Recent content by sbenbow

Can you get an energy meter?  We (luckily) can borrow them from libraries / councils in the UK.  They are great for working out what your current consumption is - especially for peak usage and overnight usage - just to check how much background electricity all your appliances use (fridges...

Hi All,   Okay, really dumb question... there seems to be a bit of "should I" / "shouldn't I" in the background with regards to getting Baby Betta's.   What are the issue(s)?  I have no idea on the background / why / why not you should or shouldn't get baby betta's (as opposed to adult betta's)...

Hi All,   The other day I noticed that our filter wasn't pushing out as much volume of water as previously (less rippling of the water surface) - plus it is rather old.   My idea was to buy a new one (exact same model), swap them out, and then I have an "old" spare in case the "new" one ever...

What about salt?  I heard that snails don't do well in salt water.  If there are no fish in the tank, then would adding a vast amount of salt kill the snails off?  After a while with no more snails seen, lots and lots of water changes should remove all salt traces.   I don't know if this would...

I'm really glad things are getting back to normal (or as normal as they can be with depleted stock).  Fingers crossed that that is the last of it.

OMG - I am so sorry for you.   Definately give the LFS a call - it does sound like the neon's are the culprits as they are the only new additions to the tank and all the other readings / tank params sound fine.   Fingers crossed for the survivors.

I went for just the light in the end ... and that did the trick. Seeing the pic with the dark ends, and then seeing what a brand new tube looked like, I thought I would take the risk on a new light - and voila !!!  Good new lighting for the fish (RCS and plants!).   I also ended up buying some...

Hi Lunar.   Yes, there are some dark areas around the ends of the tube - I guess it is the tube then that is likely to be the culprit.  I will try that first (and keep the receipt just in case I need to return it and get a starter motor!)   Dave - the picture was one from Lunar - it is not my...

Hi All,   I have one of those fluroescent light tubes in my tank, but it started flickering (quite noisily) the other day.  It has been off ever since (I thought the quick extres of light/dark - like a strobe light - would scare the fish otherwise).   From other people's experience with tube...

We have pearl danio's that get on well with our RCS.  The RCS colony is thriving - we often see a RCS and Danio swim side by side without one going for the other (but we have too many RCS to really tell whether the Danio's do have the occasional snack).   Danio's are also supposed to be...

Red Cherry Shrimp definately do breed !!!  I'm not sure on how much cross-breeding will occur (someone else may be able to help on this question) or how quickly some of the other shrimp breed (some require brackish water for their young if I am not mistaken, whilst others are happy in fresh...

Well done.  This happened at our local street fair last year.  I complained and got a "we will look into it" response.   This year - sad to see that it was exactly the same. I believe the law says that animals as prizes cannot be given to minors, and they get around this by giving the prizes to...

  sooo pleased for you... baby shrimp are amazing !!!  I started with 7 RCS about 6-7 months ago (2 adults and 5 juveniles).  I have since donated about 20 to a good local fish shop, and at my last quick count the other night had about 50 in my tank.   BTW - they love carrots!  Sometimes if...

  Hehe.... I did have visions of trousers in cold water!!!!   Seriously - thank you to everyone for your comments.  I think I will give the hot and cold method a go :-)

Hi All,   I am off to get some more plants today (likely to be dwarf hairgrass, or other type of foreground plant).   Technically my tank has snails (from another plant purchase ... grrrrrr...) but I wanted to avoid different types of snails coming in from any new plants.   I have heard that...