Caryl

Snails, in small numbers, can be good as they clean up leftovers on the substrate. The problem is when they get out of hand they can produce more waste than they eat :roll:

Leave the snails if you want. They will do no harm but may overbreed, depending on type, and take over the tank.

They will eat finely ground flake food. Just crush it in your fingers. You need to keep up water changes in the container as it will foul quickly.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/4215128 ... ing-turtle

Yes it will be too big

For all we know they could be common goldfish but the seller has no idea of differences :-?

There is Mopani iften sold in shops. I guess different species of trees have different flavours so a bit of rimu and another of rata would give variety 8)

Love Custard :lol:

Go to a pottery place, garden centre, or The Warehouse. They often have broken pots and I am sure you could find one broken in a way to suit your needs

Hmmm, I will be in Nelson for their tank crawl on Sunday then passing through Wgtn on the 15th. What size are the cages? They won't fit in an MX5 but we also have an Odyssey if we need something bigger.

Hmmm, a bit big to fit in the boot of the MX5 then :lol:

How big is that tank?

Good to hear. I will see you there

Welcome. As I said to crazysane, you need to go on Tasman's Tank Crawl on Sunday 8)

Welcome. You need to go on the Tasman club's Tank Crawl next Sunday

I hope they were good looking firemen though

I obviously did it all wrong then :roll: :lol: We had a 3ft tank. We took several barrels down the coast and filled them with water, rocks and any critter we could catch. This included shrimps, anemones, rockfish, triplefins, brittlestars, chitons, sea cucumber, various starfish, and a hermit crab. We had an AquaClear filter hanging off one end. The tank was topped up occasionally with fresh water and once every few months we went to Rarangi Beach and got fresh sea water. We also added sea lettuce. This always had lots of microscopic critters stuck in it for food for the inhabitants. That's it. All were happy. We had no deaths except for a baby octopus that escaped.

My marine was a rock pool with critters gathered from the Kaikoura coast. They were used to 10 - 15C. I did not have any equipment on the tank, except for a filter. It ran for almost 2 years until cooling it got to be too difficult (didn't buy a chiller until after the tank had been dismantled :roll: ). I still have the chiller sitting somewhere, never used it :lol: . I am sure I will set another cold marine up some day and use it then.

Fish can cope with slow temperature fluctuations throughout the day (and night). It is sudden changes that cause the problem. If the tank gets too hot over summer, try turning off the lights, removing the lid, blowing a fan across the surface, or freezing 2 or 3 litre plastic containers of water to float in there. If the temp does not stay high for more than a few hours (drops overnight) then they will cope. Some of the plants don't like it 28C+ You could also get the room air conditioned or cool it somehow.

Your biggest problem can be keeping it cool enough, especially in summer. We had to buy a chiller.

Sometimes it is an age thing as they grow and start to assert their authority over "their" territory.

Why would Aucklanders be in a southern birthday cupcake? :lol: Bet he licked the icing off before eating a cupcake too

DonnaM is our turtle expert. I think she says a 4ft tank minimum (250L+) for 1 red ear and preferably outside in a pond when adult size. We have heard of lots of species, like box turtles, just can't get them here

Grant and I are heading to the Waikato tank parade. We will be crossing the strait on Friday 15th and coming back on Sunday 17th. If anyone would like picking up along the way to attend also, or needs fish transported to or fro, let me know.

They are still going but not brightly coloured. No fry as far as I know but since I hardly see the female (she hides unless feeding) I have no idea if they have been spawning.