365: Two Tanks, One Thread - Down to one tank. 😟

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

18 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Can I ask what you’re feeding her? 

Absolutely. We are fortunate to live in the same city as Bob Bittner, who used to be one of the top clown fish breeders. He got out of the clown fish breeding, but still makes Reef Stew, which he used to feed his baby clownfish, at their different stages of growth. It's loaded with different types of pods, and brine shrimp. Almost all of the LFS here carry it, so it's easy to get.  We fed that multiple times per week, as it wouldn't rot, and she loved hunting for pods. 

 

6 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

How is your pod population in your tank? I noticed mine too late had decimated them and what i thought was supplemental feedings actually wasn't. 

We supplement with pods regularly. When she was healthy, and in the 80 gallon, she would be on the hunt for pods all day long. She loved them, and was picky about the frozen food she would eat. With her being in a "hospital tank" for the last couple of weeks, I think the pod population has improved some. 

[ECLS Reefer]

26 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

Absolutely. We are fortunate to live in the same city as Bob Bittner, who used to be one of the top clown fish breeders. He got out of the clown fish breeding, but still makes Reef Stew, which he used to feed his baby clownfish, at their different stages of growth. It's loaded with different types of pods, and brine shrimp. Almost all of the LFS here carry it, so it's easy to get.  We fed that multiple times per week, as it wouldn't rot, and she loved hunting for pods. 

 

We supplement with pods regularly. When she was healthy, and in the 80 gallon, she would be on the hunt for pods all day long. She loved them, and was picky about the frozen food she would eat. With her being in a "hospital tank" for the last couple of weeks, I think the pod population has improved some. 

That’s very odd for her to have pods and yet still lose weight or refuse. My leopards arrived on the large side but they’re eating frozen like hungry hippos 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

35 minutes ago, EfrainChicagoDeepdish said:

Your back hair and the hair algae in this tank does have a mesmerizing sway in the "current".  

My back hair isn't long enough to sway in the current, all though, it is soft and luxurious! 

 

Pick up lines I'm glad I didn't go with when I was courting the tank keeper: 

• My back hair isn't the only thing that grows longer.
• My back hair is so soft and silky, how about you run your fingers through it? 
• Comb on over, baby. 

[ECLS Reefer]

2 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

My back hair isn't long enough to sway in the current, all though, it is soft and luxurious! 

 

Pick up lines I'm glad I didn't go with when I was courting the tank keeper: 

• My back hair isn't the only thing that grows longer.
• My back hair is so soft and silky, how about you run your fingers through it? 
• Comb on over, baby. 

So you’re saying your tank is positively hirsute?

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

3 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

So you’re saying your tank is positively hirsute?

Well the 365 tank pretty much is currently. 😂🤣😂

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

October update time... Grab a beverage of choice, and comfy chair. It’s been nearly a whole month, and I haven’t done a single update. The tank keeper is out of town, and I’ve got nothing to do but listen to 80’s hair bands and update our build thread on nano-reef. 
 

Calcium, our 365 20-gallon peninsula has pretty much been dominated by this handsome little fella. I’ve lovingly named him Harry Crabbick Junior, and he’s pretty much decimated everything that’s inhabited the tank with him. This tank is his kingdom, and anyone that’s residing in it, is only because he allows it. Which isn’t generally very long, because the dude is like a freaking garbage disposal. He eats everything within his hairy arms reach. He’s also decided that the alveopora in the corner is a spectacular place to perch and view his kingdom from. His throne, if you will.  
 

 

The tank is still struggling with hair algae. The tank keeper did pull the largest rock out of this tank, to seed some other rocks for a rebuild of another tank. (Spoiler alert: It’s the rock flower/mantis tank. Stay tuned!) Without further ado, our limited and ugly October full tank shot. Side note: (Tank keeper, please skip the rest of this paragraph...)This tank is looking a lot like a some of the girls I tried to pick up at the bar, when I was in my early 20s, at closing time. Described in a single word, rough.

 

 

This week, the tank keeper is in California for work(I miss you, TK!), and I’ve arranged for her to bring us back some corals from a local reefer there. Obviously the best thing I could do with my time, is to try and get photos of our newest inhabitants this month, before she gets back with even newer corals for me to gawk at. 
 

