Sophia

I have been a fisher-wo-man and I admit I have never caught a snapper over 42cm, but it pains me to see them catch the big old snappers on those fishing shows - yes it's a big trophy fish, but it seems unnecessary unless you and your family really are starving and are going to eat it all for tea that night. I think there should be an upper limit size too

notate

Yes the big one looks like a mite in body shape. I wondered if it was some sort of killer beetle but I haven't seen it catch anything and doesn't seem to chase anything either. Maybe it eats at night or much smaller critters. I will see if any of the libraries have that book - I am lucky to have the resources of the uni library available too, sounds like something they would have. edit - yes the library has that book :happy2:

I have twisted val in my tank that gets 5 or 6 hours of 8 watts only a few centimetres away from the tallest parts, and it survives but has been slow to establish. So far no runners and it's been some weeks. This is compared to when I had it in a different tank with 12 or so hours of T5 lighting + daylight, then it was almost crazy like a weed untill I killed it with Excel. In that tank I also had an anubias nana and it put out a leaf occasionally, I called that average growth. Every time I put the driftwood it was attached to under the light it got green spot algae so I had to put it in a corner where it got staghorn instead . It was rehomed to one of Adrienne's tanks, I don't know how it has behaved since then. So my experience is not with less brightness but with less hours but you get the gist 8)

In other news, I moved the 2 surviving shrimp from the killie tank back to the bug tank, and they seem quite happy. No sign of the 3rd shrimp, presumably the one that died was the one that was trying to lie down in the bug tank when I plucked it to 'safety' and it died anyway. So the survivers went from stream to container, to rain water tank, to slightly salty killie tank, and back to partially water changed bug tank. Hardy little critters, very interested and alert. Found a green hydra, actually saw it trying to catch an ostracod - ostracod went up to it, next thing ostracod leapt away like it had been burnt (stung). Also I see there are some much fatter daphnia in among the others, these I presume are pregnant so that's good news for bug farmers :happy2: Also trying to ID a swimming beetle. I don't think it's a diving beetle, it's round and black like a katipo spider with similar markings in pale colour and you can see the legs scampering away under water. About the size of a dressmakers pin head is the biggest.

the expression on that egg says it all

shoddy

lucky

rye

alligator

Raining in Auckland. I am isolated in my house due to crap outdoor design that causes flooding outside all external entry doors :roll: luckily I still have a few big pieces of toblerone to keep me occupied :bounce:

still good puppy photo?

change 'friendly' to 'feeed meeee' - it's all a ruse, they are just like cats, only your friends till dinner is over :lol: keep an eye on the top and underside fins for a definite red stripe along, then you know if they are girls or boys

chimbu

+1 copepod finally got one

chase

Garage tank set up – all available space utilised! No more oxygen weed, added small sponge filter and clip on 7watt 6500K light for 12 hours a day Caught more daphnia and ostracods today, and 2 or 3 swimming beetles that I am yet to figure out what they are. All bugs seem much more active with the filter and light on and the water boatmen seem to shoal in the current (though not happy if I turn the bubbles up :nilly: ). Temperature sits around 20 degrees during the day without a heater. Hydra have not seemed to grow in numbers so I'm not so concerned. I've squashed a couple on the glass to see if they try to emerge again.

enough earthquakes already! :nilly:

How curious - there is a mini water boatman swimming along with an ostracod stuck to it's head. It goes boing boing boing along and then his head sinks like 'you're heavy!' Unless the ostracod is slowly sucking the other dry or some other slow death, there isn't any other sign of difficulty on the part of the boatman.

everyone still alive as far as I can tell bought filter, light, pump today for home improvements

muppet ballerina birds :love: hard to imagine that pink fluff turns green I hope you keep this updated with their colour changes Joe (please)

which fish is that that comes from the right to check out supper and then swims over the top of everyone haha

i like the c.willissi crypt

cool, thanks. I bought a light, pump and sponge filter today but forgot a check valve so will get one of those and a gang/T valve later. Now no more hijacking this thread! :nilly:

they look like like some kind of critter from the Muppet Show I think you are trying for a choccy fish award with all these awww photos