David R

I've been doing big weekly water changes on big tanks with clown loaches for years without any ill effects. Never seen the water drop more than about 5*C.

They did have a small onein there last time I was there. www.monsterfishkeepers.com has a forum for datnoids.

Thats why I asked, I'd rather just have something I can plug into the mains.

I usually paint the back of the tank satin black using cheap spraypaint from supercheap auto or the warehouse. Looks great, and is dead easy, just make sure the glass is really clean! I forgot to do my 4' before I set it up and I'm still kicking myself.

Especially considering it'll be on for an hour max at night, thats well over a years use!! 8)

Do they need to run on a 12V power supply? Is there any 'normal' red bulb I can buy that will fit a bayonet or screw fitting?

Also don't forget the over-seas shops aren't going to be much use for buying fish, helping with questions, etc. Support the local shops!!!

Bought three, seperated them about a month later as they were getting territorial. That looks like a good size tank for one adult, I wouldn't suggest trying to keep them together in anything that small, especially if you're not sure of their sex..

I'd like to set up a night light on my 4' tank so I can watch my ornate bichir eating at night. Does anyone know where I'd get a bulb that produces red light? (it is red light they can't see at night isnt it??)

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forum ... php?t=8952

I got mine from Sim too, he's really helpful and knowlegeable. Ours are starting to colour up nicely. Best breeder I looked at in Auckland by a long shot.

I tried the sliding door thing with my bearded cichlids, butI found it hard to open the doors without losing almost all the water. They're back in a 'normal' tank now. :lol: Where are you getting it from??

I just came home to find the uaru in my 3' tank has bad whitespot, and the loaches look like htey've got it a little too. None on the palmas tho, so thats lucky. Just dosed it and turned the temp up, now off to the LFS for some salt...

I've changed the substrate in two tanks without removing the fish. If its fine enough you can use a big hose and suck it out like a water-change. Catch it in a pillow case and recycle the water if you don't want to change it all. Otherwise you can just scoop it out, and tip the new stuff in (make sure its thoroughly rinsed).

Yup, currently sitting unused in a shed somewhere out of whangarei, I hope. Haven't even seen it for a couple of years now.

Hows this for creative?? Made from old jarrah power poles, with copper from an old hot water cylinder covreing the middle parts. There's a matching hood thats not in the photos. It weighs a ton, but is solid as a rock!! The only downside is that when my friend built it, he forgot that in any other location you wouldn't be able to access the back, so it needs to be re-designed with some doors.

Don't you get a staff discount??

There's a lot of discussion/confusion regarding a variety called Polypterus senegalus meridionalis, which can supposedly reaches lengths of 20"+. There's been a few topics about then on the Poly forum at MFK. Most 'authorities' consider P. senegalus meridionalis to be a synonym for P. senegalus senegalus and lump them together under that taxon. Meridionalis is probably not a valid subspecies and that these larger fish are simply a jumbo population of P. senegalus senegalus. If he gets to 30cm you're doing well, and I bet it'll be pretty fat by that time too!! 8)

How are the tetras etc getting on with the aro's?? :lol:

Good advice. And BTW he's not even half grown yet, they can get up to 2' long!

Red ones?!? Which shop? They seem to be ok in bigger groups, they probably develop some kind of pecking order, but I've found when there's two together one usually gets picked on by the other.

I'll be interested to see how they get along with each other as they grow up. I had no luck keeping two together, and neither did a friend. Maybe two growing up together could be different, or maybe you need a larger group of them.

Will it still work if you have no other plants in the tank?

Uaru's eat it. And then start eating the driftwood its growing on!! They do miss bits tho, so I might have to give some of that stuff a go.

Thats more like US prices. If only we got the other species that cheap.....