Fish

This page last updated: 21 September 2008.

Details of the tank setup are archived here, otherwise what you have on this page is the most recent segment of the tank diary.  Our piece of advice for anyone starting a marine aquarium is "think SimCity".  You will have in your hands an entire and rather complex ecosystem; it's not just fish and filtration.  Keep that in mind and you'll do the Right Thing.  As well as the diary, we now have:


Health Update
21 September 2008

A general update on the health of the invalids in the tank:

The Virgate Rabbitfish began to show a few more spots last week, though has since recovered a little (maybe through cleaner water and more regular feeding).

The Virgate Rabbotfish's new spots

A small segment of Finger Leather Coral that is left seems to be sprouting a few handies, so has the potential to recover.

The Finger Leather Coral's surviving fragment

And finally the Blue Linckia that suffered an amputation seems to have suffered yet another amputation. It is now down to just three arms.

Blue Linckia's additional amputation, now down to three arms 


Pussy Gone
7 September 2008

We've been a bit recalcitrant on the water changes recently and have experienced an increase in algal growth as a result.  More interestingly, we went away for 6 days and on return found that the Finger Leather Coral or Pussy Coral had almost complete disappeared.  Rather a dramatic change and probably not good for the tank water to have such a large item dissolve in it.

Where the finger leather coral used to be

Also, one strand of the Caulifower Coral seems to have become bleached, though the rest of it remains healthy.

Bleached strand of Cauliflower Coral


Blue Linckia Update
2 August 2008

It's a little over four months since the| Blue Linckia suffered its amputation and the wound has now closed up though we're not sure there's any sign of the leg growing back at all.

The Blue Linckia's leg wound now closed up


Virgate Rabbitfish Mark
20 July 2008

The Virgate Rabbitfish is showing a small darker-coloured mark on one of its sides.  No other signs of ill health, though it is still being hassled by the Regal Tang.  On a positive note, the Maroon Clownfish's mate is not showing any signs of ill-health in the absence of his partner.

Spot on the side of the Virgate Rabbitfish


Urchin Poo
14 June 2008

To prove that, somewhat like us we suppose, an urchin is really just a tube with mouth at one end and anus at the other, here's a video of it having a poo out of the top of its head.  Look in the middle of the picture for the small white pellets dropping down and the somewhat unusual green lump floating up up and away.

Sea Urchin poo


More Coral
14 June 2008

We went to Totally Tropicals on the way home from the vet and bought ourselves a Cauliflower Coral (or Pocillopora damicornis).  It adds some mauveness to the tank.

Cauliflower Coral Cauliflower Coral from above

Andy is off to TMC on Tuesday and promised to look for another female Maroon Clownfish for us.  


Nipping In The Tank
6 June 2008

We don't know whether this is a result of the change in fishy-dominance we now have in the tank, but the Regal Tang has begun nipping at the Virgate Rabbitfish.  Here it is caught on camera.

The Regal Tang nipping at the Virgate Rabbitfish


Maroon Clownfish Deceased
3 June 2008

The Maroon Clownfish was having trouble remaining horizontal yesterday so we caught it, gave it a brief dip in fresh RO water then, placed it in the sump tank.  It had a few moments of stability but by the morning was dead. A great pity, especially as its mate will likely suffer bullying from the other fish now and may not survive.


Illness In The Ranks
1 June 2008

The Maroon Clownfish has been showing signs of illness today: a discolouration around the mouth and gills, the lighter areas in the photograph below.  She's eating OK, so we'll wait and see.

The female Maroon Clownfish's discoloured area


One-Spot Fox-face Rabbitfish Deceased
27 April 2008

Found the One-Spot Fox-Face Rabbitfish dead in the tank on Friday.  No outward signs of trauma, just not moving anymore.  Went to Totally Tropicals and found they had a Virgate Rabbitfish: very similar in colouring, behaviour and tank suitability but without the sticky-out nose.  We have him/her now as a replacement.  Slightly worryingly the Regal Tang has taken to hiding.  Either it's upset by the loss of the One-Spot Fox-Face Rabbitfish or it may be in trouble itself.

We talked to Andy in the shop about the status of the tank.  Since the hard corals weren't too bothered by the water-change experiment but the soft corals were hard hit, it seems plausible that we should dose-up on Iodine, something which all the tank inhabitants will use up but which soft corals are more sensitive to.  Have bought some Iodione and will try dosing with this.

Virgate Rabbitfish


Blue Linckia Update
19 April 2008

It's been a month since the Blue Linckia suffered its amputation.  It shows now signs of ill health, or of the leg growing back.  The end of the leg simply has the small white suckers poking out of it, just like the feet you can see here. 

Blue Linckia on the glass


Archive

Earlier entries are available here:

  1. 1 January 2008 to 31 March 2008.
  2. 1 October 2007 to 31 December 2007.
  3. 1 July 2007 to 30 September 2007.
  4. 1 April 2007 to 30 June 2007.
  5. 1 January 2007 to 31 March 2007.
  6. 1 October 2006 to 31 December 2006.
  7. 1 July 2006 to 30 September 2006.
  8. 1 April 2006 to 30 June 2006.
  9. 1 January 2006 to 31 March 2006.
  10. Up to end 2005, including tank setup.

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