# Algae eater, should I take him out????



## drizzit (Nov 1, 2006)

Hi guys,

Yesterday I noticed that one of my algae eaters has a red spot right by his mouth. I don't know if this is a bite or a disease. My big question is should I take him out or do I leave him in? I dont want my RBs catching anything and I dont have another tank to put him in, so he would end up going down the toilet. What do you guys think?

Thanks, 
Jason


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## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

I'm not too sure on the disease, but if you do decide to take him out, please euthanize him before flushing!


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I would take him out and put him in a hospital tank with some salt (1 tablespoon per 10 gallons) to see if he heals up. If the problem is viral/bacterial than it is already in your tank. Good luck.


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## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

WHAT, "*flush it down the toilet*", whats wrong with you?







whats worse is that you sound like you have done this type of thing before... just get a small hospital tank (which you should already have for your piranhas) and add some salt, all should be ok.








people these days without hospital tanks...


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## the_skdster (Aug 15, 2006)

Linford said:


> WHAT, "*flush it down the toilet*", whats wrong with you?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


moody, now aren't we?


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## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Sorry if i came across harsh but to euthanize a fish is a very big choice to make and my personal view on keeping all fish (as with all animal pets) is that you take the best care for them and stick though it with them thick or thin. Thats what comes with being a responsible owner! and to me your decision was a little to fast and rash...


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## Michaeljames (Jan 14, 2005)

"Sorry if i came across harsh but to euthanize a fish is a very big choice to make and my personal view on keeping all fish (as with all animal pets) is that you take the best care for them and stick though it with them thick or thin. Thats what comes with being a responsible owner!

are we talking about endangered species here? oh I get it. +1000 dollar fish right! no? listen man I like the 'responsible' owner pep talk but you need to grow some thicker skin if you give 'serious consideration' to euthanizing a fish. ever been fishing and had a fish swallow the hook? sorry I forgot you probably dont fish with such views as yours. (I could picture this guy on a river bank crying cuz the sunfish swallowed his hook and that fish looked so pretty and now its gotta die and its all his fault) anyways man if you cant afford the loss you flush. you dont agree but for the majority of aquarists this is the norm so dont teach him to be all greenpeace and treat his 2 dollar pleco like a $3000 siamese cat. these are the breaks man, everybody gets a disease someday you make it sound like he should be up on war crimes for flushing lol


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## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Michaeljames for your information i fish regularly and understand fully what life and death means so do not lecture me. You need to get to know me a little bit better before making personal judgements and comments, such as the ones you have just made. Although i will not take them to heart as i understand where you coming from... slightly (also becuase if i did take them to heart, your narrow minded mind would probably call me girley or weak with your current shown interlect).

My only point is that drizzit had discovered one of his algae eater fish to be carring a viral/ bacterial disease. He stated that he will give it the flush in order to save his more expensive and loved piranhas. After his opening topic statment ChilDawg viewed that it would be only humane to euthanize the fish before giving it the flush, which to my understanding was a fair and practical judgement which i agreed upon.

In my latest comment (not this one) i boldly stated that fish owners should stick with fish insted of giving them the flat line after discovering they have a disease etc... All i was trying to put across is that a owners care and love of fish should not be based around how much it costs as you so delicately put "are we talking about endangered species here? oh I get it. +1000 dollar fish right! no? listen man..."

That is all, but i supose this is what happens when an indervidual tries to put across an opinion, its simply that, a persons opinion. So next time you try and bully someone (non face to face) with personal aimed comments, just remember that!

Again i understand you have your comments and views but do i degrade you on a personal judgement and level...no. But i do understand where your coming from...

Many Thanks.

Oh and on aother note, i have never looked in the direction of greenpeace so grow up and find more practical and real 'one-liners'.


