Pies

Ira - No I mean bo as in bo. Bo - interj. [Cf. W. bw, an interj. of threatening or frightening; n., terror, fear, dread.] An exclamation used to startle or frighten. If you need me to explain the meaning of any other 2 letter words just let me know... Bo!

IRA: If you don't know you will never know Bo!

It is worth mentioning that those Tasmania Sea Stars came from bilge water not aquairums. Taxifoloa is already here, and if you know who to talk to you may be able to get some, but I do see your point Rob. Ira. I don't see why they would/should ban things that are poisonous. If people eat stonefish overseas and you can't go into a restraunt without tanks full of live ones I don't see why I shouldn't be able to own one here. I think we all agree that the chance of something being dumped surving is low/0. My problem with these lists and rules is the massive inconsistancy. For example not being able to bring in Royal Gramma (Loreato somethingorrather). Awesome fish, just not on our allow list. Why? no one knows. Can it be added? No one knows? Does this force and ilegal trade in such animals. Absoultly. The rules (in many cases) are doing more damage than good. And more to the point they seem unfair. The status of live rock is the most insane thing. Not allowed it. Dumb. Whilst MAF and other organisations have rules that are inconsistant and unfair, they will never win the support from people like myself. Now back on topic. What can they do when they visit me and find a tank with a Lion Fish and a sump full of Calurpa Taxifola (no clowns as I dumped them in the harbor). Pies

I have said it before. Alois has a big tank cause he is compensating for something else

Its a shame there isn't a 'banned list', and the remainder is allowed. Because from what i've seen on the lists so far there seems to be little science or thought having gone into the selections PARTICULARY where marine is concerned.

I'd love to meet the people who come up with this stuff. There is some insane rules and regs out there...

OK that is interesting and makes sense. So it sounds like there is the likleyhood than MAF/whoever would not care if you were in possession of an animal/plant as long as it wasn't on 'unwated/pest' list? So to answer my question about catching a Koi, they would say 'distroy it'. But for example it was a white cloud mountain minnow, they would say 'don't care' but act responsiby or somesuch? And this would also resolve the question I had about taxinomic changes etc. Thanks. I may still persure MAF and see whats what if I can find some spare time. Cheers Pies

I have nothing to hide, or at least I don't think I do. I would welcome a visit from MAF Pie

It was working last night, I saw it Caryl is not back until late tonight, so I am sure she wil ltake care of it when she returns. Pies

I agree with warren. The little green 'spots' of algae is a sign of good/stabe water paramaters. As said the best way to control is by prevention. About twice a week run the maganet cleaner around, this will wipe it off before it gets hold. If you have scratches in the glass, the best way to to take it off with a razor blade. The 'tuff' algae you are all describing is 'red hair algae' which is often a dull black colour. Its as tuff as nails and very hard to remove. As said very few fish will touch it, and it can be a real plague. You can make it recede however without doing anything drastic. Regular water changes, more biological filteration and LOW nitrate all seem too help. Also replacing some tubes with some new ones may help. As soon as I see it in my tank I know its time for a wate change and filter clean, but its only arrived twice in the 2.5 years the tanks been running (both times it went away after filter cleans and water changes). Good luck Pie

I would like to know the answer to these questions, just the facts no speculation please: What would happen if MAF found out that I was in possession of an animal/plant that was not on the 'allow' list. What, if by taxonomic reclassification, I was in possession of an animal/plant that was 'legal' and is now 'non-legal'. If a animal/plant exists in the wild in NZ, but is not on the 'allow' list for importation, and I am in possession it, what can MAF do? Do/must MAF provide scientific evidence that the animal/plant has been correctly identified prior to intervention? Just the facts. Does anyone have or know of a contact in MAF I could talk to on the subject? I know we all know people who are/were in possession of animals/plants that are not strictly 'legal' but I would like to know what, if anything they could do. An example - "I have a Koi, I caught it in the Hutt river." Assuming this statement was true, what if anything could MAF do? Is it MAF or is it customs or NIWA that deal with such things? Cheers Pie EDIT - Sorry accidently posted this is freshwater but should have been in 'technical'. PErhapps a kind modrator will move it for me?

I would just like to add that the highlight of the day was the russian fuge. Interfecus you are welcome to come to any event we have, infact you are welcome to come over to my house and visit me any time you want, or even a few times a week if you have time (time to make the fudge that is). If I am not home just leave it in the letter box or PM me and i'll give you my postal address. PieMan

Excellent, there is actually someone who types, spells and proof reads worse then me! There are here in NZ: http://www.brooklands.co.nz/tropical/jurupari.htm 20 Gallons according to above. 50 Gallon is a big breeding tank! Pie

There are quite a few internal wet/dry filters around. The 'wheel' design the most common I have seen with marines, although all filteration is out of vogue right now.

