Fish Pecking Something White Off The Glass.

[FishBlast]

I'm gonna back out of this thread now.. but i sincerely wish you all the very best in keeping your fish alive.

Terry.

Thanks, it all depends on when I get paid.
My father doesn't even want to help me so I'm all alone in this. I've spend my money on fish and fish food before, I wish I knew but I had no internet when I got my first fish and later when I had, I was too busy with high school to do any research. The news just hit me that we were all keeping fish wrong around here.

 

[Jayladd]

Considered planaria?

 

[FishBlast]

Considered planaria?

They don't seem to be moving though. It's just a white algae-like cover on the walls (as seen in pictures).
What ever it is, my female red swordtail loves it so much she's always pecking it. Catfish has calmed down after receiving his daily meal and so did the male swordtail.

I have a question about dechlorinating water if someone can answer, please:
We heat water with a boiler. That may or may not add rust to the water (the container was changed, but no telling when it might start happening again. Will a dechlorinator that says it removes heavy metals remove the rust as well? Or should I just keep going with cold water straight from the pipes and add dechlorinator to it?

If cold water like now, changing it will probably take a while heating 52-64L of water... It takes me half an hour to get the water to room temperature currently (though I could heat it up, but that's risky now that I'm doing partial water changes).

 

[Ruskull]

I understand the expense of fish keeping, it's not a cheap sport.

You should look for a nice used tank. Here in the USA we have craigslist.com, which is great for picking up a complete setup for very little money. For instance I saw a 20 gallon high with a hood, light, filter, heater, chemicals, food, some meds, etc. for only $35. That's in the Raleigh/Durham North Carolina area. I was a bit annoyed at how cheap that setup was because I just paid $20 for a used 20 gallon tank that came with nothing!

 

[FishBlast]

I understand the expense of fish keeping, it's not a cheap sport.

You should look for a nice used tank. Here in the USA we have craigslist.com, which is great for picking up a complete setup for very little money. For instance I saw a 20 gallon high with a hood, light, filter, heater, chemicals, food, some meds, etc. for only $35. That's in the Raleigh/Durham North Carolina area. I was a bit annoyed at how cheap that setup was because I just paid $20 for a used 20 gallon tank that came with nothing!

Well, it sure sounds like somewhat cheaper in other places, specifically the UK.

By checking the websites that sell even 2nd hand tanks, what I saw there makes it sound like some people want to squeeze as much money as they can out of their 2nd hand tank. Cheapest I found is a 40L and I am not pleased with such a small size.
What's worse is that most on those websites sell them complete with fish and stuff just to get their prices to $70. And I'm not going for a mixed tank, one bottom feeder and a few swordtails is all I want.

My local pet shop could probably have some aquariums for a good offer and maybe with a lid too, but I have to make a plan as soon as I get money. Top priority would be tank and dechlorinator, followed by plants and then either gravel or rocks (I could get the rocks for free if I find some that have been in nature and not in some artificial pile, they were safe for my tank before after boiling).

 

[jenjen_82]

The tanks sound a lot cheaper in the US then the UK my 64ltr tank with stand cost me £150 plus gravel, plants, water treatments etc. Why not try get a temp job to pay for the perfect home ur fishies deserve. I'm sure u can do more then fix pc's, everybody has more then 1 talent

 

[sadguppy]

It really isn't a cheap hobby, I have spent hundreds so far excluding the tank and fish, on proper care and all the little bits you don't think about at the start ... Plants, water tests, tons of dechlorinator and other water additives... But I am lucky I saved up beforehand so it isn't too much of a problem and it is so worth it.

Without gravel etc its a very sad life for them, have you thought about selling up and waiting until you're in a better position?

