FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Anyone had the two spend time together successfully?


And has anyone in Oz got some baby java fernlets they might like to relocate to the babelfish tank? We can work out a deal with equarium too.

^_^

Babelfish

Contact me please I can not PM you at all.

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

I dont think they think its truly edible, certainly Ive never seen them swallow any, but mine chew on it anyway. They just like to rip it up and make me have to clean it off the water surface. Java fern approx 9 inches x4x5 shredded down to the base over a couple of months.

I've read before that java ferns are toxic, so fish shouldn't be eating them at all. But maybe some are immune. I can't say anything about it with confidence. I've never seen a fish eat them, but I've never kept silver dollars. And I have read a letter in TFH from someone who said their java ferns were being eaten.

><>

Clearly theyre not quite as toxic or inedible as many people think, my dollars have been chopping up the odd bit of java for about 4 years, and the barbus jerdoni basically just eats them, but then he is a big fish, and they might even grow where he lives. Bigger animals often handle plant toxins more casually. The gf's sisters goldfish occassionally eats a little of its java fern too.

Pretty much come to the conclusion that there isnt really a species of plant thats totally safe from all fish. Even saw a massive pacu some 20 years ago at stapely water gardens in cheshire giving a giant water lily a severe hammering, and that thing was so sharp if you or I had brushed againt the stem, we'd be bleeding. Stick a fish with the right tools in a tank with something green long enough and it'll figure out some way of tearing it up.

Hmmm then I'm guessing that young not fully established yet javas might end up a tender treat for the silvers?

Think distracting them with oodles of duckweed might work?

There's currently lots of fake ones, doesn't look all that bad...but I'm a huge fan of javas.


^_^

I have a feeling that would probably work. Mine tend to do the most damage if I get up late and feed them late. Duckweed might just be distracting enough.

Guess I'll have to liberate some more from the mum in law they or the filter managed to munch down the whole tankful we had in there.

She has hers outside, with the ammount of sun we're getting these days I may have to farm the stuff!

^_^

Yep, my dollars eat everything. Well, they chew everything - which amounts to the same thing. Devistation in the tank. Luckily I've got a larger planted tank that needs trimming every two weeks. As a result my dollars get lots of new chew toys

I've got a love hate thing going on with my dollars, but I just can't seem to get my head wrapped around getting rid of them - I just love their little perma-smiles ...

:jay

Hi,
You might try distracting them with some wisteria.
Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Frank, I actually got some wisteria from Keith as well as java and some of his anubias. Great looking bunch of plants, I'd hate to see them gone, I might see if there's a way to farm the wisteria. Didn't manage to get any duckweed last weekend from the MIL (did get an espresso maker and bread machine though ).

"I just love their little perma-smiles ..."
The ones we have remind me of little old men with their dentures out

I've been worried about taking the plants from the safty of their floating breeding trap and actually tying them down to some driftwood... I really should do that soon though .

^_^