Caryl

Bad mix of fish and too many too fast. There is no way you can have that many fish in so small a tank. Has anyone told you about cycling a tank? A tank needs good bacteria to eat the waste the fishes produce. When you set up the tank with its under gravel filter (ugf) it was ready for the bacteria to grow but they can't do that until you add some fish to produce the waste. More waste = more bacteria and vice versa. As the bacteria grow you can slowly add more fish and so the tank 'cycles'. A tank that size can't handle the 14 fish you bought - even if it was fully cycled. If the shop sold you both the tank and the fish then they should have known better :evil: Most likely the fins were 'burned' from the excess ammonia from the fish that the ugf couldn't cope with. Also the tetras would eat the fins on the Siamese fighter not the other way around. Neons can swim a lot faster than fighters. Your remaining fish may or may not survive their experience but keep up daily water changes to help get rid of the excess waste until the tank cycles properly. Do you have any test kits? I have some here and am happy to help if you live in Blenheim. Let me know and I will get you on the right track. Are you in Blenheim? Our club meets tonight and you are most welcome to attend. I am el presidente 18 Aug 7.30pm Flat 1,88b Scott St (back flat)

Are you in Blenheim? Our club meets tonight and you are most welcome to attend. I am el presidente 18 Aug 7.30pm Flat 1,88b Scott St (back flat) Welcome to the fishroom by the way

Bristlenoses are not supposed to have long flowing fins they look ridiculous (just my opinion of course :lol: ). Same goes for danios. I saw a pic of some somewhere but haven't actually seen any for sale.

I think vinegar eels lost favour due to their size but I can't remember if they were considered too large or too small for a number of species. Wonder how many we would have to order in to make it worthwhile? Might be worth finding out but I am not that interested in them any more. It was just that I was going to do an article about them then realised it was a bit pointless since I couldn't find any in NZ.

Sounds like Wellingtonians won't get theirs for a while at least as the posties aren't delivering today. What a pack of wusses letting 180kph winds slow them down! I thought they delivered through sleet and snow and wind and hail - perhaps they don't deliver when they have to cope with all 4 at once Nice sunny day in Blenheim today 8)

Don't tell me you get lost inside your home as well as in streets Jude! :lol:

What do you mean "they were only red devils"? Are you implying it doesn't matter if you kill a fish if, for some reason, you consider it less important than other species? I get angry with people who don't care if they have killed a fish because it was only cheap, they had lots of them, didn't really want that fish anyway, it was given to me etc etc etc. If you keep fish you must house them and care for them to the best of your ability. They are reliant on you for their survival. If you had a litter of kittens, or puppies, there would be a fuss made if it was discovered you had managed to kill most of them because of something you did and then you said "It doesn't matter, they were only moggies". Why should fish be any different? Because they can't complain, don't look cute?

As soon as the postie delivers it. They were all posted Monday morning. Don't know what effect, if any, the bad weather has had on deliveries though.

Hi and welcome Jude. Yes, we are in the chat room most evenings as ballistic said. Hope to see you there.

If you are in NZ you may be out of luck. I tried to find a culture some time ago but was unsuccessful.

I kept fish for years (successfully) without knowing about these tests so rarely use them but, having said that, if your fish do start dying these tests will help you work out why. I still don't test regularly, just occasionally for curiosity. They help in a new tank though as they tell you if the tank is cycling correctly - especially if you have stocked too much and too quickly. I am against adding anything unnecessary to the tank so would not use Ammolock, pH up, down, whatever etc. I understand Ammolock upsets test results so you can't use it and an ammonia test as well. Your frequent water changes are a better idea. I suggest the ammonia and nitrate would be the most useful but others with more experience of these test kits may disagree. To answer your question though, it is possible to maintain a healthy tank using no test kits at all - if you do it properly.

Yes kribkrazy and fins, you are both on my mailing list

I know it was meant as a joke Ira but some did not find it funny and asked that it be deleted - which I did.

Major temperature swings are a no-no!!

What length is a piece of string? Price range would vary too greatly. Many shops are wary of buying from private individuals at all and when they do they offer less than half what they sell them on for.

The magazine may be subscribed to or is free to all FNZAS members. If you belong to the Waikato club you should get one. If you two Waikato members want to tell me your real names (PM if you like) I can tell you if you are on my mailing list. Copies are bought with a 12 month subscription ballistic. Hurry up and sign up with Kapi-Mana! :lol: Subscription is $21.80 per year.

I don't have clown loaches but aren't they susceptible to white spot but are sensitive to the treatment? You aren't swinging the temp from 31 to 20 degrees every 48 hours are you?

The August Aquarium World and the Year Books were all posted today. I hope you all enjoy reading them. There are quite a few pics from Fiji and I managed to get at least one pic of every member who went (montage on page 20). If you enjoyed reading it, please consider writing an article of your own. Thanks to those who have already done so - feel free to do it again :lol:

Hmm you sound familiar :lol: Hi and welcome Sue (and Rex) glad you popped in at last.

Angels will lay on anything flat - the side of the tank, Java leaves, slate etc.

Too much light and the algae takes off too. You certainly can overdo it.

It's a start anyway. Congratulations and fins crossed.

The Seahorse Farm is where the FNZAS is holding our National Fish Show and Expo in September

They look nice but, as fins said, you can't put as many fish in them. Most fish like width, not height, so they can swim back and forth. Angels look great in them though and are well suited since they glide slowly.

Those who use a coke bottle use the plastic ones and usually chop the narrow top off. My way doesn't feed masses of fish like pegasus' would be able to do.