Today's a new day.

[elephantnose3334]

It's Friday. How often do I clean a 5 gallon aquarium compared to a larger aquarium?

 

[Colin_T]

You normally do all tanks every week unless they are heavily stocked, then you can do them more often. Some people will have a lightly stocked tank and do water changes every few weeks or even once a month. I prefer a weekly water change so that way the water stays cleaner, has fewer disease organisms in it, and you know the tanks have been done once a week.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Saturday. Did a water change earlier, and one of the 3 remaining cardinal tetras disappeared a few days ago. When I got home from school one time, the tetra disappeared from sight. 2 cardinals remain now. I know that I might have a bad batch of cardinals...

But other than that, the last few days were okay. Nothing special today.

 

[Colin_T]

How long have you had the tank with the cardinal tetras for?
Most new fish keepers are happy if they keep any fish alive for 3 or 4 months and I'm pretty sure you have had those fish for longer than that. Your a new fish keeper and I'm pretty sure you still have most of the fish you started with (silvertip tetras and a couple of cardinals). I think your doing pretty good considering how you started.

If you have snails or shrimp in the tank, they can eat a cardinal tetra overnight. If the fish died, there might not have been a body to see the next day. If the silvertips are still doing well, then you got bad cardinals.

 

[elephantnose3334]

How long have you had the tank with the cardinal tetras for?
Most new fish keepers are happy if they keep any fish alive for 3 or 4 months and I'm pretty sure you have had those fish for longer than that. Your a new fish keeper and I'm pretty sure you still have most of the fish you started with (silvertip tetras and a couple of cardinals). I think your doing pretty good considering how you started.

If you have snails or shrimp in the tank, they can eat a cardinal tetra overnight. If the fish died, there might not have been a body to see the next day. If the silvertips are still doing well, then you got bad cardinals.

Over a year (started in Jan 2023). I don't have shrimp or snails, only the silvertips and cardinals. If two of them are left, immediately move them into the bigger tank, if I brought it with my own money.

The remaining two cardinals are a bit older than a year (a year and a bit) but I might need a bigger school for both of them, but my parents say only two tanks in the household. I might have to sacrifice my 10 gallon for a larger tank for the wellbeing of my tetras. It can be difficult, but it's better to be safe than sorry in this situation. The tetras are doing okay currently except one of the two have noticeably missing front fins and are swimming erratically. I have been doing good care for the tetras. I'm lucky I didn't have disease ridden fish. I don't test my water due to me not having the testing kits yet. If I had the test kits, I would test the water occasionally for any problems.

I'm 17 now and I know better than I did when I started the hobby. Me and the 5 gallon and 10 gallon aquariums are a match made in heaven. With the Fluval gravel vac, it makes cleaning so much easier than simply scooping out old water in a jug (yes I did that before I got the vac). A new home for the tetras would be coming in the future. But I have to earn money to get it first. I do have to tell you though, what's happening in your world lately? Any improvements from the situation?

The two cardinals are survivors of the original school of 6 (2 disappeared, 2 died). I wish I can give them a bigger home, but for now, they're staying in the 10 gallon until they're ready to be moved into a bigger tank. I'm not good at learning fish diseases however. I'm good at learning about the care and wellbeing of tetras and other fish.

Therefore, it takes time to adjust some things to make the inhabitants happy.

 

[Colin_T]

If you post a few pictures and a video of the fish with the missing fins, I can check it for disease. It's probably not a disease but fin nipping from the other fish.
Upload videos to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally (landscape mode) so the footage fills the entire screen and doesn't leave black bars on either end.

You have managed to keep the fish alive for over a year and only lost the 4 cardinals. I think you've done really well.

Most people struggle with fish diseases. The only reason I'm good with them is because I worked in pet shops and had lots of sick fish there and at home, and they all needed treating.

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

No improvements with me. Some skin fell off my leg a few weeks ago and isn't healing. The doctor wants me to take antibiotics but that ain't gonna happen. I do have an antiseptic cream that I am applying but there is an underlying issue caused by the pesticide poisoning last year that is causing the skin to fall off and not heal.

The doctor also said he can't hear any fluid in my lung but when I cough it sounds a lot like there is fluid in the left lung.

