Caryl

Female back view

Female

Male

We had our annual wine and food festival yesterday. At the festival they had some NZ falcons, Karearea. It is an endangered species. They are a beautiful, intelligent, playful and agile bird and the fastest moving animal in NZ. Like many of our native birds it is vulnerable to predators. The Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust has been set up to raise funds to support the falcon, which is on the brink of extinction. www.NZfalcon.org. They are also working to conserve the falcon through a reintroduction programme within the vineyards of Marlborough's Wairau Valley. They had one male and one female at the festival. Neither seemed fazed by the surrounding crowds. For general photos of the festival - 8100 people (not counting workers) 61 wineries, 21 food outlets (including wild venison, tahr, goat and pork, mussels, crayfish, oysters, escargot, Spanish donuts, Bavarian hotdogs, whitebait, iced cherries, chocolates, strawberries and ice cream, rosti, baked potatoes, scallops, paua patties, salads, antipasto, chicken drums, sushi, kebabs, honey smoked bacon, watercress fritters, Bailey's sundaes and rib eye steaks plus entertainment (mainliners were The Black Seeds) it was a great day out. 8) Have a look here

Finely crush flake food in your fingers, that will be fine. Make sure you either separate they fry from the other fish, or have plenty of floating fine leaved plants for them to hide in or they will be eaten.

Hi Zach and welcome. Good to hear you cleaned out the pond. I am sure the goldfish are much happier. I have a goldfish pond too and love feeding the fish. 6 year old Shante likes sitting on the deck dangling her feet in so the fish can nibble her toes. They don't seem to mind when she kicks her feet in the water either!

livingart, the correct terminology is "apply percussive maintenance" not "slap it on the side" :lol:

I think you are all sad puppies :roll: Stationery is boring - the fun stuff is choosing the pens (colour, type etc) and other accessories :lol:

1.They will drop fry every 4 - 6 weeks. They look ready to pop when due. 2. There is no need to remove the male in the first place. The females can store sperm for several months too. 3. I think the fry can start reproducing when only a few months old. Bigger fish will eat smaller fish and parents eat fry. Keep a well planted tank so the fry have plenty of room to hide. You don't want hundreds surviving anyway. Unless you have someone who will take them, you will quickly be over-run by mollies. Not as prolific as guppies but can still produce plenty.

Welcome back to fishkeeping

Non iodised salt will be fine.

A guy I know used to have cuttlefish bone (the stuff you buy for birds) floating in his turtle ponds.

Mine wouldn't! It might wolf whistle, or say "CQ, CQ" or "Testing!" or "I tawt I taw a puddy tat" or "Achoo!" or "Give us a kiss" or "Hiya Bud" but he doesn't tick or tock. Back on topic though, are you wanting to take the fish as hand luggage or in the hold?

Possibly, but I meant the type more than the amount

Couldn't do that. He would give himself away as soon as he opened his mouth - which wouldn't take long! :lol:

PM me a reminder of your name and address supersi as I am sure I sent one to you! Unless I have you confused with someone else :roll: There isn't that much work in running a club quite frankly, if everyone does their bit.

1. They do prefer a touch of salt 2. You only need one of each sex but preferable to have more females than male to avoid harassment 3. Lots of bushy plant for the fry to hide in or they will get eaten

If you are travelling with them as hand luggage, just don't mention them. Take them with you. I have often flown with bags of fish in picnic chiller bags.

Which look do you prefer? Some people make the basic frame from steel, for strength, then finish off with wood, as they prefer the look

Plus you might be able to join the Kapi-Mana Club if they do an outing up your way They are a very active club.

You have probably got a good mix of hybrids there. Just check none of the fish have 2 whiskers at the mouth - these are koi and illegal!

Looks like you need to be pretty fit to play with it :lol:

So there is a difference between what are commonly called "bushynose" and the "bristlenose"? Are there many of the bushynose variety around in NZ?

I did wonder about that! I thought it was the end of a mural frieze-type thing as it looks a bit like a seated, shaggy haired pixie wearing a pointy hat with a feather in it :lol:

I know duckweed can get out of hand in a tank but does it become such a problem in large ponds? I am wondering if I add some to my goldfish pond if it wil help clear the green water (assuming it lasts long enough before the goldfish eat it)