Matt

Excellent work Sally and Caryl That's very generous and kind of you.

Hi Johannes and John, thanks for the info

Does anyone know where I can get lead plant weights like the ones plants from the LFS have attached? Can you buy lead sheets from somewhere and cut them to size? Thanks, Matt

Your size tank is fine, I just meant with that sized tank toxins will build up very quickly - hence the daily water changes. PH should be fine, as you said with the size of water changes you are doing it shouldn't be a problem -provided the water is from the same source. Good that you have some driftwood and Java Fern in the tank. Have you tried placing food in different parts of the tank and then leaving the room? You can even try an automatic feeder. He might come out to eat after you have gone. You can also try some sinking pellets that they will pick at. He will probably last 1-2 weeks without food?? But I'm not really sure. I wouldn't worry at this stage as he will probably be getting small amounts of food and should settle down and start eating soon. You are doing everything right as far as I can tell. Cheers, Matt

Hi, Some Discus are more jumpy than others, I don't think it matters what colour variety they are. I have found young Discus to be worse than Adults. They also get frightened easier when their water quality is not up to scratch. Your water changes etc are good but I would try doing 50-75% water changes for a few days and see if that helps, especially with your size tank. Make sure the water is at the same temp and ph as your tank. If it is a bare bottom tank you could also add some plastic plants or even some live Ambulia or Indian Fern weighted down with lead to make them feel more secure, and live plants will help with water quality. I had Ambulia and Java Fern in my bare bottom tank while rearing baby Discus. Cheers, Matt

Hi, Does anybody know of anyone with Turtles for sale at the moment? I am asking on behalf of a new pet shop in Auckland that is looking for some stock? PM me if you have any information. Thanks, Matt

Hi Johnny, I had the same problem with my baby discus a while back - losing 1 a day. I treated the tank for flukes with Liquid Prazi and the deaths stopped. See here for info http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/dronta ... 23656.html on where to get it, otherwise you can use droncit tablets. Cheers, Matt

I use Flourish Excel on my planted tank with nine adult discus and they are fine. I only dose at the recommended rate though and don't recommend double dosing as I have lost fish that way in the past. I would like to get a proper CO2 setup but in the meantime Flourish Excel is working well plus I no longer have any Black Beard Algae in the tank. I would recommend giving the Flourish Excel a go.

Hi Stu, In my Discus tank I have Rotala Macranda, Rotala Rotundifolia, Ambulia, Dwarf Sagitaria, Aponogeten Sp., Cryptocornes, Red Pinetree, Echinodorus Osiris and Echinodorus Amazonicus. They all grow well even at 30 Degrees Celsius. I have almost 1 watt per litre of light though and it will depend on your lighting setup and tank conditions as to what plants will do best, but the plants listed should give you and idea of what might work. Cheers, Matt

Hi All, What courier companies are you using at the moment? I need to get 4 Discus overnight from Auckland to Wellington. Thanks, Matt

Providing they are healthy and you have plenty of plants and some dither fish to make them feel secure, they will put themselves on display. Discus are pigs once they have settled in, and will normally come to the surface begging for food when they see you. Cheers, Matt

Hi Chrisa, Instructions are on the Aquaone Website, check them out here: http://www.aquaone.co.uk/documents/Canister.pdf Cheers, Matt

Hi Kelsta, The post you ar elooking for is here: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/dronta ... 23656.html Cheers, Matt

Hi Danilada, You need to give your water parameters i.e. temp, PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels to be able to make a proper diagnosis. Also with your water changes - how often and how much is changed each time and are you on town supply or tank water? When was the last water change done and when were the Discus added? To help in the mean time I would make a 50% water change straight away and cross your fingers. You may know this already but Discus need clean water and good food to thrive. I have a 450 litre Planted Discus tank with 9 adult discus. I change 50% of the water each week and they spawn every week after the water change. I hope your Discus makes it. Cheers, Matt

Hi Shaymis, It is not dangerous just annoying. It sounds like you have Black Beard Algae - see article here: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_algae.htm The easiest way to get rid of it is to pull the driftwood out, make sure there are no fish hiding it it or plants attached, give it a good scrub and pour boiling water over it. Any remaining algae will go red or white and fall off after a few days. You will need to fix the water conditions causing the algae otherwise it will come back. Cheers, Matt