I have referrals to a dermatologist (skin specialist) and podiatrist (foot and toe nail specialist) and have to phone them and make an appointment. Until them I will keep limping around this place and leaving red and white blood cells everywhere. If anyone wants to see it, I have some really gross and graphic pictures of it. Please note the doctor went green after looking at my leg and he is Indian so green was quite a different shade for him

 

[elephantnose3334]

If you post a few pictures and a video of the fish with the missing fins, I can check it for disease. It's probably not a disease but fin nipping from the other fish.
Upload videos to YouTube, then copy & paste the link here.
If you use a mobile phone to film the fish, hold the phone horizontally (landscape mode) so the footage fills the entire screen and doesn't leave black bars on either end.

You have managed to keep the fish alive for over a year and only lost the 4 cardinals. I think you've done really well.

Most people struggle with fish diseases. The only reason I'm good with them is because I worked in pet shops and had lots of sick fish there and at home, and they all needed treating.

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

No improvements with me. Some skin fell off my leg a few weeks ago and isn't healing. The doctor wants me to take antibiotics but that ain't gonna happen. I do have an antiseptic cream that I am applying but there is an underlying issue caused by the pesticide poisoning last year that is causing the skin to fall off and not heal.

The doctor also said he can't hear any fluid in my lung but when I cough it sounds a lot like there is fluid in the left lung.

I have referrals to a dermatologist (skin specialist) and podiatrist (foot and toe nail specialist) and have to phone them and make an appointment. Until them I will keep limping around this place and leaving red and white blood cells everywhere. If anyone wants to see it, I have some really gross and graphic pictures of it. Please note the doctor went green after looking at my leg and he is Indian so green was quite a different shade for him

I don't post videos anymore. I can take photos however. I did do well with my first fish, I thought they were disease-ridden like the ones at Petbarn. 4 silvertips remain (two died) and they're doing okay currently. Luck is rare for a fishkeeper who's new to the hobby. I might be lucky after all. The only fish I lost were the dwarf gourami, 4 cardinals and 2 silvertip tetras.

About your situation, ouch. What's the fluid on the lungs and why was it here? And the skin injury, skin falling off may be a symptom of pesticide poisoning? Ew, it might not be the best time to post gory images of the injury. But if you want to post it, remember, always put a trigger warning for people who might not like it and do it as a spoiler. Oof, pesticide poisoning. The worst thing anyone can have currently. I'm curious though, what causes pesticide poisoning? I don't live in Gosnells like you do, but my suburb, Booragoon, doesn't have pesticides everywhere and I don't know anyone from the suburb who has pesticide poisoning. How can someone get rid of pesticide poisoning?

I do have advice when it happens. If a situation like this happens, take good care of yourself and don't trust any strangers except the ones you know (that won't hurt you). I know you're a dog, bird and fish person, but it's highly unlikely you'll have one, or all of them, in the rental you live in. Companionship is a human need, especially when you're alone, and pets could be a good way of having companionship. Be careful with your surroundings, and try to deal with the bugs inside the house. Don't give up yet, there is hope. I know that a housing crisis is very difficult for Australians, especially those in where I live, and it took a long time for the govt. to take notice of it. I didn't understand that there was a housing crisis until recently. The housing crisis may not go away after a few years, but we'll see.

In my world pre-2023, I was just an average school student living with the two doggies. Before 2020, there was only one. I survived COVID and I had no symptoms when I had it. The virus was devastating to people, especially older people. I had to do zoom meetings at home for school classes. I occasionally went outside with my old carers to get fresh air. My current school laptop is 3 years old. I accidentally sat on the one before it, and it broke.

And some good breaking news in this week: West Coast Eagles won against Fremantle Dockers in Western Derby 58. Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) celebrated 100 years earlier this week.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Today's Sunday. Nostalgia has hit me in the back. I loved trains when I was a young kid but still occasionally hop on them to the CBD. My dad's going to be a train driver starting July 1. I was a simple young kid when the forums were rising. Wasn't interested in aquariums during the time except visiting the Singapore Aquarium with family (except my younger sister, she was 1-2 years old during the time so she stayed with Grandad) back in 2015. Had a meltdown at Universal Studios because I got wet from the Jurassic Park ride. I was 9. I miss the nostalgia when we kids did have. I'm still a kid technically but preparing to be an adult. I will miss those memories as they will fade away over time.

