Zev Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 Wife, they are even more formidable Mothers can be pretty formidable if you use their grater, leave grated ox heart on it until it dries up and the flies start hanging around it because you didn't clean up afterwards... :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted March 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 hahaha yea my mum can be extraordinarily formidable... do kora go well with bullie? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted March 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 just read on another thread about not putting fish directly from stream to tank... how should i go about this? the tank will be set up new so could i just use that? should i get lotsa water from the stream? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted March 9, 2012 Report Share Posted March 9, 2012 do kora go well with bullie? Yep, as long as there is enough floor space and hiding places for them both just read on another thread about not putting fish directly from stream to tank... how should i go about this? the tank will be set up new so could i just use that? should i get lotsa water from the stream?I have always just put them in as you would any tropical fish, equalise the temps and top up the container they are in with tank water over 15 - 30 min. If you have an established tank with fish in already it does pay to quarantine new arrivals for a few weeks, maybe with upto 6g salt / litre. New native fish often will carry whitespot With smelt you want to get them into cold, high O2 water as soon as you can to minimise deaths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted March 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2012 thanks so much for your help! i plann on only have a small amount of bullie and lots of rocks so i think they should be ok... i hope... ill get the air pump cranking when they are settling in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 UPDATE: here is the video of scaping the tank i now have 4 bullies, 2 upland 2 redfin the only problem im having is feeding, they have been in the tank for about 24hours now and most of the fish are turning their noses up to my offerings. i have had the smallest upland (5cm approx) scoff an earth worm but the rest seem not to be hungry. i got some beef heart today and was woundering how long it took for fish to start accepting it and how you go about introducing them to it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 After 24 hours it is more impressive that a fish ate anything rather than a problem that they haven't. It is a pretty stressful time and new foods may not look, move or smell like food to them. I would often use frozen bloodworms as a way of getting the fish interested in feeding, especially if there was a current swirling the worms around - they look, smell and move like normal food (bloodworms are midge larvae that most small freshwater fish will have come across). However bloodworms that are not eaten just decompose and cause problems, so be really careful with only melting a few of the block at a time. Live food of course is ideal. I have had a mudfish eating beef heart from my fingers within a week of being captured. Other fish are much slower to get the idea. Trial and error. Generally once one fish gets the idea the other fish will learn from them. Looks like you may have a convenient 'leader' there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Nice video, the tank is looking good mate :nfs: I like the amount of thought you have obviously put into the scaping of the tank, it certainely shows in the finished result Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 Nice video, the tank is looking good mate :nfs: I like the amount of thought you have obviously put into the scaping of the tank, it certainely shows in the finished result thanks i cant wait to get plants After 24 hours it is more impressive that a fish ate anything rather than a problem that they haven't. It is a pretty stressful time and new foods may not look, move or smell like food to them. I would often use frozen bloodworms as a way of getting the fish interested in feeding, especially if there was a current swirling the worms around - they look, smell and move like normal food (bloodworms are midge larvae that most small freshwater fish will have come across). However bloodworms that are not eaten just decompose and cause problems, so be really careful with only melting a few of the block at a time. Live food of course is ideal. I have had a mudfish eating beef heart from my fingers within a week of being captured. Other fish are much slower to get the idea. Trial and error. Generally once one fish gets the idea the other fish will learn from them. Looks like you may have a convenient 'leader' there thanks for the info how did you start feeding beef heart? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stella Posted April 17, 2012 Report Share Posted April 17, 2012 how did you start feeding beef heart? I can't really remember... they tend to take to it though. Just saw the video - nice rocks! Do you have a plan for escape-proofing? Bullies don't climb but they are inclined to shoot up the sides and land on the wrong side of the glass. It looks nice with the rock sticking up, and with just bullies you could escape-proof it by putting a 5cm internal lip all the way around. the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 I can't really remember... they tend to take to it though. Just saw the video - nice rocks! Do you have a plan for escape-proofing? Bullies don't climb but they are inclined to shoot up the sides and land on the wrong side of the glass. It looks nice with the rock sticking up, and with just bullies you could escape-proof it by putting a 5cm internal lip all the way around. the top. ok thanks i dont plann on escape prrofing this tank, as it well looks crap with a lip so im going to try my luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 how long does it usually take for fish to start eating? its been 3 days now and im getting a tad worried only the one upland will eat a worm every now and again, i keep putting them in right infront of them and then removing them if they aren't taking it, will they realise its a food soon enough? how long does it usually take? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Bullies are usually pretty good at eating and settling in, have you tried bloodworms as Stella suggested? They are usually a sure bet when they move in the current. Bullies will also sift through the gravel to pick up the scraps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Bullies are usually pretty good at eating and settling in, have you tried bloodworms as Stella suggested? They are usually a sure bet when they move in the current. Bullies will also sift through the gravel to pick up the scraps i have tried blood worms a bit but the current is mental were the bullies like to hang around, ill keep trying them. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 so i put some in and they swirled around in the current i think they might have eaten a few, i deffinately saw the one hungry upland eat a few. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 19, 2012 Report Share Posted April 19, 2012 Bullies are normally fast to learn new foods, but it could take a week or more, once one is feeding I thing the others will learn fast - or starve (they should be fine for a week or two as the males hardly eat when guarding their nests, about 3 weeks). I have never tried to start them on frozen bloodworms just live food and heart. I found that with FD bloodworms one brand all the natives love (AHT) but another (Jinbida) no one will touch. They also love AHT's FD Krill if the fish are big enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey Posted April 20, 2012 Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Just watched your video, the rock placement game is fun huh I took aaaages playing around with mine until I got them looking good. I like the variation in colour and sizes you got going there, good looking tank. I would agree with Stella though... any native aquatic organism will be out of that tank in no time... one of my Koura hit the escape proof mesh lid I have on my tank the other day just through flicking its tail a couple of times and the tank is 45cms high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 20, 2012 Just watched your video, the rock placement game is fun huh I took aaaages playing around with mine until I got them looking good. I like the variation in colour and sizes you got going there, good looking tank. I would agree with Stella though... any native aquatic organism will be out of that tank in no time... one of my Koura hit the escape proof mesh lid I have on my tank the other day just through flicking its tail a couple of times and the tank is 45cms high. thanks i know that its very risky not to use a lid. i am keeping this tank for asthetic pleasures purely and a cant really fashion a lip that doesnt change that, so if they stay in the tank like they have all this week they will be fine, if not well then i might get WCMM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 lip, lid, capping, mesh surround... There are lots of possibilities for fashioning SOMETHING... To not put one on, knowing full well the inevitability of carpet-jerky from not doing something, is neglectful in my opinion. You chose to keep the stock, you now have a responsibility to provide the best environ you can. If you can't get over your anthropocentric "aesthetics" to provide the security against their escape-artist behaviouralism, that is neccesary to keep the things properly, You should never have removed them from their natural habitat, in my opinion... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I have never had a bully jump out of any of my tanks, some have only 20 or 30mm above the top the lip. That is to say that not having a rim/lid/etc isn't necessarily neglect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted April 21, 2012 Report Share Posted April 21, 2012 I can't really remember... they tend to take to it though. Just saw the video - nice rocks! Do you have a plan for escape-proofing? Bullies don't climb but they are inclined to shoot up the sides and land on the wrong side of the glass. It looks nice with the rock sticking up, and with just bullies you could escape-proof it by putting a 5cm internal lip all the way around. the top. I have never had a bully jump out of any of my tanks, some have only 20 or 30mm above the top the lip. That is to say that not having a rim/lid/etc isn't necessarily neglect Neglect is abit harsh, fair enough, but my point isn't deterered. I just hate seeing potential for fish go to waste for want of OUR wants, despite damn good advice on a simple addition... :facepalm: I quote above probably the most qualified person you will find in this forum to comment on the suitability of securing the tank against New Zealand native fish's natural, yet in this foreign environ we keep them in, now deadly behaviouralism. But hey, by all means, do whatever makes YOU happy. :thup: :happy1: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Neglect is abit harsh, fair enough, but my point isn't deterered. I just hate seeing potential for fish go to waste for want of OUR wants, despite damn good advice on a simple addition... :facepalm: I quote above probably the most qualified person you will find in this forum to comment on the suitability of securing the tank against New Zealand native fish's natural, yet in this foreign environ we keep them in, now deadly behaviouralism. But hey, by all means, do whatever makes YOU happy. :thup: :happy1: hmmmmmmmmmmmmm point taken.... i have some thinking to do i think....lol?! maybe i should have put more consideration into planning this, but when bluether said it could work i guess i was a bit quick on the trigger. maybe i could just get a school of WCMM they would be easier to care for i think.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueether Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 bullies still should be fine, if there is concern lower the water level a few more cm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomGilberg Posted April 22, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 the water level is already 5cm below rim, should i do more? the fish are still all in there 1 week later, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishkeepa Posted April 22, 2012 Report Share Posted April 22, 2012 Have you considered covering half or all of the tank with a decorative dried fern leaf which you could remove when you want to look at it, or perhaps a rim on three sides and leave the front open for viewing? I don't know what the current on the surface is like but floating plants such as azolla could also possibly deter jumping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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