At the beginning of this month, we went to my favorite LFS, to get feeder mollies for Harry Crabbick Junior, and Cetu the mantis, when this beauty caught my eye. I knew I wasn’t leaving the store without this trachy, but I still had to have the tank keepers sign off. Luckily for me, it’s distinct coloring and beauty made it an easy sell. 
 

 

A couple weeks later, I went to the LFS, without adult supervision(Always a risky proposition), and they had a Fox Coral, which I think is pretty, but doesn’t do a ton for me. However, the tank keeper has always wanted one, and it was on the pre-approved stocking list. I texted her about it, and she said to pass on it, but I’ve learned in this hobby, passing on corals only leads to regret. This is especially true when it’s something uncommon, or unique.  I rolled the dice and brought it home. I’m still breathing, so I’d say she took it pretty well. 

 

Sadly, our leopard wrasse fought bravery, but couldn’t beat her swim bladder issue. We did everything we could to nurse her back to health, but we lost the battle. I never knew losing a fish could have such an emotional toll, but they really do become one of our pets. 
 

After mentioning it to one of my buddies, he said he had a leopard he was going to be rehomimg. He was moving away from wrasses, because he wanted to take his lid off the tank permanently. I’ve named this new wrasse Jef Leppard.
 

 

 

I swear, every time I walk up to the tank, I hear an electric guitar and the faint whisper of pooooour some pods in the tannnnkkk. It’s the weirdest thing. I wonder if Jef Leppard has anything to do with this. 

[ECLS Reefer]

19 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

October update time... Grab a beverage of choice, and comfy chair. It’s been nearly a whole month, and I haven’t done a single update. The tank keeper is out of town, and I’ve got nothing to do but listen to 80’s hair bands and update our build thread on nano-reef. 
 

Calcium, our 365 20-gallon peninsula has pretty much been dominated by this handsome little fella. I’ve lovingly named him Harry Crabbick Junior, and he’s pretty much decimated everything that’s inhabited the tank with him. This tank is his kingdom, and anyone that’s residing in it, is only because he allows it. Which isn’t generally very long, because the dude is like a freaking garbage disposal. He eats everything within his hairy arms reach. He’s also decided that the alveopora in the corner is a spectacular place to perch and view his kingdom from. His throne, if you will.  
 

 

The tank is still struggling with hair algae. The tank keeper did pull the largest rock out of this tank, to seed some other rocks for a rebuild of another tank. (Spoiler alert: It’s the rock flower/mantis tank. Stay tuned!) Without further ado, our limited and ugly October full tank shot. Side note: (Tank keeper, please skip the rest of this paragraph...)This tank is looking a lot like a some of the girls I tried to pick up at the bar, when I was in my early 20s, at closing time. Described in a single word, rough.

 

 

This week, the tank keeper is in California for work(I miss you, TK!), and I’ve arranged for her to bring us back some corals from a local reefer there. Obviously the best thing I could do with my time, is to try and get photos of our newest inhabitants this month, before she gets back with even newer corals for me to gawk at. 
 

At the beginning of this month, we went to my favorite LFS, to get feeder mollies for Harry Crabbick Junior, and Cetu the mantis, when this beauty caught my eye. I knew I wasn’t leaving the store without this trachy, but I still had to have the tank keepers sign off. Luckily for me, it’s distinct coloring and beauty made it an easy sell. 
 

 

A couple weeks later, I went to the LFS, without adult supervision(Always a risky proposition), and they had a Fox Coral, which I think is pretty, but doesn’t do a ton for me. However, the tank keeper has always wanted one, and it was on the pre-approved stocking list. I texted her about it, and she said to pass on it, but I’ve learned in this hobby, passing on corals only leads to regret. This is especially true when it’s something uncommon, or unique.  I rolled the dice and brought it home. I’m still breathing, so I’d say she took it pretty well. 

 

Sadly, our leopard wrasse fought bravery, but couldn’t beat her swim bladder issue. We did everything we could to nurse her back to health, but we lost the battle. I never knew losing a fish could have such an emotional toll, but they really do become one of our pets. 
 

After mentioning it to one of my buddies, he said he had a leopard he was going to be rehomimg. He was moving away from wrasses, because he wanted to take his lid off the tank permanently. I’ve named this new wrasse Jef Leppard.
 

 

 

I swear, every time I walk up to the tank, I hear an electric guitar and the faint whisper of pooooour some pods in the tannnnkkk. It’s the weirdest thing. I wonder if Jef Leppard has anything to do with this. 