I really like aquaria because the underwater world is waiting to be opened. Kids get interested in a while, but don't like them anymore, I'm not one of them. I snorkelled once or twice before and wishing these memories could stay. You may know my Brisbane and Sydney holiday last year. I visited Atlas Aquariums and Newtown Aquarium along with Sealife Sunshine Coast, SL Sydney (have freshwater exhibits), Australia Zoo, and Taronga Zoo with the koi exhibit. I'm planning to visit the Cairns Aquarium (with freshwater exhibits) and probably AQWA in my home city, the one that doesn't have freshwater exhibits at all.

 

[Colin_T]

About your situation, ouch. What's the fluid on the lungs and why was it here?

In 2006 I was exposed to asbestos and herbicide (Glyphosate) contaminated dust that was put on a public park by the Canning Council, and have had breathing problems ever since. My little girl Louise inhaled the same dust I did and she died in 2011 from primary terminal lung cancer and a drug resistant bacterial infection she picked up at the hospital. I've been coughing up blood since 2016 when I ended up on the street. The doctors keep saying it's asthma but when I ask them if you cough up blood when you have asthma, they say no. So it's not asthma. I also did a lung function test and started coughing up stuff during that. The people doing the test said "that's not asthma". I didn't even get to finish that test because I couldn't breath properly and was coughing up all sorts of stuff.

I asked my doctor to do a test for mould poisoning because I slept in a car for 12 months and there was black mould growing in it. The doctor didn't organise for any mould tests I asked for a mesothelin blood test to check for mesothelioma. He said I need a specialist to order that blood test and he isn't sending me to a specialist because he doesn't think there's anything wrong with my lungs.

I know there's something wrong with my lungs because I have had trouble breathing since I inhaled the dust in 2006. And Louise inhaled the same dust and it killed her.

And the skin injury, skin falling off may be a symptom of pesticide poisoning? Ew, it might not be the best time to post gory images of the injury. But if you want to post it, remember, always put a trigger warning for people who might not like it and do it as a spoiler. Oof, pesticide poisoning. The worst thing anyone can have currently. I'm curious though, what causes pesticide poisoning? I don't live in Gosnells like you do, but my suburb, Booragoon, doesn't have pesticides everywhere and I don't know anyone from the suburb who has pesticide poisoning. How can someone get rid of pesticide poisoning?

The pesticide poisoning was caused by the owner of the property I rent and the strata company that manages these units.

They have a gardener that comes around once a month (There's no plants or grass here) to use a leaf blower to blow the dust off the driveway. He told the strata company there was an ant problem (there's always ants here and the tenants deal with it). There were 4 small ant nests on the access driveway that is over 60 meters long and none of the ant nests were near my unit. The strata company and property owners organised to have the driveway sprayed. They didn't inform the real estate agents or tenants that they were going to spray. They blanket sprayed the entire access driveway to kill 4 small ant nests and it didn't even kill the ant nests because they are underground and they sprayed the poison on the driveway. All they did was poison me and kill all the frogs, birds and lizards that used to live around here.

On 16 January 2023 I heard a noise out the front of my unit and went outside to see what it was. I got gassed by a guy in a blue space suit spraying stuff outside my bedroom window. It took nearly 5 hours and dozens of phone calls to the real estate agent and strata company before anyone told me what I had been exposed to. I was poisoned by a pesticide called Bifenthrin, which is sold as an ant poison but it kills everything in the animal kingdom. It has been banned around the world because of its harmful side effects. You can still buy it in the US but they have restrictions on who can get it and where they buy it from, but anyone (including children) can buy it off the shelf at Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings or anywhere else that sells it in Australia.

Bifenthrin kills everything in the animal kingdom including fish, frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is no technical data on the side effects of this product on people, which automatically says it's poisonous to humans and should not be used. If the product was safe there would be information about the side effects of Bifenthrin on humans. But the company that makes it knew it killed everything and simply didn't test it on people because they would go to prison for murder.

