with them. Also in that tank are also hillstream loaches that are restricted to an algae-only diet because the rosies eat any food I try to put in for them! 

The rosies seem to be constantly hungry, and even when there's no fish food in the tank they seem to be eating much of the time. One of their most useful features is that they eat algae. They are very good at eating green hair algae. There is none in my tank. They also pick at brown algae, but not enough to keep it under control. 

They are schooling fish, although many people seem to have only two or three of them, and they do all right. I have three in fact, one male and two females. If you have both males and femaes, it's best to have more females than males (despite the fact that the males a prettier!) since the males have a tendency to chase the females, and having more girls than guys makes life easier for the ladies!

All in all, these are very attractive, useful, easy to keep fish. Just make sure you have tankmates that can compete with them for food!


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Hey, folks, this isn't supposed to be a one-person show! The idea was others would contribute their experiences with the fish also... Please comment, if you own any of the fish in this thread!

Anyway, today's fish is the white cloud mountain minnow, Tanichthys albonubes. 








This is a little fish (mine are just over 1 inch) that can comfortably be kept in a fairly small tank. I have three of them in a 5 gallon tank on my desk at work. They fit in such small tanks partly because they are so small, but also partly because they aren't as energetic swimmers as some other fish (like danios).

My fish are the long-finned versions. They don't have very long fins, but they are quite a bit more colorful (they have lots more red on their bodies) than the run of the mill version. 

They are very easy to keep. They will eat most prepared fish foods, as long as they aren't too large. I find that if you put whole flakes in the tank, they try to bite a piece off, and they get some, but much of the time the rest of the flake drifts down to the bottom of the tank where they ignore it. Thus it's best to crumble the flakes a bit as you add them. They are so small they even eat plain freeze-dried Cyclop-eez (which is a kind of coarse orange powder).

They are fairly tough fish and tolerant of beginner mistakes (so I have read; I put them into a fully cycled tank and so haven't stressed them much). They like their water quite cool (60-75F, 16-24C), so they don't require a heater. For all these reasons, they are ideal for someone looking to get into fishkeeping without spending lots of money.

They are exceedingly easy to breed. 
















I ended up getting two males and three females in my three fish, and one of the females was big with eggs when I got her. A few weeks later, I spotted little tiny things swimming just under the surface of the water. The minnows don't eat their fry, so the little ones are fairly easy to raise, since you don't need a separate tank for them. I bought some commercial fry food to give them (Liquifry, Hikari First Bites), but probably they were helped by the fact that for awhile I had an apple snail in the tank as well, and apple snails help create infusoria for the fry to live on. Now the bigger babies (almost 1cm long!) can eat Cyclop-eez and small fragments of flakes, so they're well on their way. Anyone in the area of Cambridge, UK, want some very cute little fish?


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

Iv'e never owned white clouds, but I have an idea for this thread...maybe people could post their own profiles on whatever fish they want, so we could make like an archive...and maybe we could sticky it. that would be pretty cool. What do you think?


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## John (Apr 19, 2005)

Yep. Good idea.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

yea nobody really wants to make a special area for it so we might as well.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

I think that people posting their own fish profiles is a smashing idea! We'll probably end up with more than one fish a day, but that will be fine.

Right then, feel free to make profiles for your favorite fish!


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

while profiles would be nice. we need to get a dedicated team together to create profiles. We want to have enough of them so we can reference people to them. Each one should have: 
Max Size: in inches
Tank Size: in gallons
Bioload:low medium or high
Sensitivity: Hardy, slightly hardy, slightly sensitive, sensitive
Conspecific behavior: alone, pair, or schooling
Interspecific behavior: species only, aggressive, semi-aggressive, community
Eating Habits: Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, etc/what foods they should have
Swimming Level: Top, Mid, and/or Lower
Prefered Water Parameters: pH, hardness, alk, temp, nitrates
Recommended Species in Tank: A Short Compatible Species List
any other comments:


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i think that we should also post how tolerant of meds the fish are


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

good idea.


