Scuba Sam

Are they sort of round at one end, and pointed and sticky at the other? I have had those - can't remember the name but someone on here will soon say - related to water quality somehow - gravel vac and water changes sort them out it seems. I hate them - really gross!! Good luck.

Fascinating topic!! I have bristlenoses in four tanks. I have been careful to avoid inbreeding in three of my tanks. Unrelated fish from different parts of the city. BUT - the most prolific breeders are the 'left overs' - a young brother and two sisters. The boy is so small that he has hardly any bristles, and he is Daddy of about sixty of my babies. That said, these babies seem tough. They have only recently been in a heated tank, but prior to that were in a tank on the kitchen table. Temperature range from 20-27 degrees depending on the weather - no heater. Good survival - only one body ever found and that one crawled out onto the table and dried up. When I used to count them, got the same number every day. Unfortunately Hannah had three of the five I gave her die straight away, and two live so far. I put another three into a coldwater goldfish tank in Tauranga, after a seven hour car trip, and they looked fine on day four before I left Tauranga. I have given others away and survival has been fine with the location change. I am really interested in comments on this from people who know more about it than me - perhaps the "tough" start in life has weakened my babies in some way? Or is it the inbreeding? I have had other BN's from a Trade Me vendor locally where all died over about two months, but no idea if that was inbreeding. Let's hope we can learn something about these rather cool wee fish coz it is disheartening to have them die off. I am not breeding commercially, just for fun, and have no plans to sell the babies. So maybe some commercial breeders have more insight for us.

Hi Hannah, I'm glad a couple of the wee blighters are doing ok. I wonder if it is a water issue as it seems really quick for them to die from something off the glass. The three I brought down for Mum and Dad are doing well, in a cold water goldfish tank!! I will be down in about a month again so can maybe try some more then? Let's hope the other two survive better. Good luck, Sam

I'm not too up with the play in these little creatures, but I do know that Rotifers are bred in large numbers to be used as feed in the marine farming industryin NZ. At Ruakaka, Whangarei, there is a large fish farm breeding Mussels, paua, snapper, kingfish, etc etc, and Rotifers are used as a food source. They are grown in the lab. Tanks and tanks of them. Not sure that that helps with your problem though...

My understanding is as follows: There are at least three species of val in NZ, and the twisted or corkscrew val is the only one allowed. Spiralis refers to the shape of another part of the plant, not the shape of the leaves - so spiralis is on the pest plant list. The reason (as far as I have been told) that all straight Val's are on the list is that there is no way to distinguish the difference when plants are small (ie tank size). So the huge destructive one looks the same as the smaller one. Oh well, luckily we have lots of other options. I have made the decision to remove any of my pest plants so that I can't accidentally propogate or distribute them!! DOC won't prosecute but regional councils can. I don't know how many there are but 15 have signed up the pest plant accord. Going after someone for having a few plants in their tanks is not going to be cost-effective for any regional council - the paper trail etc is huge in any breach of compliance where a fine would be considered. Fines can be given, and from memory they are big!! My info comes in part from friends in Doc and Regional council, and part from info from this forum and other internet sites - I have some val (corkscrew) in my tanks!! Sam

And Gina Williams, our guest speaker, from Department of Conservation. She is the Weedbusters Co-ordinator, and is involved in Weed surveillance and biosecurity. She had some interesting resources for us. Included was a published study on which native plants are suitable for use in aquariums, and Gina had some samples of dried plants with her. As I suspected, the plant that I didn't know the name for in my work aquarium is on the list of pest plants. This means that while I can still have some, I can't give it away to anyone else. I've got plenty of other plants in there so its gone now, and Gina is going to check it to confirm that it is one of the pest plants. She is also going to find me a sample of the prettiest of the native ones to try in one of my tanks at home. Nice to meet Smidey, and I managed to learn some stuff from him too - thanks!! Sam

I think Warren is away at the moment - we certainly would like to have him up at some stage, but first speaker is someone who is into aquatic plants. Anyone who has odd plants they don't know the name of could bring them along, and we could have a go at id ing them - I have one in my work tank that we will look at that I'm not sure about, for example. Apart from Warren, who we would definitely like to see up here, any other ideas for guest speakers? Bring your ideas along on Monday. Cheers, Sam

We have a guest speaker now for our first meeting. Hopefully we get some people along. I will be providing tea and coffee - can anyone bring some bikkies? Cheers, Sam

I had no filter for weeks on one of my tanks - no problems - tank was mature, and I just used a new filter when I started filtering. Mind you tank was heavily planted and understocked. Good luck!!

