HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jdp@polstra.UUCP (John Polstra)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: (M) Pearlscale Butterfly vs. Cleaner Shrimp
Summary: Are they compatible?
Date: 10 Apr 92 04:58:30 GMT
Followup-To: rec.aquaria
Organization: Polstra & Co., Seattle, WA

I have a large scarlet cleaner shrimp (among other things) in my marine
tank, and now I'm thinking of adding a pearlscale butterflyfish.  Does
anybody out there have any informed opinions about whether the
butterflyfish will attack the shrimp?

Thanks.
-- 
   John Polstra               polstra!jdp@uunet.uu.net
   Polstra & Co., Inc.           ...!uunet!polstra!jdp
   Seattle, Washington USA              (206) 932-6482
   "Self-knowledge is always bad news."  -- John Barth
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:3697 alt.aquaria:2946 sci.aquaria:789
From: drake@Autodesk.COM (Dan Drake)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria,sci.aquaria
Subject: Re: licensing (long) (was: Re: Recent live-rock boom...)
Date: 6 Apr 92 17:23:13 GMT
Followup-To: rec.aquaria
Organization: Autodesk Inc., Sausalito CA, USA

dwest@duncan.cs.utk.edu (David West) writes:
>...
> 1) Being an avid outdoorsman, I am well aware of various wildlife and
> fisheries agencies sponsored by the federal government which regulate my
> activities in regard to harvesting wildlife.  One such regulation is the
> harvesting of fish through the use of explosives.  I understand that
> many of these fish are harvested in non-U.S.  territories, but how can
> our government allow fish harvested by such methods to be imported into
> this country at all ?

As long as we're into the politics of regulation, here's a footnote on
international questions: the Free Trade crowd (GATT and all that) is
determined to make it impossible for nations to have their own
environmental regulations.  If you try to make importers follow the same
rules that your own citizens have to follow, you get hauled before an
international tribunal, accused of Raising Trade Barriers.  The U.S.
recently got hit with such a case when, having at last brought the
slaughter of dolphins under control, it tried to restrict imports of
tuna from countries that haven't reformed.  Mexico took us to court and
won, though they may decide not to press their case.

Anyway, that's how our government can allow it.  Ask any more questions,
and you'll have to wear a scarlet P to identify you as a protectionist.

--
Dan Drake
drake@Autodesk.com

When someone defends his position on high principles, and then finds a
different position profitable and defends it on equally high principles,
we say,
"He confuses his principle with his interest."
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence)
Subject: Re: Highlights and quotes from original Audubon article
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 23:33:58 GMT

ccliu@amy.next.com (Chang-Chi Liu) writes:

[very nice and thoughtful point about the hobby]

>If aquarists do not catch these fish or  
>live rocks, other pollutants will kill them in a much larger scale anyway.   
>Does this sad fact jusifies the current way of operation in marine  
>aquarium industry?  We really have to think about that.

If something has to expensive in this hobby, let it be animals and not
equipment.

-- 
Dustin Laurence            "Someone please stop me, before I net again."

laurence@alice.wonderland.caltech.edu
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: za124@zeus.unomaha.edu (John Anderson)
Subject: Re: books recommended
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 16 Apr 1992 06:24:00 GMT

In article <3137@cs.rit.edu>, kathy@cs.rit.edu (Kathleen Flagg) writes...
>Hi, I'm sorry if this questions has been posted before and/or lots of 
>times but I'm thinking of  starting an aquarium.  I'm not thinking merely 
>a gold fish in a bowl.  I have always loved fishes and there calming 
>effect.  What I need to know is any books you recommend from your 
>experiences and knowledge on setting up, maintianing, and general care of 
>fish tanks.  I'm excited about getting started but I don't want to buy a 
>book that will only be so-so in help.  So please e-mail me 
>(kathy@cs.rit.edu), as soon as you can,  with your suggestions on books, 
>and anything you think I might find interesting that isn't in a book.
> 
>THank you...Thank you...Thank you.
> 
>Kathleen

I have about 15 different books that I come back too every so
often, but the one that I look at the most would probably be of
excellent help.

It is called "AQUARIUM ATLAS" and is by Dr. Rudiger Riehl and
Hans A. Baensch.  In the USA, it is published by TETRA PRESS.

