The Quick Question Thread

[GreyHounD]

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Can cigarette smoke harm my fish, and how badly?
-Yes it can contaminate the water.

Also, how do you usually warm the water up to the right temp when doing 50% changes?
-Try placing your pre ready water or water without chlorine in a place where direct sunlight hits the area.

Quoted with answers

[bettasareawesome]

How long can bettas survive outside of water? Just wondering cuase some people say there fish jumped out when they were out of the house and they were still alive and breathing.

[LittleBettaFish]

I would say at least an hour. Since they don't suffocate you really have until they dehydrate enough that the organs get damaged/shut-down.

I have had some pretty dried and dessicated looking fish survive. However, with touch-and-go cases, I have noticed that the edges of each fin tend to die off in the week or so following the event. Guess since they are so thin the fins are the first part of the fish to be affected by the drying out process.

[Hallyx]

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Can cigarette smoke harm my fish, and how badly?

There's no way I can envision gas exchange (at the surface) carrying enough smoke into the water to effect fish. And you'd have to keep the air just above the surface thick with smoke before the labyrinth organ would be effected. Theoretically, nicotine residue on your fingers could leach off into the water should you put your fingers in the tank; practically, it would make no difference.

Originally Posted by AyalaCookiejar

Also, how do you usually warm the water up to the right temp when doing 50% changes?

I balance the hot- and cold-water taps. There are other ways, but all of them are too compulsive and fussy for me.

[Rachelbug]

Is there some way to slow down a filter without it hurting the fish or the filter? Because I feel like my Betta has a hard time swimming against the current. I changed the water today and so I turned the filter off and he was wayyyyy more active while the filter was off.

[registereduser]

Originally Posted by Rachelbug

Is there some way to slow down a filter without it hurting the fish or the filter? Because I feel like my Betta has a hard time swimming against the current. I changed the water today and so I turned the filter off and he was wayyyyy more active while the filter was off.

yes. go to wherever you get your fish supplies and buy this:

http://www.amazon.com/Aquaclear-50-G...+filter+sponge

or something similar. Then attach it with a rubberband to your filter output like this:

[Rachelbug]

Thanks!! It looks a little silly but it works :)

[registereduser]

Originally Posted by Rachelbug

Thanks!! It looks a little silly but it works :)

You won't really see it much unless you are looking for it.

[aokashi]

does anyone else' rubber band erode over a few months? all three of mine died :(

[Hallyx]

Yeah. That's why I like mono-filament fishing line or polypropylene-type thread.