When I got gassed I was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and a pr of thongs (flip flops for the Americans). I didn't feel anything land on my skin and assumed I only had the chemical on the bottom of my thongs due to walking over the wet paving. Poisons info said to mop the floor with hot soapy water to remove that chemical from the floor. By the time I found out what the chemical was, poisons info had closed for the day. About 9 hours after I was exposed, I developed symptoms and called the hospital. They said it was symptoms of pesticide poisoning and to have a shower immediately.

The next day I was blind and it took over a week for my eyesight to return. My vision has been permanently damaged. I lost the hair and skin off my legs and it was getting better but a few months ago it started getting worse and now the skin comes off if you touch it with a damp tissue. I have blood noses on an almost daily basis now, there feels like something is growing in my throat, and I have even more trouble breathing now than I did before.

The pesticide poisoning was caused by stupid property owners, an idiot strata company and duckhead gardener, and an incompetent government that allowed this product to be used in this country. If I sue the owners, I get evicted and die on the street. There's nowhere to move to and I have been waiting for public housing for 23 years and am still waiting. So I sit here quite literally falling apart and bleeding all over the floor while I wait to die. All because a gardener said 4 little ant nests on a 60+ meter long driveway were a major ant problem.

 

[elephantnose3334]

In 2006 I was exposed to asbestos and herbicide (Glyphosate) contaminated dust that was put on a public park by the Canning Council, and have had breathing problems ever since. My little girl Louise inhaled the same dust I did and she died in 2011 from primary terminal lung cancer and a drug resistant bacterial infection she picked up at the hospital. I've been coughing up blood since 2016 when I ended up on the street. The doctors keep saying it's asthma but when I ask them if you cough up blood when you have asthma, they say no. So it's not asthma. I also did a lung function test and started coughing up stuff during that. The people doing the test said "that's not asthma". I didn't even get to finish that test because I couldn't breath properly and was coughing up all sorts of stuff.

I asked my doctor to do a test for mould poisoning because I slept in a car for 12 months and there was black mould growing in it. The doctor didn't organise for any mould tests I asked for a mesothelin blood test to check for mesothelioma. He said I need a specialist to order that blood test and he isn't sending me to a specialist because he doesn't think there's anything wrong with my lungs.

I know there's something wrong with my lungs because I have had trouble breathing since I inhaled the dust in 2006. And Louise inhaled the same dust and it killed her.



The pesticide poisoning was caused by the owner of the property I rent and the strata company that manages these units.

They have a gardener that comes around once a month (There's no plants or grass here) to use a leaf blower to blow the dust off the driveway. He told the strata company there was an ant problem (there's always ants here and the tenants deal with it). There were 4 small ant nests on the access driveway that is over 60 meters long and none of the ant nests were near my unit. The strata company and property owners organised to have the driveway sprayed. They didn't inform the real estate agents or tenants that they were going to spray. They blanket sprayed the entire access driveway to kill 4 small ant nests and it didn't even kill the ant nests because they are underground and they sprayed the poison on the driveway. All they did was poison me and kill all the frogs, birds and lizards that used to live around here.

On 16 January 2023 I heard a noise out the front of my unit and went outside to see what it was. I got gassed by a guy in a blue space suit spraying stuff outside my bedroom window. It took nearly 5 hours and dozens of phone calls to the real estate agent and strata company before anyone told me what I had been exposed to. I was poisoned by a pesticide called Bifenthrin, which is sold as an ant poison but it kills everything in the animal kingdom. It has been banned around the world because of its harmful side effects. You can still buy it in the US but they have restrictions on who can get it and where they buy it from, but anyone (including children) can buy it off the shelf at Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings or anywhere else that sells it in Australia.

Bifenthrin kills everything in the animal kingdom including fish, frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is no technical data on the side effects of this product on people, which automatically says it's poisonous to humans and should not be used. If the product was safe there would be information about the side effects of Bifenthrin on humans. But the company that makes it knew it killed everything and simply didn't test it on people because they would go to prison for murder.

When I got gassed I was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and a pr of thongs (flip flops for the Americans). I didn't feel anything land on my skin and assumed I only had the chemical on the bottom of my thongs due to walking over the wet paving. Poisons info said to mop the floor with hot soapy water to remove that chemical from the floor. By the time I found out what the chemical was, poisons info had closed for the day. About 9 hours after I was exposed, I developed symptoms and called the hospital. They said it was symptoms of pesticide poisoning and to have a shower immediately.

