Romeo Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Gidday, Vince from Kaikoura is posting my Koura tonight, a small male and female. He's packaging them in damp wood shavings and popping them on the overnight courier at 4:30pm today - hopefully arriving some time in the morning tomorrow. So, what's the least stressful way of introducing them back into water - ie: my tank? I also got a master test kit off Candy for $20, and I've got a set of readings from it. Can anyone tell me where I'm at in the cycling stage - I wouldn't imagine it's very far along - as I've only got a few shrimp and plants from Spoon in my tank. Here's the readings: pH = 6.8 Amonia = 20(~)ppm Nitrite = 0.25ppm Nitrate = 0ppm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Congrats on the soon to be new arrivals :bounce: Can anyone tell me where I'm at in the cycling stage - I wouldn't imagine it's very far along It's not very far along at all. You need to get that Ammonia down as close to 0.00 real quick.....don't introduce your Koura until you've done a large water change and keep testing it daily, doing as many water changes as necessary to keep the Ammonia as close to 0.00 as you can. As for the introduction to the new tank.....when I got mine she was in a jar which I floated to equalise the temp and then put her in the tank, no probs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 COOL! You must be so excited! :bounce: I guess with introducing them.... they aren't coming in any water, so they can't be slowly introduced to more and more tank water.... I guess slowly sprinkle some on them? Use a bit of airline to do a really slow siphon of tank water into their container? (Chuck them in straight away and go do'h! like I usually do?) We expect photos uploaded by tomorrow night What Mark said re: cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Cool, Thanks for the advice Mark and Stella. I just put my GF in charge of checking my tank again and she's checked the ammonia twice and come up with no reading (0ppm). So I guess I must have done it wrong last night, probably didn't rinse the tubes properly or something? I'm so excited, I can guarantee photos tomorrow! I've even thought up a couple of names, but I'll leave that for later! PS: Ran the pH twice and it's reading 6.8 - I've got two big bits of drift wood, so I guess that's to blame. I bought a block of 6 small calcium block things. Two are fizzing away and bubbling in my tank as we speak, they're supposed to bring the pH back to 7. Is there any other way of raising my pH? Can I throw in a few sea shells for aesthetic as well as pH benefit? I read that Australian yabbies need a pH of at least 7.5 to be healthy, as high acidity softens their shells. PSS: My tap water has a pH of 6.4! I guess that's a bad thing ! Cheers, Alexander Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 2, 2008 Report Share Posted September 2, 2008 Good the ammonia is looking better. I wouldn't stress too much about the pH. It is better that the pH is stable rather than fluctuating around a more 'suitable' mark. Also native habitats can vary widely, and koura are found all over the show. On a similar topic, I went mudfishing on the weekend in a wetland. Really really organic, no rocks or anything, and the pH was 8.4!!! Really astounded. No idea why it was that high. We expected it to be soft and acid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 -------------------------- THEY'RE HERE! I've been up since 8am waiting for the courier and they've just arrived ;D! I've got them in a bucket each, just enough to cover their eyes, in my blacked out room so they can get used to the water and temperature. They've been out of water for about 20 hours, so I can image they're a bit parched. Vince packaged them with a lot of damp wood shavings so they couldn't move around and also put in a bottle of frozen water. When I first opened the box I looked at them and thought "awwwww, they're dead ". But when my GF poked one he sort of cringed a little - so in with a cm of water each and they roared into life! So, unbelievably happy right now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 COOOL! How exciting! :-) Given the way they were packaged, it would probably be fine to plonk them straight into the tank so they can go and find something to hide under. Bet you can't stop staring at them! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianab Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 The Ice was probably the best way to pack them. A bit of cold wont harm them and it slows down their metabolism so they survive the trip better. Once you get them up to room temp and in some fresh water they would come back to normal pretty quick. Good luck 8) Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Romeo, Romeo, where art thou, Romeo? I want an update! Peel yourself away from that tank, boy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 :bounce: :bounce: Great stuff Romeo. I'm jealous as. I really enjoyed my Koura, she was one of my favourite wet pets. Pics, pics and pics please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Hey, I've been watching them all day and forgot about the post. They don't seem to mind the light at all. The small female seems to like harassing the larger male though - pinning him in the corner all day ;s. Is it safe to feed them courgette slices? More pics to come ;D! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkLB Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Is it safe to feed them courgette slices? Mine loved it...and cucumber, lettuce, peas and any plants I put in the tank. Mine would eat anything. She loved bloodworm and small peices of raw chicken, steak, any meat really. In the wild they eat anything that comes their way so they're easy to feed. I enjoyed watching her eat spirulina tabs. She'd hold the tab vertically to her mouth and nibble away and spin the tab at the same time, slowly whittling it down 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Right now they're not concerned with eating at all. It seems all their doing is the small one's chasing the big one around. When the big one accidentally bumps into the small one, the small one goes ape shit and attacks him ;s! A blurry little Koura battle video. Cheers, Romeo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Werner Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Fantastic!! Congratulations :bounce: :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museeumchick Posted September 3, 2008 Report Share Posted September 3, 2008 Beautiful! I just stole one of your pics for my desktop background, sooo pretty! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bedazzled Posted September 6, 2008 Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 Just had to say that I have thoroughly enjoyed reading about your hunt for a koura and your tank looks fab. Hope your Koura are very happy in there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 6, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2008 I've just given Nibbler away to Orim. I could have kept him, but it wouldn't have been fair on him. He's been constantly harrassed by the other koura, forced out of his burrows - he would dig a new one, and she'd chase him off. He was constantly trying to escape and he wasn't happy at all! Now it's just one, hopefully she'll be happier by herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 Ah, that is too bad but then might have been the best thing for Nibbler. Very nice pics and video too Do you think you will try to introduce another one someday? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Posted September 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2008 RE Caper I wont put multiple koura in together again. They get along, but one's the dominant one and the other's forced to be like a wimpering little dog. It's sad. I may end up giving Mirelle away in the near future, as I may have another koura coming down from Kaikoura - a white/blue one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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