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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

Shellies with fry - How to keep them alive?

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12 Mar 2010 23:37 - 12 Mar 2010 23:47 #1 by Bella (Avril Lane)
I setup a mixed African Tank end of January. Since then I've had dolphins and labs produce fry. However, I am unfamiliar with Shellies and gladly accept any advice you can give. My other tank was purchased last August and it had Black Moors, Goldfish, etc. this was my introduction to the hobby.

For the past couple of weeks in the African tank one of the Lamprologus ocellatus F1 females hasn't left her shell entrance for food or fight. Tonight her fry are at the entrance to the shell. They are becoming braver by the second and some are swimming outside. What should I do next? I want to save as many as possible, what are my chances of catching them inside the shell and moving it to another tank? The other fish in the tank (especially synodontis multi.) are showing too much interest in the shell for my liking. If they are left there what are their chances of survival?

Killenard, Laois
Last edit: 12 Mar 2010 23:47 by Bella (Avril Lane).

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13 Mar 2010 02:03 #2 by derek (Derek Doyle)
bella
remove the shell with fry and the mother to another tank as if you leave them there is no chance of fry survival. put a small container in to tank and place shell inside while immersed and then remove and slowly immerse container in rearing tank and then slowly remove shell and place on substrate. try to have similar water parameters in both tanks. mother should not harm her own fry but i would usually put a few small guppies (endlers)in to act as dither fish.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

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13 Mar 2010 08:04 #3 by Bella (Avril Lane)
Cheers for that Derek :cheer: , I will do that now. I am not sure how many lasted through the night as there are none visible this morning. What food should I feed them? Is NLS grown on suitable?

Killenard, Laois

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13 Mar 2010 08:46 #4 by Frontosa (Tim kruger)
Hi,
Fresh hatched Brineshrimp or if you dont have them try it with crushed Nls(has to be very fine).
Regards,Tim

Midlands - in the heart of Ireland.

Keeping and breeding : Frontosa Blue Zaires , Synodontis Petricola , Tropheus Red Rainbow (Kasanga) , Tropheus Moliro . Regulary fry for sale.
Community tank with P.Kribensis and different livebearers.

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13 Mar 2010 08:52 #5 by Frontosa (Tim kruger)
Sinking Wafers or Tablets are another option(you can place them near the shell).
Regards,Tim

Midlands - in the heart of Ireland.

Keeping and breeding : Frontosa Blue Zaires , Synodontis Petricola , Tropheus Red Rainbow (Kasanga) , Tropheus Moliro . Regulary fry for sale.
Community tank with P.Kribensis and different livebearers.

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13 Mar 2010 09:12 #6 by Bella (Avril Lane)
Thanks ever so much Tim. I have Tetra Fresh Delica Brine Shrimps in Sachets, would this do the trick? They are still alive anyway as they are venturing outside again. I will quickly drop the water level down, pick up the shell and put them into the other tank. As I tried to retrieve the shell earlier and needles to say I was attacked by the little devils so I'm frightened of them now! :laugh:

Killenard, Laois

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13 Mar 2010 14:27 #7 by derek (Derek Doyle)
bella another option is to leave them for a while as the parents are so fierce that they can protect them while they stay close to the shell, then when a bit bigger they could be netted. even if they were eaten you could gear up to take them out earlier the next time they spawn.
the parents will attack the hand when it approaches their shells but they cant really hurt you.
the fry will find microscopic food in the tank which willsuffice for a few days and then hatched live brineshrimp is the best food but a good substitute food option for fry is decapsilated brine shrimp which can be directed towards the shell. or microworm. very finely powdered food will also do.
tom brecknell should have microworm and decap shrimp.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

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13 Mar 2010 22:07 #8 by Bella (Avril Lane)
Derek I made the decision to remove them now as the wee ones were getting braver by the second and venturing too far away from the shell for Mum to protect them. They had one or two narrow escapes...Oh my nerves!

I dropped the level of water half way, left the room in complete darkness/quietness for an hour and then removed the shell with Mum and babies intact (I hope). She stayed in the shell this time and Dad was hiding in his shell too, so I didn't get bitten again! They are in their own tank for the past half hour and haven't reappeared so can't confirm if it was a successful maneouver! I shall keep you posted. Thanks Derek for the advice, hopefully they will survive but they are so teeny tiny it is hard to imagine. I will take your advice on feeding, heading to Dublin tomorrow to pick up proper food. Thanks so much again.

Killenard, Laois

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14 Mar 2010 14:47 #9 by derek (Derek Doyle)
best of luck, bella. they should be grand. they are very hardy.

30 tanks specialise in african cichlids, angelfish and various catfish

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14 Mar 2010 15:43 #10 by Frontosa (Tim kruger)
Best of luck.If it doesnt work out this time - you will get plenty more chances;)
Regards,Tim

Midlands - in the heart of Ireland.

Keeping and breeding : Frontosa Blue Zaires , Synodontis Petricola , Tropheus Red Rainbow (Kasanga) , Tropheus Moliro . Regulary fry for sale.
Community tank with P.Kribensis and different livebearers.

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