Dixon1990 Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Im glad i didnt outbid you :lol: :lol: I think if you put in a another Internal filter you could have some more natives Maybe? :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 Thanks for the support all, I've changed my plans now and want to have: - 1 Koura - 5 Shrimp - 2 Mussels I'm not really all that keen on fish for some reason, I don't know why? Though I may just have got my GF interested in keeping natives aswell, so here's hoping she gets Koura Fever also. RE Temp The water is currently at 8°c, is that low enough? RE Dixon Thanks for quitting on the bidding, I've now got my dream tank setup and hopefully tonight it'll have it's very first resident. I'm dragging the GF out Koura hunting tonight! That bit of wood's not for sale anymore, as I cut it up for my tank ;D. RE Stella That wood is the most dense wood I've ever seen, I now know why it sinks! About the caves, I've actually got a couple of caves hidden under the big bit of wood. One at the front, and a big one underneath it. I figured that since I'm only getting one Koura I wouldn't need a whole lot. I'll keep you updated if I get a Koura tonight, I've already picked a name aswell - but I'll save that for later ;] Cheers, Romeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 16, 2008 Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 If you would let me know where you get it from that would be awesome! My dad would let me setup another tank for Natives, but only if i have a koura :lol: :lol: Decided im going to try get a 80cm or similar size peice of wood from a petshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 16, 2008 No luck yet, it's pretty gutting really. I just can't find one in Christchurch! All the creeks/streams/rivers are full of garbage and there's NO life in them. The occasional eel is all I'm rewarded with... Here's my map of where I've been and where I'm going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 I think il be setting up my 90 x 30 x 30cm tank soon... :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 This pdf file has a littlebut on them. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rsnz.org%2Fpublish%2Fnzjmfr%2F1970%2F23.pdf&ei=y3enSOiiBJessAOP5ujTDg&usg=AFQjCNHN0SeCdJwxtIjvLexZ0Yp0HKsspw&sig2=PWLQWGX2R0awa_EYJ8L2bg Anyone know if they are found in Kaikoura? I go there most holidays Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Wow you have been a busy boy! I do hope you find one soon, it must be getting frustrating! Are you moving rocks or just looking for ones wandering about? Did you try asking at the Aquarium where they have found them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Hey Stella, No one at the petshops has heard of them. Unfortunately most of our streams/creeks are all polluted and silty. There's really not a lot of rocks or anything down here either - it's all just silt and a few small stones. I haven't looked in the Waimak yet, it's a pretty huuuuge river. Worth a go, but it'll be a pretty epic mission to do that one. I might put up a post on TradeMe communities asking if anyone knows where there's a spot. Failing that, I'm going to give this company in Blenheim a call, they do live koura for the cuisine industry. Maybe I'll be able to sway them into sending me a batch down. I've probably already spent $100 on gas just driving around all these bloody streams! So buying one and getting it shipped down is probably the cheapest option ;[. I'm going to Hanmer springs with my GF next weekend, and she's promised to let me drag her out Koura hunting - isn't she great ;D. RE Dixon That's a good link you sent! I'll have a damn good look through that tonight - thanks. Maybe we could go 50/50 in a batch of Koura if the place in Blenheim's willing to ship ;] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 im moving to a new house soon its kind of near the groynes there is a small stream in there u could come and have a look in there with me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 When I went to Hamner Springs, many moons ago, I remember there is(or was) a picnic area with a stream that was real easy to get at.Just up the road from hotpools. From my experiance at searching for koura earlier this year, it is a likely spot. Sorry I cant be more descriptive but I do think that if you go buy yourself a butterfly net and a decent pair of gumboots(or if feeling like a tuff guy, just go barefoot in the freezing waters) and place net downstream of rocks and lift the rocks. Persistance pays. It took me about an hour of searching till i found mine, then once I sussed it out they were found everywhere. You want a stream where the flow is not breaking the surface otherwise its impossible to see anything. http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/native ... 30902.html Thats a link to my koura hunt thread. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 RE Spoon Yeah man that sounds cool, me and the GF went there about 9pm and it was all locked up - doh! I haven't heard anything about the groynes so wasn't too sure, but it seems to feed into the Waimak, so that's a more likely spot than the spring fed, polluted, silty streams in town. RE Supasi Thanks a LOT, I'll scope it out with Google Maps (Hanmer) - can you have a look and try and pinpoint it for me? PS: I *tried to* model my tank on yours, yeah right! But yeah, your tank is bloody gorgeous! Transporting What's the best way to transport any Koura that I catch in Hanmer, 150KM away? Should I buy a little pump from the petshop and use that? A bucket with a lid and wrap a seatbelt around it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Hi Romeo, YEah a bucket should be fine. The water sloshes around plenty to aerate it as you are driving along, I wouldn't worry about an airpump. Some soft stream-side vegetation or similar will help give the cray something to hide under and feel less exposed and therefore less stressed. Not necessary but might help. It is so true what Supasi says about knowing where and how to look within a stream. There is a koura farm that sells them into the aquarium trade, not sure which one (I think there are two). Worth a shot. While I love the satisfaction of sploshing about in streams catching my own fish etc, it is still taking a critter from the wild. I fully support the law change required to make it possible to buy genuinely captive-bred native fish for aquariums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 RE Supasi Thanks a LOT, I'll scope it out with Google Maps (Hanmer) - can you have a look and try and pinpoint it for me? PS: I *tried to* model my tank on yours, yeah right! But yeah, your tank is bloody gorgeous! Transporting What's the best way to transport any Koura that I catch in Hanmer, 150KM away? Should I buy a little pump from the petshop and use that? A bucket with a lid and wrap a seatbelt around it? Umm I had a look, but not really sure, it was about 15 years ago. But there is heaps of streams in the area. Re transporting them, I personally wouldnt bother with air pump as the water will be sloshing around in the car. All i used was an old 20 litre food grade bucket, the one that things like mayonaise and stuff come in.