Davejey

Hi Lis' Dwarf Gourami are quite compatible with most fish except maybe with each other. I have a dozen two-month olds who are just starting to show their 'muscles' and I have had to move the largest one, due to bullying, in with my Platies (of the same age) and he/she seems to be quite happy amongst them. regards Davejey

To save the bother of setting up BBS hatchery everyday, has anyone tried feeding the fry with tinned fish? I tried some small pieces of tuna on my adults and they seemed to like it ok. But I was thinking, for the fry, some mashed 'sardines in brine', washed. Anyone have any thoughts or experience on this? :-?

When I want to put some salt in the tank, I first put a spoon or two of 'tonic salt' in warm, boiled water (enough to dilute it) then stir until no more crystals to be seen.

Hi Radu, It maybe there is not enough light on the tank. I got over this problem by letting sunlight get to the tank for about an hour a day, and green algae was established and the brown algae disappeared. Or otherwise get a closer or stronger light source. Good luck, Davejey

Great posts on Dwarf Gourami breeding Shannon and Vapo and thanks Alan for your good informative tips. What type are your breeding pair Shannon? Mine are, I believe, Neon Dwarf Gourami. here is rather a blurred photo of the male. (hopefully He is a good 5.5cm I dont have a clear pic of the female yet, but she is rather smaller, silver grey with some colour on her anal fin. Cheers Davejey

Polysterene I didn't have, so, rightly or wrongly, I used an offcut of the lounge woolen carpet, an even thickness, with 10cm to spare all round, so if the tanks started to leak I would know by dampness. Seems to be ok so far. Davejey

Thanks everyone for your advice; I finally got some sand and gravel as well as a few stones of different sizes. Took me half a day to wash the silt out and then what was suspended in the water I just siphoned the tank empty and filled her up again. Now its surprisingly chrystal-clear with my two 8" goldfish (from my pond) "as happy as larry" Cheers Davejey

Can we use builder's gravel on the bottom of the tank? Will plants grow in it? Or beach grit, with minimum shell content? I looked up the Hutt river but it is either sand or too coarse stones. I need to cover 24"x 12" tank floor about 1"-2" thickness, which is costly buying the small bags from Fish-shop. Cheers Davejey

Thanks Guys for the warm welcome. I am in J'ville, or as my son calls it Hoons'ville. I am sure I will have plenty of questions when things start happening. Already I have just removed one of my lovely red plants as it got some black spots all over the leaves that wouldn't easily come off. Cheers Davejey.

Hi All, My tank is just 25 ltrs and I have 6 neons and 1 Platy, intending to add 3 more Platies 1 by 1. This is my first tropical tank so am taking it slow to begin with. Have an 'Aqua one' filter and a heater and an air stone, an 'Ocean free' light set sitting on the top of the tank, and three different plants that are looking good. Davejey

My six neons are voracious when it comes to feed time, and if I give them a bit too much flakes they seem to suffer from 'indigestion'; Like they are all at a 45 degree angle 'pecking at the water' for a couple of hours. Is this normal behaviour. Cheers Davejey

Oops , Dubbieboy, that should have been bottom of Ngaio Gorge. Hutt Rd is a continuation of Thorndon Quay, a 10min walk from the back of the Welli railway station. Cheers, Davejey :-?

Best place in Welli is Animates bottom of Ngaranga Gorge, on th Hutt Rd, good set of freshwater tanks and a good range of fish. Not the cheapest place, but worth the visit. Cheers Davejey