Vet Q&A-Fish

Hello! I have a 3-gallon tank at home that I previously used for my betta fish. Now I am looking to purchase another fish (possibly a few fish) but I am not quite sure what my options are. What types of fish would you suggest for a 3-gallon tank and how many of each kind I could get. Also if I do end up getting a betta, are there any other aquatic animals I could place with him or not? Thanks for your time and help, Tori

Hi Tori, I have found that fancy guppies are pretty, fun, and small fish that would do well in a small tank. Mollies would be another good choice. A 3 gallon could probably support 3 or 4 of them well. Beta fish don't seem to care much about snails in My experience. Have fun!

I just got home from PetSmart to have my water tested and they said it was safe to transfer my fish into my new 29g with better filtration. But when I put them in there, I noticed they have red/lilac gills, signs of ammonia poisoning, and I'm thinking it's from my old 10g with poor filtration, but how can I be sure?

Hi, You will need to test for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates now that there are fish in the new tank. If the biofilter is not well established in the new tank, then the abrupt presence of fish will cause an ammonia spike. You should do a partial water change, ensure proper aeration of the water. There are products you can get to boost the biofilter if this is in fact the issue. You should also consider the number of fish for the just meet of gallons in the tank as overcrowding may be a contributing factor. If you need further guidance, please don’t hesitate to request a consult. Good luck!

I ordered moss plant for my aquarium and i don't know how to grow them because they are very small.The pictures are attached.Can u tell hoe to grow them

Moss doesn't grow from seeds, they are spread via microscopic spores. I'm not sure what you have there in the bag. It could be coated grass seed, green gravel or clumps of spores. You'll need to cut or break them open. Moss is usually supplied growing in fine netting to makeit easy to anchor to substrates. It can also be sold in established ball form. It is quite simple to grow or maintain. Provide good water quality, adequate lighting, nutrients and low current.

Hi i have a question, but not really regarding an animal. I am 20 years old, and thinking of becoming a vet. I dont really have any experience, so im not sure if it is too late. I love animals, but im not sure i am tough enough. I cried when my fish died, so i am pretty senstive to animals.

You are very young, it's definitely not too late for you, i started at a later age than yours an didn't have any experience either. regarding the toughness or ability to cope with the job, this is hard to know in advance, only you will be able to eventually judge if this is for you or not.

I do not know if anybody knows much about betta fish but I think there is something wrong with my male betta. I bought him at a large petstore about 2ish years ago. He is kept in a heated, filtered, 2.5 gallon aquarium. Lately, he hasn't been eating much. He takes the food but then spits it out. I have now noticed his gills look "inflamed" and his stomach is bloated and kind of pale white. I will attach some pictures and someone please tell me what to do. I would be so sad if he passed. Thanks

Check the water chemistry to confirm 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a 40ppm or less nitrate level. A partial water change can be done daily if necessary to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. For Bettas, a temp between 78F and 80F is recommended. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, increase gill function and aid in any recovery. It may also treat minor infection. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days. When performing water changes, treat only the amount of water being replaced, not the entire tank volume. Soaking pellets in garlic juice may stimulate the appetite and can provide a boost to the immune system. Fasting him for 2-3 5ays then feeding bits of cooked and shelled green peas may relieve constipation. He's pretty old for a Betta. Most live 2-3 years. With optimal care and conditions, they can live up to 5 years.

Is there a way to tell if your dogs itching is dry skin vs an allergy?? Also, i read somewhere you can give your dog fish oil for dry skin. Is the kind pictures ok? If so, how much can i give for a 57lb dog, how often, and what’s the best way to administer?

Great question. Really the only way to tell if Marshall has dry skin or an allergy would be to treat him for allergies and see if it goes away -- but really he most likely does have allergies, because they are incredibly common in dogs. It could be mild enough that regular fish oils will make a big difference, so I would start with that and then take him to see his vet if the itching is getting worse, not improving, or if he gets any sores or hair loss. Also, if he's itching is severe enough that he interrupts normal daily activities to itch, get him to the vet right away. As far as dose, the type you have is fine and there's a large dose range, but I would say get as close to 2 capsules a day as he'll tolerate. Some dogs get diarrhea at high doses, so you may only be able to do 1 or 1.5. Start with just half a capsule and increase by half a capsule every 2 weeks. You can cut a small hole in the capsule and squirt it one his food or some dogs will eat it whole. My dog always would take it and hide somewhere with carpet and chew on it until it popped - not great. I hope this helps and Marshall's skin is back to normal soon!

13yo indoor male cat with hx of seasonal allergies, vet says not treatable. He has been scratching just in front of his ears off and on for years, but tonight I noticed that he has significant scratches/scabs (not oozing) on R side. We have 3 indoor cats that play, sleep, groom each other. No other cat has any issue- all have clean ears, no mites. All eat Grain free Wellness or Merrick, chicken only (22yo often steals food from others and can't tolerate fish or beef- lots of vomiting). Thoughts?

With itching in the face I would be worried about parasites or a food allergy. You can try changing to different formula if fiodbthat contains a different protein source or a hypoallergenic diet. There a promising allergy medicine called Apoquel that can be helpful in cats now. You can apply cortisone cream to the red area until you can talk to your vet about the new options

I have a female betta wh seems quite passive, she is in a 3 gal tank and I wanted to add a tank mate since I am still new with fish and I read that african dwarf frogs are good starting pets, would I be able to keep the frog in the same tank without any trouble and would they be a good starting amphibian?

Ideally, a 5 gallon tank would be better for both of them, but as long as she is a "passive" fish, an ADF should be fine with her. You'll need to monitor for any aggression initially because female Bettas can be just as aggressive as the males.

I’ve noticed a red rash on my dog. It’s on and off. I started giving her fish oil it’s been almost two weeks and one of the rashes went away. Not sure if the rashes are hot spots or something more. The rashes have been in her armpit area and elbow. Most recently on her chest but that one went away. I’ve shown the vet and she didn’t seem too concern on my last visit two months ago. Should I take my dog back To the vet for further testing ?

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! I can see that the areas are losing hair and have a moderate amount of redness. It is unusual for dogs to have hot spots on their elbows, but this may be a local skin infection caused by a bacteria or fungus. It may also be a sign of food allergies, flea allergies, or allergies to something in the environment. There are also several hormonal and nutritional imbalances that can cause these symptoms. I recommend having Nala seen by a vet, you may want to bring her to a different vet this time for a second opinion. The vet can take some small samples from the skin, or biopsies, to determine what is going on and start her on the appropriate treatment. I hope this helps!