> On the "sex" stuff Peter, did your friend use MgCl and CaCl or was he using
> the carbonate forms of these ions?
I think his water was already high in Mg, and he added CaCO3. He found
it made no difference if it was 40ppm each or 400ppm each. I'll actually
be up the Butt Area soon thus if he's around I'll try and find out.
> your friend has detailed notes perhaps they would be worthwhile sharing.
I don't think he has any problem sharing it, it's just that he writes
about as often as most aquarists do.
> "Why this would be evolutionarily advantageous is not obvious".
Does it have to be? Perhaps it's just something they got stuck with.
Not every feature of an organism is evolutionarily advantageous,
otherwise none would go extinct very often.
I'll be more or less off line for the next two weeks or so. Enjoy your
time without me while you can. I'm off to chase exotics across the
desert of Nevada and go to the Butt Area! (and catch a few natives too
but my permit only allows me to take exotics) (Sorry Andrew, you can't
"come", you get stuck with Marlin's BA .....) :-)
Tootles
Peter J Unmack peter.unmack at asu.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------
DESERT FISHES RULE: To boldly thrive where no other fish can make it!
Check out the Australian desert fishes pages at
http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tnhc/.www/fish/dfc/
just click on the Australian portion of the map