Pegasus

So how did you get hooked??

Thanks Virgil, but before you start we desperately need help in the quiz Real hard one this time

Thanks Benny, better to be safe than sorry eh

What are the latest symptoms Jinx. Are the spots getting bigger or more? Is it one spot or more? What does it look like? (Fluffy, pussy, risen, yellowish?) What have you tried? Try feeding some LIVE brine shrimp. Not many fish can resist these, or white worm. Pegasus.

The worm desired by most worm farmers I believe is the tiger worm. It's striped, or so my mates are, but I don't know if the fish will eat them. A couple of heavy hessian sacks or a piece of old carpet thoroughly soaked and laid on the lawn or garden usually brings heaps of worms especially if you place a bit of food in the way of old veges under the sack. Keep the sacks wet and the food supply going and you should get heaps of red wrigglers.

Great pics Benny, (Put mine to shame ) See he/she has some BIG tank mates. Hope you have a big tank ready, you're gonna need it Regards Pegasus. (Bill)

Hi Benny, Welcome to the NZ Fishroom, glad you found us. Been trying to find some info on your Giant Gourami, but can't find anything that refers to "Golden" but I presume the grow and breed the same. According to my books they grow rapidly if given the right foods, which my ref says "Large amounts of shrimp, clams, mussles, to which can be added vegetable matter and boiled oatmeal" Max size in natural conditions is 600mm+ and half this is captivity, but Hollywood has had an enormous one in their tank for many years, and there's a picture on the web if you log onto their site. Is your fish a Ospronemus Goramy, or a different species ?? If you want to email me I'll send you the photo and details. Regards Pegasus.

Hi 6Pack, Sorted two or three links out for you that might be useful, one of which is on this site. They all basically come to the same conclusion, poor light, wrong water chemistry, and in some cases overfeeding. I read an article somewhere, I don't know where, that in severe cases the diatoms could be locked into the rocks and substrate, which will make it hard to eradicate. We have some folks here that are better clued up in the water chemistry area, but in the meantime these links may help. http://www.cam.org/~tomlins/algae.html#conclusions http://www.1research2webdesign.co.nz/fn ... php?sid=33 http://www.pakenhamsc.vic.edu.au/environ/algae.htm Regards, Pegasus (Bill)

Glad Ethel and Spike are back to norm. Pleased it was'nt velvet. Got your message, thanks, and the new 46 pic on your site look great.

Ya gotta be quick KM... Where onto number 9, but still have lotsa guesses.

My pleasure Terry, just take care, and if you find time have a crack (excuse the pun) at the quiz

Hi again, Check this link and also enter "body slime in fish" in your browser. Theres heaps of info till we get you some help. http://www.petplace.com/Articles/artShow.asp?artID=2405 Your brown algae prob could be caused by high nitrates, (More water changes needed) or low light conditions. Furry brown algae is another prob. Is your furry or just like normal green stuff but brown ? Regards Pegasus (Bill)

HI 6Pack just got this off the net. (Hope they don't sue me... Tough bickies) All tropical fish secrete a protective mucoprotein slime coating that covers the scales and skin. This slime coat acts as a defense against invasion by bacterial, parasitic, and fungal pathogens. Essential electrolytes necessary for osmoregulation are lost through breaks in the skin and slime coating causing dangerous stress. Open wounds and abrasions caused by handling, netting, and breeding behavior are readily attacked by disease organisms resulting in further stress and fish death. STRESS COAT is a special patented formula containing a slime coat replenisher and Aloe Vera, nature's own liquid bandage. This formula not only eases stress but promotes the healing of damaged fish tissue. STRESS COAT contains a special non-toxic polymer that is attracted to the skin of the fish forming a synthetic slime coat envelope. STRESS COAT also contains electrolytes such as sodium, magnesium, and chloride which helps reduce loss of electrolytes through the skin, gills, and damaged tissue. The Aloe Vera in STRESS COAT reduces inflammation of damaged fish tissue. Independent studies have proven that STRESS COAT aids in the healing and regeneration of damaged tissue. This formulation was proven so unique and effective that it was awarded U.S. Patent 4500510. STRESS COAT is used worldwide as a tonic when actual tissue damage and stress has occurred as a result of disease or fish interaction. STRESS COAT also neutralizes chlorine and can be used in conjunction with Aquarium Pharmaceuticals AMMO-LOCK®2 to condition aquarium water and neutralize toxic ammonia in tap water. STRESS COAT is used and recommended by fish handlers to add to bags of fish during transporting. DIRECTIONS FOR USE: To Replace Fish Slime Coating: to promote the healing of skin wounds and torn fins, add two teaspoonfuls (10 mL) of STRESS COAT for each 10 gallons (37.85 L) of aquarium water. To Remove Chlorine: add one teaspoonful (5 mL) of STRESS COAT for every 10 gallons (37.85 L) of tap water. To Remove Chloramine: use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals AMMO-LOCK®2. AMMO-LOCK 2 will instantly lock up the ammonia from chloramine as well as ammonia produced by decomposing fish waste. STRESS COAT is not a medication and is not intended to be a substitute for any medication. Hope it helps Pegasus (Bill)

