blueether

euro bracing is the brace that runs along the front and back and I think this is the one that Alan is saying is a must on a larger tank

The SPCA releasing de-sexed cats into the wild (even if it is urban) set a very bad example to the general public - "If the SPCA do why can't I?"

The is one guy on TM who said he has had them breed but I doubt that he has as they have a marine larval stage.

The bio-load from 6 shrimp would be very little and I would be tempted to not worry about a cycle - especially if you have a good number of plants. I also wouldn't use conditioner in a tank for inverts, have read that many don't like them and have had a koura die the day after a waterchange with conditioner in it - It is a bit of a catch 22 in my native tank as smelt are very sensitive to chlorine and I lost about 12 one w/c and have had them 'floating' after another. After the w/c that left them floating/darting I rushed down to the LFSand grabbed some conditioner and within 10min they were almost recovered.

I have my doubts that anything sold as Lilaeopsis novae-zelandiae is the real thing going on the pics on niwa and other scientific type sites, and on niwa's site: I have in one of my tanks a self collected sample that matches the scientific description (or Lilaeopsis ruthiana)and it looks nothing like what is sold in shops.

World of water is out past the base and then there is pure aquatics (was the goldfish bowl) on heaphy terrace.

keep us posted on how stable it is (and GH/KH)

For bottom plants try Glossostigma elatinoides or for something larger Hydrocotyle verticillata You could try in a 15L but the temp will swing a lot (thus the dissolved O2). When I had mine in the 15L tank I also had Mayfly larvae, snails, blackworms, midge larvae etc as well as 5 or 6 shrimp

I've kept a few in a small 15L tank for a while but as Sam said by the time you get some moss/plants there isn't much room left. 30L odd would be a good size. I would add a bit of driftwood, riversand substrate and some plants like Hydrocotyle spp, Hygrophila polysperma, Ludwigia repens etc (most of the plants that you will find in the Waikato are pest plants). They do like a bit of flow but not too much so an air stone should do fine. As for temp - they will die at about 26 deg and will only have a short life at temps above 23-25, but saying that some people clam that the do fine at 25-26 deg. The eat detritus and bio-films (algae and bacteria) so little extra feeding is needed in an established tank but a few grains of fish food wouldn't go amiss. As the male ages it under goes a sex change to female - so any that are over about 15mm? * will be female. Females that are in berry (carrying eggs) don't tend to do well in the aquarium and die quite fast after losing their eggs. The young larvae have to go to sea so I don't believe that they have been breed in the home aquarium. * Cant remember the size off the top of my head but think it was around that size.

as a rough guide I have about 1 - 1 1/2 cups of crushed limestone in my filter on my 430L native tank with lots of driftwood and the pH sits about 6.8

You should be able to catch them in the Waikato within Hamilton city. I have seen them all the way up the Waipa in streams around Pirongia. If you cant find any in the city the head out to Raglan.

Merry Christmas Caryl

2x1x1 ft unheated Guppy/Leopard fish tank 26.4 deg 2x1x1 ft temp set at 22 deg Guppy/WCMM/Cory tank 25.0 160L unheated temperate marine (just started to cycle on w/e) 25.1 deg 340L chilled native set for 19 deg on chiller (I know that it's temp is 1-2 deg out) at 18.2 deg ~15L brineshrimp tank 27.4 deg Room temp 29 atm

Get your self a cat? :digH:

This is the problem I have in my native tank, so I have taken to growing basil in the tank. Time will tell if this helps or not

and that is where the similarity ends

How do they still draw, the thermostat is just a switch, like a light switch and lights dont use power when not light do they?

about 1/3 grown, and the cat is burmese x

so guess what our cat just brought home - alive. A rabbit :facepalm:

How would a chip stop my cat killing any birds? should we give all out native birds chip-readers that beep when a chipped cat approach?

No, and I'll leave this comment at that so I dont get either of us a warning...

Oh and I cant see how Reg. and microchips will change any thing. Mandatory de-clawing might help alot...

No that is not what Sam said... "she used to bring in all the birds (none of which were native) and since she had a run in with two cars," Get facts straight before putting words in peoples mouths

I'm not against you getting a bit on the side, money that is

I don't think anyone has said that? I know exactly what our cat catches as he kindly leaves them under the kitchen table for us, and yes he is a serial killer. I wouldn't have a cat I we lived near native bush.