High Nutrient Macro Algae/Sea Grass Reef

[vlangel]

All my lfs are at least an hour away. Today is a slow day here at the homestead with nothing pressing to do, so I think that I will make a run to my favorite lfs. I need more frozen fish food anyway and who knows, maybe they will have a dwarf angelfish and/or a midas blenny, another fish I have been thinking about. I loved having King Midas and am now sorry that I gave him away when I got seahorses. I am pretty sure that a midas blenny would be safe with Rice Krispies.

I will do another water change this morning before I go and test some parameters just as a precaution. Wish me luck!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Good luck!

 

[vlangel]

Well my favorite lfs did have multiple dwarf angelfish to choose from and a midas blenny. I chose a Coral Beauty as this particular fish had great coloration and I have had such good luck with Coral Beauties. Both fish looked good and ate when I asked to see them feed and they only offered flakes. That seems like a very good sign. I am acclimating them now. If they settle in well and begin feeding right away, I will keep them in the sump about a week or so and then move them into the display some evening just when the lights are about to go off.

I forgot to mention that I picked up some ulva to put in the fuge and see if I can get it to establish. I couldn't really anchor it so I don't know but its worth a try.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Sounds like you got some good fish. Good luck with 'em!

 

[vlangel]

The lfs also had 2 nice Christmas wrasses that I cannot stop thinking about. I did not get one of them because 1. I worried about Rice Krispies possibly going after them when they bury in the sand to sleep, and 2. they were not cheap and I had already dropped a fair amount of cash. I need to talk myself out of even considering this fish!

 

[vlangel]

I remembered how wrasses in general hunt constantly for pods. That is not what I want for my tank so that is helping me to not go back and buy one of them. However I was still kind of wanting 1 more fish in the display and it would be best if I could introduce it with the Coral Beauty and Midas blenny.

That got me thinking about Guardian. I read lots of threads about YWGs and snapping shrimp and the likelihood of them pairing. It sounded too risky, especially given the type of caribbean pistol shrimp Rice Krispies is, (not to mention that I believe that he has killed and eaten a few smaller fish). So I read threads on catching Rice Krispies and I came across one that talked about using a DIY bottle trap. I actually have one of those that I made years ago to catch fish so I dug it out, baited it and put it in front of one of Rice Krispies's entrances to his underground cavern. Guess what? Rice Krispies was in the trap this morning!!!!

So he is temporarily in a 2 and half gallon aquarium. I removed the rock and macro algae from the fuge so I could catch Guardian, which I did. Now Guardian is in the sump with the Coral Beauty and the Midas Blenny. I will put all 3 fish in the display together which should help minimize any bullying. The Coral Beauty is already eating but the Midas Blenny is still very stressed looking.

I was going to put Rice Krispies in the fuge but maybe I should put some sand in the sump and put him there instead. His constant burrowing in the sandbed could disrupt any chance that the few sprigs of seagrass will ever grow? If he is in the sump, he can live in the first chamber where the water drains from the fuge before it goes to the return chamber. There is lots of live rock in there and I can add some sand for him. At any rate he is destined for a new home.


As I am observing the sump an hour later, I believe that Guardian is having a calming effect on the Midas blenny. Guardian is confidently hanging out in the open near where the Midas blenny has been cowering behind some rocks. Every once in a while Guardian swims over to where the Midas is, (not in an aggressive, threatening manner but in a friendly way) and the Midas's stress coloration is beginning to fade. I hope I am correct in this and its not wishful thinking.

 

[vlangel]

Here is a small pic of the DIY trap next to the little tank with Rice Krispies. You can see the shrimp's claws peeking out the hole in the conch shell. Rice Krispies is now comfortably settled into the drain chamber of the sump. He should be quit e comfortable there.

 

[vlangel]

I am pleased to report that both the Midas blenny and the Coral Beauty angelfish are eating well this morning. I definitely think that there is a fish friendship between Guardian and the Midas. They are always together in the same area. That will be a benefit to both of them when I move them into the display, although they probably will not inhabit the same area when they settle in. Speaking of the display, it is so clean looking and clear without Rice Krispies in there stirring up the sandbed! All good stuff happening in the high nutrient tank system.

 

[vlangel]

This is a macro photo that I took of the few sprigs of seagrass in the fuge. I have been adding iron to the brute can of water change water hoping that will stimulate more growth.

 

[vlangel]

This morning I added the new fish and Guardian to the display while it was still lights off. Tommy was pretty curious about the Coral Beauty, who I am naming Angelica. I was a little nervous but Angelica seems to have an assertive personality and Tommy's over inquisitiveness seems to have waned.