Thanks - I will try it tonight and see how they go...

My work tank filter failed without me really noticing. It was making noises so I thought it was still going. I estimate about six weeks without filtration, no fish losses, no water movement, just weekly water changes and water tests. No nitrite, no ammonia, and minimal nitrate. It was being under fed though - do you feed much? Just thought that might serve as a comparison. It was heated at the time but I didn't have a heater over the summer. Sam

I always wonder about sprays on veges where I don't know the grower - is washing enough? I would love to buy courgettes etc from the supermarket and give them but too nervous - advice please? Can I just wash lettuce? If so I will try tonight!!

We're a bit lucky up here - we have an amazing LFS where everyone knows their fish - all the staff that I have met there have basic knowledge, and two of the staff are fantastic with advanced knowledge - they even remember your fish - there is another shop in Whangarei that isn't in the same league - I see sick fish in tanks and won't buy from there again. I haven't heard any bad advice to correct in the good LFS.

Wow what a beautiful fish - stunning!!

To me it also looks like it might have a curved spine - is the back in kind of an S shape? Hard to tell for sure from the photo. Good luck with your fish. Sam

I went home at lunch time to find an exciting sight - my two severums (both given to me as males) are sitting on a large hollow in the substrate. They started digging it yesterday, and it is huge now. I am pretty sure one is a girl - apart from the activity, I can see an ovipositor I think, and the other one has a different shape appendage. I have visitors who will ring me if they start laying so I can rush home to watch - gotta love self employment eh!! Anyone else seen severums lay? I was expecting on a rock like angels but it looks like they will lay in the hollow. Any tips people? Thanks, Sam

I've just had a nice lunch of snapper and kumara chips. I didn't suck them though...

Thanks for your suggestions Karla - we will get onto it on Saturday. We have already done the pet shops - that was first port of call. Thanks, Sam

I was in the LFS on the weekend, and noticed that they have wooden cupboard door handles "glued" onto the glass tank lids to make them easier to handle. I need this for my new tank - its a nightmare getting the lids off. But I need some advice please - what sort of glue do I use? Do I use some sort of silicon? Your advice would be appreciated pls forum people - I am not the most practical person. Thanks, Sam

I used Wunder tonic, a little under half strength, and loaches remained healthy and happy throughout treatment and since - actually only did one dose, which I know means there might be more spores in the tank, but no problems in last three months. Sorry to hear about your fish...

That would be great thanks Bedazzled - they are in my car so at work most of the time... Are you going anywhere near the SPCA at all? They are happy to put up a poster, I just have to get one to them. Cheers, Sam

Does anyone have any ideas on where posters could be placed? Caryl gave us some extras. We had hoped to get out to the SPCA on the weekend but didn't manage it. Also any other vets people can drop posters off to? Thanks

In my experience, if I have three angels, I soon have two, or on one occasion, one as they both died of injuries!! I have heard that four is ok. Next time she lays you could see if the other angel has a sex organ showing (near where the poo comes out) and see if it is the same shape. Good luck - angels are very cool fish. Sam

Thanks for your help - I will pass on the info. Great to get some answers. Sam

Thanks for your comments - this makes lots of sense. I think we have finally hit on the reason for the problem - my friend called in at home today and it turns out when the first discus died he cleaned out the tank and filter tubes thoroughly, and turned off the filter for 24 hours. When he started it back up, the filter smelt foul at first. I'm picking that the bacteria died in the filter from no circulation, and he blew a large crop of dead bacteria into the tank when he restarted the filter - is this likely? This would explain the smell, and the resultant ammonia levels. This is our plan at the mo: Add Stress Zyme as per instructions Reduce feeding quantities Continue with water changes Use lower pH water for the water changes to drive the ammonia level down Keep temp up at 28-29 degrees to reduce ammonia toxic effects Any other suggestions? (there was rotting wood in prior to the first discus dying, but this was removed at the same time as the first discus died, prior to the filter clean out.