Mr. Microscope's JBJ Picotope

[MORZA]

Looking good

[parishilton]

Congrat on your tank 6 months anniversary. Nice video of the anthelia.

 

They will take over your tank in no time. I also think the same thing that it is very tough.

 

When I first got mine, it took less than a day to attach to rock.

[Mr. Microscope]

Love the tank, love the video

Cool

Thanks friar1!

 

awesome six month anniversary

Woohoo!

 

Looking good

Thanks MORZA!

 

Congrat on your tank 6 months anniversary. Nice video of the anthelia.

 

They will take over your tank in no time. I also think the same thing that it is very tough.

 

When I first got mine, it took less than a day to attach to rock.

 

Thanks! Yeah, I'll be trying to keep the Anthelia in check. I just heard that they are very sensitive to heat. Perhaps running the tank in the 80-83 range instead of the 78-80 range will help slow them down.

[molsen187]

looking good. maybe you could try and put the anthelia near the back of the tank and see if it attaches itself to the glass then you can let it grow if you want and it is easier to frag. just my .02 once again tank is looking great the par really brings out some great colors.

[Mr. Microscope]

looking good. maybe you could try and put the anthelia near the back of the tank and see if it attaches itself to the glass then you can let it grow if you want and it is easier to frag. just my .02 once again tank is looking great the par really brings out some great colors.

Good idea. I was thinking about that just yesterday. I might try it. Thanks for the suggestion! As for the PAR38, it's funny; at first I thought it was too blue. Now I feel it is not blue enough. Haha. 'Funny how our tastes change. I think I'm going to try to add some actinics soon.

[Mr. Microscope]

Sad News:

 

Portia my Porcelain Crab died today. RIP little dude.

 

"'cause you are the wind beneath my wings."

 

I think I'm going to preserve her in some epoxy resin and make a little paperweight. I've got her sitting in some ethanol right now.

 

Also, I guess I'll have to make a new banner now. I was already planning to add something "funny" (hint) to my tank this weekend though. It should offer me some new inspiration.

[molsen187]

thats too bad about the little guy. are you sure it died and it wasn't just a molt. that has confused me more than once before with my emerald crab. its crazy how hard the shell will still be after they molt.

[ajkochev]

Sad News:

 

Portia my Porcelain Crab died today. RIP little dude.

 

"'cause you are the wind beneath my wings."

 

I think I'm going to preserve her in some epoxy resin and make a little paperweight. I've got her sitting in some ethanol right now.

 

Also, I guess I'll have to make a new banner now. I was already planning to add something "funny" (hint) to my tank this weekend though. It should offer me some new inspiration.

 

 

Bummer. That is sad. I've been reviewing your tank and really like it. I second the checking if it is a molt it can be hard to tell sometimes.

[Mr. Microscope]

thats too bad about the little guy. are you sure it died and it wasn't just a molt. that has confused me more than once before with my emerald crab. its crazy how hard the shell will still be after they molt.

 

That did happen to me once, but unfortunately not this time. I'm thinking that perhaps my tank was too clean and she ran out of food, or maybe she was old. I'm not sure. I'm going to be feeding my tank soon. So, I think I may try another porcelain after that, or maybe one of those little purple/orange reef lobsters.

 

Thanks for your condolence.

[meganistkrieg]

Finally, I moved the Anthelia (which has about DOUBLED IN SIZE since I got it last week BTW!) to the top of a rock on the left. It's really moving well in the current of the Koralia Nano.

 

Told you it grows like wildfire! Can't wait to get some back in mine after the meltdown. And the watermelons you gave me in exchange for it have become a favorite piece in my tank. Such long skirts, and bright colors now that I've moved them closer to the light!

 

Sad News:

 

Portia my Porcelain Crab died today. RIP little dude.

 

I think I'm going to preserve her in some epoxy resin and make a little paperweight. I've got her sitting in some ethanol right now.

 

Sorry to hear about this, though Wish I could have seen her before she went. Sounds like I'll still get to though, would love to see pics of the paperweight.

[.Newman.]

sorry about your lobster she was cool...