Mine eat pods but they do much prefer tasty Mysis even more now. She looks big enough to appreciate a chunky diet too

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

17 minutes ago, Dirté Sanchez said:

Mine eat pods but they do much prefer tasty Mysis even more now. She looks big enough to appreciate a chunky diet too

Ohhh she’s definitely not a picky eater... She loves pretty much all frozen, but she’s the only fish we have that won’t eat TDO pellets. She’s also always on the hunt, and picking at rocks for tasty treats. 

[mitten_reef]

8 hours ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

October update time... Grab a beverage of choice, and comfy chair. It’s been nearly a whole month, and I haven’t done a single update. The tank keeper is out of town, and I’ve got nothing to do but listen to 80’s hair bands and update our build thread on nano-reef. 
 

Calcium, our 365 20-gallon peninsula has pretty much been dominated by this handsome little fella. I’ve lovingly named him Harry Crabbick Junior, and he’s pretty much decimated everything that’s inhabited the tank with him. This tank is his kingdom, and anyone that’s residing in it, is only because he allows it. Which isn’t generally very long, because the dude is like a freaking garbage disposal. He eats everything within his hairy arms reach. He’s also decided that the alveopora in the corner is a spectacular place to perch and view his kingdom from. His throne, if you will.  
 

 

The tank is still struggling with hair algae. The tank keeper did pull the largest rock out of this tank, to seed some other rocks for a rebuild of another tank. (Spoiler alert: It’s the rock flower/mantis tank. Stay tuned!) Without further ado, our limited and ugly October full tank shot. Side note: (Tank keeper, please skip the rest of this paragraph...)This tank is looking a lot like a some of the girls I tried to pick up at the bar, when I was in my early 20s, at closing time. Described in a single word, rough.

 

 

This week, the tank keeper is in California for work(I miss you, TK!), and I’ve arranged for her to bring us back some corals from a local reefer there. Obviously the best thing I could do with my time, is to try and get photos of our newest inhabitants this month, before she gets back with even newer corals for me to gawk at. 
 

At the beginning of this month, we went to my favorite LFS, to get feeder mollies for Harry Crabbick Junior, and Cetu the mantis, when this beauty caught my eye. I knew I wasn’t leaving the store without this trachy, but I still had to have the tank keepers sign off. Luckily for me, it’s distinct coloring and beauty made it an easy sell. 
 

 

A couple weeks later, I went to the LFS, without adult supervision(Always a risky proposition), and they had a Fox Coral, which I think is pretty, but doesn’t do a ton for me. However, the tank keeper has always wanted one, and it was on the pre-approved stocking list. I texted her about it, and she said to pass on it, but I’ve learned in this hobby, passing on corals only leads to regret. This is especially true when it’s something uncommon, or unique.  I rolled the dice and brought it home. I’m still breathing, so I’d say she took it pretty well. 

 

Sadly, our leopard wrasse fought bravery, but couldn’t beat her swim bladder issue. We did everything we could to nurse her back to health, but we lost the battle. I never knew losing a fish could have such an emotional toll, but they really do become one of our pets. 
 

After mentioning it to one of my buddies, he said he had a leopard he was going to be rehomimg. He was moving away from wrasses, because he wanted to take his lid off the tank permanently. I’ve named this new wrasse Jef Leppard.
 

 

 

I swear, every time I walk up to the tank, I hear an electric guitar and the faint whisper of pooooour some pods in the tannnnkkk. It’s the weirdest thing. I wonder if Jef Leppard has anything to do with this. 

let the trachy craze begin, if it hadn't begun yet.

 

cute leopard.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

1 hour ago, mitten_reef said:

let the trachy craze begin, if it hadn't begun yet.

 

cute leopard.

Ohh it's definitely begun...

 

The problem is, when your first hit of trachy is so good, I'm constantly going to be chasing this coral high. All of the other trachy's I've seen since just don't compare (@Cannedfish trachy excluded from this comment) . It's like when your high school girlfriend is a 10, you've got nowhere to go but down. You played out of your league, way to young, son. Thankfully for me, I had decades to improve my personality, and humor, so when I found my absolute smoke show of a tank keeper once I was well in to my 30s, she couldn't resist this boyish charm and witty banter.