Discus babies are now 5 weeks old and growing well, I have about 45 left around 2cm. They are getting twice daily water changes of 50-70% each time. I removed the parents a couple of weeks ago as the mother was leaping out of the water to attack my hand whenever I tried to clean the tank . I will be moving them to a bigger tank shortly. Thanks to a couple of people on this forum for the Praziquantel to clear up the gill flukes . Pics attached: Cheers, Matt

Hi Anthony, Try www.fishprofiles.com or for African Cichlids try www.cichlidforum.com , otherwise try a google search and see what comes up. Cheers, Matt

Hi Mitch, I have my light cord going out the side, between the filter and the light unit. Cheers, Matt

Hi Aaron, I have kept 6 Discus in a 100x50x50cm tank, 5 will be fine in your tank as long as you do twice weekly water changes of 40% or more. Don't buy really small discus i.e 3-4cm if you are going to put them straight into a planted tank as they need at least 3 feedings a day and lots of water changes to get them to grow properly without being stunted. Also make sure the Discus you buy are all the same size as the smallest fish will get picked on otherwise. As Caryl said you have too many bottom dwelling algae eaters in that tank, I would get rid of the Clown Plecs and the 4 whiptails. They create a lot of waste and you will have water quality problems and end up killing the Discus. I would also leave out the Black Widow Tetras as they will be too boisterous for the Discus, and just go for 12 Rummy Nose Tetras instead. An Aqua One CF1200 will be suitable for your tank. This is what I would have: 4-5 Discus Pair of BN 6 Sterbai or Panda Cory 1 Pair of Blue Rams 12 Rummy Nose Tetras Cheers, Matt

I would do a large water change before you start dosing the Flourish Excel and make sure you only double dose the regular dosage and not the initial large dose. Keep a close eye on your fish and if they show signs of stress do a 50% water change immediately. I lost a few fish last time I tried to double dose. If the Black beard algae is on your rocks and driftwood you can pull the affected items out and pour boiling water over them which gets rid of it pretty quick - don't try this on plants or the tank though . Cheers, Matt

Awesome Purplecatfish, thanks for that information

Help needed please! Discus have now been free swimming for two weeks, I have been doing twice daily 50-70% water changes, rinsing one of my two sponge filters each day and scrubbing the walls and bottom with a scrubbing brush every few days plus feeding Baby Brine Shrimp, finely chopped Discus Tucker and crushed Colourbits morning, lunch and night. I am starting to lose 1-2 babies a day. They sit on the bottom of the tank, breathing heavily and then I find them dead in the morning. I have lost five so far with another sitting on the tank floor this morning. Does this sound like gill flukes or some other problem? Please advise on treatment required. It only affects one baby at a time. I haven't been that careful with the Brine Shrimp and a few eggs have ended up in the tank on a few occassions. I have some Droncit tabs being sent to me which should arrive today and I also have half a bottle of Masterpet Cure Ex on hand. I can get some Liquid Prazi but not until after this weekend. Updated pics attached: Thanks, Matt

Awesome Zev, love the cube tank and Nemines nice Anubias! I don't use Co2, I don't think I could keep up with the pruning if I did. Lighting on my 450 Litre Tank is 1 x Aquaone MG1000 which has 2 x 6500k 150 watt MH and 4 x 18watt 7100K PL Flourescent. My old 250 litre was just 4 x 3 foot flouro tubes - 2 x Phillips 6500k, 1 x NEC and 1 x Gro Lux, all from an electrical wholesaler. For fertilisers I use Flourish & Flourish Iron, but will be switching to PMDD when I run out. Cheers, Matt

Looking good Dimebag, nice Discus. Only thing I would change is to move the Star Grass to the back as it should grow right to the top of the tank - see slightly left of the middle of my 450 Litre Tank. Heres my 450 litre Planted Discus Community Tank from a couple of months ago (has had a major pruning since this pic was taken): My old work ar980 215 Litre Planted Community Tank that got vandalised: and my old 250 Litre Planted Discus Community:

Hi, Does any one know if the brine shrimp eggs on Trade Me are any good? I am looking at the 5 star and Koral brands from these auctions: http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 15.htm?p=1 http://www.trademe.co.nz/Home-living/Pe ... 33.htm?p=5 What brands is everyone else using, what hatch rate are you getting and where do you get them from? Cheers, Matt