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msscha's 24 gallon office cube


msscha

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Whelk Removal in Progress

 

I have already taken out 5 whelks -- Why? Here are the Shimek articles that inspired action: Whelks Pics of Whelk Eating Limpet. Also found good pics and advice on Melev's Reef here and here. Of course, watching it go after my turbo was the final motivation. The ones I caught yesterday I brought over to my lfs -- he recognized them immediately, especially after spotting the body; they are quite distinct. I removed another two today.

 

Yesterday, I wrote that I didn't think the whelk had done any damage because the zoas didn't seem upset. However, I really don't know how independent each stalk is from its neighbor. Today, I noticed some red patches in the white "film" that seems to cover the stalks of each head. I am not sure if this is whelk damage or not, but it does make me more willing to remove them!

 

Whelk Damage?

whelk_damage.bmp

whelk_damage2.bmp

 

Whelk -- not a great photo b/c cannot see mouth part, but shows typical body pattern

whelk4.bmp

 

Red Acan -- for lack of a better term! Adjusting nicely :)

acan_red1.bmp

 

Monster Acan!!

acan_happy.bmp

 

 

On Friday, my salinity should be back up to normal and I'm bringing home a gold coral-banded shrimp! The poor thing lost a pincer, but it will come back after the next molt. The lfs thought it had disappeared, but found it hiding quite cleverly under a rock when moving stuff around. He is saving it for me (I hope!). I am also going to add a maxi-jet 900 to increase flow some. And maybe it's my imagination, but it seems to me that the ricordea are just a tad more colorful since I dosed with minimum doses (M/W) of Instant Ocean's Reef Accelerator. But, this could be some sort of visual placebo effect ;).

Edited by msscha
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I'm ok with the placebo effect! Those top acans look just like mine that are growing slowly but steadily. They're nice. Good luck with the shrimp!

Thanks! Funny with the acans -- the bigger one grew slowly and steadily then BAM! That sucker just took off, maybe around 2 months after being in the tank. I'm hoping the new one follows the same pattern fingerscrossed.

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Mighty nice acans you got there. I didn't know that about whelks vs nassarius. I always learn something knew on your thread B)

I don't know much about zoa damage but my first guess would be some sort of algae. Is it definitely in/part of the zoa and not on it's surface?

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Mighty nice acans you got there. I didn't know that about whelks vs nassarius. I always learn something knew on your thread B)

I don't know much about zoa damage but my first guess would be some sort of algae. Is it definitely in/part of the zoa and not on it's surface?

You know, I'm not sure about that! It does indeed look like a velvet red algae I have in other parts of the tank. It also looks as though there is an "edge" around the red part, making it look as though it has been peeled back. The zoas do not seem worse for it, so I'm not really worried. It's just another interesting thing to watch for!

 

And I just found 2 new baby heads on the new acan! Yeah!!!

Edited by msscha
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Small complaint -- was over at Reefkeeping mag reading something and noticed that every TOTM I could find was kept by a male. There are no women with great tanks?

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Small complaint -- was over at Reefkeeping mag reading something and noticed that every TOTM I could find was kept by a male. There are no women with great tanks?

 

It's very well documented in the US that men overstate their accomplishments while women understate theirs. Ya'll need to brag more :D.

 

Just sayin!

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It's very well documented in the US that men overstate their accomplishments while women understate theirs. Ya'll need to brag more :D.

 

Just sayin!

That is a good point. And from my experience it is a heavily male-dominated hobby. But I would love to see more women in the hobby and featured as TOTMs. Yay for equality.

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That is a good point. And from my experience it is a heavily male-dominated hobby. But I would love to see more women in the hobby and featured as TOTMs. Yay for equality.

 

I agree. Doing my part! My daughter is into this big time and will get the BC when I upgrade :D.

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I agree. Doing my part! My daughter is into this big time and will get the BC when I upgrade :D.

Awesome! My parents would never let me get into the hobby when I was young. So as soon as I went off to college I started on my own.

 

Heeey we live near each other!

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Awesome! My parents would never let me get into the hobby when I was young. So as soon as I went off to college I started on my own.

 

Heeey we live near each other!

