Mr. Microscope's JBJ Picotope

[Mr. Microscope]

Hey There!

 

Check it out. My Scarlet Hermit Crab moved into a new home last night. I got to work this morning to see that he had moved from his purple shell, to a new, more spacious luxury shell in a classy black.

 

Here a pic and video.

 

So far, this crab has molted twice and changed his shell. He must be happy in there. Now I need to get some more shells before he goes after one of my ceriths. No more empties in the tank.

[animalmaster6]

He definetly looks like a happy hermit

 

I love that feather duster in the background of the video.

[markandstaci]

Man the tank looks awesome. Those magicians really colored up nice, and those VDMs are siiiiick. I had a chance to get a 2-polyp frag a couple months ago at the LFS, but they wanted $40 and I got a little pocillopora frag instead. But yours are amazing looking. Same with the ked's reds... just something about a red zoa that pops so nice in a tank. The picture of your scarlet hermit made me miss my old hermit, he was an interesting character. I was wondering though, does your ric open up, or does it stay kind of scrunched up? It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks kind of "tight" to me. If it is, that might mean the light is too intense. My rics stayed really scrunched until I moved it in the shade.

[evanski]

Crackhead scarlett! Love em!

[Mr. Microscope]

He definetly looks like a happy hermit

I love that feather duster in the background of the video.

Thanks am! Yeah, that feather duster has been in there since the beginning. I think it's little calcium tube has grown about two inches in that time. At one point it decided to make a curly-Q, so it looks kinda like a pig tail.

 

Man the tank looks awesome. Those magicians really colored up nice, and those VDMs are siiiiick. I had a chance to get a 2-polyp frag a couple months ago at the LFS, but they wanted $40 and I got a little pocillopora frag instead. But yours are amazing looking. Same with the ked's reds... just something about a red zoa that pops so nice in a tank. The picture of your scarlet hermit made me miss my old hermit, he was an interesting character. I was wondering though, does your ric open up, or does it stay kind of scrunched up? It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks kind of "tight" to me. If it is, that might mean the light is too intense. My rics stayed really scrunched until I moved it in the shade.

Thanks markandstaci! Those VDMs are really amazing in person. It's the kind of paly that you can see from across the room. Yikes! $40? I suppose. That seems about right for them. I normally wouldn't have paid for a VDM except I got a really good deal at a local frag swap. Funny, you should mention about red zoas/palys. That's about all I have in my tank right now. In fact, I just picked up something special. Though, I'm not going to take a pic until it's acclimated and fully open. Hint..hide your people.

 

Good suggestion on the ric. I've seen it open up a bit at times, but I've been more focused on getting it to stick to something. I hadn't thought too much about light. I just moved it into a dimmer area of the tank. Thanks again.

 

Crackhead scarlett! Love em!

Haha! They do look a big bug eyed.

[markandstaci]

If the ric isn't sticking to something then it's probably unhappy and trying to move... prolly from too much light. I bet it will be much happier now that you've moved it. If it still isn't sticking, you can always use a little dab of superglue and glue it down to a bit of rubble.

[Mr. Microscope]

If the ric isn't sticking to something then it's probably unhappy and trying to move... prolly from too much light. I bet it will be much happier now that you've moved it. If it still isn't sticking, you can always use a little dab of superglue and glue it down to a bit of rubble.

I've been attempting the glue, but it still seems to loosen itself. I think it might be a flow issue too. I really like this ric and I'd like to get more of them. I'm trying to find a calmer spot for it, but I've really got a whirlpool going on in there with the KN. Thanks for the added suggestion.

[Mr. Microscope]

 

So, I got to work today and saw this:

 

My scarlet switched back to it's old shell! LOL! The black one is right where I left his purple one in the small container that I have rigged up for my baby ric. I can't believe this comedian. There were tiny holes in the back of the black one. Maybe he didn't appreciate the built-in air conditioning. Hmm...I think I really need to get a couple more shells in there for him to choose from before he goes after one of my ceriths.

[Mr. Microscope]

Today's post to the Lighting Forum:

 

Safely covering up a white LED on PAR38

[evanski]

 

So, I got to work today and saw this:

 

My scarlet switched back to it's old shell! LOL! The black one is right where I left his purple one in the small container that I have rigged up for my baby ric. I can't believe this comedian. There were tiny holes in the back of the black one. Maybe he didn't appreciate the built-in air conditioning. Hmm...I think I really need to get a couple more shells in there for him to choose from before he goes after one of my ceriths.

 

Total crackhead hermit crab...

[Mr. Microscope]

Today's post to the Lighting Forum:

 

Safely covering up a white LED on PAR38

 

Answer:

 

Straight up heat tape or electrical tape.

[Mr. Microscope]

Another post to the Lighting Forum today:

 

Dimmable Driver Options, ..besides BuckPucks and Meanwells....any multichannel?

[.Newman.]

what kind of ceriths do you have that youre afraid your hermit will go for them? the large 1" ones? I'm a big advocator of dwarf ceriths (since i breed them) and say that those are much better suited for a pico than regular cerith. plus hermit leave them alone since they are so miniscule.

[Mr. Microscope]

Thanks for the suggestion Newman. Yeah, I wanted to get dwarf ceriths in the beginning, but my LFS didn't have any. So, I got two of the big ones. Good point about the hermits leaving the dwarfs alone. I imagine that's a nice arrangement. Though, I'm discovering more and more that with frequent water changes, snails are just superfluous. Granted, I've had them the whole time I've had my tank, but I still need to clean the glass once every two to three weeks. I imagine without them, I probably wouldn't be in too bad of shape. I could be wrong though. I do like watching them too.

 

I was seriously considering (and still kinda am because I think they're cool) adding an emerald crab to the CUC, but I'm afraid it'd wouldn't have enough algae to eat and start going for meatier things like corals. I know they're well behaved if they have enough to eat, but I don't want to have to feed my tank.

[jdl]

i dont believe emeralds are picking at the corals tissue. i think it is going after something on top of the tissue. i have had my emerald longer than anything other than my snail. best cleaner i could ever have. if it gets a little antsy for some more food i just trim some chaeto off and it is super stoked. i have never seen it harm any of my corals. the only thing i didnt care for was it ate every stomatella in my tank....but my tank is survival of the fittest. id say go for it.

[.Newman.]

if you dont want to feed it then dont get it. it cannot sustain itself in a well-kept pico like yours. The only reason mine lives in my pico is because I feed it 3 times a week. if I did not, he would have eaten all my corals first and then kicked the bucket. Theyre amazing algae cleaners, and I have not seen a bit of algae aside from coralline (which they eat too) on my rocks. one emerald crab will have your rockwork looking spotless. but you HAVE to feed them after that point.

 

another huge disadvantage is that if you get one it will pull off any frags off the rocks that arent secured well. these crabs love to pick up stuff and throw it around, out of their way or carry it out of their way. comical but frustrating if that stuff happens to be coral frags.

 

another thing that I should mention about them is that if you have an ailing coral in your tank, like zoas that arent looking well and arent opening up (and are perhaps getting a bit flaky or deformed) the emerald will eat them away completely. a great sanitary service IMO but it can once again be frustrating if You had some hope for that coral to recover just to see it eaten in front of your eyes (normally I dont care if my sick corals get eaten, its a service to the rest of the healthy zoas.)

 

Emeralds like dried seaweed sheets. Aside from those factoids, I cant really provide any more info on them based on what I've experienced

I hope that helped you make a decision.

 

Every emerald can be a bit different in its preferences. Mine doesnt eat chaeto while the other emerald mentioned here does. just shows you how animals have different tastes.

[animalmaster6]

My hermits did that too!

[JBM]

crack head status, maybe they know the bums in pen station

[Mr. Microscope]

i dont believe emeralds are picking at the corals tissue. i think it is going after something on top of the tissue. i have had my emerald longer than anything other than my snail. best cleaner i could ever have. if it gets a little antsy for some more food i just trim some chaeto off and it is super stoked. i have never seen it harm any of my corals.

Woh! You had me up until..

the only thing i didnt care for was it ate every stomatella in my tank....but my tank is survival of the fittest. id say go for it.

 

if you dont want to feed it then dont get it. it cannot sustain itself in a well-kept pico like yours. The only reason mine lives in my pico is because I feed it 3 times a week. if I did not, he would have eaten all my corals first and then kicked the bucket. Theyre amazing algae cleaners, and I have not seen a bit of algae aside from coralline (which they eat too) on my rocks. one emerald crab will have your rockwork looking spotless. but you HAVE to feed them after that point.

 

another huge disadvantage is that if you get one it will pull off any frags off the rocks that arent secured well. these crabs love to pick up stuff and throw it around, out of their way or carry it out of their way. comical but frustrating if that stuff happens to be coral frags.

 

another thing that I should mention about them is that if you have an ailing coral in your tank, like zoas that arent looking well and arent opening up (and are perhaps getting a bit flaky or deformed) the emerald will eat them away completely. a great sanitary service IMO but it can once again be frustrating if You had some hope for that coral to recover just to see it eaten in front of your eyes (normally I dont care if my sick corals get eaten, its a service to the rest of the healthy zoas.)

 

Emeralds like dried seaweed sheets. Aside from those factoids, I cant really provide any more info on them based on what I've experienced

I hope that helped you make a decision.

 

Every emerald can be a bit different in its preferences. Mine doesnt eat chaeto while the other emerald mentioned here does. just shows you how animals have different tastes.

Wow! That is some awesome knowledge. Thanks for sharing Newman! You bring up some great points there. Yeah, I've heard they eat nori, but didn't realize they'll "clean up" sad looking corals. Good to know. I'll also have to secure stuff in my tank if I decide to get one. Thanks again.

 

My hermits did that too!

Yikes!

[Mr. Microscope]

Okay, I can't hold it back any more. I got this on Monday. I've been scoping it out for a while and decided to take the plunge. It's a whole colony of Red People Eaters.

The LFS had it under 150 watt MH, but it's polyps have really long stems. I'm hoping they reduce a little under my LEDs. The mouths are already really neon. I've been working on getting my tank looking cleaner and more complete. I'll be posting a new FTS soon.

 

I also have plans to modify my LEDs a little. I'm going to partially blank out the white LEDs so that they are less intense and the royal blues help things glow a bit better. Also, I want to move the lamp a little so that it's shining more into the tank rather than on such an extreme angle.

[.Newman.]

good luck man, those new palys look good They kinda look like zoa right now. wonder if they are.

[everl0ng]

these l.e.d. bulbs make everything glow. i love my 4/1 bulb. the blue just intensifies everything. i can't wait to see what your light does to the mouths of that rpe colony

[Mr. Microscope]

good luck man, those new palys look good They kinda look like zoa right now. wonder if they are.

Thanks. I think RPEs are palys.

 

these l.e.d. bulbs make everything glow. i love my 4/1 bulb. the blue just intensifies everything. i can't wait to see what your light does to the mouths of that rpe colony

Yeah! The mouths are really starting to glow. I can't wait to see what they look like in a few months.

[.Newman.]

Thanks. I think RPEs are palys

 

I think so too

[DulcyDoll]

Nice colony! Stems are long, but they should shorten up pretty quickly. I have a 16 head colony (grown out from 3 heads) and they are my favorite coral in the tank. They are doing wonderful under stock NC24 lighting, I can only imagine what they will do under LED's.