Caryl

How long has the tank been set up then? What size is it and what fish, and how many, are in there? If the tank is only a month old it will be cycling and ammonia burns are a probability. How often are you doing water changes? These will help the ammonia levels. You can buy test kits from your lfs, or some do the tests for you for a small fee. You need to know pH, nitrite, nitrate and ammonia levels.

There is no club on the West Coast. Want to start one? 8) Nearest would be Canterbury Aquarium and Pond Society, or the newly formed Christchurch Totally Tanked (PM Loopy about this one). Another option would be the also newly started Tasman Aquarium Club, who will be affiliating to the FNZAS shortly.

They sound inflamed. Have you done water tests? Possibly ammonia burn or a gill infection.

They don't need them as they start without sucking required

I am not suggesting this is so in your case but it is possible to have a well established tank that has been set up with no problems but every time the owner adds more fish they die, although the original inhabitants are fine. This can be because the water conditions are not right, or poor, but because they got that way over a long period of time, the original inhabitants learned to cope with it. Any new additions however have major problems and get sick and/or die.

Algae from the light will be a problem, as will temperature.

Quite a few plants in plant shops can be grown in tanks. In fact, a lot of aquatic plants sold in the lfs are actually grown emersed (ie out of the water). Baby tears immediately comes to mind. You can't just buy a plant in a plant shop and totally submerge it though. It must be slowly sunk over a few weeks or months.

There are many points to take under consideration when deciding on stocking levels. I prefer to keep it on the low side so if there is a power cut, or something goes wrong, things don't go so bad so fast. The better your filtration and aeration, the more plants and the more water changes you do regularly all help you keep higher stock levels but if only one thing goes wrong (heaterstat dies, filter stops, you hurt your back and are unable to do a water change etc) then the whole thing can get very toxic very quickly.

Not sure how many litres in your 3ft tank as you don't give other dimensions but are you saying you added these fish to the tank that already had 52 other fish in it? What were the test readings?

Welcome Steve. If you want to see an impressive tank, visit pies (Mark). Send him a PM, he loves to show people his tank.

Contact tanksman I think he makes acrylic tanks and will know the ins and outs of shaping it.

Blenheim doesn't have an Animates!

nope. All red rotala at that end

Thank you all. They are not huge Java ferns, they are medium sized ones attached to a great big hunka rimu I hauled off the Hokitika beach (and almost had a hernia)

Happy birthday wasp :bounce:

As a result of a discussion about plants in the chat room tonight, here is an updated pic of my 4ft community tank...

Look at the dorsal and anal fins. The fins on the male are longer and more pointed whereas the females have shorter rounded fins.

They do it a lot. It can mean they are just getting to know each other or, as stated, males seeing whose boss. What sex are they?

You can use tape or, if the tank is close enough to the wall just sit the poly behind it. If it is for under the tank of course, no attaching is required.

I am against adding anything to a tank if it isn't necessary.

The daphnia clear green water but they must be able to do so before the fish eat the daphnia

I imagine the Waikato Club would be closest. I am a little vague as to the exact location of Taumaranui (apart from knowing it is 'on the main trunk line' ) although I have visited relations there.

The planaria are harmless so just cut back the feeding and vacuum thoroughly when you do a water change and it will fix itself.

or polystyrene factories 8)

Have PMd you.