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Billy's 18g Caribbean Biotope - Breakdown Complete!


billygoat

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Poison Dart Frog
10 hours ago, billygoat said:

I think I mentioned in passing that the Maw ate my green porcelain crab a few weeks ago (one step too far, my small crustacean friend!), and I swear that since then it has gotten even bigger. I'll have to make sure it doesn't get anything else to eat, because I am not sure what I am going to do if it continues to grow. Since the loss of my chalk bass I've been contemplating getting some new blennies or gobies for this tank, but at this point I think there's an extremely high chance that any new perching fish would be quickly consumed. I'll have to do some more research and see if I can figure out an appropriate species that will be less likely to get eaten.

 

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When you suddenly stop posting here we will know what happened -- you put your hand into the tank to do some cleaning and... 

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9 hours ago, Tired said:

Cardinalfish and their hovering would probably be safe. Dartfish and firefish are vaguely goby-shaped and don't really touch the ground, but you definitely need a lid for those.

 

Or you could banish it to someone else's tank and have more space. 

Rehoming the Maw certainly would save me a whole lot of headaches, and is probably the best option for the tank overall... but I just can't seem to bring myself to get rid of it. It has a strange allure, with its giant, gaping, ravenous ways. I think what I might end up doing is setting up my spare 4g Waterbox as a sort of "Maw Motel," where I can banish the Maw and its babies without actually getting rid of them. It would certainly be nice to have some more space in the 18 gallon here, and it would definitely be nice to be able to get more fish and inverts such as shrimp without constantly worrying about them getting consumed.

 

9 hours ago, Poison Dart Frog said:

When you suddenly stop posting here we will know what happened -- you put your hand into the tank to do some cleaning and... 

Haha! I wouldn't put it past this thing to try and eat me. It eats everything else that moves, so why not? 🤷‍♂️

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Oh, that's an even better option- keep it AND make space elsewhere. I say go for it! Doubt it'd be all that much upkeep to add, with just some corals in there.

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I need to take off some mushrooms that are spreading too fast and becoming a nuisance and they are on the same rock as my own Maw (I really like this name and I'm using it for mine too, sorrryyyyyy) but when I tried to get the rock out I realized The Maw is stuck to both the rock I need to remove and the base rock, so I'm going to have to split it or injure it or something to get it out 😬. I  have so many feelings about it! I don't want more than one Maw by splitting it, it is kinda problematic in it's current position, but I don't want to make The Maw angry as it has been so well behaved and I feel like it would take immediate vengeance by eating Lily or making like 5 babies or something. So yea I feel ya, UGHHH 🙆‍♀️

 

Yours makes such a good centerpiece right now but I totally think it is deserving of its own little tank 🤷‍♀️

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mitten_reef
10 minutes ago, lizzyann said:

I need to take off some mushrooms that are spreading too fast and becoming a nuisance and they are on the same rock as my own Maw (I really like this name and I'm using it for mine too, sorrryyyyyy) but when I tried to get the rock out I realized The Maw is stuck to both the rock I need to remove and the base rock, so I'm going to have to split it or injure it or something to get it out 😬. I  have so many feelings about it! I don't want more than one Maw by splitting it, it is kinda problematic in it's current position, but I don't want to make The Maw angry as it has been so well behaved and I feel like it would take immediate vengeance by eating Lily or making like 5 babies or something. So yea I feel ya, UGHHH 🙆‍♀️

 

Yours makes such a good centerpiece right now but I totally think it is deserving of its own little tank 🤷‍♀️

unrelated to the mushroom of interest here, but should you have any of your orange ricordea that declared independent from the main colony, I would be interested.  

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1 hour ago, mitten_reef said:

unrelated to the mushroom of interest here, but should you have any of your orange ricordea that declared independent from the main colony, I would be interested.  

I'll look and see if there's an easily fraggable one when I get down n dirty with everything over there. I was already thinking it might be time to halve the ricordea rock again. Where are you located? I've never shipped before 😳

 

edit: feel free to pm me!

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4 hours ago, lizzyann said:

need to take off some mushrooms that are spreading too fast and becoming a nuisance and they are on the same rock as my own Maw (I really like this name and I'm using it for mine too, sorrryyyyyy) but when I tried to get the rock out I realized The Maw is stuck to both the rock I need to remove and the base rock, so I'm going to have to split it or injure it or something to get it out 😬. I  have so many feelings about it! I don't want more than one Maw by splitting it, it is kinda problematic in it's current position, but I don't want to make The Maw angry as it has been so well behaved and I feel like it would take immediate vengeance by eating Lily or making like 5 babies or something. So yea I feel ya, UGHHH 🙆‍♀️

 

Yours makes such a good centerpiece right now but I totally think it is deserving of its own little tank 🤷‍♀️

As far as I'm concerned, any mushroom large and aggressive enough to eat your fish is a Maw. Call it whatever you like, so long as you give it respect! 😂

 

I can confirm that the Maw is a sticky one even by mushroom standards, and seems to rapidly attach to whatever surfaces it comes in contact with. Part of the reason I had such a hard time incorporating it into my aquascape is that I wanted to make sure it wouldn't become permanently attached to any of the big rocks in my tank. It's done that before, and each time I've ended up with a few more tiny maws... which is definitely the last thing I need. 😅 I can understand how that'd be a difficult spot for you! I hope you find a way to make it work. Just keep in mind that if you end up giving your Maw more light, it's bound to get even bigger.

