Zev

Are you guys still looking at visiting Braeside? Some HBAS members would be interested in hooking up with you on that one weekend to have a look as well.

Pink Floyd - One of the Few

I don't feed mine anything - I feed the puffers live food, but the ottos have to survive on what is growing in the tank (and there is a fair bit of it). I have dropped flake in there before but it just stays in the tank and I have to vacuum it out because the puffs have eaten or killed all the snails.

No idea sorry Graham.

Mine spawned the day after I got them, laid eggs on Val leaves, usually only one or two in one spot then the female would dash off to another place and the male would be all over her like a bad smell trying to bend himself over her head :-? Unfortunately the eggs were gone the next day - 64l moderately planted tank, 70w MH with tankmates being three piggy Dwarf puffers...

Depending on the strain of A. salmonicida a wider range of fish can be susceptible, if anything else in the region turns up with the same or similar markings they would be interested in know about these as well.

A further update from the MPI: MPI has just received reports that some lamprey migrating up the Mataura River in Southland this year appear to have similar skin markings to those present on lamprey last spring. When we put our activities on hold last year, the intention was to monitor future lamprey migration activity should the issue reoccur. We’re planning to send out a small team of scientists to collect suitable samples to carry out the necessary laboratory testing to once again try to identify what’s going on. In the coming weeks we plan to work with other agencies, local authorities, tangata whenua and industry groups to identify and manage any biosecurity issues. We aim to provide you updates on our progress as we understand more about the situation. Bear in mind that it may take a number of weeks to gain any useful new information. In the meantime, we recommend people finding lamprey with skin markings similar to those in the photos below immediately contact our 0800 free-phone – 0800 80 99 66. This will allow us to build up a picture of how widely distributed the problem is. At this point, we plan to collect all necessary samples for laboratory testing, as the method of collection and processing is crucial to getting suitable samples. We do not need community members to submit dead or affected lamprey.

Sounds like a good excuse for a bigger tank to me...

Hi and welcome. Neons can be picky fish, the larger ones are usually females if they are mature and they seem to be rather territorial as stated above if there are only a few of them in a tank. I had five and the biggest one was always chasing the other larger ones around, would leave the two smaller ones alone.

Maybe they came down in the meteor shower the other day - could be young Triffids!

I bought it from a guy in Palmerson North who was using it for his tank, it already had the fitting with the tap on it that the regulator screws into when I got it. I get it tested and refilled with food grade C02 at Fire Security Services in Napier, I cannot get it filled at the likes of BOC or Air Liquide locally unless I rent the bottles from them.

I have a 2.5kg bottle that I own, it was an old C02 fire extinguisher, it cost $35 to pressure test a few years ago and about the same to refill it, I only have a 64 litre tank and it lasts me just under a year. I think you have to get it tested every five years. I run a Tunze regulator and needle valve and a diffuser that has a glass coil in it so you can count the bubble rate if you are so inclined. You will also need a non return valve that is preferably stainless steel and some air line that is not C02 permeable or they will get brittle after a while. Apparently a ph drop checker is a good thing to have as it gives you an indication of what the ph is in your tank at a glance.

Granny Smith's must be really scary in Russia...

You are going to have to make one one day Wok!

Just a reminder that this is tonight - not too late to enter, just appear and we can sort you out a team.

Soooo..... who ate all the chocolate cake with the ganache icing?

Cat pictures! Where? *snoops off to have a look....

You could have drilled a couple of holes in the lid for the airline and one to vent, then you can screw the lid down properly...

Did it have pie crumbs and beer stains on it? Online AW should be available now Sophia

Went to the new cupcake shop this afternoon... Red Velvet, Peppermint Patty, Poptart Vanilla Bean, Coffee and a Donut, Lemonade

I suspect you are correct there Jim, he knows he is too far away from both of us to get a good clip around the ear...

Stirrer!

This month we will be having our Quiz Night club fundraiser. Make up a team and bring them along, $5 entry fee per person and half the entry fees collected will be first prize for the winning team. Family friendly questions, bring your favourite drinks to keep you sustained over the evening, nibbles provided. FNZAS membership cards can be picked up at this meeting and bring some money for raffles. All welcome! Wednesday 15 August 7.30pm at The National Aquarium of New Zealand Marine Parade NAPIER

How often do you do water changes on the fry tanks - some breeders do almost daily changes to ensure their fish grow and are not stunted, regardless of how large the tank or how many fry are in there.

Bite? They normally just inhale them!