Blaxsun's Abyss: Red Sea 750XXL

[Petcrazyson]

Apr 11. They Call Me Bruce
Meet "Bruce" (the leading choice) - the latest addition to the Abyss reef. The markings on this particular specimen were quite unique, so I had to add it to our collection of unusual inverts. I found out a few things about Bruce. First, unlike most sand dollars - these ones don't seem to burrow (instead preferring to remain on the sand bed). Second, they like mysis and all sorts of meaty foods. Third, they do sting (so I'm assuming venomous in some capacity; this was an unintended discovery on the part of my LFS, so Bruce came with a "don't let him brush up against any exposed skin").

Addendum: Placing this exact specimen is proving to be difficult. According to everything I've read, sand dollars aren't venomous - but this one definitely is. And the markings match that of a sand dollar (radial symmetry, 5 point-pattern). And the anus is at the back (not the top).


The Bat Signal or a Nightmare Before Christmas?


Our new sand dollar in all his spiny, venomous glory...

We're also thinking "Oogie Boogie" or "Oogie" might be another good name.

It kinda looks like a sign from the Rorschach Test

 

[blaxsun]

It kinda looks like a sign from the Rorschach Test

Rorschach is another possibility, too.

 

[Mschmidt]

This sir, is a proud member of the rebel alliance.

Apr 11. They Call Me Bruce
Meet "Bruce" (the leading choice) - the latest addition to the Abyss reef. The markings on this particular specimen were quite unique, so I had to add it to our collection of unusual inverts. I found out a few things about Bruce. First, unlike most sand dollars - these ones don't seem to burrow (instead preferring to remain on the sand bed). Second, they like mysis and all sorts of meaty foods. Third, they do sting (so I'm assuming venomous in some capacity; this was an unintended discovery on the part of my LFS, so Bruce came with a "don't let him brush up against any exposed skin").

Addendum: Placing this exact specimen is proving to be difficult. According to everything I've read, sand dollars aren't venomous - but this one definitely is. And the markings match that of a sand dollar (radial symmetry, 5 point-pattern). And the anus is at the back (not the top). The closest I can place it is echinocyamus pusillus (but I don't think this is it).

Addendum II: This little sucker is fast! When I first introduced him to the tank he landed on a rock and quickly darted off into the sand (he's in the process of burrowing, which is weird - as they didn't do this at my LFS; I guess it is a sand dollar).


The Bat Signal or a Nightmare Before Christmas?


Our new sand dollar in all his spiny, venomous glory...

We're also thinking "Oogie Boogie" or "Oogie" might be another good name.

 

[Projects with Sam]

Too Good! what an awesome critter!

 

[Makara23]

• 6x Halloween Hermit Crab; scavenger
• 20-24x Blue Leg Hermit Crab; scavenger
• 14-15x Scarlet Hermit Crab; scavenger
• 15x Algae Eating Hermit Crab; scavenger/algae eater

What species of hermits is this algae eating one? I have blue leg and scarlet hermits, their favorite foods are (alive) snails lol

 

[blaxsun]

What species of hermits is this algae eating one? I have blue leg and scarlet hermits, their favorite foods are (alive) snails lol

They've always been sold as "algae eating hermit crabs", but I think they might be a either a Mexican hermit crab (or dwarf red tip hermit crab) or zebra hermit crab. Similar to this - but not quite. Both are reef-safe.

 

[blaxsun]

Apr 16. Just Wrassin' Around
My LFS had a coral sale this weekend so I snagged a Sunkist bounce mushroom. The one I picked up was similar to this but it grew onto a second frag disc that has a second (smaller) Sunkist mushroom. These sell for $350+ each elsewhere in Canada; I got the pair for $89. My LFS rocks!


Have frag disc, will travel...

While I was there they had two beautiful wrasses, so of course I had to come home with another canary (yellow) coris wrasse and a sixline wrasse (the sixline disappeared on us; not sure if it was misadventure or what but I wanted a replacement for pest control).


Just two peas in a pod... Another plug for the $1 Dollar Store green colander...

 

[blaxsun]

Apr 22. Just What is it with Tangs?
Not entirely sure what's up with our powder brown tang. We just noticed this today under his left pectoral fin. Looks like it could be a (recent?) injury. 99.9% certain it's not a disease (all the other fish are fine), but one never knows. Always some drama when you finally take a day off from the tank...

Addendum: Consensus seems to be an injury (rock or another fish), so we'll have to wait and see (fish medications are unavailable/banned in Canada unless you smuggle them across the border).


Was it Mr. Foxface in the conservatory with the dagger or Mr. Emperor in the lounge with wrench?

 

[blaxsun]

Apr 22. And Now a Word From Our Sponsor...
I haven't posted any coral "eye candy" in a while. This is a green hairy mushroom that I found as a teeny tiny piece floating in the back of the tank. I placed it on the front rock ledge and it's absolutely taken off (there's another even larger colony in the back behind it where it originated from).

 

[Zero_Cool]

Such a cool build thread/tank journal.


Tell me again where you got that green colander thing for your fish acclamation. Do you think the green color is the difference maker or would another color work as well?

 

[blaxsun]

Such a cool build thread/tank journal.
Tell me again where you got that green colander thing for your fish acclamation. Do you think the green color is the difference maker or would another color work as well?

Thanks! I picked mine up at the dollar store. I think any cool color will probably work as well, ie: green, teal, etc. I'd try to avoid yellow, orange or red - but having never tried those I can't say for certain if they wouldn't work as well (just a hunch that the color may have a calming effect on the fish).

