Aquarists, UNITE!!!

[infernalis]

The current is why I prefer the "whisper" filters by Tetra, They have a flow dial that allows you to adjust the amount of water that passes.

[jitami]

Thanks guys! All are alive and well this morning.

Fed them for the first time and they ate like little piggies Will they stop eating on their own at some point? I just kept adding more food and adding more food and... you get the idea. They seemed to slow down a little so I eventually stopped, but they're still in there looking for more.

Looks like a new heater may be in our near future. Despite worrying about boiling them overnight the temp really hasn't changed.

I'm going to have to look at my filter closer to see if it has any sort of adjustment. I've read that you can put sponge material over the intake and output areas to slow the current. Of course, that can't be good for the motor, but if I'm going to have to get another one in the future anyway... ?

[infernalis]

Both of my "Whisper" filters were part of those "all or nothing" deals where I just wanted a tank for my snakes.

They have a dial on top that operates a valve....

Great filters....

Yes Tami, fish will over eat, just like our Garters will.

A pinch a day should work fine, and your water will stay cleaner.

[jitami]

A pinch a day for all 5? Not the 5 pinches they got today?

[Lori P]

Well, I give my guys their staple food and then desert... lol... they get their flakes, then they get bloodworms, daphnia, beef heart, or tubifex for "desert". :-)

[infernalis]

Peach can actually eat a rat pup!!

She's so spoiled, I give her all the fish foods, plus a pinky every day

That Dace minnow still swims with her I get such a smile when that silly minnow swims right up and steals the shrimp pellets before the Oscar can get to it.

[mtolypetsupply]

Tami,
My only advice is, since you are planning to feed them to your snakes:

DO NOT NAME THEM.

It will be very difficult to put "Speckles" or "Floaty" on the menu.

Maybe name them like they named the cows at the farm where I keep my horse- there's Sirloin, Rib-Eye, Filet, and Chuck. Call them Sushi1, Sushi2, etc.

Okay, the only *serious* advice I can give about your areas of concern is the one about the current/filter outflow. I don't know your setup, but its good to provide still areas and fast moving, etc. Some fish like to play in bubbles from an aeration stone, some like to swim against the current, some just chill in the still waters, and some like to experience the wide variety available.

See if you can make some calmer waters with some plants (plastic is fine for this) and see where they pick to hang out. They're basically fine, however, so long as they don't look like a towel in a laundromat washing machine.

If you discover they like calmer waters, use plants and structure to create that. Don't forget hiding spots for the young ones, grass mats, etc.

And fish are weird, you have to go with what they like. I have a loach, reportedly, and morphologically, a bottom feeder. However, he likes to hunt crickets that are *above* the surface, meant for the FireBelly Toad in the viv. No one apparently told him he's supposed to eat the stuff at the bottom. Darn thing launches a good 2-4 inches out of the water.

I have weird animals.

[Garter_Gertie]

A pinch every third day will do fine. Don't over feed. Daily feeding is not necessary.

[jitami]

Thanks again guys!!! They do have calm spots and they really don't seem too stressed by the current, so I think we're ok there. Really, Gertie, not even every day? I already fed them this morning and they didn't eat at all...checked the food out and occasionally put a piece in their mouth before spitting it out. Everything still ok?

Oh, and no names... except maybe the male... he's Purty Boy The girls are all "Little Momma" Am I in trouble? LOL

[Lori P]

Gertie, I feed all my fish twice a day!! Omg, if I tried to cut back to once a day or, heavens forbid, skip a day, they'd jump out and mutiny!! lol Seriously, I've always fed twice a day... but I also do frequent partial water changes.