Posts Tagged ‘marine’

Sheaf Valley Aquarist Society Fish Auction Report

Sunday, September 13th, 2009

I went to the Sheaf Valley Aquarist Society fish auction today, this is the second time I’ve been to a Sheaf Valley Aquarist Society fish auction. I received a very warm welcome from members of the society, and despite leaving late from York, and driving like a Forumla 1 driver, got to the auction before it started. Auction started shortly after 1pm, and was well catered for with refreshments, drinks and food, fanastic because I’d not eaten all day (I don’t do breakfast!), so it was nice to get a can of pop during a break, when I wasn’t bidding!

Just a list of the few fish that came up for auction, Corydoras (approx 10 different species), Platies, Mollies, Guppies, Angelfish, L-number catfish, Ancistrus (approx 5 different species), Cichlids, Danios, Gouramis and Killifish. I think there was something for most fishkeepers from beginners to experts, and also for sale F1 (local breed) King Tiger Plecos L66s, it wouldn’t be fair to list prices, just make sure you go to the next auction.Lots of dry goods, filters, food, electrical items, tanks. In my opinion, most tank breed local fish are always better quality than whats available in the local tropical fish shops. (if available).

The next auction, and it’s the last auction of the year is on Monday Evening 12th October at The Pheasant Inn, 822 Barnsley Road, Sheffield, S5 0QG. Auction starts at 20:00hrs.

This is the list of items I won today at auction

  • 6 x Pearl Danios (Danio albolineatus)
  • 2 x “Black Nose Sturisoma” (Sturisoma nigrirostrum)
  • 2 x L147 “Head Spot Pleco” (Peckoltia sp. (L147))
  • 2 x Pairs of “Line Breed Half Snakeskin Round Tail Moscow Guppies” (Poecilia reticulata)
  • 6 x Corydoras Kronei (Corydoras barbatus (Sao Paulo))
two boxes of fish!

two boxes of fish!

Again congratulations to members of the society for a execellent auction.

I was also lucky enough to win a few times in the Sheaf Valley Aquarist Society raffle today, and for first prize I selected a new Aqua One external filter and later some ceramic hoop filter media. So it’s always worth purchasing a strip to help out the society.

Raffle Prizes

Raffle Prizes

I also passed Simply Aquatics, 84 – 86 The Common, Ecclesfield, Sheffield, S35 9WN on the return journey, and this is one excellent shop. Excellent  slection of tropical, coldwater and marines, and very well maintained, and clean setup. Five stars and highly recommended, it will be on my places to visit next time I’m in the area. It’s only been open 6 months, and is definately worth a visit, whether begineer or expert. I also met David Marshall, Secretary of Ryedale Aquarist Soceity purchasing fish in Simply Aquatics as well (I didn’t know, I’d been sat next to him in the auction for three hours!). Just Google for David Marshall, Ryedale (click link and you’ll see who I’m referring to). He beat me to purchasing a very nice catfish, I must contact him, and ask him for the latin name, I also bought, what David Bought.

Purchased from Simply Aquatics,

  • 6 x Purple Zebra Danios (Danio rerio)
  • 5 x Spotted Silver Dollars (Metynnis lippincottianus)

The Zebra Danios were described as purple, but they look red/pink to me, the shop is a member of OATA, and assured me they were not dyed, and were true purple/red/pink direct from Malayasia. David and I were interested how these young danios develop and if they breed true. If DEFRA come knocking at our doors, we will know, thay they are GM fish! The Silver Dollars are to grow on for my large oddball tank.

Interesting!

Interesting!

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Trends!

Monday, April 21st, 2008

I’ve noticed more tropical freshwater fish shops converting over to tropical marines only, and I hear rumours that our local Maidenhead@York, and Pets@Home are both adding Marine sections to their portfolio!

Also, have you noticed the popularity of CO2 fertilisation kits in stores, once upon a time, there was only Dennerle! Now we’ve got kits from Aquamedic, Dupla, Ferplast, Hagen, Hydor, JBL, Sera, Tetra.

There must be a market for growing plants!

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System 2000 closure

Monday, July 3rd, 2006

I’ve also learnt that another British aquatics company has closed down. There is however a connection with an aquatic retail outlet, that was the sole distributor for System 2000 products.

UK Marines Ltd

  • Company No.03809034
  • Status: Dissolved 14/05/2002
  • Date of Incorporation: 19/07/1999
  • Compaies House Dissolved UK Marines Ltd for non-compliance, the non-compliance was not filing regular accounts.

System 2000 UK Ltd

  • Company No.03792336
  • Status: Dissolved 12/07/2005
  • Date of Incorporation: 21/06/1999
  • System 2000 UK Ltd applied to be struck off.

System 2000 Ltd

  • Company No.04550968
  • Status: Active – Proposal to Strike off
  • Date of Incorporation: 02/10/2002
  • System 2000 Ltd applied to be struck off.

The Registered Office addresses for all the above limited companies are

507 BRADFORD ROAD
BATLEY
WEST YORKSHIRE
WF17 8LL

or variations of the above

FOUNTAIN MILL
503 BRADFORD ROAD
BATLEY
WEST YORKSHIRE
WF17 8LL

System 2000 Ltd have voluntary applied recently to be struck off, but this has been suspended, because of a Third Party Objection.

The above information was obtained from Companies House Cardiff and is in the public domain.

This triangle of companies all seems a little bit suspicious in my opinion, but it’s a shame that these professional products have bit the dust, leaving many customers with no support or service.

I feel let down, as a System 2000 user, that regularly visited Batley, to purchase spare parts, there was never any mention of a closure. I’m sure they had their reasons.

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Coincidence first Animal House and then UK Marines Ltd

Thursday, June 15th, 2006

Last August I reported that Aquatics Mail Order giant Animal House, Batley, West Yorkshire had closed down, various rumours exist as to why they closed their doors for the very last time.

Almost twelve months later, after discussions with an eBay seller, who was responsible for the disposal of several items from a tropical fish shop in Batley, I discovered that UK Marines Ltd had closed.

This is a picture of the display tank measuring 9`x2`6″x2`6″ which was sold on eBay, following the demise of UK Marines Ltd, Batley, West Yorkshire. Many years ago, this tank was stocked with marine fish, but more recently had large oscars and gouramis present.

UK Marines Ltd Fish Tank 1
Display tank measuring 9`x2`6″x2`6″ at the rear of the shop.

UK Marines Ltd Fish Tank 2
Another tank from UK Marines Ltd

UK Marines Ltd Fish Tank 3
Another tank from UK Marines Ltd

I did some investigations, and spoke to Roy Meeke, he told me he has not been involved with UK Marines Ltd for at least three years. UK Marines Ltd, Company No.03809034 was incorporated in July 1999, the directors at that time were Lynn Day and Roy Meeke, the company was dissolved in May 2002. Therefore it should not have been trading as UK Marines Ltd in the last few years since May 2002!

UK Marines Ltd, never updated their website, or removed Roy Meeke’s name from it.

I’ve discovered some other irregularities with UK Marines Ltd, but more on that later. All this information is available in the public domain.

Did UK Marines Ltd close due to lack of trade in Batley, due to Animal House’s closure?

When Animal House closed, I posed this question to the owner Philip Day, on my reqular visit to UK Marines Ltd, who indiciated that it would not cause a problem, but over the last tweleve months, I noticed a deline in the stock and hardware in the store, and told they were “re-furbishing” the store, and then they were going to “relocate” to Huddersfield!

Good Luck Philip & Lynn, where ever you are…!