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## Michaeljames (Jan 14, 2005)

Linford said:


> Michaeljames for your information i fish regularly and understand fully what life and death means so do not lecture me. You need to get to know me a little bit better before making personal judgements and comments, such as the ones you have just made. Although i will not take them to heart as i understand where you coming from... slightly (also becuase if i did take them to heart, your narrow minded mind would probably call me girley or weak with your current shown interlect).
> 
> My only point is that drizzit had discovered one of his algae eater fish to be carring a viral/ bacterial disease. He stated that he will give it the flush in order to save his more expensive and loved piranhas. After his opening topic statment ChilDawg viewed that it would be only humane to euthanize the fish before giving it the flush, which to my understanding was a fair and practical judgement which i agreed upon.
> 
> ...


first off I'd glad my comments caught you off guard as "with personal aimed comments". I take offense to you telling someone theyre in the wrong to flush a fish. as if they should feel bad for doing so. there are millions of plecos in the world and if this happened beyond his control as an aquarist what is he to do? get out the vodka and glass for a fish?! people feed mollys and koi as food to theyre own pets. I bet someone out there has theyre own opinion on that too but its not theyre right to come off like this on someone for theyre beliefs WHICH ALSO ARE the minority for aquarists

*Linford
"WHAT, "flush it down the toilet", whats wrong with you? whats worse is that you sound like you have done this type of thing before... just get a small hospital tank (which you should already have for your piranhas) and add some salt, all should be ok. "*
*people these days without hospital tanks...*

*Linford
" with your current shown interlect"*
bWAHAhahaHA!!!


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

Flushing a live fish down the toilet is not an accepted practice. We are here to spread education around the hobby. If our goal here is to give out proper info, WHY on earth would you even come off saying flushing live fish down the toilet is ok. Your way of base here bud.


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## Linford (Oct 26, 2006)

Fair enough for your comments, as i have siad before, everyone has their ow personal view. My personal view on euthanizing a fish is that it has to be at least be dead before giving it the flush down the toilet, (if it comes to this decision, use the vodka and clove oil trick until it dies before flushing it).

Again this is my personal opinion. To say "I take offense to you telling someone theyre in the wrong to flush a fish" Michaeljames is your opinion and i also value that too ... but i was not telling drizzit information to deffinatly do, but only advising him in the subject.

If you feel flushing a fish down the toilet while still alive is accpetable, that is your opinion... but mine are different. Oh and we are not talking about "millions of plecos in the world...", we are talking about one cleaner fish which drizzit thought might have a disease. My advise was to invest in a hospital tank and try and save its life, different situations cause different causes of action.


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## drizzit (Nov 1, 2006)

Hey guys,

I am suprised that this started such contraversy. Anyways, I put some salt in the tank and now the algae eater's red mark is starting to go away. I have looked at all my other fish and they don't have any marks so I am assuming that it was some sort of wound. As for the hospital tank, I am going to get one. One of my P's got bit ( not too bad)on top by his fin and I guess I am going to need one. Only thing is how big of a tank do I need? Do you only put water in it when a fish is sick, or do you cycle it. If you do cycle it, what do keep in there to keep feeding the bacteria? Thanks for all the help.


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## BrandtiisOwnAll (Nov 7, 2006)

i have a 10 gallon that i use to quarentine feeders. I plan on using that as a hospital tank if needed. (without feeders) But with only 1 p in a 55 all by himself i dont have a need for one yet.

I would get a ten or 20 gallon and keep a handful of tetras in there to keep it cycled. they can also be a treat to the ps once in a while.


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## Ex0dus (Jun 29, 2005)

drizzit said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I am suprised that this started such contraversy. Anyways, I put some salt in the tank and now the algae eater's red mark is starting to go away. I have looked at all my other fish and they don't have any marks so I am assuming that it was some sort of wound. As for the hospital tank, I am going to get one. One of my P's got bit ( not too bad)on top by his fin and I guess I am going to need one. Only thing is how big of a tank do I need? Do you only put water in it when a fish is sick, or do you cycle it. If you do cycle it, what do keep in there to keep feeding the bacteria? Thanks for all the help.


Theres a few things you can do. 1st how big are your fish?

Most times a 10g will work, I personally use a 29g. Anyways, you can either fishless cycle the filter on the tank then move the filter to one of your piranha tanks and remove the filter when necessary to treat a patient.

OR

you can fishless cycle the tank and leave the tank setup, feeding it ammonia every day or so ( only a few drops at a time)

OR

you can do the above but instead of fishless you can keep small fish in there to keep the bio filter alive.

I personally like to have spare filters on my tanks at all times should anything arise....
weather it be a fish that I MUST have or I have a sick fish on my hands. Having spare cycled filters laying around is a huge bonus in the hobby.


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