Caryl

In parts of the country for short periods yes. Usually only a few inches though. The middle of the North Island and bottom of the South Island mainly. Also on the mountains of course. We have the Southern Alps running right down the middle of our island.

Most of our roads don't require anything on them in winter as it doesn't get that cold but in some places they use gravel.

John Crouch is in Lyall Bay and he breeds quite a few. He belongs to the Wgnt Aq & Watergarden Soc which is not affiliated to the FNZAS but I am sure you can find him in the phone book.

Clown loaches are very susceptible to white spot if water conditions are not to their liking,or good quality. Have you checked your pH, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates? I suspect poor water quality. Are elephant noses one of the scaleless fish? If so, I don't think they cope with white spot meds.

Those alarmed thermostats do keep coming up in Dick Smith's occasionally as we have some of them. Work well and a lot less than $44.50.

Were they hard boiled? :lol:

I have used all sorts of filters over the years (though not 800 of them ) and have never had trouble with an ugf. I have never had one crash on me either. Also never had problems growing plants over them. You just have to make sure the substrate is deep enough.

Depends on your room No they do not need a heater.

They must have only just reached that temp. Fish can actually cope with quite a bit - for short periods. I must say I am surprised they didn't have steam coming out their ears!

There is the North Shore Aquarium Soc that meets in the Sunnynook Community Centre on the 1st Tues of each month. 7.30pm. Kim (member here) is president

Very nice! Natural looking too - I like it

Welcome to the site. I suggest you also join the Dunedin Aquarium Club as several of their members have experience with tanks as big, and bigger, than yours. Talk to Denise at The Pet Warehouse, as she was the president last I heard and they have their meetings there. For lighting I would suggest 4 x 5ft fluorescents. I use bright white or daylight tubes in mine but you can also add the fancy spectrums. How lucky to be building the tank into the house! Make sure you have left height at the back to access the tank from above with nets as the handles stick up and get stuck.

Hi Todd and welcome. Check what size your coldwater fish get to as many will not be suitable for a 2ft tank as it is too small.

What is an L-number? Over the last few years, the hobby has seen an increase in the numbers of loricariid species offered for sale. Many new ones have been discovered, and it is proving very time-consuming for the taxonomists to fully identify the fish and give them a scientific name. To overcome this, a numbering system has been devised that gives these catfish an identity until they are described by science. As a result, you will see many of these beautiful catfish offered for sale with an L number, or an LDA number, with the L referring to the fact that the catfish belongs to the family Loricariidae. From the Practical Fishkeeping website

Welcome to the fishroom tanksman. Perhaps you may join us in the chatroom sometime. A lot of us are in there around 9pm

You can place some of them under the gravel, just under, not totally buried. How well they work depends on the power of the pump supplying the air. If you have somewhere in the tank you can put it without it being seen (behind a log or plants for instance) and without having to bury it, it will go better.

Growing well phillz!

That is a great site isn't it? Check your pH. Smails need it to be alkaline or their shells rot.

Perhaps it depends on what sort of pumpkin you use. Remember in the wild fish will try and eat anything that falls in the water so fruit would be a part of their diet if they were lucky

That may be Shae but we also know they lie!!! :lol:

They should be fine. Did they have algae on them in the river? If not, I doubt they will now. If you are really worried about it then boil them in an old pot for a few minutes.

Hi and welcome. A brackish section might be a good idea as more people are getting interested in them. I will see what I can do

I have never tried pumkin as I thought it would make a mess but obviously not if Alan_au uses it. Will give it a try.

I believe so

It is said water temp makes a difference. Warmer water = shorter gestation, cooler temp = longer gestation. Anything between 4 - 6 weeks.