 

Also, it should be noted that the tank keeper keeps reminding me that I'm almost out of sand space for the LPS that I've recently taken a liking to. My solution to this is simple - it's time for bigger tank. I've even found the perfect tank! One of the LFS got in a custom built, rimless 48"x48"x16" tank with starfire glass on all sides, that's never seen water. The person that originally purchased it is being transferred for work, before they could set it up. For some dumb reason, she doesn't quite see it that way... Something about I should be happy with what I have, blah, blah, blah. Water changes on an 80 gallon are all ready a pain in the butt, yada, yada, yada.  That's not how coral addiction works! I need more space, so I can keep chasing the new coral high, without having to give up any previous coral highs. Sheesh!

 

I may need to rally up the troops within the NR community, much like you guys did when I wanted to do the 365 tank, and help get this upgrade! 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

This month was a mix of emotions: 
 

The Bad

• I have not been able to talk the tank keeper in to a larger tank. She’s holding strong on this one. I may really have to think outside the box if I’m going to accomplish this goal... She doesn’t like big tanks. At all. I know this, because I get reminded of it regularly (not quite daily, but almost as often as I change my underwear). 
   
• Much to our dismay, the king of the 20 gallon peninsula, Harry Crabbick Junior, passed away. The only thing we can come up with is old age. There weren’t any changes in the tank that would have caused it, and he had plenty of food to choose from. The tank keeper was pretty down about it for a few days. She sure does have a soft spot for those misunderstood, and under appreciated. I’m not sure what this says about me... But I’ll take it! 

The Good

• My daughter got married the weekend before Thanksgiving. Finally, she can be another mans money pit. I’m kidding. Mostly. 
   
• The tank keeper is happy, because she got to rescape the rock flower/mantis tank(I’ll update that build thread at a later date). We had a bubble algae, and hair algae breakout that we couldn’t beat back. So we picked up a couple pieces of live rock from a LFS, and snagged the largest piece of ocean rock out of the 20 gallon Peninsula, for its new and improved look. 
   
• Now that Harry Crabbick Junior (R.I.P) is no longer in the picture, it gave us more options for the 365 challenge tank. We have lots of options, as far as corals go, but I kept hitting a brick wall with the tank keeper when I made suggestions.  We did throw a wrasse from one of our other tanks, into this tank last weekend, to work on a red planaria flatworms that must’ve come in on the ocean rock. Its plagued the tank since nearly the start. It will be nice to have them eradicated from this tank. 
   
• Over the weekend, I saw that Battle Corals was offering 25% everything for Black Friday. Two of the tank keepers favorite things(besides me, of course!), saving money and SPS all rolled up in to one sweet little offering! I knew this was an idea she couldn’t resist. With all my charm, and boyish good lucks, I approached her, and shot my shot. Boom. Bullseye. Home run. Before she had a chance to rethink it, I’d placed an order for a Battle Box. She asked for a little time to rescape the tank (Seeing a theme here?! This is one of her favorite parts of this hobby.), and I happily obliged. We won’t be getting our Battle Corals order until after the Holidays, but our 365 tank finally has a plan. It’s going to be a SPS and Alveopora/Goniopora garden. Plus, I’m sure I’ll sneak in a fish or two when she’s out of town for work. Booyah. 

Without further ado, here’s November’s full tank shot. Nothing really to it, but hopefully next month will bring a change or rock scape. 

 
 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

This last weekend, the second annual Coral Farmers Market (put on by Steve Tyree) took place in Phoenix. This was supposed to be the second biggest reefing event to take place in Phoenix this year. Unfortunately, MACNA got canceled (screw you, ‘Rona!)

 

I had purchased tickets for this event, long before anyone outside of the reefing world had ever heard of a quarantine, let alone understood what it meant. Thankfully, the event went on as scheduled, even if it meant wearing face diapers, and only 50 people being allowed in the room at a time. 
 

The tank keeper and I got there early, and much like a teenager at a strip club for the first time, I blew most my paycheck in the first five minutes. Dammit Ben, with BSA,  why do your corals have to look so sexy, and sway from side to side so seductively?! 
 

BSA Tilt-A-World Blasto

BSA Osaka Sunset Goni

 

Cynarina 

 

Fortunately for me, the tank keeper has a strong accounting background. I’m in no way implying the books are cooked - but I never got told no. (Maybe I should have asked for that bigger tank last weekend. #missedopportunity) I was even encouraged to go back and buy a torch that I’d passed on earlier in the show. A smarter man than me, may have quizzed the tank keeper, to make sure it was the same person he knows and loves. Me? I went and bought this beauty with the Coral Cash envelope she handed me, without another word spoken about it. 
 

