Thanks one and all: First Woeisme, in old Innes book lists Permanganate of Potash (is a poison as with most this stuff and maybe why I can't find it now) is a great plant dip - diluted of course. In leu of bleach I would suggest hydrogen peroxide, I have no way of testing how well it does with plants and this last batch I just transferred without thinking about it. James: PH from his toilet bowl water (little bowl at store) was barely 6.. I was shocked, and when I mentioned it they shrugged (concider me a pest because I complain so much) That's it but apparently not many good choices in Manhattan proper. I ordered great foods (I think) from medigold site, as I believe that improving immune system with better foods will go a long way. Waiting for their arrival. Update: Ph seemed high in cat tank, not sure why with piece of driftwood in it, so took out one last rock not sure but may have been it... lowering gently with small pinch of peat in filter (no charcoal) down from 7.4 to 7.1 over a few days (going slow) I know meds raise this as well as I tested them and salt once... all other indicators amnia, nitrate/nitrite in all at zero... the water in all had been cycled for a while and was ok before introduction of fish, but know meds again changes that. I left them in their original tank as they get stressed in smaller tanks for quarantine so hopefully this was correct decision. Tubing out bottom sand water every other day... Cats... one who was worse off, and who's swimming behavior forced me to look (you know when one is sick you just don't want any more so try not to look) under brighter light... Swiming swimingly now... (he was listing while resting) so think they will be find. No more fish from New World Aquarium as well (very dark tanks so hard to see in first place) He flashed or scratched a bit less on 2nd day has stopped unless he is doing it at night. so far so good. Blue betta: Stopped flashing, can't see his skin well as he is in 3 gallon cylinder tank... treating with maracide and betta fix, with changing water at bottom... I held light over him in dark, but I have no experience with velvet, so med I am using is good so they say for both ick and velvit (maracide) and betta fix... seems much better per his behavior, eating well, (down to once a day) and swimming gently and poking around in plants and sand, (looking for food, they sure act like pigs) and finally the White Betta: I am sure now the red I saw was/is septimia and feel bad I didn't address it earlier, but put head in sand. I have spent now almost 80 bucks on food and med's for a 3.99 fish... I am exhausted with doing research. But am determined. So, red retreating. Appetite great. think he saw less in swollen eye one day but day after he could see my food.. other eye a bit extended, but neither as bad as what I've seen per photos on diff message boards (pray for me please,lol) He swims back and forth and was worried a bit but not flashing. I realized since he was always very very active (half moon I think no long fins like others) that he seems to be pacing like those bored poor animals in zoos of old. so moved him nearer to me so he can see something, and he stares at me. Got med's from bettatalk, but have no idea how to evaluate any thing as some say have good experience with triple sulpha, she (very experience betta breeder) uses ampicilan which treats both gram neg and gram pos.... Says give treatment 3 weeks before making a change (ie wrong meds') Until the med gold fish food arrives (talked with Rick there) I am soaking his food in his meds as aquarium pharma person said it is hard to get meds into their system. thanks again one and all, and hopefully things will improve over time... I have to remember patience and time... Best Sherry

If both fish need to be treated for the same disease then putting them in the seperated 5Gal. is OK. If you are only treating 1 fish then leave that one in its original bowl. I wouldn't treat the fish with any medications until you can be sure they have an infection. More often than not just improving the water quality is the best cure. Sadly some times it is too late. If you don't allready have one an ammonia test kit would be money better spent than medication. A complete set is even better. One that tests for ammonia, nitrite,pH and nitrate is ideal. The reagent type (chemical and test tube) are usually a little more pricey initialy, but they last up to and over a year. Test strips are sometimes less expensive for a few tests but a years worth will be way more$$. At first you will need to test your water daily until the tank is established, there after once a week with a 20%-25% water change ( can take 1-3+ months). This is if you deside to cycle the tank of course. You can treat the tank like a bowl and just change the water also. The heat should be an improvment and encourage the 1 betta to eat. Also some medications will stall a new system trying to establish, or kill an exixting one (some medications state they do not harm the bio-filter, but they have like maracyn2, on the other hand maracyn1 indicates that it will hurt the bio-filter and in some cases hasn't). I guess the best thing to do is start the new tank like you aren't going to medicate. If you need to medicate 1 of the fish then remove it to a bowl to treat it. There are many articles on the web that explain the nitrogen cycle in detail. I would do a yahoo search and go with one that is easy enough to understand. Some are written so a bio-chemist would be confused.

I'm kind of getting the gist of how to post pics here. But first I guess I need to set up my own web page to put the images on in the first place. How is this done?

Post the HTML code from photobucket into the body of the message here. The photo should appear when you hit "preview message." Oddly, your HTML code is different than usual; in my album they start with You can try it yourself, but just to prove it works, here's your picture. It's a beauty, and I love your wall colour too! KarinL