Kerryn

Thanks the-obstacle. I'm neither an importer nor an expert though & would love some feedback from others as to whether this summary is accurate or if I have completely missed the boat!

Thanks guys! Hi Ryan. Yes - I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to catch up before you left too. Fully understand how busy you were tho. Congratulations on the promotion! I certainly will get in touch if I'm up your way - would love to see your new fishroom Kerryn

Found this topic very interesting. At the risk of repeating what alanmin4304 has already said, it seems that the new proposals will reduce costs with regards to many species: Summary: New MAF Biosecurity NZ Import Health Standard For Ornamental Fish And Marine Invertebrates From All Countries: Draft 15-11-2010 • Quarantine period reduced from 6 weeks to 4 weeks for freshwater ornamental fish should reduce costs • Most of the additional pre-quarantine or quarantine measures for the newly defined ‘high risk’ freshwater ornamental species = testing of batches displaying signs of disease - which I presume has to be done under the current regulations anyway? No signs of disease = no testing required. And as before, if the importer can provide evidence as to an environmental cause for the health problems, diagnostic tests should not be required. Furthermore, if signs of disease are present, then specific tests for particular diseases based on specific symptoms will be carried out, rather than a full range of tests. To quote the draft: ‘Diagnostic efforts will be targeted appropriately, which will result in faster and more cost-efficient quarantine than the blanket enforcement of a broad range of compulsory diagnostic tests in the event of 20% mortality in any species’. • Species which are negatively affected (i.e testing/treatment must be carried out whether or not there are signs of disease): Livebearers Poecilia latipinna (sailfin molly) - batch or source population testing for iridoviruses Guppies, sailfin mollys, swordtails, platys - worming with praziquantel Characids Astyanax fasciatus (banded astyanax) & mexicanus (Mexican tetra/blind cave tetra) - worming with praziquantel Cichlids Apistogramma borellii, commbrae & pleurotaenia - batch or source population testing for iridoviruses Herichthys cyanoguttatus (Texas cichlid) - worming with praziquantel Cyprinids Capoeta semifasciolatus (= Puntius semifasciolatus - would be good if MAF could get this one right; chinese/gold barb) - batch or source population testing for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) - worming with praziquantel Puntius conchonius (rosy barb), denisonii (red line torpedo barb), gelius (golden dwarf barb) & ticto (ticto barb) - batch or source population testing for viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) - worming with praziquantel - nematode treatment using levamisole bath Carassius auratus (goldfish) - batch or source population testing for aquabirnaviruses, iridoviruses & Aeromonas salmonicida - verifiable certification of continuous separation from Cyprinus carpio (common carp) species or batch or source population testing for both cyprinid herpesvirus-3 (koi herpesvirus) & spring viraemia of carp virus - worming with praziquantel What is not specified in the draft is how many fish will need to be tested for a particular species if batch testing is required & obviously this will affect cost. HTH, Kerryn

Have been lurking/learning for a while & thought it was about time to introduce myself. At the start of this year I had no interest in fish :oops: but then got a job working with them and discovered an unexpected passion. I currently have an Elite Style 35 tank (Elite filter replaced by an Aquaclear 20, carbon replaced with ceramic media), partially planted (thank you ryanjury & Bilbo) with 2 female gold honey dwarf gouramis, a half grown female GBA & 8 baby GBAS (thank you Waterlogged - they're doing great). My 'new' (second-hand) 210 L Aqua One EuroView with Eheim 2213 canister filter should be up and running tomorrow - going to be home to my Nandus nandus & I'm not sure what else yet. And I have a 112.5 x 31.5 x 40 cm tank that needs some DIY but should be up & running soon - then I can transfer the gouramis & GBAS to roomier quarters and add some more cool fish. MTS anyone ...? :bounce: Kerryn