Pegasus

Hi David, Don't know who you are or where you sprang from, but your attitude stinks. These forums are designed to help others, and if ever you get to know me, which is unlikely at this rate, you will find that I try to offer advice where needed, and hopefully that advice is good. We are niot here to critisize one shop against another, nor to spit in someones face that has tried to help you. We are also not mind readers. MY reference book (The Tropical Marine Aquarium ... Vincent B Hargreaves) says that the H. acuminatus IS easy to keep, whereas the Z. canescens is NOT easy to keep. Having not been to either of the above firms for some years I can't comment on which of the above species they hold at present, and to be quite honest it would make little difference to me if they were selling Moorish Idols for ten bucks apiece. Your original post did NOT say which Idol, the poor mans or the true, so I/we had no means of distinguishing which you meant. If you have complaints to make, then do it with Jansens or Hollywood, not at my expense. BTW: If the true Morrish Idol is available in this country, then obviously SOMEONE still has a living specimen, and keeping fish alive is what this hobby is all about. Read the previous post. It says, "If you know what you are doing" Hi Cris, Thanks for the input.

Hi David, Not a great way to enter a new forum, but you are very welcome here. From your post it appears you may have given Jansens a raw deal. If you made it appear as if you were an experienced Marine Fish Keeper, then possibly the assistant would have said such a thing, but if you appeared to be just starting out, I personally cannot see anyone at Jansens giving this advice. The Heniochus acuminatus (Moorish Idol) is classed as one of the easiest Marine Fish to keep, along with many of the Chaetodon's, but only if you know what you are doing. This company has been going for as long as I can remember, and always offered excellent advice and service. Do you actually keep marines, and if so, what types. Perhaps someone here can advise on additional fish you can keep. Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Justin, Glad you joined the forum, and welcome. There's a number of Seahorse posts here if you missed them, http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/viewtopic.php?t=95 I too have visions of setting up for seahorses, but am at the moment being diverted with other fish and projects. As mentioned, you're gonna need lots of brine shrimp, and there's a large hatcher in the Technical area that might suit your needs if you do eventually find what you are looking for. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hey there Pete, Real pleased you made it at last. Hope you find some interesting topics to add to, or start new ones he he. Regards, Bill (Pegasus) The welcoming commitee is NEVER around when you need them :)

Hi Zeta, Could be your cats are wearing their barbles down because of the substrate (Shell etc)

Hi all, I find milk tends to foul the culture too quickly Dennis, but they seem to love warm aquaium water. Been using the same method forever it seems Size of the amount of bread is defined by the size of the culture. A butter dish size would easily consume a quarter slice a day if it was healthy. Remove ALL uneaten food if it smells in the least. Rob said, In all my years of fishkeeping I have found the opposite, eg, If the worms, (or any live food) are fed too much to often it acts as a laxative and not constipation. Must admit, my fish will gorge themselves till almost bursting on white worm Regards, Bill.

