Klarion's Tongan Scape

[klarion]

I took my new camera through the paces while on tour in Europe. So, here are some links if you're interested in non nano-reef photos.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/klarion/Eropea...HungaryAustria#

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/klarion/Europe...eeceOnToTurkey#

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/klarion/EuropeanTour2008#

[Lalani]

Oooh, I'll have to look at piccies later. Glad to see you're back around, even if a little bit.

[Mercuryne]

:::::lookin around the room for Boris::::::

hey old pal.... you still around?

 

 

Mercuryne

[nebthet]

Oh I am definately loking forward to some updates on our tank. It looks awsome!!! I love your pictures too.

 

Did you every find out if indeed that was a Pistol Shrimp or if it was a Mantis? If the later, did you get rid of it?

 

How is your Xenia doing? Did the Iodine suppliments help?

 

Please keep us updated.

[divecj5]

Any updates on the tank? How are things going with you Boris?

[Monkfish]

Just catching up here where are you Boris??

[Mercuryne]

Just catching up here where are you Boris??

 

 

Me No See Boris for a while..

 

Klarion.. WHERE ARE YOOOOOOOUUUUUU?

[adinsxq]

great tank.

[klarion]

I'm back. Thanks for all the inquiries. Somehow I didn't get any notifications...too bad for me.

I've had a very busy season. Lot's of playing and very little free time.

 

The tank is still up and running. Most of the critters are accounted for, though I may have lost some crabs (I'm not sure since they're not easily tracked). I did loose two snails and a Xenia (though it had a baby that's growing well).

 

I got rid of my "pumping station" since I couldn't sleep with all the noise it was causing (the tank is in my bedroom) and I didn't think the skimmer was very efficient anyways. I replaced it with a HOB filter and a Tunze nano skimmer.

 

I didn't add any new corals except for some red marble mushrooms, but I may go out looking for some additions soon and I'll post photos as the time allows.

 

Cheers to all.

b

[divecj5]

Welcome back Boris.....I was wondering where you snuck off to

 

Glad to see you back around here and happy to hear that you tank is still doing well. I no longer have my BC29 but I have a 20H instead. You'll have to stop by the thread in my sig sometime.

 

I look forward to seeing some updated pictures.

 

-Adam

[klarion]

[Needreefunds]

-back Boris

 

Cute pic

 

Nice to hear from you! Good to hear the tank is still going. Looking forward to more pics.

 

[divecj5]

Great capture Boris....seems like YWGs really have a ton of character. Maybe once I move my tank, I will have to add one as the last addition to my crew.

[klarion]

Great capture Boris....seems like YWGs really have a ton of character. Maybe once I move my tank, I will have to add one as the last addition to my crew.

 

I love the YCG, but there is one difficulty with it. Feeding. I have two other fish, a Clarkii clown and a 6 line, who are both aggressive feeders, and since I try not to overfeed for my small volume of water, it's hard to make sure that he eats enough. The YCG will grab a few morsels and settle on his perch. By the time he's ready for more, all the food is already gone. I've replaced the skimmer (it's working well) and I'm going to try feeding less quantity but more often.

 

 

-edit for spelling...I can't spell.

Edited May 30, 2009 by klarion

[Weetabix7]

Yeah, I noticed he was looking kinda skinny.

Nice to see you back.

[klarion]

Yeah, I noticed he was looking kinda skinny.

Nice to see you back.

 

Thank you.

I've been feeding him double for the last couple of days. He's now very Yellow and fat looking.

 

Also, last night I caught something moving under one of the rocks, making a little cave. I didn't see what it was, but I'm hoping it's the hiding sight of the pistol shrimp or whatever. Hoping to catch a glimpse of "whatever" soon.

 

-edit for a hopelessly worded post.

Edited May 30, 2009 by klarion

[klarion]

New Observations Update

 

This is not the most cheerful update I ever had to write, but two things happened. Last night I finally got a glimpse of the shrimp hitcher. I'm guessing that it's a pistol shrimp because of the clicking noises. It's also making borrows on the underside of the rocks in the main alcove of my tank. I spotted little puffs of gravel coming out of them - it looks like the shrimp made a whole system of tunnels with several entrances.

 

 

I managed to see it's enlarged claw (looked whitish, but it was rather dark) and something else that looked kind of greenish, which made me worried about having a mantis... So, since I'm not an expert on that subject, do mantis shrimp make noise and burrow in tunnels?

 

 

The second observation was the 6line's erratic swimming when he woke up this morning and sign of damage on his coat... some discoloration. I got really worried at first because his sleeping hole is right on top of the shrimp's burrow.... So, do pistol shrimp shoot at fish? What is the best way to proceed to find out if the shrimp is potentially harmful?

 

Notice the discoloration in the upper midsection - was not there last night.

 

 

Hoping to get some feedback on those two questions.

Edited May 31, 2009 by klarion

[divecj5]

Hey Boris.

 

I hope you get some feedback on the clicking sounds. I did a quick search and found this pretty interesting piece of information:

 

"Pistol shrimp click in a series of ones and twos... while Mantis shrimps do it in larger sets."

 

So, being the music man you are, maybe you can deduct what it is based on how it clicks.

