300 gallon "Outside Corner" Reef

[Dary421]

Has the butterfly fish been grazing on the coral at all ??? .... and how’s bozo ??

 

[Gregcoyote]

It seemed to just pick at the rocks. I have plenty of polyps, so I can risk a few. Bozo is getting bigger. About 3” now. The streamer on his tail is developing.

 

[Andy Sager]

Do you think your other fish caused the death of the trigger or was it just the whole reacclimation process in general ? Re the acro , wow ! That’s crazy !!

I’m not sure. The acclimation seemed to go well. But he disappeared and didn’t reappear until I found him dead.

For what it's worth, when I was keeping marines, I used to specialize in rearing tiny & small fish to a more salable size. I found that these sized fish have such a poor success rate when not given really extra special care and having a lot of crossed fingers. Even in the best of tanks or by very knowledgeable people ( Dick Boyd got me started doing them) , they didn't always do well.
Amongst a few of the more common reasons, one always stood out. The average number of a spawn reaching breeding adult status is 1%. That means, for a variety of reasons ( ie genetics, predation, etc.), many of the fish seem to be on borrowed time to start with. It's like they have a self distruct button or something. It can be frustrating when you do your best and the fish still dies. I truly believe its out of your hands with these tiny fish. You are going to win some and you are going to just lose some for no apparent reason. ( I also believe that that 1% is pre-determined before we ever get our hands on the fish.) It's not fair but it is what it is. (I eventually told my suppliers that I would no longer pay for any tiny fish they sent to help "encourage" them to leave them alone and not collect them. You have a much better chance of success when you are dealing with that 1%.)

So I hope this helps.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Andy..I agree with you. It would be a sustainable answer to supplying fish to the industry if we could raise fry dependably. We are modeling a incredibly complex natural system and over the last few decades we have become far better at it. I believe in the coming decades, pressure on our industry will drive research and techniques we can only imagine.

Wild caught fish have always been dicey, even in freshwater days. And different fish require different handling. I usually choose the small fish, especially tangs, as they develop a “attitude” when they grow out of juvenile stage. I’ve had far more success raising nickel to quarter sized ones. But that’s tangs.

Just tried a new food that you mix up and smear on rocks. The butterfly fish, wrasses and tangs love it.

Easy Reefs Masstick Fish Food - 42 grams https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WWPNJVN?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

 

[Gregcoyote]

Noticed yesterday that my manjano mushrooms have gone from lush and growing to shriveled and shrunken. I think my Klein’s is hitting them at night or early morning.

 

[Gregcoyote]

https://youtu.be/d1jq0Jvw9Io

 

[Dary421]

Wow,... amazingly beautiful and healthy ,... !!! I’m jealous!

 

[Gregcoyote]

It has some issues. Can’t grow caps anymore for some reason and my lps struggles from the huge dominance of sps corals. But I feed well and my fish are really healthy, some are almost 20 years old. That makes me happy.

 

[Dary421]

I think it all boils down to a balance of things ,... out on the reefs you’ll prob not find so many diversified corals from all over the world trying to vie for a tiny little living area ,... I think you kinda hit it on the nose when you mentioned the huge colonies of sps corals now dominating the scene ,... maybe five or 10 years ago your tank conditions were more favorable to the lps corals but in a small closed system I think your tank’s environment changes ever so slowly over time to the point that you end up scratching your head wondering what the heck ., they used to grow like wildfire .
What ever you’re doing you’re doing well !

 

[Gregcoyote]

A rare shot of Bozo the Clown Tang.

 

[Sniperhank]

Such a beautiful fish.

 

[Andy Sager]

View attachment 305301

A rare shot of Bozo the Clown Tang.

I once got in a clown tang from the Marshall Islands. A male with streamers. 12" long from head to end of streamer. What a gorgeous fish indeed. I'll see if my friend still has his picture and post it.

 

[Gregcoyote]

He is such a hyper active jerk. But I am attached to him.

 

[Darylb]

Thats my dream fish if i ever get a tank big enough. That or a sohol depending what available locally

 

[Sniperhank]

Greg, have you seen a product called Masstick? It's a food aimed at picky eaters that you kned and can stick to the glass in your tank. Was thinking about it for my copperband. Any thoughts or experience with it?

 

[Gregcoyote]

Funny you ask. I bought my first bag of it about a month ago.
First, it’s a bit expensive.
It’s a mess to mix up, think epoxy.
But.
I smear it onto a piece of rock and dangle it in the tank on a fishing line.
The tangs adore it. My Klein’s butterfly stuffs himself with it. He sits there picking it off the rock until it’s gone.

So in answer, yes. I like it. Wish I could figure out the formula as it’s pretty high in my opinion.

 

[Sniperhank]

Solid. I am looking forward to using it. Hoping I can use it to keep the copperband fat.

 

[Gregcoyote]

The Klein’s is perhaps the easiest butterfly to feed. I will be very interested to see if your CB chows out. Keep us posted.

 

[Sniperhank]

Oh I will. I have been pretty happy with it so far as it came in eating mysis. Still won't touch any of the aiptasia of course...

 

[Sniperhank]

Took some time, but looks like the sailfin and cb have discovered the masstick and are picking at it.