Caryl

Ha, you are going to have to do a better job of cleaning the glass now :lol:

Hello snowkiwi and welcome. We have others in here from your neck of the woods too. Perhaps it is time to get a club going in Whangarei!

Letting a tank sit for 2 weeks with water in it does absolutely nothing! Testing for pH was good but more important are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.

So this tank has only been set up for just over 2 weeks and has 18 fish in it already? I believe the Aquaone 620 holds only 90 litres? How was the tank cycled?

I have 3 in my tank. They are great fish with personality. Mine are only about 6cm at the moment but growing steadily.

If you think I am wading into that pond to catch some goldfish you are mistaken! The females will have to protect themselves, unless they come close to the edge so I can net them :lol: Lots of plants for them to hide in and they have to get used to it.

When you bag the fish do not overcrowd them and make sure there is about 1/3 water to 2/3 air. I use large 30L barrels with airtight lids and put the fish in there - a lot easier and quicker than bagging them. Keep the filter media wet when you move. Get hold of some polystyrene boxes if you don't have large barrels like mine. Pack the bags firmly so they can't move during the trip and pack them with bubblewrap or scrunched up newspaper. Remember catfish can have sharp spines and feelers so not good to bag them. How big is the tank? If small enough, empty the water into containers (take as much as possible, or at least 1/3) and leave the substrate and plants in it. They will cope with no water for the duration of the trip. It is moving the tank you have to be careful not to put too much strain on it. I would not move a tank over 60 x 30 x 30 by this method as they are too heavy.

I might have the answer. Opened the bedroom curtains this morning (pond is right outside) and WOW fishy porn! I said they were showing no sign of spawning yesterday but this morning it was all on! I guess the fish yesterday was a little over-enthusiastic Here are some shots from this morning. We felt like voyeurs! :lol: Even saw a lot of the fry from last year. We had not seen these since adding them to the big pond (unless we moved some plant) but they were out and about trying desperately to keep up with the big guys (and gals) Sorry about the poor quality but there were a lot of reflections and wind ripples.

The fish is about 10cm and was put in the pond last weekend. No sign of kingfishers yet but do have 2 neighbourhood cats hang around but never seen them near the water. I too thought it was one of the egg full females but have seen no sign of spawning yet as it isn't warm enough.

Slate :lol: Greywacke Pretty much anything I think that isn't white.

OK, got home from work to find one large dead goldfish in the pond. Looks like this... Any ideas? Burst or hooked by cat?

That's my problem. Decent sized fish PLUS plants :roll: I had thought a 6ft would be big enough for knifefish so damn! :evil: Perhaps I won't bother

But they need bigger tanks too and are boring. (Caryl ducks to avoid being lynched by the arowana enthusiasts)

Oops you are right :oops: There is no freshwater section.

I don't have the space to go bigger than 6ft so will have to rethink the knifefish idea. Hmm, any suggestions? I want a well planted tank with good sized fish - NOT DISCUS. :lol:

When I click on the link I get a long list down the left with everything on the site - it is a VERY long list. Do you not get that?

I know nothing about these and thought they would go in the 6ft tank I am planning but it sounds like they get too big for even this sized tank. Is this so or are there smaller ones suitable? Are some better than others? What else can go with them, if anything?

Which fins? If it is the pectorals and other lower fins I would suspect something bad in the substrate.

Will they chip in to pay for the divorce? :lol:

You have to watch some will alter the pH - like limestone for instance. Do the vinegar test. Put the rock in a small container and pour a little vinegar on it. If it fizzes, don't put it in the tank, unless you want a high pH for Africans.

My tanks are set about 22 - 24C

No not acrylic Tankman. I don't like acrylic as it marks too easily. I am getting TM to make me a tank and stand. He probably thinks I have forgotten about it but I am still working out size and what to put in it. Think I will get rid of the Malawis and get knifefish. Don't know anything about them so will have to research and see what can go with them too.

If a fish is still eating well and behaving normally I prefer to leave them alone.

I too would be checking around the outside of the tank.

Magenta that would be like me saying I was 1km away from the chocolate factory - difficult to avoid. Hang on a minute, I do live within 1km of a chocolate factory!!