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The tank has been humming along, doing its thing. Hard to believe it's been half a year already!
I've been following my dosing regimen (CAL 420 ALK 9 MAG 1350) and coral seem to be happy. The rainbow monti which had lost about 50% of its tissue has grown it all back, except for one little spot that is almost closed up. I'm pretty amazed that the dosing impacted things so quickly. My rainbow stylo still has some little bare spots where algae has sprouted up and this seems to be impeding the re-growth of new tissue. Should I prune the dead branches or just leave them and be patient? So I've been adding things here and there. Pretty happy about my Oregon Tort. I never thought I'd have a coral this beautiful. This is the closest my camera skills can capture the colour. It's much nicer in real life. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1731/...0445f76b_z.jpg I took some mushrooms that I didn't want anymore to the LFS. Not much there but this caught my eye. So cool! My daughter doesn't understand my enthusiasm ("it's just a blob") but I like it. Hope I can keep it alive. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1730/...0153bdb0_z.jpg Meet my little monster Stanley. JL said he's a decorator crab but I believe he's a sponge crab. He is not reef safe so he's in the sump. I just had to have him because who can resist a crab with a toupee? Funny story...I found him a week later, sans toupee & upside down. I was sad that he was dead. I examined him (cuz he's interesting) and he was heavy and perfect. I put him in one of my flower beds. A week later, there's Stanley in the sump, toupee and all. It had been a molt! How can a molt be so perfect? Anyway, I'm picturing him taking his toupee (it's the same ball of chaeto) off the molt and putting it on his brand new head :lol: https://farm1.staticflickr.com/969/4...f43c07f9_z.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1754/...d2c4f904_z.jpg My mandarin had lost some weight in the last couple of months in the old 75 gal, but has definitely fattened up in the new tank. He is also much more active and spry, zipping here and there like a ninja. I think I'm ready to get him a lady friend, but it seems there are no female mandarins around. I've asked JL to let me know if they come across one. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1722/...05a4b7c8_z.jpg |
Awesome updates! That crab looks evil :lol:... maybe the chaeto is a ghillie suit I’m which he uses to ambush unexpecting prey. I love the mandarin fish! Super jealous. I tried one way back when I had my 75g but he got so skinny and eventually died. I tried so hard to keep him alive spending a couple $100 in pods added directly in but it didn’t work.
It’s nice to see yours is doing well. I’m too scared to try another one, sometimes I look at night to try to count pods to convince my wife the tank is ready. I have also heard of some mandarins eating frozen mysis (probably hard to get). Following along! Looks great. |
The summer has flown by. Luckily the tank is in our basement which stays very cool so the temps have been stable.
In memoriam...:cry: Sadly I had a couple of losses in early August. I've been very fortunate & haven't experienced this a lot, and I have a hard time with it. Basil the tailspot. Not sure what happened here, one day fine the next missing at evening roll call. He was almost 3 years old and was mature when I got him (I picked the biggest one) so was it old age? I really would like to get another one but hate to think they have short life spans :sad: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1752/...47ca0ffa_z.jpg Peach the fromia. Well, I enjoyed her for 8 months. I've tried to read up on these guys and this seems to be about the average time they last in tanks. Anyone have a different experience? Beautiful creature - hate to think we are not able to provide the environment for them to live out their natural life span? Very conflicted about getting another one but loved seeing her in the tank. Here she is taking a ride on a snail & falling off. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1768/...2db7c92b_z.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1743/...c190cfcd_z.jpg On to happier news...I finally got the stand doors on and painted. Went with black. Whew! Boring stuff all done.:biggrin: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1859/...3a6d3d75_z.jpg Got my first (and only) tang! I was lucky and found one in perfect shape. Also just under 2.5" so the price was lower :mrgreen: He was shy for about 5 minutes and is doing very well. His personality is like the one in Finding Nemo. Very amusing despite being a tang. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1806/...db568b7e_z.jpg I've continued to slowly add new coral and have settled into watching the tank evolve and grow. Here are some of the goings on... Awesome new goniopora. Each little "petal" is tipped with a tiny bit of purple. (Not evident with my poor photo skills) https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1819/...236285ed_z.jpg Btw, above monti has totally recovered since I started dosing. This was how it looked back in March.https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1898/...ec5ec305_z.jpg The other unhappy coral, a rainbow stylo, is almost back to 100% https://farm1.staticflickr.com/887/4...8269ea63_z.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1898/...789c2a70_z.jpg The Jedi Mind Trick has become a bit of a monster and I've had to isolate the rock. I've circled the original frag I bought from WarDog Oct2016. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1848/...5f90de53_z.jpg The Diablo has also put on good growth. Can't quite capture the colours. The entire canopy part is new growth. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1852/...b416059b_z.jpg Rainbow Loom is almost all bright yellow (doesn't show in photo). Not sure what I can do to get pink back. Pearlberry is nice though. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1878/...b50b21f6_z.jpg Cheato ball really needs to be harvested. Credit goes to Stanley's dedicated grooming. He goes over it like the Little Prince on his planet, carefully picking it over. https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1829/...4bc71ca9_z.jpg My latest additions. So lovely. Hope they don't break my heart... https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1820/...1b0d96ee_z.jpg Hope everyone is enjoying the summer! |
My mandarin uses up a life, gets a wife
My mandarin used up the second of his 9 lives (at least I hope he has that many). The first life gone was due to me being an idiot and cutting the top off the bag too fast. It exploded and he splashed onto the floor, right in between the washer and dryer. In a controlled panic, I carefully used my net to coax him into jumping towards me, then ran to dump him into the DT. So much for acclimation, etc. Now two years later, I was staring into the tank and thought, huh what's that pretty blue stripey thing inside the rock...turns out it's Po's face staring out at me. He somehow found a tunnel entrance under the rock where the pistol shrimp lives and got stuck coming out. Luckily my scape is not glued together, so I lifted up the rock & he swam out. Hid in his cave for 2 days barely moving, then he was fine. Any other rock and I wouldn't have seen him but this one was right in front. Whew!