Hi 6Pack It's just before 5 here in NZ, and hopefully help is on it's way from someone. Your concern is our concern and having seen Ethel I know how you feel. Seems she might be stressed a little and the salt worries me. Have you done a test for hardness and PH lately. It might be fine for the puffers but the Pleco and Oscar could be in stress over the conditions. Also is the temp the same at each side of the divider, not too cool on the Oscar side. It's not much to offer at this point, but hopefully you might get a quick answer before the day is out. The fish are the main concern, and the brown algae will not be a prob I don't think. Fish sometimes shed slime if they are in different conditions to normal, but if your tank has been like this for some time it's hard to say what is causing it. The rubbing usually indicates either ich or a parasite of some sort, but again, fish do have a scratch occasionally, but if it's constant then it could be unfavourable water conditions, high bacteria counts, minute protozoans which get under the skin and gills, or as above. I'll do a bit of book searching till you get some more replies. Just got a bit from my book of words. Might not make much sense, but here it is. Skin Slime. A slimy condition of the skin, often with the addition of faded colour and cramped fins, may be caused by a variety of infections. common ones are: Cyclohaeta domerguei, Chilodon cyprini, or Chilodon hexastihus and Costia necatrix. ALL are protozoans. Treatment is best with Quinine Hydraclhoride. It doesn't give dosages etc, so I can't help there. If possible hang on before you make any rash judgements, there might be more help from elsewhere. Come on you guys, this is urgent. Regards Pegasus (Bill)

Hi KM, Up early again, but not State side Like Cees the Admin says in the heading, ALL are welcome, we have no restrictions as such. For other members in the States click on the Members List at the head of the page. Might just find a neighbour Nice group of fish and plants you have, Best Regards, and welcome once more. Pegasus (Bill)

Hi Terry, There is a 'technique' to cutting glass successfully, and possibly before you perfect it you'll have a lot of mistakes. My method, (JMO, Just my opinion) is to start with a good firm padded base to lay your glass on. A firm table or the floor will do with possibly an old wollen blanket or something that won't be used for other things to act as padding. Hold the cutter so that it's neck rest in the crook of your thumb and index finger and with the underside of the head resting on your middle finger place your index finger just behind the head of the cutter and allow your thumb to steady it on the left hand side, (If you're right handed.) Imagine you're holding a paint brush. Place a good straight edge between the points you need to cut across and after lubricating the 'wheel' if you're using a wheel cutter, (I use kero and linseed oil) draw the cutter across the glass in an almost upright position while keeping the side of the cutter firmly against the straight edge and dead square to the glass. Heavy pressure is not needed, but a constant pressure across the full cut is. Holding the straight edge still may be a prob, so you may need some help. Run the cutter only once across making sure you start and finish off both edges. I find a straight edge between 12-25mm thick is best as it controls the side of the cutter and is also suitable as the snapping bar. Slip your straight edge under the glass and in line with the cut and push firmly and evenly down on both sides of the glass. It should part cleanly. On thin glass a pencil can replace the straight edge in doing this and would be placed at one side and the pressure applied at either side of the pencil causing the cut to run across the glass. If you started off the edge, and finished off the edge, then tapping of the glass is not needed. Unless you intend cutting major amounts of glass, a diamond cutter will serve no purpose, and contrary to what people think, the diamond cutter can be damaged instantly in the wrong hands and is no guarantee to cutting glass perfectly. Spotlessly clean glass, lubricated cutter, even constant pressure, and a good straight edge is all you need along with lots of practice. If you need further info just email me, I'll be glad to help. Take care, and watch out for the splinters Regards Pegasus.

Hi KMattingly, You were certainly up early this morning You've arrived at the right place, lotsa good posts and members. Good to have you join us, but now we need to know about all those fish you have Regards Pegasus.

I think Fatman beat me by a few seconds sometime today. Congratulations Cees, let's hope it doesn't take as long to arrive at 2000. Regards Pegasus.

