Weeds

[vlangel]

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?

I would never have thought of the pipe idea but that could really work. I am going to keep that in mind in case I need to catch a renegade some day.

 

[vlangel]

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!

My damsels are the same Michael, they love going into the barnacle. I wonder if they do that in the wild? Of course most barnacles would be alive in the ocean.

 

[Chasmodes]

Yes, remove his current hiding spot, great idea. Also, maybe zip tying several PVC pipe pieces and cap the ends would give the same effect as the barnacles, even deeper and make them feel safer. Question: When you put your hand in the tank to do something, do the damsels go into the barnacles to hide? If not, will they duck into the barnacles and hide if you put a net in there? That would be the ideal situation.

Dawn, you may find empty barnacles in the wild. Mud crabs and maybe other species eat them and leave the outside of the shells (because their stronger than the trap doors). Also, I find fossilized ones at one spot where I collect shark teeth. I'm going to use some of them in my new tank since I have space. These can also be found at my local shark teeth spots, so it would still fit the biotope.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Sometimes when I'm getting my hands in the tank, he doesn't go into his barnacle, like it's too front and center, and he hides further back in the patch reef. The female doesn't hide in the barnacles. She just occasionally visits the male and jumps into one with him for spawning (practice?). I hoped to get them both, while they were distracted by sex, but it just doesn't happen enough, and even then, they're still wary. My hope is that using a pipe would get him further back away from the opening, giving me time to cover it with a net. It would be great to get both of them, but the female isn't as aggressive, so the male is my main target. Maybe if I get him out, she will take up residence in the barnacles, and I can try again.

 

[Chasmodes]

That sounds like a plan. I didn't paint my PVC pipes, but I was wondering if it might seem like a nicer hiding spot if they were painted black or brown. I don't know, but I think trying them as is without painting first is worth a shot. Make sure to cap the other side or plug the hole with something, even a rubber band over some netting might work if you don't have and PVC end caps.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

I thought about the color as well. I think an end cap is needed to provide that secure cave feeling. I need to go to the hardware store anyway.

 

[vlangel]

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. Renegade fish can be so stressful, and removing them even more stressful!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

The seagrass got another haircut. It grows deceptively fast. I wanted to give the fish some open water above them. I also removed some caulerpa that was encroaching on the patch reef. It's difficult to remove it from rock, so I try get it before sticks.

It's so cool watching three different herbivore fish grazing on slightly different algae, as they would in Nature. Not to mention less work for me, ha ha!

I snapped a few pics. Can you spot the Barnacle Blenny in the last shot?

 

[vlangel]

Great pics and Yes, I saw the blenny in both pic 3 and 5 peeking out on the far left! He is adorable!!! Tiny fish in big tank.

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Good eye Dawn. He's easy to miss in #3. Incredibly tough fish for so small. Had him for years now. I wonder how long they live? Still a really aggressive feeder, even with all the new big fish. He's faster than everyone else. Miracle Max, the Blue Tang is also getting fast at feeding time. Where's Waldo is getting fat, and Stanley, the Sailfin Tang is getting bigger. So far, he's retaining his wonderful intricate patterns. Also Waldo shows no discernable black spot. He gets mottled when he goes camo, but I have hopes he won't grow a black spot and be all yellow, which is my preference. Scarlett, the Tomini Tang looks to be staying pretty small, as tangs go. Tominis might be the smallest tang, if memory serves me. And Stanley is one of the biggest! He could outgrow my tank.

I wonder how long it will take my herbivores to wipe out the Caulerpa. In v1, with Mr. Zippy, the Atlantic Blue Tang, it took him around six months to just about have it done.

 

[vlangel]

That barnacle blenny is adorable in your tank. I am guessing that it is never harassed by the tangs. Do the damsels ever bother it? If not I think a few more would be fun.

It sounds like your tank has settled into a fairly peaceful cohesive community of fish. I guess when damsels are in the mix it is never without skirmishes but if they aren't harmful then I suppose its ok.

 

[JohnL]

That barnacle blenny is adorable in your tank.

I still can't see it. I looked a few times. ?

 

[vlangel]

I still can't see it. I looked a few times. ?

Look on photo 5. Then go about 7 o'clock from the damsel fish. The blenny has his head peeking out of a rock in the lower left corner.

 

[JohnL]

Look on photo 5. Then go about 7 o'clock from the damsel fish. The blenny has his head peeking out of a rock in the lower left corner.

Ah, yes. Thank you Dawn.

 

[Chasmodes]

Michael, I love the latest pics. Your tank again looks great. I love your fish selection and the balance of your aquatic garden. I especially like the view from the end of the dark end of the tank looking out to the grass bed. It has so much depth and form. I saw the blenny in pic five easily, but had to go back and look again to see him in pic 3. Eye spy! Fun

 

[Chasmodes]

Oh, also, beer bottles make for good traps too for some fish, or a darker bottle. For bigger fish, you may need something with a bigger neck. I've caught blennies, gobies and skilletfish in bottles before (in the wild).

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Kevin! The tank's still a bit shaggy, in my opinion, but I'm determined to let the new herbivores do the work of pruning it back. I'm really enjoying the show, with all the fish. It's crazy how just two new fish have changed the dynamic. I'll keep the beer bottle idea in mind too, thanks!

 

[vlangel]

Kind of like a Chick fa Le commercial, except instead of eat more chiken, eat more caulerpa!

 

[Michael Hoaster]

Exactly! I'm beginning to wonder if their feeding rate will overtake the caulerpa's growth rate. Could they reach equilibrium? That would be pretty cool, but I expect they'll wipe it out, eventually. For now, I'm really enjoying them feeding naturally. Each with it's own preferred menu of algae.

 

[vlangel]

Hi Michael, haven't heard from you for a while, how is the seagrass and tangs tank doing? Are your wards still doing the pruning for you? Is everyone getting along with each other?

Now that I have had Angelica for a month or more, I feel I have a grasp of her personality. She is the feistiest coral beauty that I have ever had. This is however, the smallest, most populated tank that I have had a coral beauty in. She skirmishes with the yellow tail damsels regularly and occasionally she skirmishes with Ozzie, the clownfish. She never bothers Tommy, or the Midas blenny or the cardinalfish or the Royal Gramma, or the yellow watchman goby. The skirmishes are short bursts of flared tempers and never last long but she is not a perfect angel, LOL. Fortunately it does not appear that the skirmishes cause stress to her or those she opposes. So, that is my assessment of at least this particular coral beauty.