I really do not expect to see Guardian or the Midas Blenny, who I have dubbed Charlie Brown for a few days. This particular Midas blenny is much more nervous than the other one I had several years ago. I hope he gets braver as he settles in. I fully expect Guardian to be large and in charge because he is not shy!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

That's exciting Dawn. I hope everyone settles in okay! Good shot of the shoal grass too!

 

[vlangel]

Thanks Michael, I am hoping for the best!

That shot of the seagrass sprig was kind of an accident. I saw the phone camera prompt me if I wanted to use the macro lense, so I said yes. Hopefully I can repeat that process as it would no doubt improve my pics.

And guess what? I found Jet, my citron goby in the overflow. I thought he had fallen prey to Rice Krispies! Here I am blaming the poor shrimp and he was innocent, at least that time. When I tried to get him out, he accidently went down the drain so I guess his new home will be the fuge. That should be an upgrade from the overflow compartment anyhow.

 

[vlangel]

Both Angelica and Charlie Brown are eating in the display tank, which makes me very happy. :bounce3:I never dreamed that they would come out in the open before Guardian.

 

[vlangel]

I am pleased to report that all 3 new fish in the display are coming out, interacting and eating! I also saw Jet in the fuge when I fed it this morning so he seems to be doing well.

Finally I want to give an update on Jammies. Although his eye looks awful,( white, opaque and swollen) he seems totally back to normal. He has always bullied PJ in that he would irritated-like chase him a short distance. He had stopped doing that and I thought that he had just mellowed. Turns out that he is once again resuming that behavior so I am inclined to think that he had stopped because he did not feel good. I do not like to see him do that but I suspect that he is back to feeling healthy and feisty. I guess that is good!

My fish count is 14 in the whole system, 12 in the display and 2 in the refugium. That is what I consider a full house! I like this assortment of fish more than any I have ever had in the past. Here is the breakdown:

56 gallon display tank
Jammies and PJ, the pajama cardinalfish
Thing #1, 2 and 3, the yellow tail damsels
Monarch the royal gramma
Barney the barnacle blenny
Ozzie the ocellaris clownfish
Tommy the tomini tang
Guardian the yellow watchman goby
Angelica the coral beauty dwarf angelfish
Charlie Brown the midas blenny

30 gallon refugium
Perky the donated percula clownfish
Jet the green citron goby

 

[Chasmodes]

That's very exciting news, having the new fish and a fully stocked happy aquarium. I'm glad Jet survived and that Rice Krispies wasn't the culprit (this time). It seems like it was a good move to get Rice Krispies out of there, not because, IMHO, he might be a threat to other fish, but just that he messed up the tank and thus your enjoyment. It's your tank, and if something bothers you, it's a good move to fix that issue so you're happy watching again.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Great update! So thorough. So psyched you're so happy with the fish assortment. Feels great, doesn't it?

It sounds like Jammies may lose the eye, but not die. You may have to promote him to Captain Jammies for a pirate vibe.

That is a pretty full house! Let us know how Angelica does. Has she tasted any sponge? Has she asserted herself as Queen?

 

[vlangel]

It does feel good to have a tank full of fish that I am enjoying and none of them are harassing each other. I hope that continues. I like seeing the different personalities emerging. And yes, Angelica is no shrinking violet, that is for sure. Even Tommy who has been the king ever since he moved in defers to her. Tommy tried to invade her space in the beginning but she totally held her ground and now they pretty much ignore each other. So I guess they are King and Queen, but more like a political marriage that was arranged rather than a love match, ha ha!

If Jammies loses the eye, I will call him Capt Jammies! Dave and he can be pirate buddies since Dave has a fake leg, ha ha. I should have a fun pic of Dave as a pirate as he has dressed up as one a few times.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1D5wM5eNVS5vdTyIPSbCv6be9I4nHDbfR/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Sounds good! That's about what I expected with the dwarf angel. Let's hope the marriage holds! Has she harassed any damsels? I think that can happen with their similar shapes. I must say it's been helpful for me to get fish after you get them! I've really enjoyed the Tomini Tang. Thanks for all the good info!

 

[vlangel]

You are welcome Michael. And yes, Angelica does chase the damsels a bit but there are 3 of them so at least it's spread out. Also it's not constant. You have the benefit of a much bigger tank too which should definitely help lower aggression.
This is the best pic I could get of Charlie Brown. He's skittish!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Ah, the pirate couple! Arrrr. Fun shot of you two.

Charlie Brown's a looker! Fish are tough to photograph. I feel like I haven't taken a decent fish pic in years. Good to know about Angelica and the damsels, thanks!