Caesar777's "REEFING SUX III" Bowfront

[Caesar777]

Ohh, almost forgot to mention the SEAHARE INCIDENT.

 

So we got this big, nasty seahare at work. They had been coming in at about two inches in length, like the size of a very large grape. This one is the size of a lemon. It's proven to be a great algae eater, though, eating film, hair, even bryopsis and this new leafier type that's like stringy Ulva and even more impossible to get rid of than the bryopsis. You could pick him up and put him where you wanted, and he'd eat all around where he's sitting, then move on. As large as he was, he was hard to spot, because he'd always be curled up next to a coral, nibbling algae, and blending right in to its surroundings. He did such a great job that he was moved to the next tank over to clean that one. Eggcrate shelving = impossible to clean, so he's a Godsend. But we hadn't seen him since he'd been put in there. I figured he was blending in--after all, that's what he always did. Meanwhile, I had asked the owner to bring in more seahares because I was so impressed with this one, and they came in today--same species, all nearly as large. I put one in each system, plus one to be moved around the small cube system to eat the bryopsis there.

 

And then I found him. The original seahare. He was stuck to the intake strainer that runs back to the sump in the back. I wasn't sure if he was alive. I went to poke him with whatever I could find--a turkey baster--to attempt to push him off it, but he was stuck tight. And then I hit the ink gland. I knew damn well that these creatures can release a dark purple ink as a deterrent to predators, although it's very uncommon in the aquarium setting. The one time they do it? Not even when sucked onto an intake strainer, but when the aquarist attempts to remove it. And, sure enough, it happened. A huge cloud of dark purple squirted out and was sucked in by the strainer, along with some dissipating into the rest of the water column. I hustled to the back to get The Big Siphon and the trashcan-on-wheels to get him and his ink out asap, and hustled back with said tools. I was able to get him off the strainer, but the strong pressure of The Big Siphon forced him only partially in, as he was too large to fully pass through, and so the rest of the ink was squeezed out of him! The tank quickly turned purple in that area, and it took me a sec to be able to pry him from the powerful suction of the siphon tube. I then had to hold the siphon to the inlet--the only way to get such a large siphon started--and was able to get some of it, but the rest was pulled through to the sump. I hurried to get a full container of carbon rinsed and into filter bags and onto the inlets to pull any possible contaminants. I remembered from my reading on The Sea Slug Forum that it's more of a deterrent and not a poison, and honestly didn't even think about it when I pulled him from the waterchange trashcan to see if he was alive, and watched the remaining ink run along my hand and fingers. I carried him back to show the boss (I don't think he's seen a seahare ink) and my coworker (it looked funny--I should have taken a pic), and then hucked him into the dumpster outside, but not before using his dripping back to draw a big, purple smiley face on the outside of the back door. I wonder if the rain will rinse it. It rinsed off my hand without an issue, and I never felt any ill effects at all, not even slight irritation in my hand...Not even in the cuts or cuticles!

 

And the skimmer was foaming with a purple tint. Hehe.

 

I think everything will be fine, as far as the creatures at work, but we'll see tomorrow.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

Oh, I love marine bettas. Allow me to write up my tidbits on the topic...

[Caesar777]

My boss has been in saltwater for a long, long time. The store has been around for ten years, and for a few years before that, his main business/hobby was breeding saltwater fish. It was mostly clowns of various species, pseudochromis of all kinds, and he even pioneered the breeding of one species in particular (of course, whose name I can't remember). He was starting to branch out to jawfish (mouthbrooders) and marine bettas. The problem with the marine bettas is that it takes five years for them to reach maturity, and two years to reach "sellable size" of about two inches. (A LONG time.) But he wanted to do it regardless--a fascinating project, for sure, and comets as well as blue-spot jawfish are big money-makers--but he started the store with his business partner and the fish project had to go. Just no time to feed baby fish every four hours, day and night, while running a shop!

 

Marine bettas grow to about 7-8" MAX, although usually smaller. They are technically a grouper, but are unlike them in every way. Groupers are aggressive, territorial, and are active predators. My boss had kept fully-grown bettas with baby clowns and pseudos, and never had any babies eaten. I can attest to this, as I've put bettas in the same tank as small clowns, gobies, cardinals, and other small fellas with no problems at all. Not only will the betta not attempt to eat the small fish, he will also not feel any aggression toward them. A slow, mysterious fish, they're extremely peaceful and somewhat shy, preferring to stay in the sidelines, creeping about in the shadows and trying not to be the center of attention. But they aren't wimpy. They're very hardy, and especially disease-resistant. They're also slow-growing, so it'll take a good few years before they reach full size, which may only be 6" tops, and that includes their glorious finnage.

