Alan

Sorry to say but I think your guppy has "pine-cone disease", note how the scales are sicking out from her bidy on the underside in the pic. Another term for PCD is dropsy,afraid there isn't much you can do for her, I'd suggest euthanisation, but what ever you do, put her away from other fish into Quarantine. Do some research on the info I've given you. Alan 104

And what may I ask is wrong with stripping NO YOU FOOL To strip, as in goldfish keeping. I think I remember that the Napier Aquarium used to have some type of contact with Wellington during the breeding season. Maybe some Napierian can fill us in on this if they see this post. Alan 104

As for me bas, I'm happy with you sharing your favourite sites that give us a chance to check them out, as we can't find everthing. Thanks Alan 104

Bas, welcome to you from another NZer. great to see your site and the fish makes me very envious as our best ones available in NZ are probable your worst ones. Can you please PM or email me the info you have on that idiot that hit your guest book. We may be able to suss out who it was and say farewell to him. I have my suspicions already. Have a look under my post and make your choice. As one of the older generation on this site, I'd like to apoligise for his unwanted behavior. good luck Bas Alan 104

Sort him/her out?? Maybe encourage you to join up with the NZKA, then you wont have to go shopping, just have to have buddies that can send eggs by post to you for you to hatch. Lotsa fun. Marty wants a mate down in that part of NZ. Alan 104

BUY SOME! BUY SOME! I thought he would at least be paying you to take them. Alan 104

I have personally seen a couple of silver sharks with a 100 school of neons. Swam thru them, and there weren't as many neons after that pass. I pointed it out to the owners, and they said, "Oh, the sharks don't eat them, just the neons are too slow" You figure. You could look at some of the Rasbora and Barbs that are available at the moment, some of them quite different in color and size as well as action. But hey, if you want a tank with WOW get a school of Torpedo barbs. At the price they are I'm sure you could negotiate a price with your supplier, don't forget the power of you Membership card, and ask nicely. Alan 104

I was not impressed by them either. Definately, each to his/her own. Alan 104

Like I said in chat bal. Lots of stems = Ambulia. = 1 & 2 Twin stems = Cabomba. = 3 & 4 Alan 104

Prolly happy with the water flow through. I vote leave it alone Alan 104

You could easily say that you are just getting the baby use to a water bed Alan 104

and if ya buy too many of them Mr Plod will knock on ya door. Alan 104

I think I'd agree with a lot of things that have been said. But the dairy runoff doesn't affect me so I don't think it should over the hill. I'd go along with the water change theory, a pH shock probably, and somethings just, IMHO, rule others out, ie, if the pristillas spawn then the water was ok for them it should have been okers for the neons. One thing we all know for sure tho, is something happened to those 16 female neons that didn't agree with them. Thanks for you help. Now if only Scott would get a puta, he would be able to see what conclusions we have come to. Alan 104

Hi there Cath, let me be the first one to welcome you to this forum The water is wet, but occassionally we have fun. Chat most evenings (if we don't get booted) starting about 9.00pm, going until "last one standing" or sitting. So come aboard. Alan 104

Melanotaenia, thanks for your thoughts on this problem. The water we have in Ohope, is the same as we have in Whakatane. This is taken from our river, treated, and made "slightly" alkaline so as it is not"aggressive" to the reticulation system (pipes). The river rises in the ranges to our south, which are in-general, forest clad, finally meandering through farmland to the sea. This is is not a limestone area, so the water, before treatment is on the soft side. I don't know where my figures from the treatment station are, so I cannot give you the exact target they aim for. Maybe EJ, if he reads this, could give us a run-down of the water parameters, as he takes a close interest in this for his planted tank. Alan 104

Does this fish have scales? If not, and I siuspect it doesn't, the cure for whitespot could be having a dangerous affect on the fish the same as would happen to a clown loach. Ignore the above if it has scales. Just that I've never been moved to have a close look at this species Alan 104

Gizzy, it depends on the leak. You may have to dismantle you tank and start again. Always put you glue on the water side of the leak. If it's a crack, glue a patch over it. If it is a crack, make sure it has run all it is going to, cause if it hasn't, guess what? it'll wait till it's loaded, and it'll leak again. Make sure all the old glue is cut out from the area you wish to repair, not the glue in the joint, the beading. The glue you use must smell of a strong vinegar smell, enuff to make you wince. Dont breathe this in as it is hazardous to your health. Work out doors if possible. Bill is bound to have the right stuff tho. Alan 104

Dawn, have you seen the Red or Orange Chromides? They are a lovely colour for you I would think. They are a brackish water cichlid, a bit difficult to handle, but a worthwhile addition to the home aquarium. DON'T get the green or Pearl chromide, another IMHO that shouldn't be brought into the country for the NORMAL hobbyist. It grows miles too big. Alan 104

That is the morph form of the Chinese Sucking Catfish, CAE. NOT the most desirable of fish to have in the aquarium, one reason they are cheap me thinks. It gets quite agro as it matures, and is almost next to useless as an algae cleaner. Ther are a lot more better workers, and friendlier, than them around. Try an ancistrus type Dawn. You maybe thinking that this is the one that Kim is having so much breeding success with. Not really. Pricing that breed out around Auck. last trip, a week or so back. Those as adults, are about the $60 mark. I would suggest going to the breeders and introducing yourself and you may be pleasantly surprised. Alan 104

I must now say that there was one shop, Pupuke Aquarium, a little shop on the Nth Shore, was one that wasn't supporting this trade. The shop deals only with fishie things and fish of course, and well worth being on the list of the top five to visit in Auck. They also have a friendly staff member that will get in specials if you ask nicely. They have in their display tank, the best torepedo barb I've ever seen, what a beautiful fish, but a bit outa ma price range tho, you realy need a school of them. They'd look good cruising in Warrens tank, ten or so. Alan 104

Doesn't that indicate that the photo is too large?? Didn't open for me neither Alan 104

UUMMM, sorry about some of that information given. BUT the male and female guard and fan the eggs , they will pluck them from the egg shell and spit them onto a leaf or another handy spot. They are free swimming abou 4 to 6 days later. The pair, once the babies are free swimming will cruise them around the tank shifting any fish the think would injure the babies. You should remove the babies when the parents show ANY sign of cleaning prior to laying, or maximum time for leaving should not exceed a month, maybe a little earlier. I have also noticed the babies nibbling on the flanks of the parents similar to Discus But I don't think it is a critical thing as it is with discus Alan 104

You can actually sex them a lot earlier than the last two posts suggest. The males have silver tummies the females have a dark spot that will later be refered to as the "gravid spot". This can be normally done at a week or so, old. Don't believe me?? Try it then. Alan 104

How would a wine cask go?? Bigger surface area. Alan 104

Silicon isn't any good on plastic Alan 104