[Nanobuds]

sorry about the crab

[Mr. Microscope]

Update 2010.05.17

 

Hello All,

 

In my last post about the passing of my porcelain crab, I hinted about adding something, "funny" to my aquarium during the weekend. Well, here it is!

Say Hello to GOBIODON!

I also added a nassarius to the mix. I figured that I would need it to clean up after the YCG, but I think it will more likely be cleaning up after me trying to feed the YCG. I've been trying to get my YCG to eat and it's been a challenge. I had no luck on Saturday. I tried again today several times. Finally, at the end of the day I tried one last time using a small glass pipette. The pods literally had to come within a millimeter of his nose in order for him to react. After a bit of trying, he snapped up one of them. After a moment of what I can only describe as chewing, he spit it out! I got him do do this trick several more times. I don't think he's really eaten yet, but it's progress. I'll try again tomorrow.

 

BTW, the nassarius is a MONSTER! I had the guy at the LFS pull out the smallest one he could find, but he is easily the biggest creature in the tank. I think my sandbed has plenty in it for him to find, but I hope he doesn't starve. Here's a couple images of the newbees during acclimation:

 

 

While at the LFS, I took the opportunity to grab a few more zoa frags. I happened across a frag of King Midas in the bin and snapped it up. I also found some Horizons, Green Lanterns, and a couple that I haven't ID'ed yet.

 

Horizons

 

King Midas (bottom), Green Lantern? (You can see these from across the room!) (top)

 

Possibly Green Bay Packers and something else.

 

If anyone has any ideas about the zoas in question feel free to throw out your input. I've done my research through the usual means (zoaid, etc.) but haven't had much luck. The unknowns with the King Midas image have neon yellow skirts, and neon NEON yellow-white eyes set on purple. The possible GPB's have neon orange eyes on teal going to purple with green skirts. Though they are bigger than any GBP's I've seen before. On that rock are a few more zoas that have yellowish-green eyes on purple with green skirts.

 

Finally, I've mentioned about my Papaya Clove frag before, but haven't really posted any images yet. It's growing fast. There are now 6 tiny cloves and they have a very nice pink glow to them!

 

 

Also, I managed to get a nice image of the Anthelia with the pumps off. It stayed open quite nicely.

 

[DulcyDoll]

Very nice!

 

New FTS?

[Mr. Microscope]

Very nice!

 

New FTS?

 

Thanks! I was just thinking about a FTS. I'm in the midst of making another frag rack. There are way too many plugs in the main display for my liking right now. So, I'll be waiting until I can move a few of them before posting another FTS.

[.Newman.]

very nice additions, just be careful about the Nas snail.

You have whats called a Super Tongan Nassarius, the largest kind of nassarius in the hobby. I too had one in my 3 gal, but it died a week ago possibly due to starvation. Feeding it once a week *specifically* with a large shrimp pellet is apparently not enough.

You should be alright if you overfeed the tank with meaty food though, as the Nas likes that but it cant really find tiny bits efficiently. it only goes for the larger stuff.

 

Based on my experience with it (I had it for about 2.5 months before it died) It does not belong in a 3 gal tank; more like a 20+gallon tank that gets fed well.

But you may be able to pull it off. just be aware that it may require feeding apart from what you would expect it to eat.

[Mr. Microscope]

very nice additions, just be careful about the Nas snail.

You have whats called a Super Tongan Nassarius, the largest kind of nassarius in the hobby. I too had one in my 3 gal, but it died a week ago possibly due to starvation. Feeding it once a week *specifically* with a large shrimp pellet is apparently not enough.

You should be alright if you overfeed the tank with meaty food though, as the Nas likes that but it cant really find tiny bits efficiently. it only goes for the larger stuff.

 

Based on my experience with it (I had it for about 2.5 months before it died) It does not belong in a 3 gal tank; more like a 20+gallon tank that gets fed well.

But you may be able to pull it off. just be aware that it may require feeding apart from what you would expect it to eat.

 

Good to know. Thanks for the info! I thought he was a bit too big. I just hope he doesn't die and rot in the sandbed without me realizing it. How do you feed it? I haven't seen it since I put it in the sandbed. Do you just poke around till you find it and squirt food at it?