 

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm still on the fence as to what I'm going to do with the Maw. On the one hand it is getting so large that it's starting to crowd out its neighbors and its presence in my system severely limits my choices for additional livestock, but on the other hand it has become an iconic part of my tank and does form a great centerpiece to my aquascape. I guess it really comes down to whether I actually want to add anything new to my tank, or if I am content with the fish and corals I've already got. I'll have to think about it for awhile before I decide what to do.

 

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Maybe you can annoy it into moving somewhere easier to reposition? Or accept it tearing somewhat (since they seem to recover fine from that), and hope the ensuing offspring are easier to move. 

 

For what it's worth, I agree that it looks nice, but I think you could find something more cooperative to put there instead. Another RFA? They can reach comparable sizes if fed plenty, I think. Or, ReefCleaners has a carpeting halimeda that might look nice in a clump right there. IMO, putting it elsewhere is worth it, since that would allow you to add some animal life without it being eaten. 

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Well friends, I went through with it! The world's smallest Waterbox cube is up and running, and the Maw and all of its progeny (as well as a stray clump of Briareum) are in exile.

 

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I did a water change on my C-Vue today and used the water (plus a bit of fresh-mixed saltwater) to fill this tank. It's got nothing in it right now but the Maw and its friends, a chunk of seeded rock, some dry rock, thoroughly rinsed dry sand, some mature MarinePure Gems from the sump of the C-Vue, and a shotglass-full of transferred sand. The Maw is pissed, but it will get over itself. It never did like getting moved. The Briareum does not seem to care at all. I'll probably be adding a small CUC as soon as I see film algae start to appear.

 

So! That's done. And it leads us to the question: how's the C-Vue looking now? Well, it looks like this!

 

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The 'scape is soooo much more open! I can almost hear my blue zoanthids sighing with relief, as they are no longer being crowded by a giant, oppressive mushroom. There's a really cool yellow sponge that is now visible on the center rock as well.

 

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You'll no doubt notice that a big shell has taken the Maw's place. The question of what to do with the space freed up by the Maw's removal occupied my mind for quite a few days, but I eventually decided that this pretty shell would be the best option. I am hoping that it will make a nice home for a sailfin blenny, which I can now safely add since the Maw has been removed. The shell is rather blindingly white at this point, but it won't be long before it becomes encrusted with calcifying algae. Take a look at this other shell for comparison; I added this one to the tank about 10 months ago, and it looked just as pristine when I first dropped it in:

 

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All in all it was a busy, salty day for me, but I'm very pleased with the results.

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It looks really nice. IMO, maybe move the shell a bit back and to the right, so it's more in line with the scape? But it should look great when it grows in, and doesn't look half bad now. 

 

Which sailfin do you mean? That seems to be a name for several fish. I'm imagining you mean one of the slightly serpentine ones, with the large dorsal fins, usually seen sticking out of holes? 

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Thanks for all your encouragement everyone! ❤️ Removing the Maw was a big step for this tank, and I can't wait to see where it goes from here. 😊 Truth is, two new fish are actually already on order from KPA: a sailfin blenny (Emblemaria pandionis) and an Atlantic tiger goby (Tigrigobius macrodon). It's been a long time since I added some new fish (except for the ill-fated chalk bass, whose sudden death remains a mystery), so it will be nice to see some movement in the tank again.

 

33 minutes ago, Tired said:

Which sailfin do you mean? That seems to be a name for several fish. I'm imagining you mean one of the slightly serpentine ones, with the large dorsal fins, usually seen sticking out of holes? 

The sailfin I've selected is indeed one of the fairly elongated, sinuous varieties that hides out in shells and holes. The males have large flaglike dorsal fins that they occasionally flap up and down to show how cool they are. They are capable of rapidly changing their color, which is very neat to watch. This same type of sailfin blenny was actually one of the first fish I added to my tank, but my original specimen unfortunately jumped many months ago and was lost. Before it jumped it was doing very well, so I decided to get another now that I have a more secure lid.

 

36 minutes ago, Tired said:

It looks really nice. IMO, maybe move the shell a bit back and to the right, so it's more in line with the scape? But it should look great when it grows in, and doesn't look half bad now. 

Positioning the shell is actually proving to be a bit tricky, because there's a small pass-through to the right of it (underneath of the rock with the blue & green zoanthids) that is populated with interesting encrusting sponges. I want to make sure flow continues to get through that cave, so I can't block it with the shell. This morning I also noticed another potential problem: I watched one of my hermit crabs fall into the shell and get stuck, as its tiny legs were unable to find purchase on the shell's smooth interior walls. I remedied this by flipping the shell over so that its lip is flush with the substrate. This way crabs and other crawling critters won't get stuck in there. 👍

 

Here's a quick picture. It looks better when viewed head-on, but the glare at that angle is awful at this time of day.

