Starting up new tank for my GSPs

[Pufferpunk]

I expect your puffers to kill all your new inhabitants.

[Welch4]

I run an ac on my sw to run carbon (reefgel) and purigen. And heed PP warning. You need to be OK with your puff killing/eating everything in the tank. "Full loss due to puffering"

[Maggiec]

I've read enough on both sides and fully expect that puffers may end up the only fish in the tank. I just really wanted to try it so it wouldn't always be something I wondered about. The goby is great at hiding & darts around super fast. It's the clowns at feeding time that I worry about. They are so goofy and slow. It wasn't an impulse buy - I really thought about it. And yes, I worry. This is pretty well the stocking list. After the tank matures a bit, I may look into some soft leathers and play with what kind of macroalgae I can use in display tank, but that's it.

I don't think I'll use purigen in the skimmer box - I've read it can slow it down. Maybe I should put the AC110 back up. Would it work for keeping chaeto or would the strong current push it out? That stuff is expensive, btw, like $20.

[Pufferpunk]

Very often, local reefers give gobs of cheato away, when thinning out their fuge.
Have you read the article in our Library about GSPs?

[Maggiec]

I've browsed thru the library. Do you mean "The Story of Puffy" ?

[Welch4]

I purchased macro alga from reef-keepers before. decent sized portions and he threw in additional types from what i ordered as well got a pretty good selection.

[Maggiec]

Thanks - good to know! Maybe I'll get lucky, like with the Remora.

The clowns were not eating the mysis until I realized they only wanted the tiny pieces
Btw here's my little bit of advice: use chopsticks to feed your fish. It works great! They take the food right off your chopsticks so no messy juices get in the water

[Pufferpunk]

I've browsed thru the library. Do you mean "The Story of Puffy" ?

http://www.thepufferforum.com/forum/lib ... d-puffers/

[Maggiec]

Yes, that was one of the first things I read.
Hope springs eternal, right? There are a few things in my favour, they were in a big community tank in LFS, they are young right now, I'm introducing them into tank in certain order, blah blah all of which I know may not matter, but I'll know & not wonder. It's the only chance because later on, when they are settled & more mature, for sure it would not be possible to put anything else in their tank

[Maggiec]

Happy New Year! Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful 2016

Very exciting couple of days. On the bad news front, I learned a lesson with my powerhead purchase. After reading a ton of good reviews I bought a SunSun 1585 GPH Dual Pump Wavemaker Powerhead from Amazon. It seemed to work great for a while but then I noticed a tiny puddle of water under my power bar(!!!). It seems the plug from this thing was drawing water (not sure how that can happen) and it fried my powerbar. And yes, I did make sure there was a drip loop. Grrrrr. So I had to spend $25 buying a new power bar. Anyway, returned the stupid SunSun and got a Koralia.

The watchman goby and pistol shrimp had tottered off in separate directions since being added last week, and aside from some mysterious sand piles and flashes of goby between rocks, I haven't seen them. Then yesterday morning I noticed a bigger than usual pile. Hmm. Later I saw the goby poking his head out from under a rock, and to my delight, the shrimp behind him. They found each other! And their burrow was right in the front of the tank, affording a perfect view of all their doings. All day yesterday the shrimp has been working like he's making big overtime money, carrying out sand & moving shells, all under the watchful eye of the goby. It's been a fascinating show. He's made incredible progress in 2 days for such a little guy & I'm amazed he knows to use shells to shore up his constructions. I had to stay stock still to watch them & take pictures

image.jpeg

My niece bought me a coral for Christmas (belated party yesterday)! I was looking at all the little hitchhikers. Is that an aptasia tucked in there? There is a little mussel but I guess that will be puffer food soon.

image.jpeg

Speaking of puffers, as soon as the new Koralia arrives, I shall be adding them to the tank. I am so hoping things will work out but at the same time my brain is working on a back up tank. This marine hobby is so addictive!

[Pufferpunk]

You'll have issues eventually, with the Korilia, I'm afraid. I did with every single one I've purchased.
Yes, that's an aptasia.

Yes, reefs ARE addictive! This all started with 2 GSPs...

[Maggiec]

Well I hope the new powerhead lasts more than a couple of weeks!

I get scared when I see your tank. It's like my future staring me in the face. After vowing that this will be a fowlr, I found myself randomly googling everything there is to know about bubble tip anemones. What is happening??

So after briefly getting excited about thd hitchhiker, I realized it might be aptasia So what's the best way to get rid of it. Are they that bad? (It's kinda cute and I don't have a lot of stuff in the tank)

[Hillehaus]

could you take a closer pic? it looks like it might have a skeleton. if so, it is a hidden cup coral similar to the one in the following link. I have several in my tank.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3811/1093 ... 2e77_z.jpg

If that link doesn't work, google hidden cup coral.

[Pufferpunk]

It's aptasia & can take over your entire tank (VERY invasive!) & stings other corals. It would certainly kill the zoanthids it is near right now. Use Kalk & make a paste & apply with a turkey baster. Try to be exact in your application, as it will also kill the zoas, if it gets on them. They'll come back though. I actually had to remove & rehome my GSPs after adding corals, they liked to "taste" them.

Please do NOT get an anemone, they are not for beginners & are not for a new tank. They need special lighting & care.

[Maggiec]

image.jpeg

Here's a close-up. Sorry, it's just taken with phone.

Hillehaus, my little guy looks just like the one in your photo. I read aiptasia is like a mini palm tree (?) and this is not like that, it does not have a "trunk." The base is like a white disk and does look hard. (Aiptasia would be all the same soft texture, right? Like an anemone?). Like your photo, it's white-edged, then the black inside that, with a little mouth(?) in the middle.

PP what do you think? It's on a little piece of rock that's sticking out so I could snap off that piece of rock & remove cleanly? But only if it's def aiptasia.