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
DIY Breeding caves
- Deaglan (Deaglan)
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Also would it be better to have more than 1 entrance/exit?
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- sheag35 (Seamus Gillespie)
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Fishkeeping the Only way to get wet and wild
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- JohnH (John)
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I have found that, since most female Apistos are smaller than the males that is the size to aim for in making the 'doorway'.
It give the female some refuge as well.
Rather than mess around with terracotta flower pots (they nearly always crack when making the entrances - for me, anyway) I cut a coconut shell in half, drill a couple of 1/4" holes in each half - one above the other - then with a junior hacksaw blade join the two into a suitable sized entrance, neaten it up with a file and away you go, two caves and some nice coconut to munch on while the work is being done (plecos also enjoy nibbling on the 'meat' as well, but don't leave it in too long as it soon 'goes off').
Another ploy I have used is one I was shown by Daragh Owens. Get two terracotta 'saucers' and in one make a cut out (I find an angle grinder to be the best to cut them, sawing or filing soon blunts the tool being used) a small doorway in one - then glue the two together (face to face, as it were) with either silicone or, my preference, milliput.
Two more options to consider.
John
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- Deaglan (Deaglan)
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As they say on Blue Peter (or used to anyway).....
Heres some I done earlier.
Worth a try @ 60c a pot.
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- JohnH (John)
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I do like to see enterprise in action.
I forgot to add in my last post (although it can perhaps be taken as read) you do definitely only want one entrance. Sometimes (and I've had this happen with some cave-breeding Apistos) the female will actually 'block off' the doorway with substrate and keep it 'shut' until she has been ready to bring out her brood to show to the world. I really do find them to be fascinating little fish.
John
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- Deaglan (Deaglan)
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Can't wait to get a some female Macmasteri to keep my fella's happy. I look forward to the displays and watching the behaviours. I find cichlids completely infatuating to watch.
On a side note I have tested the tank I'm going to use for the Nanochromis parilus after resealing it and theres NO LEAKS


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- ricko10 (jamie)
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- JohnH (John)
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After doing these I read that if the pots are soaked they become softer and therefore easier to work with and it also lessens the chances of breaking/cracking.
Can't wait to get a some female Macmasteri to keep my fella's happy. I look forward to the displays and watching the behaviours. I find cichlids completely infatuating to watch.
On a side note I have tested the tank I'm going to use for the Nanochromis parilus after resealing it and theres NO LEAKSJust needs to be set up now.
No leaks - you're ready to go so.
Looking forward to hearing of your progress with the Nanos - keep us informed.
John
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- Deaglan (Deaglan)
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Will do.
Have to get them first. Hopefully I'll have them around the 3rd of March as this is most likely when I'll be in Dublin next. Will add a thread when I get going with them
Heres hoping all goes well....
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- bogman (Charles Coughlan)
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John
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- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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Where do you get coconuts this time of the year?
jim
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- ck1 (chris)
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- JohnH (John)
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Guys hi '
Where do you get coconuts this time of the year?
jim
Jim,
I always see them in my local Tesco, Lidl have them much of the time too.
John
Location:
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- newbejkjimk (damien kelly)
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- Deaglan (Deaglan)
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Entracne needs smoothing.
Looking forward to seeing what type of "caves" the fish favour.

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