msscha's 24 gallon office cube

[msscha]

Wow! I cannot believe how much cleaner the tank is this morning. The glass looks much better and about 1/2 the hair algae is off the back wall. I will still need to clean a few things off myself, though, . My nano-mag is completely clean, and it had a pretty bad case of hair algae...I placed in down at the bottom, and sure enough, it is like new! All the fish are accounted for this morning, though Pug strikes me as needing to eat...I am worried that she is not going to make it.

[msscha]

The tank is looking better every day, thanks to the awesome CUC. The neon goby still has a few spots, but is eating very well, actively swimming about, and seems to be in no distress. Pug, the yellow clown goby, looked like she had spots yesterday, but has none today. However, she is gaunt -- her stomach is clearly shrunken, and I do not know what to do about this. She is not going after food; nor does she seem to be opportunistically hunting, regardless of what is being fed. I feed a combination of frozen brine shrimp and frozen Marine Cuisine twice a day -- I also add cyclop-eeze once a day (though the Marine Cuisine has this included in its formula, too). I am quite concerned that if she will die. She is not being harassed by the clown or any other inhabitant and seemed quite happy the first few days she was in the tank, so I am not sure what to do about this.

 

On the other hand, the clown, who I've started calling "Cleo", has clearly taken to the Toadstool Leather. The pic below is with my phone -- for some reason, it takes better pictures of her than my camera!

 

[eitallent]

Pug, the yellow clown goby, looked like she had spots yesterday, but has none today. However, she is gaunt -- her stomach is clearly shrunken, and I do not know what to do about this. She is not going after food; nor does she seem to be opportunistically hunting, regardless of what is being fed. I feed a combination of frozen brine shrimp and frozen Marine Cuisine twice a day -- I also add cyclop-eeze once a day (though the Marine Cuisine has this included in its formula, too). I am quite concerned that if she will die. She is not being harassed by the clown or any other inhabitant and seemed quite happy the first few days she was in the tank, so I am not sure what to do about this.

 

OH no, poor Pug. The LFS,from where I originally got my Citron goby, had another Citron last week that looked emaciated. They told me when I asked about it that it was eating but was not fattening up. They suspected intestinal parasites and were getting in some new food with a worming medication in the formula. The owner did not tell me the name of the food but I am sure someone here may know of it.

 

My goby likes to eat only from the pipette. It's like Pavlov's dogs but instead of a bell as a trigger it is a pipette. When I clean the tank, even the turkey baster sets him on a feeding frenzy. Perhaps Pug was acclimated to some feeding procedure that triggers her to eat.

 

I wonder if you could get your hands on some of the medicated food that it may help Pug if she would eat it.

Edited October 25, 2012 by eitallent

[msscha]

My goby likes to eat only from the pipette. It's like Pavlov's dogs but instead of a bell as a trigger it is a pipette. When I clean the tank, even the turkey baster sets him on a feeding frenzy. Perhaps Pug was acclimated to some feeding procedure that triggers her to eat.

 

I wonder if you could get your hands on some of the medicated food that it may help Pug if she would eat it.

I may have to try a pipette. I also could ask the lfs what they did to feed her.

[msscha]

Wow! This is an effect of LEDs?

 

A before and after shot of a ricordea -- the LEDs haven't even been in the tank for 3 weeks, but that ric has been in the tank for 6 months, at least!

Before LEDs

 

After LEDs

[msscha]

Monday morning report: peppermint MIA, Pug still alive

 

The peppermint was doing very well -- brightly colored, out and about feeding, and has been missing since Friday...I will assume it is dead. This would be the third one that hasn't lasted over 2 weeks. Given that everything else seems to be doing well, I am going to guess there is a predator of some sort in the tank. There is a new pile of sand at the back of the cave...maybe a competing shrimp of some sort? Or would the hermit crab build a sand castle to live in? (haven't seen the hermit the last few times I've looked).

 

Pug, the yellow clown goby, is still alive, though sad looking. There are lots of pods about, so maybe she is eating those. The neon looks fine, and Cleo the Ocellaris is doing really well: she looks kind of fat! The snails have very nearly eaten up the hair algae -- I'm thinking that I'll have to start supplementing with some seaweed next week. The baby toadstool are trucking along, and the second yellow clump has lost some yellow but sprouted bunches of baby polyps! The trimma goby is hanging around outside his cave, and I am glad to see that. It took almost 2 months since the trapped episode to start feeling a bit more confident in his surroundings.

 

My favia has changed color since the LEDs -- less burgundy/purple and more reddish brown. It also seems less velvety than it looked. OTOH, the side exposed to more light is sort of "melting" like the blob and appears to be sporting what looks like bunches of potential new heads. Kind of hard to tell, and the change has been rapid (no pun intended!).

 

FTS -- 10/26/2012

 

Sad looking Pug

 

Favia after LEDs

 

Acan after LEDs

 

Baby Toadstool Leathers

 

Sponge-Tunicate Life

 

Feather Duster

 

Red Feather Duster with Cerith

 

Spaghetti Worm -- things that make you go "hmm"

[eitallent]

Monday morning report: peppermint MIA, Pug still alive

 

The peppermint was doing very well -- brightly colored, out and about feeding, and has been missing since Friday...I will assume it is dead. This would be the third one that hasn't lasted over 2 weeks. Given that everything else seems to be doing well, I am going to guess there is a predator of some sort in the tank. There is a new pile of sand at the back of the cave...maybe a competing shrimp of some sort? Or would the hermit crab build a sand castle to live in? (haven't seen the hermit the last few times I've looked).

 

Pug, the yellow clown goby, is still alive, though sad looking. There are lots of pods about, so maybe she is eating those. The neon looks fine, and Cleo the Ocellaris is doing really well: she looks kind of fat! The snails have very nearly eaten up the hair algae -- I'm thinking that I'll have to start supplementing with some seaweed next week. The baby toadstool are trucking along, and the second yellow clump has lost some yellow but sprouted bunches of baby polyps! The trimma goby is hanging around outside his cave, and I am glad to see that. It took almost 2 months since the trapped episode to start feeling a bit more confident in his surroundings.

 

My favia has changed color since the LEDs -- less burgundy/purple and more reddish brown. It also seems less velvety than it looked. OTOH, the side exposed to more light is sort of "melting" like the blob and appears to be sporting what looks like bunches of potential new heads. Kind of hard to tell, and the change has been rapid (no pun intended!).

 

your tank is looking beautiful. The ricordia growth is amazing. The baby toadstools are so neat. Everything is thriving. Pug looks good from the pictures. She does not look emaciated so she probably is sneak eating. I have started feeding Cyclopeeze "frozen bar" and Skipper goes nuts for it.

 

Thanks for the pictures.

[msscha]

your tank is looking beautiful. The ricordia growth is amazing. The baby toadstools are so neat. Everything is thriving. Pug looks good from the pictures. She does not look emaciated so she probably is sneak eating. I have started feeding Cyclopeeze "frozen bar" and Skipper goes nuts for it.

 

Thanks for the pictures.

Thank you! Pug seems to be out and about more today -- I still think she looks a bit thin, but at least is interested in eating .

[~LadyBug~]

The tank is looking great! So lush

[markalot]

Made it to the end. Very fun thread to read, thanks for posting all the info and pictures!

 

I did not notice anyone mention that the large mushroom might be capable of eating a fish, depending on how fast it can close up. I read about this in a coral book I have and I noticed in one photo months back it was closed up tightly, identical to the picture in this book (Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1 Edition 2: Reef Gardening for Aquarists). Some mushrooms can close up fast enough to trap a unsuspecting creature.

 

I doubt I'm correct, but something you might be able to test by feeding the mushroom. It's a terrific looking mushroom so I hope I'm wrong.

 

I had no idea Duncans got so large! Going to have to re-think some things.

 

I think I might like Favia better then Acan. Favia can sting but at least it won't crawl it's stomach around and consume nearby corals! And Live Aquaria lists Acan as peaceful

Edited October 30, 2012 by markalot

[msscha]

Made it to the end. Very fun thread to read, thanks for posting all the info and pictures!

 

I did not notice anyone mention that the large mushroom might be capable of eating a fish, depending on how fast it can close up. I read about this in a coral book I have and I noticed in one photo months back it was closed up tightly, identical to the picture in this book (Book of Coral Propagation, Volume 1 Edition 2: Reef Gardening for Aquarists). Some mushrooms can close up fast enough to trap a unsuspecting creature.

 

I doubt I'm correct, but something you might be able to test by feeding the mushroom. It's a terrific looking mushroom so I hope I'm wrong.

 

I had no idea Duncans got so large! Going to have to re-think some things.

 

I think I might like Favia better then Acan. Favia can sting but at least it won't crawl it's stomach around and consume nearby corals! And Live Aquaria lists Acan as peaceful

Hello, Markalot!

 

Amazing that you'd work your way through the whole thread -- wow ! I had not read that about mushrooms...I wonder if that accounts for where the peppermint shrimp keep disappearing to? I would like to take both of the large pink mushrooms out simply because they are so big and visually, take up too much real estate. I just need to get in there with a sharp knife, but first, I have to have some place to put them! I may just add a little soap dish and place them there until I can do some frag swapping/selling. Since the tank is pretty well maxed out, that is my next marine evolution! Will have to make some time for the coral propagation info on the coral forum.

 

I really like the favia and the particular species I have does not have the long stinging tentacles. At least, not that I've every seen. The biggest problem with chemical warfare comes at the fat, innocent looking tentacles of the ricordea which seem able to burn anyone who gets too close.

[msscha]

I was actually in the office early enough to see/hear the lights and fans come on for "sunrise". The stock fan that is still in the hood (my friend put both the new one that came with the DIY kit and one of the two stock ones back in the hood) is still ridiculously loud when it comes on, chugs and churns for a good couple of minutes before finally quieting down. Very annoying. On the other hand, it was kind of cool to see the pre-dawn tank under the moonlights. I did a bit of moving while changing water yesterday, and Pug wants to know why her trumpet coral was moved to the front of the tank. Poor girl! The trumpet was not happy under the caressing shade of a giant pink mushroom, even if that arrangement created a coral cave for Pug. The trumpet and green/blue rics traded spots, opening up a nice view of the yellow ball sponge.

[msscha]

Just got a "new" used camera -- an impulse buy on Amazon. Still a cheap point-and-shoot, but with higher pixels and stronger zoom. Too automatic, though -- has macro features, but there doesn't seem to be a menu where I get to control it; instead, the camera makes the decisions. Don't like that, but it was only $30, still in the box, with only about 60 pics taken -- which I know, because they left the 4gb SD card inside! Some of the pictures seem crisper, but the lighting is not what I'd like...all in all, I got the same number of successful pictures except for the neon goby: not a single shot of him darting about came out in focus.

 

Morning FTS (all 4 fish are out! In fact, since adding the two new gobies, all of gobies have started hanging out together on the right side of the tank between the fingerleather and pink shroom)

 

Clown with Toadstool (this picture came out clearer than I was expecting)

 

Trumpet Coral (new location)

 

Favia

 

Pug

 

Zoas

 

Ceriths and Ric

[markalot]

Gorgeous Camera has great color. I use a panasonic brand and set white balance manually to 10,000K for the best color on mine, the auto white balance never turns out right for me.

[eitallent]

Just got a "new" used camera -- an impulse buy on Amazon. Still a cheap point-and-shoot, but with higher pixels and stronger zoom. Too automatic, though -- has macro features, but there doesn't seem to be a menu where I get to control it; instead, the camera makes the decisions. Don't like that, but it was only $30, still in the box, with only about 60 pics taken -- which I know, because they left the 4gb SD card inside! Some of the pictures seem crisper, but the lighting is not what I'd like...all in all, I got the same number of successful pictures except for the neon goby: not a single shot of him darting about came out in focus.

 

Morning FTS (all 4 fish are out! In fact, since adding the two new gobies, all of gobies have started hanging out together on the right side of the tank between the fingerleather and pink shroom)

Your tank makes me smile! Great pictures.

[msscha]

Gorgeous Camera has great color. I use a panasonic brand and set white balance manually to 10,000K for the best color on mine, the auto white balance never turns out right for me.

That is the problem with this camera -- everything is automated. Also a good example of why impulse purchases are such a bad idea ! There's a Panasonic Lumix I saw at Best Buy that looked really interesting and even had a setting for "underwater" shots. This is what is on my Christmas list this year!!

[Deleted User 3]

R.I.P. Ginger

 

20 years old (at least -- I lost track about 5 years ago), beautiful and grumpy to the end. Laid herself out peacefully beneath an oak tree. Buried in the garden next to the pond, at the foot of a milkweed plant (asclepias).

 

 

Ah man, im sorry I didn't see this sooner. I just lost a cat that i've had since i was about 2.. and I'm almost 22 now.. I'm still very sad, she had gotten skinny her last year, and quickly went down hill, kept losing teeth, peeing on everything, loosing control of bowels, and then hard to walk, and then one day she just stopped trying, and laid there all day until she died in my mom's lap. I'm just glad she isn't in pain anymore.

 

PS your FTS is

[markalot]

That is the problem with this camera -- everything is automated. Also a good example of why impulse purchases are such a bad idea ! There's a Panasonic Lumix I saw at Best Buy that looked really interesting and even had a setting for "underwater" shots. This is what is on my Christmas list this year!!

 

Yea, I have the one with the big lens, 10X zoom I think. Mine doesn't have underwater but it does have manual K settings that stop at 10,000. I've also had luck adding an effect to brown the image a bit .. can't think of the name of it right now.

[phoenix91]

Your FTS is lovely, such nice colors

 

Pug is adorable, i hope she starts eating soon, or eating more and gets fat..

 

I've ordered twice from reef cleaners and both times i've limited myself to the 5g quick crew because of how many snails come. My dad was tank sitting for me last week while i was in England and he actually called me up just to ask if there was supposed to be so many snails n the tank. They're everywhere, and i think some of my nerites had babies, my tank has had a nerite explosion.

[msscha]

RIP, Pug .

 

Your FTS is lovely, such nice colors

 

Pug is adorable, i hope she starts eating soon, or eating more and gets fat..

 

I've ordered twice from reef cleaners and both times i've limited myself to the 5g quick crew because of how many snails come. My dad was tank sitting for me last week while i was in England and he actually called me up just to ask if there was supposed to be so many snails n the tank. They're everywhere, and i think some of my nerites had babies, my tank has had a nerite explosion.

Lol! Yep, but they are doing a really good job of keeping the tank clean. I haven't spotted the hitchhiking hermit in several days, so I wonder if it is gone or nocturnal. I like having all the snails -- snails making babies just means free food!

 

Ah man, im sorry I didn't see this sooner. I just lost a cat that i've had since i was about 2.. and I'm almost 22 now.. I'm still very sad, she had gotten skinny her last year, and quickly went down hill, kept losing teeth, peeing on everything, loosing control of bowels, and then hard to walk, and then one day she just stopped trying, and laid there all day until she died in my mom's lap. I'm just glad she isn't in pain anymore.

 

PS your FTS is

HI, TuLiPgirl! So sorry about your cat -- it's so much harder when you lived your whole life with it. My first cat, Bacchus, slept on my chest every night for 16 years, and I still miss him, 12 years after he passed. We are delighted to have 2 new cats in the house, though -- both allegedly belong to my daughter . One is a white, fat, bobtail with a funky personality and the other a sleek tabby who should be the poster child for what people mean when they say "cat"!

 

The tank is looking great! So lush

Mucho Gracias, LadyBug!

[HVani]

What happened to Pug??

[~LadyBug~]

Oh, poor Pug! I'm so sorry, I hate loosing fish

[msscha]

What happened to Pug??

She was here yesterday, but MIA today. Given the clean up crew, I don't expect to find a body! I thought she was doing better, but I think the days of not eating were too much. The clown, trimma, and neon goby are still around, though, and the neon seems to have inspired some extra boldness in the trimma, who has left his cave and is currently perching up front on the trumpet coral .

[msscha]

I am really amazed by the impact of the LEDs. Since they've been installed, every ric in the tank -- most of which have been in the tank for nearly a year -- have split. (okay -- weird -- the tank lights just turned off. It's only 2:18 p.m. and they shouldn't go off until around 4:00. Maybe the time shift with daylight savings?)

[msscha]

I had an unexpectedly long weekend, so tank inhabitants did not get fed for three days. The neon goby seemed stressed by this and his spots were back. Today, they are gone. I dosed 1/2 tsp of herbtana as a bit of insurance, but he seems fine today.

 

Am also having challenges with fluctuating temps. This season in North Central Florida is hard on thermostats as we'll wake up to weather in the high 40s but go to bed with temps in the high 70s. So, the office alternately heats and cools. When it heats, the tank gets up to 80 F; when it cools, it stays near 77 F. The heater works well, but is not easy to read -- when I set it to 79 F, the tank can get too warm. However, I've decreased the daylight hours in the tank to 8, following the seasons (8 hours for winter, 10 for spring/fall, 12 for summer) and that has created less heat, too -- I turned the heater back up to 79 F. We'll see. It's not like the tank is cooking or freezing, but I'd like to keep the swing to a minimum.

 

I have some new macro algae growing in the tank! A red type is flourishing again and a green type with little discs as leaves just started. Apparently, there are nutrients on hand! The red grape caulerpa is growing like crazy, too.

 

There is a sand pile developing toward the back of the tank at the base of the rock...don't know if it's a pistol of some sort (haven't heard clicking) or the hermit crab or something else! I kind of hope it's the hermit b/c I thought is was cute (lol) -- but whatever it is lives nocturnally, as I've never seen it during the day.

 

The fts is from last week, after I moved some stuff around. I really want to sell/give away the two giant pink mushrooms. Since there are 5 baby ones, I will not miss them. The rics are all dividing like mad, too. The baby toadstools each have at least 1/2 dozen polyps...and the acans are happier now that the yellow clown goby is not around to perch on them. My one wish in terms of inhabitants is a clam. That may be my Christmas present to self!

 

FTS 11/2012

 

Macroalgae

 

 

Neon goby

 

Cleo still loves her Toadstool

 

Favia

 

Duncans

 

Tank scenes

 

Edited November 14, 2012 by msscha