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

Here I got a profile:

Common Name: Serpae Tetra
Scientific Name: _Hyphessobrycon eques_
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallons
Maximum Size: 1.5 inches
Swimming Level: Middle
Feeding: Flake foods, frozen foods, live foods. 
pH: 5.5 to 7.5
Sensitivity: Hardy
Temperature: 75 to 82 degrees Farenheit
Interspecific Behavior: community to slightly agressive
Conspecific Behavior: Schooling
Ease of Keeping: Easy, these are quite hardy fish

Comments: These fish are usually pretty peaceful...but they can be fin nippers, especially at feeding time. Serpaes really have great personalities, and are extremely hardy.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

not bad, I think fish profiles would be a great idea but unfortunately we may want to put it in an archieve or database to search it easier instead of a post. Plus I'm sure the saltwater guys (me included) out there want to add to the profiles as well...


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

me too, go here http://www.fishforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3159 and post there maybe shaggy will see it again and give us someplace!


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

thanks for adding another fish. I have some of these guys. I have heard them called serpae tetra as well as red minor tetra. They are fun to watch, not as skiddish as my white skirt tetra and like you said can be semi aggressive. They are picking on my Bala's! I have a picture of one of my sick ones on Mysterious Fish Disease thread. 

as for the different way of doing this... I like this way. It gives people a positive way to chat with each other. None of the typical "you are over crowded, those fish don't do well together, my fish is sick, etc". 

if you salt water people would like to see salt water fish, then post some, or start one on the saltwater board... this is afterall Freshwater>General


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

*Common Name *Serpae Tetra, Red Minor 
*Scientific Name *Hyphessobrycon Callistus
*Origin *Southern Amazon Basin, Paraguay Basin
*Adult Size *1 1/2 inches
*Life Span *5 years or more
*Sexual Identification*Male: Slender in form. Female: Slightly larger and much rounder in body. 
*Behavior*Serpae Tetras are active, hardy fish that can be kept in schools of 6 or more. Serpaes are not considered peaceful fish in the community aquarium and have been known to be fin nippers. Dense vegetation, dim lighting, large swimming areas, a minimum size aquarium of 29 gallons, soft, gentle current, and a dark substrate are recommended for this species. They are semi-aggressive and can easily cause bodily injury to one another as well as to any other tank mate.
*Water Environment*pH: 6.5-7.5, Temperature: 72-79º F, Hardness: 8-12 dGH, Lighting: There are no special requirements. Substrate: Dark substrate - small pea sized gravel. Water Changes: Should be done on a regular basis. 
*Diet*Omnivorous: Vegetable flakes, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, frozen bloodworms, freeze dried brine shrimp, glass worms, Tubifex worms, plankton, frozen Daphnia.
*Reproduction*Egglayer: The adults will spawn among fine-leafed plants. Fry can be raised without difficulty. You can feed serpae fry artemia or egg yolk powder.
*Plant Compatibility*Elodea(Anacharis), Ambulia, Water Wisteria, Pennywort, Limnophila, Myriophyllum, Bacopa, Swords, Crypts.
*Tips*These fish are semi-aggressive and can cause injury to others. Give Tetras ample swimming room, keep them in decent size schools, and do not keep them together with fragile species.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

red minor tetra also known as red serpae tetra

active, schooling fish, semi agressive - community fish.


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

well...fine then....i'll just do another profile....:-(


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

ok....this is my profile on the black neon....i hope this is good enough not to be totally redone by another person!!! *cough* fishdoc *cough*lol, jk 

