hovmoller

The import discussion in this thread has mainly revolved around species not on the allow list, how to get them on there and then import them. I think a members register of fish will only benefit the hobby... and to simply say that the lfs will suffer because it will be easier for us to find each other (and the fish we keep) is a bit narrow minded thinking IMO.. I'm all for supporting retailers because in the end without them it would be extremely hard to have this hobby... but why make it harder for ourselves.. and beside it will benefit one of the problems identified in this thread that too many species die out in NZ

It's the kiwi way! (I think) why do you think TM is so popular.. this is a country full of traders and swappers.. I don't think the LFS will suffer

Up to you Barrie , you can just put a number to the species you keep and want people to know about.. then at least we can see that you have them and some of them plenty of. Or maybe no amount.. so we can just see that you have and breed them. I mean a section under my profile where I can select from a drop down list of species and click eg. Corydoras sterbai and then type 7 for the amount I have and then maybe tick a box beside it if I am breeding this species. Then if I ever needed some new friends for my sterbai I could go into the main register and click on sterbai and then I get a list of who has them and who is breeding them and then I could contact those people (if they have allowed people to do so perhaps). It would give a really good picture of which species we are "running low on" here in NZ but of course it would only represent the species people have volunteered to enter.. would not show many of the fancy things people want to keep a secret.

I think it is likely to be tissue from the intestine so pulling it out will definitely be a bad thing. It could go back to normal after she is finished popping out fry. Hope all goes well.

So what does FNZAS and it's administrators/moderators etc. think about adding a members fish section as discussed earlier in this thread? For the purpose creating a database where one can find out who has what and where and who is breeding etc. Entirely voluntary of course so people can still keep their little secrets hidden.

That's what this forum is all about! The size looks really good for a 4ft.. but it looks like carp to me.. You can sometimes score a really good deal on used eheim canister filters on tm... I have 3 I have gotten that way and they perform like new!

Not really a serious issue or drama here just someone making a mistake... The guy got it wrong and people will get things wrong no matter what system is used.. it's called being a human being

Would be great for christmas!! But absolutely horrible any other day of the year IMO

Or take the plants out (are they still in pots?) and put them in a tiny tank and blitz them with Flourish Excel.. I have done similar in a bucket with a bleach solution and killed off the Black Beard but that was with Anubias that is a very hardy plant.. not sure if amazons could survive being in the bleach the time it takes for BB to die (I had mine in a 1:20 bleach solution for 4 mins) This bleaches the BB (funny enough) so it turns yellow/whitish but dies and eventually rots away (be sure to de-chlorinate the plants immidiately after the bath before putting them back in the tank

Just took a few.. sorry had to use flash because the light is quite dim in the tank

Yes for sure Flying Fox and SAE is not the same fish but SAE is sold as Black Line Flying Fox (perhaps because SAE are not on the MAF allowed to import list?) IMO SAE's are very good at dealing with Black Beard.. but if your beard (not yours Henward) is already quite long they will not eat it.. you will have to manually nip it off so it is short and then the SAE's will do their damndest (probably not a real word) to keep it really low.. But they are also an oppotunistic fish so will feed on whatever they can when you do your feedings.. I believe if you wanted to do a once over rid of Black Beard you can overdose your tank with flourish excel.. I'm not too sure about this but I know at HFF they do it often and have the recipe there on what the dosage is.. (it will be very expensive though, especially for a tank your size)

That's like Sea Monkeys... but with fish instead!!

Time for an update: Divider works really well. The pair is very interrested in each other but he can no longer beat her up Yesterday I noticed her obsessively cleaning the rocks and wanting him to come close so I lifted the divider to give them some interaction. It didn't last long until he was again constantly chasing and nipping her so divider went back in place. When I came home from work today they had already begun spawning :bounce: The males doing the best he could from the other side of the "fence" (not easy I guess) I then lifted the divider again but of course it just turned into a constant chase again. The handsome male. Female with egg laying tube showing. Finally I put the divider back in and after a while they continued the spawn. I have my doubts how succesful this spawn will be given that he was on the other side and not as participating as he should be...But she has a mouthfull of eggs now so time will tell...

So it is only in the case where someone breeds a sizable number and enters it into a competition.. This does not give a very good idea of who has what.. and it would not have helped whoever it was on the south island trying to establish a breeding group of Corydoras adolfoi not long ago. I think the breeding competition and the fish register should be separate things.. but hey.. I'm just a non member... (for now)

It would be so easy to have a tab under the user control panel where you could register "my fish" (chosen from a list of scientic names of course so people don't just make up random names like "Blackline Flying Fox") This data could then tie in with an overall page where you can search by species and find out what is where and by who.

Thanks Jennifer for your explanation.. Very helpful Although not entirely on topic but very closely related to, I have a question: Is there (or should there not be) a voluntary register for what fish are being kept/bred by who? Eg. a page where I can click on a certain species and it will tell me who has them and who is breeding them.. Managed by members themselves.. Eg. if I had 5 Lamprologus ocellatus I could go there and register them and it would be up to me to update when that changes. I know many will not advertise their expensive fish but that is up to them.. Would give a much better overview of when a certain species within NZ is "running a bit low" Sorry if this register already exists or have been talked about to death somewhere else.. I'm just asking here

So to anyones knowledge has it ever been attempted by a group of fishkeepers in NZ to band together, raise the money and put in an order for eg. 50 fish of a new species? (a species on the list that is, but which is just not in NZ)

1. Yes it did stain my silicone to a light blue colour 2. It also stained my java moss to a dark green/blue colour but it survived and grew new green bits Don't know about other plants

I agree.. and that is a good point.. it just so happens that David has a passion for Eartheaters and that includes myself and there are only 3 species on the list, 2 of which are named incorrectly.. Perhaps there could be a better dialog between hobbyists and importers/retailers. eg. an importer/retailer could post in this forum saying "we have a chance of importing x amount of this Corydoras "whatever" and people with a genuine interrest could sign up (and maybe pay a deposit of some sort) for a certain share of the import... Everybody wins... I think this way could open the door to many new species.. but of course people have to commit!

You could silicone the rocks to a piece (or two depending on tank size) of 3mm acrylic.. then just silicone that into the tank around the edges.. should be easy enough to remove in the future.

Speaking of ugly eartheaters!!! Nah they are nice... and good for the powerbill as well I guess.. Funny.. one of the first results on google is David's G. balzanii sexing problem from 2008 on MFK.. What temp did you keep them at David and did you manage to breed them finally or only got eggs?

Agree.. It almost looks like you have tried to space out all the plants evenly.. have a look at nature.. this NEVER happens.. only when people get involved.. IMO planting things more dense or actually clumped together in some areas and leaving other areas open gives the best result.. but of course each to their own liking. Otherwise I like your tank and fish though

Poor guy/girl.. Wants to share something then gets shot down by the pros... life is cruel I guess

Hehe Well yeah if you compare a dirt old Steinie with a young altifrons in it's prime then yes it will look ugly.. So it's not the stunner of the family.. but still has lots of interresting behavior and doesn't require as large a setup as altifrons does.. Anyway I'm sure this has been covered in many previous threads but has the FNZAS approached MAF about the lack of species on that list? does anyone know?

Found some pics of my Steinies from 2003... Male: Fry: