Dawn Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Hi Folks I'm a novice to the fish-keeping game but really enjoying it immensely, it only took two months to get completely hooked! My daughter took me shopping one day in May for a mother's day gift and the rest is history..... It started with Charlie the red & white comet and an expensive (I thought at the time, little did I know what expense was around the corner) round glass goldfish bowl. We then progressed to Charlotte the baby shubunkins who unfortunately managed to injure herself somehow and died within two weeks. Replaced her with Charlotte II, a larger shubunkins, and about now I decided I needed a 'proper' tank! Started with a 20 litre size, an underground filter, a bubbler and the usual ornaments etc. This is where the fish started arriving thick and fast - Coal the moor, Calico (calico), Caramel (bronze), Queen Camilla (white/pale yellow), Columbine (blue) and Chantal (red & white) - all fantails - oops far too many fish for such a small tank, this is where the Hollywood Fish Shop started rubbing their hands with glee when they see me coming! So the 90 litre tank on stand arrives and of course (I think) eight fish aren't enough - up pops Crunchy the algae-eater! This is when one morning I see all the fish except Crunchy and Coal chasing Columbine around and around and around in a dizzy dance - at least I KNOW I have one female now, even though I've named most of them with female names I haven't a clue as to what gender they are! I pop her into the small tank and think I should get her a couple of blue fantail males (I told you I was GREEN) so off out I go and get Courtney & Chandler - thinking I should have a good chance that one of them will be male - and they both were! Unfortunately neither of them were up to it as I don't think the eggs were ever fertilised. I didn't even notice she'd laid her eggs until about four days after the event missed it completely until I found all these funny little sticky dots all over everything! Oh well it's all good fun and hopefully next time I might know what I'm doing! Since then I've added Cadbury the chocolate fantail and Prince Charming the black & gold oranda. Oh yes not to forget the 36 litre tank and the five tiger barbs and the five green tiger barbs.......no names for them though, who can tell them apart! Looking forward to joining in on this website, have already learnt a lot from reading the posts from everyone, most interesting. PS Queen Camilla passed away last week, the day after DH managed to drop the lid/lights into the tank with a large splash/bang! At least I'm blaming him, it couldn't be that the tank is overcrowded of course.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Welcome Dawn. Boy have you got the bug bad!! :lol: I hope you enjoy your fish and cut back on the overcrowding - especially where goldfish are concerned. They need more room than tropicals and poo lots more. Have you thought of joining a fish club in your area? They can also give you lots of advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Hi there Dawn, welcome to the group. Yep it does seem that you've got the bug bad. I've been to Hollywoods a few times - my favourite fish shop up in Auckland. In my experience they give good service and good advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 23, 2002 Report Share Posted July 23, 2002 Hi Dawn, Love the fishy names. Sounds like you might be ready to expand your interests even further. Sure hope you bought a heater and stat for those barbs You won't get a better sight than seeing three of four hundred of those schooling in a tank. Hope that doesn't tempt you too much Good to have you with us, and we look forward to hearing more about the many "C's" you have. Is there a reason they all start with "C" Best regards, Bill (Pegasus). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted July 24, 2002 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Hi Caryl, Rob & Pegasus Thank you for the warm welcome. Yes I do have the bug bad don't I, but trying to be a responsible fish lover also. I thought perhaps 12 goldfish in a 90 litre tank might be a few too many so will have to curb my natural instincts for awhile. Last weekend bought one of the Hagen master kitsets that covers ten different tests so I'm monitoring all tanks regularly - and changing 20% of the water each weekend. Yes Pegasus the tiger barbs are in a heated tank :lol: but don't tempt me further although 3 or 4 hundred barbs sounds like a good number to me! I've only had them for 10 days and as it's 2 weeks since I set their tank up (36 litres) I'm starting to worry about the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate thing I've been reading about. I did exchange a couple of handfuls of the ceramic noodles from my other tank when I started it so the bacteria had a head start. All tests this morning seem to be okay but I have a query which I'll take to the appropriate forum, if there is one. No reason their names all start with C - just one of my many idiosyncrasies I guess! So what other fish shops in Auckland are good Rob (or anyone else)? I've been to Jansens, Fins for Fish in Grey Lynn, various pet-shops and another place in Lincoln Rd (Te Atatu) the name of which escapes me at present. Yes Caryl I have thought of joining a fish club in my area but so far haven't found one near me - I live in New Lynn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 24, 2002 Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Hi Dawn, Sounds like you're off to a good start with the water changes and the testing. Keep up the good work Funny, but I looked at one of these "Combined" test kits on the weekend, but the price was way out for me at $129. You asked: So what other fish shops in Auckland are good Rob (or anyone else)? I've been to Jansens, Fins for Fish in Grey Lynn, various pet-shops and another place in Lincoln Rd (Te Atatu) the name of which escapes me at present. S'been a while since I breathed the air of the city, (cough...cough) but if I remember there was a place in the back streets of Glenn Innes that did a nice range of fish, then another just opposite the offramp at Remuera called "Fish N Cheeps". The one at Lincon Rd might be the Bird Barn, I'm not sure, then there was another in Glenn Innes just in the main shopping area, and I seem to remember one in Henderson somewhere, and of course there's Hollywood Fish Farm at Frost Rd ... errr Mt Albert, I think ?. Yellow pages might help you here?? See you're into Quilting... Long arm or Domestic, Auto or Manual?? :) I'm in the trade, (semi retired) so email if you want advise. Regards, Bill (Pegasus) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted July 24, 2002 Author Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Funny, but I looked at one of these "Combined" test kits on the weekend, but the price was way out for me at $129. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted July 24, 2002 Report Share Posted July 24, 2002 Yup... Seen Helen... Many years ago, but shes still going. Good pics of her on the H.F.F website, but very little else of use I'm afraid Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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