jimbob

thanks guys. i thought it would work because when i opened up the unit (the person i got it from had cut all the wires so i needed to solder them together again) there were 2 circuits. one with a single tube, and another with two tubes in series. perhaps i could run two 45cm t8s? 13/14w it worked fine with one tube. i just wanted to know that it wasnt going to overheat or anything like that. ill just run it with 1 tube for a while and monitor it. thanks for the help

i got three arcadia t8 fluro ballasts (they say model ac36nz type C5) along with a filter i bought on trademe. they are rated for 36/38w tubes. anyways, i need to light a 2ft tank so thought that two 18w tubes in series would be the same as one 36w tube. so off to the hardware store i go and buy 2 $7 tubes. when i turn it on both of the tubes flash periodically (as they usually do when you turn on t8s) but don't stay lighted (i left it trying for about 30s before i turned it off. should this have worked? if not, can i make it work? if not, is it safe to just run 1 18w tube off this ballast? i would really prefer one tube anyway...

yeah, ramshorns should be fine. i need to go and get some more snails for my 2 as i fed them all my stash... my guys have been getting shelled prawns, mussels and snails so far... let me know what success you have in feeding other foods as i want to try them on new foods too yes, i think the hard food thing applies to all puffers (well all the ones ive looked at anyway, which isnt really that many )

also re growth time the author of that article said in an faq it generally took about 2 years for a gsp to get from 2 inches to full grown. I would not worry about the fish being stunted, brackish fish are generally very tolerant of changing salinities etc, due to swimming around in estuaries, but it will be healthier, and grow faster in the brackish water.

I dont know from experience, but id say it will be absolutely fine gsps are born in fresh water lakes, so they are in fresh water for a while, then they gradually migrate through the river and estuary and into the sea as adults. returning to freshwater only to spawn. my 2 cents is that it will be completely fine, but will definitely grow faster, be healthier and live longer if you acclimate it to a salinity around 1.010 now, and as it grows gradually raise the salinity to near full salt water.

Hi Henward, congrats on getting a green spotted puffer, they are cool fish. i got 2 about a month ago, a little bigger than your one. Yes, your green spotted puffers should be in brackish water, and should NOT be kept in fresh water, this will definitely slow down their development and make them generally less happy... (dont need to be full salt yet, when they are around the 4 inch mark you should consider putting them into full salt, but dont have to as such...) a great article on them is here: http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/library/puffers-in-focus/an-introduction-to-green-spotted-puffers/ at the size yours are you should probably have a salinity of around 1.010 to 1.015 (mine are sitting at 1.014 at the mo) do not instantly bring the salinity in your tank to this level but raise it by about .002 every week. To do this you just need to do a few calculations based on the dosing level on the back of the pack of salt you buy. if you need a hand with this then just reply and ill get back to ya. Another point, you should use the proper red sea or instant ocean salt mixes the marine people use, NOT standard "sea salt" or such from the supermarket. this stuff is expensive though, cost me about $70 for 10kg of it (treats 300l to full marine) so in the interests of cheapness 1.010 would be a good salinity, then the 10kg bag will treat approx 630 litres. im far from an expert but did a fair bit of reading when i first got my 2. good luck

great thanks afrikan :bounce: looks like it may be time for my least favourite game, the waiting... :-?

thanks for the suggestions guys, and thanks for the offer wok. i have decided that i would ultimately like some daffodil pulchers will post in the trade and exhange section. afrikan, when your little ones grow up please contact me as if i havent got any by then id be stoked to get some of yours (if you are willing to ship...) Cheers, Ben.

hmmm... could do. think im down to deciding between pulchers or bricardi at the mo tho...

i dont really know any fishy people... hehe. although some of the guys at hollywoods in mt roskill remember most of my fish and ask after them... hmmm... maybe i go there too often?

hmmm... after looking around a bit id like to try either some daffodil pulchers or brichardi or something similar... anyone know how much a pair of either of these is likely to set me back?

oooohhh... like the idea of brichardi or blue acara...

Hi Guys, I have an 85cml x 25cmw x 50cmh tank which is currently housing a pair of angels and their wrigglers. When the fry are bigger i will move them to another tank and put the angels back in my 4ft tank, or give them to a friend. just wondering what is a nice easy to breed, semi interesting cichlid that will be low maintenance (well relative to breeding fish), and happy to breed in this size tank. what i had in mind was a pair of convicts, or maybe a mouth brooding african fish like the electric yellows. anyone got any other suggestions? particularly african fish as ive never had any of those before so would be keen to try Cheers, Ben.

Hi Eclaire, now im not the expert like alot of other people here, but i kept: 1 x 10cm goldfish 1 x 10cm fantail 2 x cories 3 x borneo sucker fish 4 x long finned danios in a 60x40x40 cm tank (96l but about 80l of actual water) for about 4 years with an internal filter that did about 500 l/h and with about a 25% water change every week (or 2 when i was a bit lazy... ) These were very happy and very healthy fish. The goldfish was about 10 years old when i gave him (or her) away last month. I'd say this would be a good size for you with your fish plus a few extra corries

Thanks guys hey snookie, i stuck some "food sticks" to the side of the tank yesterday and the archer is awesome at shooting them bang on. I stuck the lowest one about 6cm off the water line a bit too well, after the archer shot it 3 times and it didnt come off he got annoyed and jumped up and ate it very cool to watch.

hmmm...will try that in tonights feeding

hey! i havent really tried it yet, i put some random insect which annoyed me by flying into my face on the plant, and it is not longer there or to be seen anywhere, so perhaps? i am kinda lazy at catching insects (hence why i stopped keeping frogs many years ago) but want to try and get it eating them

Hi all, i'm new here, so am showing you pics of my tanks to introduce myself please have a look at them here: http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/here-v ... tml#269338 and tell me what you think Ben.

howdy i am a full time student / part time worker / part time fish tank looking after & constantly rearranging guy with multiple tank syndrome... ive currently got a 4ft main freshwater tank with a bgk, 7 clown loaches (will be looking to get rid of 3/4 of these guys sometime in the very near future to make room for the 'growing up' fish) a fire eel, 3 angels, 2 bristlenoses and 2 butterfly (bolivian?) rams. a 3ft grow on tank with 4 little discus, a little borneo tiger, an ornate birchir, sengalus birchir and 2 little bristlenoses, basically most of those are ready for the 4ft tank when i make more room for them... i also newly acquired some brackish fish from snookie :bounce: in a 180l 3ft tank i have 2 green spotted puffers, an archer fish and a spotted scat. as the puffers are nearing 4 inches i am currently looking into converting this tank to marine and moving the scat and archer... oh, also my angels keep laying eggs so for the first time last night i put the eggs in a 2ft bare tank with a small powerhead attached to a sponge filter blowing over them, and i put some of the blue stuff in there as apparently that helps to stop them getting the fungus... damned mts... 8)

gone to me ha, my first post... ps they are happy and i fed them a prawn today hmmm...think ill have to go post an introduction...