Alex's Biocube 29

[xAyanex]

Last night I tried lightly feeding the fish. The royal gramma ate, but the blenny continued to be stressed out and not eat anything. I changed their water shortly afterward and siphoned out any extra food. 

 

Today when I threw some flakes in there, they both ate. This is really the first time the blenny has come out of his corner and swam around the tank. He ate a few flakes, and while he was swimming around he was turning his beautiful yellow color. His eel-like movements are mesmerizing-he was totally worth the wait! Then, he would return to his corner and change back to a brown color. I'm so glad he finally seems to be adjusting. I added a second PVC pipe/elbow that is smaller and more cozy, but he still prefers the corner. The gramma prefers to be behind the HOB, but occasionally explores the tank.

 

I picked up some Seachem Prime today from Petsmart. I'm nervous about using it because I never have before. I will test the tank shortly.

[SubmrgedSkull]

I have a lot of Ball Anemones that release a lot of those tiny "medusae." I've taken video and pics of it. When I turn the pumps off I'll usually see 20-something tiny jellyfish-looking things swimming up to the surface or they'll stick to the front glass.

Note: I use a turkey baster a lot...

[fishfreak0114]

Don't stress about the prime, it's pretty hard to hurt anything using it. I just squirt some in everyday. Not sure if I use enough, but nothing seems to have ammonia poisoning so I must be. 

[xAyanex]

So today the Blenny decided his new favorite hiding place is the small PVC pipe and elbow. He specifically likes the bent elbow side. He likes to back in because he can't seem to figure out how to get in otherwise. He went in the wrong end one time (I took a picture) and didn't stay that way long-he hated it. The royal gramma still likes to hide behind the HOB, but today he hid beside the blenny's PVC pipe. So he looks ill in the pictures but I assure you he is fine.

 

I fed them and the blenny came out to eat a lot. I tried to take some pictures (he is really adjusting well and yellowing up!) but they are mostly blurry because he is so fast. Also, I did that water change using Prime. I dose 2 drops per gallon per Seachem's instructions I found online. Since I do 4 gallon water changes, I add 9 drops to my mixing water (because I usually end up topping it off a little to reach the right salinity). 

 

In other news I am strongly considering a Red Sea tank. I have a very long time to think about it because they're a little pricey! But that gives me months or years to plan this tank out to a T. I am nervous and excited for such a large tank and large adventure. I'm hoping getting one of them will be large enough to accommodate my dream list of fish and my anxious endeavor with SPS, which seems to bring many challenges most easily solved by stability.

 

Here are some pics!: This is when the Blenny went in the PVC pipe the wrong way and didn't enjoy it:

 

 

Here is the blenny out swimming around:

 

 

 

 

In this one, it looks like he is smiling:

 

 

[xAyanex]

So last night before my QT water change I tested the tank, and ammonia was up to 1.0 ppm! Obviously this was alarming. I have been dosing Prime (thanks to you fabulous folks at N-R!!!) just enough to detoxify 1.0 ppm ammonia, so even at this high level it (seemingly) wasn't hurting the fish. The blenny has been freely swimming around and periodically going back to his PVC pipe. He really seems generally happy, and he eats a ton! The gramma seems rather stressed and hides a lot, and doesn't really explore the tank any more at all. He still eats, but not much. Time will tell how he will do.

 

So I did my water change (it is a 10 gallon tank but only holds about 8 or 9 gallons, and I do a little over a 4 gallon water change every time which is around 50%). I immediately started more water and was going to do another water change the next day...

 

Well I got up the next day and only had a couple hours before work, and it's easier to do the water change when Daniel is home because he can help me move the heavy buckets, so I decided I would postpone the second water change until I got home from work at midnight. Well someone called in to work so now I'm stuck at the hospital until 3am and won't get home till almost 4, and he doesn't feel confident in using the refractometer, so the water change will have to wait until 4am-ish. Oops.

 

Since I have been doing a water change every other day, I guess I will have to do a water change every single day. I typically quarantine fish for 4 weeks for observation only. I have considered shortening the length of QT time (because doing that many water changes is a PITA), but I think since I went through 3 black clownfish and didn't take any shortcuts with those, perhaps it would be best to sitck to my 4 week routine. I would be devastated if something were to happen to happy little Bob and Dot.

 

I will continue to dose Prime and will test the tank prior to my water change tonight when I get home. I am tired. Grrr.

[xAyanex]

Came home, fed and tested the tank. Gramma still hiding and not eating well. 

 

Temp: 78 degrees F

Salinity: 35 ppt/salinity 1.025

pH: 8.0

Ammonia: 0.5 ppm (about what I expected)

 

Did a water change. Super tired but it won't stop storming here so I have to comfort the dog before bed. 

[tinyforest]

That royal gramma is so small and adorable! I'm sure they'll be very happy when they're moved to the main tank. 

[Mkus]

Looks good! good going with QT tank smart move.

[Weetabix7]

I love that Blenny!!

Hope the Gramma perks up. 

[Mkus]

You should try feeding some frozen prepared food and Mysis shrimp my flame eats that like a pig!

[xAyanex]

Did a water change last night, will test the water sometime tonight, possibly after another water change. I need to do a w/c on the DT as well.

 

On ‎3‎/‎1‎/‎2017 at 5:54 AM, tinyforest said:

That royal gramma is so small and adorable! I'm sure they'll be very happy when they're moved to the main tank. 

