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
Overpopulated
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
My molly is gone into overdrive this time and has produced lots of fry. Ive tryed to let nature takes it course.there arent too many places for them to hide but the other fish in the tank arent too bothered...what can I do with all these fry. the lfs wont take them until they are big enough and I cant wait that long I mean Ive 20 of them spinning around the tank at present,also I dont have the heart to kill them myself. Can anyone suggest something. My other tank mates are 2 male mollies and 1 female mollies,tetras,guppy and bronze cats. So really the only fish that may be capable of eating them are the mollies and they are too interesting in making babies again if you know what I mean!
I cant keep having this dilema every month! The obvious solution is remove the female but I dont want to do that either right now. Its the 20 fry Im having the problem with now.
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- oog1111 (Orlagh O Grady)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 105
- Thank you received: 0
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
over feed
over breed
add an extra foodless day will have an end to it. some will survive they will be the strongest.
a slight reduction in temp will help.
try mimic nature as much as possible fish will adapt they have done for thousands of years. fish will produce when there is a feast so there is enough to survive a famine
Mickey
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
this is good it means they get everything they need and helps to keep them in tip top condition add the temp rise and this will drigger breeding cycles so reducing food and temp will reduce the urge for nature to take its course.
i have 5 small tanks (11-20 liters) with no heater since the year begai there is little or no action of this type but in the last few week away they go but i cut back the food and regular small water changes/ top ups, thus far no thing i am not prepared for. Endlers and guppies at that.
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
Keep an eye on your ammonia level!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if any deceased go on noticed they will become ammonia engines very quickly.
just keep the temp down and food schedule reconsidered. this should help keep things under control for you.
Mickey
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Daragh_Owens (Daragh Owens)
- Offline
- Moderator
-
- Posts: 1829
- Thank you received: 28
Well day 2 and a half of no feeding and I do find the activity in the tank is less with one or two fry struggling on the gravel and I would expect some of them to pass away in the next day or so.The big fish are fine,no adverse effect so far but the fry are struggling alright. Hate doing it but its nature so there you go.
Gavin
In a mature tank, two days without food would not be causing molly fry to be struggling for life, there would be plenty to sustain them.
If you really don't want them, catch them and destroy them humanely, straving them to death and putting the rest of the fish on a crash diet is not the best way to go.
I am sure that you don't want to kill them, but if you don't have the space for them, dont want them and you cant give them away it is the responsible thing to do.
A population explosion of livebearers has happened to most fish keepers at some stage - including myself. I moved on about 400+ guppies and endlers this weekend, some became livefood while the rest will live out the summer in a pond.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
If I was to destroy them humanely how would you suggest I do it. ( i have a horrible vision of flushing them down the toilet).Would Ice cold water be a quicker way to do it? (Gesh I hate this part of fishkeeping

Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- umm (karen baker)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 104
- Thank you received: 0
just found some more info about the oil of cloves on the pfk website. sorry dont know how to put up a link, but if you type in \"euthanasia of small fish\" you'll find it.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- umm (karen baker)
- Offline
- Junior Member
-
- Posts: 104
- Thank you received: 0
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
and would be the preferred method in this case.
if you want to cull a fish i would suggest \"oil of cloves\"
[u]wash hands after use[/u] and before going near any fish related equipment
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
an air powered filter could be used similar to this
cgi.ebay.ie/AQUARIUM-Fish-Biochemical-Ai...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
and temporary one can be made just to grow out the fry
you need air line, air stone a length of pipe that excepts the air stone and a sponge the type for washing cars and either a clip to hold in place or a weight.
place the sponge in boiling water and clean carefully allow to dry then cut a slit which pipe can be but in the pipe dill some small holes in this remove any lose shavings place in the hole cut in the sponge and fix in place. either with tank sealant or in a hurry in the past i used fishing line. connect air stone to line and place in the pipe this will now act like an up lift pulling water through the sponge which will now act as a filter.
It will work till either the fry have grown out or you find a filter which will work best with your plans for the tank.
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Posts: 1420
- Thank you received: 2
i have five tanks with out a heater with guppys endlers etc at the moment if the tank stays around 21deg with out a heater you will be fine but if you don't feel it can then add the heater.
this is were knowing your house comes in. this is something our summers some times affords us but i would keep an eye on the temp at all times
but if you are not sure use a heater better to be safe than sorry.
please remember small variation in temp is acceptable, large are not if you thing that they will vary a lot then you need a heather. if they will fall below 21deg again you need a heater
Mickey Wallace & Cath Woods
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Oh and Ive fed the fish again!
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.