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
just saying hey
- taitt (evan)
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got 3 tanks a 160l&80l and a 10 litre gold fish tank,
my fish:
4 discus 3 small 1 large
1 danio
3 guppys
2 neon tetras
1 sailfin pleco
and my new tiger shovel nose cat as of this morning

Evan
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- christyg (Chris Geraghty)
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I dont want to scare you off, and I'm sure others on here will agree, but you need to rethink your tanks.
A tiger shovel nose cat will grow to over 3 feet so even your 180 litre is way too small. Also, even a single goldfish will struggle in a10 litre.
I hope this doesn't put you off.

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- swai (Simon)
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The fish's health should be the main priority.
anyway welcome to the forum!
Marino, Dublin 9
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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Lydia
Lowtech Shrimps nano 30l
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...-lowtech-nano-shrimp
Lowtech Vision 180l Community
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...-lowtech-vision-180l
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- Zebrapleco (samuel wasson)
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- taitt (evan)
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Hi Evan and welcome to the forum.
I dont want to scare you off, and I'm sure others on here will agree, but you need to rethink your tanks.
A tiger shovel nose cat will grow to over 3 feet so even your 180 litre is way too small. Also, even a single goldfish will struggle in a10 litre.
I hope this doesn't put you off.
hey yea i no it will be too small for the cat but i bought him at only 4 inches so he is small for now and i joined the forum for advice on making a bigger tank for for the catt fish.
but i did not know that about gold fish why is it that every one keeps gold fish in small bowels?
thanks for advicwe
evan
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- anthonyd (Anthony Debesne)
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I had goldfish too in a small tank when i didnt know any better.
Dont hesitate to ask people for advices, everyone here will be more than happy to help !
Anthony
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- Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire)
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i am mostly into discus si i would love to see some pics of your fish.
cheers
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- swai (Simon)
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Personally I don't think they should be allowed sell them especially ones marked for goldfish. Goldfish need space to swim and a good filter.
Or even better a pond!
Marino, Dublin 9
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- taitt (evan)
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welcome!
i am mostly into discus si i would love to see some pics of your fish.
cheers
will try get some pictures up here now.
i think two of my small ones may be stunted.they were my first two discus and didnt see they were of bad quality
evan
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- taitt (evan)
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Even my dad had a goldfish in a bowl. He said why is it to small if the pet shops sell them!
Personally I don't think they should be allowed sell them especially ones marked for goldfish. Goldfish need space to swim and a good filter.
Or even better a pond!
wat about when the gold fish is small.?
wat size do yous recommend for two fancey gold fish?
evan
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- taitt (evan)
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welcome!
i am mostly into discus si i would love to see some pics of your fish.
cheers
here are my discus hope the pics work
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- swai (Simon)
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If it was me I'd keep them in a minimum 60 liter tank 2 foot X 1 foot. Some people could keep them.in smaller but it's up to the owner they can grow to 8 inches! .
Marino, Dublin 9
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- ABdarudeone (Mick)
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dont get me wrong man (and i dont mean to offend anyone on this forum )
but i think that keeping any medium size fish in a 10 l cube is just cruel , on the other hand some say its ok even for a betta (siamese fighter) or gold fish ..
**Neither a teacher nor a native speaker**
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- paulv (paul vickers)
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- paulv (paul vickers)
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- taitt (evan)
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and your rite my lfs knows nothing about fish other than the price,,
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- irish-zx10r (James feenan)
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(Lfs) will tell u they are ok I a small tank but they are pond fish and love there space give them a big tank and u will understand why in a few months they will be happy and double in size. Don't be afaid to ask plenty of questions lots of help here on the forum
James
Something fishie going on here
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- Esoxluciouss (denis goulding)
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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Alot of the dedicated fish shops in the country will not sell a bowl for goldfish and give good advice on keeping goldfish (the sponsor sectionhas a good list) but imo petshops should not sell fish because they never have suitable stock. I know an aunt of mine kept a goldfish alive in a bowl for maybe 15yrs but realistically 1 fish needs min 120L. As said they are pond fish so I wouldn't keep them in anything else but we've all been sold this package at some stage by a moran

Anyways great advice n banter to be had hear so don't take things to heart n we'll have the craic

Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- paulv (paul vickers)
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totally agree with daveyc.
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- taitt (evan)
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it will be hard to offend me and i no its all good advice,wat does everyone think of my discus,
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- davey_c (dave clarke)
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Well i was gor building a 100l tank until i found that tec 7 isn't strong anof for building and it been sitting der since in pieces so if i got the rite silicone and build that up would that be sutible for my two gold fish?
it will be hard to offend me and i no its all good advice,wat does everyone think of my discus,
I wouldn't be much of a discus fan so I'll leave that to the more knowledgeable but as for aquarium silicone, I get mine on ebay which works out a bit more affordable for me too, just search for aquarium silicone.
Tech7 wouldn't have any strength nor is it great for sealing unless you were well use to it, aquarium silicone is much better because its designed to be fully submerged and safe

Below tank is for sale
my plywood tank build.
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/forum...k-build-diary#137768
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- Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire)
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Well i was gor building a 100l tank until i found that tec 7 isn't strong anof for building and it been sitting der since in pieces so if i got the rite silicone and build that up would that be sutible for my two gold fish?
it will be hard to offend me and i no its all good advice,wat does everyone think of my discus,
Hi I am a Discus fan

The small one on first picture and - i assume - the one on the 3rd picture looks bad: too skinny. It could have something such as worms or other parasites: but if he stays like this long it will die (could last a few months). Now i am just learning about medication so i wont be advising what to do there, but there are other users much better qualified to help you on this.
As far as i know the other ones look very pretty and healthy: what temperature are you keeping in their tank?
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- taitt (evan)
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the two fish have been lik dat now for few months and havent seen any growth so it mite be to late?
evan
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- taitt (evan)
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the two fish have been lik dat now for few months and havent seen any growth so it mite be to late?
evan
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- Miamiheat (Stephane Lemaire)
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You can drop a couple of degrees and that will make life easier on other fish and plants.i keep the tank at 29celcius bit cold but its a happy medium till my bigger tank is done
the two fish have been lik dat now for few months and havent seen any growth so it mite be to late?
evan
I keep my big adults at 27C and my juveniles at 28C.
As far as the 2 thin looking ones, they may be stunted and may not grow much more but if you are able to identify the issue and medicate you may be able to "fatten" them up and they could look nice --> most people long time in the hobby -unlike me- would tell you to cull them (kill them) and not to waste time. I would try to fix.
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- taitt (evan)
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is it any harm in just letting them be,and leave them?
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- ABdarudeone (Mick)
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Gonna buy some nice dudes when im good im ready

**Neither a teacher nor a native speaker**
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- taitt (evan)
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