its the little things..

[psykokid]

I was just sitting back on the couch tonite watching the tank and the diversity of stuff that we keep in our little mini reefs is astounding. To think that this is only a fraction of whats out there is even more amazing..

My clowns are prepping for a new clutch of eggs by fluffing their anemone, cleaning off the rock of any algae or other stuff that may be in the area, and sweeping the sandbed under the rock they lay on.  When they're in this mode the female clown is super territorial and when any of the other fish get within about a foot or so (save for the leaf fish) she promplty chases them off. Well, she tries to.. The wrasse hangs out and goes wherever so its funny to watch her try and chase him off because the wrasse is so much more agile and able to make turns alot faster than the big dopey clown ever would..

The other funny bit is when the clowns dont have a clutch of eggs they have his and her anemones.. She stays in the larger anemone and he goes and he goes and hangs out in the bleach job survivor nem..

[Bergy]

i can watch my tank for hours and hours... im guessing that if and when it gets old or boring, then i will be done, but i can not imagine that ever happening...although to some it may look like the same thing over and over... we know it isnt...the variable of life and social interactions is effing amazing...

i thank god for his creating and gifts for there is no way for life to be a mere accident collision of a few amino acids after millions of years... evolution would dictate that there were way more failures then success. and if that accidental collision didnt work, then what, another accidental collision a few more millions and so on and so on, until evolution kicks in???

[psykokid]

woohoo!! saw my mandarin eat a bit of frozen mysis the other day. thought it was a fluke. Then a few minutes ago i was feeding the tank pellets and low and behold i saw him nip up a pellet.. thought it was a fluke again, but as i watched him he was going around where i had fed the corals and snacking up all the pellets that had missed the zoas and acans. What a milestone. Now if the sixline will just stop picking on him all will be good.. Again, its the little things like a fish converting on their own to pellets..

[OCtrackiepacsg1]

How did you convert it? Or was it just on of the one in a million chances?

[psykokid]

didnt do anything, thats why i was so floored.. he was just going along slurping them up..

[coolali16]

I had da same problem with my sixline wrasse picking at my green mandarin. Do u think they're natural enemies? Lol just wondering since ive known other people who hav gone through the same.

[psykokid]

not really sure honestly. Sixlines tend to be a bit agressive anyhow, so anything smaller or similar in size can be a target for harassment. Lately my mandarin has been looking better, his fins are less ragged and is looking a bit more on the up and up.. We'll see how things go, i like the sixline but if he's going to try and punk all the other fish then well we'll have a problem..

[Bergy]

sixlines are definately in the more agressive category... not jsut territorial, well, i guess it is, but it isnt isolated to a section or area... they want the entire tank..

I think they are just a slight less mean then damsels...

btw:  welcome 'cool'

[OCtrackiepacsg1]

Something with the coloration? Sixlines are quite colorful, though my mom thinks there ugly

[Just_Greg]

besides the fact that sixlines can get pretty nasty, a mandy is in direct food competition with them, which is also a top cause for aggression between fish.

[psykokid]

yeah, its funny since i've seen the mandy start to munch on pellets the edges of his fins have healed up and the two splits that were in his tail are now non existent. The sixline seems to be leaving him alone again as well, back to being persona non grata in the tank community.. just there..

[Bergy]

im sure the pellets are supplimentted with stuff, and he is prolly eatin more and startin to pack it on...

so cool... im hopin that more tank bred are going to be on the market andavoid this problem..

[psykokid]

If i could find him a girl friend and get them to both get down on pellets and breed i would so set up a phyto/rotifer culture for that, Id even dedicate that 12 gallon cube to being their love shack.

Anyhow, when ben picked up bills tank he decided he didnt want all of the fish that Bill had stocked. Lanny was there and took the ones Ben didn't want. Anyhow, i always thought Bill's red barred anthias looked pretty sharp and since it was already eating prepared foods, flake and pellet it was a no brainer. Acclimated him slowly yesterday and cut the lights early and introduced him to the tank. First thing this morning he poked his head out and started swimming about. Tossed a lil flake in and he was up in the fray just like he had been at bills. Only fish that pays the anthias any mind is that pugnacious little poo poo of a sixline, It goes both ways though. They seem to be harassing each other equally so im not worried about it atm.. This evening he's out swimming in the current and eating like his usual piggy self. Good addition to the tank always out in teh water column and nice and bright colours so hard to miss.

I'm going to have to re-aquascape when i put the blue tang back into the tank to give some more in rock hiding places and to hopefully snub any aggressiveness due to territorial issues..

[Bergy]

yea, he is an easy fish to keep... and he will be able to hold his own against the six line... the bugger is quick...

I really like the color too... kinda made the balance better with all the chromis i had...

[OCtrackiepacsg1]

have mandarins ever been breed in captivity? Perhaps if you got a female it would see that the male is eating and follow along.