Gatito

Hey, thanks for that, and for the pics - it's always good to hear from someone with the same tank so i know what to be aware of and watch out for. Will look into another filter soon and i think i will need a more powerful light too. Oooh, one more question - i got my tank second-hand, so i'm not sure, but is there meant to be a lid/barrier between the lights and the water surface? Mine doesn't, so i'm going to get a sheet of thin perspex cut to fit asap, as the lights are getting a bit damp, and that's bound to result quickly in a buggered fuse. The previous owner didn't mention a lid, but it looks like maybe one used to fit there (a half-circle shaped one, or two quarter-circles?) :-?

That sounds like it. Will post a pic of the stuff soon.

Thanks Sharn, yeah i ended up getting more rosies to make a school of 10, and they're much happier!! I didn't get Jungle (my red spot) until i was prepared to grow with him, and accomodate an (eventually) big pleco. He hasn't grown very quickly so far, but that's probably going to change now he has more space to play Once he gets MASSIVE i may think about rehoming, but i think i'd probably get a MASSIVE tank first. For now i'm just enjoying the big tank, and watching them enjoy the space :bounce:

Hi guys, any help would fan-diddly-tastic. I bought a tank off someone, and took his accessories and bits and bobs off him as well. In this aquatic lucky-dip was a bag of something - it's a creamy white colour and looks like fine gravel. The guy said (excitement over big new tank clouds my memory perhaps) that it was silicon (????) and for my 240 litre tank i could hang about a cup of it from the lid in a net bag (included), and it slows down the build-up of a toxin (forgot what). Help!!! Anything to benefit my tank is great, but i want to know what i've got before I start using it. xx

Lol I sympathise - I HATE lots and lots of little baby blinkin' snails everywhere, so i never had even one in my tanks. However... got given some plants the other day, and when i planted them, guess who was stowed away? Now i have a bunch of baby snails in my tank... I heard somewhere that clown loaches will munch on little snails - is this true? I hope so........ kill them off my pretties... before they multiply and take over the world... umm, I mean tank.

Well, it's happened. I am now the proud owner of a 240-250 litre Jebo R790. Needs new light tubes, but that's ok (squirms and wriggles in delight). It has one of those exterior filter thingies that sit inside the lid, which we managed to work out . And i just thought i'd share the love :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: and welcome any advice, as this is my first tank over 50 litres. Also, what would be the best buy for planting material? Do i use a sand from the LFS, or some kind fine gravel under the usual stuff? Going into the tank are 5 clown loaches, 4 rosy tetras, 9 lace gourami (someone gave me a few extra than ordered), a few bettas, a red spot pleco, and 6 BN's (ditto with the few extra). Is this going to be too much? Or...... (gasp) can i get any more? Lots of luv and happyhappy happy!!! Jo

This thread is going to serve me well - I've been using the net to herd them up the side of the tank, following them with the net underneath them, then holding the net so that when they swim/shuttle off the glass to go back to the bottom, they (usually) coast straight in. They're tricky little buggers, when they're still small, anyway.

But yes, big kudos to anyone who has the level of commitment and enough TLC to get such a big (don't dare say fat - it might mistake ME for a shrimp pellet) beautiful specimen. I wonder if i still have my current fish in 20 years, what the level of attachment to the individual fish would be? Thats the same lifespan as a cat or small dog....

Lol, i think a clown is more the 'skulk around 'til no one's watching, then grab and dash' kind of pie eater, as opposed to one of my bettas - i was leaning over the tank a few days ago, watching them feed and sucking on a candy cane, when she decided she liked the look of my snack better (managed to catch her, i swear she has sky-diving aspirations). I have 5 young clowns, and though i love how big they can get (at Dubai airport I saw some well over 30cms) I hope mine take their time, otherwise it'll be re-home or EVEN BIGGER tank, which i'm not sure my "partner" (self-titled boss) would agree to.

Awesome.... I'm very excited now, they're lovely and pretty. I'm going to get about 6. They prefer numbers, and are bound to look amazing in a group. Thanks guys!!!

I currently have a tank with 2 clown loach, 4 rosy tetra, 3 bettas (2 female, 1 male), 4 small BN's and a baby red spot pleco. As they're growing it's getting a bit crowded in there, so a second tank is nearly ready now for some of them to move in. Anyway..... was thinking about some lace gourami, but not sure if they get along with the fighters? I've been given varying opinions in this (they don't get on/they do/they do with dwarf gourami....). :-? Very soon to be getting a big big big display tank :bounce: (squirm, excitement), but want to decide whether to get these gourami. Will they be ok with the fighters? Ta guys, hope you're all having a great lead-up to Christmas!!!

I had neons with an aqua male betta - fine for a lil while but they got so much of his fins during one day out at work that i thought it was some lightning-quick fin-rot. He nearly died, had to give a lot of TLC. Same with a blue female. Had some in with a red betta boy, they would nip a little but not too bad, ended up getting paranoid and giving them away in the end.

Lol, i fell in love with dwarf/malabar puffers when i saw them at Hollywood Fish Farm in auckland. Didn't get one cos i was moving the next month, and thought i'd get one from the next shipment. Haven't seen or heard of any for sale since And again, Ira, yours is lovelylovelyLOVELY!!! I love it how they look as if they're smiling..... Growl, want one.... Sorry :-? , ranting.... Anyway HFF may get them in occasionally, or other specialty shops, but i know you can get Malabars in NZ

Great, thanks a lot, shall have to look into a gravel vac. I'm familiar with the plecos growth - waitied til i was prepared to grow with it befor i got this one . But thanks for the tips on the filters and clown loaches, much appreciated. Have a good day, Jo.

Hey guys, i've had bettas and BN's for a while now, and didn't bother with a proper filter (just airation stone on the pump) :oops: Yesterday i went out and got some rosy tetras, a red spot pleco and a couple of clown loaches. With the new additions, i decided to finally get my stuff together, and got a filter and the pH, nitrite and ammonia test kits. Test results were fine, but it's been about 24hours since the filter got put in, and just over half of the white spongy part has gone yucky and brownish, from the bottom. Is this just because my possibly dirty dirty tank is finally getting cleaned up? Or do they normally accumulate grime this quickly? Also, when should I replace the cartridge (bit with the white sponge and charcoal-looking things)? Thanks!!

Thanks a lot I had some neon tetras but they got very nippy, and it wasn't underfeeding, so i gave them away. I have been waiting for a nice male betta to come along, and i will look into the rest on the list. Thanks a lot!!!!

Hi, i have a 60 or 70 litre tank (memory fails me), with two female bettas and four young bristlenoses (still only about 3.5cm long). I started off going nuts about bettas, then i got the BN's as a bit of fun (they're just so cute!!). Now i'd like to add to this tank and make it a bit more interesting, but i'm not sure what would be a peacefull addition to the fish i've already got. The bettas are ok together, though they went for another female betta that i tried in that tank previously. Any advice on what would be good to try would be much appreciated. I like tiger barbs, and was pondering on a lazy sunday whether a pair of angels would get nipped.... I am currently not monitering the ph or anything in this tank - just regular water changes and the current occupants are thriving in this heated freshwater tank. However i'd be happy to step up the care program if the fish required it. Thanks a lot!!

i took out two thirds of the water before i lifted it, and took the opportunity to clean out the tank before refilling it - used what i'd taken out and 1/3 fresh water, so that was fine. Yeah, he's a crafty one - probably sulking a bit now he's lost his sludge-pit playground.

Lol, they're going well - as soon as i released them into the tanks, they zoomed down to the bottom and started making their way over the stones like little vacuum cleaners!! So cute!! My male fighter was investigating them, and i was a bit worried he'd try a nibble, so i've put a couple of speedy little blue neons in that tank to keep him distracted if he feels like chasing something. One smaller one managed to get down the pipe that my airstone sits under, and ended up down under this grid i have under my gravel (creates about 2cm empty space between gravel and tank bottom) - i had to clear the fish and plants out and completely set the tank up again after lifting the grid to 'rescue' the little bugger (he was quite happy down there it seems). No gratitude from wee bubs, but at least now i have him in full view at all times. I think i'll console him with a nice cave....

*shudder* I'll have spent all my $ on aquatica, will be unable to get to work due to the maintenance, and my partner would have moved out due to neglect. Sounds like bliss!!! :lol:

Ok, so no carnivorous filters or silent-but-deadly bottles.... Thanks for the advice so far guys, they're so cute i can't wait to see them loose in the tank (water temp nearly done adjusting)... Lol, what's the bet that in the future i'll be making another panicked post because suddenly there are little clones of my bristlenoses zooming round? Actually, what size will they be when i'll have to keep an eye out for signs of mating? Cos they ARE with the fighting fish, and if any little swimmers emerge in 6 months or whenever, they won't last long with the bettas... :-?

They've arrived!!! Yay!!! The courier guy was tipping the box and i was like "oh, been playing footie with that one?" He laughed and smiled at me and i was like "No, look at the box" (It had 'LIVE FISH' clearly written all over the box). He glanced at it and smiled again - a smile that quickly wilted when i shot him a look of disapproval and asked if i should really sign for it after how careless he'd been. That got him. Very funny after. Babies looking fine and SO MUCH CUTER THAN EXPECTED. Don't really want them to get much bigger now.... awwwww.....

they're just under 3cm, hopefully will be just fine - i'll wrap them in cotton wool

Hey guys, i'm getting some baby bristlenose catfish tomorrow!! :bounce: So cute!! They're gonna be joining my siamese fighting fish in 2 tanks, and helping out as a mini cleaning crew Other than some driftwood for roughage, is there anything else i should specifically get/know? Have done some homework, but the best knowledge is through experience, so any tips or help would be much appreciated... Cheers!!!

Forgive my ignorance, but what are the babies? They look like TINY transparent pleco's, hehe, so cute all stuck on the side..... awww..... VERY KEWL PICS *gatito*