Caryl

I have some filter sponges over 10 years old that stll show no sign of disintegrating yet. Activated carbon can make the water look cleaner. It also removes medications from the water so if you use it (and I never do) make sure you remove it from the filter first. If I remember rightly, it is recommended you change the carbon every 3 months so it can be expensive to use all the time. If you don't, eventually it dumps all the stuff it has collected back into the water.

Neons would be a lovely snack for your panchax - think of them as live food If you check under the killifish threads you will find someone who had guppies disappearing for the same reason. Killifish (like your panchax) are usually kept in a species only tank.

Hi debs01 and welcome to the fishroom. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Hi Tiden. Just realised I hadn't welcomed you to the fishroom :oops:

Try bits of everything. Mine like peas (with the shell removed) and cucumber but don't like zuchinni. Lettuce and carrots would probably be enjoyed. Avoid veges that break up easily, like pumpkin, as they will foul the tank.

I moved this topic here as it has nothing to do with the FNZAS clubs

But krib do you know if the same female did it twice or 2 different females once each?

Yes, it will give you an idea if the sand is altering the pH if you check the pH of the tap water then that of the bucket water with the sand in it.

Aquarium Fish of the World by Ivan Petrovicky and published by Hamlyn. It is an old book (published 1998) with line drawings rather than photos. Some of the information is out of date (regarding 'these fish have not been bred in captivity' or 'these are difficult to breed' for certain species now relatively commonly spawned) but I find it useful for info like temp, sexing, pH etc. ISBN 0 600 556600 3 By the way, the marbles will work the same as a spawning grid.

No you will not need a filter if you keep it lightly stocked and do regular water changes.

I wouldn't fill it up if it is only 6mm! You could set it up for plants, open at the top, and only filling it partway with a few smaller fish in the lower water level. What did the previous people do with it? Any bracing on it anywhere?

I have never bred them myself but here is what my trusty book says ... Breeding tank: 100 litre with spawning grid. Sex ratio: 1:1 or slightly more fellas Temp: 26C pH: 6.5 eggs are non adhesive, round, glassy and incubation is 6 days. Feed fry newly hatched brine shrimp. It says a large aquarium and soft water are required with soft water particularly being a must. So looks like tap water is fine as long as it is soft. The fish are lively, chasing each other so quickly spawning is practically unnoticeable. Females are prolific and 400 fry from 1 female is not unusual! Shortly after the embryo emerges from the egg case it becomes free swimming and immediately takes food. Though the eggs are relatively large the fry are not very big and for a few days have trouble coping with bigger brine shrimp. Hope this helps.

The only thing you have to watch with beach sand is the amount of shell as it can raise the pH.

It could be swim bladder but maybe something else (I am not too familiar with fish diseases so can't be more specific sorry). How old is she do you know, and how many times has she produced? She may just be exhausted.

Great pics Fay.

He is in the last Year Book under Kapi-Mana. I am at work or I would have given you the information immediately

It doesn't matter. In smaller tanks mine sits on the bottom as that is the only place for it to go! As long as it is creating a good flow of water throughout the tank it will be fine.

The job has recently been taken over by a new person so hopefully things will be sorted soon. Our previous volunteer found he was too busy to do the job satisfactorily.

If you mean an internal canister, I always put mine so the water flow is just far enough below the water surface to ripple the surface without making a noise.

No Jude but he was growled at when someone mistook a serious one liner for one of his smart ones and it got deleted.

There is a great article and pics re breeding bettas coming up in the August Aquarium World magazine

Do you know any joiners who could make a stand for you? Then go to a glazier for the tank. Much cheaper. I don't live in Auckland so can't comment on where to get tanks but have you looked in Trademe?

I think a single betta would look nice in there. I also meant the $2 shop for silk plants, yes.

Check out the $2 shop

Nothing wrong with your temp as those fish will tolerate anything between 25 - 28C. Most people have their tanks at 25 - 26C but mine sit at 22 -24C and I mind my fishes quite happy. Are your 'plecs' actually plecostomus (Hypostomus plecostomus), or the red sailfin plec (Petrygoplichthys gibbiceps) or actually bristlenoses (Ancistrus)? There is a big difference in adult sizing in those species. Bristlenoses only grow to about 8 - 10cm, the red sailfin to around 30 - 40cm and the common plec will grow over 60cm. Plecs continually graze off algae on plants and rocks and a new tank will not have any for them to eat, hence then preferring a more mature set-up. They will cope with the pellets I am sure. If you have a problem with water conditions I would expect it to show first in the clowns as they are very sensitive to water conditions. If the fish are still acting normally and feeding well, I would not worry about their colouration too much at this point. Plecs are nocturnal so will be more active at night. Besides, as fish go, they don't move much anyway