36 Gal Bowfront

[jamespias]

So I was told that I got a bonded pair of cardinals. I'm wondering if anyone knows if it's normal that they don't "hang out together." They don't ever fight. No aggression has ever been seen, but the one has it's spot on the right side of the tank, and the other in a cave on the left. I've always thought that Bangaii's were more of a schooling fish, and had the assumption that a boned pair would hang out together. Should I be worried that they aren't bonded, and maybe one day I'll end up with a problem of aggression on my hands?

 

[jamespias]

It's been a tough week for my tank. Everything seemed to be going great, and my routine maintenance is paying off....BUT...My Reef Octopus HOB skimmer pump went out last night. I can't get it to turn on any more. I have taken it apart and cleaned it, but I think this pump is done. Now I have to wait a few days until the new pump gets here as no LFS within ANY distance seems to stock what I need. I don't have a sump, so I've put in an airstone to help with oxygen.
Also, my suspicions about my Cardinal fish not being a boned pair seem to have been correct as the smaller of the two has been bullied to death. I found the poor little guy in bad shape this morning, and then dead when I got home from work tonight. I feel really bad for the fish, and I feel really mad at the store who sold them to me under false pretenses. I don't care about the money. I care about my poor dead fish :(

 

[AnthonyTheNewbie]

Sorry about your loss bud. Some advice that was imparted to me is, take everything a LFS says with a grain of salt. They are in the business of making money. If one dies, they expect you to come back and buy another one. Look everything up before making a purchase so you will know what will work in your tank. Best of luck in the future, and sorry again. :(

 

[jamespias]

I bought a lobo frag from the LFS as my first foyer into coral keeping (after all this is my end goal). It might not me much to most of you veterans, but it is a big step for me :) So far, so good. I have had it for three weeks now. The only issue I see is that it came with a vermetid snail in it (you can see its mucus strand in the photo). I am going to get rid of that little bugger. It was irritating the crud out of this coral yesterday. Today, the coral is plump though. Been feeding it mysis every few days as supplement. I hope one day it'll be a big boy!

 

[AnthonyTheNewbie]

Nice pickup! Would putting like zooplankton or something in there help open it up for the mysis spot feeding?

 

[jamespias]

It feeds at night. I use a long, slender turkey baster to feed my tank, so spot feeding it is easy. It regularly catches mysis in its tentacles and opens up to eat them. It's a trip to watch.

 

[jamespias]

So, more baby steps int he right direction...picked up a Cyphastrea Meteor Shower from Neptune's a week ago. My picture quality sucks (sorry), but it'll give you an idea:


Also, I see my first coraline on my back glass! I'm super stoked. I've seen it creeping up on more LR realistate, and I saw a few pieces on my thermometer, but this one makes me proud...good husbandry paying off :)

 

[jamespias]

Went to the LFS today and picked up some new additions for my tank! SUPER STOKED. I'm trying to figure out how to take better pictures for you guys, but it's tough with the bowfront... in any case:

She is black with an orange face, and white stripes (the orange didn't come out too well).