Common Name: Black Neon Tetra
Scientific Name:_Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi _
Origin: From South America, found in Paraguay and Brazil. This fish is found in the Rio Paraguay, Rio Taguary, and the Amazon.
Adult Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches
Temperature: 74-80 degrees Farenheit
pH: 5.5 to 7.5
Swimming Level: Midlevel swimmer
Substrate: Should be of a dark color, thsi also brings out its color
Care:Easy, a bit more picky about water conditions than other tetras
Conspecific Behavior: Schooling, should have a group of six or more of these guys
Interspecic Behavior: Community, a very peaceful fish. Goes well with other tetras, cories, etc.
Tank Size: I'm gonna say a minimum of 20 gallons so as to not start an argument. They would certainly use the extra room, as they are pretty active fish. I do beleive these guys could be done in something smaller though, and this is generally recommneded if you are attempting to breed them.
Order: Characiformes
Suborder:Characoidae
Family: Characidae
Genera: Hyphessobrycon
Behavior: This is a schooling fish that requires other fish of the same species to practice normal behavior. It is a very peaceful fish, and is ideal for a community tank. The water is preferably clear, soft, and acidic. They are a bit more touchy about their water quality than other tetras.
Tank Setup: Should have areas with alot of open swimspace as well as areas of dense planting and vegetation.
Breeding: Egglayer
Diet: Omnivore, vegetable flake, daphnia, bloodworms, algae wafers, tubifex worms, etc.
Hardness: 6-14 dGH


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

*dwarf powder blue gourami*

Dwarf Powder Blue Gourami (thought I would join the fun of posting)

Scientific Name: Colisa lalia
Other Names: Dwarf Gourami, Red Gourami
Family: Belontiidae
Origin: Ganges, Jumna, Bramaputra
Adult Size: 2-3 inches (5 cm)
Appearance: Male is light aqua/powder blue with red streaks in tail and body. Female is generally a silvery color. Comes in other color varieties as well. 
Social: Peaceful can be slightly territorial
Lifespan: 4 years
Tank Level: Top, Mid dweller, front of the tank
Minimum Tank Size: 10 gallon (says websites - I'd say 29 or large because they are quite active. Mine uses the entire 40 gallons) 
Diet: Omnivore, eats algae, flake food, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, etc.
Breeding: Egglayer - bubblenest
Care: Intermediate
pH: 6.0 - 7.5
Hardness: 4-10 dGH
Temperature: 72-82 F (22-28 C) 

Very friendly, not skiddish. Can be in tank with same species but really depends on temperment of individuals. Great for community tank.


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## fish_doc (Jan 31, 2005)

This is mine for the black neon tetra.
Common Name: Black Neon Tetra
Scientific Name:_Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi _
Origin: From South America, found in Paraguay in Brazil. This fish is found in the Rio Paraguay, Rio Taguary, and the Amazon.
Adult Size: 1.25 - 1.5 inches
Temperature: 74-80 degrees Farenheit
pH: 5.5 to 7.5
Swimming Level: Midlevel swimmer
Substrate: Should be of a dark color, thsi also brings out its color
Care: Fairly easy, a bit more picky about water conditions than other tetras, the ideal is soft, acidic water
Conspecific Behavior: Schooling, should have a group of six or more of these guys
Interspecic Behavior: Community, a very peaceful fish. Goes well with other tetras, cories, etc.
Tank Size: I'm gonna say a minimum of 20 gallons so as to not start an argument. They would certainly use the extra room, as they are pretty active fish. I do beleive these guys could be done in something smaller though, and this is recommneded if you are attempting to breed them.
 Pac-man


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

Pac-Man said:


> ok....this is my profile on the black neon....i hope this is good enough not to be totally redone by another person!!! *cough* fishdoc *cough*lol, jk
> 
> Common Name: Black Neon Tetra
> Scientific Name:_Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi _
> ...


oh fishdoc...you should not have copied my profile so soon...i made a mistake, I submitted it before I was done, and I added more to it. Its much more informative now, take a look.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Spotted Pictus











Common name: Spotted Pictus Cat
Scientific name: Pimelodus pictus
Adult Size:6 to 10 inches in an aquarium
Minimum tank size-55 Gallons
Water Conditions:adabtable, tolerate a ph of 6.3 to 7.8 and temps. from 72 to 88 degrees
Care/Sensitivity- hardy as long as precautions are taken. The dorsal and ventral fins have exceptionally sharp spines, which can cause two problems. For the aquarist, the sharp barbs can easily pierce the soft skin on your finger, causing painful wounds that often get infected. As for the fish, the skin surrounding the barb and the dorsal and ventral fins is very sensitive. If the fin is torn, an infection is almost always the result. The best way to prevent these problems at home is to catch the fish with a net but not lift it out of the water. Use a cup to gently scoop the fish from the net along with the water, and transfer the fish to a bucket. If the net is lifted out of the water, the catfish lock their spines, tangling them in the net - which almost always leads to injuries for the catfish and often for the keeper trying to gently pull the catfish from the net. Keep in mind that this is a scaleless fish, they are more sensitive to ich than other species. The parasites can easily attach themselves to the soft skin, so Pimelodus are often the first fish infected if there is an outbreak of this common disease. 

