Caryl

I really get annoyed when shops sell certain fish as "coldwater" species when in fact they are not. They can tolerate cooler temperatures than most tropicals (eg down to 18C) but not cold! :evil: White clouds and the mussel are coldwater. Danios need 18C or more and the other two are tropical. 22 Lires is a very small tank and you have too many fish for a tank that size. Danios need a long tank as they are fast swimmers and reach high speeds. They are also a shoaling fish and are best kept in groups of 6 or more. Assuming your flagfish are Jordanella floridae, they will get up to 6cm and need more room. What sex are your swordtails? They need to be kept in a sex ratio of 1 male to 2 or 3 females. Of course, if you have two males you might be fine but the larger one will probably harass the smaller one to death as well as attack other fish. If you have females, have you considered what to do with the resulting fry? They can store sperm for many months so were most likely pregnant when you bought them. White spot is an indicator of stress and/or poor water quality. I would keep the white clouds and mussel and return the rest. Get more white clouds once the tank tests are clear. Watch the mussel. If it dies it will go off very fast and kill everything else in the tank. Since you already have white spot this is a distinct possiblity. The fish are most likely sick (fin rot and/or ammonia burn) as well as damaged due to fin nipping. The tank has been going 2 and a half weeks, why would you need to clean the filter? That is where the good bacteria grows. If you keep cleaning it you will kill off the good bacteria and the tank will never cycle. Have you read any articles about tank cycling yet?

Grant scans police and ambulance all the time as he needs to know when a fault comes up on the system (he repairs some of it). Some of the stuff you hear from the police is very funny. I am glad they are able to retain a sense of humour through some of the stuff they have to deal with.

Lately I have heard a farmer explaining abut her cows' scours while I have been eating. That is off-putting! :lol:

I have just emailed my plumber friend so hopefully will have an answer for you soon, unless someone else is able to give you a definitive answer. Lindyloo, I would be going the plumber for his insurance to cover it as it was his mistake.

It will be in the November issue

One eye and the missing scales suggests to me he may have injured the eye, rather than have a bacterial infection. A sudden fright may have had him get jammed in a tight spot somewhere, rather than have been attacked. I would separate him and keep him in excellent water conditions. As I do not use medications I can't advise you on this

It is good to see some are amused by so little. Stay happy

Does the Oates cloth do as well as the Enjo ones are supposed to? I have a friend who works as a motel cleaner and she swears by the Enjo cloths, also no cleaners involved, but they are very expensive. I wondered if the Oates one was a similar cloth.

Do snail bowls run fast or at a snail's pace? 8)

Since you enjoyed your mistake so much I merely moved it to off topic LOL

So what did you finally name dad?

At least you realised before adding it to the tank! :lol:

I felt it here in Blenheim. Like bdspider, I thought I was having a dizzy spell then I noticed the hanging plants were swinging. Grant hadn't felt it and really didn't believe me until he looked it up on geonet :roll:

Well done pufferfishnz! :bounce: Something that impresses at an interview is if you do your homework about the prospective employer beforehand and are able to ask a pertinent question to show you have researched them before the interview

The Bonn Brush man has bottle brushes of various thicknesses. Tie one to a long bit of wire. Fluval (or Eheim) make such things you can buy

Wrong time of year to start daphnia, wait until summer. No need for aeration unless you are trying to transport them in a small jar - then they die real fast! Dahnia are good for clearing green water in a tank but bigger fish eat them fast! You usually get them from someone with an existing culture. I am able to start mine just by leaving a container of green water outside!

No good for us Caper - we don't have a barn :lol:

We can still get onto the Internet wok, just no emails. Xtra says it is a problem they are experiencing with a few customers and they are working on it :roll: Ira - I am ignoring you :lol:

Hmmm PMs seemed to have stopped now too. I sent 2 and they appear to have been opened but no replies. Of course neither recipient may have sent one :roll:

we pop and checked via yahoo/xtra web. Neither works.

Anyone else not receiving emails? Our gmail seems to be working but Xtra isn't. We haven't had anything come through since mid afternoon and I know messages have been sent to us. They aren't in the spam folder either. Our outgoing messages are reaching destination but no incoming. Grant is wondering if we have a Yahoo problem :-?

lfs = local fish shop

How does being a virologist help you survive flu? :-? For the rest of you... Signs and symptoms of the new Influenza A (H1N1) virus are similar to the symptoms of seasonal flu and can include: + fever + cough + sore throat + runny or stuffy nose + body aches + headache + chills + fatigue Some people also experience diarrhoea and vomiting. Also, like seasonal flu: + the worst symptoms usually last about five days, but coughing can last up to two to three weeks + some very young children, people with some long-term medical conditions, pregnant women, and older people, can get very sick + in rare instances severe illness and death can occur. The World Health Organization says it will be difficult to tell the difference between seasonal flu and non-seasonal influenza A (H1N1). Most people will experience a mild to moderate illness and will be able to manage the symptoms at home. The key messages are: + If you have flu-like symptoms, stay at home for seven days after your symptoms begin or until you have been symptom-free for 24 hours, whichever is longer. + If your condition worsens, seek medical advice by phone FIRST by calling Healthline 0800 611 116 or your healthcare provider.

Don't forget, having a flu shot does not prevent you from getting the strains of flu for which the vaccine was prepared, it merely makes sure you do not get as sick as you would have if you had not had the shot. Good on you for isolating yourself. Take care, keep warm and keep up the fluids.

Why not improve the lighting?