Looking for a Mentor?

[Cichlid-Man]

I too, am open to all PMs. Sned them on, i acctually like to respond to PMs. I also don't have a problem with members emailing me or instant messaging me. You can check my website out for my tank specs but basically i have 95% cichlids. African and SA and have first hand experience with breeding and keeping others (my brother's).

I'm a cichlid guy, and mostly that. I know some general aquarium stuff but my big thing is cichlids. Especially discus. I love to chat discus.

In these areas I rate my knowledge as a : (score 1-5 and add notes)
Plants: 2 (I've kept low light, easy plants. Keeping a few now)
Livebearers: 2 (I know enough to get by)
Cichlids: 4 (This is my area. IDs, Stocking, etc...love it. I currently keep 95% cichlids in my tanks. Discus to Africans and still expanding. Only reason i'm not a 5 is because i too, still learn new things about them everyday.)
Bottom Feeders: 3 (I'm pretty good at IDs and stocking, don't keep many myself so i really havn't invested much time in them.)
Gourami/Betta: 1 (I know they are a community fish. Just not a fan of them)
DIY/Equipment: 2 (Not good at DIY, can suggest some equipment but its really not my strong points.)
Chemistry: 3 (Enough to be safe)
Saltwater: 1-2 (Just started a nano so i know basics and what you may need, but right now thats as far as it goes. Still learning.)
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 2 (Not very good at dignosis, can treat.)
"Critters": 0 (Nothing as of yet)

[angel51431]

ooh, a bit late, but I want to participate too. That's basically my problem, I tend to go dormant for a while and miss stuff.

But I love to help where I can, anyway. As far as any certain area of expertise goes, I've had a fetish on guppies lately, as well as Rainbowfish (mutts mainly) and Corydoras catfish. I also basically know barbs, mainly tigers. Other than that I can help on some "overall" stuff. I have helped some friends of mine start their own fish tanks and stuff.



In these areas I rate my knowledge as a : (score 1-5 and add notes)
Plants: 2 - all my plants are live, but I don't know ferts or co2
Livebearers: 4 - swords and guppies I know well
Cichlids: 0 - never tried them
Bottom Feeders: 2 - Cories I know well
Gourami/Betta: 3 - have one of each currently
DIY/Equipment: 0 - always wanted to learn though
Chemistry: 3 - basics, have cycled tanks
Saltwater: 0
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 2 - not good at diagnosing, but can treat
"Critters": 1 - trumpet snails, ramshorns

[fishboy]

Summary: I have been keeping fish now for 8 years. I have a fairly decent knowledge of general keeping, as well as some experience with more difficult species of fish. Discus and other South Americans are really my specialties. I however also have a decent amount of knowledge in planted tanks and in water chemistry. If you need any help, just PM and I willl gladly respond.


Plants:3 I have a few decent planted tanks. I get the basics and I can sometimes help with more advanced problems.
Livebearers: 5 Guppies, mollies, swords,
Cichlids: 4.5 Discus, SA cichlids, not so much into the Africans.
Bottom Feeders: 2. Corydoras, ottocinclus,
Gourami/Betta: 4 Have had a number of gouramis and bettas
DIY/Equipment: 4. I can do basic thing such as DIY Co2, reactors, live food cultures, and some lighting.
Chemistry: 4 - cycling, ph control
Saltwater: 0
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 3.5 I have had a fair share of diseases. I have had experience with some internal diseases (particularly those affecting discus) and I have experimented with different treatments.
"Critters" 0

I will not be available so much in the following days, but spring break is coming, so I will be available then.

Daniel

[fishcraziee]

Plants:3 ( have been keeping real plants for 2 years)
Livebearers: 4 (guppies and mollies)
Tetras:4 ( can get them to breed but not always rear) dont know why there isn't a tetra/charican
Barbs/Danios: 4 got them to breed bored after... can safely "hand strip" tiger barbs
Cichlids:0
Loaches: 0
Catfish: 3 mostly cories
Equipment: 0 I'm not the technical guy....
DIY: 1 (CO2 I just barley got it running though)
Chemistry: 0 Shat do you mean?
Saltwater: 2 no experience but lotsa knowledge (5 if you need to know about dwarf seahorses, but no 1st hand experience)
Brackish: 0
Diseases: ewwww sicknesses
"Critters": 4 ( shrimp, live foods, snails, tadpoles, thingymagiggies...)

