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Hello from Cedar Park


TheOceanTraveler

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Hi everyone,

I just moved back to Austin and am excited to find this club. Looking forward to talking tanks.

I set up a 55g reef tank for my mother for an early Christmas gift. She always wanted one but wasn't able to maintain one.

Haven't had a SW tank in 13 years and a lot has changed so, of course, I need some advice. For now just the mystery of the missing Grammas.

We have had 2 Royal Gramma disappear about one every 2 weeks. It is Moms favorite fish. The first one we had for over a month and it was eating great and next morning...gone. Nowhere in the tank. We have wood floors and I couldn't find it on the floor anywhere. So, I went to LFS and got her another one. If the first one was just hiding then the second one would have found it. Nope. So, had the new one for two weeks then wake up it is gone without a trace.

The set up:

55g reef

35lbs live rock from LFS, 25lbs base rock, deep sand bed.

2 fire fish, 1 six-lined wrasse, 2 Ocellaris clowns, 1 bubble tip anemone very small still, 1 serpent star, 1 banded coral shrimp, 2 emerald crabs, 1 cleaner shrimp, red and blue leg crabs, snails, 1 feather duster, 2 shaving brush, a few zoanthids. Fish happy, zoanthids thriving.

Water tests perfect.

So, where did they go? I saw a bristle worm a few weeks ago on a "night dive" in the tank. That is why I picked up the wrasse. Haven't seen any since I got him.

Before I plop down $20 for another royal gramma I want to be sure I didn't have a ride along from the live rock that I am feeding.

If it were just one then I would have thought maybe it died and the crabs got to it. But, now it is 2 of the same fish.

The wrasse was the last fish added before the disappearances.

Whaddya think? Is the 3rd time a charm? Am I missing something obvious or is it just another tank mystery?

Still to add:

Fish: 3 blue/green chromis, yellow-headed jaw fish (very deep sand bed in place) and a yellow tang for mom. Oh and another royal gramma if it won't pull a Houdini. If you see any of these on sale anywhere please let me know.

Corals: Some easy beginner stuff with color that flows. Thinking a Kenya tree, some pulsing Xenia, frog spawn, hammer corals, blue mushrooms or really any mushrooms and doesn't every tank need a rock of gsp. Mom's not getting any younger so any advice on a few things that would be a good fast grower but doesn't become a headache later. The tank is right beside her chair in the living room. She is really enjoying this. She gives me updates throughout the day. If there is anything I should try and haven't mentioned please let me know. Thank you in advance.

Keeping the fish load low. Focus is picking up some frags and watching the tank grow.

Well, that's me.

Thanks for your help. Looking forward to meeting some of you at the meeting.

Cheers,

Lara

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Hi Lara,

Glad you decided to post about the tank. Welcome to the club and it was great meeting you the other day. Us ARCers love pictures so post some if you get the chance!

I suspect the 6-line wrasse as they are bullies, even in a bigger tank as your 55-gal. The other suspect would be the coral banded shrimp as they are known to kill fish while sleeping. They are opportunistic and will get food where they can.

I don't know much about grammas but if it holes up in the rock at night to sleep, perhaps the shrimp is is taking that opportunity to find a midnight snack.

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Welcome wave.gif

My first thought on the Royal Gramma is predator. Coral Banded Shrimp are known fish hunters when they get bigger. Is there a possibility of a predatory crab or mantis shrimp?

If you want less headache, then I would stay away from the Xenia and Kenya for the sheer fact that they spread quickly. Having said that, I like Xenia and I have some in my tank, but if you get some make sure its the Red Sea Pom Pom Xenia and not anything that says "Pulsing" or "Waving Hand". If you add a rock of Green Sarburst Polyps, then make sure it's on a rock that doesn't touch the glass or any other rocks. I've never had GSP spread through the sand, only hard objects.

The jawfish needs minimum of 3" sandbed with mixed substrate. If you're using very fine sand then you may want to add some coral rubble or else his burrow will collapse. I happen to think Fighting Conch are pretty fun to watch if you think your mom will like it.

