My Little Angels

[mogurnda]

After 5 months, my 65 gallon Caribbean patch reef is finally together and stocked. The gorgonians have been moved in, and the last of the fish (for now) arrived from Inland Aquatics on Saturday.

 

I'll post more photos of the tank, frag system, equipment and corals in the build thread in a little while, but couldn't help posting a few of the new pygmy angelfish/cherubfish. Inspired by John C's discussion of the possibility of keeping a male and a harem, I got a male and 3 females from Morgan Lidster at Inland Aquatics. They came in fat and hungry, and I wish the photos could show the velvety purple-blue color.

 

Male, showing his yellow head.

 

Smile for the camera, little boy!

 

The females are just as pretty.

 

Will try to get more shots of the jawfish, gobies, corals and inverts as time allows.

 

Here's a shot from a month ago, showing the general layout of the tank.

 

End shot

[Gatortailale]

Neat. Looking forward to your next kegger to see in person

[mogurnda]

Neat. Looking forward to your next kegger to see in person

Hmmmm. An idea is developing....

[jason the filter freak]

I love it I think it looks incredibly natural.

[jamal]

ill have to come and check it out

[mogurnda]

I love it I think it looks incredibly natural.

Thanks! That's what I'm aiming for.

 

ill have to come and check it out

All the more reason for me to have some sort of get-together soonish.

[Rascal]

I love it I think it looks incredibly natural.

 

It sure does! Very nice job.

 

Where did you get the LR?

What are you using for lighting?

[toastiireefs]

wow that looks really nice!!!!

cute angels

[OUsnakebyte]

I'm loving the Caribbean style of this tank and the attention to a setup that demonstrates what is actually found together in the wild versus the "let's throw 'em all together b/c they're pretty" strategy.

 

My compliments. Are you going to add an "Atlantic Lionfish" to the tank too...? Just kidding!

 

Cheers

Mike

[flowerseller]

My compliments. Are you going to add an "Atlantic Lionfish" to the tank too...? Just kidding!

 

Cheers

Mike

I've got a small very realistic tonka tire you can use if you do get the lion fish.

[lanman]

I've got a small very realistic tonka tire you can use if you do get the lion fish.

 

And I know where you can get some scale model beer cans.

 

bob

[mogurnda]

It sure does! Very nice job.

 

Where did you get the LR?

What are you using for lighting?

Thanks! The live rock came from Tampa Bay Saltwater, except for a few pieces of dry Tonga Branch. toastiireefs was nice enough to take the only mantis that came in with this batch. It certainly shows class to compliment my tank after dealing with that :D

 

The stony corals come from three batches of TBS rock that I have ordered over the last 5 years.

 

The lighting is a 250 watt 6500 K Iwasaki, with 2X96 watt PC (5000 and 6700K). I wanted the look of a shallow reef, so I went with low K daylights.

 

I'm loving the Caribbean style of this tank and the attention to a setup that demonstrates what is actually found together in the wild versus the "let's throw 'em all together b/c they're pretty" strategy.

 

My compliments. Are you going to add an "Atlantic Lionfish" to the tank too...? Just kidding!

Boy, thanks Mike. It came together somewhat by accident. The gorgonians and Caribbean stonies have been accumulating for a few years, and then I got a wild hair lodged to make a shallow patch reef display.

 

It's not completely biologically realistic. There are several snail species that come from the wrong places, and I'll have to claim that the redheaded gobies arrived in the bilge of a container ship via the Panama Canal. If I could do it without destroying both tanks, I would swap with the greenbanded gobies in the 90.

 

No lionfish yet, though. The angels wouldn't keep one fed for even a week.

 

Thanks, Chip and Bob, for the offers. If I really want the tank to look like the Keys, I will take you up on it. I am tempted to bring one of those beer bottles that is perfectly encrusted with fire coral from my next trip to Bonaire, though.

[zotzer]

LOVE it!!!

Great job!

T

[OUsnakebyte]

Thanks, Chip and Bob, for the offers. If I really want the tank to look like the Keys, I will take you up on it. I am tempted to bring one of those beer bottles that is perfectly encrusted with fire coral from my next trip to Bonaire, though.

 

Oooo... I have a battery that I found in Key Largo last May... want it? On second thought... maybe you don't want to do that Fla Keys tire/trash reef look...

[flowerseller]

I was refferencing the recent pic someone posted of a lion fish that had taken up residence in an old tire.

[mogurnda]

You mean this one?

 

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?show...amp;hl=carolina

 

After a second look, it does kind of resemble my tank, including the Siderastrea on the tire. No slippery dicks in my tank though. I'm talking about the wrasses, Chip.

[toastiireefs]

toastiireefs was nice enough to take the only mantis that came in with this batch. It certainly shows class to compliment my tank after dealing with that :D

 

no biggie :D

just gotta get it out.. if i could find it again.. Maybe its molting..hmmm

but it does look incredible!

[OUsnakebyte]

I was refferencing the recent pic someone posted of a lion fish that had taken up residence in an old tire.

 

 

You mean this one?

 

http://www.wamas.org/forums/index.php?show...amp;hl=carolina

 

After a second look, it does kind of resemble my tank, including the Siderastrea on the tire. No slippery dicks in my tank though. I'm talking about the wrasses, Chip.

 

 

Ahhh... I was referring to this: "Ft. Lauderdale Tire Reef"

 

But, I'll bet there are some lionfish in those tires as well...

Edited September 6, 2007 by OUsnakebyte