Whose do you think is Top Dog ?

M

Mandy11

Active Member
HI all,
I suffered a massive loss of stock about 6 months ago after adding a copperband that I failed to QT from the local LFS. (never ever again)
After having a lifeless tank for so long, I am so pleased that this bunch of newbies have settled in so well.
We added all bar the purple and yellow (existing stock) together 8 weeks ago, I am sooooo pleased and excited that they remain ICH free, am not seeing any aggression issued at all even at feed time which is rare especially with Tangs ! They are confident and ALL hand feeding and the 2 new clowns have started hosting. We are very surprised at who has actually become top dog int he tank and keeps all and everyone calm and peaceful. Can you guess who that might be ?
Thought I would share some of my photos I snapped today with the IPhone.
Hope you enjoy as much as I am. Thanks
Purple.jpg The gang 2.jpg Lopezi.jpg Other gang.jpg cheeky.jpg The gang 3.JPG The gang 2.jpg
 
M

Mandy11

Active Member
Oxylebius said:
Is that a Naso vlamingi? If so, I'd bet on that fish being the top dog.

But, if those clown have chosen a host already, I'd go with the clowns not standing down to any fish in their territory near their host :)
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Geez your good, the Vlamingi is top dog. He went in the smallest of all the fish and had grown at a sensational rate. He is a calm leader who doesnt even mind telling the foxy was 3 times his size off.

Its funny you mention the clowns, I have heard so many nasty stories about clowns being vicious, yet we had a pair previously who laid every 2 weeks and they didn't have a nasty bone in their bodies.
This pair also don't defend their bta's. maybe because they have 3 to chose from, but they hand feed and swim around the tank a lot as well pretending to be Tangs, i am sure.

Do you own a Vlaminigi Tang ? You seem to know a bit about them ?
 
Oxylebius

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
No, I don't have much experience with the vlamingi tang, always wanted one, never had a tank big enough for it. Rarely see vlamingi tangs in tanks. It was a guess on my part. Knew that tangs tend to be more aggressive then most fish, saw you had several tangs, so my bet was going to be one of the tangs. Some of the larger fish species tend to be top dogs in tanks. So, it was a matter to determining which of your tangs was going to be the largest - at two feet adult size - my bet was the vlamingi. So, a calculated guess on my part.
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
Hey Mandy, I also have a Vlamingi in my FOWLR. Didn't wnat him as the tank wasn't near big enough, but the dentist that gave him to me did not want to give it to anyone else locally. He's good size and shares his home with my 8 yoa sohol.
 
M

Mandy11

Active Member
mtsully71 said:
Hey Mandy, I also have a Vlamingi in my FOWLR. Didn't wnat him as the tank wasn't near big enough, but the dentist that gave him to me did not want to give it to anyone else locally. He's good size and shares his home with my 8 yoa sohol.
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They seems to be really confident fish, he is the first one to be hand fed and just recently he has let me pat the side of him without any problems. Probably a little on the "boring" colour spectrum as tangs go, but make up for it with personality.
Have you found yours grows fast ? He is growing very quickly, wondering if our tank is big enough for him too ?
 
mtsully71

mtsully71

Well-Known Member
ya, he is big, I have had him almost 2 years and has grown some he is around 10-11 inches and thick. I have him in a 90 he seems happy as hell. Agree hes not much on color, but none the less a cool fish. I hand fed him till he accidentally bit me, then I decided that was off the board :shark2:
 
rostervandross

rostervandross

Active Member
Totally stunning tank. Is it open top with just your light hanging over it? Also wanted to ask how long you've been growing your corals and how you started them off. As in did you start them as small frags or buy larger pieces?

I am just beginning in a 75g and hoping to grow it into something like yours!
 
M

Mandy11

Active Member
rostervandross said:
Totally stunning tank. Is it open top with just your light hanging over it? Also wanted to ask how long you've been growing your corals and how you started them off. As in did you start them as small frags or buy larger pieces?

I am just beginning in a 75g and hoping to grow it into something like yours!
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Hi @rostervandross
Thank you for you lovely comments.
Most of our corals started out, smaller but not exactly frags either. We purchased them from the LFS as small corals.
The large Red Gonipora in the photo (nearest the clams) is probably the biggest corals we have ever purchased, and most of the other red goniporas you see in the tank have been fragged by us over the last 2 yrs from her.
We have far too many corals and they are def getting larger, so from time to time we cut the odd LPS in half and sell half off to fellow reefers.
Its a small way of getting some of your $$ back, even if it normally goes to buying new corals.
I think when we started we just fell in love with everything and didn't really think about things. There is always lots of browns and pale greens around but the oranges, reds and brighter colors are rare to find and a hell of a lot more expensive.
When we first started we would by "cheaper "not so stunning corals often . We had a tank full of them. As we got better at keeping them we then started to spend a little extra $ but less often to get some really nice pieces.
I am now really fussy about what corals I add to the tank, they have to be unusual or have stunning colors. But only do this when your confident that you can keep them happy, healthy and growing.

The lights hang over an open top. Better for oxygen, heat and of course the hands that are continually going in to it to pick up corals the snails have knocked over, new additions etc. I cant imagine having a lid on a reef tank. lol

So start out with some easy ones. And if anything happens you haven't lost a fortune. '

Once again, thank you, if I can be of any help I would be really happy to advise if I can. Please just ask. Good luck and look forward to seeing your build too !
 
M

Mandy11

Active Member
Adrienne said:
metres or feet?
It's just stunning :)
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Well thank you very much.
I wish it were meters .........but unfortunately its feet. But because of the Peninsular style we actually have 14 feet of tank to decorate and work with. So that's a bonus.
 
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