Maddie's Evo Adventure

[Maddie]

[billygoat]

Lookin' good! GCE definitely loads you up with macros in those sampler packs. 😁

 

You'll want to make sure the root ball of those shaving brushes is buried as deep under the sand as you can get it. If left undisturbed they will spread rhizomes throughout the sandbed and start popping up in random locations. Some people hate this since they can grow right in front of something else and ruin your aquascaping plans, but I think it's rather interesting and have allowed them to proliferate in my tank.

 

Do you have any hermit crabs in there? I feel like they'd go to town on all that hair algae, and they won't eat your fleshy macros like an emerald crab would.

[748S911]

1 hour ago, Maddie said:

Wow, this is amazing. 

[Maddie]

11 hours ago, billygoat said:

Lookin' good! GCE definitely loads you up with macros in those sampler packs. 😁

 

You'll want to make sure the root ball of those shaving brushes is buried as deep under the sand as you can get it. If left undisturbed they will spread rhizomes throughout the sandbed and start popping up in random locations. Some people hate this since they can grow right in front of something else and ruin your aquascaping plans, but I think it's rather interesting and have allowed them to proliferate in my tank.

 

Do you have any hermit crabs in there? I feel like they'd go to town on all that hair algae, and they won't eat your fleshy macros like an emerald crab would.

I don't have a particularly deep sand bed, but I will definitely bury the shaving brushes! I only have a lone little hermit plus some snails, the emerald unfortunately passed a couple of weeks ago. I might make a fish store run before work in the morning to pick up a couple more.

I think I'm fairly close to being done with additions to this tank. I might get one more gorgonian, possibly a toadstool for the middle of the shelf, some rics, and my pipefish. 

Things are kinda randomly placed until I figure out where the perfect spot for them is, then it'll really start looking good!

[Maddie]

Updates:

Not much. The pulsing xenia is starting to seem more like clove polyps, and one has migrated to the sand. I also thought I had a tiny majano on my Halimeda, but it's not there any more, so there's that. My shaving brushes are growing, and I have tons of amphipods and copepods everywhere. 

If I see a bluestripe pipefish I think I'm safe to get one, hopefully at a reasonable price. 

[Maddie]

Upon further inspection, it is actually pulsing xenia, and the suspected majano was an aiptasia! I ended up tossing the whole bit of Halimeda, sadly. I just don't want to risk an infestation. 

I also saw a centipede type thing running around on my rocks earlier, and an amphipod half an inch long! 

Still have not gotten to the LFS... Work has been way too long. Saturday morning I'm going to have to go, in out of RODI for top offs. 

The micro brittle hasn't been seen again (drat!), and a dwarf cerith has made itself very useful cleaning up my glass and rocks. 

[Maddie]

LFS trip day! I came home with a new snicking friend... They got in Bluestripes pipefish! I got one (if he does well and the other is still there in a few weeks I might go back for the other). Also three new assorted small hermits. 

He's already snicking away at the pods, he's super visible and precious. My bf suggested we name him Ramen, but I don't think I'm too fond of it.

Also, updated FTS

[pricewayne]

On 4/27/2019 at 9:05 PM, 748S911 said:

Thats happened to me before, I actually knocked on door and got my fish... 😂 it was like 500 bucks and I wasnt gonna let them sit there. Lol 

HA!! Hysterical.

 

Same thing happened to me but luckily was a non-fish/tank package. Did you buy using PayPal?

 

And I LOVEEEE the blue stripe pipefish — I actually picked one up earlier this week for my Pico Tank! Named him Peter. I love the name Ramen 🤗 Just heads up, about 30hrs into having mine, he’d already done a major job of eating through what I thought was an established pod population. May want to grab some bottled pods to have on hand. I also ordered PJ Reefs magnetic Artemia feeder... really excited to get it and try it out. Vid below!

 

 

[Maddie]

1 hour ago, pricewayne said:

HA!! Hysterical.

 

Same thing happened to me but luckily was a non-fish/tank package. Did you buy using PayPal?

 

And I LOVEEEE the blue stripe pipefish — I actually picked one up earlier this week for my Pico Tank! Named him Peter. I love the name Ramen 🤗 Just heads up, about 30hrs into having mine, he’d already done a major job of eating through what I thought was an established pod population. May want to grab some bottled pods to have on hand. I also ordered PJ Reefs magnetic Artemia feeder... really excited to get it and try it out. Vid below!

