Ysolla

If you'd like, I can speak to our zoo vet and get some advice. We had a couple come in with a severe case of shell rot, and they got treated with silvazine to help shell regrowth and keep the wounds clean. They were also on a 6 week course of baytril, so thats a winner. I'll email the photos to her and see what she says.

So would I - I love my Honeys! I'll post a pic when I get home from work tonight.

He's in a separate tank and I'm off to get meds today. I've never come across dropsy before, but he looks fairly pinecone-ey so I won't hold my breath. Gotta try though!

Actually, I hate to admit it but I think he has dropsy.

It's too little to tell, but I'd hazard a guess at male.

Hmm, could be. Though noone else has a problem, but none of them are as round as him either. Will watch and see. Thanks!

One of my Red Honey Gourami is behaving a wee bit...oddly. Has anyone encountered anything like this/know what it's about? Basically, its spending a lot of time chillaxing on a leaf. Breathing is normal, eyes move normally, all that jazz. It just spends a heap of time resting its sternum on a leaf and generally hanging about. It's looking a bit round, but nothing to suggest its so fat it can climb the stairs, or something to that effect. The other one is looking its normal svelte self - and it eats more than the round one. They aren't in a breeding situation, nor have I seen any mating behaviour or bubble nests, though my water has a pretty high current so they may not be able to build one, even if they did try. Hmmm, the Pearls are looking a bit round too... I'm new to fish, so it may be nothing, but better to know that than not. Weird fish.

Yeah, UV can affect reptile eyes, but it can be any type of UV - it depends on the percentage bulb you are using. 5.0s are probably a safer bet than the 10.0s if you are worried about it. I use 1 bulb per enclosure at work (we also use Repti-glos and have no eye problems), if the reptile has enough access to the light, its not a problem. But it's also important to have places to hide from the light too. But if you are worried about the UV eye thing, you could use Sylvania lamps. Up to you really. I'm sure there are plenty of people on here who use other brands and swear by them too, but I'm certain that the eye thing is a by product of artificial UV full stop, not just Repti-glo lights. Keep them on a decent photo-period of light - something similar to whatever its like outside.

Are you using Exo-Terra Repti-glo 5.0's or 2.0's? (forgive the mouthful) The only main thing to consider with UV lights is that the UV only penetrates about a foot down into the tank, so wattage is not really an issue except when it comes to the fittings for the light. So if you make sure your Beardie has access to areas close to the light, you'll be fine. I recommend 5.0's or 10.0's - though I'm sure there are plenty of other good brands out there. You can use a reflector for the UV, but it won't hurt if you don't either, IMHO.

You should know better than to take on a German!

Love the Madagascan photo - v. cool. Come introduce yourself to me next time you're in the Zoo (I'm Alpha 4 )

I only give reptiles salad once or twice a week anyway. Once a week over winter generally, twice in summer. In summer sometimes we'll chuck squash or apples in. Squash is brill! Mesclun is brill too, hold the spinach, Repto is right about that.

I have an Honours degree in Religious Studies from Vic, but I'm a Zoo Keeper Working towards getting some research done and some papers written, hopefully one step closer to Herpetologist, but discovering a passion for Aquascaping. Tis fun! Such a range of people and professions on here - its so awesome seeing everything you've done and do. I've been trained as a relaxation massage therapist, a barrista, and managed half of an early childhood education degree before I packed it in for Uni and Wellington (Gisborne is far to small).

Recommend grating the carrot and further chopping it up, then mixing it in with the mesclun salad. Which is truly awesome! Sometimes they get fussy about the mesclun, and the carrot is a nice sweet treat through it. If you don't chop it too fine then they still have to chew a bit, which is good. I also make up a fruit smoothie (only in summer though) and put a dollop in the middle with their supplements in it. Sure fire way of knowing they get the supplement, and a wee treat for them too. Smoothie is usually a mix of banana, melon, small amount of honey, grapes, apple, pear. Hope Tequila hopes to get better, sending positive vibes!

I've heard of that stuff, may have to try it. Ta!

At work I use anything from sand to bark chip, rocks, peat, leaf litter, or just plain dirt (autoclaved to remove wormies, of course). Some enclosures have moss substrates on peat, and I'm experimenting with grass. A selection is always nice, though I try not to use sand too much for my Blue Tongues or Otago skinks, they tend to get cloacal problems if they only have sand. Hope that helps! Also: Mincie, your little dragon is gorgeous! I'll post a picture of my Bonnie sometime soon and see how he compares!

Hello! Thanks for inflating my want of another tank for a fighter!

170ltr tank, at the moment I only have a pearl gourami, some glass catfish and ancistrus. Trying to get some more Pearls, thinking of shipping from Christchurch as I haven't found any other options. Animates fish specials next weekend!

Jackson's Chameleons, as far as I'm aware, are not a containment species. But you do need permits to hold them. Any other chameleon species either is a containment species or doesn't even have ERMA approval, let alone an import health standard, but you can be sure that if they ever crop up, chameleons will be containment species. Most reptiles applied for that we don't already have will be containment from now on I believe.

Thanks guys! Hi Milena!

Hi! So I feel weird making a whole new thread just to introduce myself, but it has been recommended, so I shall do so. I'm new to the fish keeping thang, but loving it. This forum has been tops for help, you guys rock. I'm also one of the two Reptile Keepers at Wellington Zoo. Yes, I do keep the aquariums at work, so I'm not a complete rookie, but I'm still around the bottom somewhere, working my way up. So much to learn! Yet another reason I'm grateful for forums like this and people like you. Yes, you. So, if you ever find yourself in Wellington Zoo, drop me a line (and judge my tanks to your hearts content )

The reason African Frogs can't be in private hands is because of Chytrid fungus. If that gets into our waterways (any more than it already is) and we can kiss our amphibian population goodbye