Food: Will eat almost anything such as tubifex worms, bloodworms, flakes, sinking tablets and usually at any time of day, they arent't nocturnal as other fish.

Social-They are more comfortable in groups but will show some agression. may eat fish it can fit into its mouth such as smaller guppies


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

black neon tetra


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

spotted pictus
(just thought i would help with all these pictures)


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

hey thanks


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I think now, we have enough proof that people are willing to contribute... lets hope we can convince shaggy.


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

yah, alot of people are joining in now. I'm gonna send shaggy a pm.


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## Huugs (Apr 25, 2005)

I think it would be easier and more user friendly if there was a section that people could sort of post their profiles on but that came up as a list of the fish rather than being like the forum threads. Having it all in a thread makes the info more difficult to find. 

Great work though guys I hope one day I will be knowledgable enough to contribute aswell.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Quite honestly I think that this "Fish profile" buisiness is a waste of time. We've had one before and no-one seems to use it. If someone wants to know a specific question then they can ask on one of the forums thats the whole point. If someone can convince me that fish profiles would be a useful adition then I'll see what I can do.


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## Huugs (Apr 25, 2005)

I think it would be good. Personally I think lots of beginners would use it and then it saves getting the same questions over and over again in the forums. Obviously there will still be the need for people like me to ask 'Is this setup OK?' but having the profiles means people can discount the huge ones or ones they couldnt keep anyway and then have a good guess at what they could. Otherwise youll still get the people asking if you can get 10 Arrowanas in a 5 gallon tank. If people could easily get the info from the profiles then they wouldnt even ask. It saves on silly questions.

I know you can get the info from other websites but Im lazy and it would be so much easier to get the info from you lot who all seem to know what they are talking about and seem to give good advice.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

I often visit my lfs homepage that has a freshwater (and salterwater I may add) fish picture page. It has very basic information like a picture, fish diet, fish size and fish aggression. But lacks temp requirements, ph requirements, natural habitat and substrant requirements, etc. www.jackspets.com If we could somehow do something here like that it would be cool... but in the mean time I really enjoy doing it here in the forum. Many people can post and it's cool to see what other are into and informative and a positive way to talk to each other!


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Huugs said:


> I think it would be good. Personally I think lots of beginners would use it and then it saves getting the same questions over and over again in the forums. Obviously there will still be the need for people like me to ask 'Is this setup OK?' but having the profiles means people can discount the huge ones or ones they couldnt keep anyway and then have a good guess at what they could. Otherwise youll still get the people asking if you can get 10 Arrowanas in a 5 gallon tank. If people could easily get the info from the profiles then they wouldnt even ask. It saves on silly questions.
> 
> I know you can get the info from other websites but Im lazy and it would be so much easier to get the info from you lot who all seem to know what they are talking about and seem to give good advice.


 Well said. although i do think it would give us fellow forums users the advantage as well, as in if we were to setup another tank. obviously it seems there is a good amount of people that will participate to make this part of fishforums grow.


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

also its a good reference... we can refer to our own database to back info or even if the people online don't know the specific habits/parameters to answer a specific fish question.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

I agree that users can have difficulties keeping track as we dun divide into types of fish but just go on. But I think it's ideal for beginners to start off keeping types of fish that you experts suggest.
So should we continue?


