Aqueon Mini 10W Heater - Review

I have owned the Aqueon Mini Heater for awhile now so, I decided being winter months now that it was a good time to give a 'mini' review on it.

Just to answer a few quick questions you may have...

Does it work? Yes.
Does it use suction cup/s? Yes.
Wireless? No.
Indicator Light? No.
Adjustable temperature? No.
Fully Submersible? Yes.
Size and Color: I'd say it's around 4in x 1in with a 1/2in depth, color is black.

I have been using the Aqueon mini heater for Mr. Moto (my betta fish) in his 2.5 gallon mini bow aquarium (acrylic aquarium). Since Ebo (my newest betta) doesn't have a heater in his habitat it was reading at 70.2F, while Mr. Moto's aquarium with the mini heater was at 76.8F. That being said Aqueon's Mini Heater raised the temperature 6.6F, which seems to be a nice temperature for a small betta tank like Mr.Moto's. Keep in mind that if your tank water is colder/warmer (depending on the outside temp) or your aquarium size is bigger/smaller than the heater may not give the same readings as mine as their are many different variables to consider when using practically any aquarium heater. Their is also no adjustable dial on this device to lower or increase the heat so while it may work for some it may not work for others, but I find it's perfect for my 2.5 mini bow aquarium setup I have. I definitely recommend trying it if you do have a small aquarium setup such as 5 gallons or less.

As a side note this product claims that if you leave it outside of water and plugged in that it has a 'thermal safety shut-off' that will initiate, and the unit will then be rendered unusable after that. As always with aquarium heaters, give the device several days to work in your aquarium setup before judging its performance as heaters can take up to 48hrs to gradually heat the aquarium, this is done purposely as to not shock your fish and cause them to get ill.

Thanksgiving Surprise

I am so excited to share with my fellow Bloggers that 'Blue' and 'Quartz' gave birth to several guppy fry this Thanksgiving! They were my best picked pairing option for my new guppy line/strain. I can't wait to see how their young will turn out but that'll take 3-6 months for them to develop a bit more. Unfortunately both Blue and Quartz passed away from dropsy recently since I neglected my water changes having been busy with classes and work. There are 4 surviving fry though that are already showing signs of Tuxedo and I am working on getting my water stats back to healthy standards for these babies.

As for my other guppy strain, most of you already know about 'Cheeky' passing away although that tank was shared with two small fry that have now reached maturity and one happened to be female and the other a male. That male has now grown up to be fairly handsome as well and to me he has much more of a white color to him than previous male guppies I've raised, and he also has some red lining down his lower back which seems to be a new trait. I'm naming the new male 'Peppermint' for him being mostly white and red although he does have some black tux to him. The new blue tux female will be named 'Rudder' for her dark pectoral fins in comparison to 'Freckles' clear colored ones. Freckles has also been growing in size, and I'm not sure when she'll be dropping her first fry but I'm sure she'll be expecting soon. Also, I'm not sure if Cheeky impregnated her before his passing or Peppermint did (guess they'll need to go on the Maury show if they want to find out who the baby's daddy is, lol).

Aquarium Finds & Updates

I just saw that Nat Geo Wild has an aquarium show called 'Fish Tank Kings' which is basically like Animal Planets show 'Tanked'. I'm still wishing for a show that specializes in freshwater aquariums, and talks more about the aquatic life in the aquarium and such. In the mean time... 'River Monsters' still ranks as my fave fish show to watch.

Other news... one of my breeding guppy males 'Cheeky' passed away a few days ago, I noticed he was becoming inactive over the past week or so... it was really only a matter of time before he passed since I couldn't identify his condition. I'm not sure if 'Freckles' got pregnant from him or not but the two baby guppies I had found in my tank after giving away my fish appear to be a male and a female so... he will become the young females mate and 'Freckles' new mate in the future if all goes right. I'm also not sure if 'Blue' has impregnated 'Quartz' yet either. On that note, I'm going to have to name them both at some point!

I also wanted to share the recent overstocked, sick, mistreated, etc fish at my local Walmart this week. I think I'm going to periodically try and share these poor living conditions of fish because I don't think it's right for things like this to be acceptable in pet-stores/dealers and I'm trying to get people involved in what I call 'fish rights' because all these other pets (such as cats and dogs) undergo a certain process upon purchase and have rights, etc so, I think that's only fair.

