Wrasse Retreat 2.0: Evolved's 270g Peninsula

[evolved]

 

[Wrangy]

Is that fair for making the wait ridiculous long? Shall we get to it?

Once we get all the pics we'll let you know if you still need punishment or not

Tank is looking great though mate!!

 

[evolved]

Once we get all the pics we'll let you know if you still need punishment or not

Punishment? Uh, the only family appropriate response I can think of to that is this one.

Tank is looking great though mate!!

Thanks! There's definitely a cladophoropsis issue, which will become a bit more noticable on the coral shots. I've been managing it just by manually thinning every few months, but I'm getting tired of that. The options for treatments are pretty limited...

 

[pcon]

Thanks! There's definitely a cladophoropsis issue, which will become a bit more noticable on the coral shots. I've been managing it just by manually thinning every few months, but I'm getting tired of that. The options for treatments are pretty limited...

A few friends have used API algaefix on cladophora, even in tanks full of corals. with minimal issues on the corals and great effect eliminating the cladophora. I know cladophoropsis is a different family, but could be worth consideration.

Tank looks great!

 

[kangadrew]

Bro, you've got a rhomboidalis, earlei, femininus, and marginalis all in one shot... you've outdone yourself

 

[evolved]

A few friends have used API algaefix on cladophora, even in tanks full of corals. with minimal issues on the corals and great effect eliminating the cladophora. I know cladophoropsis is a different family, but could be worth consideration.

Tank looks great!

Yeah, I've found the only real options are algaefix or urchins. Long spine urchins supposedly work great, but I know better with an acrlyic tank. Tuxedo urchins also usually work, so I think I'll give that a go, first. If that's a bust, algaefix it is.
Fluc certainly doesn't touch it - it might slow it down for a while, but it doesn't stop it. I've tried twice.

And thanks!

Bro, you've got a rhomboidalis, earlei, femininus, and marginalis all in one shot... you've outdone yourself

Thank you. And just think, I wasn't even trying to get the fish in these shots. I'm quite pleased with what I got once I did, though. Today or tomorrow on those pics.

 

[evolved]

Uh, let's see - I suppose some additional update info is warranted. Here's all the things I can summarize, from the past couple years. Yeah, it's been too long.

1. Trident (Apex) - I've long been along for the ride on this product, knowing Jim Welsh and seeing behind it's curtain in its earliest days. Needless to say, I've waited years for this to come to market, and I grabbed one at the end of May last year (fair and square, at regular retail, fwiw). It's been up and running continuously since June 2019, and I really love it. I was a cronic lazy tester before, and this is a great piece of equipment for me, and it allows me to control Alk without much extra effort. And as you can see here, it can work! (I never had doubts, as a know enough about how it's really working to have confidence in the device)
   
   
   
   
   
2. I had established quite the aiptasia population over the last couple years. I had a few in my prior reef tank, and I tried really hard to ensure I didn't bring any over, but it still happened - as these things tend to do. I've never had aiptasia really explode in numbers ever before, but something about this tank made them pretty happy. I can't say I ever really lost any corals to them, but there were sure really unsightly to me, and part of the reason why I didn't have a lot of desire to keep the photos going here. My usual method of the past was always Aiptasia-X, but it didn't get the job done here. After going through a couple bottles, I switched it up and hesitantly tried berghia nudibranchs, adding them at night. Well, guess how that went? Just as you would expect, given the fish I keep - never really saw the nudis or any improvement. I also tried Frank's F-Aiptasia - which did seem to work best for a longer period, but eventually they grew back. Next up were peppermint shrimp, which I had hard time sourcing during last summer, but finally grabbed tank bread ones from ORA. I think I only have one left (of 12 originally) and I never saw any noticeable reduction after a couple months. So, enter acquisition of the marginalis (because a regular copperband would be boring, right?). I've had no real issues with this guy - he QT'd easy and took to the DT just fine, always being an easy feeder. Like many experience, I didn't see him going after aiptasia at all for the first couple months, but then all of a sudden, they started to thin out. He hunts them best in the dim hours, early in the day, but the rocks now stay clear of them.
   
