Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Coconuts
- JohnH (John)
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Can anyone tell me if coconuts are available all year round, or are they a winter thing only?
I bought a couple around Christmastime last year in Lidl whilst shopping for Instant Noodles but have not seen any more since.
When I was young - yes, even I was young once (Holger) - they were available year-round, at least the fairgrounds always had them for their 'Coconut Shies'.
The 'flesh' inside is pretty tasty but the shells make excellent spawning caves for cave-spawning fish...and a lot cheaper than the 'custom-made' ones.
Or do I have to wait until next Christmas? - I'll be the one coming out of Lidl with armsful. :shock: :shock: :shock:
John
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N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
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It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- ricko10 (jamie)
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Try a good Tesco. Im sure they do them all year round.

jamie
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- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
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- JohnH (John)
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thanks for suggestions,
John
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
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It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- zebadee (zebadee)
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- S180de (S180de)
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use a screwdriver to pierce one of the three "soft spots", insert straw and drink. then take a heavy tool with a strong "sharpish" edge (e.g. a file or something like that, not a knife). a few strong blow on the side of the coconut will crack it without major sharp edges. much faster and more convenient than using a saw...
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- zebadee (zebadee)
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- S180de (S180de)
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- Didihno (Didihno)
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- koinonia (koinonia)
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no need for that if you buy females only.
female coconuts....no ive heard it all

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- Didihno (Didihno)
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I was being serious for a change!!!no need for that if you buy females only.
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- Anthony (Anthony)
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They`re seasonal. :cry: :cry:
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- richardbunn (Richard Bunn)
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JohnH I don't recommend you try the recipe though, it'll wreck you're cholesterol.
"Everything's going perfectly in my aquarium. What do I do???"
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- Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
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I think you will get them now. Just be careful cutting them, I prefer you use a saw than smash them.
Daragh
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- zebadee (zebadee)
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- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
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- JohnH (John)
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I went to Nenagh and got some yesterday.
They are all sour (the ones I've pierced for the 'milk' are, anyhow) but I shaln't be taking them back...expect the bird population will manage to devour the flesh - if not the cows in the field next to my garden will eat ANYTHING!!!
John
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We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
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It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- Acara (Dave Walters)
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always on the lookout for interesting corys.pm me if you know off any!
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- JohnH (John)
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Maybe I'll just burn it, that is when the patrol helicopter isn't in the area, I have other stuff which can go the same way...
John
Location:
N. Tipp
We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl - year after year.
ITFS member.
It's a long way to Tipperary.
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- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
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- richardbunn (Richard Bunn)
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"Everything's going perfectly in my aquarium. What do I do???"
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- richardbunn (Richard Bunn)
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Thanks lads,
I went to Nenagh and got some yesterday.
They are all sour (the ones I've pierced for the 'milk' are, anyhow) but I shaln't be taking them back...expect the bird population will manage to devour the flesh - if not the cows in the field next to my garden will eat ANYTHING!!!
John
Was there any milk in there? If so then they're fine. Real coconut tastes nothing like what the commercial world of totally easy going Malibu or coconut flavouring leads us to believe. It should have a slight sour taste to it.
"Everything's going perfectly in my aquarium. What do I do???"
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Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
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- Anthony (Anthony)
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If I'm cooking & put them in a plastic bag & introduce them to the back step (while thinking of someone I don't like), but for aquarium use you just can't do that, you end up with large shards of the stuff, which while ok for putting plants on, won't do for cichlid caves one bit.
A guy who is amember here uses them for breeding Apistogramma cichlids so I would have to disagree with you on that.

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- neki (neki)
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www.aquariumlife.net/projects/diy-decoration/87.asp
Neki!
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- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
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A guy who is amember here uses them for breeding Apistogramma cichlids so I would have to disagree with you on that.
Yep they do fine unless you have a species that requieres a very small entrance
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- Anthony (Anthony)
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- apistodiscus (apistodiscus)
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- richardbunn (Richard Bunn)
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If I'm cooking & put them in a plastic bag & introduce them to the back step (while thinking of someone I don't like), but for aquarium use you just can't do that, you end up with large shards of the stuff, which while ok for putting plants on, won't do for cichlid caves one bit.
A guy who is amember here uses them for breeding Apistogramma cichlids so I would have to disagree with you on that.
I meant the shards. Half shells are ok breeding. They look the part alright. But I do prefer something smaller to gain a larger brood.
"Everything's going perfectly in my aquarium. What do I do???"
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