Now look whats in my acro

[o2manyfish]

On Thursday night around 11 I was walking past the tank and I noticed my pair of Target mandarins following and circling and getting ready for some hubba hubba action. I pulled out the camera and they got very camera shy. I shot some video which I will post after I edit it. In the meantime I took some photos.


Here is a brief shot of 1 of my 2 new Borbonius. Finally found a pair of small ones with good color. They just went in the tank on Thursday evening so still a little shy

One of my frags which in person is like deep purple velvet colored.

This is one of my recently acquired Aussie acro colonies which is coloring up nicely, the coral started a pale green, now it's turning turquoise, the branch tips are purple and the polyp openings are florescent green.

While shooting my pics I came across this guy lurking in the stags with a couple of fins hanging out of his mouth.

Tonight I was staring at the tank trying to catch a glimpse of my new Borbonius, and look what I find in my acro !!!

And I am thrilled to say that when I fed the tank Chefzilla's Chowdown tonight I definitely saw the little guy eating. The male still seems to have a full mouth. Hopefully this first guy is safe in the acro and he has some brothers and sisters come join him.

And here are some overall current status shots of the tank.

 

[Rybren]

That's an incredible tank. I am green (and orange and purple) with envy! Speaking of colours, what do you feel is the key to your success in achieving such vibrant colours?

 

[Diesel]

Awesome pics and tank and congrats on the cardinal babies.
First of I was reading between the lines and thought you were on your way to do some Hubba Hubba but that couldn't be right as this is a family friendly site.
So I double checked, LOL!
How many of the baby cardinals you spotted as they will turn real fast in fish food once they leave the protection of the SPS or parent.

 

[Viracon13]

Wow, what a tank.

Only wish my clowns would do the same. Never seen them lay eggs

 

[Mike J.]

Nice tank. Babies are always exciting. Do you have fish in there that you think might eat them?

 

[o2manyfish]

Rybren --- I think my success with colors is that I try to set the tank up so that I don't have to tinker with it. I run a calc rx and a kak rx. I evaporate a ton of water which I replace with all Kalk - On a rainy day like today I will still lose 10-15g due to evaporation with the outside tanks. And while I have always had very good colors for the last 8-9 months I started dosing Two Little Fishies Acro Power Amino Acids. I think my dosing is 10ml a day, and that has really added pop to alot of the corals.


Diesel - We only spotted the lone baby last night. The male was sitting in the next coral over and still had at least 3 viewable babies sitting in his open mouth. With over 120 fish in the tank there are so many options for predators for the babies. Sadly this morning and now this afternoon there is no sign of the baby. The Bangais have been spawning regularly for the past 18+ months. In November one night we counted 4 males holding eggs at the same time. I think there are 9 Bangai total in the tank. Some of the males hold their eggs out in open water and some hide in the rockwork, so it's hard to get an accurate count.


Nandez, I have been keeping reef tanks for decades now. And I have always had at least 1 pair of clowns in my tank. But never had them spawning. In the tank currently are a trio of percs, a pair of black percs, a pair of midnight percs and a pair of misbar true percs. About 4 months ago the trio of percs started spawning underneath my elegance coral in the front of the tank. We haven't seen a hatch yet but we have seen the eggs develop eyes and some color. Theres nothing we can do to help the babies out, it's just all natural food for everything living in out tank.

Mike J - Absolutely There are fish that can eat them... There are over a dozen different psuedochromis in the tank. There are over 10 angels in the tank. There are 14 tangs.... So lots of predators. Last year I built an artificial urchin for the Baby Bangai after doing some reseach online. But with a high flow tank, and so many fish I just don't think in the display tank they have a chance. Outside in our rock sump, we have had at least 3 different groups of babies grow up to maturity.

Dave B

 

[AAE]

Very cool, beautiful tank.

 

[o2manyfish]

Here is some video I shot of the tank on Thursday night when I noticed the target mandarins looking ready to spawn....

[video=youtube;bmz4RUudnHQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmz4RUudnHQ[/video]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmz4RUudnHQ

I'm curious to see if anyone else has mandarins as well fed as mine

Dave B

 

[roadrashpaul]

Those two are FAT! Do they only eat pods?

 

[Mike J.]

I remember the artificial urchin, now. I'm very much into a natural tank; very cool. I've got two hitchhiker urchins in my tank; I'm wondering, now, how old they get, as I've had them for over four years? Also, I've got a serpent star that's at least ten years old. Just wondering how long they live? Just had a Coral Banded shrimp die that was four year old. Don't have deaths that aren't from old age so I was wondering.

 

[Rybren]

Thanks for the info on colouring. Your tank is spectacular.

Was that a FW Platty or Molly at about the 42 sec mark in the video?

 

[lionfish5740]

Gorgeous tank and cool story!

 

[o2manyfish]

Roadrashpaul -- The tank is fed a variety of pellets and flakes from a feeder. I feed Chefzilla's Chowdown several times a week. But the Mandarins just hunt. They don't bother with any of the prepared foods.


Mike J - I have kept a serpent star for over 10 years and through several crashes as well. Before I got into the heavy sps tank I had lots of things that lived for a long time. I kept a flame angel for 12 years and a regular Mandarin for over 12.


Rybren - That is (2) female mollies. One of the SFVR club members offerred up some salt water mollies and I said I would love to have them. They started out in the rock sump outside, and went through the plumbing and the pump and ended up in the display tank. They don't bug any of the fish, none of the fish pay them any attention, and they are kind of a cute novelty.

Lionfish5740 --- Thank you.