Indo Gold torch (with a freaking blue mouth!!!) 

We’ve decided that having bubble tip anemones in a mixed reef really impairs my coral addiction, since these damn bubble tips take up a third of our 80 gallon tank. I traded one of the vendors a large Arizona Sunset and a Black Widow bubble tip for credit with him. We picked up these Trachys, along with a Yuma rock, a orange/peach octospawn and a couple of zoa frags that I didn’t get pictures of. I’m happy to feed my coral addiction, and the tank keeper is happy that she gets to scape a 1/3 of a tank once again and, possibly more importantly, get some corals off a frag rack, and to their permanent home. 

 

After the show, we grabbed some beers and bar food with a couple guys from our local reefing group. It was really nice to feel a little bit of normalcy in this crazy world we’re living in. 
 

Here’s a couple other corals we picked up at the show, but don’t have a solid story behind them, but the tank keeper keen eye scoped both these out. 
 

 

 

I’m not sure who this Tank Keeper Version 2.0 is, but I sure do like that she encourages my coral purchases, instead of asking me “Where are you going to put that?!” 

[debbeach13]

That is an impressive haul of new corals. The tank keeper is letting you have an early and very "Merry Christmas". I hope they all do well for you.

[mitten_reef]

9 hours ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

I’m not sure who this Tank Keeper Version 2.0 is, but I sure do like that she encourages my coral purchases, instead of asking me “Where are you going to put that?!” 

this tank keeper is a keeper, just saying.

 

 

[Saltysheep]

Wow that goni is beautiful! 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

6 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

That is an impressive haul of new corals. The tank keeper is letting you have an early and very "Merry Christmas". I hope they all do well for you.

Thanks Deb. She's pretty darn good to me. 

4 hours ago, Saltysheep said:

Wow that goni is beautiful! 

It sure is - I'm pretty sure that's going to go in our challenge tank, with the battle box sps, once she rescapes the tank. It was one of the few corals she picked out at the show. BSA has some stunning corals. The positive? He lives in the same city as us, and makes it easy to pick up killer corals. The negative? He lives in the same city as us, and makes it easy to pick up killer expensive corals. 

5 hours ago, mitten_reef said:

this tank keeper is a keeper, just saying.

 

 

I agree. I like TKv2. A lot. This version enables, nay, encourages my addiction. 

 

The yellow coris wrasses we moved to the 365 tank a couple of weeks ago hasn't touched the red planaria worms (Ew, you want me to put what in my mouth?) and hides in the sand most of the time. Maybe she's lonely, and needs a friend.

 

The tank keeper just so happens to be out of town for work this week, so I may have to go "fishing" and she how she reacts to a new fish or two in her tanks. 

[Elizabeth94]

1 hour ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

makes it easy to pick up killer expensive corals. 

He got me good my last pay check. His acans are arriving tomorrow. One of them was $300. Like. What the heck was I smoking?! Glad to hear they look nice in person. This will be my first order with Ben. 
 

You really did pick out some nice pieces. That torch is just amazing. And that sunset goni is unique. 
 

Your thread is hilarious idk how I am not already following. Haha

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

1 hour ago, Elizabeth94 said:

He got me good my last pay check. His acans are arriving tomorrow. One of them was $300. Like. What the heck was I smoking?! Glad to hear they look nice in person. This will be my first order with Ben. 
 

You really did pick out some nice pieces. That torch is just amazing. And that sunset goni is unique. 
 

Your thread is hilarious idk how I am not already following. Haha

His corals are fantastic - his systems are healthy. I would be shocked if you're disappointed in them. I've yet to see a photo of his that is saturated, and unrealistic looking. I don't know where he finds so many unique pieces, but he does. My photos of the blasto do it zero justice. It might just be my favorite piece out of all the corals we have. 

 

Thanks for following along - I'm glad you enjoy my humor. Tell a friend. The more the merrier. We can sit around the fire aquarium and sing Kum By Yah. 

 

I try to get the TK to participate more in this build thread, since she claims to be "the funny one", but that's yet to be shown here on good ol' Nano-Reef. Until then, I'll keep journaling my antics to try and push her over the edge. 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

On 12/9/2020 at 12:40 PM, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

The tank keeper just so happens to be out of town for work this week, so I may have to go "fishing" and she how she reacts to a new fish or two in her tanks. 