In the first photo on my trip to Walmart's aquatic department you'll see a ton of Oscars all kept in a small tank and also how their are some small fancy goldfish such as Oranda's in the tank with them. First of all Goldfish shouldn't be kept with Oscars because Goldfish aren't tropical fish. Also, Oscars are aggressive fish that acquire a large habitat to live in and Oscars will even attack each other. So, as you can see the Oscars were eating the Goldfish, several Oscars managed to get the entire Goldfish inside them whole... Goldfish tails sticking out of their mouth and some of them still moving after being spit out in the Oscars attempt at eating the Goldfish alive.

Next you'll see a Walmart Goldfish, a case of bad fish care, and having been subject to some fish cruelty (also, yet another case of an overstocked small aquarium). This fish seemed to be swimming around fine and healthy although missing its top fin, the wound did seem healed although the fish will have to live with its handicap. Just out of curiosity but is their anyone out there that cares or collects injured fish because they are truly special and unique, and of course deserve a safe happy life?

Betta's with very low and poor quality water (why does it vary in colors?). I was almost tempted to grab a jug of spring water down the grocery isle and fill these up, eheh. Have you noticed that a lot if not all Walmart's got rid of their sink area in the fish dept?

Cheap Pico Aquariums

I have recently been seeing some questions regarding inexpensive pico aquariums (a "pico" aquarium is generally an aquarium that holds 5.5 gallons or less of water). Personally, I can't see spending more than $1-$3 a gallon for an aquarium unless it comes with a light, or filtration system, etc this is because I can buy a $10 10-gallon aquarium at Petco with my bonus card (as a side note, a 10-gallon aquarium would be classified as a "nano" aquarium).

-The cheapest pico aquariums I have seen are typically at WalMart where they're often on clearance, their are many different types to choose from.

-Another idea (which I've done) for an easy cheap DIY pico tank is to purchase this $12 container of Ferrero Rocher's chocolates, although it does cost a little under $12 you do get to enjoy 27 chocolates while you create your pico (ok, you don't have to eat them all at once, haha). Just remove all the contents and stickers from the plastic container and you have yourself a nice small pico aquarium with a lid (you could even reattach the bow if you want to give someone a small fish as a gift!).

-Another route you could take would be to use some type of clear food container or similar (try the dollar stores!).

-Other places you may find things you can make a pico aquarium out of would be craft stores, yard sales, antique shops, and even some thrift stores.

Aquarium Thermometers

In this post I'm going to be talking about a few of the most common thermometers used for aquarium setups and giving my personal opinion of each kind so, I'm going to list these in no particular order.

1) Glass Thermometer
This is your basic thermometer and generally you see a kind that can suction cup to the glass of your aquarium, or the other which can be pushed down into your substrate or sit at the bottom of your aquarium moving about freely. The suction cup version I don't really care for because more often than not suction cups don't usually hold onto the aquarium very well and thus fall off and in some cases even break. I would opt for the one that can be pushed down into the substrate because it's not really going to go anywhere, the downfall to some of these is that I find it moves around on its own in gravel substrate due to water movement which can make it difficult to read the temperature, and fish also tend to bump into this thus causing it to move around as well. These thermometers do take some time to reach the correct water temperature but they stay relatively accurate with minimal temperature changes to the water and give you a Celsius and Fahrenheit reading simultaneously.

2) Hydrometer
This style of thermometer is part hydrometer at the top which is more ideal for saltwater aquariums but can be used for freshwater although the salinity reader probably won't be all that beneficial for your tank. The downside is that this can move about freely in your aquarium and make it difficult to read the temperature unless you physically hold the top of the unit. Also, if you have an aquarium lid on your saltwater tank the hydrometer may not give an accurate salinity reading if it hits the lid because that part does need to rest freely on the waters surface in order for you to read it. Or if your aquarium is too small the hydrometer may be too long to work properly as it may rest against the bottom of the aquarium, especially if it's freshwater.

3) Stationary Glass Thermometer
This thermometer is fairly nice because it stays where you place it on the rim of your aquarium. This is comparable to the other 'glass thermometers' mentioned on this post. The downside to this unit is that it may be more prone to wear and tear over time since the numbers and metal on this unit are probably not going to be too algae and water friendly, and it may even tap onto your aquarium glass creating a slight noise annoyance. This thermometer can also be DIY'd a bit to be slightly better, like painting the outer arm to possibly match your aquarium lip better, or adding some type of rubber bumper to the base in order to reduce any possible glass noise. You'll also want to take into consideration how well your aquarium lid/hood will fit with a thermometer like this, and a metal unit like the one shown here can usually be bent a bit to suit your tank a little better.

