Proper acclimation for new fish is very important. Acclimation gives your new fish a gentle transition from our shop to its new home in your tank and gives it a much better chance of survival. Putting a fish into a new environment without acclimation can be extremely stressful and dangerous for a fish.
The following procedure is recommended:

• Open bag and float in the aquarium for 15 minutes. Ensure the top of the bag is open so the oxygen is not cut off, but make sure the fish cannot jump out.


• Add a small amount of water from your tank to the bag and leave for 5 minutes.


• Remove a small amount of water from the bag and discard. Add a small amount of water from your tank to the bag.


• Repeat this process until the majority of the water in the bag has been replaced with water from your tank.


• Let the fish swim out of the bag into your tank, or pour the fish into a net to add to your tank.


• Try to avoid putting any of the shop water into your tank.

Occasionally we need to medicate our systems, and it is best to avoid adding any medication to your tank.
Some tips for settling new fish in your tank:

• Try to ensure conditions in your tank are as good as possible. If needed, do a water change before adding the new fish.


• Try to ensure conditions in your tank are as close as possible to the conditions the fish is used to. This may mean testing the pH and salinity of your tank and the water the fish is, and adjusting so that they are as close as possible. You can always ask us what salinity and pH our systems are running at when you purchase your fish.

Aggression from existing fish is a common problem when adding new fish to your tank. Try the following to cut down on aggression:

• If you can, move some of the rocks or decorations in your tank to different positions. Fish are territorial, and this can help to break up the territory.


• Distract existing fish with food to distract their attention from the new fish.


• Keep the new fish in the bag for a while (or put in a breeder net or box) so that existing fish can have a look at the new fish without being able to touch them.


• Allow the new fish enough time to get its bearings, then switch off the lights.


• If there is a serious risk of aggression (eg. mixing multiple angels or tangs) try to add fish at the same time. Sometimes it is preferable to catch existing fish, then add fish back in at the same time.


• If you have a dominant fish in your tank that is likely to harass a new fish, try to ensure the new fish is the same size or slightly larger than your existing fish.

Often minor aggression when a new fish is first added settles down after a couple of days. Keep a close eye on your fish to ensure the aggression doesn’t get out of hand, but sometimes you just need to let it run its course.

It is quite common for a fish to hide for a couple of days when first introduced to a new tank. You can try coaxing the fish out with food, but it is nothing to panic about. Allow the fish to get used to its new environment in its own time.

Ensure you have hiding places for fish to retreat to if they need to. This will make them feel more at home and more confident about coming out and swimming around.

If you have any concerns or questions about fish you have purchased from us, please don’t hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to help.

Sorry this didn't get answered earlier Vloeds, but the FAQ module had a hemorrhage of some description and wouldn't approve any answers

Your water change frequency will depend on a range of factors - your filtration, stocking levels, feeding levels, amount of live rock, etc etc etc. The wisest course is to monitor the effect of your water change regime by frequent testing, and adjust for optimum water quality.

At only 195 litres I would suggest a base of 10% weekly and watch your test results. Smaller water changes more frequently is a better course of action as larger water changes can affect the stability of your setup.

If you have more detailed questions please let us know.


Thanks,
Tim

We recommend you wait at least a week before adding fish to your new tank. You should set the tank up, get the filter running, add chlorine neutraliser and leave the water to sit.
The reason for this is that water straight out of the tap, even if you have added chlorine neutraliser, can be dangerous for fish. Your tank needs to go through a cycle to ensure that the filter is working effectively to deal with the waste your fish will produce.
Your filtration media needs time to populate with bacteria that help to break down fish waste. In simple terms, this bacteria turns decomposing fish waste (ammonia - toxic to fish) into nitrite (less toxic to fish) and then into nitrate (not toxic.) Nitrate (still not a good idea to have high levels of this in your tank) can then be reduced by regular water changes.
The bacteria needs some waste to start to get established. You can achieve this by adding a small amount of fish food to your tank, just as you would if you had a small fish. You can also add a hardy fish to the tank to achieve the same thing, however we do recommend you wait a week before you do this, to allow the water to age so the fish does not become stressed by unstable water conditions.

