Cricketman

used to have in S.A, they don't take much to look after, just some good variety of veggies and a safe place from dogs.

how do women find time to sew/knit/craft... Shouldn't you all be in the kitchen or the bedroom??? :digH: :digH: :digH: :digH: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: /Duck for cover

Dried daphnia are readily available from most LFS. Because that is soooooo much better... (also I find "class" a little juxtaposition) I'll admit that fish can go a surprisingly long time with little or no food, (still doesn't make it right) but tadpoles, I am surprised they survived. again, purposeful removal of an organism from its habitat (no matter how you try justify it ie. motorbikes) knowing that you are not going to be able to look after them, and knowingly expecting them to be left to die (and you admit you fully expected them to) is cruel in my humble opinion. If you were expecting them to die, then how is the fate with the motorbike any different? if anything, a slow, starving death in a tank that would be fast filling with Ammonia and nitrites as the other tadpoles die around them seems a hell of a lot worse than squished by a motorbike... Yea, as kids we all had things we shouldn't of, and we killed countless snails, tadpoles, birds even, but that was usually without parental consent, and we didn't know any better. You should though, and should be setting example. Just my opinion, I could care less if you disagree or have any further "justification" :thup: edit: Oh, and the New Zealand Animal Welfare act 1999: So be glad they didn't die. I can hear the clamouring " they're just tadpoles" But it doesn't matter, its an animal... deal...

had you witnessed them prior to sale at full extension??? You should know by now, not to buy anything until you've seen them eat, (in the case of inverts and fish), observed them over a couple weeks, and seen them fully extended and bright... Not saying that Wonderworld lied to you, but it MAY be a way of shifting a dud specimen on a unsuspecting and (obviously) under-informed, member of the public, by saying the polyps are contracted due to a "power-cut".... I hope it is not the case (I expect that wonderworld has better service and civic duty than that) and that they do come out for ya, but take it as yet another lesson. :sage: EDIT: :facepalm: yea, that too...

So no Bow at all then... :thup: :rotf: :digH:

The issue with Nano, is that there is less water to buffer against changes in levels (pH, Temp, KH, GH, salinity, NO2/3, NH4,etc) and with marine there are alot of other factors that you have to consider in this. Once you get over 200L and even more so after 300 or 400L, the tank becomes almost becomes self-sustaining... Also consider that with a nano, your going to be relying on water changes for export of these nutrients to prevent algae outbreak, unless you have a algae scrubber or a large refugium with macro algae. also consider whether you'll use Natural sea water (NSW) or Artificial (ASW, the likes of red-sea pro). Natural sea water is easy to get, easy to store, but you run the risk of what is in the water when you collect it (usually at high tide, when the water is at its cleanest). ASW means that you may have to buy extra nutrients to add to the tank (usually trace elements like strontium and boron) ad the associated test kits so you don't over-do it... NSW is my preference, as it is for a lot of locals in the bay, as it already has these trace elements in the right amounts. To be honest, by the time you've bought all the gear for the nano, skimmer, filters, live-rock, sump etc, there really isn't going to be much of a jump to a decent size tank that is going to give you more stability. And, if you collect NSW, it makes the cost a lot less, just need a few decent water containers. If you are dead-set on Nano, go for the biggest sump you can fit/afford to allow you the extra water. HTH :thup:

how thick is the glass? At 30cm high, your not going to have much water pressure at all, i doubt that you'll get much bow... supposing your at least 8 mil... :thup: How I miss Barrie... :spop:

Did ya get discount? That one looks about 20% off... :digH: :thup: oh, and 1000 posts... :happy2: only took 5 years :facepalm:

probably a giant "shield shell" (Scutus antipodes) - most photos on the net show it with its "shield" exposed, which is not always the case, they normally have a thin "skin" over it. Again, that one is the biggest that I have ever seen! Most people mistake them for a Paua without their shell. Though could be a type of sea- hare, too.

60% water changes would help... :facepalm: RTFA Marine aren't THAT unstable, it all about striking a balance, and honestly the more water you have, the more stable they become.

