Malawimad

:oops: Sorry Caryl, will move them inside tonight Sorry to sabotage your post but... I am confused now!! Really did not know that. Except for minnows never gave cold water fish any thought before a week ago. will have a chat to the guy who sold them to me this weekend, just shows how much you don't learn when you neglect the fnzas website for a year or two!! Have there been any posts on this topic? "coldwater but not coldwater fish" like these guppies? If they not cold how do they get around white spot?

I got some coldwater guppies with my leopards, thought they both livebearers and cold water, just took it for granted they go together only got them for about a week now they still swiming around merrily. :bounce:

Thats a pitty! nothing beats a koi pond but I can understand, seen those monsters in lake pupuke. So what happend to all the koi that was in the country or were they never allowed?, thought some grew to 20yrs old Comits would be the next best thing got a month or two to research the fish stocks

Thanks for all the advise, had a look at Caryl's escavation WoW! Big project. Thanks for setting the standard!! Yip, just bought 10 leopards they very small!! Thought of incorperating Three stacked 60cm cube 10mm Tanks (Waterfall visual effect), for the smaller fish (Leopards and indigeneous fish) and thick with plants. Then two ponds, Starting with a smaller pond stocked with Orandas with a 1metre river and leading to the Bigger pond with Jap. Koi (Hav'nt seen any around though) and maybe a brigde aswell (Filtre underneath), Ok I getting carried away :bounce: but I can't wait to get started, will have to build it phase by phase!! I am Planning to put in a UV filter, gona get another 4000litre pump, not sure how its all gona come together but... My property is sloped so I will try and design a gravity fed biological and Solid particle filtre inbetween ponds and pump the water back up with 2 x 4000L pumps. looking at +/-2000 Litres of Pond, Any ideas of filtre material? I am going to have to get a net or something to cover the pond as I have a Big Oak tree shedding tons of leaves as we speak, also I have seen birds bombing shoals of fish in the waitemate from me porch So where would you say the best place on the shore (Besides this forum) to get pond and pond planning advice?

Been through the circle of fish! Gold fish - :lol: Guppies - Malawi's - Discus - Now my new interest, Cold water exotics!! Been interesting reading all the links to Leopards etc How exotic does cold water get? Have seen a few indiginous fish in the shops might through them a pond to try and breed them. As I moved to a smaller place with a Big section, I am in pond building mood. I have exhasted the Library and have an idea of what I am going to create any words of wisdom? Things I need to know: What should the filtration consist of? (Bio blocks, solid, biological) Got a 4100Lhr Pump how much litre pond could I have, will stock small showling fish and plants How do fish escape Preditors? Like Birds and cats? Any ideas to build a cheap pond? Will appreciate any feedback!

So sorry about your tank!!! Sad for the fish though My biggest oops!!! was stacking my 4ft with large rocks on top of gravel in my Malawi tank!! A "Time Bomb" that exploded (Full sense of the word) Not only on a 12cm male cobolt, whom I think dug the bottom out, but through the front pain onto the carpet with all the contents and +/- 10 malawis!!! The best part!! I was away for the weekend!! Ouch!! Yip!! a fresh smell awaited me as I opened the door!! The letters leaves (weekend food) was baked and poor fish (dried out) was found metres away from the scene, New carpets and on the bright side that new 6ft tank I always wanted. Moral of my disaster, If you want a bigger tank... !!! Sorry if I sounded insensitive, I only read the last few pages now!! Trusses or bridges, bottom and top are very important in those large tanks!! I know the feeling!! especially when you loose those special ones!!

around 6cm. Think she's a good deal!

Jensins in Silverdale has a breeding size female at $40 something each. I almost bought the male, Good Luck once they breed they don't stop!! I decided to go (Mbuna rock dweller)

Thats what I would call a zebra (Pseudotropheus zebra)

I normly shake the female after a 1 & a half week (Very controversial method) as she goes very weak without eating, but had lots of practice (Mix results) with Egyptian mouth brooders (cheaper to loose). Maybe the best to do is to seperate her, let her hold the eggs for a week so that she can get "attached" to them. If she gets stressed by a net for example, she wil spit the eggs (Still can be hatched). Make sure the male is not bothering her, she will sit in a corner(top) if this happens. When catching her make sure that everything will happen quieckly to avoid stress!! Once in the "maturnity" tank provide lots off hidding, one day you will come and see her with all her babies, One of the most rewarding experiences is watching the fry rush and line up everytime there is danger so that the mother picks them up again!! If you intend breeding (even for hobby) , a Maturnity tank is great, you can subdivide it and keep a few females when young are swiming, throw females back and use it as a rearing tank, this is how I went from 1 tank (Present) to 30 takes within 2 years and over 20 species of malawi, Swoped inch fish for tanks and fish food (before I made my own). My aim now is to keep a balanced tank (without maturnity tanks) Just provide enough hide-out for the survival of the fittist who will grow in the tank. Having said all this its, its trial and error! I've had Frontosa females holding on to fry after only days of brooding, each female is different! Oops! think I need to keep my answers specific next time! Have fun! When your garage becomes a fish room, its a Profession, not a hobby anymore

Feed them Fat first (Females)!! You need at least a week, Blood worm, live foods you get it you feed it!! Within limits of course. then do the usual, re-arange the tank decore!! Put them in and watch them. If I remember you have 2 males, they might turn on each other aswell!!

Yip!! All the same accoding to an article in PFK-May 04!! SO, How much where and when!! Just set up a new tank!! Looking for pref. Adults 1 Male and 4 females please!! In Anticipation!!

Talk about Malawi''s LOL, Just joking! Looking forward meeting you all!!

Cool!! Fry for sale hee hee only joking, I unfortunately hav'nt got photo's but I got one up!! A video of them breeding!! As well as my interesting collection of Gadanga's(25cm) not sure there scientific name! I am moving to a bigger place so that I can enjoy my hobby to the MAX!! but will defnitly be at the North Shore meeting this Tuesday!!!

Sorry then, I must defnitely have my species wrong. cause mine being a peacock (red varient) were ruthless. one male always dominated even with 6 females! I made the mistake of feeding him a house fly and he died few days later, lucky for me one of the females was a hidden male and got its colours, thought they only get colours when dominant.