The next day I was blind and it took over a week for my eyesight to return. My vision has been permanently damaged. I lost the hair and skin off my legs and it was getting better but a few months ago it started getting worse and now the skin comes off if you touch it with a damp tissue. I have blood noses on an almost daily basis now, there feels like something is growing in my throat, and I have even more trouble breathing now than I did before.

The pesticide poisoning was caused by stupid property owners, an idiot strata company and duckhead gardener, and an incompetent government that allowed this product to be used in this country. If I sue the owners, I get evicted and die on the street. There's nowhere to move to and I have been waiting for public housing for 23 years and am still waiting. So I sit here quite literally falling apart and bleeding all over the floor while I wait to die. All because a gardener said 4 little ant nests on a 60+ meter long driveway were a major ant problem.

I'm sorry that happened to you and Louise. I can understand now.

Pesticide poisoning however is rare in my area because we don't have many cases of poisoning here. I usually stay away from poisons because I'm sensitive to pain.

It's dark and depressing to hear that. And I didn't know the extent of the pain you endured. The funeral for your girls were extremely hard for you. I went to a few funerals, but I didn't cry, just sorrow. I saw an uncle on his deathbed at Nanna's house and felt sorrow at myself thinking 'what have I done to him?'. And I miss the good memories of the years that come and go. He had probably lung cancer due to his cigarette smoking habit that he had decades before, and died young. I was probably 10 or 11 during that time.

We were very lucky Australians. Except Australia is not the 'lucky country'. We do communicate with each other via the forum, to see how we're going, advice, etc.

I miss the world where there's less of the bad stuff than today.

It's going to be ANZAC Day this week, so no work for me in Thursday and Friday. Remember your fellow soldiers during this time. Nothing special after that.

About the 5 gallon aquarium, should I keep it or donate it to an aged care home, aquarium shop or a somewhere that needs pets to calm people down?

 

[Colin_T]

I have never used poisons either and always tried to avoid them or anything that caused cancer. Unfortunately stupid people do stupid things and that causes problems to other people.

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

Small aquariums are not good in aged care homes or anywhere with small children. They are too small for the people to see the little fish. We set up a 4 foot tank in an old people's home back in the 90s and put a number of 4-5 inch long goldfish in it. The people loved it because they could easily see the fish. They had another tank some years before that but it only had tetras and catfish in and nobody could see the little fish. So they were happy with the bigger goldfish.

You could hang onto the small tank and put it outside under a shady area and grow some marsh plants in it. You might be able to use it some time in the future to house baby fish or something else.

 

[elephantnose3334]

I have never used poisons either and always tried to avoid them or anything that caused cancer. Unfortunately stupid people do stupid things and that causes problems to other people.

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

Small aquariums are not good in aged care homes or anywhere with small children. They are too small for the people to see the little fish. We set up a 4 foot tank in an old people's home back in the 90s and put a number of 4-5 inch long goldfish in it. The people loved it because they could easily see the fish. They had another tank some years before that but it only had tetras and catfish in and nobody could see the little fish. So they were happy with the bigger goldfish.

You could hang onto the small tank and put it outside under a shady area and grow some marsh plants in it. You might be able to use it some time in the future to house baby fish or something else.

Oh. 5 gallons are the minimum good tank for an aged care person though. A betta could do, so they're easier to look after than goldfish. Goldfish produce a lot of waste and takes a while to clean their tank. Imagine an aged care resident wanted a pet fish that's low maintenance, but don't have enough room for a large tank for goldfish. That's how the 5 gallon and a betta takes place. They're easy to look after, with carers cleaning and maintaining the tank for them. That's why a betta would be a better choice than goldfish, in my opinion.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Oh, and @Colin_T, I do like the fishkeeping journey you embarked pre-2016. I borrowed a book on coral reefs from my high school's Education Support Unit a month ago. It has an aquarium care section and was published in 1989. I read about the care of a saltwater aquarium and some fish species. I thought that might interest you because it's a book published over 30 years ago. I do read aquarium books as well as doing online research.