He is especially grateful because JL came through and let me know they had a lady friend for him. She's lovely and the perfect size for him. This guy who does not know other living creatures exist (other than pods) immediately perked up upon seeing her, raising his fin. A little spirited chasing, nothing aggressive. She slept in his cave the first night, but don't judge her. Hoping to see the mating dance soon. Well, hello... (Is that your dorsal fin or are you just happy to see me?) https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1973/...da81d194_c.jpg The hawkfish trying not to notice the politically incorrect behavior https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1913/...30490af9_c.jpg You'll be back - you can't resist me... https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1977/...8611464d_c.jpg |
Hahaha love the story book!!! I had a good laugh reading through your last posts. On a serious note, I think this has made me want to finally acquire a mandarin :biggrin:
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Stunning fish!
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Really enjoyed reading all your posts. Totally reminds me of that initial wonder I felt when I setup my first tank. No matter how into the hobby I get I can't quite capture those same feelings again. The new tank is really coming along well done!
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Thanks!
Finally finding a female is the culmination of a lot of planning and waiting. I only added one rock when I upgraded to the larger tank. I really think the chaeto & sump has helped boost the pod population. |
Lastlight, thanks for the kind words. Religiously reading everyone’s build threads (including yours) helped so much; if I only relied on LFS info, I’m pretty sure I would have failed miserably. This hobby has been so much fun. It’s pretty funny remembering how excited I was to get mushrooms with my rock when I was setting up my first tank. I was so worried they wouldn’t make it through the 5-minute car ride home.
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Tank is looking really good! Keep doing what you're doing!
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Puffers
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Those little puffers make all fresh water guys turn. I ALSO got into to salt because of those little puffers and never looked back. Not even close to being the same thing. A sump is JUST another tank and nothing more no matter what others might say. A hang on filter is fine. Although I am a firm believer in a good skimmer. |
mrdss...
Glad to hear there's another Green Spotted Puffer fan out there:) These guys are the most personable fish around and it's easy to get very attached to them. So much smarter than the other fish, and of course the expressive eyes are wonderful. Would love to see pics of your GSP? How long have you had them? Puff Diddy: https://farm1.staticflickr.com/940/3...c62c20b1_c.jpg Nancy: https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4713/...88e6c3b9_c.jpg |
Hahaha those puffers are hilarious! They look like lots of fun.
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A long while back, I noticed there were hitchhikers on my turbo snail. At first I thought they might be babies, then harmless symbionts scraping the glass alongside their host.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1920/...ee7a717a_c.jpg Now, I noticed one on the shell of my Halloween hermit and decided to pry it off as it was getting big. I saw it had worn a little hole in the hermit's shell, and then I remembered my big turbo dying a couple months ago (I have my original 4 snails). Could they be parasitic? Anyway, I fished out my remaining turbos and pried all the little guys off. Sure enough, they had damaged the host shells. Then, because my puffers said please, I gave them a little treat. They were like oysters on the half shell for these guys. :twised: https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1915/...e434e1ae_c.jpg |
Those guys look awesome! My kids will want them for sure if they see them!
I'll entertain this... They need to be found at a freshie store and acclimated to salt correct? They'll decimate the bunch of trocus snails I just bought? And my cleaner shrimp? Anyways I enjoy the pics of your tanks progression! Looking good! |
Yeah they’re usually sold as freshwater. I haven’t seen them around lately, maybe because of their reputation for being “difficult.” I haven’t found this to be the case. Some people acclimate them by slowly raising their salinity over months but I took the advice of doing a 24-hour drip. They were totally fine.
