Adrienne

Mine made about 14cm which is the biggest I have seen. Yours must be on steroids. Normally they get lazy as they mature and don't eat it, preferring the food we put into the tank.

I fear you may never find out Benjanss. Ben01 hasn't logged in here since December 2013. I would also like to know how the pond is going.

Very nice. Interesting what you say about the SAE. I finally passed on my big SAE and replaced it with three smaller ones in my 450 litre tank. I had three more small SAE in another tank and caught two to add to the three, giving five in total. Totally wiped out all my BBA which has been the constant bane of this high tech tank. Guess it's all about adding enough of them to be able to stop the BBA still spreading out of control.

We have only had three Exec and one Delegate send details through. Come on clubs, if you don't take part how can your members know whats happening and have their say?

Thanks Mark. I shared it to our Facebook page - I know it's not current but I thought people might be interested.

When the power goes off the canister won't pump dry - the water that is in there will remain so. I wouldn't be worried about the media and bacteria in the canister, it will still be viable after six hours. My suggestion, if you are home, is to stir the tank water around a couple of times every hour for about 5 mins. It will allow for gas exchange. Your other alternative is to purchase a battery powered air pump - specialist shops stock them.

If you are wanting to get them all at once and in Auckland, HFF Mt Roskill has a big range - best to go in on a Friday as plants arrive on a Thursday. Expect to pay for 'proper' plants i.e. ferns, swords etc. The only cheap ones are stem plants which are mostly grown emerged, are not always true aquatic plants and can either take a while to adapt or will melt/dissolve. Know what you are looking for before you go in.

There is more than one type of harlequins around, so you might find you like some more than others They can get quite big i.e. around 3 - 4 cm at maturity.

I have several of Jens red whiptails - at least 1 of each sex, fully mature, in my community tank. The parents were both red whips, imported, so I am sure they are not hybrids.

The original list is coming up 7 years old. I know of a number of others that have been bred here - the breeders are unlikely to bother to list them though. Others are no longer on this forum.

The seller or the fish. Phil has sold up and moved. If someone has managed to breed the lancelota then probably. I haven't heard of anyone doing so though.

Must have been the plants event I am thinking of then

Sounds good

Benjanss - I believe all the tanks in the places of people who were discovered with them, not just the tanks they were in, had all the contents (fish and plants etc) destroyed. They are still around though.

Not at all true. Some of those fish are more sensitive to changes in air pressure i.e. siamese fighters so if you time it when a cold front/thunderstorm is about to come through you will get a good spawn. Fish like cory like a cooler water change to get them spawning. But certainly no truth that they won't spawn in Northland. If it was a fish keeper who told you that then they are clearly doing it all wrong!

Yes to leak checking a tank before you set it up particularly if it's over about 20 litres - thats a significant amount of water to have deposited over your carpet/wooden floors. Best to leave over night. Rather than a bucket put your fish in a 60 litre bin from the warehouse and pop your filter/ in as well if you can or an airline. Then you can take your time. You can use bleach on your wood rather than boil it as well. Same with a lot of your plants. BBA is opportunist. Excel will keep it under control if dosed properly but some plants/fish don't particularly like it. It spreads by small pieces floating off and reattaching.

I think you should come and visit and have a look at my low tech tank. It's an AR980, stock standard lights and is looking great. I am in Epsom (Mount St John Ave) and you are welcome to visit any time. You can, if you want, also look at my high tech set up so you can see what is involved.

Amy, if you go to user control panel and add your location it will stop forum members assuming you are from NZ. Our biosecurity is very very tight over here

My blue mushroom relocated and is doing brilliantly well tucked under some rock. When it was out in the open it was turning more purple.

Yup 11am Rutherford Hotel on 27 January It's either short or there are several people doing the tours around the country.

It's about $13.50kg in the shops here in Auckland. Cheapest I have seen privately is $8kg.

In answer to your original question Reef - nothing has been received from MPI about this. They have been communicating re other matters but as yet, not this. Oh and thank you for the link

The top sticky of this forum is called 'The List'. If it's not on there then its not allowed in the country. If it is on there then it is allowed here so could be any of the following - is here, may be here, it may have been here but is no longer. Basically he cost of the individual species to purchase vs the demand or willingness of fish keepers to buy them limits what the importers will bring in.

They have been in the shops for sale within the past twelve months if that is any help.

6.5 - 7 sounds good however it may take some time to achieve stability that low. The one thing you don't want to do is use chemicals to drop it, they will cause swings which will weaken the fish. Dwarf gourami are pretty sensitive fish at the best of times so a stable pH among other things will be needed.