Pegasus

Hi Seahorse, Great post, and am glad you are getting involved. Seperating fry is always a problem, but I think the easiest way would be to gently slip a seperator in the tank so that the fry are kept to one area. You may have to strip that portion of the tank to get them all, and it could be messy. You should of course make careful preperations before moving them and be prepared to supply them with the right foods in their new quarters, which at the moment the mother is probably doing. The new water conditions would need to be as near as possible to their present one if you understand my meaning. (Ph, Dh, Temp, etc) You're sort of on the craps table at the moment where you have to take a gamble. They could be ok for a week or so depending on your tank size, or they could get eaten by the other fish you have, it's always a risk. Heavy planting sometimes helps, and although the mother seems to be looking after them at the moment she may decide to just sample the delicacy on offer, who knows In answer to your 'other' question. Most good Cichlid parents will chew food then spit it out for the young. Sounds like you have a good balanced tank with good parents, and as Rob says, why upset it. Might be time to start looking for that extra tank though, you're gonna need it Best o luck, you have some great happiness ahead of you. Pegasus.

Hi Fatfish, glad you found us. Your own selection of fish looks good, provided they are small to start with. Angels can get pretty big and can become a little aggresive at feeding and breeding time. Gouramies can grow quite big, and again can get quite stroppy for the same reasons. Buying small fish and allowing them to grow up together usually works, as the tend to become mates and live in harmony, but this is not always the case, so you have to keep a close watch on them. You've got the right idea when you say you will "take time to plan it properly". Read all you can is my advise, and these boards are a good beginning. A number of post have been made on tank sizes like 180 or 200ltr, but when it comes to fish the actual water surface of the tank is what matters. In other words, a tank 600x300 wide will support less fish than a tank 600x450 wide. Hope this helps. Keep reading those books Pegasus.

Hi Members, My first experience with tropical fish came in my early teens. I used to fish with a young guy that was a great pal and we would go everywhere together, but strangly he never invited me home, until this particular day he did. After a while he invited me into his fish room, a dark damp cellar in the lower bowels of his home. I was fascinated, as there sat numerous tanks with all manner of fish that I can't remember, but one thing stuck in my mind and that was a pair of Siamese Fighters (Betta splendens) spawning. I was glued to the tank as they went through their ritual, and days later I watched the young fry swimming around and feeding on a thing called infusoria, which at the time was a new word to me. My friend showed me the ropes and I was hooked, and I knew from that day that it was to be part of my life. Many months later my first planned spawning was a pair of Pearl Gouramies. I was truely addicted. Pegasus. So how did you get hooked??

Hi Members, Reading the Live Food section brought back a few memories, and although this is not a breeding experience it was at the time rather funny. As I mentioned, I used to show fish and my main ones were Oscars and Angels. The Angels were around 8" tip to tip and had beautiful red eyes. I decided, because the show was pretty local, I would take "Clarry". Clarry was a Clarias batrachus (an albino, eel like catfish with real long whiskers and a huge mouth) He, or she, was a real friendly character and would let you tickle its belly, but you had to keep your fingers clear of its big gaping mouth. I decided I would take it to the show and see how it went on. I had a two-foot Perspex tank so I popped him in there and set off with the Oscars and Angels in huge plastic bags. You get to know your fish after a while, and I knew old Clarry and the tricks he would get up to, like trying to lift the hood off the nine footer, and other antics, so I firmly taped the glass cover over the perspex tank with him safely in a plastic bag inside. With the fish settled and released the judging began and all contestants were ushered out of the judging area until they had made up their minds. Meanwhile there was a great auction going on and I was spending big (at that time) on plants. Suddenly there was an almighty crash with the sound of breaking glass. Everyone turned to see four red-faced judges chasing Clarry around the judging hall, towels in hand, and sweat pouring from their faces. Old Clarry was on the move, (His favorite pastime) and could he move. After ten minutes of fruitless chasing we finally had him cornered under a radiator. Seconds later he was happily back in the tank giving his usual big grin that he seemed to give with his enormous mouth that seemed to cover his whole face. "Is this #$%$# thing yours" bellowed the judge. "Err Mmm" mumbled the red-faced Bill. "Get the damn #@#$%## thing out of my sight, It's disqualified" he yelled as the sweat dripped from his nose. Needless to say, Clarry didn't get taken to shows after that. These fish can travel miles overland at great speeds, (Mine was about 16" long) just like the eel, which they may be related to, I don't know, but if you want a comical friend, the Clarias batrachus is hard to beat. They just about talk to you with their gestures and long whiskers that are constantly on the move, but a word of warning, just watch your fingers, they pack a nasty bite. Oh... the show. I got a first for the Angels, and a second for the Oscars. Personlly I think the main judge had a thing going with the winner, an attractive young female that always seemed to get first prize for her Oscars which many felt were not even up to show standard. Happy days, great times Pegasus.

