Nobby's S-650

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Things are pretty quiet with the tank at the moment. I did have a Cyano outbreak due to the NOPOX dosing failing leading to a rise in Nitrates and Phos, but that has now gone. I've reduced the NOPOX now down to about 6ml a day as my Nitrates are reading 2 and phos is 0.02ppm. The corals did seem to enjoy the higher nutrient levels, so I aim to bring the Nitrates back up to 10 or 15, and I think I'd be happy with Phos at 0.04ppm.
No new fish have been added for quite a while now, although my favourite LFS has had some Royal Grammas delivered this week and I am thinking of getting another two to go with the one I already have. I have never been a big fan of them before, however the colours on the one I have are stunning. Getting another one or two will also reinforce my policy of trying not to have single fish of any particular type. I know it is not always possible to have more than one, but where I can, I will.
They also have some Harlequin Shrimp and I may get one to feast on my Asterina's. Would it be sensible to put a piece of rock in the Sump with some of the Asterina's I can catch, to give them somewhere to breed as a food supply for the Harlequin? Has anyone done this?
 
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SPR

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Things are pretty quiet with the tank at the moment. I did have a Cyano outbreak due to the NOPOX dosing failing leading to a rise in Nitrates and Phos, but that has now gone. I've reduced the NOPOX now down to about 6ml a day as my Nitrates are reading 2 and phos is 0.02ppm. The corals did seem to enjoy the higher nutrient levels, so I aim to bring the Nitrates back up to 10 or 15, and I think I'd be happy with Phos at 0.04ppm.
No new fish have been added for quite a while now, although my favourite LFS has had some Royal Grammas delivered this week and I am thinking of getting another two to go with the one I already have. I have never been a big fan of them before, however the colours on the one I have are stunning. Getting another one or two will also reinforce my policy of trying not to have single fish of any particular type. I know it is not always possible to have more than one, but where I can, I will.
They also have some Harlequin Shrimp and I may get one to feast on my Asterina's. Would it be sensible to put a piece of rock in the Sump with some of the Asterina's I can catch, to give them somewhere to breed as a food supply for the Harlequin? Has anyone done this?

I run my system at around 10-15ppm nitrate and 0.03ppm phosphate most of the time and the corals much prefer more nutrients and I think the way of thinking is moving away from ultra low nutrient systems. The corals need food and also ultra low can lead to types of unwanted ‘pests’ like cyno, all sorts.

I’m also on the verge of going shopping but I’m going to stick with the smaller fish for a while, maybe a few gobies and another royal gamma as the last one disappeared. Famous last words! Lol

I’ve added fish generally at least 2 at a time for the past year or so to try and help with bullying, or maybe turn the lights off. But I’ve also got the fish trap to use now as well.

On the asterina you could try this but they multiply very rapidly and could maybe get stuck inside pumps and cause problems just when you don’t want them to. I would eliminate all of them and then remove the harlequin if you can. My harlequin started roaming in the open when he was running out of food. I caught him easily and put him in a bag in the sump overnight but he didn’t survive so may have been starved before I got him, unless lack of oxygen in the bag got him.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Last Saturday I went to my LFS, and returned home with two small Royal Gramma's! Now, my existing one is a 'medium' size, so I assumed that it was a Male and I was hoping the two smaller ones would be Female.
I popped them both into the tank. One of them didn't look too good. In fact, when it first went in it was 'sucked' onto one of the water outlets at the back. I had to reach in and give it a push with a finger, where it then sat on the sand for ten minutes, and then promptly disappeared into the rocks. The omens were not good.
The second one was more lively and confident and was darting out to eat in no time at all.
In fact, I assumed the first one didn't make it as I didn't see it at all. However, on the fifth day it re-appeared to grab food ! They both appear to be settling in, and both are eating.
Not only that, but the resident Royal Gramma hasn't shown any aggression towards them, so I am assuming that HE is indeed a Male, and the two newbies are Female !
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
Last Saturday I went to my LFS, and returned home with two small Royal Gramma's! Now, my existing one is a 'medium' size, so I assumed that it was a Male and I was hoping the two smaller ones would be Female.
I popped them both into the tank. One of them didn't look too good. In fact, when it first went in it was 'sucked' onto one of the water outlets at the back. I had to reach in and give it a push with a finger, where it then sat on the sand for ten minutes, and then promptly disappeared into the rocks. The omens were not good.
The second one was more lively and confident and was darting out to eat in no time at all.
In fact, I assumed the first one didn't make it as I didn't see it at all. However, on the fifth day it re-appeared to grab food ! They both appear to be settling in, and both are eating.
Not only that, but the resident Royal Gramma hasn't shown any aggression towards them, so I am assuming that HE is indeed a Male, and the two newbies are Female !
That is a success story! the royal gramma are very vibrant.


