Caryl

I suspect the fluffy one is actually sphagnum moss. Peat looks like dirt with small bits of bark in it and is sold at garden centres. You need to make sure it is just peat with nothing harmful added. Some have fungicides etc added. As far as I know it is the same peat they breed killies in. I am sure Alan will correct me if I am wrong though If you are wanting peat to lower the pH, you don't need a great amount so the smallest bag you can find will do - in fact will be way to much so you will have plenty left over in which to spawn your killies .

It is entirely possible a future conference could be held on the Gold Coast. It almost was in 2004 but we decided Fiji was better Next overseas conference will probably be Rarotonga then perhaps we can look at Aus.

"Mould" is probably the wrong word but you know what we mean

It is certainly rare and unusual. Did you breed it yourself? :lol:

If you are overfeeding it will sink to the bottom and the uneaten food will go mouldy. Siphon it all out immediately, do a partial water change and stop feeding so much!

That was my thought too mystic :lol: Nice fish pawz

If you have put either of them in the tank they will (IME) form a mould-like fluff on the substrate.

Do you use the product pH Up, or Down, by any chance?

Our aim was to make this a family friendly forum suitable for all Brad and we try (despite a lot of flak from some quarters) to keep it that way. Thanks for the kind words and we hope to visit you one day too (sorry)

That's because they re Bolivian Butterfly rams - Microgeophagus altispinosa

Hello Krissie. A leak in a tank that size can form a mighty big puddle! Welcome to The Fishroom 8)

A fish doesn't have to be rare to be popular, in fact the inverse is true.

My point? It just seems to be going around and around

If you wish to breed them you will need at least 2 rare fish Do you mean rare as in "not seen very often" or "not bred recently so not many about for sale"? If you can find some rice fish to breed you would impress a few 8) All of the L numbered plecs are rarer, hence the high price.

Can't you just agree to disagree? Does one way have to be "right" and the other "wrong"?

Adding pH up without knowing the cause is a bad idea. It is not a permanent fix and the pH will drop rapidly again. Fish will tolerate a steady but high or low pH more readily that a wildly swinging pH which is what you are going to get. Most likely cause is something in the tank - gravel, driftwood or other common item present in all tanks, overstocking etc. By the way, 6.0 isn't a crash, merely a drop

What sort of catfish? Some are known to suck the slime off the bodies of other fish.

We can't block it - we are too busy laughing

There are plenty of fellow Wgtn fish keepers here. Why don't you ask to cycle your filter on one of their mature tanks?

What else is in the tank?

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling2.htm Ammonia poisoning is more likely with an alkaline pH.

but isn't mdf chipboard with a veneer on top?

That's what I thought Then take a photo of it and post it for us all to admire 8)

It's a widdle tank cos the wee piggy went wee wee wee all the way home Welcome to the fishroom piggy.

Then get plain paper and get her to draw her own background for the tank. It doesn't have to be laminated but it does stop water drips from making the paint or crayon run.