or if they were even local to me but I saw some this week at Huntingdon Garden & Leisure. Didn't see a price but the prices there aren't too bad. Livestock better than it used to be.

How strong is your lighting? What sort of fish do you have?

Morning

It all depends what plants you want to grow- some will grow just fine in plain gravel, others are fussy and need the right water parameters, lighting, CO2 etc.

Are you thinking of using root tabs as well as planting substrate? What are your planting plans?

I know what you mean, fish babies are so cute

Can you tell us a bit more about the tank they are in, how big is it? Does it have a filter?

A kink in the tail doesn't sound good How long has it been ill?

Hi Daveey,

You've started a few threads now and been given some really good tips and advice from some of our most experienced members- they've been doing this for years and have kept many of the species you've mentioned.

I'm pleased that you've got your fish a bigger tank (albeit still not big enough for the birchir AFAIK) but we really can't advise any more fish for you until you've sorted out the stock you already have.

If you can't give your fish the room they need then it's best for them if you rehome them- they won't be happy if they don't have a suitable home.

The blue 'lobster' (have you found out the scientific name yet?) really should be kept in a species tank without fish.

Let us know when you've re-jigged your stock and we'll be happy to give you some suggestions of what fish would work together

Have a great Christmas

Hi Clowny

The good bacteria will be present in tiny amounts all over the place, you just need to give it the ideal conditions so it can multiply You can buy bacteria products but they are not necessary, all you need is to dechlorinate the water, keep your filter running and add a source of ammonia. And then wait [grin]

Can I mention the C word now without causing a riot? Right then, if you are thinking of buying a fish and/or tank as a Christmas present for your nearest and dearest then PLEASE give this article a read before you do anything. We would love to save you time, money and heartache and for your Christmas to be a happy one (for you and your fish!)

http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles ... mas-birthday-presents.htm

If you have any questions at all about setting up a new tank as a present then please do ask anything you need to, our members will be more than happy to help by offering tips and advice.

Thank you and seasons greetings to all

F-F xx

It's not critical but it does help. You can get root tabs that you can stick under the gravel around plants to get them started. If you choose easy to grow plants then you shouldn't have any problems, we can help you choose some if you like

Hi Camy, welcome to FK

An inch is deep enough for most plants. Did you add any fertiliser/planting substrate underneath the gravel?

You don't want gravel to be too deep because patches of anaerobic bacteria can build up. These can release gas into the water that can harm fish. For this reason it's important to vac the gravel and give it a good poke when you do water changes. Burrowing snails can also help a bit but you'll still need to give them a hand

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