[Leopardess]

Well I might as well jump on the bandwagon. Feel free to send me PMs. I get a lot anyway so don't worry about bothering me.

In these areas I rate my knowledge as: (score 1-5 and add notes)
Plants: 4.25 ish. My weakness is in fertilization as I run my planted tanks without any ferts, except for co2. I can help with aquascaping fundamentals as well.
Livebearers: 0 I've not kept any but I've got a working knowledge of them.
Cichlids: 0. I won't count my angel fish experience.
Bottom Feeders: 4.5 I've kept regular cory species, pygmy cories, Brochis splendens, yoyo loaches, and candystripe plecos.
Gourami/Betta: 4.5 - I haven't bred either bettas or gouramis, but I keep both, including female bettas.
DIY/Equipment: 2 I can handle DIY co2 and installing simple things like AH kits, past that, I'm inept.
Chemistry: 4 I know what is safe, what levels to shoot for, how to keep them there, etc. I am not necessarily that great at the science behind some of it.
Saltwater: 0
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 4.5 I've successfully treated several severe ich infestations (including on delicate fish like cories and loaches) using the salt/heat method as well as chemical treatments. I've also been successful treating columnaris outbreaks, intestinal parasites, fin rot, fin fungus and whatever else pops up along the way.
"Critters": 5 for African Dwarf Frogs, I've kept mystery snails before, as well as ghost shrimp (had several breed with surviving babies).

I have a lot of focus on rainbowfish species, including Boesmanis, Goyder rivers, turquoise, celebese, threadfin and madagascan. I also keep congo tetras and the oddball African Butterfly fish.

I like to err on the side of caution. I don't want any aggression in my tanks and don't like keeping "iffy" combinations of fish. If you're someone who likes to push boundaries and risk things, I'm probably not the person to come to

[AndyL]

Well, I'll post even though I'm not as frequent a visitor as I used to be... But I usually answer PM's - Tho I will say, I'm easily put off by those who can't be bothered to do a google search first.

Plants: 4.5 Done high tech, low tech, no tech. I can aquascape when I feel the urge.
Livebearers: 2 bred some guppies... Not much of a challenge - lost interest
Cichlids: 4 Breed an awful lot of angels, grew out some of the nicest discus around (IMHO)
Bottom Feeders: 2.5 Bred some cories a few times. Little to no interest in them though
Gourami/Betta: 2 Bred both, was a nice challenge.
DIY/Equipment: 4 Bring on the Duct tape and binder twine. If there's a ghetto method to build it - I'll figure it out I have been known to do it properly on occasion as well.
Chemistry: 4 I'm no gomer, but I manage
Saltwater: 3.5 Still learning, but I keep the 2.75g nano, and a 65g predator tank
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 2 But don't bother asking me - I generally cull first ask questions later.

Andy

[dbacksrat]

I've been keeping fish for about a year and a half now, so I would like to think that I could be helpful at some point.
Plants: 0 (somehow had anacharis disappear from a tank)
Livebearers: 1
Cichlids: 0
Bottom Feeders: 1 (I know that cories are nice targets for tiger barbs)
Gourami/Betta: 1
DIY/Equipment: 3-4 (I love to build stuff for my aquarium and plan things out. I built my own stand with the help of my dad for my 20g fw. Right now, I am building an overflow that draws water from my tank to a sump under my main reef display)
Chemistry: 3 (After enduring chemistry last semester in HS, I now love to talk chemistry, especially for reef tanks. Call me sick, but I find this area interesting.)
Saltwater: 3-4 (Still beginning in some ways, but I know what I am doing. I've had my reef system set up since September and I am already on the track to success. I find this part of the hobby to be the most exciting and exotic. No two tanks are alike, so individuality shines here. I have a little knowledge in fish compatibility and care, but only for smaller fishes as well as the more commonly known predators. My invert knowledge is decent with success in keeping a plethora of crabs and snails. My coral knowledge, however, is a little weak, but I do own materials that can help identify and maintain them. I have a handful of healthy coral specimens that seem to be thriving in my slice of paradise.)
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 0 (have not ever had to deal with diseases)

I've begun to restock my fw tank, thus rekindling my interest in freshwater aquariums. Most of my attention, however, is still with the wonderful world of saltwater. Oh yeah, I also have a 10 in algae--a 10 in keeping it alive, that is

[discus4everGrl]

I have been keeping fw tanks for 12 years. Of course in this hobby, because it is science related, one can never learn everything there is to know in a life time. But this is how I rate myself, however I feel that my approach is more science, biological/ chemistry based because that's what my degrees are in and I enjoy them, but I'm still no expert on any of it....

