What is something you never thought you’d have in your tank?

[i cant think]

Whether it’s a coral, fish, or invert, what is something you never thought you’d have in your tank?

Well, I was brand new to reefing 10ish years ago. I always saw these impossible to keep fish in LFSs and most of them were starving. Well, 10 years on and I finally got a hold of a beautiful sized Synchiropus picturatus. This was an unintentional gift from my LFS and she’s beautiful, the green rim to the spots just glow under bluer lighting.

 

[livinlifeinBKK]

Whether it’s a coral, fish, or invert, what is something you never thought you’d have in your tank?

Well, I was brand new to reefing 10ish years ago. I always saw these impossible to keep fish in LFSs and most of them were starving. Well, 10 years on and I finally got a hold of a beautiful sized Synchiropus picturatus. This was an unintentional gift from my LFS and she’s beautiful, the green rim to the spots just glow under bluer lighting.

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As you know already I'd say my Greissenger Goby since they're so rare...so happy to have him in his own little dedicated tank!

 

[c_healy]

I’d have to say my earls fairy wrasse. I remember seeing a photo of one on here when I got in the hobby and seeing what it cost. Never thought I’d get to the point in my life where I could spend that on a little fish. Haha

 

[i cant think]

I’d have to say my earls fairy wrasse. I remember seeing a photo of one on here when I got in the hobby and seeing what it cost. Never thought I’d get to the point in my life where I could spend that on a little fish. Haha

That I understand, I’m a firm wrasse lover but dang Earlei is just ‘a bit’ out of my price range haha

 

[c_healy]

That I understand, I’m a firm wrasse lover but dang Earlei is just ‘a bit’ out of my price range haha

Yea, I recognize your name from the wrasse lovers thread. I actually got him for a really good deal but he’s still my most expensive fish and probably always will be. With the life spans of them, it’s just hard to swallow that price tag.

 

[j.falk]

A mermaid!

 

[Stupidkitty84]

Whether it’s a coral, fish, or invert, what is something you never thought you’d have in your tank?

Well, I was brand new to reefing 10ish years ago. I always saw these impossible to keep fish in LFSs and most of them were starving. Well, 10 years on and I finally got a hold of a beautiful sized Synchiropus picturatus. This was an unintentional gift from my LFS and she’s beautiful, the green rim to the spots just glow under bluer lighting.

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I started in the hobby in September 2007, to be exact. Cycled and added my first clownfish pair in October 2007 (one of which is still alive and just bred/laid her 2nd batch of eggs for this year). Fast forward to 2008-2009, I would purchase these gorgeous $20 green mandarin gobies, 1 after the other, with little to no care instruction by my LFS. They would sadly starve to death within 3-4 weeks. I decided to retry in January 2023 with all the information I gathered online and I'm here to say my female green mandarin is thriving. She's got a fat belly. I'm feeding live baby brine shrimp twice a day. I seeded the tank heavy for 2 months prior to her arrival and seeding the tank with Algaebarn Ecopods, Tig, and/or Apocyclops pods every 4 weeks since. Dosing phytoplankton every other day to cultivate/enrich the pod colonies. My only regret is allowing amphipods in the tank. They definitely reduce the copepod population. Amphipods have benefits in their own right but not in a tank with a strict copepod eater.

 

[Jatchetto]

Whether it’s a coral, fish, or invert, what is something you never thought you’d have in your tank?

Well, I was brand new to reefing 10ish years ago. I always saw these impossible to keep fish in LFSs and most of them were starving. Well, 10 years on and I finally got a hold of a beautiful sized Synchiropus picturatus. This was an unintentional gift from my LFS and she’s beautiful, the green rim to the spots just glow under bluer lighting.

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A gorilla crab nothings working

 

[stoney7713]

Acros! Swore I would never get the sticks! Other SPS sure but now I have Acros too!

 

[shcrimps]

never thought i’d have a capuchin monkey in my tank. so far i’m still right on that

but seriously never could’ve imagined that i would end up with a nice big hammer/frogspawn garden, unfathomable when i started the hobby but as time went on and i collected more

 

[PeterC99]

Harlequin Shrimp. Have always had asterinas and wanted to get rid of them. After putting the Harlequin Shrimp in the aquarium, I seeing many more asterinas - I hope that’s a good thing?

 

[EricR]

Coral -- never thought I'd go down that road but, uhhhh...

Chitons -- never saw one (EVER) and now I have a handful.
*don't understand how as I hadn't added a coral/invert for over 7 months but???

 

[vetteguy53081]

ME . . . . . .