Hi Fatman, No matter what you hear or are told, making your own glass tanks is cheaper and a great experience provided you can find a cheap source of glass, and the places to look are the glass dealers themselves who have offcuts and rejects that are suitable for your needs. Demolition companies handle a lot of glass, and at times you may find suitable glass in the form of old damaged wooden windows that is quite suitable for smaller sized tanks, perhaps up to 600x300 if you follow the guides given above. Old mirrors are not bad, (But a lot of work to clean, and can be brittle) and I have used many in my time, but the ultimate is the shop window as in Joey's post. If you can source some of these you're onto a winner. Occasionally you get someone stripping a greenhouse. This glass is suitable for shallow breeding tanks, and invariably the sheets are less than a buck apiece and is a great place to start if you just want breeding tanks. Look in the papers and on the net under the various weekly's, Trademe, Trade & Exchange, Loot, and others. Start small to begin with, make a few small ones until you perfect the principal, then go crazy like I did Great stuff. How about telling us a bit more about yourself and those loaches in the Welcome section. Take care. Regards Pegasus.

Touch'e... 555 point taken. The 555 or similar could run a micro relay of low drain and switch an independent relay for the solenoid, which of course would not run from the battery circuit. The thought was there and you would still have a high drain. Just trying to get away from relying on the mains. Must get a new catalog... Mines pretty old,... Errr.. 19.... Good info Warren as always. Regards Pegasus.

Just a laugh. Perhaps we should change to the DIY section. Well, up to now this valve thing was all making sense, but I just spent an hour or so down at the wreckers yard scrounging about for a threaded carby needle, then with grease up to my armpits another trip to the engineers for some 10mm brass rod. Got home.... BLAST... forgot to pick up the 1mm drill and the special tap that probably will be a bastard size that the local hardware won't have, but I can risk another trip. Then I'm gonna need a 3mm drill as well, and I have to drill along the length of the 40mm brass rod with the 1mm drill. Geez... This is gonna be fun getting it acurate, even in the lathe. Then I have to drill in the sides of the brass rod, so I'll need my vice. My soldering iron ain't big enough for this job... (electronics job) Oh.. and I'll need some copper pipe. Well... There's ten bucks worth of gas gone not counting all the bits and pieces, plus the expensive gun tap that I finished up going back to the engineers for. All I can say is you must have a bloody good workshop Warren, with either a very accurate lathe or a perfect pedestal drill stand, not counting all the other bits like number drills, taps, possibly up to 30/40tpi, tap wrenches, thread guages, drill vice, vernier or micrometer, blowtorch, Duzall, solder, lapping in compound for the taper needle because no drill will match a taper needle. This is precision engineering. My last 15 years were spent designing and building industrial robots and work aids for the sewing industry using electropneumatics, hydralics and such, but when it came to valves, precision was the word, and although the Warehouse valves I mentioned are not 'precision' as such, I know where I would spend my 20 bucks for a simple regulator, and you'll get two for that price. Like you say, it is almost impossible to get constant acurate flows from a needle valve due to temperature fluctuations, so something like an RO6 from Norgren would be the answer, this being a spring diaphram type regulator which will control flow under all conditions, but damned expensive. A simple NE555 timer circuit, that even a first timer to electronics could build is available in kit form from DSE and could control a simple solenoid to shut the CO2 flow off and would run for possibly years from a 9v battery and be independent of power failure. Set to turn on and off every hour or so would reduce costs. (See data section DSE catalog) This is all in good fun Warren, and I hope you take it as such, and I have no doubts whatsoever that you could make your own valves, but it really is just beyond the 'average' kiwi bloke I would think. Pegasus.

Just a suggestion, but the Warehouse and other places carry perfectly good "Needle Valve" type fittings made of brass and s/s on their cast iron gas rings, single or double. If you catch them at sale time you'll get a set for under twenty bucks. Both valves are mounted on approx 10-12mm brass or copper tube and could be easily converted as they are detachable with a couple of screws.

Hi Ben Don't know if I said welcome, but it's nice to have you with us. I was looking over some info on another board and came across this that might help you. I'm not into CO2 so I can't say if it will work, and the writer did say if anyone found any probs to let him know, so if you do have a prob I'll pass the address on if you contact me. Hope this helps Pegasus.

Hi Virgil, Glad to see you finally made it. By the look of your first great post it looks as though you're are gonna fit right in here, and with 15 tanks full of fish to talk about we hope to hear some interesting stories. Sorry about the CA in my message, I thought it was Califonia, but Canada is good, in fact Canada is excellent :) Great to have you here. Pegasus. BY THE WAY EVERYONE. VIRGIL IS OUR 100th MEMBER.

Tell me about it Sorry, but I made a mistake with the name, :oops: so I have edited the above. I had a Cobitus taenia, but the fish in question above was a Clarias batrachus, a great difference in size and features. Told you my eyes were bad