No we don't use the sumo, we use our guests, didn't Jane mention that to you? You are bringing some buckets right?

Tragedy Strikes – The Death of a Clownfish I got up thins morning and as part of my usual morning routine I went downstairs to look at the tank, make sure everything is all right, check for leeks, look at polyp extension etc. I also have a sump tank that is used as a reverse lit refugium. The refugium has a DSB, some live rock and my banished Hairy Crab. Also recently it has been home to a pair of False Percula Clownfish. Part of my morning routine has been to give these fish some food. I ended up with this fish as the identification I got for them was incorrect, so they were surplus to requirement. I had to remove them from the display tank as they were scraping with the other small clowns in there. So this morning I notice that there is only 1 clown feeding, but had seen 2 the day before. STRANGE! So I look EVERYWHERE, nothing. Then it dawns on me ‘maybe the hairy crab ate it’. So I moved some rock around looking for the hairy crab. Sure enough I see the hairy crab, and next to him I see a half eaten clownfish. Sadness, and I am gutted. So now I need to move the remaining fish or the crab. I think I will leave the fish and move the crab into the back of the sump for now. I believe the crab has a right to live. It didn’t asked to be put in my tank, so its up to me to provide it with an adequate home and food even though I feel like smacking it with a hammer. So far this crab has eaten 1 False Perc Clownfish, 1 sand Anemone & 1 Hawaii Giant Feather Duster worm. I am 99.9% positive it’s the crab as the fish were as health as and eating the night before. Gutted. Pies

I use a sump for my Marine tank I would NEVER have it any other way. A sump has lots of advantages, lots. However there are some disadvangaes too, and they all revolve around leaks. A sump system needs to be thought out completely, there are a million things that can go wrong, and if your not 100% smart with your design, then the concequences are enormous. Sumps in freshwater however are a different story. I have been thinking about this for a while. The problem I see with freshwater is that sumps (typically) use some sort of weir, which takes water from the surface, but in freshwater its better to take water from down near the sand bed. The fish are smaller, which is tricky for the teeth of the weir. Also there are a lot of leaves etc floating about, which could easily flood the plumbing (also moss etc). Then there is keeping the sump clean, as algae forms in the sump too (not as much a problem in saltwater). So slime buildup could be an issue. A like the idea of a sumo for my next freshwater project, but I don't know if the risk is worth it. Also sumps are more noisey, something to consider. If anyone wants to build one I would be happy to help with the design. Pies

When I was diving in Malysia, there is a small group of atols just west of Rengis island off the coast Tioman island. Can't rember what the Malay name is but the translation is 'the blue islands'. They got this name as the beaches are a vibrant blue in some places, almost glowing. The Blue Coral is why. Some of the lagoons between these atols were made almost completely of this coral, with blue sand and brown corals sticking out of the water at low tides. UBER.

Yeah likeI said its a 'Blue Coral'. Blue coral - Heliopora coerulea. Really nice, the inside of the skeleton is perfect blue, the outside is is brown/mouve sorta colour, more brown. Its one of those odd corals that breaks all the rules. Reef buliding with a hard skeleton but is actually a soft coral. If you have ever seen a fish only with dead coral in it, you will always see Blue Coral, as its well, blue Pies

I don't see any purple, are you talking about the one on the right of the photo above the birds nest? If so thats a 'blue coral', really nice and on my 'list' of corals i would like to add.

Its a mushroom coral, and there is some VERY nice stuff in that photo.

Larger corals? Bah! My tank is full of match sticks! The other piece I have is quite large. I think I have a spot, will move it there in the weekend and see how it goes. I'll take a before photo and throw it up for comparison. Reef - that tank pic you posted looks great. The Table Acropora in the background (green) is placed pefectly. I like it! Pies

Caulastrea furcata (Trumpet Coral, Candy Cane Coral) has been a challenging coral for me. It would seem many people have different experances with this coral, but for me, it like shade, indirect lighting and medium low current. This is were my problem is, my tank is lit heavly and has lots of water flow. Anyway when its in a good spot it does well. I also have another colour variant of this coral, but I just can't seem to find it a home... Pies

I agree with Layton that is easier to just buy some rock. You can get dry coral rock for about $9.00 per kg if you shop around, even cheaper if your in the 'know'. Not sure that stuff you make yourself is going to be less effective though. All rock out of flordia now is aquacultured stuff, cement/lime manmade rock and some people on Reef central have been raving about it. Also there was a guy on here (peety) who made his own rock, and he said it was better for him a. cheaper b. could make it in any shape design he wanted. I would't be put off it, but it will be a hastle. The flat volcanic rock from here is not ideal as the flat surface and high silicate content wil be problems. However Caryl does say she has actually done it, and I havn't. The rock from the pools would look more natural thats for sure. Good luck. Pie