Doctors Foster and Smith & USPS - Review

I have ordered from the website Doctors Foster and Smith once or twice in the past and I don't remember having as many issues as I have been experiencing recently. I am not even sure it's completely their fault so much as it is USPS but here's my review with what I experienced over the course of several weeks in regards to a recent purchase (an item I have purchased from them before in fact).

On July 10th 2017 I made a single item purchase on the DFS website. According to USPS, my item should have arrived July 15th but at the latest, I was expecting it to arrive by July 19th (based upon the DFS shipping time frame). When my item did not arrive I decided to contact the DFS customer service on their website about my item not arriving and that I checked the tracking on USPS and it appeared stuck at a sorting facility, etc. I then got an automated number from the DFS site stating "Your Question has been Submitted" and then it gave me a reference number stating "A member of our support team will get back to you soon" and that was on July 21st.

On July 22nd at 12:08 am I finally received notification from USPS that my package had finally arrived at a different sorting facility. Then at 2:08 am, it had arrived at a distribution center and at 5:53 am for some reason it was still at the same 12:08 am facility, very strange. Along with that last notification, USPS stated that "The package is delayed and will not be delivered by the expected delivery date. An updated delivery date will be provided when available. Your item arrived at our ---- destination facility on July 22nd, 2017 at 5:53 am. The item is currently in transit to the destination". So on the 23rd, I did not see anything again from USPS which is probably because it was Sunday so, by Monday (the 24th) I was hoping to receive another notification from USPS as there was now no definite date of when my package would be arriving. Another odd thing that happened was that my local USPS called me on the 20th when I only signed up for text notifications and all his message said was how the item has not yet arrived at the facility and that I could contact him if I needed to and he left me a number. Personally, from a business perspective, I always prefer to have things in writing (maybe because I'm a Blogger) but when it comes to showing proof of events that happened I feel it's more reliable to an extent (I've watched Judge Judy, haha).

So back to DFS with that reference number they gave me stating how they would get back to me soon. I sent them a notification on the 21st in regards to my order and by the morning of the 24th, they finally got back to me. They were very nice about the situation and told me they would pay back my shipping costs and if I didn't receive my item by the 26th to contact them again. Luckily for DFS my item finally arrived before their new date. Worst case if I didn't hear from USPS or DFS that I would have sent my problem over to PayPal since I purchased through them and from my years of experience it is usually better at solving such online payment issues which would have at least gave me my money back from DFS. When my product did arrive everything in my package was fine, and I really don't know why USPS was holding the package as it was only a MagFox that I had ordered. Overall, my DFS experience went well but USPS has let me down numerous times now and I'm really glad it wasn't a package of live fish or something similar.

Aquarium Updates and DIY's

Lately, I have had a few aquarium mishaps, the first being that I managed to crush my glass intake tube as I was trying to pull it apart from the tubing. That said, there has to be an easier way to separate those two pieces so if anyone has any tips on that please leave me a comment below and let me know as I have yet to see anything on that topic. Luckily, I didn't manage to cut myself as the tube shattered in my hand (I felt as if I was the Hulk that day) and I had kept the plastic intake tube that came with my canister filter originally so I will now have to use that one in the mean time.

Red spots on Ramen - before (top image) and after (bottom image)

For those of you that don't follow me on IG I have lost 2 of my goldfish recently (Pocky and Ramen) due to some red spot/sore problem (as seen in the photo here). The size of these red sore looking spots would range from half an inch in size to smaller dots, and it was not caused by anything hurting them in the tank. Honestly, I probably could've prolonged their lives by not removing them from my main tank and placing them in 5g buckets for treatment but I didn't want to risk further harming my healthier looking fish and after months of trying to remedy this, I figured it was time to let them go (Ramen was basically stuck on her side for a month and began having trouble eating so, I didn't want to prolong that any longer). I'm not even sure what this is as I haven't been able to find many photos in which to identify this. I believe this may be VHS (Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia), but I could be wrong as I have never dealt with this before. I tried tons of different medications, etc and I failed with all of them. Whatever this is, it's definitely highly contagious for my goldfish (not sure about other fish as this is just a goldfish tank currently). I noticed when I did my large weekly water changes it often would clear up a bit but over the course of a week it would reappear but the red spots would jump to random places on the body (not really the tail or head area). Sometimes there would be an almost grayish scab that would appear in the center but not always, which you may think is a parasite but I don't believe that was the case (I even dosed with Prazi). Whatever it is I believe to be an internal virus of some kind (I'm not a vet but that's just my best guess) and both fish suffered from Swim Bladder Disease before that occurred.

