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Minor tail cut

Kenneth

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Hello again, I've read some threads and couldn't find a definite answer, she cut her tail a smidge near the tip but not on it, and I was wondering how long it took to heal/is there anything I can do? And I am a horrible person I know because the tank is cycling and I'm doing proper water changes and the like daily. It was on that plastic tube in my avatar picture I'm sure so I immediately removed it, and replaced it with a nice rock home for reptiles, she enjoys....but this leads me to another question.

When I change the water and list up the house sometimes things just float up and I imagine it can't be good for the levels and whatnot. So does anybody have any other experience with homes being "hotbeds" basically for trapping things?
 

The Banana

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Firstly, you are NOT a horrible person.
You clearly love your pet, and want the best for her. You are looking to help her, and that does not scream 'horrible person' to me.

As for her tail, keep it cool and clean. Keep up on the waterchanges, testing the water. It should heal quickly.

You say reptile homes... these generally aren't made aquarium use, and often are unsafe. I would remove them. You can try PVC pipes for temporary hides (or permanent, but they aren't the best for looks).
 

carsona246

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I've been running into a huge problem with my plant filter roots trapping bits of java moss and cabomba. My water goes murky after a week or so if I don't keep the plants out of the root system. Just need to keep sucking up the junk with the weekly waterchanges, and it shouldn't be too bad of a nitrate factory. The best thing you can do for a healing axie is keep it cool, and make sure the water is clean. So long as your doing proper water change, the stress from ammonia/nitrite should be minimal, and nothing to worry about.
 

Kenneth

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@Sarah-- Thanks :), I just feel really awful because I did so much research, but read about cycle right after I got her and I was like...crud...well I got a moss ball and a java fern plant about 5 days ago, and some smooth stones from outside this study hall (which I boiled and scrubbed, can they get bb?) and a sponge filter. So this is all helping, and for the home. I believe its safe, its just a rock home, not like those sandy, odd reptile huts that feel salty, but ill set look into pipes if I see anything odd.

@Carson--Thanks for the tips, I always keep it clean but its definitely more important now as I don't want it to be infected.

Thank you both for the speedy replies, it happened yesterday and I saw no blood or anything its not deep, but the little torn flap is still connected, so I guess it'll have to fall off and heal. Thank you guys again, and I'm going to be stressing a bit through this cycle, and this helped
 

Kenneth

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On a side note, I don't want to create mega threads so...
I've read a few threads on here about amquel plus (I often pair with novaqua plus)...use or not use? They CLAIM it does not stunt bb growth or the nitrogen cycle, and I do daily 20-30% water changes everyday in addition to using it so I am not SOLELY using that, but sometimes I read ammonia from 0 to up to .5 ...false reading? I only had it .5 once, but I was confused how...just a step in nitrogen cycle? It peaked
 

Kenneth

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I changed the water twice today as ammonia went up to at least 1. Is it in the first stage of cycling? And what is the ABSOLUTE MOST...I want to keep it at 0, as I feel bad if she's any bit uncomfortable
 

carsona246

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1st stage of cycling is ammonia. I personally don't trust amquel at all. Supposedly its not supposed to prevent bb from using the ammonium, but I used it once, and my tanks all became uncycled and I have yet to come up with a legitimate reason besides the amquel. However, if your tank is already uncycled ammonia is the 1st step. After that you should be getting nitrite, and then nitrate. If you keep the ammonia under .5 ppm's your golden. If the ammonia happens to spike over to 1-2 ppm's I wouldn't be too worried, it just happens, and it won't cause any serious damage so long as your keeping an eye on the parameters daily. I'm sure you'll handle it just fine.
 
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