( I used to work for a wholesaler so was able to aquire a few, cant seem to find any now thou) Put it on the floor behind passanger seat and push seat back. It wont move then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Damn, stella your too fast for me.lol I had another look at the map and I think its the stream that goes under jollies pass road. May have changed now though, but worth a looksie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 try medway road on the way into the hamner township Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 17, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Thanks for all the responses, I'm really hyped up about getting my Koura. Stella I'm really gutted that I haven't been able to find one in CHCH, it's really made me think about the whole pollution thing to be honest. I'd love to find one, but it's just not possible? The satisfaction of finding one would be beyond what you'd expect for such a trivial thing. It's bizarre... Thanks for the tip about putting weed in with it, that's such a logical thing but I wouldn't have thought of it?! Regarding the Koura farm, I've only been able to find one, and that's in Blenheim. But they only sell to the cuisine industry I think? I'll give them a phone tomorrow, but if you know of ANY others I'd love to hear them! Supasi Thanks for the tip about the seat, that's a good one! I was just going to throw it in the back seat and strap it in, but your method will be much safer. Also, I guess I'll need a lid on that bucket right ;s. Don't want my Koura escaping and getting under the brake pedal, crashing the car, then crawling into the nearest stream. Spoon Thanks, you can be sure that'll I'll be searching through ALL the streams I can get to! So, my current status is... - Phoning Koura farms seeing if they're willing to ship for the pet industry. - Looking for Shrimp, but NO luck. - Waiting to get to Hanmer for the weekend. - If all of this fails and I can't get a Koura, I'll look at heading out to Lake Coleridge, 100+ KMs out of Christchurch. If anyone's interested in getting a Koura you'd betting speak up now, because I *might* be able to get you one from Hanmer - but NO PROMISES! //EDIT: There's a bit of good information on here about Koura, stocking ratios, good temperatures and other bits and pieces. http://services.niwa.co.nz/pubs/au/au/29/koura.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted August 17, 2008 Report Share Posted August 17, 2008 Try doing a bit of research on www.scholar.google.com. Most info on our aquatic life is in the form of scientific papers. Quite an involved read, but you quickly get the gist from the abstract. But there may be something useful for finding them. A quick hunt turned up this: http://www.rsnz.org/publish/nzjmfr/2000/46.pdf about the distribution of the southern cray in relation to habitat variables. Could be handy! Not sure what type of streams you are looking in, but the smaller the better for natives usually. Also don't overlook tiny farm creeks with no cover, amazing what can be in them! But you really need a net or two, you won't see them out and about. it's really made me think about the whole pollution thing to be honest. Indeed. I often have moral dilemmas with my book, namely encouraging peole to take wild animals for pets. But out of sight out of mind, and it really makes people aware of the issues we are causing in their habitats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Spoon invited me over for a wee look around today. Ended up leaving with one of his tank lamps, a handful of Java Fern and half a dozen little shrimps (2 big ones)! So big thanks to Spoon, he's got a pretty cool setup there, tanks all over the place! The shrimps he gave me are SO cool. They're all swimming around doing their own little thing, cleaning the wood and picking at the gravel - I've been watching them for a few hours and they're a laugh a minute ;D. Here's an updated photo, now with Java Fern and little shrimpies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoon Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 that looks cool the tone of the light is about rite for the tank beter than the nasty harsh t!@ bulb that was in ther just 1 thing tho java fern shouldnt be planted in gravel as the rhizome(roots ) will rot its meant to be attached to driftwood or rocks , the moss u can just chuck in there or tye it 2 something or put it under the driftwood a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Good on ya, Spoon! The tank is looking great! Good thing the java fern requires tying down, your future koura would just tear them out of the gravel anyway! Bear in mind any plants may get eaten, but worth a shot. I wonder if you could tie them to something awkward for the koura to climb? So exciting seeing this project develop! Your enthusiasm is great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteS Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Nice take set up. I do like the green lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Doh, I'll try and attach that fern to the wood then. It's a bit of a mission though, as the tank water is only 8°c! It's painful just to try and put a single piece in ;s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supasi Posted August 18, 2008 Report Share Posted August 18, 2008 Looking great Romeo. All I needs now is a Koura.Hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted August 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Update: Just got an email from Niwa (National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research) saying they've got a contact in Kaikoura who farms them, and they'll contact him on my behalf. Now THAT'S service from a government organisation! Failing this, they suggested I try the Koura farm in Alexandra, but it's not listed anywhere? Also, the Koura farm in Blenheim have failed to get back to me. I guess it wasn't worth their financial gain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted August 19, 2008 Report Share Posted August 19, 2008 Anyone ever caught/seen any koura in small streams in kaikoura? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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