Teenyreef's IM40 Not-So-Teeny Tank - August FTS

[teenyreef]

 

It took about a eek for my hifin to find my pistol when I introduced them to the tank. Mine would start snapping too. Turns out it might have been warning off a rather large bristle worm. I trapped the worm and things have quieted down. I target feed a little at the entrance of the hobbit, I mean shrimp, hole.

 

That is the combo I am thinking for my tank as well... once I save up my pennies. Maybe as a retirement present to me perhaps?

That would be a sweet present

I loved my jaw fish for the moment I had them but now I reconsidered as I don't want them messing up my landscape and then worrying that a rock will fall on them.

Hmmm, that's good to know. They are so cute and have so much personality, but they might be better in a bigger, or more purpose-built tank.

That rockscape looks great.

Thanks, Kat! Hopefully once I get corals growing on it things will fill in the way I'm picturing it. That's the hardest part of rockscaping for me, visualizing it with actual corals all grown up.

I couldn't be farther behind on this build- jeez! I am here now though

Well, in your own defense, you've been a bit consumed by your own tank disaster. I'm so glad you've turned the corner finally!

[vangvace]

It would be a sweet present. I'm 19 months from 20 years and retirement eligibility... then back to school and another career.

Of course, I need to find a house before I can take on more than a 40B.

[gena]

I'm still dreaming and researching about my fish list. Well, mostly dreaming and not researching, to be honest, at least right now. But there are a few fish I've been thinking about that need a little more research:

- Coral Beauty Angel. Gena-endorsed, and I've never gone wrong with a Gena-recommended fish

- Blue Spotted (Toby) Puffer. I'd like to get a small one for my 10g tank so it can eat all the vermetid worms, and then move it to this tank when it gets bigger.

- I will probably move the clowns from the 10g tank into this tank. They're getting bigger and bigger and there's nothing for them to host in the 10g tank. If I can get a nice BTA going in this tank I think they'd be very happy.

- Of course, I already have the YWG/Pistol Shrimp pair that hasn't paired up yet.

- Anything else is anybody's guess

 

As far as emerald/red mithrax crabs go, I had both in my 10g tank. The red mithrax was very nice but died for no apparent reason. But before he did, he and the emerald did a great job of eliminating every last bit of macroalgae in the tank. Unfortunately, the emerald crab got really big, and was very aggressive with reaching right down the throats of my poor acans so he could pull the food out of their stomachs before they could digest it. So he went to live at the LFS

 

Now I just have one tiny blue leg hermit, and he makes sure I don't have too much algae and doesn't seem to bother anybody else.

LOL I really think you'll love a coral beauty. But it's a gamble of course as far as if they will start munching on the corals. Just have to go in with the idea that you may have to remove it at some point. My experience with a BTA in a mixed reef wasn't so great. They WILL become work. I had mine on a separate island but they do split and the babies will tumble away and end up where you don't want them LOL. As long as you don't mind having to rearrange things, they are awesome. One day I'd like to have a dedicated BTA tank where they can do whatever they want, when they want, and I could care less . Oh and a bunch of clownfish for them too LOL. That's my dream tank right now.

[teenyreef]

It would be a sweet present. I'm 19 months from 20 years and retirement eligibility... then back to school and another career.

Of course, I need to find a house before I can take on more than a 40B.

Make sure the house has room for more than just a 40B And good luck with your second career!

[teenyreef]

LOL I really think you'll love a coral beauty. But it's a gamble of course as far as if they will start munching on the corals. Just have to go in with the idea that you may have to remove it at some point. My experience with a BTA in a mixed reef wasn't so great. They WILL become work. I had mine on a separate island but they do split and the babies will tumble away and end up where you don't want them LOL. As long as you don't mind having to rearrange things, they are awesome. One day I'd like to have a dedicated BTA tank where they can do whatever they want, when they want, and I could care less . Oh and a bunch of clownfish for them too LOL. That's my dream tank right now.

OK, you talked me into it! Divers Den just happened to get a really nice looking Coral Beauty in today:

 

Coral Beauty Angel by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

And since I was already paying for shipping, I added the red sponge Tamberav told me about:

 

Photosynthetic Red Sponge by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

Then I saw they had a leopard puffer. I've been wanting to experiment with a small Toby puffer in the 10g tank, so I added him to the cart for the other tank.

 

And then right before I checked out I saw they had a really nice looking Tanaka's Pygmy Wrasse. After adding him, shipping was free. Score!

