Alan

It is too Ant. Normally, if they are selling thru an LFS they'd be up over $60, nearer $70 for the pair. Young ones too. Better than the ones that are imported, because of their age; all set to go. Alan 104

"Ameca splendens, Butterfly Goodied" Being a goodied, it would not be permitted into NZ. Alan 104

Kim&Dan said: For a start, the ones I am talking about are less than a third of that. OK?? They are the same set up as a heater thermostat, but without the heating coil. It is set at say 28oC, while the main heater stat is set at 22oC. Therefore, if the heater is jammed on, then the thermostat will start operating, when you see that it is working, cause the light will be going on and off, which will then warn you that the heating setup has failed.. The only way a tank goes cold is if the heating coil failed, this doesn't protect you from this, but fish can live in reasonably cold water, but die when they are boiled. Oh!! Another reason for the heater to fail to work is when the missus unplugs the heater to do the vaccumming or similar, and of course not being interested in the fish, fails to plug the heater back in. "Al ducks from flying shoes" Alan 104

I go to Pak&Save No sweat Alan 104

Remember we in the BoP are prone to earthquakes, so make provision for fastening to the wall. I agree, don't have the plugs at the back, too hard to get to and to add a plug or remove, you'd have to have the tank about 100mm from the wall minimum. So put them to the side in my opinion. The side most often NOT viewed. Alan 104

I did suggest on the forum a while back, to have a back up thermostat in line with the heater, especially to overcome this problem. I only had two replies about them so didn't bother going any further and obtaining any. These will work if your deaf or away. Cheap insurance in anyones books. Alan 104

I didn't say there ws a club at T. But they were trying to start one up a while back. I remember a lovely couple from Taupo that was promised a set price for their fish at a shop in Auck. It was dishonoured, and the breeder invited the shop keeper outside where he tipped the fish down a drain. Hard on the fish, but a broken breeder who went home and closed down their fish room. It was such a shame, they were a lovely older couple, who had ideal water conditions with thermal heating which is everyones dream if you have a fishroom, and they could really breed fish. Good ones too. Alan 104

Hi Ant, Aquascope is definately a breeder/importer/wholesaler, as far as I know he sells only to shops and no visits allowed. Unless of course you are a friend of theirs. Concerning selling to LFS. Find out what the wholesalers charge them for that size B/N and charge them that. That way the LFS saves on GST, transport, have fish locally bred, and don't have to buy heaps at a time. I look at the price of the fish that they are selling, and ask for approx. half. Or suggest to them that you will only sell to them at a set price, as long as they don't charge more than 120% profit. This is what Jansens add on so I'm told. Our last killies cost us $17+GST+Transport. Our required asking price from the LFS is normally $8.50 to $10, depends on species and availability. But our club members come first. Normally quite a bit less than the price asked of the LFS. Non club members cop the LFS price. Alan 104

If you go to your profile You will see a box to put where you are from. I'm only 40 minutes from you, and I breed one or two fish. But I have learnt something over the years, that is that if you expect to make heaps of money from breeding fish, you are going to be sadly disillusioned. Unless of course you have a thrmal heat source for the Fish room. Highway Fisheries just north of Te Puke, has this, but they have a bore that costs quite a bit to bring the water to the surface.. Aquascope in Welcome Bay also has hot water, and there used to be a fishbreeding farm at just above sea-level in Welcome Bay too, but in a deluge they were wiped out by a silting of over a metre deep. They were also an excellent source for various plants. Alan 104

There are two people that are in the NZKA committee known as the Species Preservers. I waited in vain for results of what we had in NZ from them so that I could publish it to our members via the newsletter. I know there was a very poor response when we did a survy. Sayng that I don't have any wasn't an option to fail to reply to the survey. But of the 40 odd members I think we would have been lucky to have had a 25% response. That was very disappointing from my point of view when trying to get the club up and running again, and really needing that information to strengthen our fish population. We are fortunate that we have several members breeding most species and some specializing in others, while others are there to suppoert us as a group, of this I'm very grateful. All the NZKA members have access to the Secretary via email, why not drop him a line and ask if he knows what the Species Preservers are doing?? Although the information that I know they have, will be months out of date. Maybe time for another survey too. Ask him, or them, to do something about it. Alan 104

