More new owner questions

[KukaaKatchou]

1. I read that too much brine shrimp can cause bloating. How much is too much? They are so dang tiny - am I supposed to be counting them? I defrosted a cube and sucked up a bit in a syringe - and found out they sink like stones. And how do I know if Sam is bloated? Look at him top down?
2. I also own a parrot. Someone on my bird group said that fish are a risk to the birds because fungus and bacteria from them travel through the air and can infect the bird. Is this true?
3. I have 3 live plants in Sam's home. Am I supposed to be feeding them too?
4. Can fish hear? (I assume they feel vibrations from sound). They can't learn their name can they?
5. I have a small home for Sam right now (2.5 gallons) (and yes, I am saving to get him a bigger one). I am getting conflicting info about water changes. Do I do a 100% change and clean of home? 50% more often? If it is a partial change, how do I clean the gravel? Do the plants need to be wiped down?

[Ajones108]

1. Relax. If he looks uncomfortably big under his gills a little while after eating, then he's bloated. Although I don't think brine shrimp are considered a good staple diet. Use as snacks, and use a high quality pellet as the main source of nutrition.

2. Lol I call bologna on that. If birds died from fish, Lion Mom would have no birds.

3. The live plants can live off of your fish's waste and nitrates in the water. If they start to brown and decay, you could get a liquid plant food like Seachem Flourish or Aqueon Aquarium Plant Food (what I use).

4. They hear very well. So well that if you tap on the glass too hard and too often it can deafen them. Law of physics: sound travels faster in water than in air.

5. If your tank is not filtered/cycled, at least one 50% WC once a week and one 100% WC once a week. Partial changes = gravel vac or siphon to get solid waste of the gravel. The fake plants can be rinsed in water, no cleaning. Live plants need not be wiped.

[KukaaKatchou]

Phew! The brine shrimp were a snack this morning but I didn't realize how many there were (every little dot/fluff combo is a shrimp right?) He's getting 2-4 Hakari Betta Gold pellets per day as his meal. He's still looking thru the rocks for more shrimp - then looking up at me very very hopefully. Little begger.

Lion Mom you have birds? (OT I know but I can't help it).

I don't tap and I've figured out how to open and close the latch on his home without making a big noise. I do call his name when I see him :)

My tank is not filtered but I have 3 live plants of mysterious type and origins. Am working on strategies to make water changes the least stressful on Sam ... baggie works better than net so far, and stainless steel bowl big nono!

I am trying hard to provide the best possible life for Sam, so please bear with all my questions. I am faithfully reading through many pages of posts, but sometimes that just produces more questions :P

[Lion Mom]

"Lion Mom you have birds? (OT I know but I can't help it)."

YUPPERS!!!! That sounds like a BIG bunch of bologna sausage to me!!!

I have had fish for over 10 years, but have had birds for over 20. I used to raise birds - parakeets, lovebirds, finches, cockatiels, etc. I have also had cockatoos at various times. Both the cockatiels & cockatoos are VERY dusty birds (their feather dust gets EVERYWHERE) & NEVER have I had a fish get sick from my birds - NEVER!!!

Heck, I still have four birds - three parrots & one parakeet and it's all good! Hope that puts your mind at ease about THAT question! :)

[Lion Mom]

OOPS - just reread & see I had it backwards.

In any event - NO, fish do not die from birds & birds do not die from fish. At least I have never had anything like that happen!!!