Paul B's thread

[Jim Tansey]

That's a beautiful Maple, they have one a bit larger but similar growth pattern at my local Jiffy Lube, I often wanted to go there after closing time.

Jim

 

[Paul B]

Thanks, it is hard to tell now with no leaves on it but in the summer you can't see through it at all so I heavily trim it because I am looking for the Japanese effect and want to see some branches. I also want that rock to "peek" through. If I didn't trim it. it would be 10' high by now. The pine branch you see above it is a Japanese white pine and is about 12' high. It also needs heavy trimming. There is a tiny pond next to it with a copper bird that opens his mouth every 20 seconds and spits in the pond

Here is the back of it. You can see the snow covered bird to.


Make believe it is summer.

 

[Paul B]

We just got back from Southern California a few minutes ago. I took my wife there for experimental stem cell treatment for her MS.

We won't know if the treatment works for maybe 9 months but she feels great. We are very hopeful for the outcome of this as we heard some great stories from other patients there.




When I got home I immediately heard the pumps on my tank. The water level dropped about 4" and the powerheads were splashing all over the place. I have a tank sitter who is also a Supermodel and a very good friend but she knows nothing about fish tanks. She is always kind enough to feed my fish so I would never say anything to her. Once before when we were in Germany the water level went down about 7" and killed most of my corals. This time it is not so bad but I do smell the corals as they were stressed and when that happens they shed. The lights are still off and I see the fish swimming so I think it will be OK. My skimmer is going nuts after I added five gallons of fresh, cold water but I am sure they will get over it. I will see what it looks like tomorrow after the lights come on.




This happens because my gravity fed ATO sometimes gets a bubble in it and stops. Of course it only happens while I am away.

 

[Paul B]

My tank doesn't seem to have suffered any damage to losing 5 gallons of water and me adding 5 gallons of cold, fresh water. The fish didn't even look up from their texting. I cleaned the glass so I could see them and they know I am home even though I know they like the Supermodel who feeds them while I am away better.

I really need to clean the algae scrubber as it is sloughing algae back into the tank but I don't have the time. The Veterans Administration called me in for an appointment today about the PTSD they seem to feel I have.

I will see how that goes

 

[Paul B]

I added a couple of queen anthius a couple of days ago to keep my only one company. I can't say yet if they get along because I think they are different types of anthius. My old one has a yellow stripe under his dorsal and the new ones are all purple.

I may airbrush them to see if they hang out together.

Ialso got a new anemone crab. Now I think I have 6 of them but usually only find two. I don't know where the others hang out.

Everything else looks good, no problems. I wish I could get another clingfish to keep mine company and spawn. They don't order them because no one but me wants a fish that is dark brown and hides virtually all the time.

A video from last year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsGrL9nxJPs

 

[s_kelley]

Glad everything was ok, did your tank sitter supermodel not add top off water?

 

[Paul B]

She doesn't know to do that. I just tell her to take the pre measured food in the freezer and put it in the auto thawing container in the tank. Other than that, she doesn't know anything else to do.

 

[Paul B]

My new Anthius. If I have time I will go back and get the remaining 3 at the store.



Here is a lousy video I just took

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC33ZWfZqLY&feature=youtu.be

 

[Chris A.]

I like them but my cube is too small for them

 

[Paul B]

They are pretty small, maybe 2"

 

[Chris A.]

I always read they like swimming room, 2 ft isn't a lot lol

 

[Paul B]

No, not a lot. But mine never go 6" from where I put them in the tank so I am not sure how much swimming room they need.

 

[Paul B]

I went back to the store last night and bought the two remaining Queen Anthius. They were eating new born brine in their acclimating container and as soon as I put them in, 15 minutes later, they were all hanging out together and telling stories about their time in the store.

 

[Chris A.]

I definitely need to look into them more. Tanks boring with only 2 clowns chasing each other

 

[Spudsly]

I would love to keep Tukas but they are notoriously hard to keep due to their diet, glad to see they went to someone who is going to provide what they need!

 

[Paul B]

They really need tiny food and they need it kind of all the time. My fish stir up the substrate and send all sorts of stuff up into the water column. They love that. But I also think you need to hatch brine shrimp every day, which I do.
I got this guy over a year so far.

 

[Paul B]

I took another video that shows the four new Anthius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxx1v1hra9w&t=10s

 

[Paul B]

Today as I was feeding the fish, this guy, the stripped wrasse got so excited, he jumped out of the tank, hit me in the nose and fell on the floor. Then as I was trying to catch him he slid under the couch. I moved the couch and shoved him into a plastic container, but before I threw him back into the tank, I explained to him that what he did was very stupid and I hoped that he learned his lesson.

I am not sure if he wanted to punch me in the nose or kiss me for feeding him blackworms.

I have not seen him for an hour so I don't know if he is sulking, embarrassed or croaked.

 

[s_kelley]

Haha too funny

 

[Paul B]

He's fine and now he has bragging rights and thinks who he is.