AMAZONIAN

HiAll So long as you give your "ROCKS" a good cleaning before putting them in your tank they should be fine. I have used all sorts of rocks over the years with NO DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS. I use the weather worn Sandstone rock from the Kaikoura Coast. I have Marble from Pupu Springs, and even ordinary rock from rivers and the seashore. Kaikoura rock with Dwarf Cichlids...Ramerizi. Pupu Springs Marble with Apisto. cacatuoides. If the rock looks good and you like it...................USE IT . :lol:

Hi and bad luck, I would be asking for a refund AS IT WAS NOT DESCRIBED HONESTLY AS IT IS, and see if it gets relisted at a lower price, and a statement about the crack. I depends where the crack is, how long it is and is it ECONOMIC to repair. It could be a "stress" crack through the tank being slightly out of alignment when built or it has sat on an uneven surface, thereby stressing the whole tank. Or and more probable; it got damaged while it was being cleaned. Something dropped onto the glass. If you have a 5 Hour drive; specifically to pick it up, then consider the cost of running the vehicle at 68 cents per Kilometre, plus the GST., and your time. I dont think the tank is worth the money they asked for it. I had it on my "Watch:List" as I had someone who would bring it down to me for free. But when I saw what they had I just said that tank is not worth that money.

Hi becc4 I wasn't complaining but IMO and experience it is best to leave newly hatched ANABANTID FRY well alone until they are at least six weeks old. The most CRITICAL TIME for them now is from their third to the sixth week. Leave any Algae in the tank and add about 250ml of GREEN WATER, ( the greener the better) TWICE a DAY; Morning and Night. After about seven days you can try giving them a taste of "NEWLY HATCHED" Brine Shrimp. Dont worry if they keep dying; (it's sad) but they are very hard to get started, and once they overcome the hurdles of their first 6 weeks then get extra Tanks ready for thinning them out. Good Luck.

Hi Congrats with the spawning. :lol: The best food you can give your newly hatched fry is GREEN WATER; the greener the betta; :oops: LEAVE THE ALGAE IN THE TANK UNTIL THE FRY HALF REACHED AT LEAST SIX WEEKS and their "Labyrinth" has developed. IN OTHER WORDS ........KEEP YOUR STICKY PAWS OUT OF THE TANK FOR THE FIRST SIX WEEKS.

Hi All. I must admit that I may have been guilty; :oops: The fish I bred and sold didn't show the deformity at the time and even now the few that I have kept for myself dont show it. I bred from (SUPPOSED) wild caught imports and had NO CONTROL over the choice of anything that I would have liked to see in the offspring. If the malady had been visible to me at the time the whole lot would have been used as fish food. If the fish are from me I sincerely apologise if they aren't up to Spec.. When buying them, they "WEREN"T SOLD AS A PAIR", but turned out to be a pair. The female (as has been posted) has died and I still have the male. Hopefully the few I have coming along will prove worthy of breeding from if there is a pair or two.

Hi there Wok, Are these Bristlenose Fries another type of FRY; :oops: As an addition to "STRAIGHT CUT FRIES" - "CRINKLE CUT FRIES". :lol: I hope they brown up well and are as crispy to eat. ROFLMAO :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

AS ONE WHO BREEDS "ANGELS" REGULARLY I would say that your spawning is about 400. If you manage to rear 50% you are doing well Paul. 75% and you will certainly need another couple of tanks :roll: but that's MTS. 95% and you could flood the market or they will be breeding in their tank before you sell them all. GOOD ON YA MATE. :lol:

There is nothing wrong with ANGEL'S........... :lol: They have a bad reputation as bigger fish. ANY LARGE FISH is by nature, aggressive; they don't grow that big by being pussies all their lives. In nature it is SURVIVAL OF THE FITEST and RIFT LAKE CICHLIDS ARE BY THEIR NATURE AGGRESSIVE. :oops: I HAVE READ ABOUT THEM OF LATE AND SOME SPECIES ARE ONLY ENDEMIC TO A SQUARE KILOMETRE OF LAKE SHORE. That on it's own would make you pretty agro keeping out any intruders. Angel's just move upstream a bit.

