Wooow there Josh.
Why are you resorting to name calling so early in the game??
Roan and I do not always see eye to eye. She's got a tough job, running a site that tries to do its best to dispell myths and misconceptions about Rainbowfish. We would not back each other up just because we're fellow "pompous bowheads". lol. There would be No benefit to Anyone from that type of cult-ish behaviour. If you look at the majority of posts on that forum, you will see a Lot of back and forth amongst the members. The one thing that rings true in the theme of bowheads! is that we are always searching for answers. Doesnt matter if we are happy about the Correct answer to our questions. Our personal feelings do not affect the accuracy of Facts. They might make it harder for the facts to sink in at times, but thats just human nature. Usually we resolve issues without making personal attacks against each other.
That being said, SHE IS RIGHT. Put down your ego and listen to the woman. She is Not making a Personal Attack against you or your fish. She knows what she is talking about when it comes to bows, hybrids, bow health.......She learned by experience and has tried to pass that experience on to anyone else she can. When you post on a forum, you should be prepared to get input from many differing views. Not just ones that make you feel good. You posted about having various Rainbowfish for sale and did not supply enough information for people to make an informed decision about buying your fish. She has been very helpful here. She took the time to help people out with the wana/multi/emerald rainbowfish issues. Like what you see or not, she is Right. She and I Both have learned the "emerald rainbowfish" lesson personally. With the help of Heiko Bleher, the guy who discovered them for the aquarium hobby to begin with, as well as an indepth post by Gary Lange about FFF(Florida Fish Farms) and their effect on the Rainbowfish captive population,on the bowheads! site, we now have a better understanding of how and why there are so many hybrid Rainbowfish. If it werent for the efforts of a few key people to maintain pure breeding stock in the hobby, who knows where Rainbowfish would be. They could just be one big genetic mess.....
She took the time to look through your pictures. She ID'd as many of your bows as she could based on her experience with these fish.
She gave you a VERY important tip on the health of your fish. If those pictures are recent and show an accurate picture of your bow's health, you probably have a problem caused by columnaris. Its a bacteria that Rainbowfish are sensitive to especially in the presense of NitrAtes >/= 10ppm or other water quality issues and/or over-stocking your tank. You should be able to see the whitish edging to their mouths and sometimes fin edges we can see in the pictures. You may also see other symptoms, but the whitish mouths are the biggest give away with Columnaris.
You should not pass those fish along to Anyone until that is cleared up. It can often be Easily managed with multiple water changes and a little time for them to heal. Bows respond amazingly well to PRISTINE water conditions when they show signs of columnaris like your bows are--but I'd think it will be a couple weeks before they can have a clear bill of health from this issue and would be healthy enough for you to sell or pass them along to other people. If you sell bows in that condition to anyone, I think that would be irresponsible.
So, How is supplying you with accurate information on your fish being pompous?? This is not a matter of Opinion. This is a matter of Facts. Roan gave you facts punctuated with smileys for cryin out loud. lol. You got the Roan Art Kit Gloves treatment as far as I can see.
Without proper ID's and background on your bows, I do not see how you are going to find anyone who knows anything about bows to buy them from you.
Good luck on your Rainbowfish Journey.....
~Lori
