Adrienne

I have tried phoning the shop number this morning - its too early for it to be open but the phone line has been disconnected. I am heading to Onehunga this morning so I will take a visit to the shop and see if there is a sign on the door.

I like the storm effect, it reminds me of the piles of driftwood along the East Cape.

Also sounds about right to me and you look to be doing a decent job of it.

I am still at work and am likely to be until after 9pm tonight due to the inability of those in power to organise themselves

:rotf: :sml1: :rotf:

It also is, from what I have been told, a long haul to get the fish to Timaru ie not a straight flight down there.

Its a risk the buyer takes when wanting fish shipped however it is up to you to decide what you want to do. I wonder if they got too hot - its hardly cold at night and if they were too hot the water may have run out of oxygen. By the time they were delivered the temp would have dropped. Then again, maybe they were just too stressed.

Are you certain that 'she' is not an immature 'he'?

I am not the best person to ask about plants however I think that most of the plants you have will benefit more from liquid fertilisers ie flourish than they will from substrate fertilisers. However I bow to those who most certainly will be able to give you more accurate advice.

What sort of plants are you thinking of having? It will make a difference to whether or not you need a fertiliser base. My tank was initially set up with daltons aquatic mix covered with a good layer of daltons propagating sand. I like the look and have not gone with a gravel mix over the top. I have swords in there which are heavy root feeders but I also have plants which do better on liquid fertilisers. Lighting can make a huge difference, once again this depends on the plants you have.

I have Bolivian Rams and have had 3 breeding pairs in a 240 litre tank. I found that in general the pairs kept to their own 'patch' ie one on the right hand side of the tank, one in the middle, and one on the left. They spawned every couple of weeks for about 2-3 months and the males tended to fight if they got too close to each other. Spawns were large - about 80 per pair each time. The issue I had was that once the fry were about 1 week free swimming they would disappear. I solved this by syphoning the fry out after they had been free swimming a couple of days and raising them seperately.

So cute :love:

I just love those and really want one. I have been told they are quite vicious - how do you find them?

My apologies - I stand corrected.

Looks good - it never ceases to amaze me how some people can make tanks so easily. I don't think I would have a hope!

my twisted val is a lot more twisted than the pic but its at about 70cm. Heres the link to the plant on this forum that Joe has suggested http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?p=856 This is the link to the plant data base which has some quality photos thanks to the Plant Sub Committee http://www.fnzas.org.nz/?page_id=25

If you have hybrids in your tank then either you need to keep them yourself and don't let them breed, or you cull them. The problem has always been that if you pass hybrids on you rely on the honesty of the person you give or sell them to in that they won't breed them and sell their progeny as pure bred fish. That is why there are some dreadful looking fish seen for sale. So I guess fishy fish, if you don't want to keep them in a hybrids tank and no one you know wants them, then in the interests of having only pure, quality cichlids in NZ you are best to cull them.

Like a freckle or a mole grows on a human - nothing to say a fish can't develop a spot.

To our angelic Global Moderator and hard working Aquarium World Editor - HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARYL

How long have you had it for, how old is it an how many of them do you have? You may have not seen this particular GBA for some time and therefore have not noticed the mark. It does look like the mark often seen on GBA these days. I suppose in theory, it could be a bruise but I think not. Just keep an eye on it. If it grows rapidly or the GBA seems off colour then it is more likely to be something other than a natural sort of birth mark.

Jump on a flight to Las Vegas and do the Grand Canyon - well worth it - you can fly to the Grand Canyon

Good to hear. I don't like the look of greyhounds normally but he looks really nice.

There are four errors on the first page of your website and at least one on every other page. As a person who knows the importance of first impressions I would recommend that you fix them promptly. Attention to detail is important and it is a cut throat world out there. I am quite certain you must have access to a spell check and everything you post should be proof read by yourself and at least one other person.

Spotlight is another good place to get the wool - just be aware that it may be slightly denser than the 'proper' filter wool but I have used it and it worked well.

Welcome to the forum. Why don't you introduce yourself in the welcome section. Would you give us a bit more information ie the size and type of tank you have, what sort of filter, do you have plants. That way we could assist you more. Black Widow tetras are not known to be the friendliest of fish. If your guppies are dropping fry into the tank it is very likely they are either being eaten by other fish or the mother guppy herself.