 

[FishBlast]

The tanks sound a lot cheaper in the US then the UK my 64ltr tank with stand cost me £150 plus gravel, plants, water treatments etc. Why not try get a temp job to pay for the perfect home ur fishies deserve. I'm sure u can do more then fix pc's, everybody has more then 1 talent

150 pounds equals my dad's whole salary + a bit more.
I already do have a temp job (as personal assistant / pc fix over team viewer / gathering information from rival shops of a computer shop in Australia) but I'm still waiting for payment and I doubt it will be any more than $100.
I tried getting hired in Romania, but everyone's mostly concentrating on firing, not hiring. Not even my mother has a job and she tried to get hired recently again. No success.

And my other talents would be painting, writing, 3D modeling & animation (though still training to get better at it). None of that has any future here. What has a future here is being a lawyer, being a bank manager or owning a TV studio (aside from being a politician). And none of those fits me.

Selling up and waiting 10+ years until the country improves... Tough choice, no idea how that works around here and if my mother would even allow me to give my address online. I usually don't think of complicated stuff.

 

[Ruskull]

I understand the expense of fish keeping, it's not a cheap sport.

You should look for a nice used tank. Here in the USA we have craigslist.com, which is great for picking up a complete setup for very little money. For instance I saw a 20 gallon high with a hood, light, filter, heater, chemicals, food, some meds, etc. for only $35. That's in the Raleigh/Durham North Carolina area. I was a bit annoyed at how cheap that setup was because I just paid $20 for a used 20 gallon tank that came with nothing!

Well, it sure sounds like somewhat cheaper in other places, specifically the UK.

By checking the websites that sell even 2nd hand tanks, what I saw there makes it sound like some people want to squeeze as much money as they can out of their 2nd hand tank. Cheapest I found is a 40L and I am not pleased with such a small size.
What's worse is that most on those websites sell them complete with fish and stuff just to get their prices to $70. And I'm not going for a mixed tank, one bottom feeder and a few swordtails is all I want.

My local pet shop could probably have some aquariums for a good offer and maybe with a lid too, but I have to make a plan as soon as I get money. Top priority would be tank and dechlorinator, followed by plants and then either gravel or rocks (I could get the rocks for free if I find some that have been in nature and not in some artificial pile, they were safe for my tank before after boiling).

DO NOT BOIL ROCKS!!!! They can explode, I'm not joking............air pockets inside the rocks can cause an explosion. Google it if you don't believe me. Just pour boiling water over them instead.

You should aim for as big of a tank as your parents will allow, maybe a 20 gallon long or high. To help it cycle faster you can get a used filter cartridge form a friend or a local fish store. You really need a test kit though, so you can make sure your not slowly killing your fish. Declhorinator is also a must if you aren't on well water.

What country do you live in?

 

[FishBlast]

DO NOT BOIL ROCKS!!!! They can explode, I'm not joking............air pockets inside the rocks can cause an explosion. Google it if you don't believe me. Just pour boiling water over them instead.

You should aim for as big of a tank as your parents will allow, maybe a 20 gallon long or high. To help it cycle faster you can get a used filter cartridge form a friend or a local fish store. You really need a test kit though, so you can make sure your not slowly killing your fish. Declhorinator is also a must if you aren't on well water.

What country do you live in?

Thanks for that advice. You saved my pot from exploding.

As big as they allow is a 64 liter long atm that will fit on my former fish table on which I had the big aquarium. If they give me the "You're consuming too much water" bit, I'll give them the rest of my money so they can shut up about it and pay the water with it. My dad so far said nothing bad about the fish. He likes them too but I can understand why he can't help, as he has to keep us all with only one salary. But I bet my mom will use the money on cigars. -.- I hate cigars.

I'll ask the guy at the pet store when I'll go to pick an aquarium if he has. But I don't know if he even knows about cycling the tanks or not.
The test kit will be purchased with the tank and declorinator. If I can get an aquarium of 64L for maybe $40 though I doubt it would be that easy, then the rest should be easy to get, unless I'll have to get them separately. Which means I'll need to get at least ammonia, nitrite and maybe nitrate. Ph of local water should be 7.40-ish as all water around here is at that and growing with each year (according to studies on water for the past 10 years).

I live in the black hole called Romania.