Hi Midas, How would a surgeon explain how to replace a heart valve He he. I am no surgeon, nor do I have a degree in fish diseases, but I DO like to know the most I possibly can about our tank mates, and as I have said many times, a huge percentage of fish deaths are self inflicted by their owners, so if one of my fish dies, and I know I have done nothing wrong, then I like to know why it died if that is at all possible. Sometimes the answers just aren't there, but when they are it is a great feeling, and adds that little bit more to what you knew before you started. In the sixties I was fortunate enough to meet my friend Eli who was a professor at university, and I have mentioned him in other posts. He was head of a research dept for disease, and taught me the basics in his spare time. I practiced on Guppies, Mollies and Swords mainly, and purchased a microscope. It was then that things became even more confusing, until I sacrificed healhty fish and compared them to the dead ones. If it was possible to observe the fish before it died, then these are your starting points, for instance, Was it flicking or twitching at all.... Check the Gills, Was it sulking, hiding, lathargic..... Check the gut and stomach, Was it racing around madly... again, gills and internal parasites, Is it swiming strangely.... Check swim bladder, Was it gasping,..... Check for inflamed gills, Was it swollen ,... various internal disorders, Was it really thin,.... kidney or internal organ failure, intestines, pancreas, pyloric valve, ... (fish that live mainly on live foods and meats have a short intestine, and others that like green foods have long ones ) Was it not eating, ... restriction in the gut,... constipation, Cloudy eyes,.... fungus usually, grey not stringy, Injury,... fungus.... white hairy, stringy, Blisters, sores, ulcers, .... Parasitic worm, or external damage, internal tumourous growth, Spots various,... Good ones to see under the scope on low power. Keep EVERY sample you take. There are many more clues, but LOOKING at your fish rather than WATCHING your fish can tell you when trouble is lurking in the distance. I like to think myself as an ichthyologist, not just a keeper of fish, and I learn something new every day on these forums. When gill and organ examination (kidneys, stomach, intestines, pancreas, liver,) showed various differences, internal smears were placed on slides for the microscope for examination and for future reference. Seeing what caused the problem and knowing what caused it are two different things, and being able to look at a certain part and say that that is "xxxx" type disease was brought down to... External, Internal Parasite, Breathing Disorder, Digestion Disorder, or Organ breakdown, and so forth. The water was always examined first for abnormalities, not just the normal tests, but under the microscope, and any decent microscope and a good hand lens will show you things you never knew were there. Hope this helps a little, Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Dennis, You do realise this is Top Secret Information and I will have to dispose of you after you have read it, don't you he he. I feed mine just bread soaked in aquarium water, nothing fancy. I keep them in moist deep medium in wooden boxes in a cool place, but have some prepared in tubs. I find the wood boxes work better long term as they absorb the moisture Each box will consume a slice or two a day if I let them, but you can control this depending on the temperature you keep them in. All uneaten bits are removed each day irrespective. One of my tubs would feed over a hundred fish every day if cared for correctly. I use feeders made from plastic jar tops with small holes in them. The worms seperate from the food in masses and are clean to handle, and the fish go bonkers for them. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Ira, here we are again he he. Just having a bit o fun Ira, but really just trying to ask you to be careful, without actually saying it, as I seem to get into heated arguments when I get involved with your tanks. My fish... I can honestly say that I personally haven't lost a single fish since setting up on the 3/7/02, but did lose a few in transit from a South Island delivery, which I put down to the mishandling by the courier service. Don't want to blow my own trumpet here, but if a fish of mine dies, I want to know the reason why, and if I know that it is not my fault and it appears to have died from some unknown cause, it gets disected (sp) and examined carefully until I find a reason, which I invariably do. I started doing this in the early days of my fishkeeping and it's amazing what the insides of a fish can tell you, especially under a microscope. As you know by now, I add nothing to my tanks.... nothing in the form of chemicals or other things, unless I HAVE to do it, and I cringe sometimes when I read what some people put in their tanks and sometimes wonder how their fish remain alive. I read your posts with interest, and you found what to me appeared to be the problem when you said your fertilizer was at 2pH. You also mentioned driftwood, which could also be adding to your problem. Dump a piece in a bucket for a few days and check the water for pH reading. This will tell you if the wood is affecting the water. Irrespective, dolomite will not cure your problem long term. Hope it comes right for you, Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hi KMatt, Done a bit of searching under "Sexing Ghost Shrimp" Palaeomonetes kadakensis or P. paludosus on the net. Heaps of info, bu8t it appears the only way to tell as with other shimps, eg, when they are carrying eggs between their legs. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

I recon you should open a fish cemetery down there Ira, you'd make a fortune. Sorry... Couldn't resist

Just a footnote: I think you should establish what works in YOUR situation before going to any extremes. It may be that oyster grit or dolomite will not KEEP your pH at the level you want, so therefore you would be just creating futher problems and work for yourself. Possibly some form of rock might help in the situation you are in as an alternative to additives. There are many such rocks that would increase pH, but again, you would need to monitor your levels very carefully. Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Ira, Seems like you're having a few probs obtaining the stuff. I got it straight off the shelf at the Equestrian Supplies store. Personally I think you might be heading in the wrong direction adding this and that, but that is your choice and not for me to say. I think marble chips would be even harder to find, but why not treat the missus to a nice meal out of oysters and keep the shells. Some believe they are actually an aphrodisiac... You never know :) You could also ask around the restaurants that serve seafoods. I'm sure they would be pleased to dispose of their shells. As mentioned elsewhere, chickens and cage birds use the oyster grit, so the pet supplies may have some. Wonder if I could start a crushed oyster shell supply as a sideline. There seems to be lots of need for such things out there. How many hundred tons would you like he he. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hi again Steve, Nice interesting post, you'll have heaps to tell us about there. There's a technical section if you feel like sharing some of those DIY's with us You possibly realised, but there are two sites here, (click on the twin fish on the header for the other one) where you'll find lots of other info on plants and such. That entertainment centre would sure look nice with three tanks set in it :) BTW: How did you find us, we are always keen to know what parts of the world our little forum (by world standards) reaches. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hey there Steve. Real glad you found the NZ fishroom. Be great to know what fish and setup you have, but in the meantime there's a link here showing an article one of our members wrote that you may find interesting. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/backing.0.html Jut click on the link. You will find another heading that will allow you to return back to here when you are ready We have a number of members from the States,. What sort of fish do you keep ? Hope to see you posting again soon. Regards, Bill ( Peagasus)