 

[Zero_Cool]

Thank you. I will check out the dollar store then (thought it might have been something special). I am just about to start adding fish and willing to try anything to help them.

 

[blaxsun]

Thank you. I will check out the dollar store then (thought it might have been something special). I am just about to start adding fish and willing to try anything to help them.

I've tried everything (including all manner of nets), and nothing works better than sliding them out of a colander.

 

[blaxsun]

May 5. Change or Die
So about a month back I embarked on a "less is more" experiment, which I've continued through to this posting. In short, I cut back on my coral/tank supplements and have just been focusing on "the basics". Quick details:

• Eliminated Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+; zero changes noticed (corals still doing great - SPS awesome)
• Reduced Polyp Lab Reef Roids to once every week to two weeks; zero changes noticed
• Eliminated NOPOX (had been dosing a small amount daily); I think this was fuelling a lot of excessive algae growth on the glass as I was having to scrape daily (2 days in and glass is noticeable cleaner)

I'm still dosing 2.5ml of Nyos Zero daily, supplementing Nyos Instant Plankton/LPS Power weekly, all the Nyos Active Elements/Strontium/Iodine weekly, Nyos Coral Nectar (but 3x weekly instead of daily) and when I use up the last of the AF Absolute Aminos I'm phasing that out as well.

Phasing out NOPOX was just something recent so I haven't seen any reduction in fleece usage (yet), so this will probably take a month or so of new data to determine if there's been any residual benefit there.

 

[Petcrazyson]

May 5. Change or Die
So about a month back I embarked on a "less is more" experiment, which I've continued through to this posting. In short, I cut back on my coral/tank supplements and have just been focusing on "the basics". Quick details:

• Eliminated Red Sea ReefEnergy AB+; zero changes noticed (corals still doing great - SPS awesome)
• Reduced Polyp Lab Reef Roids to once every week to two weeks; zero changes noticed
• Eliminated NOPOX (had been dosing a small amount daily); I think this was fuelling a lot of excessive algae growth on the glass as I was having to scrape daily (2 days in and glass is noticeable cleaner)

I'm still dosing 2.5ml of Nyos Zero daily, supplementing Nyos Instant Plankton/LPS Power weekly, all the Nyos Active Elements/Strontium/Iodine weekly, Nyos Coral Nectar (but 3x weekly instead of daily) and when I use up the last of the AF Absolute Aminos I'm phasing that out as well.

Phasing out NOPOX was just something recent so I haven't seen any reduction in fleece usage (yet), so this will probably take a month or so of new data to determine if there's been any residual benefit there.

Glad your having good success with Nyos!

 

[blaxsun]

Glad your having good success with Nyos!

2 years on and it seems to be a really solid product. I'm not sure if it's the "end all be all" type of supplement, but it works - the corals are happy - and I've managed to avoid having to perform any major water changes for close to 2 years now.

 

[blaxsun]

May 19. L O S T
How can a 3" fish just completely disappear? There one minute - absolutely no trace of the next... Over the past few weeks I lost a canary (yellow) coris wrasse (looks like one of the other fish took a chunk out of him; last I saw he was lying near the sand bed so I think he just buried himself and never resurfaced), a sixline wrasse (which spent 2 days hiding in the large acro - then just vanished) and now a medium-sized raccoon butterflyfish.

Not on the floor, under the tank stand or behind the tank, not in the overflow or the sump. I suspect when I take the gate valve apart for maintenance eventually I may find the remnants of one or two of the smaller fish that have disappeared over the past few years.

So either the raccoon landed somewhere I wasn't able to find or it perished and the reef inhabitants made very short work of it. It's a mystery...

 

[Projects with Sam]

May 19. L O S T
How can a 3" fish just completely disappear? There one minute - absolutely no trace of the next... Over the past few weeks I lost a canary (yellow) coris wrasse (looks like one of the other fish took a chunk out of him; last I saw he was lying near the sand bed so I think he just buried himself and never resurfaced), a sixline wrasse (which spent 2 days hiding in the large acro - then just vanished) and now a medium-sized raccoon butterflyfish.

Not on the floor, under the tank stand or behind the tank, not in the overflow or the sump. I suspect when I take the gate valve apart for maintenance eventually I may find the remnants of one or two of the smaller fish that have disappeared over the past few years.

So either the raccoon landed somewhere I wasn't able to find or it perished and the reef inhabitants made very short work of it. It's a mystery...

just open the gate all the way and any corpses should flow.

 

[blaxsun]

just open the gate all the way and any corpses should flow.

Did that - although I may have to temporarily remove the connection to the ReefMat and check the hose as well.

 

[blaxsun]

June 9. Once More Unto The Breech
It's long overdue for "fishing". Added three new additions to the tank (all happy as three peas in a pod). From left to right: green mandarin dragonet (female), sunrise dottyback and talbot damselfish. This officially brings me to 51 (current) fish. Still have no idea where my sixline and canary coris wrasse ended up or how a 3" racoon butterflyfish just disappears... I don't have any predators and there are much smaller fish present...

Update: Naturally, the sunshine dottyback (Sunny) found one of the elaborate cave systems one of the sapphire damsels had meticulously tunnelled out. The female (Ryuna) and male (Ryuu) dragonets of course found each other and the male has decided that "yes, you'll do" (so they're now inseparable). No sign of the talbot damsel but a few of the smaller fish (not damsels, ironically) were chasing him around - so he's probably found a spot to hole up in. Hopefully tomorrow he'll be accepted into the fold!


Have you ever seen three fish this happy?