Hi All. If that question was for me; the answer is 1972 -3- 4. In fact as I recall they were the first to come into NZ. Truth to tell, they came from "POON'S TROPICAL FISH FARM" in Singapore. They were in the SAME SHIPMENT ORDER THAT I FIRST BROUGHT IN, as was Pelmatachromis thomasi, but they were out of Sierra Leone. The opposite side of the country to the Rift Lakes.

HI Paul They may be pretty, they may be different; and that is the point; Rift Lake Cichlids are the most vicious fish I have ever had. :evil: I was one of the first in NZ along with (I believe) Warick Jost formerly of Manurewa Club to import; as was, Psuedotropheus auratus, now melanachromis. :roll: I imported 1 box of fish, about 650 from memory.They looked stunning, bred easily and were easy to look after; but the damned things were so vicious even among themselves that I was pleased to get rid of the last of them into a tank of Formalin. To this day I have not kept a single Rift Lake Cichlid. If you like them:.................Keep them. I don't.

Well, why dont you just take the kenyi out to dinner for a treat? The Angel would of course circumvent the need to take the kenyi for a meal. :lol: I say the answer is a definite NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... Kenyi are vicious little Bu....ers... :evil: P.S...I loathe "Rift Lake" Cichlids at the best of times... :roll:

Welcome. May you find helpful advise here on the site and make a lot of new friends by being involved on such a great hobby.

HI All. Alanmin4303, I understood that the decapsulated form were not as nutrious as newly hatched live nauplii. :oops: It was something to do with the chemicals used in the decapsulating process. :roll: They are easier to feed as you just have to soak them for a bit and then feed them; not as time consuming as hatching your BBS, but for the food value I'll personally stick with the newly hatched product.

Hi again We in the hobby, must realise that to import anything comes at enormous costs. The main one is the financial one; then there's time, losses, and not to forget THE PROFIT MARGIN. To be economic we must remember one golden rule. PRODUCTION MUST END IN CONSUMPTION. Factors affecting that are low population density, so if you cant sell it dont stock it. Price is also a factor, if it's too expensive..people wont buy it. Money sitting on the shelf wasted. WE AS HOBBYISTS HAVE THE POWER AND CAPABILITY TO BEAT THE WHOLESALERS We are all capable of breeding fish and propagating plants; and we do , asd that's part of the enjoyment of the hobby. Just drop your prices as I do, to cover my costs (NOTHING ELSE, AS I'M IN IT FOR THE HOBBY) and deal within the hobby. :roll: Try it and see if I'm not right.

Hi All. As far as I know (and I'll stand corrected) nobody is bringing plants into NZ. The last lot that I knew about (unofficially) was when "Henry Tan", North of Auckland somewhere was busted for smuggling plants. I am negotiating with a dealer at present to bring in almost "ALL THE SPECIES OF CRYPTOCORYNE" but as yet there is nothing set in stone. The MAF issue is Ok, as the plants are on the allowed list, so I have my fingures crossed.

