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Mikey

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Everything posted by Mikey

  1. I have found that mine has changed colouration a few times... when he moults. Sometimes it is the same colour, but there has been a few times where he as altered quite markedly, perhaps altering his camo to suit the tank and when you change things, he changes Coolest change he made was to quite a vivid speckled green, this happened after I threw some green fern fronds into the tank for a change.
  2. I'm sorry to hear about this. You had a fantastic tank set up with awesome looking fish, you lost the Kokopu? Good luck with the new arrival and hopefully it isn't too long before you get back into the natives!
  3. Yip, they are escape artists and very entertaining to watch! I use a mesh lid for my native tank as it allows more air to get to the water and helps control temperature, while preventing the escape attempts. There were nights where I would see the Koura on top of the driftwood searching for weak spots in the lid. hope yours is going well after the escape.
  4. Sounds like you are having good success in breeding bullies, it is good to hear... getting them naturally breeding in captivity is a long term way of safeguarding the species if we lose the wild populations... which I hope we don't come to! Just look at what's happened with White Cloud Mountain Minnows, they are basically extinct in the wild. It is mainly the aquarium trade and breeding in captivity that has kept the species alive. Thanks for sharing you experience and how you do it. PS: If you ever have an overstock of bullies I would be more than happy to take some off your hands. I'd rather obtain captive bred ones than take them from the wild population, as I'm not sure how thriving my local bullies community is doing. Which reminds me... I need to go spotlighting and check up on things!
  5. Interesting questions here... judging by the reaction the common and upland had in the bucket, I'd suggest that they wouldn't hybridise even if you tried I guess Stella/Blueether et al might have an actual answer for you, if there is a known answer that is.
  6. Agreed... Koura can get themselves into some very interesting predicaments, very entertaining little beasties.
  7. :nfs: How do the Shrimp get along with the Koura? you find many have gone "missing"
  8. Hi Beezel, I'm still not sure what took out my koura, could have been water temp spike that I wasn't around to see, everything else seemed to be ok, and his tank had a water change only a few days before he had his issue. So I'm really at a loss as to what happened, it could just be one of those random things that happen from time to time in the wild that I happened to witness and trying to find a reason. :dunno: I haven't got another Koura as yet, all I have done with the living creature part of the tank is chuck 20 mountain minnows in there so there is something moving around and keeping the good bacteria alive. I've been meaning to go out and at least get some shrimp, but life (aka young kids) keeps getting in the way of my night time excursions Cheers.
  9. Those camo crabs are rather interesting aren't they... I've never seen them before. Thanks for sharing :nfs:
  10. That they have a young daughter in the house, and they have put this tank together so the daughter leaves his tank alone :rotf:
  11. Awesome way to spend a weekend in my opinion... looks like a successful trip! :nfs:
  12. A lion is a cat isn't it? :slfg:
  13. Heh... I'll come build a treehouse with you, but no way am I reading Twilight At least it is still on the radar and not being forgotten... I guess the public interest means it wont just be dropped
  14. Yup, that is the tank size, the 180L. Is quite high so found the top was very empty when crays were present. Realise that the shrimp and minnows will become a source of food at some stage.... although what I have been reading about the minnows is they tend to hang around high to mid level and don't hit the deck much, so I reckon i'd only lose them under unusual circumstances I'm hoping to go spotlighting in next few days once weather clears a bit to see what is around and do a bit more planning from there. I have thought the same thing.... one thing I was thinking of doing was getting a "turtle" tank, which generally have big footprints, and then can use the ramp and basking area for the second level... and create a super cray house. The cray that recently died out of my tank used to clamber up the wood to try get moths and things that hit the surface... so I can imagine they would go well in a multi level complex. But I'm getting side tracked, that is a long term goal haha. Cheers for your thoughts.
  15. I love that fourth pic... looks like it is trying to climb out of your hand and make a dash for freedom :nfs: You seem to be having a very successful sojourn around the country... well done!
  16. Pesky Vikings!! :slfg: Good laugh, thanks for sharing... and I love the answers
  17. Some good ideas there already... Mt Tauhara is a pretty nice half day trip as well... doesn't cost a cent and the view from up there is awesome! There is heaps of stuff to do in and around Taupo.... guess it depends on what you are into My dad lives down there so I have spent a lot of time in the area. Oh, and there is the Trout Centre just past Turangi.... got an awesome native aquarium set up... kinda surprised that Stella didn't mention that? :slfg:
  18. Bored and needed something to do? So they go and kill animals? Why not go read a book? Go for a run? Take up a hobby? Build a treehouse? Any number of other options. :an!gry
  19. Heh yeah... my first job was $4 an hour... Strange how everything has inflated over time... some more than others.
  20. Only six years old... What happened? Sorry for your loss! :tears:
  21. So, the cray that was in this tank passed on recently, so I'm now looking at revamping it. I'm going to get rid of some of the rocks, and I have added more wood. In terms of occupants, I am definatley going to get another cray, they are by far one of the most interesting aquatic creatures I have had the honour of observing. I also have a stream nearby chocka block full of shrimp, which I am thinking would be a good addition to the tank, and they can help control a bit of algae. In terms of fish... I am limited as to what I can get up here... I don't think a banded kokpu would be happy long term in my tank because it is too small in my opinion, and I dont seem to have anything else other than bullies in my zone. So inanga/smelt etc aren't really an option. So I would like to have something mid to high water as it is a high tank... so I was actually thinking of doing a "naughty" thing and putting in a school of white cloud mountain minnows. So the thought is stocking wise: One Koura Several Shrimp A school of White Cloud mountain minnows. What are peoples thoughts on this stocking set up? I realise the koura will probably enjoy some shrimp... Love to hear your thoughts. PS: Now the weather is improving, I'm planning on going on a spotlight trip in the next week or so to scope out what is around at the moment
  22. They are certainly interesting creatures... I'm planning a bit of a revamp on the tank and will be getting another cray Have posted in my tank log thread, so feel free to comment and give me your suggestions. Cheers.
  23. Most of my spotlighting has been conducted in the Glenfield streams on the North Shore. Although I have done some down in Northcote, Eskdale Bush etc. There is Koura and Banded Kokopu in pretty much every stream I shine a torch into here. There is some streams attached to estuaries that are full of shrimp and what I believe is common bullies. Eels are a fairly common occurance as well. I have a spotlighting thread in here somewhere... so check it out if you want.
  24. Siphon & Plastic Card (like a credit card) Plastic card is awesome to scrape glass, and doesn't damage silicon etc (I'm currently using a Subway Club loyalty card.... free at any subway ) Ottos keep the rest tidy.
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