Wayne

u've got mail Andrew. Cheers!

Nah, u can't do that. once opened, should b used up within 3 mths. u might get away with it if u keep it in the fridge. avoid the freezer, cause some vitamins n other nutrients will b destroyed in the freezing/thawing process. keeping it in a vacuum container might prolong the shelf-life. i've got a real problem feeding my arowana. it's too slow compared to the cichlids, n the pellets r all gone even before she gets there. i've got a partition in the tank to seperate them, but it can't stay there permanently...any ideas? wonder how the LFS does it in their community tank...

Hi there guys. yeah, agree with ya Carly. fishes just arn't emphasized enough in the degree. otherwise, there's just too much to cover. u've got birds, reptiles, amphibians.......n it's not like the states or perhaps the UK, where people have valuable fishes that r worth spending time n money on vet services... Cheers Pegasus, i'll b needing lots of luck in the exams in a couple of weeks time. i've kept fish for about ermmm probably close to 10yrs or so. well, i've been involved at arofanatics.com, a forum for arowana-keepers for a yr or so......it never once occured to me that we've got local fish forums here! let alone clubs, activites n stuff! wow indeed!!

No, that packet of flakes will not last forever! Once opened, any commercial fish food( pellets, flakes, freeze-dried etc) should b discarded within 3 mths.....I've explored all me friend's tanks, and always find 'old' food lying around...i'm sure most or us r guilty of this. over time, some vitamins, pigments n other compounds r likely to b deficient in the product due to reaction with moisture, air, light etc. If fed solely as the main diet, it can predispose your fish to various health problems even with perfect water parameters. what pisses me off is LFS selling 'home-made' packets of flakes or pellets in re-sealable transparent plastic bags. There is no expirary date, and the food has already been 'tampered' with. another problem is expired products...it's just not right to see these up for sale. anyway, i guess we should always 1) check the expirary date 2) pick the smallest or smaller sized product if possible( avoid getting a big tub for a cheaper price...u r likely to exceed the recommended 3 mth use-by date) 3) always check that the seal has not been broken. it's happened to me once..damn it... 4) stick to the 3 mth rule 5) feed a varied diet. use a variety of products...there is no testing standard with regards to fish foods...claims that the product is 'fully balanced etc' might not always b accurate. i guess there is safety going for more expensive and popular brands.. any other tips to share?

Hi everyone. wow! a place filled with kiwi aquarists....this is unbelievable. i'm originally from Singapore, where virtually everyone's a fish fanatic. It's not often that u meet people with a keen interest in aquarium fishes down here. hmm. what else should i say?? ermm, i've got a 350 gal community tank, housing a giant gourami, an arowana, a red devil, 3 tinfoil barbs, a few angels, a pleco. 2 oscars and a couple of stripped fishes whose name's i can't recall... i'm about to finish the vet degree at Massey this yr...although we didn;t cover much on fish diseases, i've been reading extensively on all aspects of fish medicine, n have quite a bit of experience diagnosing n treating fish diseases.....no surprise, but i'm really into the disease n medical stuff....it really gets me going... anyway, hope to see more people adopting fishes as pets in NZ...they're really cool! i've had a hard time convincing friends that they r as rewarding as dogs n cats n horses etc. happy fish keeping everyone! Wayne