Virgil's 125 Gallon Dream Reef

vdf8ball

Member
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This is the right side

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This is the left side. These photos are about a month old though because I've yet to get a recent FTS.

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I've decided to step my game up and try something a little more delicate than the Button Polyups and found this Yellow Flower Pot too pretty to leave in the store's display. I've had it for 3 days and it's yet to fully open up

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This is a pic of one of at least 3 mantis shrimps that hitched a ride in the rocks I purchased from TBS. I was lucky enough to catch one and put him in my refugium because I knew not what else to do. I may eveantually to him to the LFS. Although they prevent me from putting and adding any other crustaceans, it's pretty cool to hear them and see them running around periodically. So far, I'm hesitant to aggressively try to catch them because they've yet to cause any real harm but I know they'll eventually have to go

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When I first put my live rocks and sand in 10 months ago, this hitch hiker was only about the size of a quarter. Now he's about 5 times that and is all over the place.

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Another hitch hiker. This guy has grown a bit also. Any idea what kind he is? That's it for now............more later ;-)
 

vdf8ball

Member
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This is the LG Mini-split air conditioning unit that's keeping the room tolerable and I'm a happy camper now ;-)

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It's a pretty cool system, small but powerful

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and it doesn't take up much space
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
Hi Virgil,
I would try to get those mantis shrimp out asap.....they have been known to crack tank glass.

Beautiful tank though!
 

vdf8ball

Member
Hi Virgil,
I would try to get those mantis shrimp out asap.....they have been known to crack tank glass.

Beautiful tank though!

Thank you............I have a concern about that. Has that happened to acrylic tanks as well do you know? Between the 3 I've seen, the biggest is about 2.5 inches long. I managed to catch one of them and put him in the fuge for now.
 

PSU4ME

JoePa lives on!!!
Staff member
PREMIUM
I don't think they crack acrylic from what i can remember......those who keep them as pets (and they are quite awesome) use acrylic tanks.
 

vdf8ball

Member
I don't think they crack acrylic from what i can remember......those who keep them as pets (and they are quite awesome) use acrylic tanks.

Thanks for the input. Sounds like I can continue to enjoy these guys with less concern over that issue as I was hoping that would be the case (everything I've heard dealt with them cracking glass tanks). While I hear them daily, it's really cool to see them the odd times that I do. Really smart creatures, they usually are just staring at me whenever I DO catch sight of one peeping out of one of the many tunnels they've made throught the rocks and sand...........yeah, I like having them although I've learned that thier presence prevents me from keeping any crustacians......bummer
 

vdf8ball

Member
Greetings All,

I've seen these things in my system off and on for a while. Usually on the back wall but today I found one one the front glass on his way up I guess. Anyvbody got any ideas on what these are? They look like sand colored little star fish.

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DesertOrchid

Active Member
Asterina stars..... harmless in my opinion and experience as I have many in my 125 tank without a problem however some say they can bother zoas and such. They can reproduce quickly. I generally see mine on the glass or eating the algae off the rocks.
 

jpsika08

Well-Known Member
Hey Virgil, hope everything is well on your side.

+1 those are Asterina stars, they reproduce at a really fast pace.
 
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