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PCS & Stuart M. Grant - Cichlid Preservation Fund - Details here


Mr_docfish

Member Since 29 Jul 2007
Offline Last Active Private

#365046 Water Change Problem

Posted by Mr_docfish on 14 February 2018 - 08:14 PM

From what I understand, you top up the tank then add the water conditioner that has been mixed in a bucket... If this is the case, next time, try adding the required amount of water conditioner to the emptied aquarium before topping up with water. Also, if you are using a garden hose to top it up, flush the contents of the hose first before adding water to the tank (plasticisers in the hose can be toxic)
Basically, something toxic is coming through your tap water that is killing off your filter bacteria, causing a spike in ammonia or nitrite.... or so it seems.
So try to change the methods of your water change and see if that improves the situation.


#362896 Neutralising Hydrogen Peroxide

Posted by Mr_docfish on 06 August 2017 - 09:25 PM

That will boost the pH - so still use with caution....

Personally, I'd use a minimum amount and increase the dose rate each 2nd day for the same batch of peroxide until you get the results you are after. (Heavy aeration will also help reduce the oxygen levels if too high).


The general dose rate for 50% peroxide is 3ml of solution per 100Litres of aquarium.

Peroxide loses its %'age over time - so start with the initial dose and increase it by a small margin every few days until you notice a suitable result... then continue with that dose rate until the bottle is empty..... start from the original dose rate with a new bottle.


#362142 Any Plans For Another Group Import This Year

Posted by Mr_docfish on 10 June 2017 - 07:57 PM

Megalocystivirus free certification from the export source.... hard to do with wild caught stock when the requirement is to kill and test a number of individuals per batch.


#362116 Fish Of The Month - Metriaclima Hajomaylandi

Posted by Mr_docfish on 09 June 2017 - 09:24 PM

These were close to being lost to the hobby in the whole of Australia over the last couple of years - in the mean time, hybrids turned up and they tainted the name for a while.... but some deddicated few with the last remaining individuals in Oz have managed to put these guys out there again....
It has taken some time and dedication, but worth it IMHO - these are a larger Mbuna with the nicest temperment, so they fit into nearly every Malawi tank. Look it up, read up on them, or better still, try them - and support this species for the long term - they are good for the hobby.


#361092 Co2 Vs Fish

Posted by Mr_docfish on 13 April 2017 - 10:31 PM

In general, that sort of drop (less than 1 ph point) is not much for most fish - particularly if they have already been in an aquarium with CO2 injection before. But to be safe, go down to neutral first for a day, then go further the following day.
The danger is not so much the actual pH, but the amount of dissolved CO2 that causes issues with some fish.


#360823 Media For Canister Recommendation

Posted by Mr_docfish on 01 April 2017 - 09:24 AM

Ceramic and scintered glass media is an economical product that has a reasonable surface area for bacterial growth and there are different designs that allow for good flow rates of water while not clogging up quickly on tanks with a high bio-load.


#360792 Media For Canister Recommendation

Posted by Mr_docfish on 30 March 2017 - 08:48 PM

When you buy canisters locally, from local importers, you can always request to change the media if you need... the media you need will depend on the stocking density of the tank you are using it on as well as the long term requirments of yourself.... finer media will give you clearer water, biu cloggs up faster.... coarse media will not clogg up quick, giving you the best biological action for heavy stocked tanks, but the water may be not as crystal clear as you want.... there has to be a trade off or you will have to change your media to suit.... like if you go on holidays, remove the fine mechanical media in place of course biological media.

Some media like Eheim Substrat and Seachem Matrix will need exchanging every so oftem to maintain the efficiency as the fine pores of the media clogg up with bacterial biofilm..... again, it's a trade off....


#360682 Interesting Article On The Risks Of Releasing Khv

Posted by Mr_docfish on 25 March 2017 - 10:10 PM

... wonder do we already have ehnv in WA ???

Yes, according to available dicuments, the Pemberton Trout hatchery 'had' it - but after the Fisheries department sold it to a private group, it miraculously dissappeared..... by the way, this was after a new test was used to try to (not) find it.....

Guess how many (hundreds of thousands) of trout get released into WA rivers every year....?


#360681 German Imports

Posted by Mr_docfish on 25 March 2017 - 09:58 PM

There are a number of people here that may be more privy to internal info than others...
...there are also speculations and no doubt a bit of interpretation issues abounding with this scenario too - best that it be left for the two parties to nut out - I feel personally that the initial FB post was a bit of a knee jerk reaction and may not have been the best course of action - a more clear line of commerce should have been followed or an agreement written down in (possibly) an email so that both parties know the processes prior to fish being exported.
This is not the first time this sort of issue has occurred in this industry - but it is the first time it has been shared so openly with the public.
Let it rest and view from the outside to see how it ends - what matters to us here most, is that we are still able to access these types of fish again in the future..... I for one, being an importer, am looking into the feasibility of further German imports from our previous exporters.


#360680 German Imports

Posted by Mr_docfish on 25 March 2017 - 09:39 PM

The Department's involvement in this case is not to determine if the variants on the invoice are the variants being shipped.... more to do with the issue that the species invoiced is indeed the species listed on the Health Certificate. Varietal differences are not in the jurisdiction of the Department. A Tropheus moorii is a Tropheus moorii - as long as the paperwork matches to this level (Health Cert = Invoice = species and qualtity sent) then there is no other issue pending for the Department's concern other than health/disease issues. There may have been a question in regards to the species - this is therefore in the Department's juristiction - it would not take long for a group of experienced officers to determine that the fish are indeed Tropheus, so as long as these fish have associated paperwork, then there is no further issue for them.
Even after fish are released from Quarantine, the Department is still to be notified if any issues present themselves such as disease outbreak.... miss identification may also be bought up with the Department post release.


#358824 Collecting In The South West

Posted by Mr_docfish on 19 January 2017 - 01:09 PM

The boys at Murdoch where able to spawn salamanderfish but had no success raising the juveniles. Although my understanding is they may not have really tried that hard.

Juls

 

Maybe time to get us pleb hobbyists involved.... Look at the Murray and Mary River Cods.... bred in captivity - ensuring that the wild populations are free from the brink of extinction.

And the Lake Echam rainbow - though easy to breed, but still some hobbyists kept the gene pool alive on them.... just a couple of Aussie examples of how it is possible to keep a species from extinction by using the knowledge and abilities of non-governmentalised public.

 

There should be a push for a proper controlled breeding program while the gene pool of salamander fish still exists... lets now wait for the last puddle.




#358768 Collecting In The South West

Posted by Mr_docfish on 17 January 2017 - 10:46 PM

Im sure there would be a select few that would breed them without funding - call it "privatisation ".... even if it is just for keeping the species alive after it becomes extinct in the wild... what other chance do they have (as has been said)

For years, no one could breed most of the L# catfish in captivilty... now it is relatively easy with the advent if new trchnology, better understanding and free info on the www..... scientific articles are limited if one expects to find enough breeding info there....

Government Departments have to get their individual brown noses out of each others smelly arses to see that pleb hobbyists are a potential key to the survival of a species.....

Is there no harm in allowing a controlled trial??


#358657 Collecting In The South West

Posted by Mr_docfish on 15 January 2017 - 06:15 PM

But then there should be an attempt to breed it in captivity (now that we have acidic soft aquasoils at our disposal, it should be easier) rather than wait until the remaining populations die off from land degradation, lack of rain and gambisia.


#358095 Is It Legal?

Posted by Mr_docfish on 27 December 2016 - 05:50 PM

Legal size and bag limits and approvals to catch in a particular manner (ie nets or line) is up to the state that you catch the fisn in - you will have to ask a Banana Bender (QLDer) what their rules are....
As for translocation, it would be best to contact translocation@fish.wa.gov.au and get something in writing - it is a grey as a pack of HB pencils.... so ask first. (HINT: Mention that it is only for ornamental purposes)
If you can find a suitable esky (or bring one with you) then you can bring it as luggage - you might get away with not paying the fee if you declare it on arrival to an officer once you pick it up from the baggage claim area. Worst case scenario you will be charged a $55 fee.

Your idea of getting a LFS over there to ship it later is a good idea (if they are allowed to by their laws) - but don't get extras for other people, or they might consider it as selling them off, which you can't do in most states.


#356650 Swan Caught Goby Id

Posted by Mr_docfish on 08 November 2016 - 11:00 PM

Considering its size as compared to the shrimp, I take it that it is relatively small... compared to the full size of the other gobies/gudgeons in question...

Then looking at the condition, it is not possible that it is just an old female Swan River Goby?
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