Leaderboard

On Tuesday I asked Sarah (3) what she would like for her 4th birthday on Saturday (7/6) and I couldn't believe it when the first thing she asked for wasn't a new doll or toy but Crystal Reds! Hubby has put his foot down and said no more shrimp for a while, even though we've got an empty cycled running tank waiting for some shrimp to call home. So I asked her what else she would like a new Dolly, some clothes, some toys. But she said 'No Mummy I just want Crystal Reds!' So I hunted around online and found an add for Crystal Reds 10x$35! I sent them a quick text and and Woohoo, they had 1 pack left and organized to pick them up yesterday. Hubby was very unimpressed when he found out, but they were what she wanted so I couldn't resist getting them for. I think seeing how happy and excited she is to have her early birthday prezzie may have calmed him down a little lol. When I tucked her into bed, after she said good night to her shrimp and gave the tank a kiss, she whispered to me "I want to share my Crystal Reds with you Mummy. I know you really wanted some to." Little sweetheart. When she wakes up she'll be getting a few more prezzies to unwrap, a new doll and bits and pieces. But I bet her first stop will be to see how her Crystal Reds are in the morning. She's been asking for them for months (and me to lol).

Yes and no. The foam is generally not the finest and there is s lot of it. Also there tends to not be too much particulate matter floating about in shrimp tanks. So yes it could block up, but it would probably take weeks, months or years of neglect to happen. A quick squeeze in old tank water is a quick and easy way to clean the sponges.

One thing that I've seen missing from the hobbyist side of this discussion is acknowledgement that there have been release of a native, but translocated, shrimp into the wild in WA, coincidently in mid 2013, not long before the raids started. http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Documents/biosecurity/freshwater_pest_fact_sheet_indistinct_river_shrimp.pdf Whilst I don't point fingers at our hobby because 99.999999% of the people in this hobby know better than to release shrimp or any other organism for that matter (either unintentionally or intentionally), I cant think of any other industry that would have been a more likely conduit for the transfer C. indistintca to WA. Please feel free to disagree and suggest other possible avenues, but its pointless arguing anyway because the damage is done. Regardless of whether the hobby is responsible or not, we are the obvious target. Moreover this probably explains why this has been limited to WA (so far). I feel for the shrimp keepers in WA who have done the right thing and now have to pay for someones screw-up. Hang tough guys and gals. However for us in the east, let this be a reminder that we must: NEVER RELEASE INHABITANTS FROM AQUARIA INTO THE WILD, EVEN IF THEY ARE NATIVE. This includes ensuring things cant escape from your ponds outside, an entry way for exotic organisms that often isn't given much thought.

There's been an update, the following quote is from Facebook. The owner of Morley Aquariums (Paul) had a visit today from WA fisheries (Yes that's right, a government department was working on a Sunday!)

Rare to see a plan so transparent and well laid out. Well done. I like the new platform personally, minus a few niggles. e.g. new content button doesn't pick up new content in classifieds or galleries. But these are mostly minor. :)

I am all good for IAL thank you :) I got some from the tech den the other day :)

Also interested to know :) even though everyone knows NSW does everything better (except state of origin)

Wish I had your knowledge of electronics! I could really use a butthead warning light on my system!!