4) Strip Thermometer
This type of thermometer is pretty common, especially for the unknowing Aquarist, but these are my least favorite of all thermometers. These stick onto your aquarium so pick a spot on your tank you can live with it staying at. Also, not all of these have a Celsius and Fahrenheit reading but that may not bother you. I also find these difficult to read at times because the colors can look very faded and also the readings are not that detailed so you really only end up with a rough temperature reading rather than an accurate one. Also since these are on the outer glass of your tank and not inside the tank it's probably taking into consideration the room temperate and glass temperature more-so than the actual water temperature, thus rendering this thermometer a bit useless for an accurate water temperature.

5) Digital Thermometer
A good digital thermometer is a great thing, this is my second favorite type of thermometer. A good digital thermometer can give you quick precise readings down to the decimal as well as be switched over to a Celsius or Fahrenheit reading. The downside is that you may get a defective or inaccurate digital thermometer and the thermometer is only as good as its battery life in most cases. It generally has a wire that goes into the aquarium which can look a bit awkward in its placement but that's what gives the device its temperature reading (some however may have some type of probe attached to it and adhere inside the tank), and the digital reader is usually suction cupped onto the outside of the aquarium which may fall off at any given time, but probably not too likely to break unless due to electrical issues with the device.

6) Magnetic Thermometer (not pictured)
This is the current thermometer I use in my tanks and I believe it's new to PETCO this year. These are great because you can turn them inside the tank at any angle, it's not permanently adhered to the tank, and it gives a good accurate reading in my opinion although not as easy to distinguish as a digital thermometer. The downside is that this is a bit large in size and I personally wish that this unit was clear rather than white as to be a bit less noticeable. Also if your magnet is too far from the thermometer device the unit will sink rather than float, but you are able to move this around the tanks corners because the magnet is fairly strong.

Finding Nemo Aquarium *Updated*

Back when the movie Finding Nemo first came out I really did not pay much attention to the aquarium scene which takes place in a dentist office. Most children today that want pet fish will often say "I want Nemo!" however, a lot of adults probably know saltwater aquariums are pretty hard to maintain and parents often won't buy a Nemo but rather stray toward the freshwater fish.

Upon closer inspection of the Finding Nemo aquarium I realized not only is this the stereotypical childish aquarium setup but... it is a freshwater setup at that. Most people that splurge and maintain saltwater aquariums will not purchase gravel, fake plants, and cheesy looking decor... as they generally would buy live corals and sand. Also, I think a lot of office buildings today that have saltwater fish would more than likely hire a fish expert to come in and maintain the tank for them, and I highly doubt they'd use decor like in the movie Finding Nemo (if they do, they should be fired, heh). On a movie note though... I can see why they would use an aquarium like this in the movie because #1 it is a common beginners aquarium and it becomes relatable to most anyone that has ever kept fish, and #2 it is a drastic contrast to a clown fish that may naturally live in the gorgeous Great Barrier Reef.

Anyway, I just wanted to rant about this since my co-worker mentioned to me this week that her grand-kids wanted a Nemo... so, I gave her guppies (*update* she now has fancy goldfish as well).

*Important Update* You may also like to know that since Nemo aired their has been a drastic decrease in the clown fish population by 75% so, lets help save marine life rather than harm it.

How to Setup - a Canister Filter

I bought my first canister filter this past week through Amazon.com, it was on sale for I believe... $60 but was about $70 after shipping and tax. I personally have little to no knowledge on canister filters so, I had to figure out how to setup my new EHEIM 2211 (which I believe this model is not sold in the US for those of you inquiring about it). Instead of giving you my own long tutorial on this I'm just going to link you to the two YouTube videos I found on this... Part 1... Part 2.

