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Hello From Italy!


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#1 Mattia

Mattia

    1st International Club Member

  • PCS Club Member
  • Joined: 19-October 14
  • Location: West Perth

Posted 21 October 2014 - 06:17 AM

Hello everybody,
My name is Mattia and I'm writing from Milan, Italy.
I am planning to come to Perth in January with a working Visa, and hopefully find a job and live there for as long as I would like to stay! ;)

I work in the biggest cichlid farm in Italy, we breed almost all our species, being sure we have the best quality cichlids as possible (no hybrids are allowed to be in the store!).
I found your nice forum thanks to a person who told me about it, I will be reading your posts to get comfortable with all the technical terms for our hobby (you know, it's not easy to find terms such as "ceramic noodles" in a dictionary! Lol )

I currently have just one tank, and here's a picture for you
d92c320162265d522ce347f7c15a1e4e.jpg
It's filtered with a sump and a continue water change - i change about 80-90 liters per day out of about 700)

Of course I keep African cichlids, all from Lake Malawi!

Please, feel free to help me with my English / technical aquarium terms and correct me if I make any mistakes! That would only help me and I'll be grateful to you!


Now, I have a question for you guys:

Why do you use both Meters and Feet? Or liters and gallons? Which is right or wrong?

I read that some people (for example) have a 8ft long tank with a 50 cm arowana, some have a 75gallons tank but they change 100 liters of water per week!!!
Man, that's kind of confusing! :)

Nice to meet you all!

Mattia

#2 malawiman85

malawiman85
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 11-December 08
  • Location: Geraldton

Posted 21 October 2014 - 07:09 AM

Hi and welcome.

 

Nothing wrong with your English. In fact, evidence suggests your English is better than half of us here.

 

In Aus we are definitely metric dominant. However some things that continue to be sold in foot long increments still get referred to in imperial terms. I would say most Australians are pretty familiar with both and that conversions come pretty naturally to us.  

 

Gallons probably isnt used at all normally in Australia though it does come up occasionally.  



#3 malawiman85

malawiman85
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  • Joined: 11-December 08
  • Location: Geraldton

Posted 21 October 2014 - 08:04 AM

Also, love the tank... What substrate are you using?



#4 Bombshocked

Bombshocked
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  • Joined: 03-July 13
  • Location:Carabooda
  • Location: Perth

Posted 21 October 2014 - 08:08 AM

hello welcome great looking tank :)



#5 Mattymak

Mattymak
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 20-February 12
  • Location:Marangaroo
  • Location: Perth, Australia

Posted 21 October 2014 - 10:18 AM

Welcome mate!

 

Thanks for sharing your story :) 

 

We  use metres, feet & litres i'd say, gallons not so much!

 

Very nice tank you have there bud :)



#6 Androo

Androo
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 24-November 12
  • Location: Thornlie

Posted 21 October 2014 - 12:14 PM

Welcome, would love to hear more about the industry around the world,
would it be possible to post pics of the farm? I understand if not but would love to know how the system is set up aswell,
Look forward to seeing posts from you

#7 dicky7

dicky7
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 25-October 13
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Noranda

Posted 21 October 2014 - 02:08 PM

Hi Mattia welcome to PCS I am sure your stay will be pleasant, if you have any questions at all  feel free to ask , there are many knowledgeable / helpful people on these forums

 

once again Welcome

 

Cheers Rich



#8 sandgroper

sandgroper
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  • Joined: 24-April 06
  • Location: Near Malaga

Posted 22 October 2014 - 12:10 AM

Coo-eeee cobber, how's it hanging. Translation hello there, how are you going. I also like your water box, it looks nice and natural. How big is it, size wise and water volume :cheers:



#9 Mattia

Mattia

    1st International Club Member

  • PCS Club Member
  • Joined: 19-October 14
  • Location: West Perth

Posted 23 October 2014 - 05:25 AM

Hello everybody,

thanks for your warm welcoming!

 

Also, thanks for answering my question, you already helped me which is awesome!! ;) I'm relieved that you are more meters dominant... I'm okay with the exchange KILOS-POUNDS, but I struggle with the Meters-Miles change!

 

So, to answer your questions:

The substrate is sea sand from a beach in Napoli, the city where I was born and where Pizza was invented!!!! :D

When I moved to Milan I decided to bring with me a piece of my city, and took about 80-100kg (or do you use Pounds? if so, that should be 200-220 lbs ) of dry sand and put it in my fish tank. It took a while to clean it, but, for me, I think it's amazing to have such a substrate. In Lake Malawi there is sand just like in the sea, so I tried to reproduce the same habitat that the fish have. I own some Lethrinops Marginatus Senga Bay (also known as Lethrinops Marginatus Red Fins), and they need to "dive" into soft sand, and not gravel which is bad for their mouth, since it's too big and hard. It's more natural, in my opinion...

 

The tank is 170l x 70d x 60h ... I wanted to build a bigger one, but I live in a small apartment... so either a bigger tank or my bed! lol

Water volume should be 714 liters

I have now in my tank: (the videos linked are all mine)

-Otopharynx Selenurus ( Nobody has them in Europe and I bred them! :) )

-Lethrinops Marginatus Senga Bay

-Labidochromis Perlmutt

-Aulonocara Stuartgranti Senga Bay ()

-Mylochromis Subocularis Thumbi East (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ45gdMZ3-E&list=UUa-X2NlH7GwmQgotxJVPT1w)

-Mylochromis sp. Torpedo Tanzania (Wild caught)

-Chilotilapia Rohadesii

-Synodontis Njassae (Wild caught)

 

 

About the place where I work, here is a link to an Interview that a friend of mine and I made to the owner and now one of my best friend:

 

http://www.malawitos...e2e33880243997d

 

It's in the italian best forum/community about cichlids from lake malawi.... I know the interview is in italian, but if you want you can use google translate and find out what it says. Or you can just take a look at the video that we made going around the farm!

 

 

I read that Ad Konigs is coming to Perth on Febr. 2015, that's great!!!!

 

I'll keep on reading your nice forum!

Mattia

(btw, to say my name correctly, you should read it like: MAH - TEE - AH ! ;) )



#10 Redevilz

Redevilz
  • Forum Member
  • Joined: 02-September 12
  • Location:Perth
  • Location: Scarborough

Posted 24 October 2014 - 06:00 PM

Wow! that's awesome to have someone from Italy to sign up! Very nice tank!

 

Those Aulonocare Stuartgranti Senga Bay are asolutely amazing! you have lots of beautiful fish.






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