Caryl

Jn my fish had their own 6ft round pools from the red shed. No other fish had been in them. I set them up and filled them in the morning and by afternoon they were 25C. I went down to the local park and gathered lots of oxygen weed and held it down in bunches using rocks. Then added the fish and left them to it over summer.

We had a cute little octopus but it escaped one night and was done to death by carpet fluff

Look down on her from above. If the scales stick out all over looking like a pinecone then it is dropsy - or perhaps she has a fry blocking the rest from exiting? If the scales just stick out on the belly area because she is so fat then it isn't dropsy. How long has she been like this? Any other signs of illness or anything?

Our members had a number of pH kits of different brands. Some liquid, some strips. All worked well no matter what age or type.

I answered this in your other thread. These fish are not cold water but can cope with lower temps (18 - 20C+). They can be put outside over summer. Certainly not over winter down here but don't know about Auckland.

You could put them outside over summer certainly. Just turn the heater off in the tank and it will slowly cool it down. 20 - 22C would be comfortable for them but guppies at least can go to about 18C. Not sure about the mollies, I think they prefer warmer. I breed barbs outside over summer and their pond gets hotter than the tropical tank insde! :lol:

Nothing wrong with a great debate if it is kept on track It helps others decide for themselves what is best for them. I am lucky as our water supply doesn't have chlorine added so I have no need of anything to be added to the tank water.

How far is Green Bay from where you are? We drive 1 and a half hours over a mountain range to attend meetings.

Welcome to the fishroom nikki

pH tests are fine for years. Our club did an experiment once. We got an expensive, calibrated pH test meter then asked members to bring containers of tank water, tap water and any pH test kits they had. We then tested all to see what range of pH we had in our tanks and whether the differing test kits gave different results. Interestingly enough, all the kits read the same and matched the expensive electronic meter. Some of the tests kits were brand new and some were many years old.

Welcome to the fishroom. Quite a few in here from your area.

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I have never been able to grow the stuff either. I think they need a strong light

Well, I'm attending the funeral now in spirit, even if in actuality I am at work and in the wrong town

Dennis has bred a lot too

The algae eater will only eat already dead fish, it will not kill them. You have no idea what goes on after lights out so your supposition it is the convict may be wrong.

Congratulations. Hurry up with the pic

Brown algae is normal in a new tank and will soon disappear. Some plants cope better in a new tank than others. No need to get some sort of chemical remover as it will disappear as the tank matures.

I didn't realise either of these species were mouth brooders :lol:

Love the pigeon(?) in flight

How big is the tank and is there much plant cover?

With that fish mix your problems will grow I'm afraid, especially as the fish grow

He always fully participated... won a lot of trophies... and could do the apple dance with the best of 'em (even if he did have an angina attack afterwards)...

It is always a mistake to meet billaney :lol:

Hi and welcome