Joey

I think that I actually worded it a bit wrong, not exactly stagnant water, just sort of water skimming over the top and progressing on to the next tank if you know what I mean.

I hjave been throwing around a similar idea (still in the head at the moment) using a large canister filter. The intake in the lowest tank and the return in the top. Same concept. I have just been a bit worried about stagnant water in the middle tanks (I want 4 altogether) so I considered using a small corner filter or something in them. I know there would still be flow from the water coming and going, but I was concerned more with the water at the bottom of the tanks. Thanks for the ideas Bill, once again you are an inspiration and no doubt have been reading my mind yet again. lol

My LFS told me that this behaviour is actually spawning related, but don't hold your breath. Alot of fish exhibit their regular "courtship" rituals in the home aquarium, but many never end up following through. Bala (silver) sharks are extremely hard, if not impossible, to re-create their natural habitat in order to breed. These are fish that even the most vigilant aquarist will find virtually impossible to breed. On another note, this little ritual is actually quite an amazing thing to watch, I can sit for the whole duration of it just glued to the tank.

The only fish in the tank are mollies, swordtails, guppies, SAE's and leopard danios. These fry are about one third of the size of livebearer fry, so I have ruled that out. The only thing I am guessing is that it is the danios. I guess to properly tell though I will have to wait until it gets bigger. One thing I can tell you, is that it is definately a fish. Probably another instance of a fry being being good at hiding from the bad adult fishies. :lol:

Just an update on the danios. I put them in my livebearer tank as suggested, and guess what I found yeaterday? A baby. I was watching the tank after re-planting some plants, and noticed how much gunk I had stirred up. Then I saw a piece of "gunk" that was swimming. I got my cup I use for predissolving salt out and scooped the fish into it. I then put it into a floating breeder. Let me tell you, I don't know how I spotted it. These things are smaller than any fry I have ever seen before. I thought maybe it was mossie larvae or something until I puled out my magnifying glass for a better look. All of this happened with no preparation or expectations. The only advantage the tank has is that it is heavily planted with heaps of drift wood.

OK, I am trying to get evryone to put up their tanks, and what is in them. This will allow others to see what we have and sometimes who is the right person to ask for advice. At the moment I have 4 tanks set up and I will give you a run down on them. 5ft, 250lt Community tank 3 Silver sharks 3 Red Tail black Sharks 2 Plecos 5 Clown loaches 7 Angels 2 Gouramis 1 khuli loach (poor little guy lost his mates when they somehow disappeared) **Please note that this tank may seemed heavily stocked, but I have another tank in the process of cycling, and also some of the clowns will be going into another of my tanks as soon as I have the time to catch them. 2.5ft cube, 220lt Full of Kribensis. I love these guys, gorgeous fish, and wonderful parenting skills (sometimes lol). 4.5ft 200lt Planted Livebearer Tank Sailfin Mollies Regular Mollies Swordtails Platies Guppies 3 SAE's 6 adult leopard danios and one tiny little fry 30lt Quarantine tank 1pair Kribensis, moved the male in there because he had a touch of fungus on his eye, then noticed his "girlfriend" was fretting a bit without him. Long story short, the fungus has cleared, but they layed eggs in there so I thought I woud leave them and see how it goes. The 220lt cube is one we made ourselves, along with another 2.5ftx1ft tank which is currently cycling. I also have a 6ft, 300lt cycling aswell. At the moment I working on a tank for my nephew for Xmas, it is 113lt.

Thankyou for all the info. I guess they will soon be tankmates for my livebearers then. What book was that out of Goldie? It does seem to be well worded.

Can anyone give me some info on these fish? I have just been given some, and don't know much about them. Usually I shy away from danios, don't know why, perhaps they are too small for my community tank, and not exactly wanted for my other tanks. Would they be suitable to go into my livebearer tank (I know they are egg layers, just curious about compatability)? This is about my only option, either that or give them away to the fish shop.

They are gorgeous fish Bruce, when you do eventually find out the name make you let us know. Hhmmmm, I am wondering if they have them in Oz, you can never have too many loaches, just my opinion. I have 2 new tanks to fill and would to start with these beauties.

I use the Selleys and another one (can't think of the name at the moment), and never had any probs. I have also used the dow corning one, but only for sealing up a divider. I was just wondering what the problems were with using it. The only reason I bought the stuff was because they were out of the regular one I use. Is it supposed to be weaker than the rest?

The one thing I learnt is not to listen to everything you hear and read, and just because someone works in a fish store, that doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. I had a problem in my first tank a few years ago, and so I went down and asked the fish guy at the shop for some advice. He asked what type of filter I had and I told him it was a canister. He then asked if I had cleaned it lately, which I had, and he enquired as to whether I had rinsed the media in tank water or fresh tap water. I told I used the water I had just emptied out of the tank for a WC, and he said "well, there is your problem", he continued on to say that I should rinse it in the tank. I asked him how that was supposed to get rid of the gunk and he replied "don't worry about it, it will get sucked into the filter when it gets turned back on". Needless to say, I never returned to that shop.

A mesh over the top is a good idea not only to keep out cats and birds, it also keeps any fish that want to leap in. And stops kids from falling in also.

With it being Spring, I am about to start preparing 2 or 3 largish tubs for outdoor use with my livebearers. This is my first attempt at it, and am hoping it works. I read an article in a recent issue of one of the aquarium magazines about raising my livebearers outside using natural vegetation as filters and the sun as a heat source. The fish will be getting moved outside in about 4-5 weeks. Naturally they will come inside once the weather gets cooler. As far as my tanks are concerned, it only usual maintenance and no extras just because it is spring.

Gee Bill, you really are the master of DIY. If you aren't making something, then you are thinking about how to make something. You must have a hell of a time falling asleep at night with all those ideas floating around in your head. BTW, that is a really good idea, and considering I use about 5x 25 litre buckets at work a week, then I should be set. Just a word to anyone new to fishkeeping who wants to try this, make sure that the buckets are totally free of any sort of cleansing products before using them for fish.

I would like to personally thank you Bill. I thought that I was over the DIY bug until I read this post. Not that it really applies to me, I don't have plans for that many tanks (yet). :lol: