PlanetCatfish.com

Here's my boy...
http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov1.jpg and...
http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov2.jpg and...
http://www.boomspeed.com/rickeybird/hoov3.jpg !!!!

...ain't he a beauty?

Gail

He looks great Gail! His markings are nicely defined, his eyes look good, and from what I can tell his fins took a lot better than I was expecting from his ordeal. You should indeed be proud

Thanks!!!! I had read about eye-condition and fin issues, and was hopeful that somebody would be able to give me an opinion of his general condition from the close-ups. He is a handsome devil, eh? Thanks again.

Nice pictures Gail. It's good to see that Hoover is fine now.

Thanks! He seems well. Meanwhile, I have been doing a lot of reading based on what forum repliers have told me about possible ID's... nomenclature is very confusing... I think I'll post another query in this part of the forum...

Well done Gail, you're a credit to the hobby!! Here's to ya

Why, thank you, gibbo! Right back at ya!
Hoov got furniture today... loves it!
God's in his heaven and Hoov's in his driftwood cave.

Nice one Gail I'm happy for Hoover and you.

Just something to think about, but that grade of gravel you have may make aquarium husbandry more difficult over time. Your refugee probably generates quite a lot of waste from feeding, and with prepared foods there will always be small particles that can fall into the crevices where he can't reach them. With large grain gravel there is a risk that they can rot unseen down there, and cause problems. If you are using a gravel cleaner at each water change you should be OK, but at some point in the future you may want to look at changing to a sand base (just look at some of the posts covering 'substrate' on this Forum for hints).
What reading material have you picked up?
We may be able to recommend some other useful texts for you.
If you ever want to meet other fish people, there is a thriving association based in Cleveland, the Ohio Cichlid Association. I know it says 'Cichlid', but there are a lot of Catfish people there as well.
Pete

Thanks, Graeme and Barbie,
Well, here's the latest on Hoovie (and thanks for asking)... I discovered a nearby aquarium/fish store that offers a variety of services, one of which is water-testing. I was a little concerned about interpreting results of tests correctly by myself, so I took some water to them and they tested it and told me that the ph is good, definitely not too low; there was no significant ammonia, and nitrates/nitrites were almost nil. The water looks clear (but of course I have been changing out about a fourth of the tank every couple of days). The aquarium guy sold me some test sticks which I haven't tried yet...he suggested that I hold off changing the water and test over the next week to see if things stay okay. That sounded consistent with what I read in the cycling articles, so I guess I'll do that. I got a driftwood cave and some live plants from a mature aquarium, so maybe that helped. So far, so good... ?

Thanks, coelanth!
I have noticed some messy stuff in the gravel... you're absolutely right... I suspect I will change it out, after all. Is there any harm in leaving the bottom bare? Except for a big piece of shale and a driftwood cave? That would certainly be easy to keep clean...

I meant COELACANTH!!!!!!

Also, thanks Pete (coelacanth!) for telling me about the Ohio C***** people in Cleveland. It's on my "To DO" list to contact them. I have heard they have an incredible show yearly, and I'll not miss that!

ACK!!! I am totally having a hard time collecting my thoughts today!!!! Hence the multiple posts!!!! Concerning what reading materials I have... Barbie gave me a nice selection on cycling; Silurus is suggesting some reading, and of course, I'm devouring Planet Catfish, which is loaded with info! There, I think I've remembered to say everything this time!