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Hikari Saga continues …

Monday, May 22nd, 2006

This hasn’t got aything todo with Noggin the Nog or Nogbad the Bad, although the later could be compared with the EU Legislation in place! Please read on …

I received an email today from a fellow aquarist who breeds Good Quality Discus in South Yorkshire, asking me where I obtained my secret supply of Hikari Algae Wafers, as he has been having difficulties obtaining them. I quickly checked a few mail order suppliers and was surprised to find they were all Out Of Stock, last October I posted an entry, stating the EU had lifted the temporary restriction on Hikari products.

I’ve spoken to PPI this afternoon, the Sole Distributors for Hikari products in the UK, which stated that some stocks of Hikari products were imported into the UK, in September/October 2005, but the temporary restrictions of Hikari products are still in place. I had assumed after this press release in September 2005, that the temporary restrictions had been lifted.

Inspectors are currently visting the Hikari plants in Japan, and a Press Release is due in the next two-three weeks.

The Algae wafer market seems to have been flooded by King British, Tetra and others to plug this hole that currently exists, in my opinion these are not as good. Sera have a good product. Catfish Crisps, my Whiptails prefer these to Hikari Algae Wafers. But I’ve not been able to purchase these in 1kg bags, have I posted this before? rumours state that Sera once made this product for Hikari, before production was moved to Japan – Allegedly.

Sera now have their own excellent coldwater, tropical and marine range of fish foods.

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Aquarium No.9 Relocation Part II

Saturday, December 10th, 2005

The aquarium has been curing for the last 48 hours after I had removed all the old silicone sealer, and re-sealed the aquarium with new. I moved the aquarium outside to test fill and leave for 12 hours to check for leaks.

Aquarium No.9 Test
Removing water with an Eheim 1260 pond pump after test filling.

Finally, moved the aquarium back to its new home, and filled with 50% aquarium water from partial water changes, and 50% HMA filtered water. The electrics are currently temporary, so I can get the Dennerle C400 internal filter, heaters, and lighting on-line to quickly mature the tank. I’m using a 40w Power-Glo tube to encourage algae growth, this tank is for young Sturisoma Aureum, using 40w Power-Glo tubes in the past has proved to be successful in encourage algae growth, these tubes are usually used in Marine aquaria. I also have plans to use an Eheim 2250 external canister filter.

Aquarium No.9 Installed
Aquarium No.9 installed and “maturing”.

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What catfish is this?

Friday, December 2nd, 2005

I purchased two of these catfish over 2 years ago very cheaply from UK Marines Ltd, Batley. I purchased them to reduce the algae in the fish house, but they don’t seem to like too much algae, they were quite small and thin, when purchased, but have grown to about six inches, they are housed in a 6x2x2ft aquarium, and have now started to fight.

Lxxx

I’ve not been able to find these listed in the Datz or Aqualog L numbers books, so I’m curiours to know what they are called, and what L number they are, so If you know, please contact me.

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Oh, I do like to be beside the seaside – Not!

Friday, October 21st, 2005

I wouldn’t normally visit a Seaside resort, I hate all the Kiss Me Quick hats, and red dummy candies.

Today I visited the sleepy town of Porthcawl in the rain, where the shops still close for lunch between 1.00pm – 2.00pm. I thought shops closing for lunch breaks were a thing of the past. So here’s a tip, try and visit before or after lunch, or you’ll have to kill time, like I did for an hour, eating chips, drinking diet-coke, on the “prom”.

Aqua Tech was the reason for my visit; And if there’s any reason for me to upgrade to Tropical Marine this tropical fish shop is the reason. A fantastic collection of well stocked and cared for Tropical Marine fish. Established since 1973! The shop owner is very friendly, which I think is missed from many large aquatic stores today.

On returning, I also visited the Parrot Cichlids again at Wyevale Garden Centre, Pyle. But decided against the purchase of man-made, genetically altered Cichlids.

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What’s for supper?

