From the middle of the Atlantic...

[André Brasil]

Hello R2R!

My name is André and I'm from Portugal, more specifically from the Azores, an archipelago midway between Europe and America.

I starting reefing this year and have a 50g tank.

The amazing Mantis Shrimp triggered my interest in the hobby, but, ironically, I am yet to find one to keep!

I'm the only one with a reef tank where I live, but am trying to spread the word about its amazing potencial.

In the meantime I have become a huge fan of Zoanthids, so I'm a regular browser of your Zoa Club.

Currently I have:

- Mated true percula pair
- Starry Blenny
- Couple Molly's
- Ceriths and trochus as CUC

- 20 Zoa morphs
- Leather Coral
- Euplyllia Parancora
- Green Discosoma
- Pom-pom Coral
- Clavularia sp


I honestly would never had been able to put together a reef if it weren't for nice forums like this one!

Thank you and Hello!

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R André!!!
Nice looking tank

 

[jsker]

Welcome to R2R Andre

Great looking scape, I like the separated rock. Corals look real healthy, great work.

 

[melypr1985]

Welcome to R2R! That's a pretty tank!

 

[dbl]

Welcome to R2R. Great looking tank.

 

[Tahoe61]

Welcome to R2R.

 

[4FordFamily]

Welcome home, you will love it here!

Beautiful tank, thanks for sharing the coral and blenny!

 

[André Brasil]

Welcome to R2R Andre

Great looking scape, I like the separated rock. Corals look real healthy, great work.

Thank you.

Kinda took inspiration from the 3 Islands very close together where I live to make it ^^

 

[Garyf7257]

Simple rockscapes and yet flawless! Well done.

 

[Salty1962]

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Jlentz]

Looks sweet. Keep looking for a mantis. I love mine. That's why I got into saltwater too.

I just got this little. Guy yesterday, 4" peacock.

 

[André Brasil]

Looks sweet. Keep looking for a mantis. I love mine. That's why I got into saltwater too.

I just got this little. Guy yesterday, 4" peacock.

Wow!

The peacock was my initial favorite, but as I did further research, I understood that if I were to keep corals, the lights would be dangerous for him. So I settled with a G. Smithii or a N. Wennerae as my target species. That's what's making it hard I think. A peocock would have shown up by now...

 

[André Brasil]

Simple rockscapes and yet flawless! Well done.

Thank you...took me a while to get a rockscape that I was happy with.

Here are some of the previous ones:

 

[Maacc]

Welcome to R2R, enjoy your new addiction. Tank looks nice. Be careful about the mantis shrimp, as they are voracious predators. They are really only a good fit in their own display or @Wiz has one in a fuge plumbed to his main display with a bobbit worm.

 

[Jlentz]

Mantis are generally ok with coral. Peacocks shouldn't have too much light though. Also, keep in mind any fish or invert you put in is a write off.

 

[André Brasil]

Mantis are generally ok with coral. Peacocks shouldn't have too much light though. Also, keep in mind any fish or invert you put in is a write off.

The golden rule with Mantis is don't put him with something you mind loosing hehe.

I meant this tank to be a species tank... thing is I didn't manage to wait and have been stocking my tank in the meantime.

As for the lights, the expert opinion is that with the Peacock, light that is strong enough to keep coral, even the least demanding ones, is too strong for a Peacock. He will likely develop shell rot and die.

The G. Smithii on the other hand, does not develop shell rot at all, so is completely fine under coral lights.

 

[Wiz]

Welcome to The Forum. Yeah I had a chiraga but I think the worm might have beaten him. Very cool to watch though

 

[Jlentz]

As for the lights, the expert opinion is that with the Peacock, light that is strong enough to keep coral, even the least demanding ones, is too strong for a Peacock. He will likely develop shell rot and die.

True. But the expert opinion also says excellent water quality will offset too much light.

Smithii or orange spot is hardier, it's actually what I was trying to get when I got my newest peacock.

The biggest thing with the reef light and fish is that the peacocks tend to be a bit more reclusive.

 

[Jlentz]

Also, I wouldn't try to keep one in high level light for sps. I've heard there is one researcher that does though. Mine is in an lps reef.

 

[André Brasil]

True. But the expert opinion also says excellent water quality will offset too much light.

Smithii or orange spot is hardier, it's actually what I was trying to get when I got my newest peacock.

The biggest thing with the reef light and fish is that the peacocks tend to be a bit more reclusive.

I agree with that. Thing is, a Peacock and excellent water quality together are not really achievable. They make a mess out of their food and sometimes bury some of it for later. In an aquarium setting its near impossible to keep the water quality at a level that completely offsets the reef lights.

The G. Smithii on the other hand is an intertidal species and can take any light basically. They also don't require a borrow and are smaller, which can make them reef safer, as compared to a Peacock.

In the picture below you can actually see the U shaped borrow I made for the Peacock I was thinking of getting xD only after did I decide I wanted corals as well.