New pics thread

[zhenya]

Well, since my old pics thread got archived I decided to start another
Some of you don't know but I had lost all of my fish recently and there was some damage to the corals on the very top area of the tank.
I did not want to take any pictures right then as it made me sick everytime I looked at the tank. After couple of weeks the dust had settled and things begun to improve, I bought three new fish and all corals that sustained damage are beginning to recover. I just have to stay on top of things and make sure that I remove any algae that is growing on the tips that died. I did prune some but some areas are just impossible to reach with the bone shears
Anyway, I finally decided to take some pictures and share some of them with you. Here it goes, like it or not...

[zhenya]

and this is some more random shots

[zhenya]

Forgot to add pic of my A.tortuosa. It too had some damage but is recovering already and growing. The color is not all that blue as I would like but I'll take it.

[Poseidon]

Awesome PICS Gene!!! (As usual ) I think you need to trim back some of those Green Monti's, looks like they are causing a LOT of shade!!! Of course I'd be willing to look after the frags for you! ;;

On a seperate note, have you tried that Shadow/Highlight tool in Adobe? It is VERY cool, especially for pictures like the one of your yellow goby.

Oh yeah, one other thing, what's up with the SARDINES? j/k

[zhenya]

Thanks, Mike! :

Oh yeah, one other thing, what's up with the SARDINES? j/k

Those sardines are fully grown silversides and are food for my rose Entacmaea quadricolor anemones, which I have eight at the moment.

think you need to trim back some of those Green Monti's, looks like they are causing a LOT of shade!!! Of course I'd be willing to look after the frags for you! ;;

You are absolutely correct, Sir. I am actually thinking of removing entire colonies on both sides. Well, at least prune them severely. I owe you frags anyway,Mike. ;)

As far as playing with the PS CS, I had a computer crash recently and have not reinstalled this software yet. I do have elements, though, it is enough for now.

[kevinpo]

Hi Gene,
You know they say that things are getting better or they are getting worse but they are never staying the same in the reef. That's life! It looks like you have things under control and are on the upswing. Amen to that!
Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Kevin

[zhenya]

Hi Gene,
You know they say that things are getting better or they are getting worse but they are never staying the same in the reef. That's life! It looks like you have things under control and are on the upswing. Amen to that!
Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Kevin

Hi Kevin,

I couldn't agree with you more. Nothing is ever the same on the reef or the reeftank.
I think in my case I just got lucky that I got home in time to do something about it. Things are not perfect in my tank at the moment but they are on the mend for sure.
I miss my fish that I had lost the most, especially that A.lineatus...

Thank you for understanding!

[zhenya]

OK, since it is a picture thread I thought I'd post a pic of my sometimes comical little Goby,Cryptocentrus cinctus. Plus, some other pics I thought came out pretty good, one of them showing what's left of my once beautiful A.chesterfieldensis. I'm thinking that it should recover in time.

[Papa Doug]

Gene, as usual, excellent pics. I have the crab one from the other thread, as my desktop.

So sorry to hear about your tank and its inhabitants. Sad to lose pets/friends like that. Guess its one of the perils we as aquarists face when we go on a vacation.

I was lucky where I lived before retiring. My oldest son lives there and is an aquarists also. i could go away for a month no problem. Now here, out in the sticks, I cant go away for more than a couple days.

[zhenya]

Thanks Doud.

Finally was able to take a half dissent shot of my new tang, he's so skittish and constantly on the move.

[big t]

Hey what kind of tang is that Gene? I think that I have its brother The closest I have seen in any books is Acanthurus Bahanius.

[zhenya]

Hey what kind of tang is that Gene? I think that I have its brother The closest I have seen in any books is Acanthurus Bahanius.

I am not so sure as to what exact species it is. I am leaning towards Bristletooth, A.striatus at the moment. I think the general shape and markings resemble that particular tang the most, although he may very well be A.bahianus. Lack of visible striping on his dorsal fin is what confuses me as far as A.bahianus goes. I just don't know and the clerk at the store couldn't tell me where this fish came from, that would narrow down possibilities.
Also, big t, from looking at the pics in my book, Acanthurus bahianus has a bluish tint to his anal fin and no orange spots on his had. Mine definately has some orange spots on his had and both of his fins are identical in length and color.
Here's another picture I took of him today plus another pic I took of the tank using teleconverter. First time I ever tried using some other lens on my cam. I think I like it.

[zhenya]

Speaking of LFS, I went in today to get some replacement cartridges for my RO/DI unit and took some pics of the fish there. Not the best quality as lights are very dim in that store,especially in fish only tanks. My camera just not capable to take good shots without good lighting. Well, the user is not that advanced either .

Here goes nothing...

[zhenya]

few more.

[Ninong]

Gene,

With the orange spots on its head, your surgeonfish is definitely Ctenochaetus striatus. Both juveniles and adults have the yellow to orange spots on their heads. Specimens from the Red Sea have bright yellow pectoral fins. You can find several examples on page 74 of Kuiter's Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and their relatives.

[zhenya]

Gene,

With the orange spots on its head, your surgeonfish is definitely Ctenochaetus striatus. Both juveniles and adults have the yellow to orange spots on their heads. Specimens from the Red Sea have bright yellow pectoral fins. You can find several examples on page 74 of Kuiter's Surgeonfishes, Rabbitfishes and their relatives.

Thank you, George! That is exactly where I got my ID from, page 74 of that book. I just wasn't sure but now I know what to expect from this guy
He's quite a character and a raving bully, gives my little Gobbies a hard time at feeding time. Although I really like this guy I don't think it was a wise choice as far as tangs go Why do I always do this?
Here's another pic of him and second Goby I bought today.

[Reefland]

Are they recommended for captive environments? I don't have the book unfortunately.

[Ninong]

Are they recommended for captive environments? I don't have the book unfortunately.

That book wouldn't help you answer that question anyway. Did you forget about Fenner's site? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ctenocha.htm

Read the whole thing. Your tank is too small and bare bottom tanks are not recommended for this species according to Fenner. Also, you should leave any detritus in the tank for them to feed on.

[zhenya]

Are they recommended for captive environments? I don't have the book unfortunately.

Scott, I am not sure. Their behaviour is similar to the Acanthurus genus and I suppose they should be fine in captive environment. It seems that the difference mostly in their jaws structure and Bristletooth tangs( like the one I have ) feed mostly on film algae and in my case mostly on detritus and film, unicellular algae, on rock and sand and everywhere they can find it
Mine is a constant grazing machine, clams, glass, rocks...does not matter. He's on the move constantly and incredibly fast.
I'll keep you guys updated as far as how he does.

[zhenya]

That book wouldn't help you answer that question anyway. Did you forget about Fenner's site? http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ctenocha.htm

Read the whole thing. Your tank is too small and bare bottom tanks are not recommended for this species according to Fenner. Also, you should leave any detritus in the tank for them to feed on.

Thanks for the link,George. I agree as far as detritus goes, mine does not eat any nori or any other algae that my other tangs ate, he seems to be more interested in turning over top layer of sand and graze the rocks and glass. He does like meaty food as well though.