alanmin4304

It is not easy to tell unless they are large enough to breed and in breeding condition. The female's belly becomes distended, often more to one side, as it swells with roe. The male develops pimple-like lumps on the gill plates and leading edge of the pectoral fins. The male chases the female and the female lays the eggs. Not easy when young and in the off season.

I use mdf on top but poly on top of that as it protects against breakage by a bit of grit or protruding screw. The stand still needs to be pretty straight and leval though.

As I suggested it contains acetic acid that is why it is called acid cure. White vinegar is a solution of about 4% glacial acetic acid in water. Non acid cure RTV is used when in contact with reactive metals such as copper, galvanised iron and zincalume where an acid would be corrosive. As I also suggested, if you read the label it usually has on that if it is suitable for aquaria. I would hate for a members large aquaria to end up in a thin layer on the lounge carpet because someone used the wrong glue.

Turtles need either sunlight or a reptile light any other artificial light will not do. They also need to dry out now and then so an unventilated light hood is not good for them. Mine have part of the lid removed to reduce the humidity.

I bred them many years ago and bred only to females with no black in the tail. My friend used my rejects and bred to females with the most black and ended with a pure black strain.

You will of course need a seperate thermostat to control the temperature

Thats the place but I was petrified of the wet bus ticket if I gave out details

I use sand to grow plants without heating underneath and they grow well. If you are not so interested in growing plants then gravel would probably make life easier.

If you would prefer to get them made there is a place in Christchurch where I have had a couple made. Can PM details if required

Do you mean Costia, which is a protozoa and can be cured with quinine,mepacrine etc. Other people may have more easily obtainable cures but I don't think furan will do the trick

Could be gill flukes

This may be a different fish but often if the tail or fins have been nipped they will grow back white.

Cabomba does not handle water movement as well as Ambulia

Are you sure it gives off acetone. I think it gives off acetic acid which is quite different and is a weak organic acid and is refered to as vinegar by the cook. That is why it is called acid cure. Acetone is not an acid. Acetic acid is produced naturally by a bacteria from ethanol which is the active ingredient in your rum and coke, or from the fermentation of sugar by yeast.

The neutral cure RTV is used by plumbers and builders on metal as it does not cause corrosion like the acid cure, It is on the tube usually--- suitable for aquaria

Mostly coudy water is caused by overfeeding

Blue and kim is right on to it with the height. If you have the right light for a 300mm high tank, you will need 10 times as much for a 600mm, not twice as much.

Cloudy water caused by a bacterial bloom can be harmful to fish as they can deplete the oxygen from the water and stress out the fish.

I think the reptile lights are a way for the pet shops to make money also. The male we have been breeding with,we have had from a few months of age and is now 9 years old and has never seen a reptile light. They need to have access to sunlight and an area to dry out so a platform in the sun will do both. I heat mine to about 25 deg C. and they do not hibernete. If they hibernate they need to get to very good condition first. They do not have to hibernate, and I am expecting mine to start breeding again soon. It is all a matter of personal preference, just make sure that what you choose is good for the turtles.

I have a tank in a cabinet and the back and ends are covered with mirrored glass. It is mainly for growing plant and is a great success. Lost light is reflected back into the tank and the plant looks like a forest that goes on forever. Most fish dont worry about it but the odd one decides to introduce itself to itself.

How did you get on at Redwood Aquatics?

Thirty years ago every shop in town used to sell live tibifex and we used to sell it to them. One shop used to buy 45lbs twice a week and it was worth more than prime steak. I have reared fish almost entirely on tubifex.

Horizontalis would be good because it is fairly small. A lot of the hybrids seem to be to osiris and can be large plants. I have bought E. leopard recently from Holywood.

It is not on their list of plants. I don't think it is grown commercially because it propagates so slowly. I made big offers to Redwood and still got the big NO. Bob only had one and one offspring and wanted to get more---makes sense. If you see it you will recognise its characteristic form if you see it elswhere. It is a nice small plant and I grew it many years ago.

Cesarz, when you are at Redwood aquatics have a look in the tank they have a demonstration CO2 system. I haven't been their for a while but it used to contain (among others) both martii and horizontalis. See if he will sell one to you--- I had no luck.