Our Tbs

[jmait769]

Brian - here is a top down picture. That was try number 100!! Where I'm located I'm lucky to find salt to make saltwater but will try to find some Aiptasia anemones in El Paso at the three LFS that I know of. I probably have a better chance of hitting the lotto!!:lol: Should I put these back in the main tank?

By the way as you can see in the picture I have two. I think I disturbed some mating as that white line, in front of the large one, was connected to each of them.

Jay

 

[BrianPlankis]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7532068#post7532068 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jmait769
Brian - here is a top down picture. That was try number 100!! Where I'm located I'm lucky to find salt to make saltwater but will try to find some Aiptasia anemones in El Paso at the three LFS that I know of. I probably have a better chance of hitting the lotto!!:lol: Should I put these back in the main tank?

By the way as you can see in the picture I have two. I think I disturbed some mating as that white line, in front of the large one, was connected to each of them.

Jay

Jay,

Those look like they are probably Berghia, but still hard to tell. Good job on trying to get pictures though! For future reference, the best way to get pictures is to take a solo plastic cup, cut off most of it so it is only 1" high and then put just enough water in so the animal is able to move normally. Then you can get good closeup pictures.

Good luck finding Aiptasia. Check if anyone locally wants them, but I've also sent an email to a breeder I know to see if she wants them. You could also try posting them on the buy/sell forum on RC, but I know the breeder would provide better care than most reefers if she wants them.

I would not put them back in the main tank. They won't have any food and they could get damaged or lost. I would just do a 90% water change on the cup every day. That is amazing you have 2 of them, they could form a breeding pair!

I'll PM you as soon as I hear back from the breeder, whatever happens unless you find Aiptasia we only have a few days probably to find them a home.

Brian

 

[jmait769]

OK I have them in a 5 gallon tank.

Jay

 

[BrianPlankis]

Jay,

I sent you a PM, the breeder would be interested in getting the Berghia from you. Call her ASAP.

Brian

 

[BrianPlankis]

BTW...has anyone heard from Pat? I sent her some stuff this week and haven't heard from her and she hasn't posted on RC in several days, a little unusual for her. Hope all is OK.

Brian

 

[dwculp]

Checking in.....

Checking in.....

Checking in.......
Hey guys, just wanted to check in.......Im NOT dead!!

I have been very busy and have not posted in MONTHS!! The tank is doing amazing, in fact it is pretty self maintaining, I have not changed water or cleaned it in awhile and it is chugging right along. I tested all my parameters the other day and all were extremely good. 0 on all the bad stuff.

Nearly two years after buying the rock almost everything is still alive. All my tube corals, anemones, quite a bit of sponges, a billion porcelin crabs, the pistol shrimp I have never seen, all of it still alive. Currently my Kenya tree coral is going insane, I need to cut that crap back!!

In other exciting news, I am teaching summer school and I have two student teachers, one of them has a 200+ gallon tank at home. He was enamoured with my little 40 gallon TBS reef and when I found out he had a 200+ at home I said "Why in the world are you enamoured with my little 40 gallon tank then?" and he said "Because mine doesnt look anything like your tank!!"

Anyways, he has to take the Texas science cert exam and he said "Ive got a deal for you." I have a complete dual 250 watt metal halide system I bought three years ago, ballast, bulbs, reflectors, everything. I have never used it or taken it out of the box, you tutor me in science and it is yours!"

I now have 500 watts of metal halide lights. Now I have to get a tank to put them over. Either that or convert my 75 gallon FO into a reef. But I REALLY want a 110 long!

 

[BrianPlankis]

Hey dwculp,

Good to see you back! Glad to hear your tank is rocking. I'm actually taking the Texas science cert exam (8-12) today at 1:30! Wish me luck

Brian

 

[Red_Six]

Catching Mantis

Catching Mantis

What is the best bait for a mantis trap? I have two mantis but they do not seem interested in anything I put in the trap. They have put there heads in about a half inch and that is as far as they go. I tried making a bottle trap and when that did not work I purchased a X-Terminator mantis trap. I have tried small bits of crab, shrimp and clam. Perhaps they are just to well fed to be interested in anything I offer.

I sure like to watch these guys. To bad they have to go. They have both made homes in separate rocks. One of them actually had to do some construction to make his home to his liking. He took two shells and covered the back entrance to his cave. He did a very good job too. It is a nice tight fit. They seem to be very curious as they always poke there heads out when I am looking at the tank. They just look at me with those rotating eyes, probably hoping I will give them a chance to take a chuck out of my hide. They are not even scared when I place the trap right in front of them. If only they would go in
:strooper:

 

[jmait769]

Red-Six â€"œ I did the same thing as far as traps go. I even placed the trap right in front of his hole and no luck. I tried the Sears tool placed over the hole and waited to grab him but they just whacked the claws and laughed at me!! So Pat and Brian suggested the use of seltzer water and that worked! This requires you to remove the rock from the tank, however. I posted on the Mantis thread that I had two free Mantis and a guy in Chicago paid for the shipping.