 

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The placement of my new pico was a bit of a challenge at first, but I eventually decided to put it right next to the C-Vue. This way I don't have to carry water or supplements away from my "reefing hub", so maintenance should be a breeze. I did take the opportunity to reorganize my equipment a bit too:

 

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The mini fridge contains Selcon, phytoplankton supplements, and beer (and other things, but those are less important).

 

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More pictures!

1) New FTS with Extra Glare (bonus feature)

2) The Maw has gotten over itself and is now massively expanded again. It's getting a bit buffeted by the current but I think it will adjust in time.

3) An orange RFA

 

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21 hours ago, Nano sapiens said:

I see that you've rehomed the Discosoma neglecta...good move 👍

Honestly, it was a long time coming. The neglecta is a very interesting specimen, but the extent to which it limited my livestock choices and the sheer size of it once it became fully-grown were just too much to bear. It's been exiled to my 4g Waterbox, probably forever.

 

23 hours ago, melson said:

Really interested to see how the behavior of the Atlantic Tiger Goby! Haven't heard of many people keeping them!

Well expect plenty of updates, because my new fish are already here! Here's the tiger goby:

 

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This fish is plump, but tiny. It's probably a bit over an inch long. I'm a bit concerned that it could jump through my 1/4" mesh lid! I can't imagine it's much of a jumper though, just because it's so dang small. Kind of reminds me of a recolored Green Banded Goby. Very interesting specimen, and one not often seen in the hobby.

 

This one, on the other hand, is a bit more common: the sailfin blenny.

 

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A bit skinnier than the tiger goby, but still looks healthy. It's been digging a little burrow under the orange Ricordea there. I suspect this will be a temporary shelter, but it's interesting to watch the fish at work. I think it will probably find a home in one of the numerous nooks and crannies of my tank within the next few days. 👍

 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, billygoat said:

Honestly, it was a long time coming. The neglecta is a very interesting specimen, but the extent to which it limited my livestock choices and the sheer size of it once it became fully-grown were just too much to bear. It's been exiled to my 4g Waterbox, probably forever.

 

Well expect plenty of updates, because my new fish are already here! Here's the tiger goby:

 

IMG_1279.thumb.JPG.113122d6aff4691634548e6ba6d722d4.JPG

 

This fish is plump, but tiny. It's probably a bit over an inch long. I'm a bit concerned that it could jump through my 1/4" mesh lid! I can't imagine it's much of a jumper though, just because it's so dang small. Kind of reminds me of a recolored Green Banded Goby. Very interesting specimen, and one not often seen in the hobby.

 

This one, on the other hand, is a bit more common: the sailfin blenny.

 

IMG_1281.thumb.JPG.076c891ac791f35d0be31e87768fe2db.JPG

 

A bit skinnier than the tiger goby, but still looks healthy. It's been digging a little burrow under the orange Ricordea there. I suspect this will be a temporary shelter, but it's interesting to watch the fish at work. I think it will probably find a home in one of the numerous nooks and crannies of my tank within the next few days. 👍

 

 

 

I hope that little tiger wasn't like my Trimma. I had to keep the water level down 4" in the end because I kept finding it on my lid. 

 

More to the point. Yes!! I loved the Maw (still do) but this is better already. (sorry Mister Maw). The fact it has taken to the centre light already is well planned out. 

 

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Aww they're both so tiny!

 

Are you worried about the Tiger going through the grates? I had that problem with a GBG or two I tried to keep in my 8g. Then they would disappear forever if I didn't catch them in time.

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Nano sapiens
3 hours ago, billygoat said:

Honestly, it was a long time coming. The neglecta is a very interesting specimen, but the extent to which it limited my livestock choices and the sheer size of it once it became fully-grown were just too much to bear. It's been exiled to my 4g Waterbox, probably forever.

 

Well expect plenty of updates, because my new fish are already here! Here's the tiger goby:

 

IMG_1279.thumb.JPG.113122d6aff4691634548e6ba6d722d4.JPG

 

This fish is plump, but tiny. It's probably a bit over an inch long. I'm a bit concerned that it could jump through my 1/4" mesh lid! I can't imagine it's much of a jumper though, just because it's so dang small. Kind of reminds me of a recolored Green Banded Goby. Very interesting specimen, and one not often seen in the hobby.

 

This one, on the other hand, is a bit more common: the sailfin blenny.

 

IMG_1281.thumb.JPG.076c891ac791f35d0be31e87768fe2db.JPG

 

A bit skinnier than the tiger goby, but still looks healthy. It's been digging a little burrow under the orange Ricordea there. I suspect this will be a temporary shelter, but it's interesting to watch the fish at work. I think it will probably find a home in one of the numerous nooks and crannies of my tank within the next few days. 👍

 

 

 

The Tiger Goby should make for a nice addition. 

 

The first fish ever in my first reef tank were a pair of male Sailfin Blennies (circa 1985).  Very entertaining to watch them constantly flash their large dorsal fins at each other...until the hidden hitchhiker mantis shrimp got to them!

 

Hope they both do well for you ☺️

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  • billygoat changed the title to Billy's 18g Caribbean Biotope - Breakdown Complete!

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