 

One fear that people have of marine bettas is their penchant for eating invertebrates. They are, of course, safe with corals and small fish, as proven, and are completely unaggressive, never one to pick a fight (but certainly one to defend themselves). They won't bother snails, which aren't normally in their diet, and I've seen them take no interest in hermit crabs. The only real concern at all is shrimp, and even that is unlikely. We put a marine betta in our 120-gallon display reef after he sat in the store for a good six months, and he never bothered the pair of cleaner shrimp in there. My coworkers added a good half-dozen shrimp a few months later, and still he never bothered them. In fact, he loves their cleaning station, and is a regular. None are missing antennae or legs, no marks on any of them, and he could eat them if he wanted to. But he just cruises around slowly, fins spread beautifully, inquisitive spotted eyes always looking around calmly, and quick to run to the feeding grounds when frozen Formula foods and, his favorite, frozen mysis, are added. Frankly, I'd consider marine bettas to be completely reef-safe, safe with all fish (and from most fish, as well, again not a wimp), corals, snails, crabs, etc., the ONLY possible risk being shrimp, and small ones at that. I could see him eating sexy shrimp (Thor ambionensis), but that's because those tiny mofos ARE food, lol. Even clowns might try to eat them.

 

I love these fish; they're obviously intelligent, and are so unique in behavior and appearance. He will outgrow my little 26, but it will be in time. Such an inactive fish should have no problem in this tank.

 

I hope he eats the pistol shrimp, or at least maims them. I saw a loose claw, but can't tell if it's a molt or if, , it's his rebuttal to the shrimp's snap at him.

[c est ma]

Very informative, thanks!

 

--Diane

[Caesar777]

So I turned off the halides an hour early to feed mysis to the corals and hope that the betta, not seen all day, would get some. Had the blue LEDs on again. Sure enough, he came out, but just in the corner: bottom right, front, same place as last night. I saw something moving, and it was that striped-legged rogue crab, and in a prime location to crush him with my long biopsy forceps. I hated to scare away the betta, but the crab is a coral-eater and a b!tch so I tried. I maimed it, but not sure if it was mortally so. As I looked at the betta throughout the process, I think he may have been watching the crab with interest. Seems they may be fond of crabs with a flat carapace, such as those evil hitchhikers as well as emerald crabs, porcelain crabs, and pom pom crabs. Frankly, porcelains and poms are the only ones I trust, but the former would starve in my tank (I just don't feed enough) and the latter would be crime to such a beautiful and harmless creature. It's a little surprising, since marine bettas can be fast and could surely catch shrimp or crabs, and yet they haven't shown an interest in shrimp but have in crabs. It could have been simple curiosity, or maybe he wasn't even looking at the crab at all, or maybe noticing but not caring at all, just favoring that first corner it picked to begin with. Not sure yet.

[Caesar777]

Well, sh##. Turns out the big crab has a little buddy. >

 

AND my beautiful pink and yellow deepwater favia DIED, got a white fungus on each end and the flesh started peeling off like leprosy, and I know they always die despite fragging, from lots of experience with this particular species at work. Very lame. The only plus side was that, while it was sitting in a container to be possibly fragged, a crab came out and died.

 

The marine betta isn't looking good. Not sure what the issue is yet. He's just very stressed. Water conditions are ideal, temp is fine, doubtful that the shrimp hurt him... ARGH @ FISH IN GENERAL!

[Caesar777]

I'm VERY for corporal punishment. At work I feed bad hh'ers to other stuff, like wrasses and so on. Circle of life, biotch! But hell, my tank is like a garden, and I need to remove predators. In this case, I can't just catch the bugger and bring it to work--impossible to remove a crab from a rock without removing the rock, for the record, and my nimble little biopsy forceps are perfect for quickly fitting into a gap and crushing the crab (while obtaining a tissue sample for biopsy, lol)

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH MY GODD an earwig just came out of nowhere on my desk! The other day I raised my hairbrush to my head and one fell out of it! ARGHHHHH THOSE FUGGERS FREAK ME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lgreen]

Well, sh##. Turns out the big crab has a little buddy. >

 

Damn it! I hate it when that happens

 

I like those little porcelain/acropora crabs.