 

 

Huh, I'll do that asap, we have a local store that sells bottled pods. Peter is such a cute name! Mine looks to be a girl. 

I'll have to try the PJ reefs thing, I think Dawn is going to try it with dwarf ponies... If it works, dwarf ponies here i come! I have tons of macro, including a big chunk of chaeto in the back chambers and some graciliara in the back corner, so hopefully it'll tide her over well. She's so cute! 

I hate having to be at work instead of looking at her all night. Side note, I noticed her fins have some white on them. Is that normal? 

[pricewayne]

39 minutes ago, Maddie said:

Huh, I'll do that asap, we have a local store that sells bottled pods. Peter is such a cute name! Mine looks to be a girl. 

I'll have to try the PJ reefs thing, I think Dawn is going to try it with dwarf ponies... If it works, dwarf ponies here i come! I have tons of macro, including a big chunk of chaeto in the back chambers and some graciliara in the back corner, so hopefully it'll tide her over well. She's so cute! 

I hate having to be at work instead of looking at her all night. Side note, I noticed her fins have some white on them. Is that normal? 

Hmm, which fins are you seeing it on? Only white I’ve seen on mine is a white ring on the tail and appears to be a normal trait. I’m still not positive if Peter is actually a male lol — I can see what I believe is the “pouch” on its underside which makes me believe its male — but no bumps on its snout yet so I’m just rolling with Peter for now.

 

Here’s a pic of mine if it’s any help in comparing:

[Maddie]

1 hour ago, pricewayne said:

Hmm, which fins are you seeing it on? Only white I’ve seen on mine is a white ring on the tail and appears to be a normal trait. I’m still not positive if Peter is actually a male lol — I can see what I believe is the “pouch” on its underside which makes me believe its male — but no bumps on its snout yet so I’m just rolling with Peter for now.

 

Here’s a pic of mine if it’s any help in comparing:

Mine has white on his pectorals, I'm worried it's ich. Mine also looks exactly like yours, so it might be a boy, not quite sure. I think the pouch might be closer to the front of the body though? 

[Maddie]

Slightly better pic of Ramen, thanks to bf's phone. I really need a better camera. 

[pricewayne]

On 5/11/2019 at 3:10 PM, Maddie said:

Slightly better pic of Ramen, thanks to bf's phone. I really need a better camera. 

Definitely a cutie. Having hard time seeing any white besides the white ring on the tail 🤔 not sure. Any odd behavior? Are you seeing her pick at pods at all and eating?

[Maddie]

No odd behavior and definitely picking at pods. Ramen is active and inquisitive, so I'm guessing they are fine. I still can't tell the gender though.

[pricewayne]

That's great!! Yeah, I'm still not positive with sexing mine lol. Could swear I've seen a pouch -- I'll try and take some pics of the underside if I can snap any.

[748S911]

All this pipefish talk, and now I want one 😂.. I def have the pods to spare, Ive got a billion in my 2.5 gal lol.. But im sure It will run out eventually, and def dont want to hatch 🐣 pods myself... maybe it would be fun to hatch them... I’ll see how both of yours do first 🙂  

[pricewayne]

2 minutes ago, 748S911 said:

All this pipefish talk, and now I want one 😂.. I def have the pods to spare, Ive got a billion in my 2.5 gal lol.. But im sure It will run out eventually, and def dont want to hatch 🐣 pods myself... maybe it would be fun to hatch them... I’ll see how both of yours do first 🙂  

I was shocked how fast mine went through what I thought was billions of pods in the first day!! I've been supplementing a bottle for a days and population is back up and healthy for now. I'm really hopeful the PJ reef mag feeder will be the real game changer in long term food supply. It seems very simple -- add eggs and simply rotate the feeder daily to soak a new section of eggs to hatch -- remove//clean and replenish once fully rotated. Hoping I'll only need to replenish the feeder 1 or 2x a week. Delivers on Thursday so we'll see how it goes!

 

I'm willing to bet @Maddie will have a much easier time keeping her pods, with the macro algae supply she has going.