Hi Robert, Just been reading your previous posts. Seems like you have a nice balanced setup there. Got any of those baby discus for sale. Could be interested a bit later when I set up a few more tanks. We seriously need some input about Discus if you fancy posting some of your knowledge in the Cichlid Section. Setups, water conditions, breeding techniques, raising the fry etc would be great reading for many of us that are interested. I know we can search the web, but first hand experience is always better in my estimation. Best Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

My research into the files of the White House, and the Bat Cave of course, reveal that if you type "Stylidium" into your browser you get 56 locacations of this nice looking plant, many with great pics, and some showing it flowering. Nice reading.... Thanks AJ Bill

Hi Kluyu, THere's not much chance of you finding Daphnia in drains and puddles, but you would probably find Mossie larva. Ok, recognising Daphnia. Did you ever see the TV seriers Dr Who..... err Dr who ? you ask ? he he Ok, the Darleks in that series were fat at the bottom, tapering to the top with arms reaching out. He he, the daphnia always reminds me of them, but are more egg shaped with multiple fingered arms coming from its almost transparent body that swims in jerky movements under the water. Stand an egg heavy side down, make it pregnant, draw some eyes near the narrow end, stick a couple of spindly twigs in the body for arms, and you have a daphnia lookalike he he. Best place to find them. At approx 12 noon on a sunny day when it's nice and warm, look in just about any static body of water that cows, horses, or sheep have been around and you will probably find daphnia. They are easy to see, and if they are in big enough quantities they form a slightly pink to red mass just below the surface. I have seen them so thick you could have almost walked over the pond on their bulk. Like a good fishing spot. keep your daphnia spot secret, but give a few to your mates. Breeding at home. Seed a tub of aged water, leave in a sunny spot to grow some algae, dump a bit of sheep or horse manue in there, and purchase a bag of dapnia from your LFS to start it off. They will feed on the micro life and the green water. The more surface area you have the better. Daphnia consume a great deal of air and will die quickly if there is not enough. Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hey Ira, If you are still searching for Dolomite, and don't have an Eqestrian shop or one that handles horse gear, then try your local Vet. It's used widely in the horse world, but as I said, we used it for the frisky stallions not on tropcals, but as far as I know, Dolomite is Dolomite. It can be bought in powder or tablet form, and you I would think should consider the tablets. Searching for crushed oyster shell ?? Any pet supply shop has it, also any places that supply chicken food as it's used by birds of many types. Last resort, send me $20 bucks and I'll ship you all you want, fresh and just off the oyster. We have an oyster farm a few miles away. Bill (Pegasus)

Hey Bruce, You aught to know better than to divulge that information. It makes a great reason to blacmail you into making a post telling us how you did it In the correct section of course, not with the Saltwater.... (gentle hint he he )

Ooooo Caryl, Shame on you Caryl Simpson for asking such a question They're the Newcastle Knights, and they ain't based in Northern England he he.

Hi Kluyu, great post, thanks for the input. I too may have to "Bite the bit" a little, (eat yer words Bill ) as I have been into many discussions about how I prefer the natural way, but I think I am going to try this just for experimental reasons only, as I need to establish how the plants will react when taken from conditions that provide constant CO2, to having no CO2 in a normal setup. Just to clarify. If say on removing the plants from a CO2 tank into a normal one, then days later they begin to flag, or die even, then to me it would be pointless using the CO2 in the first place. It was pointed out to me that many garden centres and plant growers use CO2 on a large scale to encourage growth, and that the plants in question then fare quite well in the normal home enviroment. Hopefully this will apply to the two differing tank setups, but only extensive tests with various plants and lighting will give me the answers I need. My present setup uses no CO2, and a while back I was fortunate enough to obtain some plants from Rob, one of our members, at a VERY reasonable price. (cheers Rob ) At the moment they are going balistic, with just Grolux lighting and no additives, and I have obtained enough cuttings of good size to fill my other two tanks, and have Sag and Vallis growing over 1.5 metres long and most other plants almost lifting the hood off the tank. My Swords are flourishing, as are all my fern types, which require constant pruning, so growing is not the problem, but SEEING the differences between CO2 and none CO2 may or may not prove a benifit to me. All input would be welcome Regards, Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Joey, Shame about the Kribs... Get moving with that extra tank Address for Aquariums Anonymous is here. They seem to cure most things for the addiction LOL. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/index.php Regards, Bill.

Hi Joey, Great to see you on the boards again. I personally think the Warriors were a bit upset and confused over the whole Bulldog issue, but let's face it, they have done fantastic this season (I always had faith in them but to get a zero score.... well, we won't talk about that hey How are those fish of yours, must have quite a few more by now ? Regards Bill (Pegasus)

Hey Joey, Been a while. Nice to see you back on the forum