Well, I did it (beside quoting myself - which is on a whole different level of self love... In the immortal words of NFL great, and clearly a seasoned poet, Terrel Owens, “I love me some me.”) While the tank keeper was out of town, I found a fantastic little fish. I lucked in to a yellow banded possum wrasse. 

 

Thankfully for me, a possum wrasse just so happened to be on the preapproved stocking list. So as of now, I’m still breathing. 
 

Also, if you see the tank keeper lurking around NanoReef, be sure to congratulate her. She was has graciously accepted a role on the board for our local (100+ member) reefing group. She will be the clubs secretary.  From here on out, I’ll be referring to her both as the Tank Keeper and Madam Secretary. Just when you think she can’t get any hotter. Hey girl! 

[ef4life]

Nice looking little fishy. Where did you pick him up at?

[Saltysheep]

Nice pick on the fish!!

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

13 hours ago, ef4life said:

Nice looking little fishy. Where did you pick him up at?

I picked him up at Aquarium Arts in Mesa. Dumb luck more than anything. We so rarely see these possum wrasses around town. 

11 hours ago, Saltysheep said:

Nice pick on the fish!!

Thank you! I enjoy finding cool fish nearly as much as I enjoy trying to step on every last nerve of the Tank Keepers! 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

I apologize for being a day late on the full tank shot, but the tank keeper wanted a new photo her rescape for December, and yesterday commemorated the day our lives changed for ever. You see, little did she know New Years Eve 2017, she’d meet a guy  (me!) that drives her absolutely bonkers, yet has a boyish charm she just can’t resist.
 

There was no way I was going to blow off commemorating the day she told me she didn’t kiss on the first date, and me believing in consequences be damned, when you feel it, you feel it, for NanoReef. (Sorry Christopher Marks!) If it hadn’t been for that kiss, I probably would have never heard of NanoReef, and I certainly wouldn’t have committed a stupid amount of hours thinking/researching/talking about aquariums each week. She probably definitely wouldn’t have four aquariums taking up her time. What can I say? She tells me no, and I turn on the charm and find a way - she sure must’ve liked that first kiss. 

 

 

(Finished product to be determined - she’ll probably change it another half a dozen times before she’s happy with it. It goes back to, if the tank keeper ain’t happy... Well you guys can figure out the rest. Plus, I do enjoy watching her on the step stool leaning in to the tank. Hey girl!) I’ll try to update this thread a little more later this weekend, but I wanted to get the December FTS in. Happy 2021 fellow NanoReefers! 

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

80 Gallon (Mercury) Update:

 

• We've decided that bubble tips and a mixed reef just don’t work. They are beautiful creatures, and I love the symbiosis with clown fish, but ours were taking over the tank, and killing everything in their way. I found homes for all of the bubble tips, and a buddy of ours took in the clowns. I didn’t feel right about keeping the clowns, since they loved their anemones. They have a new home, with lots of anemones to look after. 
   
• I bought a couple new frag racks(what can I say, I love a nice rack!) from Mr Reefs, with the goal being to only have a rack on each side of the tank, nothing more. This pleases the tank keeper. 
   
• Sadly, we lost our Midas blenny, and our leopard wrasse. On Christmas Day, I didn’t see the Midas, and eventually found what was left of his carcass being picked at by our pistol shrimp, while his partner in crime (the heartless goby) watched his back. A few days ago, Jef Leppard didn’t come out at feeding time. I thought it was strange, and then saw his lifeless body falling off of the side of the MP40.  We have no idea what happened to either fish, and all the other fish appear to be fine. In December I'm down four fish - between losing these two, and rehoming the clowns. You know what that means... Once the tank keeper is out of town with work, I get to go fishing! 
   
• The tank keeper has started the rescape on the left third of the tank, that the anemones were residing in. Once she is satisfied with the rock work, we’ll start pacing corals I’ve been accumulating that are currently on frag racks. This will allow me to go out and feed my addiction, and buy more corals to go on the frag racks. In the words of the self proclaimed, worlds greatest boss, Michael Scott, that’s a “win-win-win, we all win”!
   

A couple quick iPhone shots from last night:
 

Trachy cuddle sesh

 

A plate that’s fat and happy

 

A very hungry Cynarina

[ef4life]

Sorry to hear about the fish loss, but those coral pics are great.