You have to know what you are doing when hunting for live foods in the streams and ponds, as you can get many visitors you didn't want. Many years ago, around the time the red Oscar arrived in the UK, I used to show fish, and among these were several Oscars around a foot (300mm) long. These big fella's took some keeping up with in the food dept, and runts and such were not always on hand. I thought of the local canal and went on a hunting expedition in the hope of finding something edible for my pride and joys. I returned with a large quantity of what the local kids called "Bomb-bellies" and now with a source of handy live food for my Oscars I happily fed them and watched their delight. The fish were in a nine footer, along with some large Tilapia's and a few other choice species. On turning on the light the following morning I discovered my prize fish covered in Argulus (The fish louse). PANIC.... Out with the books, and the only sure remedy at that time seemed to be potassium permanganate crystals. A quick calculation and in it went. The tank was left in darkness for three days, and the water at this time was a deep shade of violety purple. It got rid of the louse, and several days exposure to bright light and a few water changes and heavy filtration got rid of the purple, but my fish were never "flawless" again after that. Quite a shock I can tell you. Thanks for the post Rob. The old "tennis ball" of tubifex brings back a heap of memories.

Hi Rob, Interesting article, Are live tubifex available over the counter in NZ? I was given to understand that there might be an odd registered supplier over here. These along with white worm, brine shrimp, and micro worm were our mainstay foods during the winter months in the UK, but in summer we would culture daphnia, (and other unwanteds) in a tub with some sheep or horse manure in, or if that failed we could always find a pond somewhere that was teeming with them, but the transporting of them home was the problem as we invariably got more than we needed and casualties were many, but the advent of the 12v pump made things a lot better.. We would put the tubifex in a tray and allow the tap to drip slowly on them for a couple of days before using, as most tubifex is found in sewage areas, but I can't think of a fish that didn't love them. Our white worm cultures were kept around 50-60F and were split at regular intervals just in case the culture spoiled, and the same applied to micro worms.

Hi Squid, if you happen to read this. We took the poll and the results are in the 2 hot 2 handle section along with my final apologies on the matter. I would like to ask you a question, and that is,

ooops.... the thread snapped. Seems to have gone somewhere else. Lotta seahorses around here.... somewhere

Hi Rhys, Saw your message in the other section. It was me who made the initial enquiry. Sometime in the future, (If I get time) I would like to try Seahorses once more as they have always fascinated me. Perhaps you could get your freind to write an article, I'm sure there would be a great interest. Regards Pegasus.

