Joe

Hi people, I would like to know if ADA Amazonia substrate is worth ordering from Australia or if I should use peat instead. I was reading a book and it recommended clay like substrates (I've got some Dalton's Aquatic Mix) and peat. But then I saw that ADA stuff on the internet and it looks good! So what should I use - peat or the ADA stuff? Please help me!!! Joe

No I'm looking at the ugly green one. The cane toad is just as bad. By the way, the pictures are nice. Good quality to. I still disagree! Whistlers are small, with big, round dark eyes. They are sooo small and cute. The White's looks like he's been eating too many potato chips and loading the pounds on! His skin's all slimy looking (although it probably isn't in actual fact) and his eyes are dull and expresstionless. Whereas Whistlers look mischevious and cute.

I struggle to see how you like those frogs so much. Honestly, they look all wrinkled and shrivelled up with that flabby skin.....EWWWW! So you've all ready got a Whistling Frog. Cute aren't they. Small body, SMOOTH SKIN WITH NO WRINKLES, and big, cute froggy eyes. I know a place where there are literally hundreds of them. It is in this sub-alpine tussock valley around Lake Rotoiti in the Red Hills. There are a couple of large ponds that they breed in.

Ya do? :-? They look like they have lots of tumerous growths or something! (Although they haven't really). Their skin is all flabby!! If you want cute, how about Whistling Tree Frogs? These are in New Zealand, introduced from Aussie, and they aren't a pest. I have kept them before (they aren't protected by DOC) and they make GREAT pets! They grow to about 4cm. They like flies, midges and all those buggy things. It is a good idea to keep them with a bit of water to swim in and lots of small mosses and ferns, and small emersed plants that grow about 10cm high with dense growth. Dark pea or fine gravel makes an ideal substrate.

How about Peckotias? I don't know why someone hasn't already mentioned this. http://www.u2u.idv.tw/stone/htm-e/PLECO/pleco.htm Have a look on this site. A lot of catfish on here get quite big, so just look at the Peckotia sp. They stay small. A suggestion of an exact sp. that looks nice is Peckotia sp 'L288'. It is very colourful, grows no bigger that 15cm, and has an unusual swirly stripy pattern. There are tonnes more Peckoltias still being discovered. They are all peaceful, and need soft water with a pH of 4.5-6. Their temperature requirements are 25-29. Preferably around 27-28 as most Amazon catfish and other species in the area thrive in these temperatures. I've got Golden Bristlenoses and Kitty Tetras (a peaceful schooling Amazon tetra) and keep them with a soft pH and preferable temperature and the Kitty Tetras are spawning! If you keep Peckoltias, make sure their tank is densely planted (I'm sure you won't have a problem with this!). Then they might breed. Not many Peckoltias have been bred in captivity, but there breeding is probably similar to that of other small catfish (like Bristlenoses). Caryl's Bristlenoses just breed on their own accord in her tank, so if you do end up choosing Peckoltias you may have some succsess!

Hi everyone, Does anyone know what the coppery-yellow plant is in the first photo on this page? http://www.aquaculturesg.com/article.php?aid=2 Thanks, Joe

They are soooo cute!

Cool tank. Maybe some sparkling gouramis in it for variety?

Well I have soft water anyway so I won't need to worry about that. I can't wait for those Black Neons! They're going to be great for my tank with the soft water.

It was the only thing wrong in my tank. The water conditions were perfect, and the water was crystal clear. I was only told it was columnaris AFTER everything was killed. I only have 3 Golden Bristlenoses and 5 Kitty Tetras (Hyphessobrycon heliacus) left from that tank. Apart from the tri's, I also lost HEAPS of Flags including my breeding pair, most of my Kitty Tetras, a Kuhli Loach, and 5 beautiful Hemigrammopetersius caudalis (Yellow-tailed Congo Tetra). I really want some more trifasciata. The ones at Redwoods were the normal ones, as there are many subspecies, all which are slightly different and have shorter dorsal fins (which I don't like. That's why I prefer normal tri's. Also they have a nicer blue.) and some have red/purple colouring. I bags any trifasciata at Redwoods (or anywhere else if they are nice fish) when I go down to Christchurch for conference!