It is divided up into several sections.  One is setting up (which
is what I am guessing you are interested in.  It also has good 
examples of how to aquascape your aquarium, large section on live
plants, and the BEST part, is that it acts as a "wish list" for you
r fish!  It has COLOR photos of THOUSANDS of fish of every family
you might possibly have access to, and several that you won't.  It
is a must have for beginners and pros alike.

I also would like to mention that most fish stores will give you a
pamphlet of basic things to do for setting up your tank.  Overall
they do a good job, but its nice to have more info than you will
need initially.

"My Kingdom for a Leopard Angel"
- John Anderson -
From: gdrew@cs.umd.edu (Greg Drew)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: Making a Whisper Power Filter Go Biological
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:49:00 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: U of Maryland, Dept. of Computer Science, Coll. Pk., MD 20742

In article <1992Apr8.121847.29870@uwm.edu> bowden@convex.csd.uwm.edu writes:
>From article <1992Apr8.061759.3293@cbnewsi.cb.att.com>, by rhw@att.com (Robert Wentworth):
>> I've always thought it was pretty dubious, but the instructions that come
>> with Whisper Bio-bags say that the plastic frame inside the bio bag serves
>> as a site for lots of bacteria, so that you can maintain biological activity
>>(stuff deleted) 
>There claims about the frame have proven to be false in
>my experience.  If you change the bag you will still have 
>a break in period on the filter.  This is not a big
>(stuff deleted)
Additionally, since I use GAC, I save out some of the carbon from the filter
when I change bags.  I mix the new carbon in with the old, and that does 
reseed the filter very quickly.  I have also had some success with placing
a bag containing bio-beads in the filter cavity.  One other note, if you
treat the bag on a Whisper like a sponge filter, and rinse it in your old
tank water every other water change, it will last a very long time.
					-- GDD
-- 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Greg Drew                          | Watch for coming attractions 
gdrew@trellis.cs.umd.edu           |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: hellmann@cs.scarolina.edu (Douglas R Hellmann)
Subject: Re: cheap filter media
Organization: USC  Department of Computer Science
Date: 10 Apr 92 22:23:32 GMT

bk@milton.u.washington.edu (Black Knight) writes:

>an old question, but i would like to know what are some good ideas for
>cheap filter media in a reef filter system (or biological filter, wet/dry, 
>whatever they're called).

>my friend has set up his own design, but right now he just has some plastic
>plants as his media.  any suggestions??

I recently read in some fish magazine that easter grass is a good filter
medium.  The justification was that it didn't breakdown and didn't clog
as quickly as the normal floss.  I don't know if this would be any good
in a reef system filter, but I have tried it and it doesn't compress
under the flow of a water faucet.  I put some in a normal Bio-bag and
hooked it up to a power head to serve as a filter for my 10 gal guppy
tank several weeks ago.  I haven't noticed any ill effects or discoloration
yet, so I am going to leave it there.

Anyone else out there ever heard of doing this?

Doug Hellmann (hellmann@acacia.cs.scarolina.edu)

PS - Considering the season, plastic easter grass should be available
extremely cheap just about anywhere.  It will be even cheapter after
easter.
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:3769 alt.aquaria:2989
From: uhubb@mcl.mcl.ucsb.edu (Richard Hubbell)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: How many aquarists in the U.S. or the world?
Keywords: aquarists, U.S. world
Date: 7 Apr 92 02:42:03 GMT
Followup-To: rec.aquaria
Distribution: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria


	Does anyone know approximately how many aquarists there are in the
	U.S. or the world?  Freshwater and marine.

Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
From: greg@enterprise.Central.Sun.COM (Greg George  Area SSE - Midwest Area)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re:Biological Filtration
Date: 9 Apr 92 17:56:52 GMT
Organization: "Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, CA."
NNTP-Posting-Host: enterprise.central.sun.com

>Also, the article details the cycle ammonia --> nitrite --> nitrate, which
>I assume is the accomplished hobbyist's major reason for water changes.
>The nitrates build up.  Algae and other plants eat nitrates, no?