Upon looking at how this unit works I can already tell you I'm not going to be a huge fan of it but ADA uses and recommends it so...that's why I initially bought it just to answer that question. As for what I don't like... I don't like how short the intake tube is, I personally prefer a tube that nearly reaches the bottom of my substrate (although I'm thinking I may be able to attach it reversed which may work well for my 10gal tank). I also don't think I like how the canister isn't made up of individual filtration comparments because I feel like if the filter media starts warping inward that the water will start to surpass the media altogether and send it right back into the aquarium. I also worry that the connected tubing may not be secure over time and that it may eventually leak out 10 gallons of fish water onto my carpet. I'm kind of wishing Eheim also took the time to cut or add in some additional tubing so that you don't have to cut it yourself for the control valves, makes me question the whole return policy of it. I also wish this had an automatic primer on it and worry what will happen if my power ever cuts off long enough that the unit doesn't automatically restart this filter when the power returns. How well will the 3 tiny aluminum-like clips hold together this canister? Other than that... I can't really find anything else to gripe about but than again... I haven't even finished setting this unit up due to the lowsy Eheim 2211 instructions.

Also, if you have any additional pointers for me on this then feel free to drop me a comment!

Aquarium Timers

This post is going to talk about timers and finding the right one for your aquarium setup since there are quite a few different types.

The timer you may be most tempted to buy is possibly a digital timer because you're probably like me and thinking "how high tech would that be?!". Actually this would probably be the worst option to buy for your aquarium setup. If your power ever goes out though (like at my house it happens about once a week) then you may find that a digital timer will reset itself completely when power is lost or when the unit is unplugged. Ultimately, I find a digital timer to become the most annoying, difficult, and least desirable for use on aquariums... unless of course your digital timer happens to come with a battery backup inside of it (is there such a thing?).

Now you've probably came across some aquarium timers that are available at your local pet store. Often times these can be overpriced timers and generally come on a big power strip... although you more than likely don't want all your aquarium setup connected to some timer strips unless they have outlets that stay on continuously (which is typically what you would want to run your filter off of). These range from around $15 to $44 at PETCO, but you could opt to buy regular non-digital timers for less at Walmart or even your local drugstore. Also make sure if it has a power strip (or you use a power strip for that matter) that it has surge protection so it doesn't ruin your equipment that's plugged into the unit, and I personally recommend having one that you can change the settings for the various plug outlets on the grid because you may not want your lights and air diffuser, etc all working at the same intervals. Also, you may find these do not have enough outlets on the power strip for your setup/s and you'd end up having to buy yet another unit or have another basic power strip on hand.

The cheaper house timers which are non-digital timers I find to be the best option. If your power cuts off for a short time it doesn't mess up your timer settings too drastically and it can be easily fixed with a simple twist and re-alignment of the timer. This timer device may only give you 1 outlet but, if you buy a duo/trio/etc plug attachment to connect more than 1 plug into the timer or even attach it to a power strip then you'll add to your outlet issue. There are also a few different non-digital timers, I personally prefer one that lets you adjust it by 15 or 30 minute intervals on the device... where as some may only come with one set of on/off clips for the entire day (which is like the timer below on the right side of the image).

My current setup I am working on.

Here's a link to the type of non-digital timer I use now (see the timer on the left in my above image) which is from CVS and the 3-outlet attachment I put on it from the same store (the timer on the left in the image has the 3-outlet plug on it). IKEA has some KOPPLA 6-outlet power strips if you're looking for more outlets on a budget (they're $5.99 for 2). I hope this post helped you and gave you some incite on timers for your aquarium, leave a comment if you have any advice, comments, or questions.

Aquarium Updates

Lately I find myself being more focused on the outer setup of my aquarium... wanting to change up some of my wiring setup and so forth. I've been debating 'timers' and I think I will actually do a quick post on them to help anyone else looking to use timers for their aquarium setup. I'm still wanting to purchase a canister filter at some point and I'm also looking for another light fixture. I'm also becoming disappointed with one of my Zilla Digital Thermometers so I'll either exchange it or perhaps find something better (any suggestions?). I'm also working on creating my own DIY aquarium lid (if I can figure out what parts I'm in need of) which I think will be very cool so, for those of you out their that may not be fans of bulky aquarium hoods that want something a bit more invisible then you may also be interested in that as well.

As for new things I recently purchased one of Petco's "zebra stones" which I believe is just a chunk of granite, and I'm hoping to find some additional pieces of the stone in the future but each piece is different so it's only a matter of finding ones that appeal to my wants. Also big news, I finally caved and bought another Betta fish yesterday and he's a halfmoon double tail whom I have named Ebo. So, if you want to see pics of Ebo and know more about him then you'll have to come check him out in future posts to come as well... although I may actually be returning him because I noticed he has fin rot and I haven't yet found a decent fin rot remedy thus far.

