Beat up Red Zebra

[angel]

What do you use for a divider? We have one tank divided with styrofoam sheeting. It's not attractive but it works.

[sirknight]

One thing that can be used depending on the size of the fish is egg crate. The stuff used on hide fluorescent fixtures on dropped ceilings. You can get it at Home depot. It comes in 2 x 4 foot sheets so you can cut it to size

Joe

[mig]

Its a pain to create a divider when you have lots of rock and everything in your tank..

[sirknight]

Obviously you really aren't looking for help, just trying to justify getting the fish. All of the advise that was given to you on your post was/is intended to help you with a fish that we are trying to help keep alive, but after your last response you don't need it.

Good luck with the fish and your current setup

This is my last comment on this topic.

Joe

[reagan]

egg crate. The stuff used on hide fluorescent fixtures on dropped ceilings. Is what I am using. Make it a box with plastice ties to keep it in and everything else out. It may be you want to give it to someone else. good luck

[angel]

We did buy some eggcrate when we needed a divider for the jacks, but we needed something solid as they had babies so we tried the styrofoam. The eggcrate seems just right for blocking larger fish and would allow plenty of water flow.
Agreed. Good luck with the fish. Hope everyone makes it.

[mig]

I don't need anyone's justification for what I've done, I did it. I said it was a pain to do it, not that it was not worth doing. I never thought of it in turn of making a little box out of it as reagan said, and that's probably what I'm going to do. This purpose of this post was to help me decide what is best to help this fish out, not to step on someones toes because I think putting a divider in my tank is a hassle.

[jon carman]

You can zip-tie 3/4" PVC and elbows to the eggcrate to make it float

[angel]

Much of what we do for our fish is a hassle. We did water changes in 17 of 21 tanks today. But it needed done, and if we didn't we wouldn't be doing right by our fish. I know it's not the easy way out. But anything that can keep them safe and healthy is worth a few extra headaches, isn't it? If they had their way they'd be out in the wild somewhere. When we keep them we need to make it the best we can for them. And if they were out in the wild, they'd be in Africa and South America we'd never get to see them. I remember that when I don't want to feed the babies 5x a day or do water changes. It helps.

[mig]

I agree--That is why I want to come on here and express the problems I am having with my fish to find out all possible solutions, and also find out what works best for me. And I know to enjoy these fish to the fullest and to have them healthy --its going to take work and in most cases is going to be a hassle. At the same time though me saying something is a hassle does not by any means mean that I am just not going to do it.

I am learning as I go along and I do VERY MUCH appreciate all of the help/advice that is given to me and I try to take it all in, and learn from it. In no way am I trying to make someone upset with me and is not in any way my intention.

What I have decided to do is to create a box out of egg crate and put the hurt zebra in there. I am going to put some netting from some old screens I have to line the inside, so that when she spits all of the fry will be safe inside of the box, do you all think that will work?

[angel]

I think it's ok to use screen. I mean most of it is nylon now anyway isn't it? I would be afraid of any kind that would rust but that's pretty old stuff. A stocking makes a nice barrier too--but not sure if the water flow would be good enough.

[mig]

Yeah its nylon.. I am soaking it in some tank water overnight..

[jon carman]

I wouldn't worry about the fry unless you know they are red zebras and not hybrids.

[mig]

Thought I would give an update on the red zebra. I made a divider out of egg crate and some zip ties in one of the top corners of my tank. The females fins and scales have grown all back. I was surprised at how fast they did, I wonder if it had anything to do with her holding or having just laid eggs. I would not of thought that scales and fins would grow back so quickly on a fish that has not eaten in a while. I was doing 30% water changes every other day and since she has been doing so well I decided to let her back in with the others today when I did my water change. She is doing great looks great.. She is still holding the eggs im guessing she should spit them here in the next week or so but we'll see.

[angel]

Great news. They do seem to grow back way fast, as long as the fish has a safe place to recover and good conditions. Keep doing what you're doing.