This is not true. Very few fish can live happily in a small bowl.
The reason bowls are not very good homes for fish is that they often don't have a lot of surface area, and surface area is very important for oxygen exchange in water.
Goldfish require very high levels of oxygen in their water and create a lot of waste. This means that it is best to have some filtration in your goldfish tank to create water movement and therefore oxygen, and also to help break down fish waste.
Goldfish also grow very large very fast. Most will soon outgrow a small bowl. Our recommendation is to have at least 20 litres of water per small goldfish. More volume is always better.
So basically, if you would like to keep goldfish, the best home for them is a tank with sufficient volume, preferably wider than it is tall, with a good filter.

You will often notice that we will ask you questions when you are buying fish or corals from us, such as:

• How long has your tank been set up?
• What other fish do you currently have in your tank?
• What sort of filtration does your tank have?
• What sort of lighting do you have?

We are not just being nosy, we are trying to establish whether the creature you are purchasing is suitable for your tank. Many fish, both fresh and saltwater, are aggressive towards certain other fish, or territorial. This can cause disharmony (or worse.) Other creatures simply will grow too large for your tank, or will grow large enough to eat your other inhabitants. Many species of coral or plants have certain light or flow requirements.
We want you to have a tank you are happy with, so we will give you the best advice we are able to with the information we have available.

Yes, we do.
We ship airport - airport anywhere in Australia. For most places we use Virgin Blue Freight and charge a flat rate of $60 for a 20kg size foam box.
There are a few places (eg. Canberra, some regional areas) that we need to use Australian air Express for, and this usually works out a little more expensive. Please contact us for a quote.
On the day your shipment is sent, we will contact you with a consignment note number which you will need to take to the airport. We will also let you know what flight your box is on and estimated time of arrival. It is a good idea to allow about 30 minutes after the flight time to allow the box to get from the plane to the freight terminal. It is also a good idea to check the flight time before you go to the airport in case of delays.
We can also now courier livestock to the Gold Coast or Sunshine Coast for $15, directly to your door. You do need to make sure you will be home to receive your box, however. All deliveries are made in the afternoon.
We cannot ship on the same day you order your fish, as often we need to get the box to the airport first thing in the morning so it gets on a flight, and also because we like to skip feeding your fish the day before they are shipped. This means there is less chance of the fish defecating in their bags and causing unsafe levels of ammonia.
We use special shipping granules in the bags, to soak up any ammonia that may be present, so don't worry about the little brown things in the bottom of the bags! We also use reinforced bags and add as much oxygen as possible.
We require full payment before your shipment is sent. You can call us with your credit card details (we don't accept AMEX or Diners), or we can provide our bank details if you would like to pay by direct deposit. If you are using this method, please email us the transfer receipt as confirmation.
Although all care is taken in packing your livestock, we have no control over what happens to the box after we deliver it to the airport. Unfortunately this means that we cannot offer any guarantees. We do not have a DOA (Dead on Arrival) policy. If you do experience any problems with livestock you purchase from us, however, please let us know as soon as possible and we will do what we can to help.
If you require any more information about shipping, please contact us.

To experienced fish keepers, this may sound like a ridiculous question, but the vast majority of people don't understand the difference between fresh and salt water aquariums. I have been keeping fish since I was a young child, and I can still remember when I discovered marine tanks, more than 20 years ago, so we need to remember that we all have to learn at some stage. The answer is ... NO! ... "NEMOs", or more appropriately 'Clown Fish' come from the ocean and are therefore salt water fish, and cannot be kept in fresh water with gold fish. They will die, but for a greater explanation it is best to talk to Kate or Tim in store, or call them for further advice.

Tannins in driftwood cause discolouration of the water in freshwater tanks. This is normal and won't affect your fish, it just looks awful. It will decrease over time, as the driftwood ages. If you would like to speed up the process, you can boil the wood in a saucepan, soak it in a bucket for a couple of weeks, or use a product such as BioChemZorb or Purigen to clear the water. You can sometimes buy pre-soaked driftwood to avoid this problem.

Ah, this is such a common myth, possibly invented by a fish seller many years ago to allow him to sell more fish. The reality is that although many fish do not attain their absolute maximum size in captivity, they have the potential to, and provided that water and food are of a high quality, many fish grow very fast in tanks and a lot of people find that their previously tiny fish is suddenly far too big for their tank. We always recommend only purchasing fish that can be accommodated comfortably in your tank once they reach their maximum size.

It is very important to provide a stable environment for your marine fish. The cycling process varies from tank to tank, and can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months. You need to allow your new tank to go through the nitrogen cycle and then stabilise to ensure you are providing the absolute best water conditions for your fish. Be patient, and enjoy the experience! Live rock is more interesting than you think. Get out your magnifying glass and have a look!