Dawn's seahorse garden!

[Chasmodes]

Amen to that! Smartest thing I ever did was marry him 37 years ago!

Awwwweeee!!! :beer: You should show him the post that you shared with the world What a nice gift you got!

I had four days off work, and three of them were booked for plans with family or friends. Not a lot of time to relax! But, it's great to see everyone. It also feels good to settle back into the routine again.

 

[vlangel]

Awwwweeee!!! :beer: You should show him the post that you shared with the world What a nice gift you got!

I had four days off work, and three of them were booked for plans with family or friends. Not a lot of time to relax! But, it's great to see everyone. It also feels good to settle back into the routine again.

Same here, its so great to be with family and friends but its also good to get back into the routine. Tomorrow some of Dave's co-worker friends are coming by so tonight will be dedicated to getting both tanks looking good.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

It's always nice to get the tank(s) all cleaned up for company. We had company the other day, and my tank looked like pea soup! Embarrassing!

 

[vlangel]

It's always nice to get the tank(s) all cleaned up for company. We had company the other day, and my tank looked like pea soup! Embarrassing!

I totally understand...even if perhaps your company did not. I try to always have my tanks at their best when we have folks over. I especially want them looking good when other aquarists come but actually most of us in the hobby know that our tanks are not always pristine.

 

[vlangel]

Awwwweeee!!! :beer: You should show him the post that you shared with the world What a nice gift you got!

Ha ha, not only did he get me a nice gift, but tonight he had to set it up. I just do not understand anything digital and I could not figure out that controller to save my life. Neither one of us are tech wizards but Dave figured it out. He set it so that it pulses and starts gentle but steadily gets stronger, then starts over. Its only at 50% when its at its maximum and there is good movement in the tank.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Dave seems like a good guy. Too early to tell!

That pump sounds cool!

 

[vlangel]

Dave seems like a good guy. Too early to tell!

That pump sounds cool!

Ha ha yeah, I guess I better stay married another 30 years to really know if he is a good guy! Actually I hope we both get another 30 years. Life is precious and fragile so we make the most of every day.

The new pump is nice. Some of the coral are a bit retracted but I think they will adjust and come to love the flow. I am pleased how much less intrusive it is in the tank than my prior powerhead.

 

[vlangel]

My son and daughter-in-law gave me $ for fish. I was excited to see what my options were so I checked out DD and LA for online possibilities. Then Dave & I headed out to our lfs to see if they had anything interesting. They did...an Orange spot blenny, 2 green clown gobies and 2 blue dart fish. They are in QT now and hopefully will do well there. I have lots of rock and pvc pipe for hiding places. I am really excited about these fish. I have always loved the orange spot blenny with its knobby face and little do-dads on its head. I am going to name it Marmalade. I had just noticed the blue dart fish on DD and then to see them at the lfs was perfect. I also knew I wanted some sort of clown goby. They have great personalities and I like their over-sized heads. Most of the fish were reasonably priced. The Orange spot blenny was $58 which was a lot of my allotted funds but I just had to have it! I will take pics when they are out and about.

 

[Chasmodes]

New fish, very cool!!!! I think the orange spot blennies are herbivores and get pretty big. I don't know if they're aggressive or not, but at least you're safe knowing that your other fish are probably not on his menu The dartfish are interesting creatures and should add some nice color to your tank too. Gotta love clown gobies!!!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Woo, fun! I've considered keeping clown gobies and blue dart fish myself. I've read the dart fish are very shy. I bet they'll do great in your peaceful community. Good luck with them!

 

[vlangel]

New fish, very cool!!!! I think the orange spot blennies are herbivores and get pretty big. I don't know if they're aggressive or not, but at least you're safe knowing that your other fish are probably not on his menu The dartfish are interesting creatures and should add some nice color to your tank too. Gotta love clown gobies!!!

Yes Kevin, the orange spot blenny is an herbivore. Hopefully it does not decimate my macro algaes! They can get to be 5" but typically are not aggressive with other species. I have named mine Marmalade and he is not showing the least bit of aggression in QT.

The 2 dart fish are a beautiful blue and should really bring some nice color into the tank. Some grace and movement too.

The green clown gobies are just fun. Both they and the orange spot blenny like to perch on rock and such which should be fun. I am excited.

 

[vlangel]

Woo, fun! I've considered keeping clown gobies and blue dart fish myself. I've read the dart fish are very shy. I bet they'll do great in your peaceful community. Good luck with them!

I wanted yellow clown gobies but they were not eating so I passed on them. The green clown gobies will be neat though and I look forward to watching them. I am really excited about the dart fish. I guess they can be super shy but I am hoping in my tank that they come out into the water column more.

 

[vlangel]

I moved the new fish into the 56 gallon macro algae tank. The Orange spot blenny who I dubbed Marmalade needs algae for his diet so I was anxious to get him out of QT. He is out and about everywhere. I see a green clown goby out occasionally but I do not know if its the same one all the time. I have seen a dartfish in the corner too but I suspect that it may be days for them to venture out. I am feeding the tank very heavily to help the new fish acclimate.

 

[Chasmodes]

Excellent! I'm looking forward to a future video once they come out to pose for you. It's always exciting to get new fish!

 

[vlangel]

Little Jr, my dwarf seahorse is heading for a new home on Monday. Her care is pretty demanding and my husband and I are going on a humanitarian mission in March for a week. I have not been able to figure out a way to care for Jr when I am away. So I have looked into rehoming options. The only taker I got that seemed equipped to meet her needs is in NC and I am in PA. So I am going to overnight her. I am told from A dwarf seahorse keeper that dwarf seahorses ship well. It looks like the weather is in my favor too, not bitter cold: 40s which is fairly temperate for PA in January. I have lots of Styrofoam boxes so I am in good shape that way .

 

[Michael Hoaster]

That sounds like a great solution. Nicely done!

 

[vlangel]

Yesterday I saw both green clown hobbies out at the same time which was reassuring. I have decided to name them Jet and Piper. I generally hold off on names until I feel fish have adjusted.

I saw one of the dart fish peeking out from under the heater yesterday. I wished I would see a little more of them.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I like naming fish too. It's fun!

I bet your dart fish will come out soon. They have a shy reputation. Given your peaceful community, they'll come around.

 

[vlangel]

I like naming fish too. It's fun!

I bet your dart fish will come out soon. They have a shy reputation. Given your peaceful community, they'll come around.

That is what I am hoping too. I was glad that so many people have warned me of their shy nature or I would probably feel bad by now assuming that they have or are about to perish. I am feeding very heavy to help them have food even when they wont come out in the open. I see one of my fang blennies scratching on the sand now so I may back off a little. Tomorrow is water change day too which should help a bit.

My few tiny hermits and multiple snails seem to be keeping nuisance algae in check. This morning a hermit has been cleaning the halimeda which I was happy to see. I have had halimeda's growth slowed tremendously by hair algae. Also both combtooth blennies work on the red grape caulerpa and the rock work keeping them clean. It feels like my cuc is just the right size for this tank: enougn to keep up with algae but not too many that some are starving to death.

I have noticed that 2 of my 3 shaving brushes have disappeared. I am not giving up on them just yet however because I know they have a die back period and then send up new shoots so I am hoping that is the case. I plan to move a couple small zoa frag rocks down to that area so when the macros are not at their showiest the zoas can perhaps give me something else to admire instead. At least in theory that is what I hope.

I know I have said this before but I really love this tank. I find it so interesting with so many creatures to observe.

 

[vlangel]

Little Jr is enroute to her new home. I wish her the best.