Alan

Maybe it's the air in China that causes that. Alan 104 ps, Oh! You're not in China, well how did I know?? Al

Ira?? Did I miss something?? Alan 104

Evil, start collecting names etc, I have someone interested in being a co-ordinator for you. Also one of the members from this forum is shifting from Auck to T and wants to organise a club there. I'm happy to come up and meet you when you have a date sorted and act as an adviser or for you to ask questions and I'll hopefully be able to answer them. Alan 104

How much do they cost?? I know a breeder that last time I visited had dozens of them about the size of a 5c piece. No I don'tknow how much he wants for them, not at the moment anyway. Alan 104

OK Paul so you are from Tauranga. Would you like to put that into the "location" box in your profile for other posts that you may put up, for reference?? Welcome aboard, I too have just had a couple of spawnings of Odessas. I was really chuffed. All you Western BaY people, why don't you nominate, or offer, one of your group to correlate your names and contacts, and we may be able to get the ball rolling again in Tauranga with a fish club affiliated to the FNZAS as there use to be. We could really try and get it in before June would be kewl. Alan 104

Make sure that you paint the edges and ends real well too to stop ingress of the water. Otherwise a good job could be ruined. Alan 104

Don't worry, too slow. http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/mel-trif.htm If they are available you should be able to get them from your LFS and pay about $30 to $40 a pair. Ask them to check their wholesale list. Alan 104

Got the hard to spell and remember name or a picture?? Alan 104

Quote: Wainuiomata mata martian = mart-e-an NOT = mar-shun Alan 104

Where did you obtain the yellows from?? The yellows that we now have are breeding tru, and the others that we have had in NZ for a long time are red/yellows. If you have any that you aren't sure of treat them as red/yellows. Alan 104

A diatom filter will remove all of that, and even get down to what is termed"polishing" the water.They are a bit hard to get in NZ now as they were a fairly expensive item but IMHO well worth it. They can be seen advertised in American magazines still and maybe you'd be able to get on on E-bay or Aqua Bid. Alan 104

Thanks for that Caryl. The tanks have micro tubes for aeration, there is no filtration, so more regular water changes are needed. The heating is done by undertank heating, and as all the tanks are the same size, as long as the water amount is the same, only one thermostat pershelf, or heatpad is needed. I think we have two pads on each shelf, so that gives us 6 thermostats. All tanks are illuminated evenly as per judging standards, using flourescent tubes. The heat can be conserved when the viewing is not required or at night, by a front cover. Entrants will often supply their own water from home so as the fish don't have to go thru a water parameter change, and they will often tape down the lids so as there is no interfernce with their charges and they aren't found on the floor. There is a small covering of gravel on the bottom of the tanks to stop the fish from being scared by weird reflections and light of the base. Sometimes the fish having been brought along in such good condition can be seen spawning in the gravel, this of course can be later used to get more babies of possibly the choicest killifish in NZ. Alan 104 NZKA

Yes they will breed together Alan and then you'll be back to the "aquarium" strain of which the red is. It, the red, throws reds and yellows, but the yellows that we have now are ones that breed true to that colour, I'm hoping to find out the place of their origin, but have not heard back yet. If you have females of both strains, do not mix the females, in fact, keep a tank between them and label well any aggs or offspring, as once mixed, as stated above, they are then only "aquarium" strain. Just a little care and honesty with the breeders of these would go along way. If in doubt, don't call them "yellow" if they are in anyway crossed. Alan 104

my juniors are growing and some are starting to colour up.. I don't know if the readers of this thread know but the NZKA are having their AGM at easter. We may get some more news about that soon hopefully. Don't forget that there is a competion with our super display stand being used by us for the first time in ages. Some may remember it when Napier had the National Fishshow at the Seahorse Farm. So if you are contemplating entering any, start preparing them for their show day now by keeping them in a small tank and feeding a little and often to encourage them to come to the front and display when ever someone approaches their tank. That hopefully will be the judge, The Mr Jonhn Sutton NZKA #1, coming up from Nelson for the show. Maybe if you southerners were to get in touch with him, if he has spare seats, you could share the costs. Alan 104 NZKA

How long has the tank been running for?? Alan 104

That sweet little beast that wagged it's tail at you willl turn into a monster. At least 10 times the weight of your oscar I'd say. So unless you have a monster tank, I'd suggest you take it back before you get too attached to it. Find another smaller growing monster, and do some research on what you are looking at before you commit yourself to their ownership. The giant goramy and the pacu imo should not be allowed to be sold to the general public, for the sake of the fish. Alan 104

Reef_man, you've been asked several times to fill in your location for the benifit of the other members to be able to assist you. You will find where to add this by going to top line locating "profile" and filling in the appropriate box. You have also got a PM, Private Message, to find this go to the top line again and click on the "You Have No New Posts" Why you haven't seen you have one post I don't know. Maybe you have so just click on that and read the PM. MOD Alan 104

Caryl, I was wondering if the steel was lifted up off the plastic as the concrete was poured. On checking back thru your pics, you have at least four penetrations of the diaphragm, the concrete as agreed by the contractors has too big aggragate. ?? This will only cause a problem if it is not placed properly. IE, vibrated to cleatr the air voids thru which the water will leak. How thick is the concrete base, steel should have 75mm cover of concrete. I was also surprised at how soon the pool was filled. It takes a fairly long period of time for the concrete to cure properly, and that doesn't mean set. It means attaining strength. Concrete can and does shrink in this process and in so doing, it can get cracks forming, opps, leaks. This is why you'll see water being sprinkled on the surface or wet sacks or similar covering it. Just to slow up that curing process and alleviate the shrinking of the mass. If it was me, I'd be doing a full plaster job of it, but then that may crack too. Or sorry to say, rip it up and start again, this cost would have to be borne by the contractors as the job they have done is not seving the purpose it was done for. I'd also be using 150mm HRC steel not chicken mesh with 12mm rod in the edges. Sorry Caryl and Grant, I don't want to sound all gloom and doom, but from years of experience in this type of work I fear the worst. Alan 104

I know it is cloned in Qland and I don't know why someone here hasn't imported some in the sterile conditions that they are produced in. Maf may let them in like that with out Q'ing Alan 104

The penetrations I'm refering to Caryl are the supprts for the pagoda and the platform. Maybe four of them?? They appear to be some sort of pipe?? Can only go by what I see in the pics Can you get a closeup pic of them C and email it to me?? Alan 104

Caryl, I think you will find it is leaking from the penetrations you have. They should have been an integral part of the base and surrounded by polythene. The other leak area is when two pours meet and are not amalgamated together properly. But as long as you have the film thru and is okay that would be covered. Another is where the steel has been resting on the film. That could leak there also. But my money would be on the penetrations. Alan 104

Try 40 litres of "Barsleek". Have to have a good circulating pump with it. And wash carefully after use. Alan 104

Apparently Paul that is a method of cleaning the babies, it's not tasting them. Also you will have noticed that the parents shifted the babies in the wriggler stage to different pits. It is believed that this is a protection from predation and also washing them, and again, getting them away from a old nest that may be contaminated. Alan 104

http://www.applesnail.net/content/snail ... #Neritidae Have a look here There are freshwater ones of this family, but don't know of any in NZ. If as there are ones that do live in freshwater, as there are, then they must reproduce there too. But they may require a brackish situation too. Alan 104

I recently made some 4'ers up from plastic spouting. Gave the inside a couple of coats of Chrome paint. You may have to get some ends though if the light is sitting on top on its own. Mine were hidden from view so I didn't need them. Alan 104