Howdy do?!

Hi, I'm CJ! This is a side blog that is used for never shutting up about my various critters; them being (1) beardie dragon, (1) leo geck, (2) betta fish, and various other fish c: here's my main blog!! ^^

[cheesealady-arch]

BABY LEO HELP

I noticed today that her belly is all swollen and there is a large blue spot??? she’s still active and eating but this concerns me… anyone know why this might happen??

also, there’s a spot on the top of her head that looks like stuck shed but warm water and rubbing can’t get it off?? is this a concern?

I have no experience with baby geckos so any advice anyone could offer would be super appreciated!! :( thanks!

**edit, forgot to add she keeps making this weird sound that literally sounds like?? she’s trying to poop? but she hasn’t pooped recently so I’m not sure if that’s related?

[cheesealady-arch]

BABY LEO HELP

I noticed today that her belly is all swollen and there is a large blue spot??? she’s still active and eating but this concerns me… anyone know why this might happen??

also, there’s a spot on the top of her head that looks like stuck shed but warm water and rubbing can’t get it off?? is this a concern?

I have no experience with baby geckos so any advice anyone could offer would be super appreciated!! :( thanks!

**edit, forgot to add she keeps making this weird sound that literally sounds like?? she's trying to poop? but she hasn't pooped recently so I'm not sure if that's related?

[cheesealady-arch]

hey guys…. this is Bob, the mascot fish at my office - the first pic is the first day we got him and the rest are from today….the colour on his head has faded significantly and I’m seriously concerned about the spots on his head?? they almost look like he’s losing scales but I’ve never seen this on any of my boys at home so I wanted to ask around before jumping to conclusions :c

he’s in a 1.5 gallon cube - no filter or heater - average temperature is about 68/70 - I have told my boss none of these are I have deal and she doesn’t want to change it. I change out the water when I can and he’s fed every weekday (though I suspect she overfeeds him)…. if any of this could could be hindering him I’d be thrilled to explain to my boss that he needs the things I’ve been trying to get since we got him

please help me out here- any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! !

[flicker-betta]

The small tank with no filter and heater is definitely hindering him. Ammonia levels in a 1.5 gallon tank will get too high too quickly which will stress him out. Without a filter the bad things cannot be filtered out, also stressing him out. Not having a heater will yet again stress him out. All of these stress factors could cause him to get sick very easily. Keeping a betta without a heater is like going outside in the middle of winter without a coat. Over feeding is bad as well because the food he doesn’t eat causes ammonia levels to rise even more. For the spots on his head… I cant see them very well. They could be a little fungal infection but they could also be lost scales. I would probably do a few aquarium salt baths and see if they improve. @thebettacult What do you think of the spots?

[thebettacult]

I honestly have no clue.. @jayce-space?

[jayce-space]

I’m unsure too. It can be a few different things as flicker had said. Salt baths 1 tbs-1gallon for 5-8 minutes is all I can suggest aside from trying to fix husbandry… Because ultimately that’s what he needs.

[cheesealady-arch]

hey - thanks for all responding to this!!

I know the pics aren't great I was trying for a long time to even get those ones :c he's still been really active and he's eating fine, I'm just concerned about the spots.... honestly at this point I just want to use them as an excuse to make my boss improve his conditions. :/ but also ofc I want to know what it is so I can fix it

I'm gonna keep an eye on him and maybe I can talk her into salt.... one of my managers is a fish guy maybe if I point out the spots he can make it happen. They put me in charge of the fish b/c I had four at home (and one is over 3 years old which they were all amazed by) but then when I tell them mine are all in heated/filtered tanks they just roll their eyes :/ I'm honestly getting so frustrated

if anyone can come up with any other possible ideas or suggestions please let me know!!

[cheesealady-arch]

hey guys…. this is Bob, the mascot fish at my office - the first pic is the first day we got him and the rest are from today….the colour on his head has faded significantly and I’m seriously concerned about the spots on his head?? they almost look like he’s losing scales but I’ve never seen this on any of my boys at home so I wanted to ask around before jumping to conclusions :c

he’s in a 1.5 gallon cube - no filter or heater - average temperature is about 68/70 - I have told my boss none of these are I have deal and she doesn’t want to change it. I change out the water when I can and he’s fed every weekday (though I suspect she overfeeds him)…. if any of this could could be hindering him I’d be thrilled to explain to my boss that he needs the things I’ve been trying to get since we got him

please help me out here- any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! !

[nocturnal-halcyon-deactivated20]

What is the worst advice you’ve been given regarding pet care?

Not necessarily by pet store clerks, but also from friends, family or online sources. And of course, not necessarily about exotics, but also for your regular dog and cat.

For me, the worst advice I’ve been given about pet care was when I had bought Rin, my HF betta. I was looking into tank mates for him at that time, and so I went to this local pet store.

When I told the clerk there I was looking for tank mates for a betta, she told me this: “I put tiger barbs in with mine, they’ve been getting along fine for a long time” Sure, if you have a 200+ gallon with a fuckton of plants, something which a lot of people can only dream of having. Needless to say I never asked for advice from any pet store clerk from there ever again.

[thespicebettas]

when I took home Mint the HMPK Betta I grabbed an extra ten gallon and went to the checkout

the clerk was like “you could put a few more bettas in there!!”

and I said “no, I really can’t.”

“sure you can!! it’s big enough!!”

and I smiled and I said “I’m not gunna do that” and I left. and I haven’t been back since.