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

*Leopard Cory Cat*

Scientific Name: Coryodoras Leopardus
Region: South American, Brazil, Peru
Temp Requirements: 72-79 degrees F.
Ph: 6.0-8.0
Diet: Omnivorus, search bottom constantly
Size: 2.5-3" 
Breeding: Natural Selection is best
Substrate: Preferably sand or other fine substrate... they injure easily on rocks and gravel and sharp edges. (picture of mine has gravel though)
Best Kept: In minimum of a pair but loves to school with groups of 6 or more. 
Very Hardy: Great beginner fish due to size, hardiness, easily fed and striking color patterns. 
Swim Level: Mostly bottom, but will cruise the entire tank. 
Neat Fact: Can get air from the surface and obsorb through intestines. 
Behavior: Good community fish but can be skiddish
Tank Size: Minimum 10 for small groups, but highly recommend larger with ample plant cover for them.


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

*African Butterflyfish*
_Pantodon bucholzi_
Max Size: 4 in (10 cm) 
Tank Size: can be kept in most sized tanks, does not swim much. Would say 15 gal and up.
Region: Africa
Temperature: 75 - 80F (24-27c)
Care: Medium
PH: 7.5-8.5 
Interspecific behavior: Community/Aggressive (they will eat your neon tetras)
Eating Habits: Carnivore: they eat small fish that come to the surface, flies, crickets, mealworms, etc. Some can be conditioned to eat fishfood pellets.
Swimming Level: Top - make sure surface is clear
Recommended Species in Tank: non-nipping fish, fish that wont fit into his mouth.
Other comments: This fish is a very interesting one to watch. He looks alot like a dead leaf and many people will ask you "What is that upside down fish?" He looks as if he is swimming upside down i guess....
He is distantly related to the Arrowana, without getting as big as one. A very kewl fish to own.

Here are 2 pics of my AB. Had to make em small, sorry. Wont let me upload any bigger ones.


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## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

I think you guys are giving most beginners too much credit. I used post on a forum that had profiles, and new people would still ask the same questions over and over. The people that would use it most would be the more experienced fish keepers.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*Black widow tetra / Black tetra*









 


Common name: Black widow tetra/ Black tetras
Scientific name: _Gymnocorymbus ternetzi

_Size_: < 7cm 
_pH range: ideal at 7
Temp: 20-26 deg Celcius (ideal is 25)

Food: Accept almost all food, including flakes. Can be harmful to small fish. Fast-speed.
Agression: Usually not among each other as well as other fish.
Ease of keeping: easy.
Tank size: > 100 gal

_______________________

My comments:
I myself keep a school of 6 black tetras. They're faily easy in diet, tankmate relationship and schoolling relationship though they may not stick to each other as "tightly" as other schoolling fish. They don't seem to bother any other fish but they do feed on very small fish. I may find them hardy!
Sometimes blak tetra can be found in purple body. Quite beautiful!


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## fishboy (Feb 26, 2005)

to add to the info on black skirt tetras they also have been bred into white skirt tetras and long-finned white skirt tetras which aren't found in nature


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

I really dont like scrolling through all these, blah shoulda had a profiles forum so we could seperate the fish


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

Lexus said:


> I really dont like scrolling through all these, blah shoulda had a profiles forum so we could seperate the fish


shaggy is working on it, theres also another post about getting one setup in suggestions


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

ya I read that one


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

"Tank size: > 100 gal"


lol max. I think white skirt tetras can have something a little smaller than a 100 gallon tank.


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

yes, pac man, they can, i have had them in 20 and now in my 33 gallon, and they are fine. mind you, i only have owned two in each.


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## Gracie6363 (Mar 13, 2005)

lol i thought that 100 gallon was maybe a misprint for 10. I had 4 skirt tetra in my 10 gallon along with 2 danios. All were fine (2 recently died... appeared to be just time). I have 4 red minor - similar to the skirt tetra in my 40 gallon... they look lost in there!


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

Boesemani Rainbowfish

Melanotaenia boesemani

Max Size: 5 in (13 cm)
Tank Size: 50 g (190 L)
Care: Easy
Conspecific behavior: schooling
Interspecific behavior: community
Eating Habits: omnivore (will eat almost anything, these fish are 'pigs')
Swimming Level: Middle/surface
pH: 7 - 8

Comments: These are beautiful, hardy and docile fish. Great for a planted community. I have two who are beauties to watch, and the bigger they get, the more colourful they are!


