Weeds

[Michael Hoaster]

Ooh, lot's of posts! Yay! Thank you everyone!

Dawn I love Dwarf Angelfishes too. I had a Flame Angel in my first marine tank, and it was stunning. It's funny, I recently researched them, with a focus on ones that don't eat sponge. I've got some good ones growing from the live rock I'd like to keep. But now, if I go with the heavy sponge growth option, I'll need to research which ones do eat sponge. So I don't know which I'd go for now. Obviously, I've got plenty of time to figure it out. Also, I was thinking, what would be a good last fish addition? Dwarf Angelfish!

So you're thinking about getting one too? Any idea which you'd get?

 

[vlangel]

I have always loved the Coral Beauties and Flame angels. I also like the Eibeli, (not sure of the spelling on that one). I have found the Coral Beauties to be better behaved in a reef tank in case I think about feather dusters. I am thinking of more barnacle blennies too but maybe not while Rice Krispies lurks in the darkness!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Kevin. I hope to get better pics, when the fish settle down a bit. They're still a bit jumpy with the new additions. I'm not crazy about the new photo setup either, but if it's easier for people to use, it's a good compromise.

Good idea on the caulerpa in a bucket. After months of struggle to get rid of it, I'm not sure I'll be up for trying to keep some alive!

I'd love to get some more barnacle blennies. The one I have has tangled with the mean Talbot's Damsel. No effect! He just keeps on doing his thing.

Thanks for the tank compliment! With the recent trimming of the grasses, I was actually calling on my design skills to improve function and style. I wanted more room at the top and in front of the grasses so the fish could swim more freely. As I trimmed, I found myself feeling like a barber, trying to make it look cool too! With all the fish in there, I really do spend hours watching the tank.

I agree, there's lot's of great Angelfish to choose from. Some of the smaller, non-dwarf varieties might work. Time to hit the books!

It's funny, I had new pics to upload when the site went down, so I've been waiting impatiently for them to bring it back up.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I like Coral Beauties too, Dawn. The Eibli Angels are gorgeous too. There's an Eibli Mimic Tang too! I always thought it would be cool to have both. I'd really love to get more barnacle blennies again, if I can find them. I only rarely see them at my LFSs, and I'm done buying fish online.

 

[vlangel]

That would be very cool to have an eibli dwarf angel and an eibli mimic tang. I wonder if they would blend into the backround with those stripes along their sides? The vertical grasses might make them very hard to see.

I will have to be very selective about an angel because the size of my tank limits me to only one. I like the looks of the flameback dwarf angelfish too and it might be the best suited for my tank. I might have to wait a long time for one as I have not seen a lot in any of my lfs. They are available on Live Aquaria but like you I do not want to go that route. I have seen Barnacle blennies at one of the lfs I go to but only occasionally. They must not be in big demand.

 

[Chasmodes]

Michael, what about asking your LFS if he can special order some or keep an eye out for them for you? Maybe his supplier can get ahold of some even though he might not normally get them...

...or maybe you and your family can have a nice Panama vacation and go collecting! LOL. That would be fun, wouldn't it? :fun4:

 

[Michael Hoaster]

For sure my LFS can order fish for me, so that's an option. Probably the biggest hurdle for me is the price per ounce!

A collecting expedition would be sweet! Can you imagine swimming up to a colony of barnacle blennies?

 

[Apercula]

I had an eibli/half black hybrid angel at one time. It came in to my lfs as an eibli, the staff at the store didnt realize it was a hybrid.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

That's cool. Thanks for posting, Apercula!

Two questions: How did it behave in your tank, and was it stripey in front, black in back? Is there anything else you'd care to share about it?

 

[vlangel]

Michael, what about asking your LFS if he can special order some or keep an eye out for them for you? Maybe his supplier can get ahold of some even though he might not normally get them...

...or maybe you and your family can have a nice Panama vacation and go collecting! LOL. That would be fun, wouldn't it? :fun4:

Oh man, it would be so much fun collecting barnacle blennies!!!

 

[Apercula]

That's cool. Thanks for posting, Apercula!

Two questions: How did it behave in your tank, and was it stripey in front, black in back? Is there anything else you'd care to share about it?

I hope this link works, it's to the thread I posted when I bought it. https://forum.reefcentral.com/forum/marine-fish-forums/reef-fishes/895069-centropyge-id

It has been over 10 years since I've had a tank set up so my memory is pretty foggy on behavior, nothing really stands out so I'm guessing it was about what you would expect from a centropyge angel. I do remember it being in the tank at the same time as my tomini tang and foxface, and dont recall any issues among the group.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Nice! I appreciate the info Apercula.

 

[vlangel]

I am guessing all is well in the Weed's tank? Are you still enjoying fish watching?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

All is well in Weedsville. The fish watching is supreme! I'd still like to get rid of the Talbot's Damsels. Their negative energy gets old. I may need to buy a 2 liter soda and make a new trap. The trap I have is made from a smaller bottle and it hasn't been successful.

The tank is gradually transforming, due to the constant herbivore grazing. The Caulerpa is receding! I'm very interested in seeing how everything progresses. Will I achieve what I'm going for, using fish, instead of me?

 

[vlangel]

Good luck Michael, both in capturing the damsels and achieving your objective for the tank.
I have found the bottle traps to be more difficult for fish than for inverts. Fish seem to have an instinctive suspicious of the bottle and you pretty much have to be there when they go in so you can catch them in it. That being said, with patience I have caught a few like that.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Dawn. In my experience, some fish are just too smart for the trap. That may be the case here, but I want to try.

My objective for the tank is to reverse the trend of macro algae takeover that has been an issue with this tank and the previous one. But I want fish to do it for me, so I can save my back. Sure I'll miss some of the macros, but it's a worthwhile tradeoff, and change can be good!

 

[vlangel]

Damsel fish strike me as wily.

I have admired your patience in the past and still do. I have trouble letting nature take its course when I make a decision, ha ha! I realize that that is the best way to handle things and yet I usually can not resist getting in there and helping things along. It should be fun however watching the herbivores target certain macro algae and then when that variety is gone, see what is next on the smorgasbord.

 

[Chasmodes]

I had a hard time catching my blennies, gobies and skilletfish, so I put in a piece of PVC pipe big enough for them to be happy in, and closed off the back side. It was about 6" long. After a while, they started using it, so I'd plunge the net in to block the exit and they'd either rush out into the net or stay in the PVC pipe, and I'd lift the pipe and the fish out at the same time. Maybe something like that might work, even a big shell like a conch?

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Dawn, I know what you mean. I like to get wet too. But I'd like to spare my back. So, continuing the theme of using Nature to achieve my goals, I hope to get my macro algae under control with the new herbivores. They will transform my aquascape. That they are gorgeous fish too is a nice bonus. I'm really enjoying the fish watching lately!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks for sharing the pipe idea, Kevin! With the sweet barnacle setup he has, he wouldn't likely go in it. But if I removed the barnacles and replaced them with the pipe, it could work. I might try that! It would be so nice!