Ratvan's RSM 130D

[spectra]

You have sand in the tank ? it needs some at night...........I have had one for a few years its a great fish. You have a female there and they can turn to a male after time. The males have a much better color......

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, spectra said:

You have sand in the tank ? it needs some at night...........I have had one for a few years its a great fish. You have a female there and they can turn to a male after time. The males have a much better color......

Yeah it varies from about 1" up to up to 3" in drifts behind my main rockwork. Also ordered a D&D Jump guard which i am making at the moment as Wrasse is going into QT. Undecided if i want to keep her or not but still need it for other PLANNED wrasse

[Ratvan]

Few shots of QT tank, wasn't expecting a Sand Dweller so Tupperware to the rescue

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, Ratvan said:

Few shots of QT tank, wasn't expecting a Sand Dweller so Tupperware to the rescue

Very pretty fish. 
 

when does the possum arrive?

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, WV Reefer said:

Very pretty fish. 
 

when does the possum arrive?

When in stock, so pass? 🤷‍♂️

Could be anytime up to and including the next 6 months.....

[WV Reefer]

1 minute ago, Ratvan said:

When in stock, so pass? 🤷‍♂️

Could be anytime up to and including the next 6 months.....

I just bought one a few days ago. I haven’t even taken pics of him yet because I wanted to be sure he survives before I get too excited. I bought a yellow band about a month ago and it arrived dead. This one was in much better shape and seems to be eating well so far. 

[Ratvan]

Just now, WV Reefer said:

I just bought one a few days ago. I haven’t even taken pics of him yet because I wanted to be sure he survives before I get too excited. I bought a yellow band about a month ago and it arrived dead. This one was in much better shape and seems to be eating well so far. 

That's good news. I joined a "mailing list" of sorts where I get delivered a 750ml bottle of Copepods and Phyto every Friday. I wanted to dose a couple of weeks before I added a Wrasse. Thankfully this one has taken Pellets and Artemis in the QT. 

 

Another feed at 5pm and hope it makes it through the night.

 

I do like having the QT within the stand, I do want to remove the Cheato light the previous owner installed down there for what I assume was a sump but it's useful for fiddling, light is now off more or less full tiem while QT occupied. 

 

Probably just do the whole watch for 1-2 weeks instead of full Prophylactic Quarantine 

[ECLS Reefer]

2 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Few shots of QT tank, wasn't expecting a Sand Dweller so Tupperware to the rescue

That’s a good idea!

[Ratvan]

Just now, Dirté Sanchez said:

That’s a good idea!

Thanks, lost count of the times I have seen that on here 😄

Now I get to join in

 

I guess I'll replace the Lubbocks for this in my stocking list? Seems to require smaller tank (just) than the Lubbocks

[ECLS Reefer]

Just now, Ratvan said:

Thanks, lost count of the times I have seen that on here 😄

Now I get to join in

 

I guess I'll replace the Lubbocks for this in my stocking list? Seems to require smaller tank (just) than the Lubbocks

It’s a really pretty fish

[Ratvan]

11 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

It’s a really pretty fish

Indeed she is, I think I prefer the female colouration to the males (which is odd for me) 

Hope she doesn't turn

[Opotter]

5 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Indeed she is, I think I prefer the female colouration to the males (which is odd for me) 

Hope she doesn't turn

I agree with you!  I like the female version better! She is really stinking cute!  It may not have been what you planned and she may require some additional work, but imho I really think you lucked out with this mistake.  Really nice fish!  

[Ratvan]

Well she's not wanting another feed today 16:00 must be bedtime 🤷‍♂️

Wonder is the fish is still jet lagged? lol

[ECLS Reefer]

2 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Well she's not wanting another feed today 16:00 must be bedtime 🤷‍♂️

Wonder is the fish is still jet lagged? lol

Did you buy her from LA?? I’d sure say she’d be jet lagged coming from California 

[Snow_Phoenix]

7 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Well she's not wanting another feed today 16:00 must be bedtime 🤷‍♂️

Wonder is the fish is still jet lagged? lol

I hope she does well for you! Leopards are extra maintenance but they're gorgeous and very active once they've stabilized in the tank. I miss my leopard. Still on the lookout for a healthy one with nil success. 

[Ratvan]

Just now, Dirté Sanchez said:

Did you buy her from LA?? I’d sure say she’d be jet lagged coming from California 

I'm in England so no 😄

Ordered from White Corals (German based) actually somewhat cheaper even with tax and exchange rate. (They send me my Phyto and Copepods)

Was thinking mainly that these fish are from Maldives to Malaysia so that is 5-8 hours ahead of me (would make it 19:00-22:00) 

 

[jack1978]

Beautiful fish, man!

[Ratvan]

50 minutes ago, jack1978 said:

Beautiful fish, man!

Thanks, trying not to think about names yet. Although I do like "Barong" 

[ECLS Reefer]

3 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Thanks, trying not to think about names yet. Although I do like "Barong" 

What's that one mean

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

What's that one mean

Barong is a panther-like creature and character in the Balinese mythology of Bali, Indonesia. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali.

[ECLS Reefer]

1 hour ago, Ratvan said:

Barong is a panther-like creature and character in the Balinese mythology of Bali, Indonesia. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali.

I like names like that!! That's really cool!

[spectra]

4 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Indeed she is, I think I prefer the female colouration to the males (which is odd for me) 

Hope she doesn't turn

Not sure what makes them turn but have had one for 2 years or so and has not made the switch yet...…..fish is probably 3" plus and is a bitch at times  tried putting a smaller chaoti in and she wasn't having it...……..

[StinkyBunny]

11 hours ago, kimdawg said:

Tank is looking great.  I love the barnacle rock!

If you're in the US, you can get them off eBay for like $8 for a rock. My blennies love the damn things.

[Ratvan]

Ok some coral related questions. 

 

So my monthly budget for corals until the new year is fairly modest. £100. After Christmas we will see. 

 

So as a result I am looking at picking up a couple of more impressive pieces. I know that the lights in my LFS and my own differ so I will take photos of the corals in LFS with DD lenses so I can get a better idea of final colouration. 

 

So I have spotted a fairly cheap (£35) moon coral on Tonga branch (or what appears to be). Can this coral encrust the entire length? Would I need to angle it a certain way to encourage the growth? 

 

Also fairly certain in need some larger grain in the sand bed, especially in the front. So am re thinking my scape. 😀

 

I have a plan and fairly sure those Zoa Garden plates that I slung in the back will come in handy for places to place the euphyllia around a column. 

 

Also cant decide between a blasto or acan garden around the front in the sand around below the barnacles. Or just go for more foxes and bubbles. 

 

Finally looking into getting a decent size pociliopora. Might have to go trans european shipping to get that so will need to bulk up that order until after Christmas. Might change the flow towards the backwall the force it up there towards the weir. 

 

Apart from longer lashes Duncan's what LPS do better in higher flow? Also what modes do people use on their wavemaker? I cant decide

[StinkyBunny]

9 hours ago, Ratvan said:

When in stock, so pass? 🤷‍♂️

Could be anytime up to and including the next 6 months.....

They'll be in season reliably in a few weeks. They're around now, but not in a large enough numbers.