I am beginning to feel as though fish that end up with Swim Bladder Disease are more susceptible to having secondary issues. Perhaps a weak swim bladder could be a sign of a weak immune system (or SBD weakens a fish in general). It just seems little is known on how to remedy true Swim Bladder Disease without the aid of surgery and the fact it's called a disease makes me want to relate it more to a poor immune system which may have been affected by certain medications, or it could just be a heredity issue. I know some aquarists feel SBD can be remedied with diet change but I feel those results are temporary from my experience, and a major SBD issue won't truly be resolved by diet alone.

Also, I finally got around to trying out my Virkon tablets which are better at killing nasties than bleach and I will say that... it's not that bad. It does have a slight odor to it but I don't find it nearly as offensive as bleach or ammonia. Also, someone mentioned to me that they stopped using this product because it is corrosive, and actually in its powder/tablet form it is corrosive but once you get it to a 1% dilution in water (1 tablet + 1 pint of water) it is no longer considered corrosive (according to the label). Personally, I really like this product thus far as it doesn't seem to leave any residue as with bleach, but I would avoid using it directly on anything metal or electronic just to be on the safe side in terms of corrosiveness (the same can be said for products like Windex). 

Carpet mold from the tank when I started scrubbing it out.

As for my last mishap I learned that if you're using an untreated wood stand of some kind for your aquarium and it has an entirely flat base that rests on your carpet (I was using the top of a wood hutch) than you are basically asking for a mold problem. If any water goes near your carpet, overtime that moisture will creep under the wood base and thus you're very likely to end up with some mold, which was my experience this week. I ended up with some dry black splotchy looking mold and the best way I found to clean up this mess (first dispose of the moldy tank stand and find something better if possible) is to make an ammonia dilution (2 capfuls of ammonia per 1 gallon of water). Using an abrasive brush scrubber you'll than scrub over the carpet in circular motions with the ammonia mixture until the mold coloration removes (or is killed rather) and then you'll repeat this with some clean water. Next use a wet/dry vacuum to suck out the water from the carpet (and its surrounding areas) and then use a fan to help further dry out the area. The carpet may require an additional cleaning after this initial one has had time to dry out as it could still be a bit discolored.

That's all I have to share for this week and I have been super busy lately (hence the lack of posts) but I am working on putting together some new posts before I start back up at University the end of the month so do come by again soon!

All-Natural Aquarium Glass Cleaner - DIY

I actually found an amazing all natural glass cleaner online and I altered it slightly for better use on aquarium glass. I found a lot of DIY window cleaners online which used alcohol and I didn't like the idea of having that near my aquarium inhabitants, nor using vinegar regularly on aquarium glass because it can eat away at silicone. This recipe uses tea which is acidic in pH but it's more natural and makes me think more of a blackwater habitat so, I don't feel it's going to affect the silicone.

What you'll need...
1 - Spray Bottle (that holds at least 1 Cup of fluid)
1 Cup - Distilled Water, hot
3 Tea Bags - Black Tea, Organic (or English Breakfast; Irish Breakfast; Classic Black; Wild Forest Black)

Steep the tea bags in the cup of hot water for 5 minutes, remove tea bags, and allow to cool. Pour the tea into the spray bottle and attach the sprayer. Shake mixture before use and spray on glass. Wipe vigorously with a paper towel or cloth until the surface is dry.

Side Note: Don't be like me and try drinking this, it's extremely bitter (bleh).

