Dr A

Ignore that first question, I just re-read the title.

What is the tank? And are you using fresh sea-water or making up your own?

Looks good!

Looks good, how does the price compare with NZ?

Mmm, I could do a beach mission. Really though I'm after very small bits, so pre-made or previously terrestrial wood may have to do the trick.

While I'm on the subject, does anyone know where to get small spindly bits of driftwood from, the stuff that looks more like small branches or twigs rather than shapeless off-cuts/forms? Home made?

Ironically NZ has been lampooned internationally as a haven for all sorts of nefarious businesses precisely because of our lack of red tape. And yeah not surprised about the whole environmental performance thing, the way farmers are treated in NZ borders on quasi cult status.

Still working hard at this. Going to go down the DIY CO2 route, if only for a laugh to see how it goes. Going to do a rescape too. Meanwhile my fighter has another outbreak of fin-rot. Not fair when you do everything correctly.

Although I don't think it's as good (they don't seem to do those buns) there is the same butchery up in Albany...

Yep had the same thing, found some Google information about die-back being caused by phosphate levels being too low if I recall, but wasn't able to do anything about it. The speed at which it spread reminded me of Metastasis though...

Try and build something like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9vkHe84xKk?

Egg Cartons are of dubious value, they might deaden some of the reflections, but that's not the same as insulating. I'd make sure the cabinet wasn't vibrating at all... (edit: ie - acoustic decoupling).

Presumably you could use other floating plants though if you needed too... but wouldn't they just suck up excess nutrients and stop your actual productive crop getting them?

Some people have various degrees of luck with our native shrimp.

That's pretty cool.

Not about flavour, it's about perception... with the still reasonably accessible stocks of home/ commercially caught saltwater fish and the ease/culture etc of trout (and whitebait) I suspect people probably wouldn't be interested in trying catfish. Not that perceptions could change...

These things seem to be basically impossible to get a hold of at reasonable prices.

Could just be a heron or kingfisher...? I'd be kind of disappointed if the police put lots of time and effort into investigating this.

Make sure you read up on the council bylaws whatever bird you get, there are rules about the distances from birds to the fence etc. I know somebody that got rid of some well behaved bantams after some silly neighbour started complaining to the council daily.

I'd suspect a lot of people in NZ wouldn't want to eat catfish though...

Has anyone managed to setup an aquaponics system in NZ with an edible "crop" of fish?

Still plugging away at this! One of my Crypts died right back and is comming up with new growth, the other identical one is doing OK. Battled algae, although I didn't have a filter in the tank for a long time. Dieback on the javafern got worse and worse although new buds. I've stripped it right back and popped it into the other tank with my fighter. Pulling out the diftwood which was the center price of the whole tank left a big hole obviously, so I re-arranged all my swords, and picked up another small compact one, plus some dwarf sags and Zelandiae grass. Out of all the plants I purchased at the beginning only my first sword is still in the tank. Also seems like other plants that were touching or close to the spotty java-fern picked up the disease, I've chopped off most of the effected growth. I've ended up purchasing some flourish excel, which I've just started dosing with. Not sure if should be doing it daily or not... we'll see. Still want some other little fishes in there (ottolinctus?) as well ideally... Not sure on the rock placement once again too. Might try propagate some java moss onto it. Pics!

What are these worth? They look cool.

Surely the hardest bit about keeping flounder is not eating them for breakfast.

Minnows thrive outside in AKL in my experience. Get 10+ of them and they'll be breeding in no time at all. *Edit, Leopard Fish aren't' easy to find either it seems.