Time for fishies!!!!

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freshwatergal

Small Fish
#1
Jan 4, 2010
30
0
0
North of Dallas Texas
#1
I am about to go buy my first fish today. I have cycled my tank... had my cleaning crew for about a week and a half, done a 20% water change, and am anxious to get a few fish... may also get some other live something besides the rock but not sure yet. The LFS guy recommended a Kenya Tree Coral and/or I may put some mushrooms or polyps on my "ledge" here is my rock layout now today as it will be when I introduce the fish this afternoon. :D If I get the Tree Coral which is small right now, (which probably will) I will put it in the front left of my tank where the two currents colide above it... since it likes a heavy current. If I do that I may reach in and just slide everything to the right about an inch or so.

Straight on shot:


Angle shot to show the upper and lower swim through holes:


Wish me luck.... I'll post more this evening or tomorrow after everything has had a chance to acclimate.

Lynn
 

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freshwatergal

Small Fish
#3
Jan 4, 2010
30
0
0
North of Dallas Texas
#3
Bummed out!!!

My water didn't test well enough to bring any fishies home today.... they said to add some buffer and let it cycle another day or so --- "Patience is the key." They kept telling me as I grumbled that I wasn't a patient person...

They were nice but inphatic that they didn't want to have me take any fish home just to loose them. (What a concept an honest LFS) But still I am bummed out! Sooooo I took this oppertunity to mess with my rockscape and ended up finding some cool stuff that had been hiding in the back.

First here's the new rock scape:


Here are the Swim openings in the rock. There's still and upper and lower one for the fish to select from:


Now for the cool stuff that I couldn't see before... Please help me ID these things. I believe that I am correct but I want to be sure. It will become more clear as they grow.

1st Cool Thing - Sure of this one Polyps if you look close there are two at about 45 degrees and about and inch and a half from each other:


2nd Cool Thing -- Pencil Urchin? Maybe I think? I hope?


3rd Cool Thing -- Feather Duster. Not one of the little fans in the curly tubes but this is a thick segmented tube about 1/4" thick and the fan is longer. You can not see it very well as it is in gap in the rock but this is the best pict I could get:



Oh well...... Fish tomorrow maybe, I hope!
 

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freshwatergal

Small Fish
#8
Jan 4, 2010
30
0
0
North of Dallas Texas
#8
Got My first fish.... FINALLY! Name not to be funny but because of the dot on the tail --- Dot. Well maybe to be funny. ;)



Also found another featherduster hiding at the bottom of one of my rocks:



LFS sais that with the three I have picked out that three should be fine none of them gets larger than about 3 inches and I am adding some corals also so it's not only a fish and rock nano. Added the Kenya Tree Coral and have a polyp colony started (on it's own - free is good) have one mushroom and sponge (also free) and added a second individual mushroom yesterday with the fish.

Plan on adding a Firefish in the next few days then finally a small Percula Clown then just am going to tend it and sit back and watch the fun as things grow and mature.

Currently feeding frozen brine and liqiud photoplankton (which always makes me laugh as I think about injecting the owner of the Chum Bucket into my tank... sorry I have a two year old and get my fill of Sponge Bob).

Wish me luck. I'll post more as I get my next fish, and/or get more updates.

Lynn
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#12
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#12
It's a six-line Wrasse...
you can probably keep one VERY YOUNG six-line in an 8 gal for a while but it will eventually outgrow the tank and you'll have to move it..these fish need to be in at least 30 gallons when adults..
 

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freshwatergal

Small Fish
#13
Jan 4, 2010
30
0
0
North of Dallas Texas
#13
Question.... My red legged hermets have flipped and eaten both of my Mexican turbo snails.... what else can I get to keep the glass clean. I wanted to get a C Chip Star but LFS sais that would throw everything off. Found both snails within a day of each other and within two days of adding the red legs upside down with their protective flaps half way open and the insides very torn up. I have never heard of this but the LFS said it is very common if the Hermets can get them off the glass they are gonners... Any suggestions???
 

unwritten law

unwritten law

Superstar Fish
#14
Sep 2, 2008
1,471
0
0
35
DC
#14
Freshwater:
looks like you got the wrong type of hermits.... and I would get rid of them.... some hermits are very predatorial.. dwarf hermits are safe and I have never had problems.. others are much larger and if not kept fed they can be assholes.... you can try a smaller snail and hopefully they can stay under the radar like an asteria or cerith... but I wouldn't waste my money on more than one if your not sure they will last

A sixline is not recommended for a 10 gallon because of the activity level and amount of rock it needs to graze on and stay happy... hopefully it stays healthy. Also you shouldn't have added it first cause they can be semi aggressive to other fish that enter the tank, especially fish that can be a bit timid... If anything I'd get something that stays away from a wrasse like a small goby so he can escape a wrasse's harassment. But really now that you have a six line you shouldn't add any thing else in a 10 gallon, IMO
 

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freshwatergal

Small Fish
#16
Jan 4, 2010
30
0
0
North of Dallas Texas
#16
unwritten law said:
A sixline is not recommended for a 10 gallon because of the activity level and amount of rock it needs to graze on and stay happy... hopefully it stays healthy.
Click to expand...
Actually I added a Firefish and they got along just fine. They didn't even really even agknowledge each other. No territory disputes or anything. I added the Sixline first at the advice of the LFS Owner. Unfortunately.... Due to my being a novice... I lost the Sixline to Ammonia Levels. :(

The Firefish was much more forgiving and he survived. The LFS said that I added the second fish too soon and didn't let the tank cycle long enough before addng the second fish. (only waited 2 days before adding the second fish which I bought from a part time kid and not one of my regular guys) I only had a 6 in one dip test and which was not very accurate and I didn't have an ammonia only test. Unfortunately, I just didn't know enough to recognize the Sixline's distress signs or I could have done a 50% water change and perhaps saved his life.

I have bought an ammonia (dropper style) test kit for accuracy. I have done 3 water changes and am letting the tank cycle. The Firefish is doing wonderfully. My ammonia is down to .5. My Corals are looking better and I am having a hard time just being patient. I was even told not to feed for about 4 days (that was 4 days ago). Today I fed some frozen brine and made sure to only feed a tiny amount since there is only one fish and I don't want uneaten food to increase the ammonia again.

My only problem with the Firefish is since his tankmate is gone he seems... kinda lonely. He stays in his bolt hole more and isn't out nearly as much as he was when he had company. Can fish be lonely?
 

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