Zeusa
New member
Hi everyone! I'm from New Zealand and I've been looking after a cutie pie, Zeus 
just over a month now. I have made many mistakes and am trying to inform the **** out of myself now. I joined Caudata.org so that i can be prepared and I was hoping you might have advice for a fair few questions I have :wacko: :crazy:
A bit about Zeus: He was bought from a pet store and I think he was quite young, half his size around 8mths-1yr ago, I don't know. He's yellow with pink gills and red and yellow eyes. He started developing a brown growth on the back of his jawline, underneath the gills either before purchase or during early home life. (It hangs off like a brown pellet has gotten stuck to him. The human equivalent of where the growth is, would be like a brown mole growing on your throat where your right gland is)
His tank was 10L (non filtered) and he still has his little tri-tunnel.
I started looking after Z maybe 5-8mths after he was bought. (The owner had to leave for work far away and is meant to be getting him back when he finishes.)
I started to get freaked out and took his water for sampling. The ammonia levels were atrocious.
So, I got him: An Eheim Pickup 60 Internal filter, API Melafix Antibacterial remedy and a second-hand 60L tank (which i didn't cycle :/ It was a very sudden affair and I just focused on cleaning the tank out and getting Zeus out of the ammonia sitch ASAP. Petstore man advised to do so incase there were other diseases too.) (Also, I use API Stress Coat+ to dechlorinate the tap water for his water changes)
Zeus responded well. The Melafix worked a charm, the filter was a bit obnoxious and the current a tad strong, but Z curled his tail less and his white spots starting clearing while his gills got their colour back.
Here's where I messed up.. I put the river-stone gravel as his substrate that came with the tank, messed up his feeding (stopped feeding him for awhile), panicked a lot and left foodies in his tank... I also stupidly almost suffocated him a couple times, ignorant about metamorphosing. I've frightened him a lot.
My current predicament: Zeus is a big boy now 19cm, his jaw growth is bigger. (Petstore guy said it's the human equivalent of having a boil or the like?) He has a bit of fin rot at the tip of his tail and just recently I Melafix'ed some nasty red spots that formed there as well. He's still covered in white spots, his cloaca looks swollen but I don't know the best way to check for sure and I'm not sure how regularly I should feed him anymore. His slime coat sucks too. I recently got him a thermometer and changed his substrate to silica sand.
Upsideroud::happy:: I don't panic anymore and giggle and play with Zeus during feeding time now. He doesn't curl his tail so much with me anymore and lets me stroke it gently. Sometimes I give him gentle chin tickles. (Well actually his lips, just for a second after the pellet goes in; affectionate feeding? haha.. he doesn't like his head pet and not so much his stomach either)
The burning questions: What else do I need to get him? A heater? (Water temp sitting at 18-20C) Do 5 n 1 testing strip kits work accurately? Or what test kit should I buy for cheap? What media should I put in the Eheim for a healthy tank.. can I put bio and sponge? What easy to manage plants can I grow in the silica sand? Which is best for cleaning up poop and also the substrate; a turkey baster or a siphon filter? What other tools might I need? I feed him pellets only, (JBL Novo Lotl; I let them sit in a teaspoon of tank water to soften before I feed Z) but want to put more in his diet; what else can I feed him that will help him get healthier? What does it mean when you gently touch his side and he spazzes out?
Sorry for the length!! But I needed this all outta my head! Hope you guys are able to help me make a plan of action and I look forward to getting to know you too :happy:. Lutza luv: ZEUS n Sa
just over a month now. I have made many mistakes and am trying to inform the **** out of myself now. I joined Caudata.org so that i can be prepared and I was hoping you might have advice for a fair few questions I have :wacko: :crazy: A bit about Zeus: He was bought from a pet store and I think he was quite young, half his size around 8mths-1yr ago, I don't know. He's yellow with pink gills and red and yellow eyes. He started developing a brown growth on the back of his jawline, underneath the gills either before purchase or during early home life. (It hangs off like a brown pellet has gotten stuck to him. The human equivalent of where the growth is, would be like a brown mole growing on your throat where your right gland is)
His tank was 10L (non filtered) and he still has his little tri-tunnel.
I started looking after Z maybe 5-8mths after he was bought. (The owner had to leave for work far away and is meant to be getting him back when he finishes.)
I started to get freaked out and took his water for sampling. The ammonia levels were atrocious.
So, I got him: An Eheim Pickup 60 Internal filter, API Melafix Antibacterial remedy and a second-hand 60L tank (which i didn't cycle :/ It was a very sudden affair and I just focused on cleaning the tank out and getting Zeus out of the ammonia sitch ASAP. Petstore man advised to do so incase there were other diseases too.) (Also, I use API Stress Coat+ to dechlorinate the tap water for his water changes)
Zeus responded well. The Melafix worked a charm, the filter was a bit obnoxious and the current a tad strong, but Z curled his tail less and his white spots starting clearing while his gills got their colour back.
Here's where I messed up.. I put the river-stone gravel as his substrate that came with the tank, messed up his feeding (stopped feeding him for awhile
), panicked a lot and left foodies in his tank... I also stupidly almost suffocated him a couple times, ignorant about metamorphosing. I've frightened him a lot.My current predicament: Zeus is a big boy now 19cm, his jaw growth is bigger. (Petstore guy said it's the human equivalent of having a boil or the like?) He has a bit of fin rot at the tip of his tail and just recently I Melafix'ed some nasty red spots that formed there as well. He's still covered in white spots, his cloaca looks swollen but I don't know the best way to check for sure and I'm not sure how regularly I should feed him anymore. His slime coat sucks too. I recently got him a thermometer and changed his substrate to silica sand.
Upside
roud::happy:: I don't panic anymore and giggle and play with Zeus during feeding time now. He doesn't curl his tail so much with me anymore and lets me stroke it gently. Sometimes I give him gentle chin tickles. (Well actually his lips, just for a second after the pellet goes in; affectionate feeding? haha.. he doesn't like his head pet and not so much his stomach either)The burning questions: What else do I need to get him? A heater? (Water temp sitting at 18-20C) Do 5 n 1 testing strip kits work accurately? Or what test kit should I buy for cheap? What media should I put in the Eheim for a healthy tank.. can I put bio and sponge? What easy to manage plants can I grow in the silica sand? Which is best for cleaning up poop and also the substrate; a turkey baster or a siphon filter? What other tools might I need? I feed him pellets only, (JBL Novo Lotl; I let them sit in a teaspoon of tank water to soften before I feed Z) but want to put more in his diet; what else can I feed him that will help him get healthier? What does it mean when you gently touch his side and he spazzes out?
Sorry for the length!! But I needed this all outta my head! Hope you guys are able to help me make a plan of action and I look forward to getting to know you too :happy:. Lutza luv: ZEUS n Sa
