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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
New Tanganyikan Tank set up
- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Hey Santi
What a coincidence! Remember we were talking today about which catfish I had? well I am almost sure is that the petricola is the catfish I have, just that mine is completely black and white (with a bit of dark grey).
so I think he will suit your tank so if you want it when I will shut down my tank he is yours! I will be happy to see him go to a good home
PS: The tank looks fantastic! Fish look very happy as well!
Hey Alex :
Very nice talking to you today and thanks, I will take your catfish just let me know when you shut down your tank and will be happy to give it a new home

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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Water is clearing but very very slowly and considering getting a UV steriliser due to some light hitting the tank in the morning, only place in apartment I had to position the tank so will have to see how it goes.
I had the Xenotilapias holding eggs but looks like they ate them as I see no fry nor holding

Cheers !
Santiago
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Regards,
Santiago
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- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
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Is it optiwhite glass as it seems very clear.
Gavin
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Thanks GavinTank looks very clear and fish are all in great condition. I know little about tanganyika fish, is the flow always that strong. Seems like a strong powerhead going on.
Is it optiwhite glass as it seems very clear.
Gavin

Water is not as clear as I would like it to be but the UV makes a difference
Cheers
San
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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Natural looking tank, fishes must love it. Nice rocks specially the ones with holes.
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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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Cheers !
Santiago
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Changed sand, upgraded pump from 2800 l/h to 3400 l/h , no need for wave maker now.
Experimenting with plants, put elodea but I find stems floating everyday, any advice n which plant would be best is welcome

Happy with all changes, and enjoying tank and the darker sand bring the colours of fish better.
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- alan 64 (alan)
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Thanks ! after I changed the sand, decided for a while to leave it without plants. I really liked it ... for now I am experimenting with the plants, kind of like it now juts need to find the right plant. Elodea is not ideal I think, stems are floating in tank from time to time.
How is yours going? saw you video updates in youtube and it all looks great, hope your sulphur head is doing better.
Cheers !
Santiago
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- Aroshni (Lydia Olivera)
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A pity the other goes floating because looks very nice too...does it root eventually?
What kind of plants are you looking for?
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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- ger310 (Ger .)
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The fish look really really good

Have your Leleupi settled a bit? they look fairly calm in the video
Ger
What do you call a three legged Donkey?
A Wonkey....duh ha

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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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What kind of plants are you looking for?
Thanks

Not sure really. I like the elodea, but it doesn't seem to root, John from seahorse warned me about this but decided to test it anyways :-P
Any suggestions on background that would give the same density as elodea ?
Gracias
Santi
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Thanks!
Leulepi are fine for now and the biggest one, which I presume is a male, started chasing the others away but nothing really serious.
The ones that went bananas are the Xenotilapi Flavpinnis, had 4 and now only 3 left, the big male killed one and now the other is running for his life ... tried to catch him but it is impossible without taking all rocks and not sure my lower back will take that pressure for now. I hope it is just seasonal and doesn't come to the worse.
I saw you sold your eels ... what happened ?
Cheers !
Santiago
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- ger310 (Ger .)
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It's not easy i have found to get a Tanganyikan set up looking so colourful and bright but you have managed it so fair play man

3-6 months is the kind of norm (sometimes even less) for me to keep a fish (with the one or two exceptions) so i got what i wanted from the Eel..........The larger of my Tropheus are starting to colour up now aswell so they will be moved on in the not so distant future......kind of have a couple of set ups in my head so we will see what happens........Mbuna's or Scalare's again hmmmmmmmmm decisions decisions!!!!
Anyway keep the updates and video's coming as i always enjoy looking at your tank

Ger
What do you call a three legged Donkey?
A Wonkey....duh ha

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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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I used to have fish for shorter times as well and learn a lot from different types and temperaments, so totally understand.
I am now very selective of fish I wanted and still looking for the one and only Black Calvus pectoral, have seen some of these in the past and they are really stunning fish.
Managed to net the xenotilapia that was being bullied and will take it to seahorse or if you are interested you can have it for free

I used to have escalare's and being from Peru had some of the most beautiful ones straight from the Amazon, did not last that long unfortunately but had better life than where I got them .. not too god of lfs but got 90% of fish being wild caught
Post a video as soon as you decide, have seen your videos and you keep your tanks in super great condition
Regards,
Santiago
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- ger310 (Ger .)
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I just google searched that Calvus your on about and it is magnificent looking so good luck with your search,it would be a great addition

Thanks for the offer of the Xenotilapia but i'm kind of winding this tank down instead of adding more but much appreciated

If i'm going for a Scalare set up next they will be wild caught hopefully..........i'll have to have a proper think on whether for the money they will cost me would it be worth the risk!! It would be a brazilian and a Peruvian Scalare i'll be after.......'Manacapuru' or 'Rio Nanay',but we'll see!!
Anyway thanks again and if i see that Calvus anywhere i'll get straight onto you!!
Ger
What do you call a three legged Donkey?
A Wonkey....duh ha

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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Cheers !
Santiago
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Cheers !
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- Homer (Kevin)
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Kev.
The Glass is always greener on the other side.
It's NOT "Chee lick", NOT "Chee Chee Licks"!!! Cichlids is pronounced as "Sick Lids"!!!!!
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- alan 64 (alan)
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Looks great man where did u get the leds
Got them on ebay : Model : LT SL-A008-90 Professional LED Marine Aquarium Light
A lot cheaper and very easy set up and also to control, changed the initial set up which it is more for a marine tank.
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- alan 64 (alan)
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Pic of Plant
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- dubdero (derek kearns)
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- Santiagovalcarcel (Santiago)
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Quick update on my tank, have fronts growing as well as my calvus, really nice fish

Cheers
Santiago
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- fishmad1234 (Craig Coyle)
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Regards
Craig
at the end of the day it becomes nite
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- Forum
- Tropical Aquariums
- Cichlids
- African Cichilds (Tanganyika, Malawi, etc...)
- New Tanganyikan Tank set up