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Nobbygas

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The two small ones have now 'found' each other. In the shop they were in the same tank, but when released into mine they ended up about 60cms apart. Now they stay together, and the larger one even joins in from time to time without showing any aggression.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
So, things are ticking along with the tank. The two new baby Grammas are now very active and eating well. However, there is some bad news as I seem to have lost one of the Jam Sandwich Gobies. I didn't notice anything wrong, but it has just disappeared, presumably dead, expired, gone, eaten.

Now, as previously mentioned, I have a growing problem with Asterina Starfish. During the day you can only see a small amount on the rocks, but as the 'sun goes down' they emerge from their hiding places and some rocks are covered with them. Off to my favourite LFS I pop, as I saw online that they had some Harlequin Shrimps in. I got one and brought him home, for it is a 'him' as he is a Hunter!
Now, I've read a few times the effect of putting a Harlequin into the tank, and in this I was truly amazed. In he went, and he just sat on a rock....and didn't move......just looking around.....for hours.....
After about thirty minutes the first Asterinas appeared on the back wall and climbed up rapidly. There were only four to start. In another hour there were six more on the front glass and sides.....still ole Harly just sat there......sniffing....looking.......more and more Asterinas appeared on the sand and were moving rapidly...well, as rapid as an Asterina can move !

I went to bed......

This morning the glass was covered with Asterinas! I estimate there must have been over seventy on all sides of the tank ! Ole Harly was still sat in the exact same spot...looking....pondering....threatening....

How does this work? Do the Asterinas know he is there by smell, chemicals, noise, what? They are obviously aware that Mr Hunter is amongst them. They're reaction is quite extraordinary. It is literally panic stations in the Asterina World ! Some are small, some are huge. I have never ever seen such large Asterinas in my tank. Where have they been hiding? I think Ole Harly is going to have a large tummy very soon.
 

Pancho75

Well-Known Member
So interesting, I wonder if the asterina can scream to each other to raise the alarm, lol.

Sorry for for your fish loss.


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Nobbygas

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So can you extract them from the glass now that they are out or are you waiting for the bloodbath to begin?


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No, I leave them there as they are the only food the Harlequin will eat. When they're all gone I have to try and rescue the Harlequin and return him to the LFS, otherwise he'll just starve.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
No, I leave them there as they are the only food the Harlequin will eat. When they're all gone I have to try and rescue the Harlequin and return him to the LFS, otherwise he'll just starve.
Can you post him to me because I’ve had some start to come back!

Flipping starfish!
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Now for my next piece of mayhem in the tank....well, hopefully not that bad !
I've been looking at my tank, as you do, and I can see that there are a couple of areas where the rock is almost vertical, or shaded by a growing Coral above. This means that I have some distinct gaps. So, how do I fill them?
I've bought a plate of dead rock, about the size of a normal dinner plate. I intend to give this a good thwack with a hammer, so it breaks into flattish pieces, and then glue/cement some of those pieces onto the existing rockwork, creating a few little ledges that stick out, and are flattish, for me to stick some smallish corals on.

That's the plan anyway.
 
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