[Samper]

Visited my lfs last night and for the first time I didn't feel like a complete newb. I resisted buying plenty of things that I thought were "pretty" but knew nothing about. They got a shipment of tonga rock in that had been out of the ocean for 12 hours so I picked up 30 lbs of that cause the guy gave me a price of 4 bucks a pound rather than the usual 8, very beautiful rock. They had some montipora frags, as well as a few red and green brains that looked pretty healthy but I decided to hold off......and then I saw them. A maroon cuddled up in its rose anemone. I was told the maroon is a gold banded but just hasn't gotten the gold yet....don't know if this is true or not but I guess I'll find out cause for sure someone will see this post and have some explanation. Anyway I got the maroon and the anemone for 40 bucks. The anemone was attached to a piece of LR that is about 2 lbs so that was an added bonus also got the biggest turbo snail that I've ever seen as a hitchhiker on the 2lb rock, last night he cleaned practically all the algae off of my pvc support rack. Over a period of about 6 hours I slow dripped my water into the bags to acclimate the animals all the while watching my flame hawk. He was pretty interested so I was worried. Placed the rock in, anemone must like my water cause he opened up way bigger than he looked at the lfs. Put the clown in, it hid for a while, then came out about an hour later. Still hasn't gone into the anemone that I've seen but he is hanging around it so that's good. The flame goes out of his way to avoid them so far but sometimes goes in for a close look, he quickly darts away if the maroon even looks his way. I know I just put a serious bioload on my tank but am planning on upgrading soon so hopefully I'll be ok......now for your thoughts.......did I do bad?

[Samper]

Also wanted to add that when I had my old light my shrooms never opened up more than an inch or so, now they open up to be about 2 inches across and one seems to have two mouths. I don't know much about the shrooms and polyps but it seems like they are multiplying, I now also have 5 yellow polyps growing on the bare bottom under my racks.....just noticed this today but have no idea how they got there. The rock they came on still appears to me to have the same number as before.

[Ninong]

I was told the maroon is a gold banded but just hasn't gotten the gold yet....

This is probably a juvenile captive-bred fish and yes, the gold coloration in the bands takes several months to develop.

[Samper]

That was another reason I decided to give this a try, decided a while back to only get captive bred fish and inverts from now on. I keep thinking of things while typing.....this lfs also had 15 cleaner wrasses at 8 bucks a piece. I questioned them about them, they told me these fish came off the reefs and that they wouldnt recommend buying them because they are very hard to keep in captivity. Couldnt resist asking the guy......Then why did you buy them? High demand he said.

[Sueet]

Originally Posted by Samper

Anyway I got the maroon and the anemone for 40 bucks.

OMG I am JEALOUS! I paid more than that JUST for my rose anemone..... I don't have a maroon clown but I know that in MY area the clowns alone go for $25 Each or 60-80 for a pair... Man, I want YOUR lfs! lol

[Samper]

Sometimes their prices are awesome and sometimes I'm like......your kidding. Either way they get my money somehow.