Moved this post into the relevant section in the hope it may inspire members to tell us about their Gouramies or Bettas or other Anabantoids. Dark made the original enquiry. Success with Gouramies (and Bettas) is dependent on breeding condition. If you start with poorly conditioned fish, you'll get poor results. I've seen males almost kill the female after spawning, yet others that were perfectly happy being left together, so situations may vary. Before even considering breeding, the female should be in top nick, and in perfect health. Feed her and the male up on live foods for a while. I personally separate the pair using a glass divider, allowing them to "see" but not "touch" each other. The male will be just about going crazy by now, especially if the female is full of roe. You sex them by their dorsal fin, the females is rounded at the end, and the males pointed slightly. Raise the temperature to 80 degrees and this will spur them on. He'll begin to build a nest of bubbles on the surface, usually attached to the corner, or a surface plant, or even an internal filter. The little Dwarf Gourami (Colisa Lalia) will use bits of plants, or anything that's not fastened down in his nest building. He'll even rip a plant to bits or uproot it if he has to. Great fun, and few are more colourful at breeding time. Great little fish, and prolific breeders, but if anything gets in his way at breeding time, they are in for a scrap, and chances are he'll win. Back to the Moonlights. The male will colour up with a pearl type sheen with a sort of bluey cast to it and become quite agitated, but keep them apart until the female is at her prime. Putting them together too soon is a big mistake, and will give you poor results, or a dead fish. When you feel she is ready, (absolutely bursting with roe) release her early in the morning if possible so that you can watch the events, it's great fun, and a sheer rush to watch. Be very quiet, and don't disturb them, no glass tapping and such. He will chase her around the tank, (Best on their own by the way, as the male will probably fight even the most aggressive fish if it gets in his way) and will wrap his body fully about her as he squeezes the eggs from her, but before they (the eggs) sink to the bottom he will rush around and gather them up in his mouth, then rush to the nest and spit them into it. The nest may grow to a couple of inches above the surface. Just a note. There's no need to clear the tank or anything, (except other fish) best to leave it as is so they don't get upset. Plus it leaves somewhere for the female to hide when it's all over. He'll then chase her once more, and repeat his death roll as they used to call it. This also happens with the Betta Splendens (Siamese Fighters) so it may be useful. He will do this several times until the female is fully depleted, so watch her carefully, and him, for he may, or may not attack her after her depletion with a violence you wouldn't believe, so take care, and if in doubt, shift her or separate them once more. The male at this time is very possessive, so don't disrupt him in any way. She needs rest, and a good feed of white worm or other live food to get her back to health quickly, it takes a great deal out of her. The male may refuse food for a while, so don't overfeed hoping he will eat what you put in the tank. Use live foods if possible as he will most likely devour these. Use a floating feeder and keep an eye on it to see if he's eating. If not, remove it. Meanwhile, the male will tend the nest, and he'll do this till the eggs begin to hatch. He'll also consume any that are bad, if he's a good dad . If not, he could just eat them, but don't prematurely move him out, he knows what he's doing. Let's just linger here a moment. He will eat them if he feels threatened, or if he feels they are a bad clutch, or if you didn't feed him up enough before the whole thing began. Usually the male Gouramies are good fathers, so don't upset him. If you have children, drape a sheet over the front of the tank to keep him from being disturbed. No shocks or bangs, doors slamming etc, as these may cause problems. Now, BEFORE the eggs hatch out completely, lower the level of the water slowly to about seven or eight inches. (Bettas, I suggest 4") Do it gradually so you don't break the nest up too much. The reason you are doing this is that the Gourami and the Bettas are Anabantids, which in simple terms means they breath surface air. The fry once hatched have to take that first gulp of air, which must be warm, so keep the hood closed. Another important factor with these fish types is that the surface of the water must be scum free, and a good idea is to drag a piece of paper over the surface once or twice a week. This will keep it crystal clear, and ideal for your fish. The fry can't break this scum if it's present, so check it daily while the fry are small. Once the eggs hatch, his job is done, so move him out, but leave the fry if possible where they are. The fry are really fragile, and very tiny, and need Infusoria, but not right away. This is a big mistake hobbyist make in thinking they need food right away, they don't. The egg sac they broke out of will sustain them for a while, so keep a watch, and eventually you will see the glass smothered in fry. (about 48hrs) Now is the time to feed. Don't ruin your efforts, (or the fishes) by overfeeding. They need very little at first, so feed sparingly, and only Infusoria until they are big enough for BBS, (Baby Brine Shrimp) It is hoped you prepared for this big event by arranging for the right foods. If looked after, they grow quickly, and just look like any other fry, and don't have the long thin protrusions. Not much more I can say, (As if this isn't enough already) While your waiting for all this to happen you could be writing a post for this board. We need new posts and need to hear what members are doing with their fish. So, to finish up. Be prepared with infusoria, baby brine shrimp, micro worms, you'll need them as you could have several hundred babies to feed. Watch the temperature, and don't overfeed, and you should do well. Any probs, contact the board and I or someone will get back to you ASAP. Best of luck. Bill (Pegasus)

How lucky are we. Could get into probs over this, but this guy from another site I'm a member of has no such prob, and because it was so funny, I thought you'd all like to read it. I don't think he'll mind. To put you in the picture, they are talking about chillers, and one guy even suggested putting the tank in the fridge for a few hours a day Musta been a small tank

Just recieved an email to say I had a message about seahorses. Pretty excitedly I logged on to the section but there's nothing but club news. What a disappointment. Sorry guys, must have been the overflow from the other page Just a little awkward when you're following a topic.

