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Apparently they weren't converted very well for the NZ electrical system - so there are a few problems with the pumps having a melt down.

The info in a brochure at the local pet store is pretty good - outlining what a turtle basically needs. (Although, there are a few more hints in one of Donna's posts that I think is extra helpful). I suspect that some people may hear a pet store worker talking about basking lights, external filters, etc - and think the sales person is trying make money with 'unnecessary' equipment. Others may want a pet without considering proper care. (Kind of like people who buy a large dog simply because they want a dog - only to chain them up all day long). Pet stores can/should offer good advice. Some do. But that alone cannot solve the problem. Poor pet owners are the problem. (Donna - what a wonderful work you are doing with those turtles. Well done!)

Feeding white poop - apparently...

I think this is starting to compound separate issues. Should a pet store sell a large goldfish for a bowl? No. Or 3 Oscars for a 4 foot tank? No. I agree - they should take a measure of responsibility. But that wasn't the original issue - it was about the common names used to ID fish. This is a trickier issue...and I'm not sure it works to lump the two together. If a pet store sold me a baby oscar, knowing I had a guppy tank - I'd be angry. If they sold me a juvenile SAE calling it a 'Flying Fox' because that's what the importer told them it was, I think I'd be a little more understanding.

Cool - good luck. Great tank...but I said that already!

Seen this one yet? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pets-animals/Fish/Fish-tanks-aquariums/auction-374974343.htm

And the rainbows and discus couldn't mix?

Yeah - given the hundreds of fish available, I think it's too much to ask every general pet store worker to be able to name fish to the degree some advocate here. They probably need to take the importers word for it sometimes, since the importer deals only in fish (and perhaps plants), while the pet store deals in all other animals, food, equipment, etc. The importers ought to know more - in theory, so I see why stores fall back to them. If hobbyists are at the point of breeding for resale, or stocking more specialist tanks, I would have thought the hobbyist would have done enough research to be able to spot issues with mis-labeled fish themselves. Some stores may be trying to mislead customers - but none I know. (And the "Black Line Flying Foxes" in my local animates were put in a troubled tank - and actually did eat the black beard algae...the importer called them FF)

Cool tank - stocking it should give you a few hours of entertainment! Looking forward to future pics.

Saw one like this in an animates called a leopard ctenopoma?

Yep - I like angels too...so another vote there. Although, makes it hard to keep some of the smaller fish. Of all the cories, I do like the look of the leopard ones.

More cories...there are none at present. I must admit - i find cories just a little ugly. Especially the albino ones - look at them long enough and I think they'll steal your soul.

Thank you. Ambulia and the hydgro were sold as "easy care" - as is the crypt (anyone know what that crypt is?). I later found out the star grass has higher light needs, but it is growing well despite a fairly standard light. I am not a 'green-thumb' in or out of water, hence the choices. I've stopped DIY co2 and adding fertilser to the tank as (a) the plants are doing fine without, and (b) i wonder if the fertiliser was contributing to the phosphate problems. Low tech suits me...and my budget! Thanks for the positive comments.

Well, I don't have the photo skills of many. But, here's my wee tank after a makeover. Having real trouble with cloudy water - I think too much phosphates. Just about clear again. Sucks when my hospital tank looks in better shape than the main one!!

It's not certain that a PH of 6 killed the pleco. It could have been a number of other things. If the rest of the fish look happy enough, it may just have been "one of those things". Perhaps just a 20% water change?

Unfortunately it sounds like he's still in an unfiltered/uncycled tank? Poor water quality won't help him, whatever else his problem may be. I'd get the guy a filter, and in the mean time give him regular water changes to keep on top of the pollution. Many cold water fish also survive without a filter (goldfish in bowls, etc) - but it still seems like we'd want to do the best we can for their water quality. Plus, it'll make the cleaning easier for you! All the best - hope someone can help you diagnose...

if you didn't put them in there...they're probably a pest. I fight snails with loaches (like striata loaches or dwarf chain loaches), but that's because I have plants and snails demolish them. Plus - I dunno what's in those "Snail Rid" chemical products, and I try to avoid extra bottles of crap in my tank. But take a photo - I'm sure some clever bugger will tell you what kind of snail you have.

Nice looking tank - thanks for the pics.

I saw a red and black calico fantail today (ok - I'm a little colourblind...)

Hi I have used Pimafix successfully with (mild) fungal disease...but there are more potent (and expensive) treatments available. Otherwise - I usually just disinfect empty tanks with a salt solution and dry them out completely...leaves no nasty chemicals. Sorry about the fish!

The blue planets are all fitted with a 3 stage trickle filter in the hood...the pump sucks water up through the long inlet pipe, it goes through the filter box up top - then returns into the tank through the little black pipe. I used to get little air bubbles if my water level was low, so the water was 'falling' 1 or 2cm from the filter into the water. Usually it is pretty smooth though. Have you checked that the little snap-locks are closed tightly on the filter box? You could also try adjusting the flow rate by turning the little dial on the elbow pipe that connects the pump to the filter box? As for the water level - there may be a little line on the filter pump itself. That little pump needs to be mostly submerged to draw water up - so have a look at that. I hope this makes sense.

Well - the CO2 seems to be working, at least as far as the ambulia and stargrass is concerned...it's already started shooting off rapidly. But the java fern has been taken out of the tank as it was dropping leaves quite quickly, and littering the rest of the tank. I've put it in my quarantine tank, and will see how it goes. I may be the first person in the world to fail at growing java fern!! Dang.

Cool - so in the interest of adding Macros - I've seen on Trade Me a guy who makes up a mix, seems to be a reasonable price too. I wonder if that would be good or too much for my little tank. (I read your sticky on plants too Jennifer - helped me a lot) The link is here. http://www.trademe.co.nz/Pets-animals/Fish/Aquatic-plants/auction-353507568.htm

Hmm - thanks Jennifer. To be honest, I am trying to keep things simple as I'm still new to this and have to feed 4 kids as well as the fish! So I appreciate your insights. No, not really after super fast growth, just healthy plants. So CO2 is going...perhaps I need to work on the fertilising as you suggest. I'm doing the Nutrafin Plant Gro (20mils once a week). Suphew mentioned this was micro-nutrients. My nitrates always test at 0...the plants gobble it all up or due to the weekly 20% water changes? That's about all I do... Only other thing I can think of is the salt. I add tonic salt occassionally as I heard it's beneficial for the fish. But then, I'd also heard Java Fern survives in brackish water...so should salt annoy it? Anyway, maybe I just need to stop fiddling. Ambulia has hit the top and needs a trim, just waiting for the hydro to cover the heater/filter. Thanks for all the help - always open to new ideas.

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