I've also recently donated an old 10gal aquarium and Top Fin heater to a co-worker of mine who has got on the 'fish boat' with me, YEAH! haha. So now I have my new Aqueon heater in my female guppy tank and they are super happy with that, I even added an undergravel bubbler from Walmart to their tank. Also I think I may have posted before about my homes water system being changed out and my water went from 'Very Hard' to 'Soft', and has now turned 'Very Soft"... I'm not sure how this will affect my fish but I really wish the pH would go down on our tap water, eep. For now I believe that's it for my recent aquarium updates and if you have any questions or comments please feel free to ask :)

Aquarium Lighting

After a visit to my cousins house recently and hearing my Mother exclaim "Wow, you can really see the fish in his tank!" it made me think how my aquarium lights were lacking in brightness. Then again, I had been going for a faux blackwater style setup awhile back and have become a bit bored with that at the moment. So, I came across an interesting little post while surfing the net about some great cheap aquarium light bulbs at... Walmart of all places. I couldn't help but check out these bulbs at my local Walmart, and well... I'll let you be the bulb judge here (you may be just as shocked as I was!).

Current Aquarium Lighting.
Two of IKEA's G4 12V LED's (these bulbs do not last long!), possibly comparable to these...

Started off with this Aquarium Lighting.
Two, 25W Blue Incandescent Aquarium Bulbs...

Second choice to lighting my Aquarium in the past.
A Single Fluorescent Tube (light bulb came with that unit)...

My most recent light venture.
Two of Walmart's, 10W Aquarium Bulbs (these may be comparable to Aqueon's Colormax)...

Yes, I do realize that these photo's may look like I had went from a dirty looking aquarium to a clean aquarium but it's honestly just the difference that lighting can make.

Calcium Buildup Removal

Toss those razor blades and soapy scrubbers out the window because I found a calcium buildup remedy that involves a lot less work... you won't even have to remove your fish from the aquarium!

This method I find is easiest to do when you're doing a water change so, grab a big bucket and syphon your water level down to about 2 inches from where your calcium buildup is (probably at the top of your aquarium in most cases). If you need to remove the buildup from an old aquarium setup then you'll probably have to empty out your entire tank if it isn't already. Now that your water level is down lets begin...

You'll Need...
-A Washcloth
-Apple Cider Vinegar (or any vinegar will probably work great, I even did this with Rice Vinegar)

Pour a small amount of vinegar onto the end of your washcloth. Gently start rubbing the calcium buildup areas with the vinegar end of your washcloth and you should start to see it rub right off (be sure to avoid putting vinegar on any siliconed areas). Once the calcium is removed use the dry end of your washcloth to wipe off the cleaned area. Let the aquarium glass dry for a minute or two before refilling your aquarium with clean water.

This took me about 3 minutes just to clean off about 2 inches of calcium buildup at the top front of my 10 gallon aquarium, works like magic! Keep in mind that this is just a temporary solution to clean off the calcium buildup, it's not a permanent fix so you will have to periodically remove the calcium buildup as it appears again in the future.

Did you know...
Apple Cider Vinegar is edible so it will not harm your fish like many other products. Also, if your aquarium pH is high than keep in mind that vinegar is very acidic and can lower your pH so don't go overboard if you decide to add it into your aquarium water to lower your pH levels (the effects are only temporary as your pH will start to go back up over time, just as with almost any pH reducing product) as you don't want to stress your fish.

Aquarium Photography

Upon trying to master my fish photographing skills and being a bit unsuccessful at it I decided to do a bit of research on the subject of aquarium photography. Below you'll find the list I put together with the credited sites listed below so, feel free to leave any other helpful tips you may have on this subject, and hopefully we all can start taking awesome aquarium photographs together.

1. Avoid using a flash or use a flash that can be moved above the image you are trying to photograph (keep in mind a flash can stress animals, cause a glare off the aquarium, and may not be permitted). Using a lens hood can also help reduce glare from the glass of an aquarium. If there is too much natural or outside light this can also cause a lot of unwanted aquarium glare, a dark room with the aquarium light alone can often be more ideal.

2. A fast lens with a big aperture, preferably an f/2.8 or faster (the lower the f number the faster the lens, and a big aperture will allow for more light if you can't use an adjustable flash).

