ESHOPPS Mariner 70 Build

[tharbin]

So I posted the partial story of the Leopard Wrasse across several different thr ads but never posted the full story... DISCLAIMER: My wife only reluctantly supports my reef tank - for some reason she prefers tetras.

Full Story:

Saturday was the Coral Farmers Market. Friday I saw an ad for the Leopard Wrasse at a LFS near the CFM so I decided I was going to swing by after the show and see if they had any left.

The plan was, one of my kids was going with me and I was not going to buy anything at the CFM but I would likely buy the Leopard if there were any left. I didn't tell my wife the plan (ask for forgiveness?) but my friend asked me Friday night if I'd purchased any new fish lately. I told him no but showed him the picture and said I might go look at one tomorrow. My wife walked up shortly after that and, him being all smooth (and trying to get me in trouble) says, "Hey, you're good with Tim buying a $200 fish? That's so cool!"

Needless to say, my wife was NOT excited and said no $200 fish. $3-$4 fish all day, $40 fish is probably ok, $60-$80 on rare occasions...

Then, Saturday morning and the kids are fighting... My wife decides that to punish them she's going with me instead of one of them. Not starting out great.

We get to the CFM and find out the free parking isn't actually free... Then we go inside and there's only 8 booths. We walk around and look at a few things and end up in a conversation with one guy who has several of my final wish list items. My wife asks how much he wants for the Bizzaro Cyphastrea, hands me $15, and buys it. Then we go over to Reef Legends and talk to Skyler for a little bit and she hands me $10 and buys me some pods. Sounds cool but now I'm $25 in plus parking and tickets and I still have that $40 fish I want...

Anyway, we leave, I tell her "Hey, since we're down here there's a new store I want to check out." She rolls her eyes but doesn't argue. We drive over and walk in and look at a couple of the tanks, then head for the middle. She points at a Possum Wrasse and says, "He's cute, how much?" I think he was $75... Anyway, he's in the same tank as the Leopard swarm so I point at them and say, "Those are nice, guess how much?" "Let me guess, $40?"

I'm pretty sure she knew.

TLDR I'm not sure how I'm not in trouble but I'm surprised I have a Leopard Wrasse?

Great story and I totally spaced and missed the CFM. Was it worth the price of admission/parking? Sounds like the CFM was pretty small.

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Great story and I totally spaced and missed the CFM. Was it worth the price of admission/parking? Sounds like the CFM was pretty small.

I noticed the CFM is gonna be small by me too….

 

[steveschuerger]

Not a Super Male, but I'm fairly certain he's finished transitioning.

Any full body shots of the Mel? And beautiful leopard.

 

[tbrown]

Great story and I totally spaced and missed the CFM. Was it worth the price of admission/parking? Sounds like the CFM was pretty small.

Not a lot of vendors - only 2 "locals". San Tan and Tucson. Everyone else was from Cali and Utah I believe. Parking was only $4 for me so overall I spent $79 for a frag, a fish, and a bottle of pods. For me, it was worth it more than last year probably but only because I got a wish list coral and went to LE for the Leopard.

 

[tbrown]

Any full body shots of the Mel? And beautiful leopard.

I posted in the Wrasse Lovers Thread yesterday.

 

[tbrown]

Any full body shots of the Mel? And beautiful leopard.

He moves so fast and so much it's not easy to get his picture.

 

[steveschuerger]

He moves so fast and so much it's not easy to get his picture.

Yeah, I have the same problem.

 

[tharbin]

Not a lot of vendors - only 2 "locals". San Tan and Tucson. Everyone else was from Cali and Utah I believe. Parking was only $4 for me so overall I spent $79 for a frag, a fish, and a bottle of pods. For me, it was worth it more than last year probably but only because I got a wish list coral and went to LE for the Leopard.

Sounds like it was well worth it. It's probably better I missed it anyway though. Last thing I should do right now is buy more coral--well maybe not last but pretty far down the list. The carnage of my Mystic Sunset continues and my Tropicana Anacapora went from healthy to white skeleton literally overnight.

 

[tbrown]

Sounds like it was well worth it. It's probably better I missed it anyway though. Last thing I should do right now is buy more coral--well maybe not last but pretty far down the list. The carnage of my Mystic Sunset continues and my Tropicana Anacapora went from healthy to white skeleton literally overnight.

Sorry to hear! Tropicana is a nice one. I've got the Slimeball (which is completely different than any other Anacropora) and the CB The Thing.

 

[tbrown]

I noticed the CFM is gonna be small by me too….

I think it's one of the smaller shows typically but it's cheap. Usually locals more than anything (or close by shops). You'll probably have similar vendors to what showed up here. Maybe some Cali, probably Utah, maybe a few AZ.

 

[tbrown]

Superman Monti and Meteor Shower Cyphastrea are moved over. Also like 4 more frags of the Slimeball.

 

[tbrown]

The Pink Cadillac is not doing amazing. Looks like the majority of the existing colony has unalived itself - slowly so no RTN/STN, just faded and now looks like regular old algae growing in its place. 3 or 4 of the 6 frags are alive and decent, 2 still have life but are fading like their mom did...

Everything else is looking ok though. Slowly bringing Magnesium up in the hopes that that's the issue. Also added some Seachem Matrix Activated Carbon in case there's toxins or garbage in the tank.

 

[steveschuerger]

Well one of my clowns is finally getting hosted with my new RBTA . About time it’s only been in the tank for almost a week.

 

[tbrown]

Well one of my clowns is finally getting hosted with my new RBTA . About time it’s only been in the tank for almost a week.

I currently have 3 clowns and 9 Joker Nems. 0 hosting happening.

 

[tbrown]

They prefer to be hosted by the feeding port I printed.

 

[steveschuerger]

They prefer to be hosted by the feeding port I printed.

Guess figure that’s where the action is. And the food more importantly.

 

[tbrown]

Guess figure that’s where the action is. And the food more importantly.

And the food bullies that chase the clowns away.

 

[tbrown]

I think I've got a couple of mushrooms, GSP, Astreopora, and one more Stylophora left to transfer over. I have to figure out the Jokers and the RFA... This tank is getting full. I'ma need a frag tank. That means I'ma need another light... Or two...

Then I've still got the fish to transfer over. More bait added to the trap, but so far no takers.

One week from today and the 125 has to be ready to abandon....

 

[tbrown]

When I get back I have got to sell frags... The sandbed is covered and I have 3 racks...

Birdsnest, Setosa, Monti Caps, Slimeball, Bubblegum Digitata, and Pink Cadillac. There's a couple of ROAB Digis and some CB The Thing Anacropora in there.

I did contact one of my LFS and they said bring in some Nems to look at and they'd give me a price. I'm still trying to convince my wife I need to send one to Marshall in exchange for some of his stuffs.

 

[tbrown]

This Leopard is great!

My Melanurus hid for 4 days, my Leucoxanthus hies for a week, my Garnoti hid for 3 weeks, and my Leopard never hid.

My only complaint is she goes to bed about an hour before lights out and wakes up about 2 hours after the lights turn on.