This is a great thread and I'm glad you guys all talked about this subject of TDS and experimenting with it. I had one question and forgive me if it was said already, I just skimmed through this thread didn't get the time to read all of it, but what is the TDS like in the Amazon for dry season and ...

I've never observed any obvious problems among a variety of Corydoras species when they have happened to be in circumstances where salt in the water may help with healing raw skin or fin tissue injuries or disease. I haven't had any reason to treat any C.panda in salty water. I have only used salt a...

Much of the variation in the intensity of their normal yellow color is due to their distress colors because they have been moved into photo tanks for better control over the fish by the photographer. Photoshop works well to artificially restore their usual looks. I agree that their patterns may vary...

"Stress Coat" does nothing to diminish stress in fish. It is distress we do not want and it doesn't work on that either.
I recommend SeaChem's Prime as a de-chlorination product.
It sounds like you bought an already dying Corydoras.

When I was breeding Peckoltia compta and small Hypancistrus species, I used to keep Cherry Shrimp with them. Never any other fish. I'd thin out the shrimp and feed them to my wild Scalare and Blue Discus as a side benefit. Congrats on the spawning of your L397's. They appear to be a pretty pleco. I ...

I wish my knowledge was deeper on this subject. My thanks for you fellows for looking into this and trying to help. My simplest solution is to enjoy planetcatfish by using Firefox. My ISP is Cable One, a ViaCom subsidiary. They have forced upon it's subscribers a strange hybrid of their infrastructu...

I seem to get about the same results as your's although I'm not certain I am interpreting the tests correctly. I could not get the link/URL you used so I used the planetcatfish homepage for the tests. Google Chrome is my default browser using Adblock Plus and LastPass extensions. Here is the link to...

I put about 150, month old, Corydoras paleatus in an outdoor pond late one spring. I harvested them in early September. I used a wading pool about 6 ft in diameter and 12 inches deep. The fry did not grow as fast as they did indoors at 80*F. It was just for fun and the fry were expendable, had it co...

Sometimes I can get to another page quicker by right clicking and selecting " open in new tab".
I forgot to mention that I use Google Chrome web browser although Firefox has not proven to work any better.
It made me feel a bit better after seeing bekateen's post.

Hi, I have been meaning to report a problem with extremely slow speeds I encounter navigating within the site. Speed hasn't been a problem in years past but for more than 8 months it has. It takes 30 to 60 seconds for me to click on a topic or load a post. I'm using a Dell Studio 1749 laptop with an...

It looks like Richard likes Parotocinclus jumbo. They are rather plain in appearance but they do have attributes well suited to your tank. I have a suggestion. Perhaps adding a few more of the Farlowella? If you keep them in small groups of 3 or 4, you will get to see them more often and observe som...

Most Gold Nuggets die long before they reach maturity in captivity. They usually slowly waste away in a typical neophyte's care and this can take many months.
You are right to ask whether that shop is just trying to make a buck out you because they are.

Optimum spawning and egg hatching temperature ranges for Corydoras species are one and the same.
What the optimum temperature range is will depend upon the species in question.

Common BN will thrive at the same temperatures as Peckoltia compta. I've bred and raised 1000's of the former and almost 1000 of the latter. All my fish were kept between 84/86*F(~29*C). Please note: I had to close out my fish room due to failing health and I have no fish for sale. Here is one examp...

I noticed that all these Hemiancistrus "cf. subviridis" have been found in the same rivers which are also home to Pterophyllum altum. This means water with almost no TDS and pH ranges hovering around 4.0. Pterophyllum altum Angelfish are very demanding fish but water color isn't all that i...

I think you may have 2 species. All but one look like L333 to me. Still, given that you live in Australia and the ease of breeding of L333, it seems most likely that all your fish are L333's. I found L333 to be as over productive as common Bushynose Plecos I say that because you get fewer wild impor...

@dpm1I concur with you. The N. cardina examples were an excellent illustration of the difficulties one encounters when trying to organize that which probably doesn't lend itself well to such naming conventions. I know I'm a bit jaded but i've been in this hobby so long I've seen this rodeo before. G...

Hi Nate, I think we have a great deal more to learn about maintaining the various rarely seen species of SA Knifefishes. I think having ample leaf litter is a good idea. It ought to provide much surface area for them to forage off and supplies easy hiding places. Aside from our lack of knowledge abo...

Flubendazole and praziquantel are very safe when used as directed.
I have observed distressed respiration of fish exposed to an extreme overdose of flubendazole.
In this instance they used about 25 times too much.

I can't explain why your Panaque have been dying. My comment has to do with chlorine/chloramine neutralization. I have always used about 3X more SeaChem Prime than is indicated on the label. I am generous with it precisely because without an accurate test, I can't know what the exact levels of chlor...

Viktor,
Here is a link for most described Labeo spp.
http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Lab ... ification/

The big African Labeo look just like the SE Asian species but they are different species.

Hi Victor, 12 inches is about the largest black sharks I've seen but I think they get larger. I would have to research a little to learn what their maximum size may be. The only Cyprinids I've ever been very interested in are the minute Boraras spp and similarly small relatives. Those less than 1&qu...

I've seen quite a few of these "Black Sharks" which were 10 to 12 inches long.
They can live a long time in captivity.

Labeo chrysophekadion, no doubt about it.
Hope you have a large tank.

I do not see where further treatment of your fish will do them any more good but they are your's to do with as you will. Using vitamins will do no harm but are not likely needed. You do not need to treat them with flubendazole but no serious hobbyist's fish medicine cabinet is complete without some....

PraziPro dosed at about 0.5cc/tbs is sufficient plus a dash of water are all you need to ensure good absorption into the food. It is not effective against Hexamita. Metronidazole is the "go to" drug for Hexamita. While flubendazole is best known as an effective treatment for some types of ...

I have successfully and simultaneously treated fish with metronidazole, praziquantel(PraziPro) and flubendazole powder(10%) for many years. Mainly wild fish ranging from Apistogramma, H. zebra and other expensive plecos as well as many wild discus. I do it upfront as prophylaxis against possible pre...

prairiefire, I think what you have observed and photo documented is evidence of some form of true biological mutualism. It appears as though your Acestrorhynchus tolerates this behavior because it is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Perhaps it is the same with Otocinclus behavior? Although in their...

When I was raising Sturisoma I found that a group of about 80 newly free swimming fry only required a single earthworm stick twice a day. They did actively seek out the food but they grazed on it rather than eating their fill and moving on. I suspect that Farlowella fry would require very little foo...