Rebecca

Hi Wok I'd be keen to meet up, I only have a few killies and am very new to keeping them but would be keen to know what's around and meet with other people keeping them. Just let me know a time and place and as long as I can organise a babysitter I'll be there. Cheers Rebecca

Thanks for all your advice, I moved the parents out today and dropped the water level down so it's a bit shallower, I do have a fairly tight lid on it so the air is nice and warm. I've been feeding all through the day and everyone seems to be doing well. It seems these guys are the same as axolotls with their growth rates so I'll set a few tanks up to separate sizes and keep everyone happy. I don't think I'll end up with thousands as I'm guessing the angelfish got some before I realised what was going on but it'll be interesting to see how many I end up with. Rebecca

Thanks for that Alan, i might set some up in a smaller tank and see how they go but I'll have to try and raise all of them. I'm one of those people who has to be sure and catch all the baby guppies or I feel guilty :roll: I even have a special tank for the reject fish as I can't bear to kill them So I couldn't just leave the other babies. I don't mind if I end up with lots of them an luckily I have the tank space for them. Rebecca

Hi and welcome to the forums. I love your photos, you have some lovely fish. I've been thinking of setting up some saltwater tanks and I think I'm convinced now. Cheers Rebecca

These guys are mostly free swimming now and zooming all over the tank much to Dads disgust. He keeps scooping them into his mouth and racing back to the nest and spitting them all out. Very funny to watch but i'll take him out tomorrow. Lucky I have a few spare tanks I guess. I've fed them today and they seemed to be eating everything I put in so it'll be fun to watch them grow (hopefully). Out of all my gouramis I must say I like these the most, they've got such peaceful natures and pretty markings. I think i'll have to leave them in the 5ft as there's too many plants and I know I'd never catch them all. Hopefully if I feed all over the tank and keep on top of the water changes they should be fine. Cheers Rebecca

I saw my Pearls spawning the other day and thought oh, might need to get those guys in a separate tank away from the angelfish and try for some babies. Well I went down last night to find my 5 large angels cowering in the corner of their 5ft tank :oops: So they were hastily moved much to their relief and then it was count the babies i've put some baby food in as these guys are swimming around and there seems to be hundreds of them. Would it be okay to leave them in a tank this big to raise them or should I move them to a smaller tank for easier acess to food? Also can I leave the parents with them or should they be moved as well? I have a tight lid on this tank so they won't get chilled and removed the big filter and set up a sponge filter, any other tips? Also have corys, angels and axolotls spawning and hundreds of baby guppies so must be something in the water I guess :lol: Cheers Rebecca

Awesome photos Caryl. Congrats Amazonian, you have a great looking set up and some lovely fish. Rebecca

I have 6 of these in with 9 Electric Yellows and have no problems, they're all young tho' and I'm planning on separating them or moving them all to a bigger tank within the next few months.

Hi Henry My copy arrived yesterday, just as I'd remembered from when I saw your copy. Very happy with it. Thanks for all your effort. Cheers Rebecca

Hi Mitch What a neat idea for a birthday present but be warned MTS is not far away If you're on the Shore Pupuke Aquarium is a great shop, especially for a beginner as Brent is very knowledgable(?) with fish and will tell you everything you need to know, also he's got some gorgeous fish The North Shore aquarium club is great, super friendly and helpful people. Good luck Rebecca

Yes, I took the family there last weekend and my 3 year olds face when the ray glided right over the top of her and she realised how big it was was hysterical. Bit fatal tho as my mother fell in love with the seahorses so guess what this months project is :roll: Rebecca

Yes Ira, I thought the same thing but then I spotted 2 other shrimps chasing another baby and decided not to take the risk anymore. It was easier just to whip them out of the tank. I've had them breed but I think my goldfish just find them irrisistible at the little size as very few survive. It's just a plain old 2 ft tank with 2 bubble eyes in it and I do fortnightly or weekly water changes so nothing special. The babies are neat though. The others that I keep on their own are in a planted environment and I've never tried to count them so possibly there's babies in there. That one has quite a lot of daphnia and moss and I just throw in some fish food every few days. My oldest ones were adults when I got them 6 months ago. Rebecca

Hi there I've got these little guys and found they're very easy to keep as long as their tankmates aren't smaller than them, I caught one eating a baby axolotl so now don't keep them in with my babies. I've got them in with goldfish and on their own and found them hardy as long as their tank has a lid, they can really leap :bounce: :bounce: They eat the fish food and also love plants, mostly hanging out in the java fern. Great little critters to watch but I'd keep them separate from anything when you first catch them for about a month to be sure they're healthy. Cheers Rebecca

Hi everyone, I've been offered some of the coldwater seahorses and although I've got the book on how to care for them I was hoping to get some ideas from people who keep them on the best sized tank, what mix of sexes to get and what equipment I need to buy to keep them happy. I've not kept saltwater fish before but have got about 40 freshwater so understand water parameters etc. I live near the beach so can get some different live food for them if that's a good idea? I was thinking of either 4 or 6 seahorses so what volume of water would I need? Thanks in advance for any help or advice anyone can offer. Rebecca