Actually plants and algae eat nitrates, but not to the extent that
it will greatly impact your tank. You would need a great deal of
plant life to keep up with a well stocked tank. I have found that
a good protein skimmer run 1-2 times a week keeps the nitrate level
down to < 5 ppm. Being the finicky guy that I am, I test the water
twice a week or so. When the nitrate levels reach ~ 30ppm, I start up
my protein skimmer and let it run for 12 hours. It is amazing how much
liquid is pulled out of the water.

greg
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:3955 alt.aquaria:3116
From: mstephens.520@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov (mark stephens)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: Alternate Bio-Materials
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:51:27 GMT
Organization: nasa/gsfc


Although not as far along as you, I will be and have the same question.
Could you post (or email me) any responces?  I really just wish this bio-media
thing were not such a waistland of real information.  Can those little star
shaped, translucent bio-wheels for $4 a gallon be anywhere near as effective 
as the snazzy, Darth Vader black Dupla Bio Cascade for $20?

The magazines sure aren't a gona publish any experimental results and 
unfortunally, I just don't have the room, time or bucks to spare to set
up many 10 gallon tanks with different filter media and inject ammonia and
see what happens.  Sigh!  

If my new filter was not destined to be a 
RubberMaid container (not clear), I would purchase one of everything and
arrainge them in pretty patterens, like "sand" painting. (grin)  Say, lets
start a new art form.... bid-media painting!

         mark


In article <1992Apr16.161509.1326@cbfsb.cb.att.com>, dks@cbnewsf.cb.att.com (douglas.k.steckel) writes:
> 
> Netters,
> 
> I am looking for a last minute replacement for Bio-balls. In the next week
> or so I am going to have to purchase about 8 gal of bio-material for my
> home made wet/dry. So far I have saved alot of money doing it myself; I'd 
> like to keep it that way. I dont want to sacrifice too much in quality, but
> would be willing to make a small sacrifice for some big savings.
> 
> I seem to remember someone talking about using easter grass... does anyone
> have experience using this or any other budget bio-material. 
> 
> If I can't find any suitable material then I guess I'll just have to
> hold a bake sale or something to fund this purchase. 
> 
> Thanks...
> 
> Doug Steckel
> dks@alux5.att.com
> 
> 
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:3728 alt.aquaria:2966
From: oleg@llustig.palo-alto.ca.us (Oleg Kiselev)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria
Subject: Re: monster swordtail
Date: 7 Apr 92 23:48:49 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Palo Alto Killifish Loft

In article <92094.173021IO20413@MAINE.MAINE.EDU> IO20413@MAINE.MAINE.EDU writes:
>Do you have swordtails that big?

Back when I kept swordtails I got them to 3.5" size.  The sizes I mentioned
in the prvious article are the typical sizes for the fish found in the
wild.

>What am I doing wrong.

Not keeping them in good enough water and not feeding them properly.

>I am very succesful at breeding them, so I can not be all wrong,

A number of Poecilids, guppies and swordtails among them, are amazingly good
survivors and will breed at the slightest opportunity (which is what makes
them such a good beginner fish and why you should NEVER RELEASE THEM
outdoors when you get tired of them -- they will breed and out-compete the
local native fishes and may cause their extinction!)

>Tell me how to get them larger.  

Keep them in *large* tanks with regular massive water changes OR in outdoor
ponds if your climate allows (in Maine you can porbably try it in the
summer: get a cheap baby wading pool at a Toys'r'Us and set it up in full
sun).  Fill the tank with hard, *alkaline* water and put in a lot of plants
-- swordtails need a lot of vegetable matter in their diets and fast growing
plants will contribute to their nutrition.  Feed them a varied, rich diet
consisting primarily of the live foods: fruit flies, small earth worms,
gammarus shrimp, brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops.  Do not get the mutant
veil-tail varieties and the colour mutations that are highly inbred to
fix the colours; try finding the natural green swordtails (a greenish fish
with two thin red lines along the body) -- they are a gorgeous fish, much
prettier than the red mutant variety in my opinion.
-- 
Oleg Kiselev, at home			....use the header to find the path
Xref: sparky rec.aquaria:3751 alt.aquaria:2981 sci.aquaria:800
From: ccliu@amy.next.com (Chang-Chi Liu)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria,alt.aquaria,sci.aquaria
Subject: Re: Highlights and quotes from original Audubon article
Date: 8 Apr 92 20:33:42 GMT
Followup-To: rec.aquaria

