fishfreak0114 Posted July 29, 2016 Author Share Posted July 29, 2016 Well I just got home from vacation, and my mom had some bad news for me that she hadn't wanted to ruin my trip. Katniss, my beloved flame angel, the awesomest fish ever, died on Saturday. And my cleaner shrimp, Jacques too :( :( :( I swear this hobby has repeatedly shattered my heart into a million tiny pieces. But this is the worst it's ever been. Actually, I think this might be the biggest loss I've felt over a pet before. Everything else looks great, so I have no idea why they both died. All I can say is, I ####ing hate my tank right now. I'm sure in a couple days I'll love it again but I can't even look at it right now because my favorite fish is gone and I keep crying. And my hand hurts because I hit a wall...really really hard. It's going to have some wicked bruises. Sorry to rant, it usually makes me feel a bit better. In other news, I picked up another damsel today. If I'd known what I'd come home to I wouldn't have because the last thing I feel like doing right now is saltwater stuff. They didn't have either of the meds I need at the store, but I plan to go to Vancouver next week so I'll get them then. I'll also be on the hunt for a tailspot blenny, or maybe a bicolor. My mom said she'd replace Katniss, but I'm not sure I want another one. I don't know what I'd name it. Stupid, I know. Maybe I'll get something else, a coral beauty perhaps? I have to do more reading, but I love angels. Great, now I feel discouraged again but not just about QTing, instead this hobby makes me feel crappy and like I can't do it. Seriously feel free to ignore all my negativity, just not in a good mood right now. I'm sure I'll be back to my usual self by tomorrow. I think I'm going to put up a physical barrier between me and the tank for a few hours. Maybe it will help if I stop looking at it Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 I think my clowns might be preparing to breed. From my reading it sounds like what they're doing is courtship behavior. I guess we'll see. They are both hitting the sand and queen bee is moving little rocks and mouthfuls of sand away from their spot. They nip each other and shake together and they keep biting one particular patch of rock, back right of the opening under my rock work. Seems like they are clearing a spot. I'll try and upload a video later or tomorrow. And some tank pics! 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted July 30, 2016 Author Share Posted July 30, 2016 Well photobucket won't cooperate with the video I'm not sure if what they were doing is it or not, I'll have to wait and see if they lay eggs. Whatever it was, they've never done it before. Some pics!!! New FTS. This will be the last full tank photo until my next wc because I scraped the coralline off the back wall today to see what it would look like and I didn't think about the fact that the coralline would be scattered across my sand bed lol. I took the rubber bands off the toadstool yesterday. It's almost severed in two! It's still seems heathy though, just a funny shape. I'm curious to see what it'll look like fully healed. Jim was out and about the other day. He's a lot braver now that he's grown! This leather is so happy! Definitely a favorite. The two cabbage leathers have been growing too! Unfortunately the pink one is growing on a slight slope to the back of the tank so the new growth is hard to see. I'm going turn it around when I remember. It's the weirdest thing ever. The dendro was obviously pretty far gone, a skeleton with no tentacles or mouth, just exposed insides. I looked at it this morning and its green mouths are back! And there's the faintest little tentacles beginning to grow. It chose the right time to show improvement because I was sure it was a total goner after months of failing to recover even with frequent feedings and I was just going to let it walk wherever it wanted. It looks like it may recover! . Bad pic, I know Me and my mom plan on going to Vancouver next Tuesday or Wednesday and stay overnight. Day 2 is fish stores!!! There's 3 I'd like to hit. J&L aquatics and King Ed's pets which I went to last year, and a new store, Fish addicts that just opened. They plan on having over 300 tanks, salt and fresh, when they're done. Here's my shopping wish list, so I have backup in case I lose my hard copy. I'll be adding to it as I think of stuff I need/want Livestock: 1x flame back or flame or coral beauty angel 1x tailspot or Bicolor or striped (grammistes) blenny 2x nassarious 1x cleaner shrimp 1x emerald crab 1x feather duster 1x white porcelain crab 1x green RFA Coral to keep an eye out for (but I probably can't buy anything because I'm broke) Chili coral Dendro Leathers -green toadstool specifically Gorgonians I'm also going to look for macro at king eds. Last year, I asked what type of macro I was looking at and they gave me a big chunk free. It's the red one. It's a good store. Supplies: reef crest bulk activated carbon 1.6kg Cement frag plugs epoxy jagger trutemp 100w (for mixing) frozen food that I can't remember the name of from J&L 500ml Revive dip 4oz Prazipro 35ppt calibration fluid Pipettes 3 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted July 31, 2016 Share Posted July 31, 2016 Sounds like fun - good luck! 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted July 31, 2016 Author Share Posted July 31, 2016 Sounds like fun - good luck! Thanks teeny, I'm pretty excited to go to different stores! 