The Fire Swamp's 50g SCA Starfire Cube- 🔥🐊. Upgrade Coming Soon

[ECLS Reefer]

35 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

@Dirté Sanchez - how's your wrasse? Any improvement? 🙂 

No. She’s still alive but very tachypneic this morning. I went ahead and moved her back to the QT tank since it’s been sitting with the carbon in there all night and I put some stress coat in. She’ll either make it or she won’t. I’m so frustrated that both of them have shipped so abysmally. 

[ECLS Reefer]

So, I will not be ordering wrasses online anymore. This is the second (third) time I've attempted it, and all three wrasses I've tried to bring in via box has died within hours if not less than a month. All beautiful creatures, which is heartbreaking, when you look at this hobby as an attempt at conservation. So, I'm so bummed to say that the second leopard wrasse passed this morning. Poor thing arrived half dead, so I'm amazed she made it through the night, but at least I was there with her for her last gasps. Really sucker punches me in the gut that two arrived so stressed, back to back, so now I truly believe the adage about how they ship poorly. 

 

Since I couldn't put a beautiful fish in my tank today, I appeased my soul with a fire shrimp. Been wanting another one since The Red Baron kicked off months back. He had a great run but I think he aged out on me, which was sad. This new Red Baron is also a big dude, so I hope I get some good time out of him and he doesn't age out on me too quickly. 

 

The only other concern I'm having about this tank is that suddenly, my yellow Coris wrasse is taking to either sleeping all day and only popping up when I stir the sand, or going to bed within a couple of hours rather than swimming all day. Makes me a little worried about him; he looks okay with no wounds or sores, and he's been gaining weight and eating well. So I hope this is just a wrasse thing that passes. If anybody knows more about their behavior, I'd sure like to know.

 

 

[DSFIRSTSLTWATER]

Aww shit 😞 sorry about the loss. That sucks so much about them. Keep your head up.

[Snow_Phoenix]

Sorry to hear about the leopard. 😞

 

Could you order one through a store near your home? Might take a while for them to get one in, but I think it'll be worth the wait. Plus, you get to observe the fish firsthand to see if it's behaving/eating normally or not.

 

DD has some good stock of wrasses from time to time, but it's quite pricey. 🤔

[ECLS Reefer]

4 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

Sorry to hear about the leopard. 😞

 

Could you order one through a store near your home? Might take a while for them to get one in, but I think it'll be worth the wait. Plus, you get to observe the fish firsthand to see if it's behaving/eating normally or not.

 

DD has some good stock of wrasses from time to time, but it's quite pricey. 🤔

I don't buy from LA/DD anymore. The last time I ordered they sent me a whole box of koi fish that someone had sliced the bags on carelessly. They even knew the box was leaking water--their solution was to wrap it in 80 layers of tape. Poor fish died in there with no water. But they sent me completely dead coral as well, more than once. And more than one SW fish DOA. I got tired of that, because it seemed that was what I had to expect from them quality wise. I stopped ordering online unless it was for some coral I couldn't get here, and I used Tidal Gardens or someone like them. Of the two LFS I use, one brings in leopards fairly regularly though lately I guess it's been a bit harder. I'll wait a while and buy one from him. He had a single black leopard for sale today, but it had just come in this morning, and it was a black--I'm afraid Altuve might attack a black leopard. I was looking for a blue star or regular leopard to stand out. And not cause issues with Altuve. 

 

So yeah. In time. I am going to just not stress it right now since I have two trips coming up back to back and would't have time to monitor a tricky fish like that, this close to me leaving. I wouldn't be able to pick up even that black leopard until Sunday or Tuesday, and that's just too close to me leaving.

[Snow_Phoenix]

9 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

I don't buy from LA/DD anymore. The last time I ordered they sent me a whole box of koi fish that someone had sliced the bags on carelessly. They even knew the box was leaking water--their solution was to wrap it in 80 layers of tape. Poor fish died in there with no water. But they sent me completely dead coral as well, more than once. And more than one SW fish DOA. I got tired of that, because it seemed that was what I had to expect from them quality wise. I stopped ordering online unless it was for some coral I couldn't get here, and I used Tidal Gardens or someone like them. Of the two LFS I use, one brings in leopards fairly regularly though lately I guess it's been a bit harder. I'll wait a while and buy one from him. He had a single black leopard for sale today, but it had just come in this morning, and it was a black--I'm afraid Altuve might attack a black leopard. I was looking for a blue star or regular leopard to stand out. And not cause issues with Altuve. 

 

So yeah. In time. I am going to just not stress it right now since I have two trips coming up back to back and would't have time to monitor a tricky fish like that, this close to me leaving. I wouldn't be able to pick up even that black leopard until Sunday or Tuesday, and that's just too close to me leaving.

Ornate leopard is another one you can try looking into. Very beautiful coloration - more striking than the blue star or normal leopard. 

 

I've kept an ornate with my Starry before and neither minded each other. Right now, my regular leopard and starry gets along quite well too. But I do agree that a black leopard *might set your blenny off due to the similarity in colors. 

 

 

[Tamberav]

Sorry you lost her. If you order difficult fish online...I would recommend a vender from humblefish's website.

