Newman's Picotope

[Squared]

nice shroom

 

if i had a shroom like that, it would be ok.

[lljdma06]

Why is it that whenever you post something, I then covet it?

 

.Newman. you're a bad influence on my pocket book.

[gupebreedr]

My pico isn't known for its mushrooms, but there are a couple in here:

 

Return of the Rhodactis

Unfortunately this is just a clone - not the original red rhodactis, which is actually the very first coral I ever got. the original probably wouldn't even fit in my pico now anyway... so I made a frag of it and put it in this tank.

 

 

And here is my green striped shroom that has never split lol.

 

Sweet pics. Love that mushie and it stripes. I just realized I have none in my tank. hummmmmm, must do something about that!!!!!!

[.Newman.]

 

glad you like the mushrooms guys.

[PinkDamsel]

Gotta comment about the pompoms being "reclusive". I wouldn't call them that; it's more that they're comfortable in a niche, feeling "surrounded", something solid behind, above and on the sides. Also dark or at least darker than outside the lair.

 

Mine is like a cat, switching favorite places every so often. But many times she chooses a spot in the front where I can see her, nestled into a little niche (that why she's called Nestlée, lol). She'll spend most of her time in the hollows right on the sandbed, sometimes digging out more sand until there's just the right amount. She also liked hanging out under the candycanes, clinging to the main "trunk" under the "branches".

 

This reminds me of ant farms and scratching posts: why don't we construct homes that appeal to the animal yet still allow us to see it/preserve the furniture, lol?

 

I used to have Eagle Eyes. Under 4rb/1cw LED they were orange, not pink, with fluorescent green skirts.

[.Newman.]

I run 3rb/3cw LEDs

Also the pic with the crab was taken with flash...

 

The fact that many pom pom owners rarely get to see their crabs still supports that they are reclusive, you got lucky that yours decided that it wanted to hide right in the front of the tank. its the same as when my green porcelains come to the front of the tank (mostly at night though)

 

In your opinion, are they good pico invertebrates that you notice in a pico tank our size? or do you think they are more suited for picos that are about 1 gallon?

[lljdma06]

I run 3rb/3cw LEDs

Also the pic with the crab was taken with flash...

 

The fact that many pom pom owners rarely get to see their crabs still supports that they are reclusive, you got lucky that yours decided that it wanted to hide right in the front of the tank. its the same as when my green porcelains come to the front of the tank (mostly at night though)

 

I got lucky too & I see mine quite often. But I've got the sun corals. When you target feed sun corals, EVERYBODY comes out to play!

[PinkDamsel]

The fact that many pom pom owners rarely get to see their crabs still supports that they are reclusive, you got lucky that yours decided that it wanted to hide right in the front of the tank. its the same as when my green porcelains come to the front of the tank (mostly at night though)

 

In your opinion, are they good pico invertebrates that you notice in a pico tank our size? or do you think they are more suited for picos that are about 1 gallon?

 

I think pompoms are well suited to a 3 gallon. I believe the reason mine is visible more often is that my rock has overhangs & hollows that create spaces that feel secure to the crab. They're like little shallow caves or tunnels sliced in half. Corals don't grow there because there's no light.

 

Mountain or pyramid-shaped rocks don't have these areas, so it's not surprising the crab appears less often.

 

Mine definitely perceives movement outside the tank. It doesn't bother her if she's tucked into one of her cavelets, but if she's exposed and there's movement she scuttles back into hiding!

 

I find it interesting: we are critters who are afraid of the dark, but these critters are afraid of the light. They just KNOW there are monsters out there in the light waiting to GET them, lol!

 

lljdma06, what are you feeding that makes crabby emerge and how often?

[lljdma06]

I think pompoms are well suited to a 3 gallon. I believe the reason mine is visible more often is that my rock has overhangs & hollows that create spaces that feel secure to the crab. They're like little shallow caves or tunnels sliced in half. Corals don't grow there because there's no light.

 

Mountain or pyramid-shaped rocks don't have these areas, so it's not surprising the crab appears less often.

 

Mine definitely perceives movement outside the tank. It doesn't bother her if she's tucked into one of her cavelets, but if she's exposed and there's movement she scuttles back into hiding!

 

I find it interesting: we are critters who are afraid of the dark, but these critters are afraid of the light. They just KNOW there are monsters out there in the light waiting to GET them, lol!

 

lljdma06, what are you feeding that makes crabby emerge and how often?

 

Well, first, this is a great discussion as pompoms are a popular species. Sorry if we are hijacking the thread, .Newman.. The layout for my 4g pico, as well as for my 2.5g pico, also feature overhangs and crevices. I opted, when I scaped both tanks, to use smaller pieces of rock rather than one large piece. Haha, I come from a planted tank background; large hunks of rock just didn't do it for me aesthetically.

 

But what I think really helps is that I keep sun corals. First, Tubastrea species do best in dimly lit aquariums. I've only got a weak LED light, just good enough to grow mushrooms, GSP, and I've moved the light to one side, so there are spots with significantly less light. Second, in order to get them to open more consistently, Tubastrea require almost daily feedings. Haha, so if the Tubastrea get daily feedings, so does everybody else! I have to first entice the Tubastrea with cyclopes ease. I scatter it in the water and watch everybody go nuts! That's when all the crabs come out. After a few hours (crabs are still out), I target feed the Tubastrea with mysis, but by then, everybody gets some too. The pompom takes small pieces of mysis, btw, direct from the target feeder.

 

So a combination of rock work, dim lighting, and plenty of floating food maybe makes for one happy pompom crab? It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this.

 

Btw, my panda goby also seems to benefit from this arrangement.

 

Hope this helps?

 

L

[metrokat]

I really want an anemone crab like yours newman, but with Dingbat still in the picture, it is not a good idea, you said they fight? How come you have 3 porcelain crabs in the same pico?

 

Also, if it is not a good idea to have Digbat and the white dotted anemone porcelain in the Biocube, would one of them be okay in the pico?

 

thanks

[lljdma06]

I really want an anemone crab like yours newman, but with Dingbat still in the picture, it is not a good idea, you said they fight? How come you have 3 porcelain crabs in the same pico?

 

Also, if it is not a good idea to have Digbat and the white dotted anemone porcelain in the Biocube, would one of them be okay in the pico?

 

thanks

 

Ok, I'm still pretty new here, who's Dingbat?

 

L

[metrokat]

Dingbat is my carribean porcelain crab.

[.Newman.]

I come from a planted tank background; large hunks of rock just didn't do it for me aesthetically.

 

I have to first entice the Tubastrea with cyclopes ease. I scatter it in the water and watch everybody go nuts! That's when all the crabs come out. After a few hours (crabs are still out), I target feed the Tubastrea with mysis, but by then, everybody gets some too. The pompom takes small pieces of mysis, btw, direct from the target feeder.

 

 

Have you seen any of my planted tanks? There is one thread in the members tanks section about my planted bowl

 

That sounds like a good plan to keep a few pom pom crabs. btw are they aggressive with one another, or do you not know yet?

 

I really want an anemone crab like yours newman, but with Dingbat still in the picture, it is not a good idea, you said they fight? How come you have 3 porcelain crabs in the same pico?

 

Also, if it is not a good idea to have Digbat and the white dotted anemone porcelain in the Biocube, would one of them be okay in the pico?

 

There is a chance that they will fight but in a bigger tank that should be too much of an issue as the white crab should host a particular coral, and the other crab will just wander the rocks and what not. And yes one will be fine in a 2 gal pico. dont forget to feed them.

[lljdma06]

Reading through the pompom thread here, it seems that male/male pairs are aggressive, but male/female and female/female groups are not. I just have to figure out what Armand is before I add another pompom crab.

[.Newman.]

it should be simple to figure out when its against the glass.

[lljdma06]

it should be simple to figure out when its against the glass.

 

Yes, I studied the pictures and it seems easy enough to tell apart, but right now Armand is not being so cooperative.

[PinkDamsel]

Speaking of inverts, Newman, I'm sneakin' some of your blue asterinas by STEALTH, lol! You sold a rock to someone w. lots of them, and she's passing along a few to me!

[castiel]

Speaking of inverts, Newman, I'm sneakin' some of your blue asterinas by STEALTH, lol! You sold a rock to someone w. lots of them, and she's passing along a few to me!

Sneaky!

[.Newman.]

Speaking of inverts, Newman, I'm sneakin' some of your blue asterinas by STEALTH, lol! You sold a rock to someone w. lots of them, and she's passing along a few to me!

you mean Helen?

[.Newman.]

The white porcelain molted today - going to take a better pic of him tomorrow. doesn't look like molting was a problem for him, he also looks real clean now. better take a pic before he gets diatomed again...

[PinkDamsel]

Sneaky!

 

you mean Helen?

Yup! Us girls are taking over the reefing world . . . .

[.Newman.]

Porcelain is white again:

 

and a pic of the blue zoas that I received from pj86

 

both pics taken with flash...

[metrokat]

so cute, my porcelain is coming Sunday, can't wait, hope it is pretty like yours.

[lljdma06]

Ooooooo, Purty porcelain. He looks like mine.

 

Ooooooo, Purty blue zoa... Makes me want another tank!!

 

L

[gupebreedr]

Ooooooo, Purty blue zoa... Makes me want another tank!!

 

L

I agree on those blue zoas. Are they a named variety?