 

Also, have you seen any of your snails missing or their shells smashed? If so, then you more than likely have a mantis.

 

Sorry I can't be of more help....if you don't get any responses here, you could always post about this in one of the sub-forums...may get more reads there.

 

-Adam

[DCG1286]

"Pistol shrimp click in a series of ones and twos... while Mantis shrimps do it in larger sets."

 

So, being the music man you are, maybe you can deduct what it is based on how it clicks.

 

I have noticed this as well ... if it's a pistol I wouldn't worry too much ... man ... I have like 4-5 in my tank ... I don't know how they survived ... my wrasses love to rip them apart!!!

 

By the way, I am playing a recital in Long Island with Riko Higuma (remember her?) on June 14 ... lol ... it is such a small world ... wow ...

 

Also, very cool tank!!! Love what you have done with it! Nice selection of fish and corals!!! Everything blends together very nicely!

Edited May 31, 2009 by DCG1286

[divecj5]

Trying to do some more detective work for ya Boris --- how long were the lights on when you took the picture of the six-line? If they just turned on, he might not have been fully colored. Fish in general tend to dull in color at night to avoid predation. How is he looking today? Have you been feeding anything different?

 

Overall it looks healthy to me, no nips on the fins, nice and plump. You sure you didn't drop a couple mL of Vodka in the tank? Maybe he/she just had a rough night

[klarion]

Trying to do some more detective work for ya Boris --- how long were the lights on when you took the picture of the six-line? If they just turned on, he might not have been fully colored. Fish in general tend to dull in color at night to avoid predation. How is he looking today? Have you been feeding anything different?

 

Overall it looks healthy to me, no nips on the fins, nice and plump. You sure you didn't drop a couple mL of Vodka in the tank? Maybe he/she just had a rough night

 

Thanks for the effort, man. The 6line is up to his usual business now (midday). I think he got startled by me turning on the lights earlier than usual. The PC's kind of just snap on. He still has that spot on him though and it's more pronounced live than on the picture. But since he's acting normally, I'm not worried.

 

And since I'm also trying to cut back on the drinking... I'm trying not to encaurage that in others, especially my fish

 

"Pistol shrimp click in a series of ones and twos... while Mantis shrimps do it in larger sets."

 

I've heard mostly one and twos, though once there was a rapid succession of 3's. I've lost a couple of snails over the last 6 months, but they were in tact when they died - no damage.

 

 

 

 

I have noticed this as well ... if it's a pistol I wouldn't worry too much ... man ... I have like 4-5 in my tank ... I don't know how they survived ... my wrasses love to rip them apart!!!

 

By the way, I am playing a recital in Long Island with Riko Higuma (remember her?) on June 14 ... lol ... it is such a small world ... wow ...

 

Also, very cool tank!!! Love what you have done with it! Nice selection of fish and corals!!! Everything blends together very nicely!

 

I'm hoping it's a pistol, and that way I won't worry.

and Yes, I know Riko very well. Also, now I'm remembering that I saw you during the philharmonia rehearsal last fall when MSM hired me to play the bass clarinet for the violin concerto. It is indeed a very small world. Don't you hear that song playing now

Edited May 31, 2009 by klarion

[davidr2340]

Boris,

 

You have a beautiful tank, and your pictures are stunning!!!

 

Sound like you have a Pistol to me... But, I've been wrong before, so take that for what it's worth!

[DCG1286]

I'm hoping it's a pistol, and that way I won't worry.

and Yes, I know Riko very well. Also, now I'm remembering that I saw you during the philharmonia rehearsal last fall when MSM hired me to play the bass clarinet for the violin concerto. It is indeed a very small world. Don't you hear that song playing now

 

Yes I remember ... I will reserve my comments of what I really thought of that performance ... but your playing of the second mvt. was great ... just a soloist that wasn't up to par shall we say ... or a brown-noser ... that's a long story in itself ...

[klarion]

Yes I remember ... I will reserve my comments of what I really thought of that performance ... but your playing of the second mvt. was great ... just a soloist that wasn't up to par shall we say ... or a brown-noser ... that's a long story in itself ...

 

LOL, luckily for me, it was a job, so I was happy that for once my alma mater was paying me . Before the gig, I could not figure out how come they didn't assign anyone from school to play that part and I was all chill until we started reading the Violin Concerto (I was not familiar with the piece). So imagine my shock when instead of the whole orchestra I was playing a duet with the flute in a really fast 1. argh...... I EARNED every cent playing that concert.

 

Boris,

 

You have a beautiful tank, and your pictures are stunning!!!

 

Sound like you have a Pistol to me... But, I've been wrong before, so take that for what it's worth!

 

Very many thanks to you, sir!

I'm hoping you're right and it's a Pistol shrimp. I'll do more reconnaissance and see what I can find out.

[klarion]

Lighting Upgrade

 

So far I've been chugging along with an 80 Watt PC fixture on my 15G high. It has been the one major flaw grating on my nerves for a while since it has a lot of trouble cutting through 2-3 feet of water to my corals and growth has been SLOW.

 

I just ordered 150w HQI Sunpod fixture that I will probably have by next weekend. At that point I'm planning a water change, a bit of cleaning and new pics. Also, double the lighting should help with picture quality - I'm very excited.