The 28 Gallon Itch

[owenj]

That Ulva is growing like crazy. I've seen the dwarf ceriths on it though...little stinkers!!!!

Yea, I see my dwarf ceriths on my Red Grape all the time too, but I think they're probably too small to do any lasting damage.

[Felicia]

I'll have to try to find a photo of one of the blue porcelain crabs. I haven't been able to get a very good photo because they never come out in the open. They're always down in crevices in rocks. They look just like this though:

 

Nice new photos! I love the shots you got of the sexy shrimp and your two little clowns are so cute.

[gena]

Yea, I see my dwarf ceriths on my Red Grape all the time too, but I think they're probably too small to do any lasting damage.

Mine hang out on the red grape too, but don't do any damage to it.

 

I'll have to try to find a photo of one of the blue porcelain crabs. I haven't been able to get a very good photo because they never come out in the open. They're always down in crevices in rocks. They look just like this though:

 

Nice new photos! I love the shots you got of the sexy shrimp and your two little clowns are so cute.

Thanks! I still can't get perfectly focused photos and it drives me nuts!!!!!

 

My porcelain has blue on him too. Those in the photo are sooo gorgeous!!!!! Mine doesn't really come out in the open either. His favorite spot is the middle of the tank at sand level, hanging off the left rock. He chows down over there all the time.

[albertthiel]

Thanks, Albert

 

That Ulva is growing like crazy. I've seen the dwarf ceriths on it though...little stinkers!!!!

 

I think so too, Albert. Seems to be looking stronger today than it did yesterday, even.

 

Yep. They were picking at my purple people eaters from Hawaii, so I moved those into my NC12. They've picked here and there at other stuff. I notice when I feed twice a day, I have no troubles from them. I'm sure they are sneaking nibbles behind my back though. But, no major damage. I love to hate those little guys. Actually, I love them more than I hate them....for now!!!!!

 

Gena:

 

The Ulva is of course the "lettuce" of the reef tank so I am not surprised that the CUC's will go for it. I would say it is like a "super salad" for them. But since it grows really fast under good conditions my guess is that the won't destroy it all, but as you know in this hobby, nothing is ever "sure" so hard to tell what will happen. Here is a link with some good info in case you need it:

 

Ulva Information

 

The Dragon's Breath is pretty resilient and IME can deal with some stress from shipping and recover as long as it is not all falling apart and from what I saw in the pics you posted, it is not so my best guess is that it will regenerate slowly but surely. Check this video

 

And on those nibblers and pickers: some report no issue with them at all and then others seem to have lots of them, picking on Zoas and even other corals, but no one seems to know why the change from well behaving ones to becoming a nuisance actually happens. Some postulate that if they are not finding enough other food they may suddenly decide that your smaller and sometimes not so small corals look "appetizing" and start going for them.

 

Moving them out of the tank was IMO the best approach.

 

Good luck with it all and Happy Reef Keeping

[pyronus]

Gorgeous as usual Gena, you've made such complimentary livestock choices that it really feels like an actual reef. I've done plenty of Caribbean diving, and I can tell you, that you have made something special.

 

Honestly if you had one maze brain, and some porites or a plain old Staghorn acro (I have a frag I could ship) in there, I would swear I was looking at pictures in a Nat G.

 

Ship me some macro's would ya?

[gena]

Gena:

 

The Ulva is of course the "lettuce" of the reef tank so I am not surprised that the CUC's will go for it. I would say it is like a "super salad" for them. But since it grows really fast under good conditions my guess is that the won't destroy it all, but as you know in this hobby, nothing is ever "sure" so hard to tell what will happen. Here is a link with some good info in case you need it:

 

Ulva Information

 

The Dragon's Breath is pretty resilient and IME can deal with some stress from shipping and recover as long as it is not all falling apart and from what I saw in the pics you posted, it is not so my best guess is that it will regenerate slowly but surely. Check this video

 

And on those nibblers and pickers: some report no issue with them at all and then others seem to have lots of them, picking on Zoas and even other corals, but no one seems to know why the change from well behaving ones to becoming a nuisance actually happens. Some postulate that if they are not finding enough other food they may suddenly decide that your smaller and sometimes not so small corals look "appetizing" and start going for them.

 

Moving them out of the tank was IMO the best approach.

 

Good luck with it all and Happy Reef Keeping

Thanks for the info. Albert. I'll be sure to read about the Ulva. It's growing really fast now. The snails are no longer on it and I don't see any damage, so that's good.

 

Gorgeous as usual Gena, you've made such complimentary livestock choices that it really feels like an actual reef. I've done plenty of Caribbean diving, and I can tell you, that you have made something special.

 

Honestly if you had one maze brain, and some porites or a plain old Staghorn acro (I have a frag I could ship) in there, I would swear I was looking at pictures in a Nat G.

 

Ship me some macro's would ya?

Cool!!!!! I've never been diving in the Caribbean so this makes me sooo happy to read!!!! We snorkeled a little off the beach in St. Croix, but there weren't coral reefs where we were. We did see some cool fish though, and a squid I can't wait to go back there again and actually snorkel the reefs. One day!!!!!

 

It might make you happy to know that I have an email notification with Live Aquaria, for porites with Christmas Tree worms, set for when they become available!!!!!! I'll try to squeeze those other things in there too. I may only be able to do the porites/worm and maze brain though. Though I haven't ruled out the staghorn!!!!!

 

Which macro are you interested in?????

[pyronus]

Which macro are you interested in?????

 

That red grape, and whatever the pink one is next to it! I can't tell is it gracilaria?

[Felicia]

Thanks! I still can't get perfectly focused photos and it drives me nuts!!!!!

 

My porcelain has blue on him too. Those in the photo are sooo gorgeous!!!!! Mine doesn't really come out in the open either. His favorite spot is the middle of the tank at sand level, hanging off the left rock. He chows down over there all the time.

I have maybe 1 somewhat ok photo of my porcelain crab around somewhere, but I can't seem to get a good focused one. One of mine is on the right side of the tank way down in the rock crevices. He just crawls around in there and never comes out in the open. The second one lives under the heater that is laying horizontally along the back of the tank behind the rocs. At feeding time he sits on top of the heater to eat but its impossible to get a good photo of him back there. The third one is somewhere on the left side of the tank and I only see him one in a while.

[gena]

That red grape, and whatever the pink one is next to it! I can't tell is it gracilaria?

I do have gracilaria in the tank. It's pretty much mixed in with the red grape. It looks like red grape with no grapes, just stems. Is that what you are talking about? Otherwise, directly to the right is a red macro and I can't remember the name. I have it written down somewhere. Either way, I'll take care of you

 

I have maybe 1 somewhat ok photo of my porcelain crab around somewhere, but I can't seem to get a good focused one. One of mine is on the right side of the tank way down in the rock crevices. He just crawls around in there and never comes out in the open. The second one lives under the heater that is laying horizontally along the back of the tank behind the rocs. At feeding time he sits on top of the heater to eat but its impossible to get a good photo of him back there. The third one is somewhere on the left side of the tank and I only see him one in a while.

Well, if you ever get a photo opportunity of the porcelains, grab it I'd like to see what they look like. I think you posted one before, but maybe not. You have too many pages for me to go searching through

[Deleted User 3]

Your tank is so purdy Gena Im jealous of your rics too. eventually I will get some! For now unless I get entirely free freebies im SOL reef bug sucks. lol!

[Felicia]

Well, if you ever get a photo opportunity of the porcelains, grab it I'd like to see what they look like. I think you posted one before, but maybe not. You have too many pages for me to go searching through

Haha, seriously right? I was trying to flip through it to find that one picture and gave up. Maybe I'll try looking again tonight.

 

Ok, scratch that, the porcelain crab photo was on page 97, so he wasn't too hard to find. Here's the one that lives in the rocks on the right side of my tank. They all look about the same though.

[owenj]

Did you see that Diver's Den has a bonded pair of masked gobies for sale? Can't remember if you've ordered yours already or not...

[pyronus]

I do have gracilaria in the tank. It's pretty much mixed in with the red grape. It looks like red grape with no grapes, just stems. Is that what you are talking about? Otherwise, directly to the right is a red macro and I can't remember the name. I have it written down somewhere.

 

I was talking about that one directly to the right of the red grape/gracilaria with the unknown name. I tried to figure out what it was from the pictures but I couldn't really tell.

 

Either way, I'll take care of you

[Looselyhuman]

Looking good Gena!

 

Did you see that Diver's Den has a bonded pair of masked gobies for sale? Can't remember if you've ordered yours already or not...

 

[gena]

Your tank is so purdy Gena Im jealous of your rics too. eventually I will get some! For now unless I get entirely free freebies im SOL reef bug sucks. lol!

Awe...thanks!!!!! I used to have a lot more ricordeas, but they were either eaten by the sexies, or more likely, the lighting was not enough for them when they were in my 10g macro tank. I just hope what I have left will grow well for me. I really don't want to have to buy anymore corals for this tank, except for my porites with xmas tree worms

 

Haha, seriously right? I was trying to flip through it to find that one picture and gave up. Maybe I'll try looking again tonight.

 

Ok, scratch that, the porcelain crab photo was on page 97, so he wasn't too hard to find. Here's the one that lives in the rocks on the right side of my tank. They all look about the same though.

Oh...yes!!!!!! I remember them!!!!! Soooo pretty!!!!!!! Awesome score with those. Where'd you buy your rock from??????

 

Did you see that Diver's Den has a bonded pair of masked gobies for sale? Can't remember if you've ordered yours already or not...

I did not!!!! I haven't ordered them yet. I think I'm going to go with 3 though...wasn't planning a mated/bonded pair for those guys. I'm so excited to be getting a little collection of gobies going

 

 

I was talking about that one directly to the right of the red grape/gracilaria with the unknown name. I tried to figure out what it was from the pictures but I couldn't really tell.

 

 

I'll let you know the name when I find it. I believe it's listed on my 10g macro tank thread. I'm going to send you a PM soon for your info, for shipping. It's a very delicate macro. It's one of those that you can't use a zip tie to keep it in place. Mine actually floated away and stuck to the powerhead and took off from there. If I remember right, it started growing intermingled with the ochtodes and I was able to wedge it in the rocks like that (very easy to wedge ochtodes in rock). It's kind of a tricky macro. But it's one of my favorites.

 

Looking good Gena!

 

 

 

Thanks, Ian!!!!!

[Felicia]

Awe...thanks!!!!! I used to have a lot more ricordeas, but they were either eaten by the sexies, or more likely, the lighting was not enough for them when they were in my 10g macro tank. I just hope what I have left will grow well for me. I really don't want to have to buy anymore corals for this tank, except for my porites with xmas tree worms

My ricordea are finally splitting and I've got a pretty good color variety, so if yours don't come back then maybe in a few months I could send you a couple. Otherwise maybe you should just add a couple to your next Sealife Inc order. They can ship the priority for $15 and I really like the ones I got from them.

 

Oh...yes!!!!!! I remember them!!!!! Soooo pretty!!!!!!! Awesome score with those. Where'd you buy your rock from??????

I'm honestly not sure what those guys hitch hiked in on. I know I had 2 of them in the 10 gallon, but I didn't ever notice them until after it had been set up for several months so I'm not sure they came in on the original rock. The live rock I used in the 10 gallon was the cheapest grade of live rock that an LFS called Aquarium Concepts Inc had when I set up the tank. The rock in the 30 gallon is all dry rock (never alive) from BRS that I seeded with the rock from the 10 gallon. After I set up the 30 gallon, I noticed the 3rd porcelain crab so I think at least that one must have come with a frag or something.

 

They're super pretty so I'm lucky to somehow get 3 porcelain crabs and have all of them end up to be the awesome blue ones. Crazy!

[gena]

My ricordea are finally splitting and I've got a pretty good color variety, so if yours don't come back then maybe in a few months I could send you a couple. Otherwise maybe you should just add a couple to your next Sealife Inc order. They can ship the priority for $15 and I really like the ones I got from them.

A friend of ours has been able to grow 100s of orange ricordeas. Well maybe not that many, but it's a lot. I don't know how people do it!!!!!! I'd like to get to that point someday!!!!! I may just add on a ric. to my next sealife order. I don't have blue...I need a blue

 

 

I'm honestly not sure what those guys hitch hiked in on. I know I had 2 of them in the 10 gallon, but I didn't ever notice them until after it had been set up for several months so I'm not sure they came in on the original rock. The live rock I used in the 10 gallon was the cheapest grade of live rock that an LFS called Aquarium Concepts Inc had when I set up the tank. The rock in the 30 gallon is all dry rock (never alive) from BRS that I seeded with the rock from the 10 gallon. After I set up the 30 gallon, I noticed the 3rd porcelain crab so I think at least that one must have come with a frag or something.

 

They're super pretty so I'm lucky to somehow get 3 porcelain crabs and have all of them end up to be the awesome blue ones. Crazy!

Crazy and so cool!!!!!!! I've never gotten awesome hitchhikers like that. Maybe something cool will pop up in a few months from my live rock.

[Felicia]

A friend of ours has been able to grow 100s of orange ricordeas. Well maybe not that many, but it's a lot. I don't know how people do it!!!!!! I'd like to get to that point someday!!!!! I may just add on a ric. to my next sealife order. I don't have blue...I need a blue

I got a multi-mouth blue ricordea from Sealife for $25 and its really pretty. You should definitely get one. And yeah, I don't know how some people get them to grow so fast. I've had mind for months and they've just started splitting recently.

 

Crazy and so cool!!!!!!! I've never gotten awesome hitchhikers like that. Maybe something cool will pop up in a few months from my live rock.

I've gotten some really mean crab hitch hikers too that tore up some coral and were a pain to catch, so I guess I deserved a few good ones, haha. I'm sure you'll have something cool pop up. I'm still finding random things pop up even though I haven't added anything new recently. I have a cool yellow sponge that showed up out of nowhere about a month ago. Reef tanks are amazing with the things that just show up.

[gena]

Yeah, I have cool HH's this time around, like sponges and coral, macro, etc. But never cool inverts like porcelain crabs. I know for sure I have a tiny and cute little crab. But it has pointy pinchers, so it's a "bad" crab. It's so tiny right now though. I haven't seen it for a couple of weeks now. I guess I won't be too disappointed if something happened to it

[jedimasterben]

A friend of ours has been able to grow 100s of orange ricordeas. Well maybe not that many, but it's a lot. I don't know how people do it!!!!!!

Blenders.

[gena]

Blenders.

Not with ricordeas though!!!!!!! Aren't they too sensitive for a blender???? Can you imagine with that mashed concoction smells like????.....eeeewwwww!!!!!!!

[Felicia]

Not with ricordeas though!!!!!!! Aren't they too sensitive for a blender???? Can you imagine with that mashed concoction smells like????.....eeeewwwww!!!!!!!

Ewww yuck! I HATE how ricordeas smell. I had forgotten they were so bad until I got one at the frag swap and almost fell over when I pulled it out of its container to put in my tank.

 

 

Keep an eye on that little crab in case it starts getting big. I had that one big gorilla crab that shredded my mushrooms. I'm honestly convinced that Atlantis Aquariums must have blue porcelain crabs breeding in their big frag tank since I think they probably hitch hiked on frags. Most of my corals are from there and it seems so coincidental to get 3 of the same kind.

[pyronus]

I never noticed how ric's smell, but I think the smell of acro is quite appetizing

[Spirofucci]

Blue crab and a blue ric! You need a few manly, macho things in there.

 

I must have been in a girly mood when I ordered my last batch form Morgan, cause all of the zoas were pinkinsh and pastel colors.

 

I am waiting for Morgan to get a really, really blue ric as well! I think I have room for one more.

[jedimasterben]

Not with ricordeas though!!!!!!! Aren't they too sensitive for a blender???? Can you imagine with that mashed concoction smells like????.....eeeewwwww!!!!!!!

I've never heard of a ricordea being sensitive. A rock fell on mine and squished it into a nice paste, I now have a few dozen popping up around the tank. Then I had a mushroom go through an MP10 and I just can't count how many of those I have now.