Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build
- Thread starter SPR
- Start date
Oh, so you want me to prattle on then !
So, how is your Mandarin doing? Mine has died. I've got a lot of Copepods in the tank, and I was adding another pack from the LFS every two weeks to top them up, but I think he did starve to death. He did get thinner and thinner and now he has just disappeared, MIA presumed dead.
We live and learn.
Great progression shots of a beautiful tank ! Well done Shaun !
Pancho75
Well-Known Member
Sorry for your loss amigo, fo how long did you have your mandarin? would you do something different? I am asking because I also have one in my tank.
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SPR
Well-Known Member
Oh you do go on don’t you.......... ! Lol
My Mandarin is ‘currently’ doing fine and hides around the rocks.
Since I added him I feed a cube of frozen copepods every so often to help him along but I’m guessing my system should have plenty by now anyway being established.
When I came down this morning however, lights off, there was a group of crabs eating what’s left of a fish and the lobster was trying to drag it into his rocks, quiet forcefully, a very gruesome sight! Nearly put me off my bacon and eggs!
I’m not sure if this is one of the small fish that went missing over the last weeks (wrasse possibly) but no doubt I’ll find out when I do a head count!
Thanks Glenn @nanoreefing4fun the pictures are very effective aren’t they at showing the development of the tank
Following on from that last post, but do we, as water keepers, need to change our views on Anthias and Chromis? I mean, it doesn't seem to matter how many you put in the tank, but they do tend to drop off one by one due to bullying. I had seven Blue Chromis, which is now down to four, with another one looking as though it will die soon as it is constantly bullied. My five Lyretail Anthias are now down to four due to bullying. Is it better to just get two of each, male and female, and leave it at that? It appears as though the bullying is by the females as they seem to be vying for attention from the male.
SPR
Well-Known Member
Is it the same situation in the wild, I guess so but I don’t know?
I started with 7 chromis and now have 5, and they are all different sizes from small to the largest in stages.
The anthias are the same, all different sizes.
Oh and I think the body I found this morning is a wrasse and probably the £110 one!
Ouch ! Which Wrasse was that?
Maybe the numbers we keep are too small. Maybe we need 20 of them (Anthias/Chromis), or something. Yeah, I have the same thing with the size. You'd think that with them all being the same size when bought that they'd grow at the same rate! It always seems as well that it's the smallest one that is always the next to go !
SPR
Well-Known Member
Labouts wrasse I think.
My blue chromis are actually very pretty fish especially some of the bigger ones.
Infact if I see a different colour I might get some more, and also anthias.
emvanburen
Well-Known Member
My 8 chromis have seemed pretty stable. They have moved into my birds nest at night which is really cool. The 4 Barrett’s Anthias have done ok. One is a bit picked upon but seems to feed fine.
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SPR
Well-Known Member
I think the Blue Eyed Tang has disappeared, he was only very small but actively eating algae from the rocks and darting all over the place, but I couldn’t see him last night.
Also the Vampire Tang was looking very thin last night so I can only hope he will be ok
These 2 were the latest additions to the system and I’m assuming they have been getting some bullying, although it seemed to calm down shortly after they were added a few weeks ago.
I can see how the fish in these tanks establish hierarchy, territory etc., and why when we add new fish problems can arise from time to time. They all have natural survival instincts like when they were in the ocean to protect food etc
I also think the crabs must be breeding somewhere. I haven’t added any clean up crews for around 18 months, but there are still lots of small hermit crabs appearing when they are needed to carry out their gruesome tasks
Anyway, the anemone is doing well.......
Also the Vampire Tang was looking very thin last night so I can only hope he will be ok
These 2 were the latest additions to the system and I’m assuming they have been getting some bullying, although it seemed to calm down shortly after they were added a few weeks ago.
I can see how the fish in these tanks establish hierarchy, territory etc., and why when we add new fish problems can arise from time to time. They all have natural survival instincts like when they were in the ocean to protect food etc
I also think the crabs must be breeding somewhere. I haven’t added any clean up crews for around 18 months, but there are still lots of small hermit crabs appearing when they are needed to carry out their gruesome tasks
Anyway, the anemone is doing well.......
SPR
Well-Known Member
I went to the LFS today (I was mad with boredom) got very near to it, and turned my car around and came home.
See, I knew I wasn’t addicted! Lol
I was going to get a few more chromis if I could find different coloured ones, or anthias, but no will and wallet intact I came home
My name is Shaun, and I’m not an addict..............
See, I knew I wasn’t addicted! Lol
I was going to get a few more chromis if I could find different coloured ones, or anthias, but no will and wallet intact I came home
My name is Shaun, and I’m not an addict..............
Ha, ha.......I was in the LFS the other day. Like you I am looking to increase my Blue Chromis population. I currently have four, but one will disappear soon as it just hides in the rockwork. That is a surefire sign she is being bullied and has been ejected from the group.....I noticed they had some Green Chromis in. Looking around, I don't see any problems with mixing Blue and Green Chromis.....unless anyone on here knows differently?
With my Lyretail Anthias I bought them from an online site, and had them delivered in the post overnight. Got to say I was more than happy with the results, and they were basically half the price you pay in the shops.
What if it was one of those days where they had some super duper new Anthias in. You could have been the very first customer to see them, and have the chance to buy them........but that chance may now have gone.......unless of course, tomorrow is that day? Best pop down to the LFS just to make sure.
SPR
Well-Known Member
No I won’t be lured into it!! Lol. It’s saturday and full of people, I prefer to go when most are at work or school for a private viewing, well nearly.
The Green Chromis are what I’m after, a different colour as I have the blue already and maybe some anthias or a different type of shoaling fish.
I think the vampire won’t be around long, he’s very thin and trying to feed but struggling in the frenzy. If I could catch him I would, but no chance.
