Another log of a Newbie starting out with TBS rock! - Page 15

H2OLUVSME · #**351** 12/06/2004, 09:31 AM

i would go with the gramma first and the clown(s) second. if you go with a coral beauty add him next. if you go with the flame angel, add the flame hawk at the same time. keep in mind though that angels eat corals in the wild. if you do a search around here flames/coral beauties are about 50/50 safe unsafe, as far as reefs go. also that flame hawkfish is going to keep you from having any shrimp in the future.

good luck!

Landon

ps can we get some new pics. PALEESE! since ive ordered my package im about to explode. ive been telling myself to be patient, but i atleast need to see some

. id like to seee some random rock shots. by all means if im asking to much i understand. i know you have to be real busy, keeping all those tanks, and teaching class.

thanks

dwculp · #**352** 12/06/2004, 09:44 AM

I have done quite a bit of research on the pygmy angels and I understand the dangers. I understand the coral beauty angels tend to be a bit safer than flame angels. I REALLY want the flame angel though. If it doesnt work out I can always place it in my 75 gallon, nothing in there will eat it.............yet.

About the flame hawkfish, how large of shrimp will it eat. Could it eat my peppermint shrimp or coral banded shrimp?

As soon as I can get a mini cd I will start snapping pics!

dwculp · #**353** 12/06/2004, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Scuba Oz
Gotta love the clown to be number one

No yellow eyed tang on the list

Thought of a mated pair of clowns?

Once that trigger gets in there, good ol mantis better watch his a@*

I thought about a yellow tang, but all the reseach I have done leads me to believe that a yellow tang wouldnt be happy in 40 gallon tank.

I have thought of a pair of clowns, however, I would be wondering if I was pushing the fish load to high with two clowns with the other fish on my list.

Scuba Oz · #**354** 12/06/2004, 10:01 AM

Yellow eyed tang is the smallest of tangs, and from the research I have done, 40g is okay. But you are right, tangs are big swimmers and require a lot of room. See dang it I need a BIGGER tank already because I really want a purple tang

Went to the Aquarium for diner the other night, (well my girlfriends parents took me there for my B-day) The food was great, but the sight was just awesome. 150,000g tank right in the middle of the dining room. Over 650 different species of fish swimming all around. Getting to see them skoal together was just fasanating. If you ever come down to Houston DW you just have to experience that. Its a bit expensive, but the food was really good. Or you could just goto the bar for a drink and just walk around.

dwculp · #**355** 12/06/2004, 10:04 AM

Where is it, my gf has a sister in Houston and will be there over Christmas, I wont, I will be in the great state of Oklahoma. Home of the soon to be NCAA National Champion Sooners!!

bugsy714 · #**356** 12/06/2004, 10:15 AM

I personally don't want random hitchhikers in my rock. Crabs are nasty lil buggers that can & will eat your fish. A mantis could tear your hand up horribly. Be careful with fresh carribean rock, this is were mantis hitchhikers come from.

Also- is that a fish stand or just a table?
If it's just a table be careful.
That innocent looking 40 gallon tank weights close to 500 pounds

dwculp · #**357** 12/06/2004, 10:23 AM

It is a table but it is a VERY sturdy lab table , probably more sturdy than your average stand. We also cut the legs down considerably to make it lower than normal and even a bit stronger.

I wanted a real stand but the AGA stand at the fish store I bought the tank from looked like crap. It was basically particle board stapled and glued together and it had no top. I didnt like the idea of all that rock and sand sitting on the glass with no support underneath. The stand was $160.00 and I just didnt feel it was worth it. I went in search of another stand at a few other fish stores but I guess a 40 gallon breeder/low is not a common aquarium size and couldnt find one. Ive had a 55 gallon tank on one of these tables for a year and a half so I figured it would be fine.

dwculp · #**358** 12/06/2004, 10:43 AM

Ok, once again I spoke to soon. The fish is still alive and kicking.

Scuba Oz · #**359** 12/06/2004, 10:46 AM

The resturant is downtown, and there is one in Kima (south of Houston) The one downtown is the best (from what I hear) the tank is bigger (suppose to be the biggest in North America)

The table sounds okay, you are in a school. I would build one before I spent 160 on a stand. I built my own for my 37g and it can hold a house on it. Used birch plywood 3/4" and 2x6's and 4x4's. I had about $40.00 in materials, the plywood being the most expensive at 29.99 at home depot. Probaly cost the average person 60 bucks at the most to build a nice stand, I of course get a discount at Home Depot because it is my second home and I spend on average 6 grand a month there.

H2OLUVSME · #**360** 12/06/2004, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dwculp
About the flame hawkfish, how large of shrimp will it eat. Could it eat my peppermint shrimp or coral banded shrimp?

well im not sure about the Coral Banded Shrimp, because they do have a bit of defense. how big is yours?

as far as the peps i think they will be food, full grown or not. the LFS i shop at, had a bunch of peps in his coral display aquarium. well he had a problem with corals receeding, well i spotted a camel back shrimp (similar to the pep) munching on an LPS coral. as soon as he spotted it he put a juve flame hawk in the tank. four days later he has no shrimp in there except a CBS, and two peps that have discovered a little corner between two tupperware containers (that house clams) where the fish cant reach.

he cleaned out about 8-10 full grown shrimp out of a 75 in four days. id say no shrimp is safe. he said the 2" camel shrimp was a treat to see get eaten. the hawk couldnt fit him into his mouhth so he ripped him to shreads. crazy, huh?

Landon

dwculp · #**361** 12/06/2004, 11:02 AM

Hmmmmmm, I may have to rethink the Flame Hawkfish then, but they are so darned cool!! Any fish you would recomend to replace it?

N8C · #**362** 12/06/2004, 11:41 AM

Agree with earlier poster that the Pepps will turn into food.

Also Agree with your assesment that 40gal is too small for a YT. Not to start another "tang war" - this is only my opinion... I

Good news that the fish is still around - maybe you should name him "Houdini" then maybe your students are too young to get the reference?

H2OLUVSME · #**363** 12/06/2004, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dwculp
Hmmmmmm, I may have to rethink the Flame Hawkfish then, but they are so darned cool!! Any fish you would recomend to replace it?

they are very cool, and i know of no fish that could "replace" it. i would love to have one, and have thought about setting up a FO based around one. for another fish, with a lot of personality, maybe a goby or blenny of some sort. i have a couple of prawn gobies that are very intelligent and have a sybiotic relationship with the pistol shrimps i have. i have also heard the bicolor blenny or midas blenny are very outgoing fish. i think im going to get a midas blenny for my home reef and a bi-color for the one i maintain at my office. in a few wekks or so i may have a preference of the two. actually it may be a couple months before i get the midas. im trying really hard not to add anything else before my TBS arrives.

Landon

dwculp · #**364** 12/06/2004, 12:44 PM

I have thought seriously about a bicolor blenny or two, the new LFS near me has quite a few and they are pretty comical to watch as they live inside their shells, peeking their heads out of the shells then darting back in.

I have also thought about a couple of yellow headed jawfish but do not know if my sand is deep enough for them.

H2OLUVSME · #**365** 12/06/2004, 12:51 PM

those jawfish are awesome looking, but ive never had one. i thought about one for a while, but never saw a decent one in the LFS. i ended up getting a convict/engineer goby instead. now there is an interesting animal. he is cool and i noticed last night he was in the burrow with my pistol and YWG. i dont know if this is a good thing or not. ill see today when i get home from work, if everyone is living peacefully or if some one has been kicked out, or dare i say eaten.

Landon

dwculp · #**366** 12/06/2004, 03:45 PM

Here are some various shots of the tank and things inside:

dwculp · #**367** 12/06/2004, 03:47 PM

Inside the bag with the anomenes were two flat white disk things with short tentacles. At first I thought they were some sort of anemone but I just dont know. They are fairly flat with what appears to be a mouth at the center and very short tentacles. Any ideas??