Proper Aquarium Size for a Betta

Often I find people wanting to put a betta fish in any type of tiny vase looking object around, and while you may be able to keep a betta fish alive in something like that, it may not be the healthiest of habitats for your betta. Now read closely as I am about to divulge to you my discovery on what size tank you should actually have for a betta fish. The minimum size tank you should have for a single betta fish is... 10 gallons! If you're thinking this is too big for a betta fish than hear me out.

If you have ever put a betta fish in a 20-gallon breeder tank (or perhaps larger) than monitor the betta's swim pattern by measuring its distance swam before it pauses. I found that a betta fish will swim close to half the length of a 20-gal breeder tank before it pauses briefly and continues swimming again at about this same distance every time. Which makes a 10-gal aquarium the ideal size in length for a betta fish. Now, this probably seems like it's a very roomy tank for a betta, but you can try adding a few smaller fish into this setup as well because let's not forget that a 10-gal tank also has width and height to it. While my betta was also in this bigger 20-gallon tank for over a month I also discovered its fins began to grow out more, which was not something I had ever seen happen before with a betta fish kept in these 3-gallon (or smaller) environments, and to myself that's even further reasoning as to why a betta shouldn't be kept in a tiny environment (a bigger environment will generally have more stable conditions as well).

Betta's I would say are close to 2-inches in length at adult size, which means you may be able to get away with adding several neon tetra's which are about 1-inch in length (be sure to do research on tank mates for your betta because they don't get along well with numerous types of other fish such as other betta fish, guppies, goldfish, etc.). There may be some exceptions to this rule of tank mates, but I prefer not to risk it as it can cause fish injury, death, or having to return tank mates. An aquarium should be fairly stress-free for all its inhabitants.

You should be able to find a 10-gallon aquarium for a mere $10 in-store at Petco (they have a $1 per gallon sale about twice a year and I found select Petco's may always carry the 10-gal's for $10), and it's money well spent for a healthy betta fish habitat. You can also find inexpensive secondhand aquariums from Craigslist, LetGo, local antique shops, and sometimes even yard sales. In terms of cost for aquariums, I generally stick with the $1 per gallon rule, and no more than $4 per gallon for larger used aquariums (if the aquarium has a lid, etc. than obviously, the cost will be a bit more).

Preferred Filter - Poll Results

Not long ago I posted a poll up in the sidebar and asked everyone what their preferred filter of choice was, and the results are now in so, be sure to come by again to participate in the next poll!

The top two choices for aquarium filtration were Canister filters at 46% and Power filters at 26%. Sponge, Undergravel and some Other type of filtration were all tied at 20% which left Wet/Dry filters at 6%, and no one appeared to like Internal filters which showed at 0%. 

As for my opinion on the best filter, it really just depends on your setup and what you want to achieve.

Canister filters are great if you need something that can house a lot of beneficial bacteria, but I don't find they always clean the best, although you can add inline UV sterilizers or inline heaters so they are pretty customizable in terms of what you can do. 

A Power filter I find can generally clean better than a Canister filter, but they often lack the capacity to hold a lot of beneficial bacteria which a Canister is more capable of doing. Generally, a Power filter is not as customizable as a Canister filter but Power filters are becoming move advanced with bigger boxes to house more media and built-in UV sterilizers (which before this was mostly a Canister filter feature). 

Both Sponge and Undergravel filters have their place in the aquarium world, but they often don't offer any media benefits, they aren't that customizable and personally, I find them to be more of secondary type of filtration used alongside a Canister or Power filter. They're good if you don't want a lot of water current in a tank, or if you need more surface agitation, and personally the Sponge can give a little beneficial bacteria while an Undergravel filter is really just made to disperse gas from waste and cycle water with carbon which helps to remove discoloring and water chemicals. 

Wet/Dry or Sump filters are very similar to a Canister filter but they're generally on a much larger scale. The reason these may lack popularity based on this poll is because they can become costly and it takes some amount of knowledge at times to set these up properly. These do allow for more water aeration in comparison to the other filters mentioned on here. For large aquarium setups having one of these can practically double a tank's water capacity.

