I've had MTS in the 125 tank for a week now. So far I can't report any drawbacks, unfortunately neither can I report massive advantages to them - apart from having something else in the tank to look at (every now and then one climbs the glass). I'm currently slowly migrating the inhabitants of this ...

I'm looking for an inline UV filter suitable for a 250l tank, running through a 1500lph filter. Anything 9w or above considered.

I'm going to give them a try in the small tank, and consider them carefully for my large tank.

I have 3 of these for sale - purchased as part of a group of 8 at the same time as I bought some cherry shrimps off a private local hobbyist, thinking they were standard Bristlenose plecos with interesting colour variations. They are all young fish from at least two different spawnings - the largest...

I'm looking to expand the population in my pleco tank - a recent fry purchase to do this appears to have resulted in starlight plecos, not what I want at all - so I'd like to hear from anyone who has standard female plecos to sell or trade. If you'd be interested in starlights I have 6 or 7 maturing...

The LH system seems eminently suitable to me, as it is essentially an expansion of the existing L-system. Whilst I'm not a fan of purposely interbreeding between species, I can understand that there may be some potentially beneficial results from species interbreeding, and I believe that the careful...

In my big tank I'm considering getting malaysian trumpet snails, since they appear not to be detrimental to plants, and help to keep the substrate maintained by disturbing it (they spend most of their time underneath it, emerging at night). They're particularly attractive to me as I just don't have ...

You feed a LOT of food - the thing is, I'm dropping 4 algae wafers a day in, and they're not all getting eaten despite the high tank population - my pleces seem to prefer the algae on the glass to the wafers (which I break up and scatter a little). My fluval 125 tank comes as standard with lights, w...

I'm still looking at adding shoaling fish, but recently added a bunch of cherry shrimps, and got offered a load of juvenile bristlenoses at a great price (and got to see the tank they came from - all happy and healthy). Since their introduction the adults in the tank are a little happier, so a few n...

Dither fish - what a great description! The tank is running 23 degrees, and I'm thinking about adding neon tetras, at least 6 to get a mini shoal, possibly more as time goes on. I was tempted by dalmatian mollies, but I do love the colouring of the tetras. I'm also thinking about cherry shrimps as w...

125 litre tank, Fluval 405 external. Heavily planted into fairly fine (3-7mm) gravel, running 23 degrees.

Since I removed the goldfish from the tank to make sure that any fry had a fighting chance (my goldfish are more like Koi Sharks than ornamental fish), the plecs have definitely been a lot more skittish. Before they'd happily feed during the day, they definitely are a lot more reserved now. Is this ...

I've noticed that since the clutch of bristlenose eggs hatched there has been a deterioration in water quality - an oily film on the surface (taken care of with paper towels) and an increase in algae (which I'm not too unhappy with, as there will soon be a few hungry mouths looking for food). Is thi...

And... I have baby plecs :D I know bristlenoses are an easy plec to breed, but I'm so chuffed right now! I don't know how many have hatched but I don't think it's a big clutch, from what little I can see of the brood by peeking into the male's lair. The only think I have to do is to shield the filte...

I could actually be tempted by them - I've read so many horror stories about external heaters that I think I'd rather have reliability over aesthetics. I'll count my pennies (and hope no-one beats me to them).

Everything's on standby now - the plec tank is now free of goldfish, and I'm standing by. Since we're not sure when the spawning actually happened, or exactly how long it's going to take for the fry to hatch it's just a waiting game now. Picking up a pair of tights tomorrow to put over the external ...

I was planning on trying to breed my plecs in September, doing a 75% water change, lowering the temp, etc. This was going to give me time to study up and make sure I had everything in place, and there would be no rushing around at any point in the proceedings. The Bristlenoses had other ideas. Runni...

Sand blasting sand? That's something that I'll look into - as (unfortunately) is the ecocomplete substrate - the moths in my wallet have died from starvation though... I want a nicely planted tank, even if it's going to be destroyed over time by the leopard pleco.

Thanks for the advice - we shall check the female's tummy when we get the chance, we have a tank on standby just in case to move the other occupants of the tank to to leave the male a clear environment.

It looks like well washed pool filter sand is the way to go then - I've found a company locally, it's a bit more expensive here - £11 for 25kg - but if they're within 5 miles I'll treat it as good exercise, otherwise they can deliver for £5. All I need to sort out now is some form of growth medium o...

Two days ago I introduced a male bristlenose to a tank containing a female bristlenose and a male leopard pleco. The male bristlenose has immediately adopted an artificial hollow log as his place and partially excavated under it. Since this morning he has been extremely aggressive in guarding this p...

I'm very much a "bang per buck" person - and setting up the next tank is starting to hurt - the "little things" are adding up! Having decided on sand over some form of growth substrate, I went looking for sand. OUCH - THE PRICE. For (Aquarium) sand? In the UK, it's ridiculous! I ...

Well the growth spurts have continued, rather dramatically. The leopard plec has now matched the size of the bristlenose, and she has grown radically as well. Leading up to the new tank setup I couldn't resist a new addition to the tank - a male bristlenose. I know it's stupid to think of a fish hav...

He owns the store x( On the plus side I've rehomed all my fish in a Fluval Roma 125, external fluval 405 filter and water set to 23 degrees - they all seem happy. I've got a fluval profile 1000 waiting for me to commission it with an aquamanta efx 1500 that will house the leopard pleco plus some app...

What I have learnt:

1) The purpose of the local fish store is to sell fish.
2) With regards to important questions concerning specialist fish, speak to a specialist or consult a reference guide
3) I wish I understood catfish better, and I'm going to start with the two species I have!

I may regret this next sentence...

I was told about the hormone emission by the retailer at the local aquarium shop.

With hindsight, this is the same chap who told me a Sailfin would grow to 12".

Hi, I recently introduced (on a temporary basis) a Sailfin pleco to the tank of a Bristlenose pleco - and they seem to get on well enough, despite Sailfins being generally territorial - but I am a little confused about something. As far as I was aware, Sailfin plecos will produce a hormone that stim...

I'm looking for external heaters for my sailfin tank - it seems that it's only Hydor who make them - are there any other manufacturers of external heaters? I know there are some filters that have heaters built in, but I don't want to go that route as I already have a Fluval 405 and an Aquamanta 1500.

I'm part way into setting up a 320ish litre tank, and need more heating power than the external 200w heater I have so far. Ideally I want to get hold of another 2, so I can have a spare in reserve. If you've got any you can sell me I'd be grateful to hear from you. I'm based in Cardiff, but happy to...

Totally agree with the Big Fish campaign - I wasn't totally blind in my purchase of a Sailfin, but was only told it would grow to 12". Never mind. My fish is currently under 3" long, I'm sorting out a Fluval 1200 tank next week, and keeping an eye out for a 6' x 2' x 2' tank. In an ideal w...