Hey great going, always a great feeling when your fish are breeding but as to your comment of 26 tanks is enough HA! I thought that when I hit 30 tanks, now I'm up around the 40 mark and still trying to work out where I could fit some more in :roll: After all just cause it's called a 2 car garage it doesn't mean it has to have cars in it right :lol: Cheers Rebecca

Yep, that's my favourite kind of retail therapy! All my girlfriends go for clothes and think I'm mad but my idea of heaven is going out and looking at all the shops and maybe :oops: bringing home new fish after swearing we wouldn't. Have decided when we're going out to look at shops we should set up 2 empty tanks, just in case :bounce: Bristlenose babies are very neat and grow into such awesome fish. Rebecca

Okay, at 30mm they're young, normally change takes place between 3 & 4 months but I've found that the more food that is available the quicker they seem to change. Have never written dates down tho' but I know 3 months after they start hatching is when I start getting the covered tanks ready. So they're probably between 2 or 3 months but their breeder should be able to be more precise.. I've heard they can breed at 2 years but found mine laid infertile eggs at that age with only about 10% fertility, by 3 years though you should be away with a rip and a roar :bounce: Cheers Rebecca

Hi guys, nope most food into the water, you'll be amazed how fast they can move if they see bloodworms or white worms going into the water! I thaw the frozen stuff first, for me that's because one cube will do 4 tanks but any extra just give to your fish or turtles, they'll love it :bounce: With the fruit flies I tip them in the water but they climb out and go all over the place, you'll see a newt sitting there with 6 or 7 on him, then a few minutes later there's only 3 or 4 They will eat out of water but only live food in my experience and seem to be more active feeders in the water. hope this helps. I currently have 25 babies who've all just changed and they're great to watch as little groups. Cheers Rebecca

Hi Alan Newts are incredibly easy to keep as long as you follow similar maintenance to fish, clean water, good food and appropriate environment. There is an excellent book by TJ Thornton on newts, she's a New Zealander and it's specifically written for us One thing though, I wouldn't heat your water, these guys enjoy a colder climate, in fact egg laying starts in autumn, generally after a cold snap I'll find eggs in my tanks. I run air stones into the tanks with young babies just to keep the water moving and have sponge filters with my adults. They like the filters but dislike strong currents. A good rule for water / land is 2/3rds water and 1/3 land, as the newts get older they seem to prefer the water and of my 15 adults I only have 2 who climb up into the plants regularly. Food wise, anything moving that they can fit in their mouths they'll enjoy. I feed mine larvae, daphnia, wingless fruit flies, white worms (in moderation) and frozen bloodworm so they get lots of variety. Any other questions fire away and I'll do my best to help. Cheers Rebecca

Hi Plantman Count me in too please. Is pick up possible? If not doesn't matter, still want the book :lol: Thanks Rebecca

Ha, never thought of that :lol: I've noticed that they ignore the adult snails but you're right they like the zuchinni almost as much as the babies. Anyway I don't mind as long as they keep producing those gorgeous little babies and the snail population was getting a bit out of control, been throwing the big ones in the turtle enclosure which felt a bit mean :oops: so now I'll leave them for a while. Cheers Rebecca

Welcome to the site, I like the SAs too, have been thinking about getting some Jags so I hope you'll post some pictures of the babies? I think they're such a striking fish. Sounds like you have lots of knowledge to share which is always welcome here :bounce: Rebecca

Hi Gizmo Welcome to the site, everyone here is so friendly I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I hope your Oscar gets better, they're a neat fish. Nice to see someone else with a menagarie :lol: Rebecca

I have a pair of these guys who spawn on a fairly regular basis, for which I'm very grateful I keep snails in their tank for clean up and last night I noticed my female sitting there eating an entire bunch of snail eggs. I've never seen it beofre and was wondering if the extra protein was why they breed so well? If anyone can shed any light on this please let me know.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys , in answer to your questions. Hi Sharn, yes it's me, glad to hear the axolotls doing so well. Caryl, I'm not sure if I've remembered everything but the sucesses I've had over the last few years have been with WCMM, goldfish, guppies, swordtails, golden black eyed ancistrus, Blue Gouramis, Golden Angels, Bronze Corydoras, Kribensis and I'm not sure if they count but Chinese Fire Bellied Newts, axolotls (including my golds and albinos that I'm very proud of) and Red Earred Turtles. Have had a few disasters like trying to move 60 tanks in the midst of breeding which wasn't too good but hopefully am settling everyone down again now. Mustcooktea, last time my toddlers tried to help I ended up with 2 baby newts on the floor so no! But they are interested, got very indignant with someone a while ago who told them chickens came from eggs and insisted that's where turtles come from and looked at them like they were an idiot! Will try to make the chat room but normally studying at night :-?