3. Continuing on the fish front, you may have noticed the absence of my lineatus. He had the "old" fish look for the last year, so I wasn't surprised when he started acting a bit "off" in his last month. I kept that fish for nearly 4 years, after @kresDFW sold it to me, and he had it about a year first. It was always full grown under my care, so I'm confident the fish was 7+ years old. Looking to fill some void, I decided to take advantage of the new normal of WFH and grabbed a femininus again. Being at home all day made it easy to QT, allowing me to feed 5-6 times a day - something I've struggled to do well in the past. I also had a hemitaeniatus in the same box as the femininus; thanks to @Atul@AmongTheReef. Both fish are in the DT now, which you might have noticed. A picture of the expired lineatus is below - some don't realize how big the species can be.
   
   
   

 

[HairyGary]

Looking good Hunter! Sorry about your lineatus. I've had mine for about 2.5 yrs and he is the quiet boss of the tank at about 4 inches now. Although my other wrasse are gaining on him in size. I am upgrading to bigger tank so I hope he grows a tad more and lives as long as yours did.

 

[evolved]

Alright, switch lenses, remote flash on, shutter up, aaaand go...

Something about the remote flash made the rhomboidalis turn the nuptial switch on after the flash fired a couple times. I was able to grab a couple of that action. A few of these aren't as sharp as I'd like, but they were as good as I got.

 

[HairyGary]

Nice shots! Did you lose your Shutmani?

 

[evolved]

Nice shots! Did you lose your Shutmani?

Quite some time ago; close to 2 years maybe? It was perhaps the strangest way I've lost a fish - no idea what happened. He was swimming around like normal mid-day - I did a few regular things in the tank, and 30 min later I noticed him dead, stuck to a vortech.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

Is that cirrhilabrus nahackyi?

All those fish look amazing, especially that femininus and handsome rhomboid

 

[HairyGary]

Quite some time ago; close to 2 years maybe? It was perhaps the strangest way I've lost a fish - no idea what happened. He was swimming around like normal mid-day - I did a few regular things in the tank, and 30 min later I noticed him dead, stuck to a vortech.

Ugh! I didn't know it had been that long. I saw the Jordani and was wondering if you had both and how they got along. My Shutmani flares to a brilliant magenta with bright yellow tail. Pretty nice but wondered if the two would get along in larger tank.

Yeah I lost my Attenuate that way last year and I chalked it up to old age.

 

[evolved]

Is that cirrhilabrus nahackyi?

Indeed. The earlei hates him.

All those fish look amazing, especially that femininus and handsome rhomboid

Thanks! Pretty found of the femininus of course, but actually the earlei is a favorite these days. He's a chunky boy!

Ugh! I didn't know it had been that long. I saw the Jordani and was wondering if you had both and how they got along. My Shutmani flares to a brilliant magenta with bright yellow tail. Pretty nice but wondered if the two would get along in larger tank.

I searched this thread, but it seems I never made mention of it here. I don't think the two would get along well, but it'll depend on the individual personalities. This particular jordani I have is the most timid I've ever seen; I'd put a shutmani with him and I'm sure it'd be fine. But I don't think that'd be the typical result.

Yeah I lost my Attenuate that way last year and I chalked it up to old age.

It wasn't age with the shutmani I had. He wasn't even full grown. It was seriously baffling, how he could go from normal to dead in such short order. Something had to happen, but I have no idea what!

 

[Devaji]

nice updates!

 

[Wrangy]

Gorgeous pics Hunter and really good to see everyone so happy and healthy! Makes me realise just how much I miss having wrasse in my tank and how I can't get any till imports open back up in Australia haha I'll live through your pics though for the time being!

 

[Tahoe61]

That Fungia is huge, how long have you had it? Great piece.

 

[evolved]

nice updates!

Thanks!

Gorgeous pics Hunter and really good to see everyone so happy and healthy! Makes me realise just how much I miss having wrasse in my tank and how I can't get any till imports open back up in Australia haha I'll live through your pics though for the time being!

Thanks!
Imports here have slowed way down, the flights being less frequent. Prices have gone up too, with the freight hike.

That Fungia is huge, how long have you had it? Great piece.

It's 6" round, and has a small story. It sat in a local store for almost a year, I think simply due to it's size. I have had it close to 2 years now, I think. I know it's color isn't super amazing, but that's how it's always looked for me. It expands almost every night in the dark, and it's tentacles are green - I just wish it would exhibit that in the daytime, some.

 

[coral408]

Wow! great tank, beautiful wrasses! very nice shots of your fishes and corals.

 

[GBRsouth]

Would love to see a video sometime of the interaction between all your beautiful wrasses!