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Not sure about the cost comparison but certainly your in a higher bracket with the FXs. So for me if you are spending that kind of money go for the Oase Biomasters - I have 3 Oase filters and 1 FX4 and I hate, hate, hate cleaning the FX by comparison and I'll be honest because its a pain it gets...

Now having an issue in another tank - my 8 gallon nano which has Rosy Loaches, Cherry Shrimp and Red Dwarf Rasboras. I've found a dead shrimp - which could be a failed molt... looking at it but one of the Rasboras has definite dropsy. I've added the NT labs medication - not sure what to do...

It would take some digging but you have just reminded me that the university here has a big aquatic dept and I’ve heard rumours of a dedicated interest in lake Malawi - could be an option I don’t know how I’d get in touch though

Thanks Colin I’ve tried to find fish vets in the past and there is no one any where near me that is interested

Thanks yeah so had the final stage of that this morning. Lost my alpha male Msobo Magunga which I'm quite gutted about. Urgh don't know what to do... I mean I've got the meds and will keep on top of the tank but wondering what to do with this tank long term... In all honesty I might just say...

This is interesting - from the first fish that died with white poop, it was definitely number 3, very fast bloating, white stringy poop and dead. This new male that has white poop and gone off his food is maybe 2 days in so far so we will see. Very interesting there is evidence for it! NT Labs...

Thanks Colin I’ll get it here tomorrow Are there any other things other than internal bacterial that mean white poop?

I am a bit worried something is happening again. My largest Alpha male didnt eat when I fed them last night and this morning his colours have dipped a bit... I also noticed a stringy white poo. I think there must be a problem now but I don't know how to proceed. I found this...

Thanks for the link really interesting site! Its the shame about Sawbwa isnt it that the males don't co-exist - understandable though. I have to admit I've been tempted to try breeding my Red Dwarfs but never bred egg scatterers before... Theres a region in Thailand called Krabi Province...

It’s been a while since I updated this. But I’ve done a full rescape so thought I’d add pics. Fish seem so much more active in here lots more swimming room now as the old one had become really over grown. I’d love one more species in here but not sure what. I personally feel any fish from...

There are a couple of species that get labeled as Amanos and one of them does reproduce in freshwater but those ones have the reputation of not eating algae like the true Amanos. I'm no shrimp snob though my cherries are super low grade and I have 6 Amanos in my other tank that are about 3.5...

I usually find a mixture of swearing, crying and pleading does the job... eventually.

Thats interesting - just a head up though, if the Amano shrimp are breeding in freshwater they probably are not Amanos as their shrimplets need brackish water to hatch and survive the initial period of life. I know this was the Cladaphora Algae as it came in when I bought my Cherry Shrimp from...

Thats interesting I've not heard of that before - with this one it wasn't just on the wood, it gathered at the surface, it got inbetween all the leaves, it was in the substrate, on the substrate. I think it gets called blanket weed in some instances which makes a lot of sense. The rest of my...

I've had a horrendous Cladophora Algae issue in my 8 gallon shallow tank for a couple of months and after trying to battle it I've had to give in and totally strip down the tank. Whole new substrate system, all new plants, new wood, new rocks. Everything apart from the filter (and the tank...

I am very interested :) I'd not thought of something like a Rhodedendron as a candidate for growing in water but they like wet conditions right? Wills

Or you come across people breaking all the Malawi 'rules' and having a 'successful' tank for 5-6 years... its definitely a bit of pot luck. Things do seem better this week there is no doubt. Everytime I go past the tank they are all at the top of the water, at the glass, making the water boil...

I've read most of the post and definitely sounds tough! I just wanted to add in that I've heard of cichlid tanks reaching a critical mass in terms of oxygen in a tank, so they just gradually grow and grow and eventually there is not enough oxygen circulating in the tank and you then lose one...

Yeah thats a couple of good points. The change in food should have been a stronger thought! I had mainly used the NT Labs food which is the fine powder, but as this started to run out I started adding the JBL sticks until eventually I was just using the sticks and for some of the smaller fish...

Oddly yes - the sub dominant male msobo died Friday night - obvious fighting. But after that the skittishness has calmed down for the rest of the day. I’ve also switched food back I started on a small nt labs pelllet then went to a jbl stick around the time this started but started the nt labs...

Such sad news - best wishes for his family and friends. I think Byron is perhaps unique among us as he always posted not only under his real first name but publicly with his full name and qualifications which takes a great deal of bravery but also integrity - something I've always admired and...

The plant looks like duck weed? But could be some kind of hemianthus? Like Cuba? I’m very torn on the whole seeds things as it shouldn’t work but I have seen some people succeed. There are a lot of seeds sold that will never succeed as they are not suitable for underwater life. But 100% there...

I have to admit that I've been questioning my second Malawi tank that is currently cycling... that is meant for Peacocks but it has made me wonder about going single specimen central american cichlid (nics) and some livebearers...

They've not really calmed down since the medicine went in - I've done a couple of water changes (big ones too) since. Going to try and give them some attention tonight too - one thing thats niggling me is that I half rushed the nitrate test so questioning if I've not got a true result but we...

Bit of a development - I was working very late last night and got home about 1:30am and the tank lights were still on! They should have gone off at 10:30pm (I only have them on for 2hrs in a morning and 5hrs on an evening). I've not had chance to check this morning yet but I think I have...

Awesome thankyou! I think the NT Labs Anti Fluke and Wormer might be a good option? I don't think there is a full dose left so need to buy something else anyway. If this doesn't work do you think its worth trying eSHa 2000 or Myxazin? I know from past experiences getting vets to take...

One thing to perhaps mention - I don't think I've lost any dominant fish which is interesting?

Couple of steps backwards now... fish quite skittish today and I lost a Rusty Cichlid sometime between 3pm and 6pm, they were not one of the fish I was worried about. From the body they looked quite beaten up especially for something in that time period? @Essjay with the medications that Colin...

I’ve suspected this especially since the first few commercial generations were weak have they crossed in an electric blue acara for some robustness

Hi all thanks for all the help few things mentioned I've already ruled out so just to share here The food I use is all Mbuna specific one, all plant based and spirulina etc. Very conscious of Malawi Bloat with these guys so really avoided anything like that. For the nitrate situation I...

Hi I'm having a bit of trouble with my Mbuna tank and I'm getting a bit concerned that I don't understand fully what is going on. Here are the tank stats 300 litre 4 foot tank, Fluval FX4, 300 watt Ehiem heater. 8 Msobo Magunga 6 Socolofi 5 Rusties Ph 7.4, Hardness 15gh, temperature 24...

Check out leashes photo thread the tank has a lot of plants including a lot of foreground species. I think most plecos might thrash about too much and either damage or uproot them.

Given your nice plants I'd pass on a pleco :) If you want some scavengers and tidiers go for a group of Amano Shrimp :) Wills

I'd go for the cut through on the lid personally - get some steel lily pipes on the filter and something like a Filtosmart or a Biomaster in the cupboard.