mcmillanm

Ok, so have finally gotten the air pump and set it up with a gang valve so that I have the main airstone going all the time with the option to turn on a smaller airstone in the breeding box when needed. Now all I need is my corys to breed again... One other thing - if I use meth blue, do I just put a drop in the breeder box as won't it stain the tank otherwise? Thanks

Cheers everyone. I wish I knew about this website a year or so ago when I was just starting out - would have saved myself some $$$ I only just suspected this may be the case when I went to use my new bottle and realised it was out of date. When I rang the petshop to tell them I asked if it would matter if I missed it this once as I couldn't get down there today and she replied 'not at all'... Live and learn LOL!

Hi, I do 20-25% water changes twice a week and have been adding prime and cycle each time and flourish & leaf zone once a week for the plants in my 180L tank. Using Cycle each time is working out quite expensive and I've been wondering if I need to add it EVERY time. I'm happy to use Prime each time as it's such a little amount and it does so much re chlorine and nitrates etc. I live in Auckland and do water changes twice a week as tanks are still a little overstocked & I have some gauze like material over uptake filter to stop babies getting sucked up and because I get leaf matter etc collecting on and around filter uptake. Thanks for your thoughts/ideas.

Thanks for your replies:) I think I will get one more as the one I have just gotten has so much character. My tank is overstocked though (I find fish so addictive!) but am going to sell some of my live bearers to make some space. Thanks again, Melinda

I picked up a Bolivian Ram last week and am really enjoying the little guys/girls character. It's in a rather busy planted 180L Jewel Community tank. I've got an opportunity to buy another one at a good price (not sure of sex). My question is whether they are better on their own or ok in 2's in this size tank? I've also got some platys, swordtails tetras as well as some loaches, 2 F bristlenose catfish & 5 Sterbai corys in there (on the bottom) and have heard they can pick out their eyes. Would they be ok together? Thanks for your thoughts.

Thanks:)

Thanks for that. Just to be clear... I can buy an airpump with two outlets or use a splitter. Does this mean I can use the second outlet or split just when I need it? I've got a 60 something Litre Jebo tank, would the smallest pump be fine? Thanks:)

Hi, I haven't got an air pump for this tank yet so was wondering if I could buy one that could work for both as I don't always have eggs. Thanks

Thanks for ideas everyone. With minimal grumbling my lovely hubby used a saw to make perfect halves from soaked pots this afternoon. They look great in my tanks and I can see my fish happily exploring them as I type! All good!

Thanks for ideas. I've just got 3 cute little chain loaches to hopefully get rid of the baby snails & am trialing a home made snail trap (with so far limited success). Am loathe to use snail rid as I don't think my corys or loaches now will like it and I don't have a spare tank. Has anyone used snail rid successfully without killing any fish? Cheers.

Is meth blue safe to use with corys in the tank?

Hi, Whenever my corys breed and I collect the eggs into my breeder box they end up going fungusy, even when I put some acriflavine in the water. A couple of 'miracle' babies have survived being eaten by the parents over the last few months but I'm keen to improve the odds:) I gather the problem is not enough air circulating in the breeding box. Combined with the netting I've got over the filter uptake I'm hoping to kill 2 birds with one 'air' stone and get some more oxygen circulating around the tank. I aim to leave the airstone in the main tank except when I need it for the breeding box. My question is what size pump should I use that will work for both the breeding box and main aquarium which is a 66L Jebo? Thanks

Cheers, will try the inverted bottle thing - I gather I weigh it down with pebbles? I'm also picking up some chain loaches on Friday so all looking good! Thanks for ideas

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right section LOL but I've just bought a couple of clay pots that I want to cut in half and use as hidey holes for my loaches and cory cats. Does anyone know the easiest way to do this without smashing them or using power tools? I've heard that soaking them in water first can make it less messy? Thanks

One more thing - where is the best (quality & price) place to get a snail trap and some chain loaches from? Chain loaches are $23 each at my local pet shop and $17 at animates? I live in Glendowie Auckland - cheers!

Hey, Thanks for the ideas everyone. I do love loaches so may look into a wee team to get rid of the baby snails & also try getting a snail trap & feeding a bit less. My fish are such good ltitle actors though LOL - they seem to know what time of the day is breakfast and dinner time and like to hang out near the front of it looking so hungry... I don't even mind a few snails as they seem to help with keeping muck off of the filter intake where I have a cloth to stop babies being sucked up at night. There are just SO many of them at the moment and it's a pain to get them individually off of the glass or ornaments at night! Hopefully these ideas will help get them back under control again!

Yep, 1ml per 120L Will get onto it as soon as it arrives - hopefully tomorrow!

I've read that the long stringy poo can also mean parasites or flukes. Are these the same as worms and is treatment the same or different for that (and safe for cories?). Thanks

Thanks everyone. I've just ordered some from bird barn, hopefully will be here tomorrow. I guess it would be a good idea to dose both tanks as I swap fish around from time to time and share nets, syphons etc. Will let U know how I get on and hopefully it isn't too late for this fish!

Hi, They are a cone shape and their shells are really hard. I'm thinking of getting a team of chain loaches as I love loaches and hope they may eat the baby snails? Will also look into a snail trap. I've heard they don't like copper but will copper (which I guess is in the snail rid) hurt my cories? Thanks

Hi, Any ideas to get rid of snails in my tropical tank? It's been ongoing for a while. Sometimes I pick them off the glass at night or take out the wood/ornaments they are on and wash them down the sink with hot water but there are just SO many! Am hoping not to use snail rid as it's my fry tank for platies, swords and a couple of corys. Thanks.

Hi, Is there any place other than a vet to get aviverm? Another thing with him - his gills seem a bit red and seem to be opening more than usual like his breathing is laboured. One other thing I noticed a few weeks ago was that some of the live bearers had long stringy white poos trailing behind them. I haven't noticed this lately but could that be something to do with it too? Hanks

Would these effect just live bearers? I lost all of my last lot of baby mollies to this. If it is this, any ideas on treatments which are safe for corydoras too? Thanks

Hi, Yeah he does look skinny, (maybe that makes him look a bit stretched), no rounded tummy, breathing a bit fast, lethargic, gills sticking out a bit. Most fish are fine but now two are like this. I do 2x25% water changes a week so water quality should be fine. Any ideas?

I picked up the copy I had received from the library yesterday and read it last night from start to finish LOL. Reminded me of why I love my loaches, they are so cute and have such character! At the moment I have 2 kubatai, 2 histrionic and 3 striata. When the opportunity arises I'm going to add some chain loaches too! Definitely recommend the book, it's written in a great, easy to read and entertaining book!