[cheesealady-arch]

The same pet store employee on two different occasions told me that 1) bettas will die if you put a filter in their tank and 2) they prefer dirty water - this being after I pointed out (delibrately loudly) to my sister that the displayed fish really needed their water to be changed :/ :/ :/ I haven't bought fish there in a long time

[cheesealady-arch]

fishblr: my mcfreakin fish has fin rot again NO I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU ATE YOUR TANKMATE cyclingcyclingcycling my fish are so great i love them

reptiblr: !!! noodles!!!! look at all those noodles i love them!!!! !!!! AAAAAA SNOOTS AAAAAAA HE YAWN!!!!

[cheesealady-arch]

hi there

[jayce-space]

What's your favourite part about the fish hobby?

Mine would be seeing a tank grow like a piece of living art and watching all of its inhabitants show their colours and personalities.

[militant-nature-blog]

I love seeing all of my little wiggly fish butts in the morning. And watching them swim around leisurely when they can’t see me watching.

[phalaenopfish]

I absolutely love the science involved with it. Having perfectly balanced water quality is no easy feat, and after doing so much research, its just so gratifying. 

[jessymetal]

Always having something to improve with your tanks. You can always have a bigger tank, a better filter, more plants, better lighting, a larger school etc.

[pardonmyfish]

I love when I give people correct care info and they’re grateful and even excited, and I love rescuing a fish from a bad situation and getting to watch it bloom into a beautiful, happy little creature.

[mola-mola-sunfish]

!! Really my favorite part is bringing home the lil guys and watching them thrive in a good environment. I also really love it when I get the chance to upgrade/add stuff to my tanks and see noticeable results. To me, providing the best care I can for my babs makes fishkeeping worth the while.

[cheesealady-arch]

Meanwhile...... here's a cute picture of R2 lounging in his whale for some reason....

[cheesealady-arch]

@jayce-space @thespicebettas Thanks for responding so quickly guys,, I'm gonna try what you suggested and see where he is in a few days :c it feels like theres always something up with my boys asdfghjkl at least this one seems to be a relatively easy fix??? Here's hoping! ♡

[cheesealady-arch]

THERE IS SOMETHING VERY WRONG WITH MY BABY PLEASE HELP he's been fine before now I've never noticed anything weird but just now I saw him trying to swim to the bottom of the tank and he just floated back up again???? ? ? He keeps leaning to the side at the top of the water and he seems kind of bloated? ?? Does anyone have any idea what could be going on here :c I'll see if I can get a video to post up....

[waterloggedfrog]

Hey so like Can reptiblr reblog this with how many pets they have b/c I feel like a hoarder. I have two bettas, two hermit crabs, and a turtle (it’s my boyfriends sisters but I do the water changes). I feel like that’s a lot by some people’s standards. And I want more.

[cheesealady-arch]

Just a quick, simple question - could an oto catfish and a single betta coexist in a 10g?

[scandi-fish]

Otos need to be in shoals as they are a schooling fish - that means you need at last 6, preferably more.

You *could* do it, but Otos are very sensitive and delicate, and also very active once given the correct environment. I would say 10 gallons is just on the short side. You could do a group of Pygmy Cories if your tank isn’t a tall one!

[cheesealady-arch]

Ok well first of all shout out to the aquarium that reccomended and let me buy only one :/

I’ve had him for a while now with various other fish and he’s always been very active and alert…. I’m not in a position where I’m looking to buy more fish right now because I have more fish then proper room for them :c I was hoping to relocate one of my bettas to the 10g once it was empty but I still have this one catfish….. any suggestions on how to make something work?

[scandi-fish]

I know it might be hard, but I think the best option is to rehome the guy. Either return him to the pet store, or look for somebody with an oto shoal that can take him. Him being alone will be too stressful for him, and will most likely cut his lifespan short.

Remember that it isn’t your fault for trusting fish store workers - fish are often forgotten pets, and fish store employees are given less training then they should.

[cheesealady-arch]

Asdfghjkl no you're probably right.... I've got another fish I've been considering rehoming because he's very agressive and really needs more room then I can accommodate now.... I have a few family friends with really large tanks I'll have to ask around and see what I can do

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply to these, you're great!^^♡

[cheesealady-arch]

Just a quick, simple question - could an oto catfish and a single betta coexist in a 10g?

[scandi-fish]

Otos need to be in shoals as they are a schooling fish - that means you need at last 6, preferably more.

You *could* do it, but Otos are very sensitive and delicate, and also very active once given the correct environment. I would say 10 gallons is just on the short side. You could do a group of Pygmy Cories if your tank isn’t a tall one!

[cheesealady-arch]

Ok well first of all shout out to the aquarium that reccomended and let me buy only one :/

I've had him for a while now with various other fish and he's always been very active and alert.... I'm not in a position where I'm looking to buy more fish right now because I have more fish then proper room for them :c I was hoping to relocate one of my bettas to the 10g once it was empty but I still have this one catfish..... any suggestions on how to make something work?

[cheesealady-arch]

Just a quick, simple question - could an oto catfish and a single betta coexist in a 10g?

[cheesealady-arch]

So after reading through all your feedback the other day and seeking expert advice we decided to put Gemini down last night. He lived with us for a good year and he was a great little guy who will be deeply missed ;; thank you all so much for your support and advice regarding his issues it honestly means a lot♡♡ and a special thanks to @bpdzhanna for the drawing of Gem that will be treasured forever! Swim in peace lil buddy♡

[cheesealady-arch]

Colours are way wrong but you can see the condition of his tail..... he's mostly sluggish but freaks the crap out when you put a net or something in the tank. We've tried salt and a shelled pea and we're kind of at the end of our rope. He's still eating a bit but he's very inactive and we're scared to do much in way of water changes because at this point the shock might kill him..... does anyone have any ideas of what this might be or ways we can help him? :c