 

Yep. Did you make it to the ARC frag swap last weekend? They handed out some nice stuff.

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Spring Break Week and the Weather is Fine!

 

You know you love your fish tank when it is the only reason to come into the office! I did spend a couple of hours working, waiting for the chilly morning to warm from 37 F to 65 F, which is a more pleasant temp for putting in the rose garden. The tank inhabitants all look fine this morning, even the new gold coral banded shrimp. It has undergone its first molt (stress molt?) which is miraculous to me b/c on Friday, it had only one front claw and today both are back!

 

I am thinking that I may order a couple pieces of coral from Reef Gardener. She's got some lovely pieces that my lfs doesn't seem to get hold of. Have to think about the shipping stress and whether it is worth the risk.

 

Gold Coral Banded Shrimp -- not a great pic! It's still quite shy

goldbandshrimp1.bmp

 

Trimma -- has been out exploring much more the last week

trimma3.bmp

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I adore your new gold coral banded shrimp. I WANT ONE :lol: They are sooooo pretty. Someday, for sure :)

 

I would definitely order from Reef Gardener. You get discounted shipping since you are in Florida, too. I'd be ordering all the time :happy: (like I don't already :lol:)

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Yep. Did you make it to the ARC frag swap last weekend? They handed out some nice stuff.

No :angry: I had already planned a trip to LA that weekend. I hate I missed it, but I did go kelp diving B)

 

It has undergone its first molt (stress molt?) which is miraculous to me b/c on Friday, it had only one front claw and today both are back!

Wow that's amazing. Trimma is gorgeous.

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Sick Blastos?

 

My newest Blasto is not happy, so withdrawn it's skeleton is clearly visible. It has some kind of red, tubular growth that gets bigger, does not retract, and looks firm, like a tubeworm without the feather duster part. I don't know if I should just take it out now or if this is something normal. Nothing in the tank seems to be eating the little red things.

 

I have also spotted 2 new aiptasia today. I want another peppermint shrimp!

 

sick_blasto1.bmp

 

Update: Probably homotrema rubrum, a type of foraminiferans -- here's an article by Shimek!. I sincerely hope this is the case. I actually got the ID after asking in the disease/pest management forum then doing some searching, landing me squarely back in NR on an older post :lol:. If it is a type of foram, then it shouldn't bother the blasto. But the blasto is not happy, though doesn't look quite as bad as it did this morning. It also has an odd spongey-looking whitish thing growing under one of the heads. I've got several new patches of nearly transparent sponge-y/tunicate-y looking things...and even more little aiptasia than noticed previously. I am SO bringing home some peppermints tomorrow!

Edited by msscha
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New Ricordea

Similar color pattern as another orange-and-purple one, but the center on this guy is brighter.

I also spotted 4 new heads on the latest acan purchase -- woo hoo!

 

ricordea_orange1.bmp

Edited by msscha
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I hope you figure out what's bugging the blastos! They are so pretty...I don't want you to lose them! It doesn't look like disease to me, but rather like something is irritating them.

 

I was on sealifeinc.net the other day and saw I can get a ball sponge just like yours! I may do that. I just have to figure out where I'll put it :lol:

 

I really love the color of that sponge. I need more yellow in my tank.

 

Pretty new ricordea too :)

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I was on sealifeinc.net the other day and saw I can get a ball sponge just like yours! I may do that. I just have to figure out where I'll put it :lol:

 

FWIW, I just received a shipment from them today.. about $100 worth of stuff, mostly gorgonian (great prices btw!). I really like everything I got and they even threw in a few extra things! I was tempted by the sponge, but I think its too big for my little nano.

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FWIW, I just received a shipment from them today.. about $100 worth of stuff, mostly gorgonian (great prices btw!). I really like everything I got and they even threw in a few extra things! I was tempted by the sponge, but I think its too big for my little nano.

Funny you should mention the size...I sent a question in to them asking if they have any of the yellow ball sponges that are smaller than a tennis ball. Tennis ball would definitely be too big. I asked for golf ball or ping pong ball size :lol:

 

Still waiting to hear back.....