They love shellfish as much as I do, ha ha. Crustaceans are their natural prey. Most CUC have enough protection against them - I have snails, hermits, urchins and have not lost any. However I would not keep shrimp (although I do have a pistol with YWG). They are my faves for sure. |
I cannot believe the puffers are freshwater lol. They look like they have some awesome personality in the tank.
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My first aptasia!
I always remove whatever I buy from frag plugs (mostly because I don't like the look of them), but when I got SpongeBob, I didn't want to disturb him thinking he'd die for sure, and he was fully encrusted on his little rock plate. Anyway, I got him in back in June and he's been doing his thing, which is a lot of nothing thankfully. Then the other day as I was moving things around as I often do, I see....dun dun dun - aptasia! My first encounter. Six of them peeking out all around his plate. Where have they been hiding all this time?
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1913/...61352afe_b.jpg After some quick googling, I decided to fish him out in a clear container and injected a bit of vinegar into each one. One of the larger ones withered & hung down in a heap immediately. It's been a few days and no re-appearance but I will keep an eye on Bob for a while. |
When I get a frag/coral/sponge that I can't separate from the base or there are dead areas of the base that are exposed I always cut off as much as I can and I cover the rest with superglue right up to and on the edge of the live tissue. This helps reduce the potential for unwanted hitchhikers.
Hopefully they have not spread elsewhere |
I have to admit this was one addition I didn't inspect as carefully as I usually do. I was so worried about getting it into the tank without exposing it to air. It sure goes to prove how easy it is to bring a pest into the tank. On the other hand, my examination of it in the clear container also showed a low-growing cool sponge on the rock. So there's good with the bad.
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I also finally have a new tail spot blenny to replace dearly departed Basil. After hiding for a day, Jenny now goes all over the tank and gets along with the segmented blenny.
https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1905/...0480aaa9_b.jpg https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1969/...666162f9_b.jpg |
I might obsess slightly over the the puffers but they are such singular oddballs. On occasion, they will be frighteningly fat first thing in the morning. What could they possibly have eaten? First thing I check is the pistol shrimp. Nope, there he is opening up shop for the day. Hermits? All fine. Hmm... My best guess are giant amphipods (maybe 300 of them?) or 50 brittle stars.
This picture doesn't even capture how big his stomach is. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4900/...a7cd6136_b.jpg |
You definitely need to keep a daily head count of your crustaceans with that little cutie.
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One good thing is they cleaned up my vermetid snail issue. Only a few in places they can’t reach. My hermits & snails have been safe but the poor acropora crab lasted only a week. Definitely a heavy shell is crucial for survival.
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Black Friday goodies
Being the frugal hobbyist that I am, I've been looking forward to Black Friday for a while. I finally got a new powerhead (Tunze). Just as well , since my cheap Jebao is coughing along and the Koralia that I started with 3 years ago for the 75g died the same day I noted smugly that it was still working and the day before the Tunze arrived. Whew! I felt I needed to stand there stirring the tank with a wooden spoon! Yeesh. Anyway, guess I have to buy another one as I like the Tunze. Boxing Day sales?
I also got a new screen top. Really glad because the old one that came with the tank was all bent and kinda ugly. I've been looking around at different options including screen windows. I like this one because it looks nicer and fits really snugly because it has a lip and sits on top of rather than inside the rim. Not even an eel can get out :biggrin: It's a D&D Jumpguard. I'm going to jerry rig a little lid for the feeding window as soon as the husband can cut me a little piece of acrylic. https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4896/...887015ff_b.jpg Not a BF purchase, but I was surprised to get an email from JL that a fish I've wanted since I got into the hobby was available. I was so happy! I've never seen it locally, only on US sites. Walt is a red spot blenny and he is the bees knees. I am crossing my fingers that he will thrive as his needs are similar to a lawnmower, which is one fish I've lost due to not eating :cry: He is scraping stuff off the back wall, which I leave alone for the pods and such, as well as the rocks. Hope he'll eat other foods as he settles in. I love this guy! https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4814/...148cd1e2_b.jpghttps://farm5.staticflickr.com/4895/...fdff0bd3_b.jpghttps://farm5.staticflickr.com/4879/...97851fb3_b.jpg As stuff is growing, I've had to increase my dosing. However, I haven't tested frequently enough and had a bit of a dip in magnesium and calcium. I corrected it but my Red Dragon announced its displeasure the next day:sad: (while I was admiring Walt perched underneath) https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4844/...6ac1ec30_b.jpg While I mulled over what to do, the next morning another branch was white so I decided to frag off the live branches and pieced them together. I think this SPS doesn't really encrust but I hope it grows enough to hide my patch job :redface: Not sure how it will do... https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4869/...0c712dcf_b.jpg |
Do you quarantine your fish?