 

Tanaka's Pygmy Possum Wrasse by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

I'm going a little out of my comfort zone with these fish, as I've always kept small pico-sized fish before. Fingers crossed!

[gena]

 

nice choices!!!!!

[teenyreef]

 

nice choices!!!!!

Thanks, Gena! I appreciate the encouragement, it really helped me to be brave and click the "checkout" button

[FlowerMama]

I wanna see how that sponge turns out because it sure looks pretty.

[spectra]

Got to add that extra fish the free shipping was worth the extra nice choices.

[J-Ranko]

Looking forward to seeing those two fish you just bought in this new tank--great 'catch'!

 

I didn't realize some sponges were photosynthetic. Might consider one for my tank in the future.

[thilankasp]

The fish looks great.. makes me rethink about which fish to buy for my tank..

[Nola Bear]

Wowzers. That CB will be awesome.

[Slowtwitch]

That wrasse is my next fish when I can find a healthy one locally.

[holy carp]

That coral beauty is a beauty indeed. Hope it's reef safe for you!

[Elizabeth94]

I had a coral beauty years ago, it was an amazing fish! I must have gotten lucky because it never picked at my corals. It was a very active swimmer that added life to my tank. That sponge is pretty!

[drgibby]

love the fish choices. i want them to arrive!

[ninjamyst]

i never knew about puffers before. how interesting! LA says they need to keep their teeth grinded...what are you gonna feed the puffer to do that?

[teenyreef]

I wanna see how that sponge turns out because it sure looks pretty.

Yeah, me too! I hope it grows fast like the blue sponge does. I'm going to try to get them growing together, along with the monti caps.

Got to add that extra fish the free shipping was worth the extra nice choices.

Yep, it was almost like a "free fish"

Looking forward to seeing those two fish you just bought in this new tank--great 'catch'!

 

I didn't realize some sponges were photosynthetic. Might consider one for my tank in the future.

I highly recommend them. My plating blue sponge grows fast and usually gets a really pretty shade of deep or electric blue depending on the lighting.

i never knew about puffers before. how interesting! LA says they need to keep their teeth grinded...what are you gonna feed the puffer to do that?

From what I've read, if you feed them snails and other shellfish that will take care of it.

 

I'm also curious to see if he likes asterina stars. And bristleworms

[ninjamyst]

From what I've read, if you feed them snails and other shellfish that will take care of it.

 

I'm also curious to see if he likes asterina stars. And bristleworms

so you have to buy small live snails for him with shells on them?

[teenyreef]

so you have to buy small live snails for him with shells on them?

I don't know how often it will be necessary to replenish snails. He should live mostly on meaty foods like mysis and the usual frozen mixes, and maybe some pellets. But who knows, he may decide to ignore all that just eat snails. As long as he goes for the vermetid snails I've probably got close to a lifetime supply in the tank already.

 

Worst case, I buy a $18 snail bomb from Reefcleaners every month or two and dump them in the tank. But I'm hoping it won't be necessary to do it that often.

[ninjamyst]

I don't know how often it will be necessary to replenish snails. He should live mostly on meaty foods like mysis and the usual frozen mixes, and maybe some pellets. But who knows, he may decide to ignore all that just eat snails. As long as he goes for the vermetid snails I've probably got close to a lifetime supply in the tank already.

 

Worst case, I buy a $18 snail bomb from Reefcleaners every month or two and dump them in the tank. But I'm hoping it won't be necessary to do it that often.

I have so many vermetid snails too. hate them. can't wait to see how the puffer does for you. very interesting choice.

[teenyreef]

The new fish arrived today

I had them shipped to the local UPS shipping center, and I was able to pick them up before noon. I could have picked them up as early as 9:30, but I had to work

They are all in great shape!

 

I haven't been able to get a good picture of him yet, but here's the Tanaka's Pygmy Wrasse, hanging out in the acclimation box:

 

Tanaka's Pygmy Wrasse by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

And here's the coral beauty angel

 

Coral Beauty Angelfish by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

And the red plating sponge. It's in a somewhat shadowed iocation and I couldn't get a good picture under tank lights. Here's one with the flash, though:

 

Red Plating Sponge by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

I also spotted a cool looking baby feather duster:

 

20160722-untitled-026-Edit.jpg by TeenyReef, on Flickr

 

Finally, one more of the coral beauty because it's so beautiful

 

Coral Beauty Angelfish by TeenyReef, on Flickr

[FlowerMama]

That is the most beautiful coral beauty- it looks regal.

[ninjamyst]

puffer?

[gena]

I love the fish!!!! And the sponge too .