Are you talking about normal bitaeniata or orange ones?

I would love to know if these are availible. Two red subspecies of bitaeniata that I've heard of are A. b. "Orangeflossen" and A. b. "Rio Momon". They are really nice, and I would want to buy some if they are availible. To me they are somewhat nicer looking than normal bitaeniata.

Cool. Thanks.

I lost my BEAUTIFUL pair of Apistogramma trifasciata when I had a freak columnaris attack. They were the true trifasciata too, and not a subspecies. They looked practically identical to this pair... http://www.aquabase.org/member/album/pi ... C_full.jpg I really need to get another pair, 2 if possible. They are just sooooo pretty!

Could somebody please answer my question about CO2 resistant airlines and joints?

My tank is on a strong, sturdy desk, and my tank covers most of the desk, and there is no room for the bottle. I've been told by JenniferH that the bottle must be placed well below the tank, so I have it by my filter wrapped in a towel. By the way, my mum notices everything!!! Can you get airlines and joints that are CO2 resistent and are they realitivlty cheap? I'm not feeling to well today, and I thought what a good time to rome around the forums. I'm having the whole day off school next week, so I have time to clean aviaries and pigeon lofts ect. and pack for conference. So we can leave whatever time suits you, as long as it's not too early.

Ok. I'm not sure if mum would want me having 2 seperate bottles and using more yeast and sugar :lol: I could try using 1 large bottle for the 2 diffusers anyway and see what happens...

MORE QUESTIONS!!! Is it possible to get beetle counters or bubble counters (or whatever they're called) for DIY systems and are they nessecery? Also, would this work: Have a large CO2 fermentation bottle, and have a airline coming from it, then have one of those airline divider thingies and then have 2 airlines coming from it, and attach each of the two airlines to a diffuser and have one diffuser at each end of my tank? Or will I have to have a seperate bottle for each diffuser and airline? Could I have an electronic heat pad wrapped around the bottle to keep it warm to increase the CO2 production during the day, and then turn the pad off at night when I don't need the CO2?

P44, those diffusers that your sending me, can the disk be removed for cleaning?

If I ever did get a preassurised system, would I need a different diffuser?

I'm still going to do DIY because, as I've already said, I can't afford it and my parents wouldn't let me have one if I asked. They know nothing about tropical fish and plants, and every time I want to upgrade to something better, they say "Well, why do you need this? You've been fine until now..." and then they say no if I ask for that same thing again. So it would be the same with a preassurised Co2 system.

The whole point in the DIY system is that it doesn't cost heaps. The preassurised ones cost way too much, plus you have to fill them up every couple of weeks, and mum would never let me anyway because of the price. I couldn't afford one anyway. But DIY systems are just as good, and when you've got the right gear for them and got them running smothely, they are just as good as pressurised systems. Some people have beautiful tanks without co2, but I need it in my tank as I have ferns and mosses, which grow quicker with co2. At the moment, my tank is overrun with staghorn, black beard, green spot and cyanobacter algae. I have a plan in mind, and I'll deal to everything after conference once I've got some Flourish Excel. Then I can redo my tank, and add more bogwood so the ferns and mosses have more surface to grow on. So far I have Bolbitis heudelotii (only a tiny bit. I need more!!!), some Windelov (again, a tiny bit), Christmas moss and normal Java fern. I'm also planning on using anubias nana, so I need to get some of that too. Other plants that I've got that are going to be used are Sagattaria sp and mondo grass. I need to try and find some Cyperus helferi.

Cool. I hope it's not too expensive. Is there anything else that will improve my co2 system?

I have a DIY co2 system, and I have ordered 2 diffusers. I just wondered, is it nessecery to check the amount of co2 in my tank? It is 100cm long, 50cm high and 30cm wide and holds 150 liters. I did a bit of research and found these things called drop checkers. If it is nessecery to check co2 in DIY systems, then are drop checkers availible in NZ and what sort would I need (also what brands are best)? Is there anything that is better than drop checkers that sits in the tank that you can read straight away without having to do tests? Joe

Can you please post some updated photos of your tank? Thanks, Joe