Faran

1000/250 = 4 times an hour. While that's decent for regular fish, Oscars may need 5 or 6 times. I'm not saying you need to go buy a new filter, you may need to gravel vac a little more than once every two weeks though.

That could have been it, as well. I was just going to say that when you're treating a fish, treat the fish and not the tank. If you have a smaller tank laying about set it up as a hospital tank. Pop the ill/injured fish out of the main tank and keep them separated until healed and ready to go back in the big tank. You'll need a heater, but don't even really need a light or filtration/air for just one fish in a tank.

Tiden and Alan - agreed, Olivaceous it is. These guys were terrors at the start when dropped in my peaceful african community tank. Now they're in a tank with a bunch of tetras, WCMM and guppies and they're happy as a clam. Will do more research about behavior but it finally explains this whole thread - Brichardi's aren't agressive and double check your fish to make sure it's what you think it is....

The were purchased from Hutt Pets with a special sale on "Brichardi" for $6 each. Here's a pic.... **note - colours aren't usually this bright. These little buggers only hold still for a second at a time and are VERY hard to shoot as they see the camera and are messing with our heads when we try and get pix of them. Pic has been sharpened and the colouraion on the body isn't usually there, more of a pale blue.

The cloudiness would be the bacterial bloom that happens in the early stages of a tanks cycle. You REALLY need to refrain from doing water changes or playing with the tank until this phase is over, which should only take a day or two at the most. No answer for 2.... I'd probably get some fast growing plants like Indian fern and water sprite and drop some lettuce in the tank to keep the pleco's appetite for plants satisfied. Sorry your plants got ruined. As for the undergravel filter.... not with Oscars. They're EXTREMELY messy eaters and you don't want all that getting into the gravel. You need good strong filtration for Oscars and I recommend a canister filter (preferably external). There's a thread on filtration for oscars and how many to keep in a tank here. Hope that helps and I'm sure others will chip in with their thoughts as well.

Well, I'll put up a pic in a few minutes of the "brichardi" that we bought from Hutt Pets. The main reason for the doubt is the fact that the cheek markings are both vertical rather than the usual one vertical, one horizontal of the brichardis we've seen.

Can anyone tell me if these are Brichardis or another similar Lamprologus? Thanks!

Actually, some fry are photosensitive and should have only low light levels. As for a guppy fry tank with plastic plants I don't think it matters. As long as they can look around and feel safe you should be sweet.

The members tank section is a joke. I put up a post there with a pic over a month ago anbd it still hasn't been approved. Nice tanks, good work with the hex tank - almost bought one on TradeMe then I found out it was only 33 litres (40cm tall).

Simply put, if it's past the expiry date you should toss it. That expiry date is how long that food will be considered useable for, sealed or not. If it's resealable then it doesn't matter all that much whether it's been opened a few times, so no diff to if it had never been cracked. Just toss it and get some new, or use it in ponds

Pretty dang sure one of my new females is ready to pop. Now, she has a dark spot on her underside which I am assuming is her "vent" as I can't see it on the other females and haven't seen it on her before. What do you mean the eyes are visible through the belly and how do you actually know it's time?

Hi PJ, Those little white worms are interesting buggers. They're often referred to as Planaria, but Planaria have eyes and these guys seem more like little white worms (hairlike) which are simply the development of overfeeding. A few water changes and slowing down on the feeding is the proper action, and they'll disappear soon. Sorry to hear about your guppy I just recently got some nice stock from a local breeder and they're gorgeous. I got 3 snakeskin males and some "sunburst" and "peacocks". The sunburst are shades or orange and red through the body and tail and the peacocks look like feeder guppies at the moment but I saw adults and they're lyretails with amazing colours through the body and a peacock eye on the base of the tail. Really happy with the new lot of guppies in the tank. So, if guppy breeding stock is slim down there and you want a nice load sent down give me a buzz. I hope you have some spare tanks to spare because even though they're only about $2 each shipping to Invercargill can be pricey so you better get a good number! Blue

Sorry, I haven't seen any in Wellington or heard of any around, though there might be some up in Auckland. Might I recommend Lamprologus Brichardi? Not shell dwelling but a very similar fish. Hutt Pets has had them on special for only $6 each.

Wow, what a drama. My lowly advice - get some tanks and split up the occupants. At this rate it sounds like you're gonna lose even more fish. As for special killing method, ramming would kill a fish without leaving marks. Would also explain the bruising and quick healing by the lionhead. So, that's my 2 clicks. Good luck, bro!