 

As for feeding, I'm having a tough time with my goby. At least he has chosen to perch near the top of my tank on the frag rack where I have easy access to him. I've been trying persistently to give him arctipods. He keeps spitting them out! I'm gonna give it a couple more days and then try purchasing cyclope-eze. Grr!

[.Newman.]

How do you feed it? Do you just poke around till you find it and squirt food at it?

 

thats exactly how I fed it the first time I got it lol. not exactly a preferable way for the snail. When its hungry it will get out of the sand and go searching for food. This will most likely happen when you add some sort of smelly food to the tank, like for me I would place a shrimp pellet in front of my powerhead to quickly get is attention and find where it is. also every time Frozen mysis shrimp juice entered the tank the snail burst from the sand as well.

 

If you've never seen a super tongan nas eat before, it's really cool and a bit weird cuz its mouth extends like a tube to a length about the size of its entire body.

 

I was lucky to find my snail when it died, apparently a few hours after it died. (it started to smell bad already) I found it bottom up just lying on the sand, body extended as if it had given up on life...it was quite sad really cuz I liked that snail a lot RIP Nas snail.

 

Post up a pick of yours when you find it, I'm interested to see what it looks like. here was mine:

[Mr. Microscope]

Awesome pic! Haha. Sorry to hear you lost it though.

And thanks for the added info! My arctipods must not be smelly enough for it. I'll try to post another pic of it sometime. You can see a pic of it in post 238 while I had it acclimating. It's pretty cool looking.

[.Newman.]

I mostly just see the shell in that pic

I'd like to see a full shot if thats possible lol.

And sorry to take up space in your thread with pics, but I'd just like to share this last pic of my nas:

[Mr. Microscope]

Okay, I'll try to get a full shot for you Newman. No worries about the space. That's a cool snail!

[<3 my Firefish]

Try some flakes. I have a YCG that eats flakes/baby brine/Rods and even sometimes powdered pellets. It did take a while to get him to eat though. Once he gets hungry he'll eat almost anything! But you don't have to get so expensive and high quality food for him.

[.Newman.]

I think this is a similar problem to getting my peppermint shrimp to eat when I first got it. it would not accept anything for a few days.

 

The goby should eat once its really hungry. in the mean time it must be eating the natural foods found in your tank and is refusing your foods for that reason.

[Mr. Microscope]

Try some flakes. I have a YCG that eats flakes/baby brine/Rods and even sometimes powdered pellets. It did take a while to get him to eat though. Once he gets hungry he'll eat almost anything! But you don't have to get so expensive and high quality food for him.

I think this is a similar problem to getting my peppermint shrimp to eat when I first got it. it would not accept anything for a few days.

 

The goby should eat once its really hungry. in the mean time it must be eating the natural foods found in your tank and is refusing your foods for that reason.

I did see him nip at something. Thought it was a piece of sand, but might have been a living pod. I thought that fish were basically hungry all the time. Hmm, maybe that's just freshwater. Thanks for the input guys! I'll keep trying.

[Mr. Microscope]

Victory!!!

Gobiodon is eating!

 

I bought some Cyclope-eze last night and gave it a shot this morning. At first, I had to shoot it right at his nose and finally he nipped at a piece. Then, he did his usually chew-chew-chew......pahtoo-eeh! But I kept trying. Finally, I got him to eat a piece and he didn't spit it out. Now, I can shoot the pieces within a head length instead of on his nose and he will snap them up. Though, he is still being picky. He will not touch the bigger pieces. He eats only the smallest of the small pieces. I was getting so worried because he was starting to lose color and become semi translucent where you can see the spine. I'm sure I'm not out of the water yet, but I feel this is a major win. He's already starting to get a little more curious and leave his normal spot on the rack.

 

Second, those palys I bought on the rock that I thought were GBPs and unknown purple and greens are displaying some new color today. They both have neon orange people eater-like mouths on them. The mystery continues. I'm thinking the green ones must be related. Weird. I'll keep you all posted if I figure it out.