Part 2 WOW!!! (Understatement of the year)

noahm

Active member
Well, got in last night and got everything out of 8 boxes and ultimately into the tank. I can only say that there is no way I could rightly expect as much as was actually delivered. Too many things to list. Some gobies/blennies, a wrasse, I believe and TONS of goodies. I got most of it in place last night and spent this morning mounting the sponges and gorgs and tweaking the rocks. I am pretty pleased that I was able to keep my left 'Island even though it is now a bit taller. Everything is accounted for and the gorgs and corals are all fully open, so they must be happy. I have the halides on for a couple hours, so I took a few pics. More to come, but enjoy for now.

Left end of Tank.
IMG_4232.jpg


Front View. You cant really tell now, but this morning before I had mounted the sea fans, the two tall red sponges in the back looked just like two frightened aliens at a hold up w/both hands in the air.

IMG_4238.jpg


Right End
IMG_4233.jpg


Blenny
IMG_4239.jpg


?? Help ID. This guy 'walks' around
IMG_4226.jpg


'Tigger'
IMG_4237.jpg


This guy is British according to my wife.
IMG_4230.jpg


Some flower nems. There must be 10 in the whole tank. I asked for an assortment of them though. I definitely got more than I could have expected. Awesome critters.
IMG_4231.jpg


Be back soon
:D

Noah
 
Excellent stuff Noah! Great pictures...

Enjoy the blenny... I miss mine

:mad:

dam anemone....
 
1100 miles

1100 miles

Well after driving 1100 miles to pick up part one and two, I would say you did a most excellent job on your tank...you are my "most long distance customer yet"....looks like diving here on the aquaculture site.

Little guy with the horn, is well...a "horned blenny".....from right off the rock site as are the rest of the fish, they come in when I harvest rock, and jump out while I am unloading......and there was an itty bitty wrasse, which I have not ID'ed yet....did the decorator arrow crab make it?


You truly have a real Gulf of Mexico tank there...pretty awesome....

and remember, you told me you wanted a flower garden...you got it

You have three different types of gorgs, also three sea fans, all from the rock site..

and tigger is a banded tiger goby, one of my fav fish.....

Richard TBS
:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:
 
Last edited:
Yup, the decorator made it. In retrospect, I would not have wanted any fewer nems . I count 11 total and they are perfect for the look I wanted.

The wrasse may be in juvenile pattern as I haven't been able to ID him either.

There are 2 more fish that I haven't ID'd either. One looks just like the horned guy, but no horn ( I don't remember putting him in). and the other is only about 1 1/4" long with a pretty good sized back sail and a friendly dispisition. I will put up pics when i get them.
 
Few more pics and ID Help

Few more pics and ID Help

Just a few more fun pics of part 2. Also a couple are just for ID help. Enjoy


This one is actually from part 1, but I found him in my sump when I was putting bags in to warm up. He can get a couple inches long and clearly has a head and tail unlike some similar flatworms.
Best I can tell is some hairy sea slug/nudi or type of sea hare ?
seahare.jpg


This long snail is so well camouflaged with the purple sea fan. Either for protection or to eat it in peace. Who knows. About 3/4" long
seafansnail.jpg


Colonial sea squirt I believe. Different parts of the colony contract periodically and eject water. Very pretty though.
IMG_4266.jpg


Basket star. Seems to be only out at night and never leaves his gorgonian. He was not happy about the flash, but you can't really see him wrapped around the gorg during the day
IMG_4261.jpg

This thing looks just like a plate fungus on a tree. I need help on this one. Some kind of macro algae possibly. It was bagged in a different bag than the other macros, so I am at a loss Richard. About 3-4" across.
IMG_4269.jpg


Some kind of small blenny with broad banding and a large back fin.
IMG_4275.jpg


Finally, everyone loves a peppermint shrimp playing soccer.

IMG_4276.jpg



:D
 
What he sends is unbelieveable . Why and heck would anyone buy so called cured rock with nothing on it for 10 times the price !!!!!!!!!!!
 
This long snail is so well camouflaged with the purple sea fan. Either for protection or to eat it in peace. Who knows. About 3/4" long

Bad nudibranch, toss him in the trash :)
 
WHat are you going to feed your tank? I'd like to suggest using shell fish diet or Phyto feast from Reed's Mariculture
 
ID"S

ID"S

The black fugi looking thingy is a sponge.....is just a black one..pretty rare here.....one out of every ten dives, maybe..

The snail in the sea fan, flat and attached?...if it is is a type of clam...is not a nudi....if it is not attached, then some sort of snail...

Basket stars seldom leave their host gorgonians, is how you collect them in the wild...look for gorgonian fields...find baskets..

and the furry white guy?
not a flatworm, some sort of nudi from what I see...

Tank is looking spectacular.....see how the polyps on the sea fans and gorgs are extended...means that is a happy tank!

And Ronny..for ID"s on a lot of these critters look here

http://www.tampabaysaltwater.com/thepackage/organisms.html



sea ya
Richard TBS:rollface: :rollface: :rollface:
 
Re: ID"S

Re: ID"S

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14461467#post14461467 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liverock


The snail in the sea fan, flat and attached?...if it is is a type of clam...is not a nudi....if it is not attached, then some sort of snail...


Yeah, it is definitely a snail w/ hard shell and not a nudi. Sometimes you can see its 'snorkel' extended out one end and it has moved up and down the branch a bit. I don't see any damage near it, so I am leaning toward a possible symbiotic relationship where it clears the branches around the polyps of any growth (algae etc. ) in exchange for a perfect hiding spot.
:)

Thanks for the ID's
Noah
 
WOW! Is about all I can say. I may be biased, living in Florida, but Florida live rock is soooooo nice. Thanks for sharing.

The snail on the fan would be a West Indian Simnia (Cymbovula acicularis). Bad guy but cool.

If you haven't ever checked out the Florida Caribbean Bahamas Reef Set from Humann and Deloach (www.fishid.com/) you should. My wife gave me the set as a gift and added a fourth book (reef fish behavior) later and I just can't stop looking through these.
 
Thanks for the info. I may have to get that set as I like to know what all the stuff is. I am guessing from your comment that he is indeed eating the polyps. I am also guessing that he has probably been there some time and will at this point leave him be unless he really starts to do some damage.
 
They definitely feed on the sea fans but, given it is only one, it may not be doing any noticeable damage. I would keep an eye on it and the other fans/gorgs. These can change colors to match the host. By now, I would have thought you would have seen some damage. As I recall, they consume the flesh, not just the polyps. I just don't know any concrete numbers on how much they consume.
 
Not to hijack the thread (which I've been thoroughly enjoying), but that's a great Avitar Diatome :thumbsup:
 
Back
Top