Pufferluv09 wrote:Have you ever dewormed them? It is very likely that they have IP's.
Also, I would question the accuracy of your parameters. In a cycled tank, there should always be a nitrate reading. Unless perhaps you do lots of massive waterchanges, have lots of plants, and perhaps add vitamin C?
I doubt they were stunted by the wholesaler, because they are caught from the wild and seem to have a high turnover rate. If they were in captivity a long time before you bought them, then it could be possible. But GSPs tend to be slow growers anyway. I would lean more towards IPs if they are really skinny and aren't putting on any weight.
No I have not, what is IP, internal parasites?
I do change my water very often, and see tanks with zero nitrates all the time. I make use of plants for nutrient exportation (sp?). I use salifert, and tetra kits not strips haha.
How can I deworm them?
As for the hard food and teeth trimming I use dry/base rock and if a piece of food blows on to it (which it does with the current) the inevitably scrape teeth on it. Once in a while I will notice that one may have long teeth, when that happens i take a tin house key and put the tip in the tank. They attack it, tooth problem solved
I kind of question the whole unquestionably saying brine shrimp is bad thing. If packaged and prepared right it can be a good part of a fishes diet, however most people look at the package and say 'oh its only 5% protein'. they do this without realizing the huge water content which is factored in there.
But no, I feed them brine shrimp once or twice a week, and feed them six days in a row and then not on the seventh day.
Thank you for all the help
