Goldie

I am in the perfect climate for such fish. Tell me more please. What size do they grow to?? What would be the requirements to keeping them in fishy luxery?? I am the sort of person who likes to know and plan rather then get a 'cute' fish or even 'correct' fish and find I am unintentionally being cruel. What does a banded kokopu look like?? Can you post a pic or two of the native fish you have?? The idea just never occured to me before.

There is also Pet World in Ferry Road. Maybe you could hire a car and do a mini tour

I am a little late ............. however welcome to Fishroom The Dunedin tank parade is well worth the effort and I can still see Len's discus tank in my mind Absolutely wonderful. Other members also had beautiful fish and set ups. Again WELCOME

Well have you browsed the cichlid forum Matt. Some nice fish there. Looking forward already to your recent pics

it looks like the algae I get on my plants when I overfeed. However I am not an expert.

Is your tank well planted??? Plenty of plants for them to escape into may help. Agree with Caryl re getting more danios if possible. Have you tested the water for the PH levels and Nitrate/Nitrite levels recently??

adding my thanks and appreciation to all who took part in getting it out. Great reading and certainly kept close in my bookshelves. Brilliant job.

WORTH it though huh???????????

Matt the office tank is awesome. The plants are so healthy and it sure looks like an interesting tank to have in an office. Is the at home one is going to contain cichlids Just a guess by the decor. Thanks for sharing.

I agree with Caryl. Having meet some of them at last years' auction

Hi Matt. Welcome awwwwwwwwwww I could not get to that site .............sorry page cannot be found ............ is the addy correct?? I love looking at other ppls tank set ups

Caryl you beat me to it. oxygen weed is good. If it is for your sons' room would you consider some of the fake plants. I know that they look really realistic these days and the goldfish cannot eat them or dig them up.

Breeding Aquarium Fishes" by Dr Herbert R Axelrod assisted by Susan R Shaw "A small tank, well stocked with floating aquatic plants and receives a generous amount of sunlight. A dark bottom is recommended. Normal tap water, which varies from neutral to slightly acid. Aeration is not essential. Temperature should be relatively warm (75 - 81 F ) Condition male and female on choice freeze-dried foods until the female is full and the male is handsomely colored. In the evening place the male in a 10 gall well-planted breeding tank which is filled with 6 inches of water which has been aged about a day. The tank should be placed so that it receives large quantities of sunshine to encourage the growth of algae. The male will begin to build a bubblenest. The female should be introduced earluy the next morning and may help finish the nest. This species employs bits of vegetation - leaves, twigs & roots, as framework for the nest, forming a compact mass. When complete, it is several inches in diameter and often extends above the surface of the water. the male proudly spreads his fins and the pair enter into an embrace under the nest. Eggs are released and fertilized as they float aimlessly toward the surface. The male relaxes his embrace and quickly gathers the eggs and carefull places them into the nest. spawning is continued at frequent intervals until the female is exhausted of her store of eggs and then she is driven away. The male attends the nest alone. The tiny eggs usually number about 100 to 150 and hatch in about two days. the fry are free-swimming in two more days and should be fed small Infusoria. They are quite small and delicate at first and many starve. Supplement the Infusoria with freez-dried fry food." I have had no personal experience breeding these fish. How is your fish fry doing now???

Very pretty. I found the story interesting reading however I cannot help but wonder "What happened to the betta nests after these folk had taken the betta???"

If you pay a visit to a library I am sure you will find a book with the history of breeding guppies. I did have one and lent it out. Absolutely fascinating from setting up to breed, to the genetic coding and predicting the results of a cross mating.

one male three females works well. Soon there will be so many guppies in your tank A well planted tank seemed to ensure the survival of the off spring. Best of luck.

I feed my loaches shrimp pellers, blood worms spirulina tabs and flake. My plants in that tank are valleseria, Java fern I have six loaches and they spend a lot of time just playing around - even during the day. They are complete 'clowns" :lol: Sorry to hear about your broadleaf plant - maybe your loach is an artist and sees it as a blank canvas??? (joke)

ahhhhh Aqua I found a similar growth began on my valleseria when I was overfeeding (when I had angel babies) I pruned the affected plants and reduced the feeding and the 'problem' has almost disappeared. I hope yours is as easily solved. Good Luck.

In my experience it will take over the tank if left. SAE do attack it HOWEVER only when it is in the initial stages. Black hair algae is so nasty. I needed to strip down the whole tank and boil the stones and really treat the u/g filters etc and then set up again starting from the beginning to get rid of it. How are you going with it at the moment?

Welcome to the fishroom Tony. with the family interested you may be able to set up some breeding tanks to 'compliment' your decorative one :lol: Sounds really nice. Have you planted it and how is everything going. I found the initial cycling the hardest part of setting up.

I am fortunate in having a neighbour interested infish and she feeds them if I am away. I just leave the food in containers for each tank and note re removal of dead leaves, fish etc. Less rather than more is the key IMO My tanks are also on the understocked side as well so that helps too.

great article Pegasus. WHEW hat off to the humble goldfish.

Ok Lurch I am quoting from a book here as I have never actually breed them myself. "The male changes in colour, the yellow bands become a deep orange. The sexes need not be separated, but should be well conditioned on freeze-dried or live foods. The spawning group of five, two females and three males, works best. The breeding tank should be 10 - 15 gallons, large for such small fish, and well planted. The water should only be about 4 inches in depth and should be kept at a constant temperature of 78 F. There should be rocks forming caves or a small flowerpot placed on its side. Territories are chosen. The male, swims very excitedly and begins preparing the spawning area by sweeping over it with his body. The female will swim upside down, attaching the eggs to the underside of the flowerpot. the male loops up and fertilizes them. The eggs are laid over a period of four to six days, rather than a few hours. When 100 - 150 eggs are deposited, the female is driven off and she should be removed. The male assumes the role of the very protective parent, attaching himself to the wall in the center of the cluster, industriously fanning the eggs. Hatching is determined by the temperature. If kept at 75 F hatching will take place in five to six days. The eggs are large and sensitive to fungus; to protect them drops of 5% aqueous solution of methylene blue per gallon of water. The fry are free swimming in two to three days and should be started on Infusoria and new hatched brine shrimp." Well there you are - hope that you can clean something from that and good luck.

Welcome welcome welcome. I just adore the discus and angels. The tetras are great too. Like you I have found that with fish, one thing leads to another usually.

I want to add my voice to the Welcomes Great bunch of ppl here. I have one discus at themoment having just recently lost my other. So I too am looking at setting up a tank which will take at least two other discus with neons and rummy nose tetras. What sort of fish do you hope to get for your new set up??