Caryl

Check out Stella's native fish FB page. Full of fascinating information and, if you ask there, she will probably reply promptly (or tell you to do your own research ) https://www.facebook.com/nznativefish/

It is finding someone local I would trust to install it that's the problem! The ones lining the big dams are not interested in little pond jobs.

Got a call from EQC today. Told them about the pond leaking since the quake and they said they would send an assessor to have a look. No mention of "sorry, we don't do ponds". AMI are handling it and they are also our insurer so if it fails from an EQC point perhaps we can get it under our own insurance policy. Fingers crossed! A decent liner will cost between $2000 and $3000 and that doesn't include freight/delivery of the liner, which is heavy! Not something we will be able to handle ourselves as we are old and, in Grant's case, arthritic!

I have crypts and some Anubias nana.

Ahh, hadn't seen that Ira. Thanks. We will see what happens. If they won't come to the party then we will try our insurance company instead. Have no proof either way as whether it was caused by quake except it did not leak before the quake (apart from when it was first built and that was fixed) but has done so since.

Damn, I will have to go and buy some stilettos then We thought the pond leak was worse but a closer look revealed a blocked bit in the filter meant the box inside the decorative housing was overflowing, hence the more dramatic water loss. Filter has been cleaned out and we reduced the water flow too. Would still like to line the pond but unsure if EQC will pay for it as I don't think we can prove it has only been leaking since, and as a direct result of, the quake.

It was good of you to give the heads up. I hope someone checked it out.

As we await (still) the EQC assessors to visit us, what pond liners do you recommend? I know you suggested one Livingart but I can't find where you said it. I need to work out the approx cost of lining the pond so we know how much to ask from EQC. Bearing in mind my pond is approx 9m x 3.5m and almost half a metre deep in the middle. It holds around 15,750L (I am told) We think the concrete cracked in one of the big quakes we had here as the pond has leaked since then. It seems worse at the moment and we are wondering if it is because the concrete shrinks a little in winter so the crack(s) is (are) wider. Losing 5cm - 6cm every 24 hours but have not worked out how many litres that is. Luckily our water is not metered and there is not a water shortage this time of year. We are also on an old riverbed so leaking water drains away and does not cause problems elsewhere (that we know of). So, need recommendations please for a good quality liner suitable for a large pond.

Welcome back indeed. Barrie knows his killies and glass

I would like to remind members that it is polite to respond to someone when they have gone to the trouble to post/courier items to you. A simple "Thank you, the goods arrived safely" is enough. I am sick of posting items only to never hear from the recipient, even when I have sent a PM asking if the goods had arrived. Although I assume they did so, or they would have complained, a little courtesy would not go amiss!

Good grief, he's alive!! Welcome back Barrie. Long time no hear. Sorry but I do not have killies these days.

What excitement and suspense! I was thinking "Oh good" then "Oh no!" then "Phew, thank goodness" etc etc etc all the way through that post

Trading post or Gumtree I suspect. Google Australian farming jobs and lots of site come up.

Either remove the driftwood leaching the tannin or add charcoal to your filter. I have red rotala if you want to try more once you think your lighting is doing the job for it.

A lot of lovely fish there. I love how the big sailfin plec just moves along, sometimes over top of a smaller plec, but the little one just sits there seemingly unfazed.

Another problem, apart from fin nipping and too much water flow, is the betta will be hard pressed to get enough food as the other fish will all beat him to it.

Yes it does Adrienne. More interesting than axolotls too

Guppies are also known as the millions fish because of the number of fry they produce. It is very hard to find a female guppy that isn't gravid. The fry will be eaten by any fish with a mouth large enough to fit them in, including the parents.

Redwood Aquatics is a large shop. Almost opposite Willowbank.

Quite correct Colour_genes. I read it wrong

When in ChCh I liked to visit Organism (best quality fish) and Redwood Aquatics. Haven't been to a fish shop for a long time now though so I don't know what shops are around since the quakes. Try joining the local fish club, Totally Tanked, as I am sure members could help with setting up again. At the top of this page click on the tab that says Local Clubs to get contact details.

15g is the size of a big bucket so not large. I don't know of any fish that eat dead or drying (I assume that's a typo and you mean dying?) plant matter. If you have dead or dying plant matter, remove it by hand, or net it out. If it is drying, you need more water Kuhlis love to dig. They will dig into whichever of your substrates is smoothest and easiest to dig. Siamese algae eaters and Ancistrus (bristlenose) will get too big. There are dwarf corys out there, 3 panda corys would be a suitable size but are more expensive than the larger ones, but I am confused by your comment " they are bottom dwellers like the existing tetras". Neons and serpaes are not bottom dwellers. As you were considering algae eaters, ancistrus and corys I thought you were looking for bottom feeders. Tiger barbs will be very aggressive in such a small tank. No, you can't get freshwater shrimps here (not tropical ones anyway) Kuhlis and panda corys are the only bottom dwellers I can think of suitable for a small aquarium.

A baby only a mother could love?

The late Alan Wakelin, killi breeder of renown, kept many of his in plastic drawers, all nicely labelled. I think he heated the fish room, not the drawers themselves.

I did not see it as writing bad things about him, you were just stating you were not happy with the quality and from your description, I am not surprised. I wonder if he is now so busy he has others working with him and quality control has slipped? I have no idea, I do not know the man, or his business, just only ever heard people raving about his tanks so was surprised to see a negative. I have always had my tanks built by glaziers. I have never bought a full set-up from an aquatic shop.