[748S911]

2 minutes ago, pricewayne said:

I was shocked how fast mine went through what I thought was billions of pods in the first day!! I've been supplementing a bottle for a days and population is back up and healthy for now. I'm really hopeful the PJ reef mag feeder will be the real game changer in long term food supply. It seems very simple -- add eggs and simply rotate the feeder daily to soak a new section of eggs to hatch -- remove//clean and replenish once fully rotated. Hoping I'll only need to replenish the feeder 1 or 2x a week. Delivers on Thursday so we'll see how it goes!

 

I'm willing to bet @Maddie will have a much easier time keeping her pods, with the macro algae supply she has going.

How much is something like that AHO- auto hatch 🐣 off lol... 

[pricewayne]

1 minute ago, 748S911 said:

How much is something like that AHO- auto hatch 🐣 off lol... 

Was $40 with shipping and comes with first 3 month supply of eggs. Pretty solid deal considering a bottle of pods have run me $30-40 from LFS.

[Maddie]

I definitely agree that I have an easy time, a large portion of my tank is macro. I do have a Rainsford Goby  I might order one of those feeders to supplement. I have started dosing Fuel twice a week to help my calcareous corals, which have started to go nuts.not bad for the feeder, I'll have to order one in couple weeks. 

[748S911]

14 minutes ago, pricewayne said:

Was $40 with shipping and comes with first 3 month supply of eggs. Pretty solid deal considering a bottle of pods have run me $30-40 from LFS.

Thats not bad at all... I figured it was 100 like everthing else I want.  Can you train pipefish to eat pellets? I’ve got this ultra tiny sand like food.

[pricewayne]

Just now, 748S911 said:

Thats not bad at all... I figured it was 100 like everthing else I want.  Can you train pipefish to eat pellets? I’ve got this ultra tiny sand like food.

Yeah, was a delightful surprise and much appreciated pricing. Everything in this hobby seems to be $100+ 😑

 

I haven't heard of them being able to eat pellets -- some have trained to eat frozen from what I've read. The bluestripe in particular, given its size, has an especially teeny mouth so not sure it would work out or if it may cause any damage with digestion. Not that I know any of this from experience or any expertise beyond reading up on them lol.

[Maddie]

24 minutes ago, 748S911 said:

Thats not bad at all... I figured it was 100 like everthing else I want.  Can you train pipefish to eat pellets? I’ve got this ultra tiny sand like food.

 

21 minutes ago, pricewayne said:

Yeah, was a delightful surprise and much appreciated pricing. Everything in this hobby seems to be $100+ 😑

 

I haven't heard of them being able to eat pellets -- some have trained to eat frozen from what I've read. The bluestripe in particular, given its size, has an especially teeny mouth so not sure it would work out or if it may cause any damage with digestion. Not that I know any of this from experience or any expertise beyond reading up on them lol.

I've never heard of them eating pellets, but @pricewayne is right, from what I've seen on seahorse.org, training to frozen is possible, and much like training a mandarin. I tried brine shrimp, which he accidentally snicked and spit out. I might try frozen bbs next. I almost want to remove the Rainsford and get the other pipe to make it a species spotlight. Without tearing the tank apart it will be nearly impossible though. 

[pricewayne]

1 minute ago, Maddie said:

 

I've never heard of them eating pellets, but @pricewayne is right, from what I've seen on seahorse.org, training to frozen is possible, and much like training a mandarin. I tried brine shrimp, which he accidentally snicked and spit out. I might try frozen bbs next. I almost want to remove the Rainsford and get the other pipe to make it a species spotlight. Without tearing the tank apart it will be nearly impossible though. 

I’m totally considering a species tank after the pico competition.

 

Also dream of having a dragon face pipefish... one day 🤞🏻

[Maddie]

Well, bad news... It appears Ramen does have some sort of parasite. I came home to her being very distressed, with something on her chin. Unfortunately, I don't have a QT or medication available immediately, so it looks like she might not make it through the night. I feel like such a terrible fish mom! I have a spare 10 gallon, but no filter and only 5 gallons of sw. I could try a fw dip but I don't have the ability to transition slowly and I don't want to kill her with shock. 

I'm going to have to figure out a way to run a QT somewhere, even if it has to go in my closet.