Caryl

Most impressive. As said - MORE PICS!!

Check the water in your tank. It is possible your ammonia etc levels are too high. The original inhabitants have got used to less than ideal conditions but the new fish can't cope with the sudden introduction and die, leaving the originals happy as Larry. Of course, the new guppies may have got the white spot from the stress of transport etc. but not necessarily.

If you have a quarantine station of course

What fish are you keeping? Nothing wrong with 7.6 for many species.

I was being polite Mystic

Unless you have a very densely planted tank the eggs will be eaten

Hi there. You will certainly find a lot of fish enthusiasts both here, and in Wellington

Warren wrote a very comprehensive article about this. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/articles/techni ... thickness/

Sorry, never heard of this one. Where did you get it? If a lfs, ask them.

How was it taken care of Dave? Did you send the boys around? :lol: 8)

Are you sure they were gambusia? Did you tell the staff they are illegal to keep or sell? If the answer to both is 'yes' and they did nothing about it, I would ring MAF. Give them something to do besides check recent plant sales

I think females can store sperm up to 3 months but don't quote me on that

I for one am pleased to know our flora and fauna are being protected in this way. I know a lot of us make disparaging remarks about MAF but in this case they seem to be doing a good job.

I was looking at the sump idea (upgrading to a 6ft and using the 4ft as sump) but then saw the new Fluval and thought "Nah, this'll be easier!" :lol:

Are your parents able to feed them say every 3 or 4 days? The tank isn't mature so there isn't anything for them to browse on for longer periods.

Check out the begonia house Jude

For cichlids the bigger the filter the better. I always like to have more than one filter on big tanks anyway in case one malfunctions (which happened to us recently). There is a new Fluval 5 out which looks brilliant. I am planning on getting one myself after seeing blue&kim's filter in action recently. External canisters for a tank this size plus it never hurts to have 1 or 2 smaller internals as extras.

How long has the tank been set up? What fish are in it? How heavily stocked is it? Would your parents be willing to make 1 or 2 trips to feed them? If so, pre-measure as I suggested and get them to do it every 4 or 5 days.

When we go away we arrange for someone to clear the letterbox and feed the fish. They do not need to be fed every day (in fact we leave our 4ft community tank, established several years, up to a week with no food and all are fine. Don't leave the big African cichlids that long though). Cut it back to every 2nd or 3rd day. The fish will be fine (unless you have fry). Put pre-measured amounts of food into small plastic bags or pill bottles with the day written on them then hide the rest of the fish food. Get the person to empty each container into the tank(s) on the day stated.

This is where putting the fish in quarantine first wuold have solved a lot of problems!

The 'salt or not to salt' debate has gone on for years. As I said, it is not needed. You may certainly use it if you want but it is not needed. I am against adding anything to a tank unless necessary. Do a Google as there is a lot of interesting debate for both sides out there 8)

No we didn't but we played with them

Salt is not needed. I suspect your fish are suffering because the tank has not cycled. Do you have any test kits? You need to check your pH, ammonia, nitrate and nitrite levels.

What do you mean by you turn the pump off? Is this just blowing bubbles or attached to a filter? A filter must be kept running at all times, not turned on and off.

Mine did! I put Java fern in and they chomped it all down to stumps