STT to VT

[ScubaDrew]

Jack and Dent - I looked up the two fish as soon as Jack posted, as anything Jack says I listen to! I did find the controversy on the cleaner and am sensitive about removing anything from the ocean that might not do well especially for someone new to the hobby such as my self.

I'm not a huge fan of the six lines, but I guess if it will control the isopods it is worth getting.

Thanks for all the help.

[ScubaDrew]

Would a mandarin eat the small isopods also?

[Dentoid]

A mandarin would eat small pods, even small isopods. I would guess that the bigger ones it can not eat, have you ever looked at how small their mouths are! You need a real hunter, a wrasse, that will tear up an isopod that is bigger than he and not blink an eye! Besides, you need something now. Your tank is 6-9 months from owning a Mandarin.

[ScubaDrew]

It must be a full moon because there is an explosion of night time activity.

The first shot is of a low flow corner of the tank, there are thousands of a few very different animals swimming around.




Close up of one type:



clsoe up of another type, very different:

[AQTCJAK]

I agree with you on the removing of species that are hard to maintain in our tanks. I have had success with a few cleaners I think as long as they have the food source they require they do great.

[ScubaDrew]

Let me tell ya Jack, my tank has a few million of these critters swimming around freely right now.

Can any one tell me if this is normal?

[AQTCJAK]

I have a 11 Gallon tank on my desk @ the shop that is full of them as wwell I dont have any fish or crabs in it so the just multiply. I think I will put something in it soon to rid the tank of them

[hma]

Hello Drew,

sorry I was some days not at home. There are reliably no 100% solution for your problem. I agree Jack and Scott, a 6 line wrasses could help. It should be however already a small troop (2-4 animals). Each kind of wrasse eats this Isopods and would surely help but only the 6 line is to keep as a troop. Mandarins eats also isopods but only the baby isos. Pots as in your picture to see are surely too large for Mandarin.

[Melanie]

The nice things about the 6 line wrasse are that it is hardy, reef-safe, peaceful, and reasonably priced. I know you don't love it (me either) and when you are carefully planning your stocking list it kinda stinks to have to get a fish you don't care for in place of one you really want.

Maybe you could "lease" a sixline wrasse? They are not very expensive so you could buy one and either return it when you are sure there are no more isopods, or give it to a friend, or sell it.

Who knows, maybe you'll even grow to love it and keep it forever!

I agree with Dentoid (I need to make THAT my sig since I seem to post that on every thread ) I wouldn't get the cleaner wrasse because even if it's true you might keep them alive in your tank, it's not right to remove them from their cleaning stations in the ocean where other fish depend on them for health and happiness.

[Melanie]

PS Crazy photos of the life in your tank! You are amazing!

[ScubaDrew]

I had my trusty LFS order me a 6line. wont be here till tuesday but I save on the shipping and can buy a coral with that money when I go to pick up the fish.

This is going to be one fat 6line.

Drew

[AQTCJAK]

Keep us posted

[bluespotjawfish]

If you have that much food in the tank, a single six line may not help much with the isopods. You need an army dude!
or entire police force.

[ScubaDrew]

A few Sunday photos:







The HH on the right here and the cup corals seem to be having the hardest time adjusting to life in a tank versus the ocean. The tube? coral here has reseeded a bit since I got it and a couple of cupcorals have died, a few are still alive.


orange and black sponges here seem to be ok, you can see a dead cup coral on the left


my cucumber digging around under my pink chino. the cucumber is doing very well.


frog spawn frag

[GeeWizzItsMe]

That fiji leather and frogspawn is awesome!