In these areas I rate my knowledge as: (score 1-5 and add notes)

Plants: 3 (I have a fully planted 30 and a 5. I had a fully planted 55, but I have to move it to an outside wall of the house because of the weight on the floor. I do plan to replant it, but only lightly so it's easy to keep clean. However, I haven't gotten so into the art of DIY CO2 or anything. I just use a kit for CO2 by tetrafin. Chemistry comes in handy here.)

Livebearers: 0

Cichlids: 3 (Discus and angels, some experience with dwarf cichlids like rams)

Bottom Feeders: 2 (Corys and SAE)

Gourami/Betta: 1 (I have tried gourami's over the years but find them to be too aggressive for my taste)

DIY/Equipment: 0

Chemistry: 4(I have associates degrees in biology and chemistry. I have two more classes for my BS in Science degree)

Saltwater: 1/2 (just started my first FOWLR nano, I haven't had any problems so far, but I'm just beginning. Live rock is a great tool for cycling a tank)

Brackish: 0

Diseases: 3 (Disease reconigntion is not an exact science because many diseases share common symptoms. However, understanding water chemistry and it's affects on biological processes in living organisms is a plus.)

"Critters": 1 (As far as FW goes I stick to snails. I hope to learn more in this area as I have just started a nano and I got some crabs, snails, and shrimp in there I got recently.)

(edit - I forgot to add that I can answer Discus specific questions if anyone else needs help with discus.)

[Sandtiger]

I am open to PMs but I can't get on here to often. And no E-mail please, I won't get it. And for anyone read my post on that who is everbody thread I do have to say that just because I'm a teenager dosen't mean I don't know a lot.

In these areas I rate my knowledge as a : (score 1-5 and add notes)
Plants: 3 (I have 4 but they pretty much take cre of themselves)
Livebearers: 4 (never kept any but I read about them a lot)
Cichlids: 1 (never kept any)
Bottom Feeders: 2 (esp.otos and Chinease alge eaters)
Gourami/Betta: 3 (had 4 bettas and have read about gouramis)
DIY/Equipment: 1 (I can tell you how to care for a filter and heater but don't have a clue about DIYs )
Chemistry: 3 (I have the basics down, read alot )
Saltwater: 0
Brackish: 2 (I have read a lot about these fish but have never kept them.)
Disease:5 (Have succesfuly treated non-fatal diseases many a time and have also helped to solve disease puzzles)
"Critters": 2 (have had ghost shrimp)

(edit-I have found over the years that I am very good at awnsering questions about feeding, breeding freshwater fish and tiger barbs.)

[FishGeek]

Summary: I dont mind getting PMs either. I am still learning quite a bit (I have a friend that is helping me; so Ill ask him what I dont know) but my knowledge gets wider every day and if there is something that I can help you with then I am there.

See my signature for a brief rundown on my tanks.. (I always update my signature.)

In these areas I rate my knowledge as: (score 1-5 and add notes)
Plants: 0.5 (I have had a planted but couldnt get the hang of it.)
Livebearers: 4 (Guppies and Platies)
Cichlids: 0 (Im learning though; I want a 55G w/ 'em)
Bottom Feeders: 3 (Cories...)
Gourami/Betta: 3 (I have had both)
DIY/Equipment: 0.5 (This is another thing that I am learning)
Chemistry: 3 (I have the basics down, have set up/cycled all my own tanks.)
Saltwater: 0.5 (doing some reasearch cause I want one in the future.)
Brackish: 0
Diseases: 1 (I have had and successfully treated Ick)
"Critters": 1 (I have had snails and shrimp but...)