Had to turn the light back on (that's why all the polyps are closed), but here it is in all its... um... almost glory.
After taking that pic (about 15 minutes ago) I noticed some of the polyps from the top of the reef had been knocked to the sand bed.
So I got in the tank to 'rescue' Strongbad from between the back-glass and the LR. You'd think a crab that digs out a 'shell' from a piece of live rock and carries it around on his back would know where he can and can't go in the tank after a few months...
Since my hands were already wet and Tim was asleep (so he couldn't say anything about it), I rearranged the tank to be able to better view Tim's newest abode. Moved the Halimeda... restacked all the non-Time claimed rock to better block Strongbad from trapping himself against the glass again...
He's going to be pretty torqued in the morning.
I can't wait.
As for his meals lately I can't tell. I put in 15 tiny blue-legs Saturday (yesterday) from Overflowin. They are being really productive cleaning up after Tim so far. Tim's been actively hunting (when the camera is off and farther away than arm's reach) and been rapping on something.
Though with a blue-leg still the prime suspect in the "case of the missing mantis eye," I'm not certain how eager he is to try that particular dinner again. *grin*
Still haven't seen any of the shrimp from Friday (live or dead) so I'm assuming they have either been consumed or are hitchhiking cross-country to get the heck out of Dodge...
p.s. - Thanks Sylie. Tim does a fair job of landscaping and Strongbad's alwasys willing to lend a claw to help. So I can't claim much responsibility for how the tank looks...
p.s.s. - the contraption on the left side of the image is a surface-skimmer that feeds the HOB filter. No real skimmer has ever been attached to this tank. The filter and contraption are both new and I believe they are both aquaclear models. Bulb has also just been changed last night - I can already tell a difference on the creeping crud today... Light is a Coralife 96watt hood w/ a single 50/50 bulb.