Frequent Aquarium Questions

• I have a red tail shark in my aquarium. I have read that these sharks grow to be 5" long. I was wondering how long it usually takes these sharks to completely mature. Also, is there a way to determine if it is male or female? Thankyou!
  
  
• When adding new fish to an aquarium, how long should I leave them in the opened bag to adjust to the new tank environment.
  
  
• Hi I just had a quick question. I just got my frist betta fish and all it does is sit there it doesn't swim much. I just recently got it too. Is there anything wrong with it?
  
  
• How can I tell if my tiger barb is pregnant or not?
  
  
• Can you put an African Cichlid in a fish bowl?
  
  
• We recently purchased a Green Spotted Pufferfish. Is it possible that it is killing other fish?
  
  
• I have a sailfin molly in a 10 gallon tank and I wanted to know if he will be healthy and reach his full potential. What else will I need to keep him healthy?
  
  
• I have a 20 gallon hex tank and I have a red tail shark, rainbow shark, columbian shark, upside down cat, pleco and a dragon goby. do I have too much in the tank? Will I run into problems with any of these species together?
  
  
• Why did my freshwater parrot fish's color fade?
  
  
• I have a 55-gal aquarium containing tropical fish. Is it feasible to transport my fish in their tank via my pickup truck with appropriate protection and without the equipment functioning for a 10+ hour trip to my new home?
  
  

• I have a red tail shark in my aquarium. I have read that these sharks grow to be 5" long. I was wondering how long it usually takes these sharks to completely mature. Also, is there a way to determine if it is male or female? Thankyou!
  
  
  
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• When adding new fish to an aquarium, how long should I leave them in the opened bag to adjust to the new tank environment.
  
  A fairly standard acclimation procedure I have seen in many places is this: Float fish in unopened bag for 10 minutes to get fish used to the temperature. Open bag and put a small amount of tank water into the bag. This could be as small as 1/2 cup for a small bag of fishes, and much more for a large specimen, but still only a fraction of the water contained in the bag. Wait 15 minutes, then add another portion of water into the floating bag. Wait another 15 minutes and repeat. Wait another 15 minutes and release fishes into aquarium. To be on the safe side, be sure that your fish have only been in the bag for a hour or less prior to acclimation (unless packed under pure oxygen which most pet stores will do for you if you ask). To be even safer, pour fish out into a net over the sink--do not use the water in the bag as it will have been fouled by the fishes being in the bag for so long.
  
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• Hi I just had a quick question. I just got my frist betta fish and all it does is sit there it doesn't swim much. I just recently got it too. Is there anything wrong with it?
  
  Most likely not. Bettas are generally a lethargic fish, meaning they are not very active. They are adapted to live in shallow pools with little or no active filtration. Therefore, they move very little and actually breathe air using a specialized organ in their heads. In short, as long as his color stays vibrant, and he eats once a day (or two days), I'd say he is doing great.
  
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• How can I tell if my tiger barb is pregnant or not?
  
  Tiger Barbs, like all egglaying fish, do not get "pregnant". Females ready to lay eggs may be visibly swollen, but typically need special conditioning in order to breed them. If your fish look bloated, but are otherwise healthy, chances are that you are simply overfeeding them.
  
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• Can you put an African Cichlid in a fish bowl?
  
  No. African cichlids require a constant temperature and plenty of room, neither of which is available in a fish bowl. They also tend to produce a lot of waste, so heavy filtration is a must.
  
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• We recently purchased a Green Spotted Pufferfish. Is it possible that it is killing other fish?
  
  It almost certainly is. These puffers are normally quite aggressive, and will make short work of most community fish, and even some of the more aggressive species. They can reach a size of 8 inches, making them a real menace as they get older. It is best to keep this species in a tank by itself. It is important to note that these fish are not true freshwater fish, but are in fact brackish. This means that they will require some marine salt in order to stay healthy for any significant amount of time.
  
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• I have a sailfin molly in a 10 gallon tank and I wanted to know if he will be healthy and reach his full potential. What else will I need to keep him healthy?
  
  A 10 gallon tank won't be quite enough space for a sailfin molly. A 30 gallon tank or large would be best in order for him to reach his full potential. Mollies are brackish wwater fish, and do not truly belong in a freshwater tank. They will require a small amount of marine salt (not "aquarium salt") in order to remain healthy over the long term. They also prefer warm temperatures (80 to 82 degrees), and need plenty of Spirulina-enriched foods in their diet.
  
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• I have a 20 gallon hex tank and I have a red tail shark, rainbow shark, columbian shark, upside down cat, pleco and a dragon goby. do I have too much in the tank? Will I run into problems with any of these species together?
  
  In short, yes and yes. The long answer: -In general hexagonal aquariums pose a series of challenges because they are usually taller than they are long front to back in one dimension, which can limit water oxygenation. However, this is more pertinent in marine aquaria. As long as you can provide sufficient water turnover, your 20 gallons should be fine. -Some of these fish can get quite large by themselves, and may even become territorial with age. 20 gallons may be small for any one of these animals' adult sizes, let alone all of them. -I like to stock aquariums with animals which will eat similar food items, and your list of fishes is almost opposite this philosophy. The goby is a filter feeder (and for that reason will only flourish in a planted aquarium in my opinion), the pleco needs greens (and definitely NOT for a planted aquarium, depending on the species of pleco), and the cats are omnivorous. Hope that helps.
  
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• Why did my freshwater parrot fish's color fade?
  
  Most of the parrot cichlids sold in pet stores these days are artifically dyed to make their colors more vivid. This practice appears to be harmless to the fish, but the coloring is temporary and will fade over time. In order to keep their natural colors as bright as possible, it is important to keep up with your regular maintenance and feed a variety of high quality foods (as is true with any fish).
  
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• I have a 55-gal aquarium containing tropical fish. Is it feasible to transport my fish in their tank via my pickup truck with appropriate protection and without the equipment functioning for a 10+ hour trip to my new home?
  
  For a project like this, you would be much better off packing the fish much the same way as they are for transport by exporters and wholesalers. Pack the fish individually in plastic fish bags (your local aquarium shop should be able to provide you with some) and transport them in styrofoam coolers or shipping cartons with a few small heat packs. For a 10 hour trip, you will almost certainly need to use pure oxygen in the bags in order for your fish to survive. It is never advisable to move an aquarium with water in it, particularly if it is a glass aquarium. Few, if any, tanks are built to withstand the stress of water sloshing back and forth. There is a very strong possibility of damaging your aquarium if you attempt this. Also, don't forget that a 55 gallon tank filled with water, gravel, and fish will weigh somewhere in the neighborhood of 450 to 500 pounds!
  
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