Scuba Sam

Georgeous is my main helper - the cave section was made by him!! We had lots of fun, and I dropped him home after bedtime. Plus he is way taller than me - check out the photo of me standing on a plastic chair (which proved to be a poor choice as I ended up crashing to the floor, injuring my assistant in the process...

Hopefully this should be a pic of the tank before we started - needs a bit of a clean up... http://s253.photobucket.com/albums/hh54 ... C04865.jpg

After much procrastinating, I finally got around to setting up my new four foot tank, with a little help from a friend. I bought this tank last year to give more room to my severum. And coz I thought it would look better than my current "best" tank. Here's the progress so far...

Hi Oscar Boy, nice pics. Good to see your pretty severum. Cheers, Sam

Hey what's everyone's tap water pH doing at the moment? I am in Kensington, pH is usually 7.4. Mate's new fish is strugling a bit, so I tested her pH - it was 7.8!! Turns out her tap water is 8.0!!! So I tested mine and it is the same. What have others found? Cheers, Sam

I use Pet Planet all the time. I find them awesome to deal with. Just give Mike a call or an email and explain the problem - I'm sure he will help sort it out. We also have a little Act Of Parliament called the Consumer Guarantees Act that means that goods bought for home use must be "fit for the purpose intended" - stronger protection than most warrantees from manufacturers - it means that the product must work for what you bought it for. Good luck getting it sorted out. Sam

Has the terracotta pot the angels lay on ever had earth in it? Could that be a source of phosphates? Or Silica? As your tank is an old one the tank itself probably isn't the source of the silica I would have thought. Because you used a filter off an existing tank when you started, the cycling should have been quicker than normal, as far as ammonia and nitrates are concerned anyway. I can loan you an apple snail if you want to see if that will help... Cheers, Sam

Welcome to the forum, and to New Zealand!! Are there different species here to Sth Africa? Cheers, Sam

After much ringing around and driving, I find there is no Dalton's propogating sand in Northland!! Luckily Palmers can get it in. I am going for the same set up as Supasi, but will put pebbles on top of that. Propogating sand is courser than most other sands which I think makes it easier for the roots to get through it, although others on here will no for sure.

Golden Severum and angels

I have gouramis in with all those fish - no hassles at all. In fact I have never had any problems with any of my gouramis - peaceful fish who seem to get on with everyone...

I have had two golden severums - both males. My first one was really gentle and wouldn't eat anything. My second one likes to catch guppies, neons, and I suspect even baby bristlenoses (bit crunchy perhaps?). The second one is smaller, and would hide behind plants to stalk the guppies. I now have in with him some gouramis, clown loaches, albino Corydoras, and bristlenoses - all doing well. My first severum came with three large tank mates - a large silver dollar, large plec, and a synodonis catfish - the sev seemed to consider the dollar his best mate. Good luck with yours... Sam

As there was no club in my area, I paid for a subscription to the FNZAS newsletter as a non-member - didn't think of joining a remote club!! Might do that next year - cheers for the suggestion

I will vote for you Snookie!!

I know nothing about strokes in fish and whether or not they are possible, but based on what I know of human strokes, I would suggest looking at the paired fins on her body. See if there is movement on the good side only!! Perhaps she has had a ruptured blood vessel causing the bleed (dark spot) and the stroke. Also a head injury could cause both - friends have cat with head injury - strange way of walking and head turns to one side. Happy cat though. Good that she is getting better...

What a shame I am so far away - that would be awesome. He is enjoying the new arrivals though - its like a big game now chasing the gouramis - at least he has got over his shyness.

I have just been looking on TM - found two new listings for severums, one has several of both genders - might be promising - thanks for suggestion.

I have just placed four decent size gouramis (moonlights and blues) in the tank with my golden severum. What a change in the severum!! He has been sulking for a couple of weeks since I shifted his tank from the lounge to the spare bedroom, and he has been hiding in the corner behind his tree stump. Now he is out and about, and chasing the gouramis. Not a shy boy anymore. He isn't hitting them hard, just giving them a nudge. Is this territorial behaviour? He is mostly defending his cave. Any advice? I am about to go away for a week, and needed to thin the population in another tank which was a bit overpopulated for my week away. Thanks, Sam

I had this same green stuff too - following advice from other people on here (thanks guys) I increased the circulation in the tank - fixed the problem in no time - in my case it was a clogged filter. Good luck!!

Glad to hear they are doing well. Well done on a successful rescue. Merry Christmas, Sam

I have kept a few angels now. Some seem to eat anything and everything, and others are much less agressive. If you can get full size guppies, I reckon it would be worth the risk (specially if you can get some free ones). Putting some floating plants in the top like Indian Fern, and some ground cover like java moss, will give the adults a chance. Good luck!!

My understanding is that only Platies and Swordtails can interbreed. I have certainly seen my livebearer males TRY to breed with anything that moves, so its possible that your guy is trying to mate with your gouramis?? I think getting a girl molly might solve the problem, although two girls would be a better ratio.

I think Snookie might be on the right track - gouramis are peaceful compared to angels, and while they will eat baby guppies, they are otherwise pretty good in both the community tanks I have them in. They breathe partly from the surface, so seem to move around alot. I have had two shy ones, but most are great at coming forward. My personal favourite is pearl gouramis.

You can get 12V air pumps from fishing stores - used in live bait tanks for keeping bait alive for game fishing - not sure that they would suit your purpose though...

I think its great that someone else is offering a new home too - but from what I understand the shift will add to the stress and likely be fatal. As far as food goes, my clown loaches eat anything off the bottom, but will come to the top for food as well - in my case they are surfacting to grab cichlid sticks and take them back down to the bottom to feed. (JBL brand but I'm sure any would work). Good luck with your rescue mission. Sam