Caryl

I don't have a problem replying to posts but in the PM messages it often does not allow me to type anywhere and I have to go back and page then go in again and it works. Today I got... Because of your browser security settings, the editor is not able to access your clipboard data directly. You are required to paste it again in this window.Please paste inside the following box using the keyboard (Ctrl/Cmd+V) and hit OK It does not usually say that and I have not changed any settings

Hi spoon. Long time no hear. Good to see you back.

From where can one buy the little green tray?

"I notice the albino's dominate the white sand area, with the sterbai hanging out in the weed, darker gravel area..." I imagine this is because they feel safer, their respective colourings being camouflaged by the different substrates.

As said, no question is silly and the reason I did not answer was because I did not know either! We always say that breeding fish is usually the easy part, it is raising the fry to adulthood that is difficult. Good luck with the corys, they are a fish I have not bred.

Texted

Hi Charlie and welcome to Aquarium World.

A 25L Fluvel Chi tank is not very large and has a small surface area so fish stocking levels need to be kept low. What did you do when you say you "cycled it for a week'? if you meant you filled the tank with water, added plants, turned the heater on, then left it for a week, that is not cycling. 2 fish of lampeye size would be fine if you then left them for a month. This would have given the filter time to start cycling. At the end of the month, assuming your ammonia levels were negligible, you could then add 3 guppies. To add them after only a week was too many fish in too little water too quickly, which is why you had the ammonia spike. I do not know anything about zeopads so just looked them up. It says they absorb ammonia. Personally, I would have just done daily water changes until levels dropped. It is good you returned the guppies. The tank should cycle nicely with the 2 lampeyes in it. A few snails help keep the tank clean. Too many though become a pest. If you do not want them, squish them against the side of the aquarium, the fish will eat the remains. Dwarf chain loaches are not suitable for a tank your size plus they need a mature aquarium. The ammonia levels will be fine if you do not let them get any higher than stated (if they start to rise further, do extra water changes). I know you are supposed to have 0 ammonia but I have never yet had a test result that showed 0, even on a tank just filled with water and nothing added. 0.25ppm is as low as I have managed but it could be my eyesight that is the problem. Google images for aquarium cycling and see what you should expect over the first few weeks.

I am not sure what it is exactly that you are worrying about. pH does not have a lot to do with whether water is 'safe' for fish or not. The pH will change depending on what else is added to the tank and the buffering effects (or lack thereof) of the gravel and as the tank matures.

I have only ever rinsed my "wild-caught" gravel or driftwood in a bucket with the garden hose. Never had an issue.

How long is a piece of string? There are so many variables that will affect the answer. If you have bottom dwelling fish you need to make sure whichever you use is not too rough or have sharp edges as it will wear down the barbels and mouth of the fishes. Whatever you choose, make sure it is smooth (I don't know anything about pea gravel). I had tanks with sand/gravel from the local beach (free). Gathered as far above the tide line as possible so it did not have too much shell in it (alters the pH).

Poisonous to people, fish, or both?

Sisters are doing it for themselves

Welcome! I am embarrassed I did not notice the mis-named plant. I have dwarf sag too. It died off at one point and I thought it had gone but then months later it has started reappearing again. I knew crypts did that but not sagittaria. You asked for softly worded criticism so to reply to your comment "...was trying to go for a fluro theme" - then please don't Those fluro plants are very unnatural looking, especially in a freshwater tank and take away, or clash with, the colours of the fish. Of course, that is just a matter of opinion and if you like it, then that's fine as it is your tank to plant as you see fit I might be wrong but I think I remember reading that lucky bamboo does not last underwater and it will rot. Someone may be able to confirm or refute that though as I have never used it myself. You have a lovely bunch of platys and mollies

Welcome. I hope you have good, solid, stands for these tanks!

Welcome. Build a pond for the goldfish (unless they are really fancy ones) and use the tank to go tropical

Nice to meet you and pleased you are enjoying the site. Were you keeping fish in France? If so, how does the hobby compare to here?

Tip on how to get a partner interested in your fish keeping hobby - try and find an angle that interests them. It may be they like gadgets so ask them to find a specific gadget for a specific fish keeping task or perhaps design a computer programme to help with feeding or breeding schedules etc. See if you can find one sort of tank that may interest them more than another - some like big fish, others like lots of smaller ones. Some like sparse tanks, others prefer heavily planted landscapes and set up a tank aimed at their preference. Ask for technical or artistic advice, depending on their interests. Sometimes it will just be that they have no interest in them whatever you do. In that case, enjoy them on your own - as long as they don't object to anything you spend, or do, with regards to the hobby. Nobody wants a partner spending money on fish when there are more important bills to be paid or things they could be doing together with it.

https://web.archive.org/web/20030811121906/http://aquarticles.com/articles/people/NZClarke.html They were 9 - 14 years old in 2003 so 22 - 27 now? (Just counting on my fingers )

These photos were taken in 2005. I think the fish were about 22 years old then. http://smg.photobucket.com/user/carylnz/library/FISH and TANKS/Colins clown loaches Aug 2005?sort=2&postlogin=true&page=1 Have you got the name of the article and where it appeared? Never mind, it was the one Howard put in Aquarticles I think. That account seems to be suspended (probably after Howard's death). I don't have a copy of the article as I originally thought it had appeared in the AW magazine. A pity about that account as it had a lot of great articles on it.

I have photos of his clown loaches if you like I should have the article too. Will look.

You might have to wait a while. The archives are now up in the roof (5 large archive boxes). It was 34 here today below the roof so I hate to think how hot it is up there at the moment!

If I had known you wanted one I have several copies here, plus there is one in the archives.

Welcome. Check out the native fish forum here as it has loads of information.

I was there a lot (to moderate of course ) but it died a slow death as people found other ways they preferred to communicate. It seems the NZKA fell to the wayside as the older members died, or left, and nobody took up the reins