Adrienne

Hi theres some on TM/here at the moment - should I stay away from it because I am defiantely wanting it!

Hi, as a beginner to properly planted tanks (until a couple of years ago I just used to plant and wonder why nothing grew and then went to bb tanks), thanks a heap for this article and also all the other advice from everyone. I have planted out three tanks now with many more to go and things appear to be going well although in the early stages.

Hi, I am wanting to transfer some plants from an old tank set up to a new tank set up and was wanting to soak them in the above first. What is a safe dosage amount and does it depend on the type of plant? While I'm pretty sure my old tank carries nothing I don't want to put these plants in with different young fish without being sure.

Really sorry to hear about your female. This is too late now but if you try to breed again you need to get the female out of the tank asap as generally hell has no fury as a male that has finished spawning and is trying to look after eggs while the female is still in the same small tank. Otherwise make sure there is a corner area full of plants and a rock for her to hide behind or under. Can use artificial plants or real but make it quite dense. You can tell when spawning is finished because the male chases the female away to the corner and its quite different to the flaring and chasing that goes on during the spawning process.

Thats what I understood too but thats not what I think I've been hearing up here. I thought it was the short fin males that were used and the breeds recommended to be more vicious.

Not sure where to post this so may need to be moved. Has anyone around the Auckland area heard anything about siamese fighters being used at the moment for fights? Just a feeling I have.

Put the fish in another tank and thoroughly clean the tank. filters and plants and restart it again. Its your best chance of saving your fish.

Don't know about cutting it off at the top but depending on what your tank is for I tilt mine over at an angle but thats in fry tanks, it slows down the bubbles and the amount of water going through it though. If its for a small permanent tank there is a smaller version of a sponge filter out (also can use charcoal in it) but have only seen it on trade me once. pm smcoleman he has them and they are used in his pretty small tanks.

I'm pretty sure its columnaris. Jansens in Mt Eden uses Furan 2 for this and puts all fish affected in the hospital tanks but depending on how bad it is losses are inevitable.

Thanks alanim - I knew what I was trying to say but didn't know how to put it. I also don't wash out the sponge filter just vacuum it when I'm cleaning the tank.

The sponge acts as a filter which is perfect for fry etc to feed off. The water is drawn in through the sponge and pushed out the top along with oxygen. It depends what you are using it for as to whether you turn it down or not. If I have fry in the tank I turn it down and place the top of the outlet half in and half out of the water. For bigger fish I just leave it bubbling at full speed in the water.

hi, are you talking about the sponge filters because if you are yes the water does come out the bigger pipe, the air hose connects down the side of the filter.

I think that they are going to list the rest if you're up for one. Me I have to try and save for a bigger filter!

Which - the frog or the price???

If he's a really nice fish I'd go for it. In my experience spawning with a blue male and a blue female doesn't guarantee blue fry. I have a spawn at the moment where both parents were dark blue and the fry are colouring up red or blue - it sometimes on the 'grandparents' colours. You can get a really mixed batch of colours in each spawn. Be prepared though - not all males/females are compatible, raising fry can be hard work and time consuming and if you get a big spawn you could end up with hundreds of bettas, the majority males, requiring jarring from a fairly early age. I don't attempt a spawn if I don't have at least 2-3 tanks that I know will be available within about 6-7 weeks.

Don't think the bloodworms defrosting and then being refrozen would hurt - mine sometimes defrost on the way home as well. You do need to be careful with how much/often you feed them though as very high in fat. The only thing I have noticed is that since I reduced feeding bloodworms to only once every 2-3 weeks that the occurance of dropsy in my tanks is nil.

Only slightly, I have young fish and small fry in my tanks so I go very gently on my siphoning - use a small gravel vacuum.

Contact Redwood Aquatics in Christchurch - they have a website. They sell Juwel Aquariums, Debbie is very nice and is sure to be able to help you.

Thats what I am using in my tanks. The only thing different is that my gravel is smaller.

Looked on the Pet Planet website and it gives directions for using this. Given that it does not say to wash it but does say that washed gravel needs to be used for over the top I would say not. I haven't used this myself but I haven't washed the aquatic mix I have used in my tanks and everything is fine.

Must say I am after one of these filters but don't have time to run around locating replacement taps and returning filters so guess I'll have to hold off for a while - in the meantime I'll stick to a couple of smaller externals for my biggest tank.

Thanks, I haven't got any fish in the tank at the moment but will be putting in a few bristlenose catfish in about a week. I think I've probably got the plants grown hydrophonically.

I received quite a few plants of varying types this morning. They don't have roots yet but are bunched together with the lead weights. To get the roots to grow do I leave them floating in my tank or plant them. I have Daltons Aquatic Mix under gravel in my tanks and also use Flourish once a week. Thanks

Thanks eveyone and thanks for the site links - had no idea there were so many types of catfish out there!

Does anyone know the correct name for this. Its advertised on trademe and I was wanting to find out some information on it. Thanks