Had malaria 3 times growing up in Zim/SA... :thup: DO NOT RECOMMEND :sick:

Okay, it sounds bad, well, it is bad, BUT!!! Don't let it put you off, long as your mindful of whats going on around you, and realise your not in kansas anymore, you shall be sweet. :thup: It is a Beautiful country, with much to see and do, Cape town, Durban, Port Elizabeth are all much better cities. I'm from Jo-burg, where it is at its worst... :facepalm:

Each to their own. Everyone has their reasons to cull, or not. Personally, I'm a whack on the concrete type myself, But I can respect people who want to go that extra bit to do it with clove oil or vodka....

clove oil, get it from your pharmacy, can't remember dosage, but that is what teh search function is for... :thup:

driving round africa, do not leave doors unlocked, and DO NOT stop to buy things at the lights from street vendors... they will just as likely smash and grab your purse and or bags. watch out for retard taxis, they are even worse over there as they are largely un-regulated. other than that, ENJOY! :thup:

We all said if it need surgery take to vet or put it out of its misery. That was the advice you ignored, from many professionals(I myself am a marine biologist). When it became obvious furan wasnt working, vet should of been next. Not diy surgery. fish n chips holds no relevance. At all to this case. You did not protect your animal or its welfare, in fact, you inflicted more damage and stress. There is obviously no point continuing this. Caryl, in all honesty, i believe this thread should be removed before people start thinking that this carry on is acceptable to FNZAS, or worse, attempt it themselves.

Hope next time you have an operation they forget your local aenesthetic... To do that to your animal you claim your attatched to, you should be ashamed... Result or not, that is disgusting and borderline animal abuse... I worry that someone is going to see what you have done and try copy. This thread should be thrown into the depths of hades. You can read it when you get there.

Trick is to put em in a buket of clean sea water overnight, helps get the little bits of grit out. Those crabs, theyre called pea crabs, they have some sort of symbiotic relationship with the mussel, though biologists have theories, no one can prove how they get in there or the exact symbiosis... They dont harm the mussel in any way, though.

clamped fins means she still not feeling well, though feeding suggests that she must either be getting hungry, or feeling better at least. Just keep your eye on her, and keep the water changes up.

They can (read: most) get aggressive at breeding time and hold the rest of the tank hostage at one end, not allowing them near the nest site in any dimension. Though having said that, if you were to get a pair of females, or males, this function would no longer be necessary. Then again, If your tank is big enough, shouldn't be too big an issue either.

They should have printed somewhere a BB date. On packaging or leaflet or on bottle itself, or even a week code and year. ie "32/10" Failing that... Google what the solution is, and then Google its lifespan. :dunno: Good luck :thup:

hex?/ hole in the head? :dunno: Doesn't quite look right to me, though I haven't had (touch wood) a lot of experience with that. could be a flagellate type parasite? salt will help if it is. They look raised which may lean toward a flagellate type or skin fluke, they make a sac under the fishes skin where they feed directly from the bloodstream (A lot like white-spot). I can't remember remedy offhand. Though if it is, you would see them moving (change in shape of a "spot" or length as you previously described, either over time or visibly moving). Add salt in the mean time, this should at least slow it down till you can get a better idea. A closer profile photo, and one head-on will help, too.

:happy2: :thup:

Not all internal worms have external symptoms. I did mention temp earlier, and assumed this has been checked. Ryan is quite right, it may be a hex, but again, little to no external symptoms until an infection is well underway. Probably could of made it clearer, but any treatment should be done in hospital tank to reduce impact on display tank parameters and have controlled exposure to medication, as wel as reducing the amount of meds you use (saves money and time). Also makes a 50% w/change easier if there is a bad reaction from the fish (rare, but better to be prepared)

That is why you bide your time and play at a higher level than your aggressors. Put your energy into thinking rather than fighting. There are ways that you can get your own back without resorting to violence, and usually, without getting it come back on you. Your obviously a smart kid, and bullies are usually far weaker people than they willing to admit, hence they bully to make themselves feel a sense of grandeur. Hang tough, end of the day, you'll always be teh better person. :thup: