Adrienne

I'll have to go for a ride and come look what you are up to

You'll need clearer photos and way more description of what is happening with them for anyone to be able to comment ie why you think they are sick, how are they eating, how are they swimming, how are they behaving. First thing is always to do a water change, test your tank and report back all your test results.

Wow - that is a truly amazing effort

Ron imported them (I am fairly certain) but as far as I know they didn't sell.

That was also my thought. The streak in the tail (if it looks like a blood streak) could indicate bacterial septicemia which can also link back to bad quality water. If it is indeed that then furan is one of the very few options available in NZ.

It is excellent indeed for us and the future of killies that you have regained the interest. Looking forward to seeing what you can do this time around.

Depends on the brand you buy.

Great to see you back Barrie

Welcome. The market in NZ is already pretty well supplied with a number of new importers and businesses coming on board shortly and also the new MPI regulations. It is a niche market and in the past those who wanted particular fish bought in were reluctant to pay the price once they were here. Margins are tight.

and females will try to breed with any male that looks at them - convict females that is.

A lot of marine keepers do love the macro algaes and do have them. I haven't ever heard Halimeda mentioned but I certainly have heard of bryopsis and only ever in derogatory terms. Google tells me they are the same family.

Bryopsis is here in NZ but why would you want a 'pest' algae in your tank?

Are you the person in the bottom post?

Are you wanting to know if it is still safe to use? You will need to poke it (try a thin sharp screwdriver) and establish how soft it has become. Water causes the mdf to swell when it gets into the 'wood'. It begins to soften and rot.

Softies will grow with T5HO.

You will need T5 lights, or LED.

Not sure but the only person I know who bred with success was Jennifer. Unfortunately when the ChCh 2011 earthquake happened all her tanks with the adults and fry smashed. I purchased a pair shortly after that but the male was weak and didn't survive. Haven't seen them since.

Apistogramma cacatuoides A agassizii A bitaeniata A borellii A trifasciata are all in NZ currently - hopefully being bred

These fish are very difficult to keep alive much less successfully raise fry from. They require optimum tank conditions - hence the price.

Gee that brings back memories

green water = infusoria. try a farm water trough or as an alternative get a banana skin and or lettuce leaf, put in a container and add boiling water. leave in a sunny spot. Fry won't start to feed for three days. Microworms work however only as a very short term proposition as a combination of lack of protein and the fact the fry skim the bottom of the tank cause the ventrals to not develop. Then it is onto hatched brine shrimp and from there to very fine micro powdered foods. They need high quality food and good water conditions to develop properly.

I know this sounds negative but have been there and done that too. Often once you start to supply a retailer your wings are clipped so you can not sell to the general public and in the cases of more difficult to breed/grow out fish you end up with a glut that the store doesn't want due to low demand in the stores at the time. It really is a catch 22 situation. If you want to build a relationship with the stores you need to do it months and months before you approach the 'would you be interested question'. They are more likely to approach you themselves if they see what you have available is top quality and then they will push for the absolute cheapest. The bread and butter fish are cheap as chips to purchase from the main wholesalers and the likes of Animates now have their own import facilities.

Cichlids are notorious for cross breeding and albino generally refers to the pink pigment ie eyes and or skin colour being pinkish. Yours looks more like an albino peacock than electric yellow. Anyway good luck with the sale.

Are you sure that is an electric yellow? Does it have black edging along the top fin?