 

Those fish are not dropped shipped but conditioned first to frozen foods and treated for flukes..internal parasites and so on. The stop for several weeks/months for rest is a much needed break for some fish.

 

I ordered a Copperband and a Radiant wrasse...both delicate from one of their venders and will update how that turns out. 

 

[ECLS Reefer]

So yesterday I broke down and splurged on the most expensive coral I've ever purchased- an Indo trachyphyllia. The thing is gorgeous and fairly big; I had been saving a spot in the center of the lagoon for an elegance but ended up putting this there. I haven't seen elegance at my LFS in a while, and every single one I've had has died within a month or so. I would so love one that thrived but I guess the tank just isn't there yet. This trachy isn't a bad centerpiece though. 

 

Tank is looking good though--I moved the big toadstool given to me by @jack1978 and one of the leathers because they seemed unhappy in the spot they were in. The toad never wanted to open up, so I was unsure if it's getting too much light there, and the leather also had closed completely up. So I put the toad in the bottom of the lagoon where it's a bit shadier, and moved the leather to a shaded spot. Today the leather is completely extended and happy again, but the toad still isn't sure about life. So we shall see where it gets moved next if this spot doesn't do the trick. 
 

 

 

[ECLS Reefer]

Hey @jack1978 your Kenya tree is getting huge!

 

[jack1978]

1 minute ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Hey @jack1978 your Kenya tree is getting huge!

 

That evil biatch ain’t mine, she’s yours!! 
-She looks good, like she’s ready to kill some of her neighbors.  

[ECLS Reefer]

1 minute ago, jack1978 said:

That evil biatch ain’t mine, she’s yours!! 
-She looks good, like she’s ready to kill some of her neighbors.  

Don’t say that I thought I had her fairly well isolated. I glued her to a rock that I can pick up and move around too, for that purpose.

[jack1978]

Just now, Dirté Sanchez said:

Don’t say that I thought I had her fairly well isolated. I glued her to a rock that I can pick up and move around too, for that purpose.

Either way, she’s looking good! 

[ECLS Reefer]

2 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

Either way, she’s looking good! 

Thanks!! Now if the toady will get happy I’ll be happy. I think I’ve run out of room in there while stuff grows but I have a couple of spots I can try if it’s still unhappy in the center of the lagoon. Not sure what it wants.

[jack1978]

1 hour ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Thanks!! Now if the toady will get happy I’ll be happy. I think I’ve run out of room in there while stuff grows but I have a couple of spots I can try if it’s still unhappy in the center of the lagoon. Not sure what it wants.

Let’s see a pic of the toad. 

[ECLS Reefer]

24 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

Let’s see a pic of the toad. 

 

So placement since I got the toady, and where the leather was yesterday...

 

 

 

And now since I moved them both. And an annoying photobombing clownfish witch.

[jack1978]

How far below the lights?  Is it stretching for light? 
 

It looked it’s best when I had it inches from the waterline under the Radion in pretty good flow.  Maybe Chief will have some words of wisdom shared by the god of the sea? 

[ECLS Reefer]

18 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

How far below the lights?  Is it stretching for light? 
 

It looked it’s best when I had it inches from the waterline under the Radion in pretty good flow.  Maybe Chief will have some words of wisdom shared by the god of the sea? 

I have a spot like that but the flow is like on blast. I can definitely get it up higher in the rocks somewhere. 🤔

 

It's on the sand bed, which is ~ 22-20 inches below the light

[ECLS Reefer]

I’m usually terrible at getting top down shots but I realized tonight the tank sure looks good from the top!

 

 

[jack1978]

58 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

I have a spot like that but the flow is like on blast. I can definitely get it up higher in the rocks somewhere. 🤔

 

It's on the sand bed, which is ~ 22-20 inches below the light

I’m guessing he would like a little more light. 

[ECLS Reefer]

16 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

I’m guessing he would like a little more light. 

Well okay he’s got ALLLLLL the light now

 

 

[jack1978]

48 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Well okay he’s got ALLLLLL the light now

 

 

Great, toad soup! 

[ECLS Reefer]

4 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

Great, toad soup! 

Noooo!! It’s currently thinking about its  new situation. We shall see what tomorrow brings

[jack1978]

Just now, Dirté Sanchez said:

Noooo!! It’s currently thinking about its  new situation. We shall see what tomorrow brings

I’m just teasing.  It should be fine. 
everything is looking great!

[ECLS Reefer]

Just now, jack1978 said:

I’m just teasing.  It should be fine. 
everything is looking great!

I was super surprised tonight to have something worth staring at from top down 😉. It’s getting bright and colorful and packed in there- was sitting there thinking about where I can move the small sinularia frag because that frogspawn is getting big next to it, and the ricordea on the Tonga Branch also.  May have to move it to the back with the others you sent me. Oh and that little branching GSP you sent me? It’s spreading quickly too, thru the crevices of the rock it’s on. That top rock is going to be covered in GSP before long. I’ve definitely got some thinking to do about more permanent placement for multiple things now that the euphyllia decided to start playing ball.

[ECLS Reefer]

Decided to move some stuff around for more space today, but want to let it settle in before taking pictures. The moves may not be permanent after all.

 

Good night time, moonlit reefing shot of both SCA and Evo