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## blakeoe (Apr 27, 2005)

I had 2 Boesemani Rainbowfish until very recently and loved them. They are very colorful and love to swim around and show off there colors. It seemed they would change from lighter to dark depending on their mood.


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## Pac-Man (Mar 18, 2005)

yah... he probably meant to say 10...anyway, i really like these guys. Really different looking. I wouldn't mind keeping a rainbowfish sometime in my life time.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

*Clown Loaches*

Well... so nobody comes up with new fish, let me go on with Clown Loach, a very typical loach.

Basic facts:
Common name: Clown Loach
Scientific name: _Botia macracanthus
_
CARE: easy to Sub-average
Tank requirement: as they can reach really big in size, (up to 30 cm), keeping in a big tank or having one waiting is really neccessary
pH range: ideal is 7
Temparature: 26 Deg Celcius
Schooling: YES (6+), preferable 
Agression: pretty peacful, may have snails as food.
Food: Accept flakes and most of other food. Brine shrimp may be good to bring the natural colors.
Disease: sensitive to ich

Photo credits:











For more photos, click here

My comments: 
A good community fish. It's better for beginners with some experiences. Look up for more information before selecting is better. 
The fish are very social, almost all day keep in school at the bottom of the tank. Sometimes, they can go to upper water layers and join with other fish as well. A very active and fun fish! At first times, aquarists may find the loaches hide all day cuase these fish are nocturnal. After a while they'll be good and play actively. Look out for tank size and ich treatment. Also remember to cover a hood. I suggest this fish to any fish lovers.


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i have found ours that we had to be out all day, and sleeping at night wonderful peaceful fish that i suggest for someone that is not a beginner, but with a bit more fishkeeping experience


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## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

They will school with tiger barbs... and make a weird clicking noise when territorial and eating


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

*Albino Cories*

Basic Facts
Common name: Albino Cory 
Scientific name: Corydora aeneus
Origin: South America

Care: Easy
Tank requirement: At least 10 gallons 
PH: 6.0-8.0
Temperature: 70°-82° F or 21°-27° C
Agression: Peaceful
Size: 2.5-3 in. or 7 cm.
Food: Will eat flake food that falls to the gravel, but should be fed with other food too, as you cannot always count on food falling to the gravel. Will eat sinking food. Not a picky eater.
Breeding: Try to have at least 2 males per female and feed them alot of good food (pizza, spaghetti, lasagna....jk ;-) ). Do a 50% water change with water 10° (F) colder than the tank water before a storm (they can sense barometric pressure and the cold water is to simulate rains that come in spring that "tell" them when to breed), turn out the lights, and hope for the best. I breeded them without doing any of this and with only 1 male and 1 female in the middle of the day, but my eggs got eaten before they could hatch so I don't know if they were viable. Not hard to breed.
Sexing: Males are typically smaller and more slender than the females.
Substrate: Sand is ideal, but mine thrive in gravel that has rounded edges.
Schooling: Yes. Should be kept in groups of at least 3.
Swimming Range: Bottom of the aquarium, but sometimes dart up to the top and then right back down again.

My Comments: A good beginner fish. Easy to take care of, and will help keep the substrate clean. Good for the community tank.

please post your comments/corrections and a picture


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## Pareeeee (Jan 22, 2005)

I kept buying albino cories, they just die as soon as i get them almost. lol, and all they do is go up and down and up and down and back and forth and back and forth across the aquarium glass. funny, other cories seem to live longer in my tank but not the albinos


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

<<<<<<<<<--------feels stupid


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

i think i missed it lydia, whats so funny???


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

is it the runny nose?


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## Imbrium (Feb 7, 2005)

lol That's rummy nose not runny nose. :mrgreen:


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## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

haha oh ok thats what i thought


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Imbrium said:


> lol That's rummy nose not runny nose. :mrgreen:



thats what i thought too....there really is a runny-nose tetra? ive only heard of a rummy-nose one


:::feels stupid::: :withstup:


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