After we had put ours in a small 5 gallon tank, my wife and kids wanted me to setup a tank just for them. To much work for me!! However, they have really cool personalities and I read that they would even live in sea shells. So I put in two large snail shells and that was there new home until I shipped them!!

Good luck,

Jay

 

[Spiffyguy]

I have skimmed the thread from the beginning. Looks like really nice stuff. Couple questions.

1. do you find that most of the life on the rocks survives or a year or so? Or does it tend to die off as the tnak matures?

2. Is it worth it? With all the bad hitch hikers in the end does it come out?

3. The sand with the package looks rather large. Anyone have a good close up? WOuld creatures like conchs and Nassauris snails be able to sift through this?

I am plotting, don't tell me wife, a 120 gallon with an 8 bubl t-5 rig. I think some TBS would be just excellent for it.

 

[drk70]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7545880#post7545880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spiffyguy
I have skimmed the thread from the beginning. Looks like really nice stuff. Couple questions.

1. do you find that most of the life on the rocks survives or a year or so? Or does it tend to die off as the tnak matures?

2. Is it worth it? With all the bad hitch hikers in the end does it come out?

3. The sand with the package looks rather large. Anyone have a good close up? WOuld creatures like conchs and Nassauris snails be able to sift through this?

I am plotting, don't tell me wife, a 120 gallon with an 8 bubl t-5 rig. I think some TBS would be just excellent for it.

Some stuff goes and some doens't. You will hear different things from different people. I for one didn't have alot of die off and my tank is a year old.

Being worth it would have to be your decision. Just remember usually with the good comes some bad. You may get alot of bad hitchhikes and then you could get very few. I never got a mantis and my gorilla situation wasn't as bad as some others.

The sand is right off the gulf floor. I don't have a close-up be I do have nassauris snails and they have no problem sifting/burying themselves in it.

Good luck and post pics no matter what you get!

 

[Safir]

something to remember is that you may get "bad" hitchikers on non-TBS rock as well. look back a few weeks in the TBS forum here, someone asked the same questino not too long ago.

me? i think it was worth it - my rock was not as colorful as some peoples, but still teaming with life, and rally made for a beautiful (imo) tank, and one that looks much more mature than it really is

 

[AngeloM3]

drk70............... do you have any side-view shots of your tank?

 

[drk70]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7547950#post7547950 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AngeloM3
drk70............... do you have any side-view shots of your tank?

This one was taken awhile ago but I don't think much has changed other than the xenia.

I need to remember to borrow the camera again so I can get some new shots.

 

[bobt2]

i think the people that have the life survive are the people that really take care of their tanks, keep up with the water changes and additives.

 

[krajacich]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7545880#post7545880 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Spiffyguy
I have skimmed the thread from the beginning. Looks like really nice stuff. Couple questions.

1. do you find that most of the life on the rocks survives or a year or so? Or does it tend to die off as the tnak matures?

2. Is it worth it? With all the bad hitch hikers in the end does it come out?

3. The sand with the package looks rather large. Anyone have a good close up? WOuld creatures like conchs and Nassauris snails be able to sift through this?

I am plotting, don't tell me wife, a 120 gallon with an 8 bubl t-5 rig. I think some TBS would be just excellent for it.

1) Most of the life on my rock has survived. I lost some feather dusters and my tunicates.

2) For me it was well worth it. I didn't get any mantis shrimp and the gorilla population was manageable (although I think I still have a few that have eluded me)

3) My current inverts have no problem burrowing around in the sand. Here's the best close-up I could find in my photobucket account:

HTH....if you get rock please take & post TONS of pictures!

 

[Red_Six]

Following jmait769 advice I managed to capture two mantis. Time will tell if I have more. I hope to find local homes for them. In the process I also caught a gorilla crab. I was pretty surprised when I lifted the rock and saw this guy underneath.

He is about 1 ½ inches across the shell. He and the two mantis are in my fuge until they find homes. The mantis are both about 2 ½ inches long. They don't seem to be interested in trying to eat the monster gorilla.

 

[skippy2]

Speaking of crabs, here's my decorator crab!!!! Stupidest impulse buy yet!!!

 

[Red_Six]

He is a walking garbage heap.

 

[skippy2]

Never looked at it that way but your right!!!