I think so too! there are a few places to hide that are much better than the QT. I'm going to add some more smaller PVC pipe so that hopefully the gramma will have a better place to hide.

 

10 hours ago, Mkus said:

Looks good! good going with QT tank smart move.

Yeah, I have no previous fish experience prior to this year, but I have read far too many stories of bad luck/ich/etc. QT may be a pain, but it's like preventative maintenance: worth it if it prevents disaster!

 

10 hours ago, Weetabix7 said:

I love that Blenny!!

Hope the Gramma perks up. 

The blenny is fantastic. Love his personality!! He doesn't wait for the flakes to float down anymore, he swims up to the top for them. He still gets stressed when I am near the tank (he is a VERY aware-of-his-surroundings kind of fish). I think the Gramma just needs more places to hide.

[xAyanex]

It appears the royal Gramma did not make it through the night.  I knew he wasn't doing well or eating well. 

[Weetabix7]

13 minutes ago, xAyanex said:

It appears the royal Gramma did not make it through the night.  I knew he wasn't doing well or eating well. 

 

Nooooo!!!

Oh, I'm so sorry!!

[tinyforest]

RIP.  Remember not that they died, but that they lived.

[fishfreak0114]

Aww I'm sorry to hear that  Is the blenny still doing good?

[xAyanex]

8 hours ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Aww I'm sorry to hear that  Is the blenny still doing good?

Yes, the blenny seems to be fine. 

 

Thank you guys for being so supportive. 

 

I spoke with my LFS owner, and their shop is small so they don't really have any sort of guarantee, but he said he would do a one time replacement for me anyway. I am picking up a new royal Gramma tomorrow, which he is holding for me. Since the first one didn't care much for pellets or flakes I will take some advice and get some frozen mysis or something. 

 

I feel bad for replacing the fish. I don't just think of them as replaceable. But I really want a royal Gramma!

[fishfreak0114]

That's nice of him

[Pjanssen]

Sorry about your fish. Ask your fish store to feed the new one while you are there to make sure it eats.

[Mkus]

Thats my 24 its from my original 14 biocube just got too small 24 is about four months old insanly healthy tank i  rarely test anymore.

flame angel mandrin and 9 yo clown and one gold band shrimp..

assorted cleanup crew

[xAyanex]

Good idea pjanssen! Will do. 

 

Pretty tank Mkus. I'm usually proud of my tank but I'm battling some cyano lately. 

[Mkus]

Thanks ive been a reefer for a long time couple more pics

[Mkus]

13 hours ago, xAyanex said:

Yes, the blenny seems to be fine. 

 

Thank you guys for being so supportive. 

 

I spoke with my LFS owner, and their shop is small so they don't really have any sort of guarantee, but he said he would do a one time replacement for me anyway. I am picking up a new royal Gramma tomorrow, which he is holding for me. Since the first one didn't care much for pellets or flakes I will take some advice and get some frozen mysis or something. 

 

I feel bad for replacing the fish. I don't just think of them as replaceable. But I really want a royal Gramma!

Yeah frozen is good with picku feeders

[xAyanex]

I went to the LFS before work today to pick up the royal gramma. When I arrived, the owner was there and he informed me he had unfortunately lost the royal gramma. (I later checked my phone and he had messaged me right before I got there to let me know. He didn't know what time I'd be stopping by). So he suggested a tiny tailspot blenny instead. Well, tailspot blennies are super cute and all, but I didn't want to settle for something I didn't originally plan, and the midas blenny looked like he could literally eat the tailspot blenny, and I think I read somewhere blennies don't get along with like fish unless you have a huge tank, and I don't. So I said no thanks.

 

He will of course order me another royal gramma, and he typically gets them every week, so it shouldn't be a long wait like the midas blenny was.

 

Since I drove all that way (probably around 30-40 minutes) I wasn't going to leave empty handed, so I started browsing the corals. I've always wanted some GSP but their frags are always huge. I mentioned it to the owner and he broke a little piece off to sell me, which was nice. He also had many bubble tip anemones that were just beautiful, but I have never previously considered a BTA because I felt I didn't have adequate lighting. I did some research when I first started up the tank, and some say anemones are successful under stock BC29 lighting, but some say you must upgrade. The owner convinced me it would be fine because he has had anemones in tanks with similar lights that thrived just fine. So, he talked me into it.

 

So, yeah... I may have obtained GSP and a BTA today! =D So excited!! I had to go to work after I put them in the tank so I will post pictures when I get home.

[xAyanex]

Adding my new stuff...

 

So I need to do some moving around of corals to make everything look nice and fit the BTA, but I'm sure I can make it work. When I put the GSP in, I just placed it on the sand. The torch I also moved from the rock it was sitting on to the sand-I forgot I had never even glued it down!

 

Before I added the anemone, I turned off the two koralia nano 425 powerheads. I placed the anemone on the front and center rock-I'll just hope he likes it there, but if not he can move wherever he wants. For the safety of the anemone, I bought two large cloth nets (like you use to catch fish and transfer them from tank to tank). I cut and wrapped those over the powerheads so the anemone can't get sucked into them and injured. It looks really funny because the cloth is white, but I figure it's temporary until I can figure out a prettier solution and my anemone stays put somewhere.

[Weetabix7]

That was good thinking on the netting, and yeah, it's just temporary to keep it safe for now. 

 

I've always wanted a BTA, that's so cool that you got one!!

Hope things settle in good for you.