3. A fast Shutter speed (to avoid blurry images of moving fish) and an of ISO of 800 up to 1600 because a fast shutter speed will cut down on more of the light you need so it's important to crank up your ISO to balance this out.

4. If you can later edit your processed images using noise reduction this will also help to create a clearer final image (using a circular polarizer lens cover may also help cut down on noise) . Also editing your images later on can create more vibrant images (as often times a lot of color can get lost through aquarium glass).

5. Keep your camera stable (tripods may be restricted inside the aquarium). Pressing the camera lens against the aquarium can help stable the camera against the glass (use a UV filter to avoid debris or scratching the lens). Try to keep the camera perpendicular to the glass in order to avoid distorted images of your subject.

6. Avoid using an Automatic Focus (AF). Use a Manual Focus (MF) with a short depth of field as your object is constantly moving and using the AF will focus too soon before you'll be able to get a clear shot at the moving subject (doing this will help reduce blurry images). Be sure you get the correct White Balance set on your camera, you may even find using a Fluorescent setting on your camera can help in photographing your subject matter (it may help reduce blue tint). Also try using the Fast Action mode on your camera if available. Also if your camera has a Macro function this can also help photographing your subject at close range).

7. Have Patience. Take many photos. Photograph at different distances. Don't just photograph fish but also their habitats which can be very beautiful as well. Carry spare batteries and memory cards.

8. Using a DSLR camera should be more beneficial in low lighted conditions than other cameras.

9. Try to wipe off the area of glass you're photographing at, if it's dirty your camera will probably end up photographing that into your image. When the aquarium water is as clear as possible it will also allow for better looking photos.

Credited Sites
Photopoly
Shutterbug
Pufferlist
OneSlidePhotography

What is That?

Click Image to Enlarge

As I was using the rapid-shoot on my digital camera to try and get some better photo's of my guppies (I didn't exactly succeed in getting any non-blurry images BTW) I did came across an interesting find which I hadn't noticed until I was later viewing over the images on my computer. As you can see from the above image here there is some type of creature which dwells in my aquarium... I am not 100% certain as to what this is (perhaps planaria?). Thus far I haven't been able to see these creatures with my own eyes although I have been able to spot planaria before. Interestingly enough certain cameras are capable of capturing things of which we can't see with the naked eye, and the guppy is capable of seeing them.. and even eats them as you can see from the slide of photo's I took below (you may have to look closely!).

Betta Aquarium Makeover

I had been wanting to do a desert themed aquarium for some time now but I could never find anything at my local pet-stores of any true interest... until this past weekend at Petco. So, I decided to give Mr. Moto (my blue veil-tail betta) a Cubus aquarium makeover.

Petco now has some gravel-sand type substrate sold in-store (not just online) and it comes in really nice colors like the sienna shade that I bought. I also LOVE succulent plants so I just had to get Petco's light green desert bush, the product says it's not made for water use but... I never listen do I, hahah. For the background I cut out some skyblue colored foamboard which I already had on hand, I believe I got it from Michael's craft store. I think I might add some 1-2cm sized light colored pebbles around the base of the plant later-on, just to add a bit more interest to my design here.

If you've noticed how sparkling clean my Cubus aquarium is looking again I will also be doing another post soon which will be based on... how to remove calcium buildup.

River Monsters

If there is one fish show on TV that I actually really do enjoy watching it is River Monsters on Animal Planet. This is not your everyday boring channel catfish or bass catching show... this is more about fish that are that of legends and myth, and discovering what really lives under the waters surface.

River Monsters (Goliath tigerfish)

I'm personally hooked on the show, and find it amazing at how powerful and unique a lot of fish truly are (and scary!).

Guppy Updates

Over the past 3+ weeks now my male guppy fry having been developing a more red appearance just like there fathers. These new fry are around 4 months old now. Thus far there are only 2 of those males that have really colored up out of the bunch. The fathers are about 10 months of age now and they don't seem to be developing anymore in color, tail length, etc. These 2 fathers I have constantly chase and dance around the aquarium since there are no females big enough to catch their attention in this tank.

In my female tank I have a ton of new fry waiting to go to new homes around the DC area. The new bristlenose pleco I bought for this tank during Black Friday did not survive and ultimately became a guppy snack. I wonder what kind of refund (if any) would Petco give me under their like 15 day return policy if you can't exactly bring back the deceased fish (which is part of their return policy)?