13.5 Fluval Evo Build Thread: Mixed Reef (Photo Heavy!)

[SauceyReef]

I got a Biota Mandarin to help with the flatworm problems (and because they're awesome). In my 15 years of reefing I have never once gotten a chance to have a Mandarin! Only reason I bought it is because it is literally 1-2cms large (about the size of a zoanthid polyp), tank raised (they stay smaller), and already eating frozen + flatworms. At the current size of the fish my 13.5 evo is like a 200 gallon for it lol. Once it gets larger I can cycle it through my other tanks also seeing it decimates the pod population eventually. I imagine that will take 1-2 years though.

When I put it in the tank it was SO small that the Helfrichi Firefish must have thought it was a piece of krill. Grabbed it like a shark and starting shaking it around! I put my hand in to try to intervene and the firefish got scared, and let go. Luckily and surprisingly the Mandarin seemed unphased and started picking at the rocks moments after. I woke up this morning and it is still fine!

My biggest concern is something in the tank even a coral eating it I was originally going to put it in my 5 gallon as raising system until it gets larger, but I have some really aggressive Maxi Minis in there and thought it would be a bad idea.

Photos coming soon! I should've taken some when I had it acclimating.

 

[SauceyReef]

I took some photos slowly zooming out just so you can really get a size reference, I don’t normally name fish but keep calling her squirt. You can use the hermit shell, green bubble algae, or planaria for size reference to see how tiny she really is!

 

[SauceyReef]

Here’s another size reference! Larger than the circus zoas, but smaller than the magicians

 

[NCsalt]

Went through your whole thread. Really awesome nano!

 

[SauceyReef]

Went through your whole thread. Really awesome nano!

Thank you that makes me really happy to hear Welcome!

 

[SauceyReef]

Night time video of the Evo and new fish!

 

[SauceyReef]

The tank has been looking nice lately so I’ll be doing a round of photos. I swear it always looks best around spring and early summer.

I reworked the tank a bit. Here is the new blasto garden!

 

[nuxx]

Looking great

 

[SauceyReef]

The Two Towers are looking good! I finally moved some of the SPS onto the main rock work

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[kanders87]

Great looking little nano. Love the mandarin, she is super tiny!

 

[SauceyReef]

Great looking little nano. Love the mandarin, she is super tiny!

Thank you! I never thought a fish could get so small. I think she has close to doubled in size already. I will try to get another update shot when I can, but she is still a little timid of me.

 

[SauceyReef]

FTS! It’s funny you can see the plants in the background through the glass they almost look like corals in the tank

 

[SauceyReef]

Top down (glasses vs orphek)

 

[Jonathanw1234]

Do you still have that possum wrasse in that tank and how did it go for you?

 

[SauceyReef]

Do you still have that possum wrasse in that tank and how did it go for you?

I ended up rehoming/trading the yellow banded possum wrasse after a couple years for a Helfrichi. It was an absolutely amazing fish, but I think they eventually get to large for the Evo when full grown. They are actually kind of perfect size, but they ALL come from the wild and have huge range of habitats. I felt bad watching it constantly try to swim through the glass and find new spots.

After I got the Helfrichi I ended up getting a pink streaked pygmy wrasse and I think it was a much better addition. They stay a little smaller and seem a bit more suited for nanos ( A BIT ). Sadly the juvenile jumped when I left my tank lid cracked for a day.

 

[SauceyReef]

Another update video! I am getting ready to frag up the rainbow acan and wanted to take a nice video before I did. I think I may frag the acan ecinata as well. It’s been 3 years growing on that rock.

 

[SauceyReef]

Some newish additions I haven’t gotten photos of. Anyone have any idea what zoanthid this it? It looks just a bit different than nightmares or darth mauls. I’m obsessed with red if you haven’t noticed!

 

[SauceyReef]

Also I am addicted to these lava lamp mushrooms! For some reason over the past year a lot of the riccordia have been randomly dying off (I think a space issue) so hopefully I can replace the lost space with these. I have 3 in the tank I think are all slightly different morphs. Time will tell. The goal for this one is to get it growing on the back wall!