The arguments about reefs remind me of the ivory story.  For thousands of  
years, the ivory had been used as fine carving material in the orient.   
Before the modern time, the usage of ivory had little impact on the  
African elephant population. After all, how many elephants can be killed  
with spears and arrows and how much ivory can hauled from Africa to the  
Far East with horses, donkeys, camels and wood boats?  The modern day  
technologies changed all that, which made ivory less expensive.  The less  
inexpensive ivory coupled with recent prosperity in Asia created greater  
demand.  What used to belong to the few are now  affordable to a much  
larger population.  The increased demand attracted more people going into  
the ivory industry which in turn made the ivory even more accessible.  We  
have seen many kinds of goods, such as personal computer, fax, etc. that  
had entered such a cycle through mass production and marketing.   
Unfortunately, ivory is not something that can be mass produced to satify  
the demand.  I am sure we all know the rest of story.

I myself am keeping freshwater fish as hobby.  I probably would never have  
started any aquarium if those new wonderful equipments were not availabe  
and reasonably priced.  Now, like many others, I am attracted by the much  
more colorful world of saltwater aquaria.  It is the trouble and cost of  
starting and maintaining such tanks that keep me away.  I am sure with  
advancing technologies, 10 years from now, keeping a marine tank may be as  
easy and inexpensive as doing today's freshwater tank.  It is a good news  
for marine-aquarist-wanna-be like me.  It may not be a great news for the  
fish and reefs.  I understand that the analogy between ivory and marine  
life is not entirely accurate.  If aquarists do not catch these fish or  
live rocks, other pollutants will kill them in a much larger scale anyway.   
Does this sad fact jusifies the current way of operation in marine  
aquarium industry?  We really have to think about that.
From: kathy@cs.rit.edu (Kathleen Flagg)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: books recommended
Date: 15 Apr 92 15:33:25 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology

Hi, I'm sorry if this questions has been posted before and/or lots of 
times but I'm thinking of  starting an aquarium.  I'm not thinking merely 
a gold fish in a bowl.  I have always loved fishes and there calming 
effect.  What I need to know is any books you recommend from your 
experiences and knowledge on setting up, maintianing, and general care of 
fish tanks.  I'm excited about getting started but I don't want to buy a 
book that will only be so-so in help.  So please e-mail me 
(kathy@cs.rit.edu), as soon as you can,  with your suggestions on books, 
and anything you think I might find interesting that isn't in a book.

THank you...Thank you...Thank you.

Kathleen
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
From: laurence@cco.caltech.edu (Dustin Lee Laurence)
Subject: Re: [M] Cheap Calcium?
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 21:56:07 GMT

efang@pomona.claremont.edu writes:

>Maybe someone can look into
>addition of CaCO3 instead- it has a much lower solubility but you will not have
>to worry so much about your KH.A mixture of both CaCl2 and CaCO3 should be able
>to add more Ca ions in the same amount of solution than plain CaCO3. You have
>to work out the stoichiometry, though. I don't have time right now. Spent my
>weekend in Palm Springs and didn't get any work done. Now I pay.....

>Eric Fang
>EFANG@POMONA.CLAREMONT.EDU

The only way I've heard of to add CaCO3 is to do so with the addition
of CO2 in a reactor.  I believe that the trick is to get the pH low
enough to allow the CaCO3 to dissolve.  If CaCO3 were soluble under
aquarium conditions, then coral skeletons would dissolve too.  In
fact, my limited understanding is that you can simply put pieces of
coral skeleton or oyster shell in the reactor as your source of
calcium.

Now, if you can go to the time and expense of running a reactor, then
I'd imagine that it's a fine way to go.

-- 
Dustin

laurence@alice.wonderland.caltech.edu
From: mstephens.520@postman.gsfc.nasa.gov (mark stephens)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: books recommended
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:55:48 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: nasa/gsfc

Ditto!  This book help me a lot to get back into the hobby about 6 months 
ago.

