Why Ro Water Is Good For You And Your Tank

[Lynden]

I am now acclimatizing a "4 Wheel Drive" Goby, a Red Firefish, and an Eibl's Angel to the tank. I picked the Eibl's Angel over a Coral Beauty because Eibl's is supposed to be more docile and less prone to nip at coral (not as if my tank is ready for coral; the nitrates are still at least 35 PPM). Also because everybody has a Coral Beauty.

Hopefully they don't all die I have read that the Goby needs a refugium I should try to supplement with omega 3 enriched brine shrimp instead.

-Lynden

P.S. the tank has been postponed, and the size increased to 240 gallons.

 

[Lynden]

They all acclimatized well, and the Firefish is now eating. My Bar Goby and Lawnmower Blenny are goliaths compared to the new fish... but aggression is non-existant, and the Bar Goby and the Firefish now share a burrow.

I am still woriied about the coolest fish, though. The "4 Wheel Drive" Goby is sifting the sand, but in a nuclear aftermath tank like mine, I don't know how much food he could possibly be getting. I crunched up these "Super Soft" Spirulina pellets and distributed the debris along the sandbed.

Does anyone have any experience with Signigobius biocellatus?

-Lynden

 

[Lynden]

Some pictures, taken with the greatest camera in the world:

My Firefish (his fins were a little damaged when he came in):

My Hermit Crab, enjoying a full sized thawed prawn. Remember, his shell is that of a full grown Golden Apple Snail that I raised myself until he died of old age. This crab is an absolute hulk:

A full tank shot. Unfortunately, I have made no effort whatsoever to hide the equipment, and the tank is pretty bland too. In the picture, my Bar Goby and Firefish are visible on the left side; the Hermit Crab in the middle; and the 4x4 Goby is on the bottom of the far right. I can't see him in this picture, though, his is very well camouflaged. The tank is 55 gallons in volume, it is 48'' long, 20'' high, and 12'' wide, I think. The lighting is 2x65watt 10 000k bulbs, and 2x65watt actinic bulbs. The thing on the back is my hulking UV sterilizer, and the tank uses a Fluval 404 canister for filtration and flow. I have around 50-60 lbs of live rock, and around 70 pounds of cement rock curing in a tub outside. It has been set up for around 16 months, but only in the last 2 months has it recovered from the last nuking session. Stock is currently a Pair of Balloon Mollies, Lawnmower Blenny, Bar Goby, 4x4 Goby, Red Firefish, Eibl's Angel, and a Carribean Red Hermit Crab.

-Lynden

 

[Lynden]

The 4x4 Goby DIED.

He was sitting in an area of the tank, hopping around as usual, when suddenly he stopped moving and simply flopped over. After a few minutes of him sitting perfectly still, he began to move again, but his movements were uncontrollable, he flopped about on the substrate unable to right himself, and he soon stopped again. My Bar Goby came over and removed a large chunk of the Goby's finnage, thinking he was food, and the Goby did not even react to this. He was still lying on the ground, his gills and fins are still.

I will freeze him, because the 24-hour guarantee has not yet elapsed. Tank Parameters are:
Ammonia=nil, Nitrite=nil, Nitrate=20 ppm, Calcium=470 ppm, pH=8.1, KH=130 ppm. SG=1.024, and temperature is around 76-78 degrees Fahrenheit.

Rest in peace, new friend.

-Lynden

 

[Mr Miagi]

Dude, your not having much luck, my condolences. Have these fish all come from the same LFS? If so, id say its time to find somewhere else. Your water conditions dont point to anything, so its gotta be something in/on the fish, how it was captured or its diet.

 

[Lynden]

Dude, your not having much luck, my condolences. Have these fish all come from the same LFS? If so, id say its time to find somewhere else. Your water conditions dont point to anything, so its gotta be something in/on the fish, how it was captured or its diet.

Yeah... the new fish I actually ordered from J&L Aquatics.com. But I have already bitched to them about it dying, and am awaiting a response.

Maybe another photoshoot with the greatest camera will help!

My Bar Goby. I actually took this picture awhile ago, the rock arrangement is different.

Hermit Crabby:

Hermit Crabbis:

My lovely male Balloon Molly:

And my favourite, the Lawnmower Blenny. He has grown like 2'' since I first got him. He measures a massive 5'' now:

-Lynden

 

[SkiFletch]

Wow thats a big LMB . Tank looks way better considering its recent nuclear holocoust state . Well done Lynden. Whats next?

 

[Lynden]

Wow thats a big LMB . Tank looks way better considering its recent nuclear holocoust state . Well done Lynden. Whats next?

The pictures shrank

Now it is time for me to plan another order from them. They credited my account and I found a cheaper way to ship things.

I should try to do plenty of water changes and get my almost first coral (I had some zooanthids long, long ago).

But no shrimps or worms until I upgrade and get the crab into a sump.

-Lynden

 

[Lynden]

The Eibl's Angel appears to have fin rot

 

[Riley]

Jesus Christ. Has he been getting nipped by anything in there or what?

-Riley

 

[Lynden]

No, he came with a slight nick in his fins, and the little nick grew. I think it is starting to heal now, I put Melafix in the tank.



-Lynden

 

[SkiFletch]

Usually fin rot from infection and physical fin damage from nipping/biting are different beasts. The fin roth will look flakey and slimey while the physical damage may look jagged and frayed. Make sense?

 

[Lynden]

Usually fin rot from infection and physical fin damage from nipping/biting are different beasts. The fin roth will look flakey and slimey while the physical damage may look jagged and frayed. Make sense?

I know what fin rot looks like. I highly doubt the Bar Goby would attack her, if he tried he'd end up like poor old Steve, what with the angel's cheek spine. But thanks for the explaination anyways.

She is using the injured fin again, but now she is perpetually hiding.

-Lynden

 

[Lynden]

Holy ####, that Melafix worked like a charm. It even fixed up the Firefish (who was being bitten by the Bar Goby) and my crab is unnafected. I'd definetly reccomend this stuff.

But on to the "I need help", I was wondering if any invertebrates other than my crab who could survive a nitrate level of 40 ppm?


-Lynden

 

[SkiFletch]

due to the inhereng inaccuracies of test kits, I dont see why not . I've heard of stories of inverts surviving "80ppm" of nitrates. Chances are that was not the actual level of nitrates in the tank though, its unfortunately not an exact science...