Hi Robyne and Cuviceps We certainly can't have too many Discus lovers here, so a warm welcome to you both and hope you enjoy your time here. Now don't be shy, we all want to know about your fish

Hey mate, You got shares in the Concorde, you're doing a bit of globe hopping these days. The thing is, because we are here and probably 5 hours in front of you, I can answer your posts over there before you write them. The wonders of technology. Great stuff Bill (Pegasus)

Hi Goldigirl, Good to see you on the NZ boards. I'm not a lover of flatteryand now everyone knows where I go at night My secret is out :oops: Sorry to hear about your fish, losing seven must be very upsetting. People tend to think goldfish are easy to keep, whereas in many cases they take a great deal more attention than the tropicals, mainly because they pass much more waste that the tropical types. If your present fish is doing well you should try to read up on goldfish in general and get to know their likes and dislikes and the conditions they require. Overfeeding goldfish in a confined area such as your 10gal tank should be a thing you should watch out for very carefully and avoid, and also be careful the water doesn't foul for one reason or another. When you change the water just change a portion of it, say perhaps a half. Do this probably once a week or more often if you see signs of problems. Try to vary the food slightly and make sure he/she eats it within a few minutes. If it doesn't get eaten it will foul your small tank very quickly. Ornaments may look pretty, but some can disolve slightly leaving you with a cloudy tank that is hard to clear up. Shells and some rocks can also cause a cloudy tank. The other major thing that you did wrong which many people do, was to have eight goldfish in the confines of the ten gallon tank, especially if you had no air supply running. A general rule of thumb is to allow four square inches of surface area per inch of fish, so I think you overstocked slightly, but not to fret, we all have to start somewhere and along the way we will make a few mistakes now and then. These are things you should watch for. If your fish is inactive for long periods suspect something is wrong, or if your fish hang around the surface for long periods it's a sure sign the tank is either fouled or there is a shortage of air. Crammed fins, wooly looking fins or broken scales which can lead to the wolliness which is fungus, can all give you problems, so take some time and visit your book store or library and read up on the subject. Hope this helps you out, but if you consider more fish, just buy a mate for your present one until you read up a little on the subject. Provided you don't overfeed, the two should be happy in the tank you have, but an air supply with an air stone would improve things a great deal, but even then, don't overstock the tank. Regards Bill (Pegasus)

Hey Racing6pack, Great photos, and Ethel is really adorable, and Spike is pretty cute too. NIce happy family you have there (future aquarists), thanks for the links. Regards Bill (Pegasus)

I fully understand the principles of crossbreeding fish, but I'm still slightly confused about the infertility bit, although your explanation was quite clear. If fish 'A" the female has eggs but they are not fertilized, and fish 'A' is also a hybrid of some description, is the only way to fertilize the eggs through a male of similar species? If the resulting offspring turn out to be infertile once more, does this above procedure have to continue in the hope of producing a fertile fish?

Thanks Deleatidium, (is this a latin name My eldest son frequents that area, I'll get him to have a look in on the shop. Many thanks Bill (Pegasus)

I don't want to get involved in the main topic of this discussion, but I would like to ask a question or two. How does one breed an infertile fish? Is the male sterile, or the female? The meaning of 'Infertile' means 'Incapable of producing offspring' This is no reflection on anything mentioned above or elsewhere, I am genuinely interested to understand how this event occurs.

Are u a Blue Acara Aquidens pulcher

Hi Racing6pack and welcome to the boards. Seen many of your great posts in the States. Really good of you to join us and hope you will tell us all about your fish.

Are u a white cloud mountain minnow?

What a great first post Deleatidium, and a warm welcome to NZ Fishroom. Sounds like both you and your fish have done a bit of travelling We'd like to hear more if you have time. Best Regards. Bill (Pegasus)

Sqids Quote.

Welcome to the happy group Cpt Copepod, we're sure you will enjoy your time here. I'm not familiar with 'mysids' and can't find it in the dictionary, but no matter, I presume it is some form of live food. I don't think the brine shrimp was my prob, I always fed mine, but more than likely water conditions and heat, possibly escalated by the slightly strong airflow I had running. Great to see a new member and we'd all love to hear about your fish.