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Hi,

Thanks for the info. I thought about the Conch but not sure if it would irritate the shy jawfish sharing the sand bed. I haven't had a Conch before but I am familiar with them and I do need a good sand stirrer. I have a mixed sand/rubble bed with rubble pile ready and waiting. I have had jawfish before so I knew to put a substructure under the sand for them. I want a mated pair. Very fun to watch their antics and they like to watch you back. Thanks again.

Might be the Coral Banded Shrimp. He is pretty big and has molted about every two weeks. Hmm every two weeks.

I think I will try a bigger Gramma and cross my fingers. I'll do some more "night diving" and see if I can find any interlopers.

Thanks again for the help. No pulsing or hand Xenia, got it!

Cheers,

Lara

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  • 1 month later...

Welcome to the club. i think it is great that you set up a tank for your mother. I also like Xenia and GSP. Pretty to look at and not fragile. It is good nutrient cycling and export to prune those fast growing corals. I have some GSP if you want a start.

Laissez la bonne temps roulee,

Patrick

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Welcome to the club! I also love that you set up a tank for your mom. I don't know anything about the royal grammas disappearing, just wanted to say it's a bummer and I hope you can figure it out.

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Thanks everyone. Lost another Royal Gramma same as before. I was browsing the site and saw where someone with a nano build lost two Grammas to their Six-Line Wrasse. We didn't loose the first one until we got the Wrasse. I traded the large Coral Banded Shrimp in for the last Royal Gramma so looks like the Wrasse is the culprit. No more Grammas for the time being. Mom got her Yellow Tang she wanted so she is happy. We know the 55 is to small to keep the tang for very long but we will trade out for little ones or get a large tank when the time comes. The tang is a cow, it grazes all day. I put an alge clip in and it can devour a sheet of Nori in no time.

Thanks again for the warm welcome and hope to see you at Ty's for the meeting.

Lara

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Thanks everyone. Lost another Royal Gramma same as before. I was browsing the site and saw where someone with a nano build lost two Grammas to their Six-Line Wrasse. We didn't loose the first one until we got the Wrasse. I traded the large Coral Banded Shrimp in for the last Royal Gramma so looks like the Wrasse is the culprit. No more Grammas for the time being. Mom got her Yellow Tang she wanted so she is happy. We know the 55 is to small to keep the tang for very long but we will trade out for little ones or get a large tank when the time comes. The tang is a cow, it grazes all day. I put an alge clip in and it can devour a sheet of Nori in no time.

Thanks again for the warm welcome and hope to see you at Ty's for the meeting.

Lara

A 55g isn't that bad for a single Yellow Tang. If you notice it is getting too large or that it is pacing the glass then you can reaquascape your rocks with either less rockwork or higher stacking to allow the tang to swim around the structures.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello

I am in Cear Park as well. Welcome to town. Sounds like you have a bully of a six line. Mine is fairly docile,but extremely active and picks a little on my Carpenter Flasher. I suspect yours may feel a little crowded with 10 fish in a 55. I have 8 fish in a 75 and consider this a nmedium bio- load with 90 lbs of live rock and 20 pounds Atlantic Crushed Coral. and a 29 G sump. If you are ever in need of some tank related issue give me a holler'.

Andre'

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Hi Andre',

Thanks for the welcome. When the wrasse killed the first Gramma there were 4 fish in the tank. Now it is a high bio load. I thought I could catch the wrasse, 3 chromis and the fire fish but they are really fast. Mom wanted to trade them for 1 Royal Gramma. Any tips on how to catch them without taking the tank apart? There is only one fire fish as the larger decided it was a one fire fish tank. LFS said they would be fine. Nope. When I catch them it will help put the bio load back to reasonable. I have increased the water changes to compensate. My levels are all fine.

Right now: yellow tang, six-line wrasse, yellow watchman goby, fire fish, 2 cardinal fish, 2 clown fish, 3 blue/green chromis.

Want to catch: six-line wrasse, fire fish, 3 chromis

With the fish Mom wants I am going to have to upgrade to a larger tank and convert the 35 FW to a pony and mandarin tank. But, that will be down the road a bit. For now she is loving the tank and that is the goal.

Gone fishing......

.

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