Thursday, October 6th, 2005



An aquarist in Germany recommended that I try
Sera
Catfish Chips for Ancistrus and Pleco Catfish if I’m finding it difficult in obtaining Hikari
Algae Wafers, he has had great success with this product in Germany. Many high
quality aquarium products come from Germany, Eheim,
Tetra and
Dennerle
are just a few manufacturers,
so I’ll definitely experiment with this product.

Sera retailers in the UK are not common, but I know a place on my doorstep that
stocks Sera products. Petland, York is a
Sera retailer.

I purchased some Sera Catfish Chips for Ancistrus and Pleco Catfish, the
ingredients are very interesting because the usual marine algae and spirulina
are present, but willow wood and bark and alder wood are also ingredients. This
product will certainly help if you have no bogwood present in your aquariums for
the catfish to graze on. Many years ago, when I first saw a "pleco" in aquaria,
it was given willow wood and bark to graze on, this was before the days of any
"Algae Wafers", it was said, that chemicals in the willow made the catfish
sleepy, like an anaesthetic if they ate too much, so it was only fed in small
quantities. This is the first fish food product I’ve seen using "wood" as an
ingredient.

I offer my fish a varied diet to stop them getting hooked on one type of
food, I vary the food each day, here’s a list of the products I use:-

  • Tetra Prima.
  • Tetra Tips Freeze Dried Tablets.
  • Tetra Fresh Delica Daphinia, Bloodworm, Brine Shrimp.
  • Tetra Holiday and Weekend Food Sticks.
  • Tetra Min Flake Food.
  • JMC Catfish Pellets.
  • Barlow’s Aquatics Sinking, Stinking Catfish Pellets.
  • Nutrafin Max Complete Flake Food.
  • Aquarian Tropical Flake Food.
  • Phoenix Tropical Flake.
  • Today’s Freeze Dried Tubifex Worms.
  • ZM 000, 100, 200, 300, 400, Small, Medium and Large Granular Advanced Fish
    Diets.
  • Ruto Frozen foods, Spinach, Tubifex and Bloodworm.
  • Frozen prawns.
  • Courgettes, Cucumber, peas and lettuce.
  • Live Food when available.
  • and Sera Catfish Chips for Ancistrus and Pleco
    Catfish.

When I first started "fishkeeping", many years ago, when my Dad won a
goldfish at the Fun Fair, we came home with a glass goldfish bowl, and a
cardboard tube of ant eggs to feed the goldfish.

Tropical Fish Food Technology has greatly improved! If it had not improved, I
don’t think I would have been as successful in breeding and caring for the
tropical fish in the many years I’ve kept them. For many years I was hooked on
Aquarian Tropical Flake, not personally, but variety is the spice of life!

Go on, change your food today!

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Found an L190 on the A1

Saturday, October 1st, 2005

Okay, I’ve bent the truth a little here, a friend travelling south from Newcastle met me on the A1/A59 at Junc 47, so I could collect a L190 Royal Pleco/Parnaque L190 Panaque nigrolineatus, extremely nice fish, currently in quarantine. Do other people conduct similiar activities?

Whilst as I was only a few miles from Tropica, Knaresborough, I thought I would drop in and have a browse. Tropica have a fantastic planted Dennerle display tank, just inside the door. Well worth a visit if your travelling up the A1, only a few miles from Junc 47 A1 (and this garden centre has a cafe!) From 5th October 2005, they will also be stocking Tropical Marines. I purchased four aquatic plant potting kits.

On returning to York, made a quick visit to Maidenhead Aquatics to purchase some bogwood, I only wanted small pieces, so browsed around in the box to collect the broken pieces, good value for a tenner (10GBP), I don’t think the staff were too amused, as most of the larger pieces are at least 5 kilos, at 5.50 GBP per kilo, that’s a few quid. I just wanted a few small pieces to add to various tanks, for the L’s and plecos to graze on. This wood is definately bogwood, it’s not been sandblasted like Mopani wood. I also checked out the young Angelfish, but didn’t part with any, because I didn’t think they were in good condition, very poor condition, tatty and torn finnage.

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