I have set up my 180 gal tank, finally. All is going great. The fish I transferred from my smaller tanks have really thrived.
I had 4 blue damsels. I didn't mind letting them go in the big tank; they have always been good and never ate any coral. They also were reasonably social for Damsels.
I have a good amount of rock of which a large portion is Marco rocks. With in about a month's time or so the Damsels began digging out homes for themselves under the large rocks. At first I thought it was amusing. After I began to really ovbserve the behavior, I starting semi-thinking it might be more. Only the 2 largest Damsels, about 3 inches, were the ones making homes. They also were a little bit bloated during this time as well. They were unusually protective of who ventured near. They weren't nipping, but they were not affraid to chase who ever came a little too close.
They would even go in their home and carry out the many Iyanassa Obsoleta snails that I have for my clean up crew. They were carrying them out in their moutths and dropping them. After watching this I was pretty sure they were definitely nesting.
So, I said to myself, this is only worth while if there is a male around; I assumed it was the females that built the borough. Then one day I saw what I was looking for. The Female came out and escorted one of the males into the borough - the males were smaller in size at about an inch and a half to 2 inches, but they were the same age as the larger fish. I knew that the male had to be in there fertilizing the eggs (I'd like to think so anyway); there is no way that with the prior behavior I observed when the nest was being built that the female would ever let anything in there.
So there you have it. I am near certain I will have baby Damsels at some point. I have absolutely no idea what so ever what the gestation period is for the eggs to hatch. Any guesses. I will worry about the fish population after the hatch. I figure I will lose a lot to predation, but there is a good chance some will make it because there is so many places to hide. I don't even know how many eggs would be in a clutch.
Oh well, that's my story.
One last question; I have green caulerpa in my fuge; not red caulerpa. Is there any danger with the green caulerpa going asexual? I know the red can be very toxic and can wipe out a fish tank in hours.
If the green caulerpa is bad, it goes tomorrow. I just have to shake off as many pods as I can.
Thanks.
I had 4 blue damsels. I didn't mind letting them go in the big tank; they have always been good and never ate any coral. They also were reasonably social for Damsels.
I have a good amount of rock of which a large portion is Marco rocks. With in about a month's time or so the Damsels began digging out homes for themselves under the large rocks. At first I thought it was amusing. After I began to really ovbserve the behavior, I starting semi-thinking it might be more. Only the 2 largest Damsels, about 3 inches, were the ones making homes. They also were a little bit bloated during this time as well. They were unusually protective of who ventured near. They weren't nipping, but they were not affraid to chase who ever came a little too close.
They would even go in their home and carry out the many Iyanassa Obsoleta snails that I have for my clean up crew. They were carrying them out in their moutths and dropping them. After watching this I was pretty sure they were definitely nesting.
So, I said to myself, this is only worth while if there is a male around; I assumed it was the females that built the borough. Then one day I saw what I was looking for. The Female came out and escorted one of the males into the borough - the males were smaller in size at about an inch and a half to 2 inches, but they were the same age as the larger fish. I knew that the male had to be in there fertilizing the eggs (I'd like to think so anyway); there is no way that with the prior behavior I observed when the nest was being built that the female would ever let anything in there.
So there you have it. I am near certain I will have baby Damsels at some point. I have absolutely no idea what so ever what the gestation period is for the eggs to hatch. Any guesses. I will worry about the fish population after the hatch. I figure I will lose a lot to predation, but there is a good chance some will make it because there is so many places to hide. I don't even know how many eggs would be in a clutch.
Oh well, that's my story.
One last question; I have green caulerpa in my fuge; not red caulerpa. Is there any danger with the green caulerpa going asexual? I know the red can be very toxic and can wipe out a fish tank in hours.
If the green caulerpa is bad, it goes tomorrow. I just have to shake off as many pods as I can.
Thanks.
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