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msscha, you have such colorful stuff :)

Mucho Gracias! I've been gardening all week, the kind with dirt, so have not been keeping up much. Popped into the LFS yesterday to grab a peppermint and maybe a new frag only to find they have sold the business to some dude named James. :o That's about all I've got to say. I feel a bit betrayed, and am trying to realize how childish that is. Those people owed me nothing, and they are moving onto to other fishy adventures. Still. I don't know James from Adam, and 1/2 the staff is thinking of quitting. May be ordering from reefgardener after all!

 

Took the new peppermint to the office and found the tank a wreck! Well, at least something bulldozed a bunch of coral up front, and I nearly cried when I thought all my zoas were dead. Turned out they were just totally tipped upside down :P ! Duh. The sick blasto is definitely dying, though. Half the heads are white; bummer. I hope the new peppermint makes it through and eats up the aiptasia. I'll see tomorrow morning!

 

Funny you should mention the size...I sent a question in to them asking if they have any of the yellow ball sponges that are smaller than a tennis ball. Tennis ball would definitely be too big. I asked for golf ball or ping pong ball size :lol:

 

Still waiting to hear back.....

My yellow ball sponges haven't grown at all since I got them. At least, not that I can tell! But they are not dying and all my other filter feeders are alive and happy so I'm not worried. The LFS had the CUTEST little clown in and I almost bought it. I resisted: too many living souls in the tank is not good, and Bozette shows no signs of loneliness. But it was sooo cute!

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Shoot...I hate when a LFS changes owners. It usually goes downhill from my experience. I hope yours doesn't.

 

I ordered a yellow ball sponge from sealifeinc. They got back to me and said they had small ones but just had not listed them yet. I'm going to have one just like you :happydance:

 

Now to figure out where to put it :lol:

 

I'm glad your zoas were all ok!!!!!! Big bummer about the blastos though :(

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Monday Morning Surprises

 

Came into the office this morning to find the peppermint shrimp had molted, but no sign of the shrimp itself. Since it was pretty good sized, the fact that I don't see it probably means it's dead, but there's no body anywhere! Then, I nearly had a heart attack when I saw a flat yellow thing with antennae crawling on my tubipora. It looked just like a yellow flatworm, but when I scraped it off the coral, it had a hard shell. A few minutes later, and I could see that it is actually a limpet! I am so glad, but have no idea where the thing comes from. I hope all the commotion hasn't killed it. I returned it to the tank, but it has yet to move from where it dropped. Then, I saw the little pistol or some other thing casually walk across the sand before disappearing into the rock. Cheeky fellow! [aah -- I flipped the limpet onto its belly and now it's moving. Yay! :happydance:]

 

yellow_limpet1.bmp

yellow_limpet2.bmp

 

Now, onto all the grading I didn't do over Spring break. Yuck :wacko:

Edited by msscha
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cool! i've got some critters that look like your limpet, although they're brown. looks like a snail, only without a shell, just a plate covering about 1/2 of their bodies. i guess maybe they're limpets too? i watched them, and figure since they aren't using my corals as snail-thing chow, they could stay :P

i've noticed when stuff dies in a reef tank, at least half the time it just disapears :/

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Took the new peppermint to the office and found the tank a wreck! Well, at least something bulldozed a bunch of coral up front, and I nearly cried when I thought all my zoas were dead. Turned out they were just totally tipped upside down :P ! Duh. The sick blasto is definitely dying, though. Half the heads are white; bummer. I hope the new peppermint makes it through and eats up the aiptasia. I'll see tomorrow morning!

Whew glad the zoas are okay! That has happened to me before too lol. I hate to hear about the blastos :( I love blastos. Have any idea what's wrong?

 

I ordered a yellow ball sponge from sealifeinc. They got back to me and said they had small ones but just had not listed them yet. I'm going to have one just like you :happydance:

sealifeinc is on my list for future purchases. I saw those sponges and I want some too B)

 

cool! i've got some critters that look like your limpet, although they're brown. looks like a snail, only without a shell, just a plate covering about 1/2 of their bodies.

Could be a stomatella snail.

 

That's a cool limpet find! Hope the peppermint shows up. Don't fret yet. I don't know about your rockscape but mine has enough places that my peppermint shrimp and two crabs can all hide where it is impossible to find them.

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