Derry

I just unexpectedly came by a handful, and I'm looking forward to having the cool root structure in the sump for critters to play in.

The coke bottle trap works well if 1) you drill a couple of small holes in the bottom to allow water to flow all the way through, and 2) if you have other fish willing to compete with the offender for food. When I had to get rid of my 6-line, I would squirt a little frozen brine through some airline tubing just in front of the bottle trap's mouth. The 6-line tried to beat my chromis to the brine, and I caught him in less than five minutes. This also works particularly well for bold fish like chromis - I caught each of my three chromis two or three times a piece before the 6-line finally went in the bottle. However, there's no way to safely cram my yellow tang through the neck of a plastic coke bottle, so I am DEFINITELY filing that mirror trick for future reference!

Yeah, that year mark gets here in about six weeks. Someone suggested that I pick up a "trainer" for them - a clown that knows how to host and will show them how. I think that's my next step.

I just left BB&B, where they have packs of Might Putty (simply AuqaMend rebranded) on sale, 3 sticks for $9.99. I just stocked up with what should be about a 6-month supply. Look by the registers. Derry

The tracking number for our order, courtesy of John, is EO851024317US. Give it time to get into the system, though.

Mike, I just sent you an email (your PM box is full). Derry

The Eye of Ra frag is still available, as are the three biggest pectinia frags and both leather frags.

Khoa, you've got a PM. Derry

Meet me in the middle and call it $20? Or throw in a small frag from your end? Either way. Derry

Yeah, there's a MAASTard in SA with a 240 that has a harem of EIGHT! I wish...

About two months ago, I ordered three female lyretail anthias from Vivid. When they came in, I panicked a little because it looked as if all three had started transitioning to male, and I was worried about a turf war breaking out in my tank. I shot WetWebMedia a note and got an answer from Fenner himself. He said that, in his opinion, the three were all "more male," but to just give them time and they'd sort things out amongst themselves. Fortunately, there is clearly an "alpha" in the trio, and there is clearly an "omega" as well, so the scuffling has been minimal. Well, the male's transition has gone into turbo over the last two weeks, with his height from dorsal to ventral deepening and his coloration really kicking in. The pics are a bit fuzzy because I'm not using an exactly stellar camera, but the differences in coloration show pretty well. I'm particularly fond of the blue/purple highlights that have developed along the edges of the male's dorsal and tail fins. His body coloration actually looks a bit "dirty" right now because he can't figure out what color he is at the moment, but I'm really looking forward to seeing where he ends up once the transition has completed.

I've got a hodgepodge of frags that need to go. My leather has started popping babies, my bluejaw trigger has taken it upon himself to frag my pectinia for me, and my Eye of Ra zoas are trying to take over the world. I've included pics of the mother leather and pectinia colonies, as well as the actual frags (although I missed one of the pectinia frags - it's about the same size as the medium one pictured). The pictures are a little heavy on the blue-green side of things thanks to my little PhD camera, but you should get a decent idea. I think the leather is a Sarcophyton elegans based on the long, delicate polyps, but don't hold me to that. The color is a nice, deep gold. The smaller frag is a little bigger than a quarter. The bigger one is about the size of an old silver dollar. Both frags have developed pedestals. Large $15, small $10. The Pectinia isn't seen in the hobby very often for some reason. I've had the mother colony for about a year and a half. It's a nice green that fades to more of a gold near the growth edges, and the shapes it takes (at least in my tank) are unlike anything else I've seen. It's a little more aggressive as corals go, sending sweepers toward anything that gets too close. All four frags are well-established, with the largest frag being the youngest. The largest is about 3", and the two medium ones are 2" to 2-1/2". The smallest is the size of the frag plug, but it's completely encrusted, and it's developing new upgrowth. Large $25, meds $20, small $15. The Eye of Ra frag has 12-15 polyps on it and has been growing on the plug for a couple of months now. $25 TRADES ENCOURAGED!!! If you've got something of value, especially SPSs frags and zoas that I don't yet have, make me an offer.

It also looks pretty cool when it grows enough to protrude beyond the underside of the rock. There's very little true while in a tank, and I love the big patches of sponge that I have in mine.

I'll jump on the "free stuff" bandwagon, too!

With mooric's second order, we're up over $150. Free shipping for everyone!!! Eleyan got us over $200.

Heard back from John at ReefCleaners regarding an ARC discount code. Here's the important bit: "we have been letting those codes fall to the way side as we bring in items with lower margins, or include shipping in the price etc...We were getting killed with some of the discount codes we originally offered. THe group buys code had to go because the shipping is so high, (near $70 for the average group buy), and we were spending too much to do the group buys"

Bill, I've got a note in to John at ReefCleaners asking about the discount, which is the first I've heard of it. He may have assumed that I already knew about any discount codes because ARC has done group buys in the past.

Most, but not all. The package that ReefCleaners recommended for the SH tank is: 20 Dwarf Ceriths 9 Nassarius 9 Florida Ceriths 3 Large Nerite 3 Small to medium Nerite I'm also planning to add four peppermint shrimp to the SH tank. The rest of my ReefCleaners order is going toward boosting the CUC in my DT and to grow gracillaria in the DT's fuge for my tangs.

Heard back from John at ReefCleaners last night - the buy is on! Check out the new thread for details. DO NOT POST YOUR PURCHASE INFO IN THIS THREAD! It'll get lost that way.

50 Dwarf Cerith 15 Florida Cerith 1 Fuzzy Chiton* 12 Nassarius Vibex 5 Nerite Snails (Large) 10 Nerite Snails (Small - Medium) 1 1 Penny Macro Algae 1 Gracilaria (Refugium and Food Grade ) Total: $41.39

And we're off! I heard back from John at ReefCleaners last night, so time's a-wastin'... Stealing instructions liberally from Mitch's Dec thread: 1. Place an order at ReefCleaners.org by Tues, Jan 12, 11:59pm. Pay for the order seperately. 2. Choose the free "Group Buy" shipping option. 3. Leave a note in the comments field before submitting the order to let us know which you group you belong too, ie Austin Reef Club. 4. The order will be shipped on Thurs, Jan 14 via Express Mail, arriving Fri, Jan 15. 5. Come back and post your order details in this thread so we can track our group total and see how we're doing toward free shipping (kicks in at $150 for Express Mail) Special thanks to dapettit who volunteered to catch the order for us, thereby ensuring true overnight for those of us who want fuzzy chitons.

I sent a followup email to ReefCleaners this morning. You'd think they'd want our business... B)

Thanks, Dave. Now if they'll just respond to my group buy request...

I'm up in Cedar Park, which apparently presents some unexpected problems in getting the stuff GUARANTEED next day per NonSequitur's earlier post.

Sorry, Vash, but I have no idea what you're trying to say with that last post.