Caryl

What size is the tank (dimensions?). 54L is not very big for goldfish as they grow and produce a lot of waste. Monthly water changes would not be enough for these fish. I suspect water quality is the problem.

A husband :lol:

Average buckets are 8 - 10L

resident expert???? :lol: Like tanks, the bigger the better. Check your council bylaws as to depth as many have laws stating anything deeper than 45cm requires fencing. Comets like to swim and can swim fast so a long pond would be preferable to something round. If you have lots of plants filtration isn't necessary but it does help. I suggest 1.5m minimum length but assume you will want to add more goldfish at a later date so if you can go bigger then do so. You could add the white clouds to the pond but chances are the comets would find them and eat them. Besides, they are very hard to see in a pond so I would leave them in a tank and let the comets have the pond. What do you want the pond made from? You can buy preformed ponds, use water troughs or dig a hole for a liner or make a concrete pond. All have their pros and cons. Make sure pond is situated somewhere that gets shade with no overhanging trees to drop leaves in it, or have roots that will make their way through the pond over time.

Join the local club and I am sure you will find plenty of people to buy sell and swap with. Send a PM to AMAZONIAN on this site as he is president of the Tasman Aquarium Club.

Looking good. I would like to use it as an article in the Aquarium World when you have finished if I may?

Fins crossed Loopy

I got a pH shift on my African tank. It sat about 7.4 - 7.6 but a water change would drop it to 7.0. Never seemed to bother the fish, despite us always saying you shouldn't play with the pH cos swings cause more trouble than a pH that is too high or too low :-? I would think if you did the water changes regularly it would not go so low as 6 so any change would not be so large

My tank usually sits at about 22C. I see no reason to keep it higher and use more electricity. Insulate the tank.

It depends on whether you want lots of snails in the tank. If not, remove them ASAP.

Welcome Mrs C. We stopped and ate at Reefton recently but have no idea what the cafe was called (almost opposite the Miners Hut). Had delicious whitebait sandwiches.

But if it is up to the max and still can't heat to the correct temp it needs replacing.

Don't forget, if the heaterstat is new is is covered by warranty.

Just be wary of what you wash your hands with before putting them in the water

Sorry, I really shouldn't have said that but it was an unfortunate shot of him :oops:

Have you looked under the bed? :lol: You sometimes get an earthy smell from a tank or filter but that is all. I wonder if the room is shut up more now winter is approaching and you need a dehumidifier?

Depends. What sort of smell?

When is Chris due? :roll:

Goldfish are very messy and produce a lot of waste. I would have them in a 250L eventually. Perhaps it got a fright and jammed itself behind, or under the filter uplift or something? Is it otherwise acting normally and eating well?

Dither fish are small shoaling fish added to a tank to make other more timid inhabitants feel safer and swim about more. If they see the other fish swimming about they feel safer.

Love it fishy_t!!! :lol: EVERY pic I specifically took of Faran came out blurry. It was suggested he might be a vampire as I didn't seem to be able to catch him on film Luckily he is in some group shots. :lol:

Welcome to the forums. You will definitely have fun with the Kapi-Mana lot! 8)

Nothing. It should clear by itself in a few days. Has it recently been set up?

That does look odd. They could do with an even bigger tank than that too by the way It certainly looks like internal bleeding of some sort. Is there anything in the tank it could have bashed itself against, like a small hole in an ornament? I would expect scales to be missing though if that was the case. I have seen bleeding around the gill plates but never like this before. :-?

I certainly tried to get at least one of everyone but note some managed to appear a lot more than others! :roll: I was pleased with how they came out, especially as the lighting was so low.