               mark

In article <16APR199201242853@news.unomaha.edu>, za124@zeus.unomaha.edu (John Anderson) writes:
> 
> In article <3137@cs.rit.edu>, kathy@cs.rit.edu (Kathleen Flagg) writes...
> >Hi, I'm sorry if this questions has been posted before and/or lots of 
> >times but I'm thinking of  starting an aquarium.  I'm not thinking merely 
> >a gold fish in a bowl.  I have always loved fishes and there calming 
> >effect.  What I need to know is any books you recommend from your 
> >experiences and knowledge on setting up, maintianing, and general care of 
> >fish tanks.  I'm excited about getting started but I don't want to buy a 
> >book that will only be so-so in help.  So please e-mail me 
> >(kathy@cs.rit.edu), as soon as you can,  with your suggestions on books, 
> >and anything you think I might find interesting that isn't in a book.
> > 
> >THank you...Thank you...Thank you.
> > 
> >Kathleen
> 
> I have about 15 different books that I come back too every so
> often, but the one that I look at the most would probably be of
> excellent help.
> 
> It is called "AQUARIUM ATLAS" and is by Dr. Rudiger Riehl and
> Hans A. Baensch.  In the USA, it is published by TETRA PRESS.
> 
> It is divided up into several sections.  One is setting up (which
> is what I am guessing you are interested in.  It also has good 
> examples of how to aquascape your aquarium, large section on live
> plants, and the BEST part, is that it acts as a "wish list" for you
> r fish!  It has COLOR photos of THOUSANDS of fish of every family
> you might possibly have access to, and several that you won't.  It
> is a must have for beginners and pros alike.
> 
> I also would like to mention that most fish stores will give you a
> pamphlet of basic things to do for setting up your tank.  Overall
> they do a good job, but its nice to have more info than you will
> need initially.
> 
> "My Kingdom for a Leopard Angel"
> - John Anderson -
> 
>
From: moss@brl.mil (Gary S. Moss <moss>)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Culturing pond organisms.
Keywords: culture, daphnia, grammarus, cyclops
Date: 17 Apr 92 15:23:49 GMT
Reply-To: moss@brl.mil
Organization: Ballistic Research Laboratory

Hi,
	A visit down to the local park last weekend revealed a pretty good
source for daphnia, grammarus and cyclops.  I have a copy of "The Encylocedia
of Live Foods", but thought I might start a discussion of favorite culturing
recipes for these organisms.  I am less interested in recipes that call for
animal manures unless you can use processed cow manure that you buy at the
hardware store.  I am particularly interested in factors like container size,
aeration/filtration required, lighting and temperature and of course food.

	So far the only thing I culture successfully is microworms (recipe
available), but there relatively easy I think.

Thanks for any info,
-Gary
From: jj@alice.att.com (jj the curmudgeon)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Re: aquarium cooling
Date: 16 Apr 92 17:48:12 GMT
Reply-To: jj@alice.UUCP (jj the curmudgeon)
Distribution: na
Organization: NJ State Home for Bewildered Terminals

I do it a different way.  I have well water, without chlorine and/or
other bad stuff, and I just drip it continuously into the tank
at 1 to 1.5 gph.  The input water is at 51 degrees, which provides
a measure of cooling.  I did have to boost my heater poewr for the
winter, yes.

(P.S. Yes, I have an overflow for the extra water to run out of the tank)
P.P.S.  This doesn't provide a LOT of cooling, only some.
P.P.P.S.  My fish love all the fresh water.  My plants love all the
fresh water.  My garden loves all the old fish water.
-- 
Vote for    *Copyright alice!jj 1992, all rights reserved, except transmission
President 1992 *by USENET and like free facilities granted. Said permission is
___________________*granted only for complete copies that include this notice.
Just Say !!!NO!!!       *Use on pay-for-read services specifically disallowed.
Organization: Central Michigan University
Date: Sunday, 12 Apr 1992 08:14:38 EDT
From: <34ML2OB@CMUVM.CSV.CMICH.EDU>
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Homebrew aquarium light

Someone asked if anyone knew any way to make a light arrangement.

This comes from _You & Your Aquarium_ by Dick Mills (pg 195):

"You can make your own by painting the inside of a tank-size length
of plastic guttering white or silver."
"To add lamp housings to a DIY hood, mount two lamp fittings in
standard guttering end caps, and fit these onto each end of guttering."
"Add a glass cover to the tank; this will protect the lamps from
spray (evaporation will only be a problem during the summer months).
To allow the reflector to sit flat on the cover glass, use slim,
candle shaped lamps or a slim florescent tube. You may need to drill
small ventilation holes along the top of the reflector-hood to allow
the heat to escape."

Photographs are included on page 195.
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria