Billphil

Hello to everyone here. I am Bill from Port Melbourne with a fish room largely full of dead wild bettas and having to get someone out to clean out my tanks so I can start again. Why such a dismal introduction? Well on 5 July 2013 I was involved in an accident that smashed up by left shoulder...my left humerus. Most accidents of this type the break heals naturally...however I did the worst of the worst and needed full surgical reconstruction with rods and pains and the whole works and at least 8 weeks rehabilitation. So you will see me a lot in here spending time giving my bits and pieces

How about killifish?

I thought freshwater pipefish were banned imports

Wanting just FIVE pairs. I cannot help out there but could have helped out with just one pair. Sorry

My only concern with the tests is that the nitrate level has gone down to zero. Usually that builds up over time

I thought everyone knew about fish and salt - on Friday nights when as a good Catholic I buy fish and chips, the guy behind the counter always adds salt

Dettol solution updated weekly is more like (b) Betadine is actually an organic iodine form and good for gargling when u have a sore throat

Hey we could be related ..I am originally from Arawatta (I think that is right) which is a suburb more or less of Korumburra. Are you related to the Rowes or the Richies by any chance - if so we are long lost relatives Bill

Medically, the things that are used to kill off any infections are: a) isopropyl alcohol which when wiped thoroughly over the surface will kill anything it comes in contact with and evaporates very quickly. The sort of neutron bomb of disinfection (leaves everything OK quickly while killing off the inhabitants) b) hibitane which is a hospital grade disinfectant which again is a extremely effective disinfecting agent but requires heaps of washing out afterwards like any disinfectant. Contains chlorhexidine one of the most widely used and effective disinfectants and germicides. Non-irritant. Controls a wide range of bacteria even in the presence of foreign matter. Get from pharmacist or even pet supply companies c)Potassium permangante, an extremely strong oxidising agent, which is made up in water to a strength that you cannot see through the water. It stains everything it comes in contact with purple...permanently purple. So that is the disadvantage of the product. Your clothes, skin etc becomes purple on contact and the silicon lining on a tank also turns purple. The weapon of last choice but extremely effective. I would start with hibitane and then use isopropyl alcohol if need be. I would not bother with betadine or salt water as a permanent net soak bucket but would suggest hibitance at the recommended dosage changed once weekly.

Hi Kristy Welcome to the Melbourne scene. It is a very active scene and I am more interested in the wild mouthbrooding bettas. Good LFS in Melbourne that have quite a variety of different Bettas: a) Aqueus Aquarium in St Kilda. Best if you speak to Peter there. Prices are not cheap but quality of fish is high. b) Coburg Aquarium in Bell Street Coburg. Speak to Cameron who is the quarantine room manager (he has been on here several times). Quality of fish is also very high. Peter and Cameron will do their best to source fish that you are after. Of course someone (someone) will ship down from Brisbane any Betta that she may have available for sale. Her fish are ultra high quality and her packing and shipping is the best of the best. You can also buy fish through Aquabid direct from breeders/exporters in Asia. Jod-Lea will import the fish that you have purchased and will quarantine them (at $25 a fish) and then onship them to you. The only fish I have lost through this process were a couple of fish resulting from the massive Queensland floods early this year so it also attests to someone's expertise. I can only suggest you ring someone at her shop in Brisbane (Fischick Aquatics) and get some advice from her (I understand she is currently in Indonesia). So basically Australian Betta hobbyists are in the situation that they can access any Betta that they want to have. Enjoy your experience with these wonderful fish Bill

someone your services are greatly appreciated and you are completely ethical. I have purchased a number of wild Betta and Pelvicachromis species from someone and at a minimum they have exceeded all expectations. They are all fish which are allowable imports and which - except for someone's tireless work - had largely been lost to the Australian hobby and might permanently had been lost come September 2011. Wish we knew which forum this was so that some supporters of someone can give their point of view someone - Nil desperandum ignoramus (Dont let the bastards get you down). You have too many fans and supporters who know the truth

I assume it being a 2ft cube tank, the glass thickness would be at least 8mm thick and a 2mm thickness piece missing would not be significanat damage. Purchase two small pieces of glass of the same thickness and I would say about 10cm wide and silicon the pieces inside the tank making a new corner support piece. Ensure you purchase silicon glue that is suitable for aquariums (Selleys make one and most hardware stores stock it). The tank is nowhere near a write-off

Though it is not up to me to call, should people delay making purchases off Aquabid or alternatively ask the seller if they would hold the fish for longer than the usual time. I imagine someone's quarantine facilities may need some work done before they may be ready to accept a new shipment of fish (and someone herself may need breathing space to get her home, shop and everything else back in order). If I am speaking out of order, please delete me..

Has anyone heard whether someone and her family and friends are safe? (Obviously the last thing she would want at present is lots of emails and phone calls)

someone YOU stay safe and hope everyone in Queensland comes through safe. Unfortunately I have some friends in Toowoomba (USQ) and just hoping they are safe.

Many thanks - it worked

I have changed ISPs and hence email addresses - how do I change it on the system please?

On Friday afternoon when the fish came out of quarantine, there were also females available

The gold form is very common in Melbourne aquariums

Some new (and beautiful) species of Aphyosemion imported from Aquarium Glaser have just been released by Bayfish Melbourne this afternoon (not many pairs available). The species are: - chocolate australe - deltaense - ecucuense - splendopleure tiko impasse They are all beautiful fish but not the cheapest.

Great news...the hecqui are becoming a quite rare fish. Yep I suspect the third fish was persuaded to leave...Lake Tangs are not exactly sociable fish in the main

I firmly believe that Melbourne tap water is too soft for anything. Its general hardness is around 20ppm. I always add hardness salts to about 100ppm which gives more stable water conditions in the tank - this advice was given by Ron Bowman (of Pseudomugil fame) many years ago. I dind that even black water Apistogramma breed happily in such conditions. General hardness of 100ppm is SOFT compared to many other areas either in Australia (eg Sydney, Adelaide) or internationally

Hi I can answer a few of your questions: a) Cycling a tank. A long term inhabitant is suggested because what would you do with the fish otherwise after the tank was cycled. I believe there is no need for cycling anyway these days (now DONT panic). You can buy a bottle of Seachem stability, dose the tank at 5ml per 40 litres and immediately add the fish (of course you also need to add Prime or some other similar product to remove chlorine, ammonia etc etc). I have used this approach with numerous fish and it works wonders. Just you are supposed to keep dosage up for 7 days for most effective results. B) Cleaning the tank. I would scrub the tank out with Hibitane ( a medical based disinfectant) available from the local chemist. Then wash it out liberally with lots of water (remember we are going to Stage 2 restrictions) c) Gravel. Yes I would discard it as so many nooks and crannies in the gravel where any residual nasties could hide. d) Plants. I would use java fern or anubias as good plants. Perhaps you might like to also consider crypts or bolbitis as alternative plants Sorry I cannot answer the other questions - I presume you mean Betta splendens rather than the wild Betta species. The wild Betta species will eat about anything that is offered to them

I would not say that Coburg has the greatest facilities for keeping Bettas but the conditions are much better than several other aquariums that I have seen. Any Bettas I have purchased from Coburg have prospered And also they have a sign indicating that Bettas are not cold water fish.

Sorry to be dumb but what is the new disclaimer?