2 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 1, 2016 Author Share Posted August 1, 2016 I've decided to switch from chemipure to carbon. It'll be cheaper, and I already run purigen and phosguard too so I think it'll be ok. Tomorrows the Vancouver trip!!! We're going to the aquarium it's pretty much my favorite place in bc to go to! The damsel is doing ok in QT so far, I'm a little concerned about the bioload if I add two more fish to it so I might have to upsize to the 25g. I did a water change on it today of 4L and I'll do a larger one when we get back on Wednesday. We have a small predicament. My mom has looked into it, and I'm not going to be able to get any chloroquine phosphate. She doesn't think any of the vets near us would prescribe it because they don't do fish. Is there an effective alternative? Other than copper because that ones always seemed too risky to me. And yet again I've come across another neat fish. I looked at J&L's current stock list and googled all their blennies and dwarf Angels. My angel options remain the same, but they have striped blennies (meiacanthus grammistes) and they're super cool looking and reef safe. Who knows what I'll come home with! Quote Link to comment
Water Dog Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I don't know if it has been mentioned before, but have you ever considered TTM (the Tank Transfer Method) as part of your quarantine process as opposed to using preventive medication? IMO I think it's a much less stressful method as well as a sure fire way to get rid of ich for new tank additions without having to buy and use medications. You can do it with 5 gallon buckets to keep costs down as well. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 2, 2016 Author Share Posted August 2, 2016 I don't know if it has been mentioned before, but have you ever considered TTM (the Tank Transfer Method) as part of your quarantine process as opposed to using preventive medication? IMO I think it's a much less stressful method as well as a sure fire way to get rid of ich for new tank additions without having to buy and use medications. You can do it with 5 gallon buckets to keep costs down as well. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428 I read the link, and if any of my new fish have ich I think I might do that. I'd never really looked into it before thanks! 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted August 2, 2016 Share Posted August 2, 2016 I hadn't heard of doing it that way either, but it looks like a very good idea. Much easier on the fish. 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 Had an awesome day at the aquarium! I had fun looking for all the smaller life forms and telling my mom all kinds of fun facts! the funniest thing I heard was someone telling their kid, "all seahorses are males!" I didn't correct them I decided to forgo the gift shop and instead my moms giving me $20 for tomorrow's fish shopping! 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 One stop to go! At king eds I got: A pretty Yuma (I think) $25 but 10% off (I saved 2.50 it was enough to prompt me to buy it!) A bag of macro $10 -at least one type of caulerpa, I'm fine with the required pruning and I'll keep a close eye for signs of going sexual, and some chaeto. The guy just reached in a tank of macro as yanked lol, I'll check for anything else in there too At J&L A flame angel $55 - mom paid for it, it's around 2" and looks healthy A feather duster $15 couldn't resist An RFA $25 (I think anyways, it may have cost more) and a porcelain crab to to with it $12 A replacement skunk cleaner shrimp $25 Jacques the 3rd! This ones little so that's good Little fragments of NPS gorg $10. Try were going to die on the sand bed having broken from the main colonies so I figured I'd try to keep them alive. It's an experiment of sorts. Probably a waste of $10, but oh well 1 Quote Link to comment
Water Dog Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 I hadn't heard of doing it that way either, but it looks like a very good idea. Much easier on the fish. Yeah, that is to go to method for trying to ensure an ich free tank over on RC. That's what I did in 5 gallon buckets as part of my quarantine procedures for my tank inhabitants and so far, so good in terms of being ich free (although I did lose a purple firefish due to a mouth fungus). Fishfreak0114, congrats on the new additions to your tank! Once you have your new inhabitants settled in, we're gonna need some new tank shots... 2 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 3, 2016 Author Share Posted August 3, 2016 Nothing at the last place. Now to home! Well, first a quick stop for Chinese then it's acclimating time! Yeah, that is to go to method for trying to ensure an ich free tank over on RC. That's what I did in 5 gallon buckets as part of my quarantine procedures for my tank inhabitants and so far, so good in terms of being ich free (although I did lose a purple firefish due to a mouth fungus). Fishfreak0114, congrats on the new additions to your tank! Once you have your new inhabitants settled in, we're gonna need some new tank shots... I think the angel is ich free so maybe I'll be ok! I avoided, like, 5 other ones that had some minor thing that might not have been disease. And I skipped the ones they had in hypo. If I have to do it, it'll be in 5 gallon buckets, or a 10 and a 5 gallon tank. I'll definitely post some pics! Maybe not tonight because my lights will be out when I get home, but tomorrow for sure! My coralline mess from last week disappeared of its own accord Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 I did a 8l wc on the QT. Both fish are looking good. 