 

I just found some brown hairy crab in my 5g

 

My boss feeds them to the triggers.

 

 

 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH MY GODD an earwig just came out of nowhere on my desk! The other day I raised my hairbrush to my head and one fell out of it! ARGHHHHH THOSE FUGGERS FREAK ME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Do they actually pinch? Those definitely freak me out. SQUIZSH GOES YOU ON THE FLOOR WIT MY SHOOOO.

[Caesar777]

I tried flicking it with my fingernail (like to hit it with my pointer finger to stun it) but it got away because they're so g.d. wiley! IIIIIIYYYUHHHGGGG

 

I sprayed Pre-Strike (flea, tick, and mosquito poison marketed toward cat and dog owners, for household use, not on pets) everywhere. At my doorway, along the foot of my bed, between the mattress and box spring, all on the carpet in front of the other room, front door, and garage, and some in the bathroom just in case. Hopefully not too much got into the air, but I sure as hell ain't leaving the slider open for MORE beasts to come in! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK

[aparker]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH MY GODD an earwig just came out of nowhere on my desk! The other day I raised my hairbrush to my head and one fell out of it! ARGHHHHH THOSE FUGGERS FREAK ME OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Means you don't have enough SPIDERS in your house - circle of life and all that, right :-) ?

[Caesar777]

I don't bother spiders, I just shoo them away from my room. I may have vacuumed one out of the slider, not sure. But it was one of those crappy black-widow-looking European house spiders, and it just lived in that crack. Damn. I feel bad; I hope I didn't get him.

[Caesar777]

OH THE STRESS. I went to my appointment with an attorney today about the car crash (not at fault). GRRR. He says it'll probably be all over around December. FABULOUS! >

 

In other news, I'm so stressed out I don't know what to do. So I went to take a relaxing bath, but couldn't relax, so I went to wash some clothes, then filled and set the dishwasher, cleaned the cave tetra tank (thoroughly dirty, yuck), then figured I ought to clean the reef. Somewhat gunky, not any more than usual, though, and I didn't see the betta at all today. Not too many flatworms at all. There was bryopsis growing INSIDE my skimmer chamber. I had tried removing it a few weeks ago but couldn't fit my hand into the chamber--then this time I realized I have a bunch of cheap toothbrushes and used one to get it all out. Got all I could see. There was some on the prefilter sponge, too. I've spaced on cleaning that thing for the past two months or more, and it shows. All better now.

 

I hope the betta is okay.

 

And I burned my wrist on the halide. Lucky for me, it has that glass shield. Really smarts, and I can't find my aloe-vera gel.

[lgreen]

oooooh. that sucks. i hate it when i do that. no longer own metal halide for reasons like that.

 

stress suxs. i can't seem to escape it.

[Caesar777]

Also I spray-painted my finger (accidentally, heh) and it won't come off. It's even under my nail! I tried vinegar. Any suggestions?

[lgreen]

ha ha. nail polish remover?

[Caesar777]

Damn, I've been putting that stuff on the back burner for months. (Like an LFS worker can have non-chipped-up painted nails! )

[lgreen]

Yeah, I don't think I'd even try.

 

Mostly because I'm a guy though

 

 

/dry sarcasm

[Caesar777]

I know your toenails are painted pink, don't lie.

[lgreen]

I know your toenails are painted pink, don't lie.

 

did it just for you.

 

ps...it's taking a super freaking long time for the FLONK on my leg to go away. thanks a lot.

 

had to lie to my mom and sister...wasn't even going to attempt to explain.

[Caesar777]

 

Eeexcellent.

[Caesar777]

I'd like to say one more time to my dear little pistol shrimp:

 

SHUT THE F##k UP YOU G.D. MUTHAF##KERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jimbo327]

Hehe. I never hear my pistol shrimp make the snapping sound. Maybe mine is still to small to make those concussion bubbles. How big is the shrimp?

[modularduck]

my tank is right next to my bed and all night every night it POW-POW-POW goes the pistol...can get old im convinced its actually demolishing the rock he and the yasha live under to make more room. i fell your pain NW sista

[MDeth]

Should have gotten tigers or Randalls pistols

 

Mine and my g/fs are so small it sounds like somebody typing

[Caesar777]

They're the size of my pointer and ring fingers, respectively. HUGE. And LOUD. And I hate them.

[Caesar777]

Also, you all forget why I got them in the first place: because they look like THIS.