Stenopus Hispidus

Yeah, I guess so. Heh, Tanzy. Quite tickled by your new avatar. So appropriate for the new appointment...giggles Cool pic!

Hahahaha at 1cm a piece, the damage to the coral will be so extensive that all of us will have our pieces RTN in 60 seconds . I guess the LFS will be the only ones laughing their way to the bank and also marvel at a new strategy of income generation. 1 cm frags are not the way to go...

Hi Bluec, Glad to know you keep PomPom Crabs too. There's another kind that have a more distinct pattern...somthing like brown checkered pattern. You have that? Mine walk around quite often and have a gentle disposition. At least they don't bulldoze corals that are blocking their way like those kind that hitchhiked into your tank via LR. I have one of those hitchikers and they are perpetually hidden from view...Boring!

Is it the only one you saw or are there a couple of them around? Cool The beautiful blue colour one looks like a tarantula. Any mentioned that these creatures are poisonous? Nice pix. Wonder what other creature diversity are there in your refugium now.

For me, I scrape them off because they are growing where they shouldn't otherwise I will leave them alone as I do not find them detrimental in any way. If you don't mind keeping Green CA, then that's no problem. Anyway, the presence of green CA can inhibit nuisance algae from taking a foothold on them to some extent...so they are quite functional in that sense as they actively reduce nuisance algae's real estate

Strange! Now that's something I've not seen before. Does it dart underwater or walk with its limbs like a crab underwater...or just skims the surface?

Yeah! Retiring...

I saw a few in my tank too. They only start their swimming at night and their darting speed is as fast as the light leaving my torch. Unfortunately, their lives didn't last long when they darted straight into the arms of my "ever-welcoming" bubble coral who grabbed it with gusto. Interesting. I am curious how did you manage to take the shot. Were they standing still...all of them...at the same time? Hmm...Well behaved little pods. What other "microfauna" do you see in your tank at the moment. Do you see those tiny little worms that twill and gyrate themselves in mid water in a dance like routine?...and those mickey mouse heads...any of those taken a foothold in your new tank yet?

Oh Boy what am I doing? Sorry again, folks...Think I must be getting sleepy.

Eh! Sorry wrong pix. It should be this one.

Eh! Sorry wrong pix. It should be this one.

Hmmm...caught my PomPom Crab out in the open. Apparently, it has lost one of his Pom Pom and the remaining one looks as though its folding up soon. Poor chap. Looks like he better get use to a life as a normal denizen. Anyone else attempted these cute little crabbies? Same problem too? Just thinking...Why didn't he just grab himself a pair of aiptasia instead. The sting is powerful and you need a gun to kill it. As pompoms, its satisfaction guaranteed.

Green CA is hard and it can encrust glass as well as LR. May be quite unsightly when growing on LR. Got to really get a blade and scrape them off the glass or brush them off your LR with a hard brush if you really mind otherwise I don't see it creating too much of a trouble.

Saw this coral at Hong Leong today. Those who are yearning for it may go and get it now. Coupla pieces there. In comparison, I think anchora of this species is easier to care for. As for this particular species, once it has broken in it should be OK. Problem with this coral is that its always quite badly shipped and is bound to have a head or two that is dying or dead...sigh, poor things. I guess you could just break the dead or infected portion away before putting it in your tank. Need strong light for max expansion and moderate current but watch out...aggressive! Somehow, I don't think this is a torch. Torch have round stubby tip tentacles but this is long, tapered & pointed. Wonder what's that. Doesn't show in my ID book. Oh well...

And a huff and a puff!!!....and I am on my way....catch me if you can

That Monti was about 10" long and boy...I mean...its really US standard of purple (the whole thing) not just tinges of light purple along the edge which normally comes in once in a while. Could slap myself for missing that...I decided to go 50/50 with a friend but when I brought the money down the next day, it was gone...sheesh... All it takes is 1 day! Wonder if that coral is still alive in someone's tank. Well at least I know who I can share the cost of coral with now if I ever see it again...IF... There's Morgan, AT & BlueC. Divide by 4...Now thats something that will make me get that coral on the spot without second thoughts about money. Cool. BlueC, I must say that you've got a good threshold for purchasing coral...$150...Phew...

Wow!! Colours are stunning indeed. Must have cost him a bomb for livestocks like that. A common anchor branch in US can cost about US$28 but in Singapore its S$18! What a huge gap! Yeah, I can say we are lucky and unlucky @ the same time. Lucky because corals are more affordable but unlucky because we can't get them in colours our US counterparts can. Just out of curiosity, if there is a healthy VERY deep purple Montipora in local LFS selling for $250 (yeah, I mean it) would anyone here be willing to pay for it? I saw it before many years back when I was still studying but the price was completely beyond my reach as a student.

Hahahaha You guys really got to stop this. My gall nearly came out from my mouth laughing Diety Tanzy must be up in Nirvana now receiving his honorable crown as the one and only sea turtle anyone on SRC is going to see. *Applause!*Applause!* Now everyone, please allow him some peace and quiet to consumate this shocking but sacred time of his life.

Hahahaha You guys are so farnie you know that. AT, I must say that your understanding of woman psychology is tops. Darn, you pass with flying colours. You did a lot of homework and play a lot of reverse psychology to get your new tank up, didn't you? U devious little... ...and Phang, don't just sit there and hope your gf don't read your remarks. Do something more overt...Go pray!!

I have a friend who nearly got divorced because of his addiction to this hobby. His skimmer. lights and chiller at my place serve as stark reminders not to go overboard and to seek a proper balance between sustaining a hobby and a personal relationship. Well..for one...we do know AT's one lucky soul. His whole family including his "unreefsafe" doggie actually participates in the hobby. J/k AT, I am also waiting in eager anticipation of pics of your tank too, however, do not rush to stock up just for the pic though.

Hi Limpc, Agree with Tanzy...didn't do squat to my nitrate level too. <_< Basically another touted super porous biological media for anaerobic bacteria to settle in and not some quick acting nitrate removal resin which it seems to be...IMO, the principle is the same as DSB...providing a substrate for harvesting anaerobic bacteria (given the right condition). Only difference is that the cost of 1 bottle entitles you to get a few bags of #1 sand. IMO, changing water is still the best medicine in depressing nitrate levels in a desperate situation.

Hi Robe, Is the JBL you mentioned a true RO unit or just some fibrous filter? For $300 its a steal. Do you know where I can go to check on the "ridiculously" high price ones for home use cos I am considering installing one for my home? Wifey will sure approve of it because its an investment to health, but really....

Alternatively, if they are really dead and not just an empty carapace, then it could be a signal to bigger problems with your water. Crustaceans are normally the first to react to chemical imbalances present in your water like medication, toxicity from metals, nitrite, etc. Their lives in a way helps you preempt problems. Maybe your water is not matured enough (3 weeks) but definitely their death has got nothing to do with your newly installed skimmer. Finally, it could also be your fishies who love to savour a delicacy of raw crab beat in brine.

Same pix but without flash this time. The slow speed soaks up the blue light from the actinic due to its longer opening time in order to get the correct exposure. Picture turns out more bluish and surrounding area is dimmer although subject is of correct exposure. I prefer this but you may have to do it a few times before you can get one that's not blurred. Holding the camera still can be dicey.

Close up taken with flash. Note that there is no reflected flash light this time cos its taken at an angle of 45 degrees. The light has bounced off away from the camera. The colour in this picture is more true to the colour of the coral without actinic on - Natural. Note also the surrounding area is lit, eg LR, shaded area, etc.