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 4, 2016 Author Share Posted August 4, 2016 A few pics! I've been fiddling in the tank a lot today and it's wc dauphin so it looks gross,therefore no FTS. Soon! 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Something kind of odd, earlier I brushed up against a bristleworm. I was expecting pain, but absolutely nothing happened. Yay! Everything looks thoroughly pussed off right now, I just finished cleaning. My mom asked today why part of my leather had turned green. I thought it was just the lights on the tips, but when the light was off it was still there! It's changing color! 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 I'm kind of worried about the flame. It MAY have ich. I'm not going to do anything quite yet though, because I'm gone overnight and I'm not sure it really is ich. It's a couple spots on the tail, but they're not truly opaque like ich. katniss had these too for as long as I can remember. It's a couple translucent spots only on the tail. Other than that, the fish is exhibiting no signs of stress/disease, it's eating well, active, not scratching or gasping. The damsel is totally fine too. I'll post some FTS in a little while! The tanks sure getting full! I'm not really sure what to feed the NPS gorg. I dosed phyto but I don't know if it eats that. I also gave it decapsulated brine shrimp eggs which it ate. And I tried squirting the juice from frozen food over it...not sure if that helped. Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share Posted August 5, 2016 Jacques III is pretty shy. He's spent all his time so far by this patch of caulerpa. He hasn't been stealing the corals food though so that's nice! The RFA is settling in nicely. It may not be a right color, but I think it's neat and it has a crab in it!!! FTS! The tank turns one and a half next Tuesday! I'll take some better pics then with an actual camera bc29 8_zpsjjfwjjjv by orb1915, on Flickr 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 7, 2016 Author Share Posted August 7, 2016 I'm so amazed by the dendros recovery!!! I gave it a big meal last night, and it actually ate! It's grown tiny tentacles all the way around. On the flip side, the plates infection has left it a skeleton. Maybe a couple tiny slivers of flesh. I'll leave the skeleton in just in case it magically reproduces, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I really like caulerpa! It adds so much green! Jim likes it too. The RFA seems to have found a spot it likes. It's so cute with its little crab! I might just have to buy some different colours when I have money again 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 9, 2016 Author Share Posted August 9, 2016 The tank is one and a half today! I'm so happy with how it's developed over the last year and a half! I'll post up some pics later, taken with an actual camera, it's a slight improvement from my usual phone pics. Well, unfortunately the time has come to do tank transfer. The damsel has begun scratching. Will 8 litres of water be ok for them with an airstone and heater in a 5g bucket? Or do I need 16 litres? I plan to make however much water I need for them, and then switch half out for tank water. That way my tank will get some extra wc's too. I think I'll treat with Prazipro while I'm doing it too, just in case. Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 10, 2016 Author Share Posted August 10, 2016 Bc29 1.5 y/o Photo dump! I didn't edit any of these. I took a lot of FTS under different lights and I also tried out a few of the art modes on my camera. So some look kind of weird. In no particular order: It's come a long way from here! 1 Quote Link to comment
Tamberav Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 Glad to see your dendro is making a recovery. Sorry to hear about the ich. I have used the tank transfer method before with success. I you re-use any equipment, be sure to sterilize it. What I did was feed lightly but then I would feed heavily the day of the transfer, since you are changing 100% of the water, no worries about it rotting. 1 Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted August 10, 2016 Author Share Posted August 10, 2016 Glad to see your dendro is making a recovery. Sorry to hear about the ich. I have used the tank transfer method before with success. I you re-use any equipment, be sure to sterilize it. What I did was feed lightly but then I would feed heavily the day of the transfer, since you are changing 100% of the water, no worries about it rotting. Thanks I have everything from the QT drying out right now. I read that if it's totally dry for 24 hours that will kill the ich. I hadn't thought about the food rotting, I guess I'll feed mostly on the transfer day then. I'm kind of nervous that somehow I'll mess this whole thing up. To catch the flame, I didn't want to use a net because of the gill spine, so I used a colander! it was weird. The damsel looks pretty rough right now, it seems to have WAY more than the flame. Before I forget: they went in the bucket Tuesday at 5:15pm, next transfer before Friday 5:15pm. Quote Link to comment
yoshii Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 What a nice little tank! That reflection pic of the finger leather is a cool shot, I'll be following along How's the Flame doing? 1 Quote Link to comment
Spec Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Amazing pics of your progress. What a stunner. 1 Quote Link to comment
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