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A respectfully considered “no.”
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I played Russian Roulette about 10 years ago, got velvet and lost everything in that tank, fish I had for 15 years. Sad thing was I usually quarantine but I wasn't set up at that moment and thought 1 little fish would be OK.
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Frags have grown quite a bit so far :smile:. The new red spot is an awesome looking Blenny, I’m sure he will do well!
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Frogger,
This is a heavily debated topic with valid points on both sides and I’ve read more pages about it than I can count. My philosophy is to run as balanced and natural an environment as I can with a glass box, and I don’t consider it to be Russian roulette. I mitigate the odds as much as I can with sourcing the livestock, feeding a good diet, etc and so far have never lost a fish to disease. So many things are a calculated risk. For example I’ve seen many times experienced hobbyists introducing a large number of fish, many with aggressive temperaments, all at once, even into a freshly cycled tank. I feel this is not a good recipe for success, yet no one bats an eye. I did get stuff for a quarantine tank when I was intending to add a blue tang (calculated risks and all) but ended up changing my mind when I couldn’t get past its large mature size. I still have copper tests if anyone needs it.. DKoKoMan, Thanks, from your lips to God’s ear:lol: He really is a character, like a grumpy old dude with measles. I hope he doesn’t get aggressive as some do. It’s funny how my tastes are evolving. I have a pink birds nest (my first SPS) that I was proud of which has grown to quite a size, very densely branched as well. Lately I’m resenting the calcium this monster is sucking up and thinking how nice it would be to replace it with something nicer, haha |
Spring is in the air!!!
Spring really must be in the air because a couple of cool things happened with the fishies. Very exciting and satisfying for me as these were two big wants since starting the hobby 3 years ago.
First, my clownfish FINALLY decided to graciously accept their host, after a year of ignoring various "tricks" plus I even sold the old colony and got a new anemone back in December. https://youtu.be/U6ThVr82Kak Then, my mandarins Po and Tigress chose Daylight Savings to perform their spawning dance for the first time - under moonlights of course. https://youtu.be/0VfQ2YWIG84 In Jan, my tank marked its 1st anniversary since upgrading from the 75gal. It has been a fun year and I've been lucky in that setbacks have been few and minor. I learned a lot and look forward to more lessons down the road. 1st anniversary of tank upgrade: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e3086d9e_c.jpg New friends: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...f8d9e0f8_c.jpg https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...96743370_c.jpg |
Yes!!! Love the little puffer hahaha. The tank is looking great! You have had some really growth which is nice to see.
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Thanks DKoKoMan. Yeah the puffers are very curious, always checking things out. The red spot blenny is also watching it all from his shell. He’s like the grumpy old guy glaring at his neighbours. “What are those dang whippersnappers up to at this time of night?”
Have you added a pair to your tank yet?:biggrin: |
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I’ve added copepods twice in the three years of the two tanks. Once just before I added Po (75 gal was 8 months old) and the second time was last year when I did the tank transfer. Your tank is way bigger so it should be good?
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Ok. I will give it a whirl. I just need to find a pair now lol.
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Hope everyone's enjoying the summer weather. I've been having fun observing the shenanigans going on in my tank...
Added this beauty, an Orange Tree gorgonian. Non-photosynthetic so I've been trying hard to keep him fed. His colour is not as bright now sadly. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ff9d0124_c.jpg Patrick the fromia can always be found in a comical pose https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2f29e23c_c.jpg Inkspot tunicate. He refused to be held by mere superglue, shrinking and inflating very defiantly, so I had to MacGyver him down. He's accepted it now, grew a "foot" into the rock in a couple of days:biggrin: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...545fce52_n.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...5ec91563_n.jpg Can't get enough of Walt. What a face https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...10f98f05_c.jpg Before the anemone inflated in the morning, I tried to capture the fatness that is the female clown. Still doesn't show her girth. She is laying quite regularly, and I feel a bit bad when they fuss over the eggs. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...24f1d3ac_n.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6fed73fb_n.jpg Petey likes to stick himself to random spots to sleep. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0f7c3733_n.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...89dbd352_n.jpghttps://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...68acb1d8_n.jpg Blondie decided a tiny door was adequate for Snape but swept the front yard clean https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...37808696_c.jpg I was quite surprised to see how big the Red Diablo was when I was doing a WC. I only see it from the front so it was twice as big as I thought it was:lol: https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2ce85b7e_c.jpg Turned on the lights to capture the polyp madness of the Rainbow Loom https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...4a4ff1c0_c.jpg |
Tanks looking great!
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