Hi All; Having read the prevoius posts, I've decided that I should add my two pennith worth as an importer of earlier days. I had what was then, a recognised quarantine facility and imported a shipment every 2 months. I imported both fish and plants, in fact most of the cryptocorynes that were available in the mid to late 70's were imported by me. I was also the first, I believe to import what was the "Pelmatachromis thomasi" and today I cant get one unless I import them. To digress a tad, for the information of those who think they know all, (but are only guessing) I will give validation to the incompetence of "ERMA" who now control MAF to oversee the importation of "TROPICAL FISH & PLANTS". I hold an explosive license for "FIREWORK DISPLAYS", the grading is CATEGORY 1 EXPLOSIVES. Much higher than my or any firearms license. ERMA set up the requisite regulations based on what the Australians use when setting off displays. This "Australian STANDARD" is not used by Pyrotechnicians in NZ because it isn't safe; but the Head of ERMA, one Noel McCardle who publicly admitted he knew nothing about fireworks set up the relevent regulations, WITHOUT CONSULTATION with the industry. Two people have been severely injured through that incompetence, but to save face they won't amend the regulations. They are "NO DIFFERENT" when it comes to knowing anything about matters piscine and anybody that trust them doesnt do the hobby any good. It is now just a money making venture/enterprise for the government, and all it does for the hobby is to increase prices whilst restricting the importation of fish and plants. :evil:

Hi All. A BIT OF USELESS INFORMATION: :roll: AQUAONE WAS A "CHINESE COPY" OF THE ORIGINAL "VIA AQUA" CANNISTER FILTERS THAT WERE MADE IN ITALY, AND A DAMNED EXCELLENT UNIT IT WAS TOO. Kong's of Australia took the name "AQUA" for their products and had the "AQUA ONE" produced. They are now made to a target price for Kongs; (an example), an Aqua One 650 Professional has a price of $18.50 US which Kongs pay for the unit. The Point is:.....At that sort of "Target Price" the quality of the materials drops as do a lot of other qualities. The AQUA ONE and VIA AQUA ARE IDENTICAL UNITS NOW, AND "ALL PARTS" ARE INTERCHANGEABLE.

Hi All, Does anybody know anything or put me in the direction of the information about the "DWARF LEMON BARB"? I brought 10 from Organism but can't find any info and the boys new nothing except the name that they were selling them as. Cant find anything on GOOGLE.

Hi, Dont worry. The larger fish (LIKE HUMANS) will only stand so much before they turn around and bite the antagonists ass. They know their life better that we and they will VERY SOON sort out the pecking order. :roll: Good luck if you have a pair or two, and succeed in breeding them.

Hi, It may even be the "shimmies" :oops: sorry; SOFT SHOE SHUFFLE fishy style. Dont worry you may have a PAIR and that is the first stage of the mating ritual. Next will come the kissy thing, which is a tug of love. 8) If the fry survive and they are "good" parents, you are in for a treat watching them with their family life. I am continuously breeding six colour varieties and two Species. :roll: Good luck.

I would have thought some of the "Live Bearer Breeders" would have been a bit more forthcoming with replies, but Maybe not. :roll: Spinal Strain is one thing and a Large female, given a rest MAY become straight again, until the next brood. Bent spine deformities are more of a problem and are generally caused by far too much inbreeding (to keep a line true) and the offspring should be culled straight away; as the deformity is visible at about 3 weeks to a month. I just feed such unfortunates to my Angel's or Panch'ies. I also find that swapping the female / and or male after a couple of broods keeps the deformity level to a real good low. Good luck.

Hi All I will always stand to be corrected by "experts"; but a "CAWTHRON INSTITUTE" report on our (NZ Produced) Brine Shrimp as opposed to Rotifers, Daphnia and other fresh water "foods" state that; The nutritional value of "NEWLY HATCHED".................... Brine Shrimp: Protein............80% Fat.................1.5% Fibre...............4.8% Daphnia: Protein............52% Fat...................8% Fibre...............6.9% NOTE: Too much Daphnia can keep fish thin due to the amount of roughage in it's constitution. Both foods are there to complement each other. Daphnia is a natural resource while Brine Shrimp is a "MAN MADE" super food for the hobby.

Welcome. It's good to see more "SOUTH ISLANDERS" getting into the hobby. Keep it up and ENJOY................

Hi and welcome. May you find good information about the hobby and meet and make a lot of new friends here.

Hi All Does anybody have the contact details of the Officials of any of the SYDNEY, or New South Wales Aquarium Soc's. in Australia Please? Not the MARINE or REEF Clubs.