Internal filters are pretty similar to Power filters accept they take up much-needed aquarium space inside the tank and they aren't always that attractive to look at. Most the time I see people recommending these for shallow water pets such as frogs that can go in the water or on land.

As for other types of filters, there are new ones I hear about all the time and recently one of those is a Trickle/Shower filter. This type of filter is similar to a Wet/Dry filter although it usually sits above the water rather than below it. You'll also find Moving Bed and Powerhead filters, and I'm sure some other types that I can't think of at the moment but this should cover the most popular of filters you'll come across in the aquarium hobby today. 

Also, big THANKS to everyone who helped participate in my poll because you helped to make this post possible.

Cucumber Water in the Aquarium

I know, I know, it has been awhile since I have attempted any new little side experiments but being that I'm on summer vacation from University means that I have a bit more free time on my hands.

The Experiment
For today's experiment, I was curious what would happen if I added some homemade cucumber water into my goldfish aquarium (I'm not sure if you should try this with all types of fish but you can try it on yourself). I was originally hoping that it would work as a diuretic much like that of pea's being fed to a goldfish in order to alleviate some bladder issues because according to my research it's supposed to be more of a diuretic than that of peas. You may be wondering "why didn't you just feed it to them" and I did try to do that but they weren't that interested in actually eating it even though they acknowledged it being there. So by making cucumber water they basically have no choice but to ingest it via the aquarium water (right?). Cucumber water also allows the fish to get some nutrients and electrolytes in the process, just in case this diuretic ordeal doesn't work out, but as always try this at your own risk.

What you'll need...
1 - Cucumber (preferably organic)
2 Cups - Water, bottled

Start by washing the cucumber thoroughly. Peel the skin off of the cucumber. Slice the cucumber into 1/4 inch slices. Place the cucumber into a glass container of appropriate size. Add in the water (it should cover the cucumber), close the container, and place in the fridge for at least 24hrs. Discard the cucumber (or eat it yourself) and the pour the water into a cup. Allow the cucumber water to get room temperature and pour it into the aquarium.

Results
While I did not find that this worked as a diuretic (perhaps my batch was too small for a 30gal tank or maybe I should've turned off my filter) I did find this worked more as an appetite enticer (more so than when I used garlic drops for goldfish). Once the tasty cucumber water was added into the tank it took no time at all for the goldfish to quickly zoom about the tank in search of something tasty to eat (in which case I fed them some sinking pellets to watch them gobble those up). So perhaps if you have finicky freshwater fish that are into eating vegetables but they haven't been eating much lately then you could give this a try in order to entice them or perhaps force feed a sick fish (which is what I do with Vitachem).

Boba Painting for Sale!!!

For those of you that follow me on Instagram, you may have already seen my lovely acrylic impasto painting of Boba the telescope butterfly fancy goldfish. Thanks to YAG (click the link to purchase) I am now able to sell everyone a copy of my lovely fish friend. I don't know how long I will have this painting for sale so get 'em while you can!

Also, big thanks for everyone's support, I am so blessed to have wonderful fish followers like you and I am happy to announce that Guppy-Guide has now reached 200 Followers on Instagram.

Fish Room / Bedroom Tour

I finally got around to putting together a video of my Fish Room / Bedroom! This is my first official Guppy-Guide video on YouTube so let me know if you enjoyed this in the comments below and I'll see about making more video content for you in the future. Thanks for watching and don't forget to LIKE and SUBSCRIBE.

Donation Updates

I finally found a great way for my wonderful readers to help contribute to my fish keeping hobby on here!

I have recently teamed up with the site Razoo which enables you to donate money so that you can help me to provide new content for my fish keeping hobby on here as well as other social media sites. Although it is not required for you to donate, as I do create the content on here of my own free time and free will, it is always greatly appreciated, especially if you found this blog to be helpful to you. You can either click the link provided here, or the one in the sidebar.

For more ways to help contribute to this blog, you can also check out my Cafepress shop for some cool fishy goodies.

Thanks again!
Guppy-Guide