Caryl

They may have honestly believed their information is correct and not deliberately told you wrong.

All my driftwood has come from the beach. I get mine from the river mouths on west coast beaches. It is usually native hardwood (rata or rimu) that has washed down from the rivers. It is already well waterlogged. All I do is wash it off with the hose to get the sand, salt and greeblies off it. You need to check there are no soft, rotting bits on it that will break off and float about the tank looking unsightly and eventually clogging the filter. Other wise it is fine. Some wood will not be so waterlogged so may need a bit of boiling to help it sink. Boil it for about 20 minutes in water which has some baking soda added. I believe this helps release air bubbles which stop it sinking. You must rinse very thoroughly after this to make sure all the soda has gone or it will alter the pH a bit.

I hear you shouldn't use Vaseline but it is all I have ever used and never had a problem :-?

Have you tried putting rocking stones around the pond? Cats do not like a surface that moves so a rock that tips when they stand on it puts them off.

I am going to try and walk into town (my injury actually improves once I manage to get moving). I just got a letter from ACC accepting my injury claim! :happy1: :happy2: Wasn't sure if they would - I went to the osteopath to treat a simple problem. They fixed it, but in the process managed to do way more damage than I had in the first place! I am now receiving acupuncture which I am sure is helping (and the deep tissue massage is wonderful) but it is a very slow process. Now I have been accepted by ACC I think I will go to the Dr and look into getting a cortisone injection if he thinks it appropriate. If I do, it will probably have to be done by a specialist guided by an MRI scan. I have been putting it off as I would rather have lots of little acupuncture needles than one great big cortisone one (especially as it will go into my butt!) and I had to wait for ACC to accept it so it was affordable. The original problem started the week before conference (last week of May) so, as you can imagine, I am heartily sick of the pain and distress it has caused. &c:ry

I would expect any shop that stocks the filters ought to be able to order the parts.

My lotus stays small for ages (also no ferts) then suddenly takes off shooting huge leaves to the surface. It then flowers and dies back again to repeat the process. You can cut off the longer stems. Lighting has an effect on their growth, or size, too. I am not keen on the filter/heater combo mainly because if one dies you have to get a replacement, either another combo (and double up on the bit that didn't die) or another piece of equipment in the tank. I prefer to be able to replace each separately.

Correct. You may not need it anyway

I thought most people raised it further than that as 25C is standard for a tropical tank anyway. The goldfish will cope. You may need to add an airstone if it starts gasping at the surface.

Yes, you will have to move the lotus as it will grow very large and take over! Are you able to move the left side log back further and a little more to the centre? It is hard to tell if it is back as far as it can go. That would make the tank look like it had more depth and possibly hide the filter a bit more. Sprite would certainly grow quickly and be used to cover the heaterstat.

I am not sure a fantail could go fast enough to catch a guppy. A comet certainly could, and would.

The minnows are actually happy in either cold or tropical. I have seen them living happily in both an unheated tank and in one at 25 degrees.

I would have thought so too as it is a colour morph but if you are breeding commons in one tank and goldens in another I think they can be registered as two different breedings. I am not the breeding co-ordinator though

Be aware that just because you can no longer see the spots on the fish it doesn't mean the ich has gone. It has just dropped off the fish. Google for the full life cycle of white spot and you will see what I mean.

1. If the fish is only there temporarily I doubt the guppy will do lasting damage. 2. They usually heal on their own

Looking at a past breeding register, I see listed; Ancistrus lineolatus - bristlenose and Ancistrus sp. (L144) blackeyed golden ancistrus

Been to Quiz Night again and my team The Foxy Morons, won :love:

Internal worms or parasites?

Been at work today and got news one of our patients died overnight &c:ry Had a nice lunch in town and bought some raffle tickets for the local breast cancer society (my mum was selling tickets at one of the supermarkets over the lunch hour) 8)

I work for a GP and he knows I am trying it and I am not on any meds, except painkillers. Still have not found the arnica did any good though &c:ry

I once had a neighbour who had a swimming pool. She had it fully fenced with a childproof gate - her 2 year old could open it with ease. Teach kids to swim!

Do the search I suggested and you will see the identical fish listed as Gambusia on the Washington wildlife dept. website. I see he has changed the picture too.

Do a Google search of images and you will find that exact photo in the Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife described as Gambusia affinis and an invasive species :roll:

Personally I think if they are going to demand that then all lakes, streams and the sea should be fully fenced as well. In Blenheim all swimming pools have to be fenced but we have 2 rivers running through the middle of the town not to mention a large fountain in one of the parks plus a stream running through another.