 

[JackGulley]

In 2006 I was exposed to asbestos and herbicide (Glyphosate) contaminated dust that was put on a public park by the Canning Council, and have had breathing problems ever since. My little girl Louise inhaled the same dust I did and she died in 2011 from primary terminal lung cancer and a drug resistant bacterial infection she picked up at the hospital. I've been coughing up blood since 2016 when I ended up on the street. The doctors keep saying it's asthma but when I ask them if you cough up blood when you have asthma, they say no. So it's not asthma. I also did a lung function test and started coughing up stuff during that. The people doing the test said "that's not asthma". I didn't even get to finish that test because I couldn't breath properly and was coughing up all sorts of stuff.

I asked my doctor to do a test for mould poisoning because I slept in a car for 12 months and there was black mould growing in it. The doctor didn't organise for any mould tests I asked for a mesothelin blood test to check for mesothelioma. He said I need a specialist to order that blood test and he isn't sending me to a specialist because he doesn't think there's anything wrong with my lungs.

I know there's something wrong with my lungs because I have had trouble breathing since I inhaled the dust in 2006. And Louise inhaled the same dust and it killed her.



The pesticide poisoning was caused by the owner of the property I rent and the strata company that manages these units.

They have a gardener that comes around once a month (There's no plants or grass here) to use a leaf blower to blow the dust off the driveway. He told the strata company there was an ant problem (there's always ants here and the tenants deal with it). There were 4 small ant nests on the access driveway that is over 60 meters long and none of the ant nests were near my unit. The strata company and property owners organised to have the driveway sprayed. They didn't inform the real estate agents or tenants that they were going to spray. They blanket sprayed the entire access driveway to kill 4 small ant nests and it didn't even kill the ant nests because they are underground and they sprayed the poison on the driveway. All they did was poison me and kill all the frogs, birds and lizards that used to live around here.

On 16 January 2023 I heard a noise out the front of my unit and went outside to see what it was. I got gassed by a guy in a blue space suit spraying stuff outside my bedroom window. It took nearly 5 hours and dozens of phone calls to the real estate agent and strata company before anyone told me what I had been exposed to. I was poisoned by a pesticide called Bifenthrin, which is sold as an ant poison but it kills everything in the animal kingdom. It has been banned around the world because of its harmful side effects. You can still buy it in the US but they have restrictions on who can get it and where they buy it from, but anyone (including children) can buy it off the shelf at Woolworths, Coles, Bunnings or anywhere else that sells it in Australia.

Bifenthrin kills everything in the animal kingdom including fish, frogs, reptiles, birds, and mammals. There is no technical data on the side effects of this product on people, which automatically says it's poisonous to humans and should not be used. If the product was safe there would be information about the side effects of Bifenthrin on humans. But the company that makes it knew it killed everything and simply didn't test it on people because they would go to prison for murder.

When I got gassed I was wearing shorts, a T-shirt and a pr of thongs (flip flops for the Americans). I didn't feel anything land on my skin and assumed I only had the chemical on the bottom of my thongs due to walking over the wet paving. Poisons info said to mop the floor with hot soapy water to remove that chemical from the floor. By the time I found out what the chemical was, poisons info had closed for the day. About 9 hours after I was exposed, I developed symptoms and called the hospital. They said it was symptoms of pesticide poisoning and to have a shower immediately.

The next day I was blind and it took over a week for my eyesight to return. My vision has been permanently damaged. I lost the hair and skin off my legs and it was getting better but a few months ago it started getting worse and now the skin comes off if you touch it with a damp tissue. I have blood noses on an almost daily basis now, there feels like something is growing in my throat, and I have even more trouble breathing now than I did before.

The pesticide poisoning was caused by stupid property owners, an idiot strata company and duckhead gardener, and an incompetent government that allowed this product to be used in this country. If I sue the owners, I get evicted and die on the street. There's nowhere to move to and I have been waiting for public housing for 23 years and am still waiting. So I sit here quite literally falling apart and bleeding all over the floor while I wait to die. All because a gardener said 4 little ant nests on a 60+ meter long driveway were a major ant problem.

Goodness gracious that’s terrible!

 

[Colin_T]

Goodness gracious that’s terrible!

Yeah it's not the sort of thing you think would happen in this day and age. Maybe back in the 1960s & 70s but not 2005+