Hey, looking great! Your other fish will get used to it soon enough. I have a 36" bubble wand for our AR980 that I plan on using someday. Glad you finally got the desired effect from it, and I think it really does liven up the back of a tank

Hey Jude, I recommend the electronic digital thermometers. Has a nice LED display with a probe to put in the water. Here's a TradeMe auction, but you can get them from Hutt Pets for $12 - 10% discount. I have one that I use to test temps on three tanks, but I plan on getting some like this for my two big tanks. Has alarms, schedules and all kinds of cool stuff. Cool thing about these thermometers is that they measure room temp as well. Heck, you could even hold the probe on your heater to see if your cat is burning her belly when sitting on it Other parts I recommend are the Via Aqua heater series. They have a stainless steel heater, external control unit and an electronic temperature probe all in the same unit. I got one as part of my newest tank and it's wicked!

In this post LBB tells how to "fix" the limp noodle boys. Sounds like a circumcision to me! Ah well, if you're that keen on breeding your fish til the day they die.... Stunning little lady, Billaney. Was she in the new shipment at Hutt Pets? Went by there this morning but got a call and had to leave without any fish

I recommend live plants in tanks over artificial. They produce oxygen (during the day) and use up nitrates and some nitrites to help the tank with the natural cycle. The fish pretty much fertilize them with poos and wees and there's not mch to do but cut the tops off when doing a water change and planting the cuttings. Soooo easy and the tanks are much more interesting than having plastic fakies (imho). We have a low-light tank for big-eyed fish and I've had to move a few fakies in there as the regular plants were starting to look stringy (always reaching upwards due to not enough light). Honestly the fish don't seem to like the fakies nearly as much as the plants they used to hang out in

Bog plants grow, they just have leaves that rot and die rather than breaking off and reproducing.... right?

Saw a digital thermometer at Lyns place with an alarm, tank and room temps and an alarm if temp dropped above or below "tropical" and "discus" settings. Real nice, would be keen to get some to keep this from happening to me.

Ran into a Mantis at a friends house. He'd had the live rock in the tank for about a week when one of his fish disappeared. I went on guard and spotted the little bugger about 2 days later running into his home as the lights came on. Took us a LONG time to get the courage to get him out (none of us wanted to lose a finger or thumb) but eventually got him. He lived a short life at the LFS as they refused to feed him. SOOOO wanted to keep him as a "pet" but he wasn't exactly ornamental and the clubbing attachments make them dangerous in a glass tank. So can you get Mantis shrimp for a specialized Marine tank? If anyone knows where I could get one, PLEASE let me know. I'd do a whole setup for just them.... provided they're a spearing type rather than clubber. bullet-proof glass is too damn expensive....

Name: Faran and Kim Age: we're in our late 20s... ish Occupation: Blue - IT and business owner, Kim - Insurance field Sex: I'd hope so... we're married! Book: Blue - Currently reading Gai-Jin by James Clavell (big Clavell fan), Kim - currently tearing through the Harry Potter collection... she ran out of books in the house! Hobbies: We're computer geeks and love our cats and our new fishies. Family: Blue has a bunch of family in NZ, Kims familia is still in Holland. Other pets: Gizmo and Lexie - Show winning Ragdolls Location: Wellington City Car: Toyota Cynos (no trunk space in this one!) Favourite food: Spaghetti Carbonara

33 litres if I remember correctly. Nice tank, they cost about $120 around here. How much do they cost up there (if you bought it new)? http://honors.montana.edu/~weif/firstta ... ator.phtml is a tank size calc. Enter your dimensions and you'll get a pretty exact number. Just remember to figure out rounded/beveled corners and water level.

Yer, you never feel like an addict as long as everyone is using I've been back into fishkeeping again for a whole month and already up to 4 tanks. Two big 3ft+ tanks with cabinets and everything (thanks TradeMe) and two smaller tanks... and still don't see that big of a problem after going to other members and seeing 20+ tanks (many 500 liters and up). So, welcome and glad to have you aboard! Lots of avid cichlid keepers around, so you'll have plenty of homes for your babies.... just don't try and charge LFS (local fish shop) prices

Proper names would be Discus Tank and Community Tank I suggest getting some bristlenose or albino/golden bristlenose for the discus tank. Aside from that, sounds like some great tanks!