As far as I know the swordtail population is now extinct. It was situated a very short distance up the Taupo-Napier Rd. The temperature dropped dramaically when they did re-roading work and then subdivision. There are no known wild populations as far as I know of platies. But there is a thriving population of mollies, big sailfins. But there is also a threat of subdivision in their area too, but I wouldn't live there if you paid me. It is one place that I consider could quite easily blow, with a steaming parapet up above them. They don't affect the trout or native species,cause they are cold water and the mollies couldn't survive a cold change. The killies would be no match against the gambusia, moquito fish. It is a killer. I believe that some of our species of killies could survive in most nth island water ways. But those species are very numbered. I know of one KK that had them outside for several years in Wellington, in a rain-barrel. Alan 104

Emulsified hen egg yolk that has been hard boiled. But watch it, you need water canges and snails as poo-patrollers. Micro worms, but they don't stay in the water column. What do you mean you can't get BBS, you get eggs and hatch your requirements. I just did three tspns of it myself. Alan 104

Good one LL Take them out and raise them separately. Leave M&D behind and expect them to fight, blaming one another for your abduction of their babies. If you want M&D to raise them, spawn them in a species specific b/b-tank. Live BBS once they are swimming, properly. Alan 104

If the mountain won't come to you. You go to the mountain. Tell him you want ACTION. PM me who it is. Alan 104

Cause Alan, they wanted suckers like us to do the work for them and supply photos that we have to pay for and if it was us asking them for the same information, guess what? You'd pay through ya neck for it. But good on the ones that did do it. Alan 104

Where are you located?? We have breeders all over the country and your whereabouts could be an aid to the help you can get. Gee I wish that profile field was compulsory. :evil: Alan 104

Sharu, there is such a thing in NZ as an allowable list. There also is a prohibited list. BUT All this will change as there is some people that are short of work and need to rearrange what we are allowed into NZ, and we, as a group were some of the people that were asked to supply information with photographic proof that the fish was here in NZ. Apparently, without this proof, they wil not be on the allowable list. So if you see a rare fish, even not so rare fish, grab it cause you won't be able to get it again without doing an application for it to be re-instated onto the list, for thousands of dollars. This is one of the reasons the Breeding Award was started; to preserve the species that we have in NZ in case of such bureacratic nonsense That may happen. It happened. This is near enough to what is/has happened. Those concerned on this site that know more, may give more enlightened explanation. Alan 104

The club I belong to is a killifish group, set on promoting the breeding and rearing and promotion of the species in NZ. Some ppl think that because we are who we are, that we don't keep any other types of fish. Couldn't be further from the truth, and a lot of the members are amongst the best breeders in NZ. Breeding many other varieties of fish, as well as their beloved killies. We also tend to have more tanks per member than any other club in NZ. Reason?? Cause our species are normally bred one species per tank, plus tanks for their off-spring. Because some of the species females are so alike, we cannot mix them. Good excuse for MTS tho, and our tanks are normally many, but small. Alan 104

evilknieval69, the main thing to do when breeding danios, especially the more common ones is to be very particular whith your breeding stock. So many are bred these days that have bent spines and are only suitable for live fish food for the bigger fish. So make sure the parents-to-be are free of genetic defects. Condition the adults and place together on a Friday night, into a small tank with the bottom covered with marbles or similar sized pebbles. These are for the non-adhesive eggs to go between from predation. Remove parents from the breeding tank, cover, and when the babies are free swimming, start feeding them green water or egg emulsion. Make sure that you have snails in the tank to act as cleaners. Water change about 25% water each day for max. growth, and make sure of the water parameters, being the same as in the breeders (fry) tank. As soon as possible, get the fry onto BBS, a most invaluable item for raising any fry. Alan 104

Welcome Rogan from just down the road from you. We (NZKA) have two members in Te Puke. Alan 104

Yo Stella, now we know where you are. Also the members in Palmie know that they have another person that is in their area that may need help at short notice, and are prepared to help. Fishie ppl are like that. Another reason is that we can now tell you that there is a FNZAS affiliated club at Palmie as well. When I was in the fresh water native fish club years ago, we found that out when we were fishing for our new tank inhabitants, and we always carried Furason (spp??) so as the catch bag could be dosed when catching. Alan 104

What is your pond constructed from, and how long have you had it?? Alan 104

What do you mean by "hobby grade" Feelers?? That is only the hatch rate, got nothing to do with the little fellas, just that you don't get so many from a teaspoon full of eggs. Alan 104

Welcometo the FNZAS site Craig. NOT ANOTHER WELLIE-WOOD They'll be getting as bad as JAFAs. Oh!! By the way Craig, I do hope you have a BIG tank for ten goldies?? Alan 104

Hit us with a photo if you can. They may be real nasties, illegal to move, breed, give away, sell, keep. Or do you know what they are?? Alan 104