 

[jenjen_82]

The tanks sound a lot cheaper in the US then the UK my 64ltr tank with stand cost me £150 plus gravel, plants, water treatments etc. Why not try get a temp job to pay for the perfect home ur fishies deserve. I'm sure u can do more then fix pc's, everybody has more then 1 talent

150 pounds equals my dad's whole salary + a bit more.
I already do have a temp job (as personal assistant / pc fix over team viewer / gathering information from rival shops of a computer shop in Australia) but I'm still waiting for payment and I doubt it will be any more than $100.
I tried getting hired in Romania, but everyone's mostly concentrating on firing, not hiring. Not even my mother has a job and she tried to get hired recently again. No success.

And my other talents would be painting, writing, 3D modeling & animation (though still training to get better at it). None of that has any future here. What has a future here is being a lawyer, being a bank manager or owning a TV studio (aside from being a politician). And none of those fits me.

Selling up and waiting 10+ years until the country improves... Tough choice, no idea how that works around here and if my mother would even allow me to give my address online. I usually don't think of complicated stuff.

That's just 1 tank too. I originally bought a 21 ltr and decided to go bigger a week later. Bet I spent over £300 altogether. I didn't realise when I started it would be such a expensive hobby but I'm lucky that I have a good job that pays well.

Move to the UK lol

 

[FishBlast]

The tanks sound a lot cheaper in the US then the UK my 64ltr tank with stand cost me £150 plus gravel, plants, water treatments etc. Why not try get a temp job to pay for the perfect home ur fishies deserve. I'm sure u can do more then fix pc's, everybody has more then 1 talent

150 pounds equals my dad's whole salary + a bit more.
I already do have a temp job (as personal assistant / pc fix over team viewer / gathering information from rival shops of a computer shop in Australia) but I'm still waiting for payment and I doubt it will be any more than $100.
I tried getting hired in Romania, but everyone's mostly concentrating on firing, not hiring. Not even my mother has a job and she tried to get hired recently again. No success.

And my other talents would be painting, writing, 3D modeling & animation (though still training to get better at it). None of that has any future here. What has a future here is being a lawyer, being a bank manager or owning a TV studio (aside from being a politician). And none of those fits me.

Selling up and waiting 10+ years until the country improves... Tough choice, no idea how that works around here and if my mother would even allow me to give my address online. I usually don't think of complicated stuff.

That's just 1 tank too. I originally bought a 21 ltr and decided to go bigger a week later. Bet I spent over £300 altogether. I didn't realise when I started it would be such a expensive hobby but I'm lucky that I have a good job that pays well.

Move to the UK lol

Moving to the UK is a dream for me as it seems right now. It would be a miracle if I'll get hired for anything else than what I already do and be allowed to leave this soon-to-collapse country.
I wouldn't be able to get enough money to leave even from washing floors (bet they have enough cleaning ladies already anyway). Tried to get hired as secretary, computer assembler, air conditioning assembler. Not hired.
I can't even afford going to college. I'm stuck now after finishing high school. Who the heck said that school makes a difference, I'd like to throw a book at them.

If I find out that I've been tricked and was working for free for 2 months now, I don't know what I'll do. I seriously hate being my mother's pet, but that's what I've been my whole life. She coordinated everything / ruined my choices in life / ruined my friendships with a lot of people. /end rant

 

[jenjen_82]

Something will come up, things can only get better

 

[FishBlast]

Something will come up, things can only get better

Well, if I get paid soon yeah, it will get better. If not, it may take a decade before I can actually life a human life.
And I'll try to find some place to give the fish away in that case, just hope I won't have to argue with my mother over it. She'll think I've gone crazy to do that. But oh well, rather go to a nuthouse than live here.

 

[Ruskull]

Relax, if things are so bad than they can only get better right? Try to join an aquatic club or something that's in your area. You'll meet new people & possibly find a good deal on some used equipment. CHeck garage or yard sales and maybe put an ad in the local classified section saying your looking to buy an inexpensive setup.

Do all Romanian people speak English?

Romania looks pretty nice to me: