THE OFFICIAL ASK ALBERT THIEL THREAD

[albertthiel]

Interesting Short Video of a Neon Green Bubble Coral

 

 

http://underthesearadioprogram.yolasite.com/nano-reef-hour-bubble-corals.php

 

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

I just bought a new pistal shrimp because my large watchman kidnapped the one that was living with my pair of gobies and they are homeless so I hope this one pairs up with them so they can start a family. Since they were evicted, the larger gobi has started jumping out of the water. So far he has been landing back in the tank, but his luck and aim will run out soon. They really need a shrimp to live with as they always do in nature.

 

[albertthiel]

I just bought a new pistal shrimp because my large watchman kidnapped the one that was living with my pair of gobies and they are homeless so I hope this one pairs up with them so they can start a family. Since they were evicted, the larger gobi has started jumping out of the water. So far he has been landing back in the tank, but his luck and aim will run out soon. They really need a shrimp to live with as they always do in nature.

 

 

Interesting game of competition Paul .. and I guess the winner was that large Watchman Goby ...

 

Not sure why the Goby is testing his somersaulting abilities but you are right ... if that goes on at some point he is going to end up on the floor ...

 

Albert

[atoll]

I have a big old yellow watchman goby with pistol shrimp but unfortunately the shrimp made its burrow round the back of my reefscape. The goby does venture around the tank esp when there is food about. I never see the goby go anywhere near the waters surface at all.

[albertthiel]

I have a big old yellow watchman goby with pistol shrimp but unfortunately the shrimp made its burrow round the back of my reefscape. The goby does venture around the tank esp when there is food about. I never see the goby go anywhere near the waters surface at all.

 

Yes it is kind of odd that in Pay;'s tank that Goby would swim to the surface and as Paul says jump out of the water ... odd behavior indeed but then stranger things sometimes happen in our tanks ..

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

Once upon a time (OK last year) I had this shrimp and Gobi

 

 

He looked lonely so the King of this section of reef (Me) went out and got him a little companion. In time, the little guy grew to where he could be friends, or maybe more than friends with the older guy. In the beginning the King was worried because the little gobi was tiny and he was afraid he would be eaten.

 

The two gobies moved into the tunnel dug by their friend the pistal shrimp. and it looked like they would be happy and safe forever.

 

 

Then this big, mean Watchman gobi came by and evicted these two smaller gobies, moved into their home, enslaved their shrimp and they had no place to live.

 

 

So the King (me again) searched far and wide and found a new shrimp that had no gobi friends and he bought him.

He put the shrimp in the six foot long tank not thinking these 3 creatures would ever meet up, but to his surprise, with in 10 minutes, the gobies found that the shrimp was living in a tube and they took up a position outside the entrance. The shrimp inched out and noticed the gobies guarding his cave and he immediately started digging a tunnel right beneath their watchful eyes.

Now the tunnel is about an inch deep and the gobies are laying across it, protecting it and the shrimp from harm. (you can just about make out the shrimp antenna sticking out of the hole, touching the gobi) The King of this reef (yes me) believes that by tomorrow, the gobies and the new shrimp will again be safe and comfortable in their new home. And the old watchman could go and sit on a tack and rotate.

The End.

 

[albertthiel]

Once upon a time (OK last year) I had this shrimp and Gobi

 

He looked lonely so the King of this section of reef (Me) went out and got him a little companion. In time, the little guy grew to where he could be friends, or maybe more than friends with the older guy. In the beginning the King was worried because the little gobi was tiny and he was afraid he would be eaten.

 

The two gobies moved into the tunnel dug by their friend the pistal shrimp. and it looked like they would be happy and safe forever.

 

Then this big, mean Watchman gobi came by and evicted these two smaller gobies, moved into their home, enslaved their shrimp and they had no place to live.

 

So the King (me again) searched far and wide and found a new shrimp that had no gobi friends and he bought him.

He put the shrimp in the six foot long tank not thinking these 3 creatures would ever meet up, but to his surprise, with in 10 minutes, the gobies found that the shrimp was living in a tube and they took up a position outside the entrance. The shrimp inched out and noticed the gobies guarding his cave and he immediately started digging a tunnel right beneath their watchful eyes.

Now the tunnel is about an inch deep and the gobies are laying across it, protecting it and the shrimp from harm. (you can just about make out the shrimp antenna sticking out of the hole, touching the gobi) The King of this reef (yes me) believes that by tomorrow, the gobies and the new shrimp will again be safe and comfortable in their new home. And the old watchman could go and sit on a tack and rotate.

The End.

 

 

That is a nice story Paul ... and you have such an interesting way of describing it all .. I like it and thanks for sharing ..

 

Albert

[andi.rahl]

That is a nice story Paul ... and you have such an interesting way of describing it all .. I like it and thanks for sharing ..

 

Albert

I love the way he describes things! it's amazing. lol.

 

oh, and the little light is great! I used it to spy on my new snail last night, and I didn't see anything sinister lurking about. only time will tell, right?

[albertthiel]

I love the way he describes things! it's amazing. lol.

 

oh, and the little light is great! I used it to spy on my new snail last night, and I didn't see anything sinister lurking about. only time will tell, right?

 

Yes indeed, he is a good story teller ... and always seems to find a way to make what he wants to convey mixed in with some humor, and he can really come up with some unusual "twists" that make reading his posts even more interesting ..

 

And thanks for the comment on the Critter Torch, glad you are pleased with it ... and glad to read you did not find any "little monsters" in your tank ...

 

Albert

[metrokat]

 

Metrokat, you seem surprised. As I have been saying, all things being equal, if you feed fish correcdtly, which means live foods like blackworms, you have to step on them to get them to stop spawning.

That is what happened to me in the 70s when I few them to blue devils, they kept spawning.

That is certainly good news, congradulations.

Paul

I wasn't expecting it. In fact I've actually been hoping my newly introduced female mandarin would fall in love with my male but that pair has proven difficult. So while my focus has been on the mandarin pair, these guys pulled a fast one on me.

[Paul.b]

Oh No. Now the other gobi stole the shrimp from right under the 2 gobi's noses.

 

So now I ordered "another" shrimp.

I may have to get a separate shrimp for every fish in the tank.

 

[albertthiel]

Need to Identify a Hitchhiker ? Check out this site :

 

 

Link :

 

 

http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhiker/hitchhiker.shtml

 

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Oh No. Now the other gobi stole the shrimp from right under the 2 gobi's noses.

 

So now I ordered "another" shrimp.

I may have to get a separate shrimp for every fish in the tank.

 

 

 

Well that sure is a clever Goby Paul .... surreptitiously stealing a shrimp os not that simple : -o

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

The Shedd Aquarium Stingray Touch Invitation and a Video of Feeding the Stingrays

 

 

Link :

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/15/stingray-touch_n_3280828.html

 

 

Albert

[Paul.b]

 

Well that sure is a clever Goby Paul .... surreptitiously stealing a shrimp os not that simple : -o

 

Albert

It seems there is a battle waging between the two smaller gobies and the larger gobi. The shrimp is just dumbfounded and don't know weather to puke or go blind. Actually they are kind of blind so I guess the choice would be to puke. But tempers are flairing and insults flying, I am dying to see who wins this gobi tomorrow. I will probably find all the fish dead and the 2 shrimp mating.

The large watchman gobi who stole the first shrimp is in his corner with a big smirk on his face and he is thinking who he is right now. I wish I had a snakehead fish right now to teach him who is really boss. Maybe my dragonpipefish will intervene.

[albertthiel]

It seems there is a battle waging between the two smaller gobies and the larger gobi. The shrimp is just dumbfounded and don't know weather to puke or go blind. Actually they are kind of blind so I guess the choice would be to puke. But tempers are flairing and insults flying, I am dying to see who wins this gobi tomorrow. I will probably find all the fish dead and the 2 shrimp mating.

 

The large watchman gobi who stole the first shrimp is in his corner with a big smirk on his face and he is thinking who he is right now. I wish I had a snakehead fish right now to teach him who is really boss. Maybe my dragonpipefish will intervene.

 

Seems like there is lots of action going on in that tank that is for sure ...

 

How are the other fish reacting to all if that, if at all ... Interesting I am sure to watch all the interactions that are going on though and how the associations between the Gobies and Shrimp change ... Maybe you have to set up a "Rent A Shrimp" station so they can all get their share :-o

 

Albert

[albertthiel]

Another info sheet on Acan Care ... Acanthastrea sp. Coral

 

 

Link :

 

http://www.marinelifeuk.com/caring-for-acanthastrea-acan.html

 

 

Albert

[FlCandy]

Got a few new shots for you sir, and one exceptional SPS closeup. Polyps weren't out as I had just relocated him (totally intact I might add!) But I should have one with polyps out tomorrow!

 

Got more pics for you guys, this is today, I moved the tenuis higher up into a better lighted and flow spot, more random, not so direct.

FTS today


Crooked Full System Shot


I love this coral


The teeny bit of STN on the base where I originally dremeled and then glued is growing back, and its branching more, I moved it 5 minutes before this shot. I think by far my best SPS shot. Can't wait for the polyps to come out tomorrow so I can get an even better one!


SPS side


New Top rock look, I like it


Everyone but the my clementine is doing 100% (guy said to let him know if anything didn't make it, may contact him this weekend)


A more open ledge for growth on the Scripps, and the cool green SPS I have there. I moved the birds' foot looking thing to the other side of the tank, has more pink and orange now with green polyps. I will get a pic soon.


The SPS garden



So that's all for now, WC done, moved the one coral was super worried, but once again surprised myself and got it off the rock in one piece, now he is the crowning jewel in the top, and Kevin who was being PMS'y today rules the front.

He always hates cleaning day, hands around him, new water too clean etc. LMAO he will be happy tomorrow like he was yesterday.

Thanks as always for looking and posting in here. You guys keep me posting here. Love you all!

[albertthiel]

Got a few new shots for you sir, and one exceptional SPS closeup. Polyps weren't out as I had just relocated him (totally intact I might add!) But I should have one with polyps out tomorrow!

 

Got more pics for you guys, this is today, I moved the tenuis higher up into a better lighted and flow spot, more random, not so direct.

 

FTS today

 

Crooked Full System Sho

Everyone but the my clementine is doing 100% (guy said to let him know if anything didn't make it, may contact him this weekend)

 

A more open ledge for growth on the Scripps, and the cool green SPS I have there. I moved the birds' foot looking thing to the other side of the tank, has more pink and orange now with green polyps. I will get a pic soon.

 

So that's all for now, WC done, moved the one coral was super worried, but once again surprised myself and got it off the rock in one piece, now he is the crowning jewel in the top, and Kevin who was being PMS'y today rules the front.

 

He always hates cleaning day, hands around him, new water too clean etc. LMAO he will be happy tomorrow like he was yesterday.

 

Thanks as always for looking and posting in here. You guys keep me posting here. Love you all!

 

Tank is looking great Randy ... but then it has been for a long time ...

 

Great shots and thanks for posting the large update. I appreciate it.

 

Looks like things are really doing well in your personal little ocean.

 

Albert

[andi.rahl]

Yes indeed, he is a good story teller ... and always seems to find a way to make what he wants to convey mixed in with some humor, and he can really come up with some unusual "twists" that make reading his posts even more interesting ..

 

And thanks for the comment on the Critter Torch, glad you are pleased with it ... and glad to read you did not find any "little monsters" in your tank ...

 

Albert

the only thing I might have found is a clear little anemone with white bead-like tips. I googled majano and it's definitely not that. corynactis look more pink...so I think it's a pseudocorynactis.

[albertthiel]

the only thing I might have found is a clear little anemone with white bead-like tips. I googled majano and it's definitely not that. corynactis look more pink...so I think it's a pseudocorynactis.

 

Well odd you did not see it during the day .. but yes that Critter Torch does sometimes reveal life forms one may have missed when the light are on or that is in an area that is not that easy to see, or that is retracted ...

 

As I said not long ago, using the Critter Torch I discovered a small Aiptasia (that I got rid of with the Majano Wand and it has not come back) and also zapped a tiny Kenya Tree but not sure whether that one is completely gone yet, those K T's have a mind of their own and if they dropped just a tiny piece of a branch the will regrow .. tough they are for sure as I pointed out in other posts.

 

BTW for those interested I still have a number of Critter Torches for $12.50 shipped to the US and $ US 17.50 shipped to Canada, including postage cost.

 

Now on the anemone you think you saw ... does it look like this (this is a large one of course and yours may have been far smaller and not that easy to see indeed)

 

Picture was originally posted by formerly icyuodd/icyoud2 on this forum

Albert

[andi.rahl]

yeah, pretty much like that. I just couldn't tell if it had orange or pink because of the red of the light. I only saw it because the little balls glowed red, but I could still kind of see them when I quickly flipped my tank light on. It's in a nook/hole behind my bivalve and in like a dip in the rock. really really hard to see. I don't even know how it survived the ordeal my tank went through. I'm thrilled that it's there, though. hopefully it gets bigger so I can get a picture one day. I wish there was a way to filter the light so i can get a pic with my phone.

[andi.rahl]

I circled where it's hiding, you can kind of see it. I knew, the quality of my phone sucks Im sorry :/

 

this one, I added white dots where I could see them on the uploaded picture to make them stand out more. no wonder it hides with the light being so bright. I wonder why it hasn't come out of that hole and gone to the underside? I thought they didn't like bright light :/

 

while I'm at it, this little guy turned up today. he's been all over the front of the rock, and I'm hoping he stays where i can see him because he's adorable.

 

also, now that I caught a quick glimpse of it, it is orange-ish in the center, not pink. Still not sure which to think it is, but I'm thrilled to have it either way. I was kind of jealous of the people that had them.

[albertthiel]

yeah, pretty much like that. I just couldn't tell if it had orange or pink because of the red of the light. I only saw it because the little balls glowed red, but I could still kind of see them when I quickly flipped my tank light on. It's in a nook/hole behind my bivalve and in like a dip in the rock. really really hard to see. I don't even know how it survived the ordeal my tank went through. I'm thrilled that it's there, though. hopefully it gets bigger so I can get a picture one day. I wish there was a way to filter the light so i can get a pic with my phone.

 

Yes when real small still they can indeed be hard to spot . And they do grow indeed ... as you saw in the pic I posted. And how did it survive ... that is indeed one of those things that happens sometimes ... just like HH's that go through and entire nitrogen cycle and suddenly appear weeks after the tank has been running ...

 

Albert

[andi.rahl]

Yes when real small still they can indeed be hard to spot . And they do grow indeed ... as you saw in the pic I posted. And how did it survive ... that is indeed one of those things that happens sometimes ... just like HH's that go through and entire nitrogen cycle and suddenly appear weeks after the tank has been running ...

 

Albert

but it's been 6 months since I started this tank! that's why I'm so astonished that I've never seen it before. With that rock usually facing me (because I like the big feather duster type worm that's in the rock, the bivalve that's coralined over, and the general shape of that part of the rock.) so I just can't get over that I never saw it before! I'm so excited that I had to call my mom and tell her. she had no idea what I was talking about but she was glad that I was happy lol