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
little help picking a new tank
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Well i didn't take long to get hooked with this fish keeping lark and i am now planning on upgrading to a bigger tank in the next 2 weeks
At the moment i have a 120lt African cichlid set up and i am thinking that the next tank should be at least 240lt, now i have a very tight budget and will be looking for a second hand tank with stand and filters etc if possible
Do you think 240 is big enough for a well stocked cichlid tank?
Have any of you kind folk got anything decent to sell me?
or if you find anything online post up a link please, i am trolling all sites at the moment, adverts, donedeal and gumtree and a few have cough my eye but are well out of my travel range

Thank you in advance
Danny
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/fish/5050291
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JohnH (John)
-
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
I'm not much of an authority on African Cichlids but am aware that you need to almost overstock the tank to 'spread around' the aggression of these fish.
I'll stand aside and let someone who knows what they're talking about tell you better.
That ad has been posted for ten days, the seller might be prepared to listen to offers.
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.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JohnH (John)
-
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
that's what i was thinking about the add John, id say a phone call with a good decent offer and be on his door step with cash right away will be a good bargaining point
...worth a try, anyway.
Good luck.
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.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Lift the phone and make an offer
If he is like 90% of users of the site he has it up for more than he is looking for it!!!!
A local cash offer will be accepted normally!!!!
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34


Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
I can take the kick in the ankles
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1692
- Thank you received: 268
I'm not much of an authority on African Cichlids but am aware that you need to almost overstock the tank to 'spread around' the aggression of these fish.
Very true. Overstock but make sure you have the tank over filtered too. The rift lakes have the highest fish densities in the world, even higher than tropical reefs
"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- LemonJelly (Johnny Cowley)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1692
- Thank you received: 268
way ahead of you neil
no answer so left a voice mail, my next problem is trying to explain to Louise how the fish tank miraculously grew while she was away
If she asks, just look at her like she's daft and say "sure it was always that size!"
Lying is 75% conviction

"The only thing that burns in Hell is the part of you that won't let go of your life; your memories, your attachments. They burn them all away. But they're not punishing you.They're freeing your soul."
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Blame me.......
I can take the kick in the ankles
don't worry she will come to this conclusion on her own then your in for it lol
Very true. Overstock but make sure you have the tank over filtered too. The rift lakes have the highest fish densities in the world, even higher than tropical reefs
If she asks, just look at her like she's daft and say "sure it was always that size!"
Lying is 75% conviction
plan is to upgrade to a big external filter as i am having that trouble at the moment in my currant tank
i will buy her a happy meal and all will be good until i can think of a better excuse

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- hammie (Neil Hammerton)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1204
- Thank you received: 184
Then she won't find me lol
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- JohnH (John)
-
- Offline
- Administrator
-
- Posts: 6067
- Thank you received: 857
Of course you know what this means - pictures of the set-up, 'stage-by-stage'...
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.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- dannyb (Daniel Byrne)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 204
- Thank you received: 34
Please Log in to join the conversation.