Quite a lot of algae died but not enough! There are patches here and there of live algae and the rocks still have a fuzz that I fear I'll never be rid of it entirely. I brush the rocks with a plastic scrubbing brush every so often- maybe weekly. Some bits I can't reach and they look quite furry- but it's not alive in all places.. Just there.
The water becomes quite polished by the peroxide. I did notice that it pisses the snails and urchin off. It was fairly instant and they all detached from the walls. I think the bubbles congregate on those smooth surfaces more noticeably maybe. Some bristle/fire worms died (not before sticking me so my finger swelled to almost the size of my thumb). Obviously not all of them- Big Bertha is in there still.
Today's delivery was quite the debacle. The fish they told me they didn't have was delivered. It is the size of my 6 year old daughter's little finger- maybe her ring finger... Aka bloody tiny. That's the gold head sleeper goby. I had already found one that is like a skinny sausage you would feed to your 6 year old!!! He was healthy enough and is now somewhere in the display tank assumedly eating sand.
The blue tang (aka Dory) was upside down taking very slow gasps. He died before I could get my emergency hospital tank up and running. He was the tiniest tang. The last one we bought was tiny... This was TINY. I dare say -too tiny-. I ordered the 4-6cm sized fish. I haven't measured with a ruler, but he's small.
The fairy wrasse is still in the hospital tank. I am so glad my colleague dumped her children's plastic beginner goldfish kits on me now. This was an unused tank that's been sitting on our washing machine full of all the random bits I grab to do random fish things at random times. I am using the tiny HOB filter to provide gentle aeration and filtration just through a bit of filter floss. I grabbed a cheap 10watt 25 degree set heater from pet barn on the way home so I didn't have my massive tank heater in there.
The wrasse is about 5cm long. About the length of my index finger. He's gone from looking quite ill and slightly curled up to being still, breathing, not so much curled but not swimming and not eating. I put in just a tiny tiny couple of specks of dry food and a couple of mysis (really! Precision!) when I was feeding the big tank. He has eaten nothing. I just don't know what to do. I guess just keep him in this make shift system for now until tomorrow or until I see him eat. I also gave him a little plastic 'cave' to protect himself with. He moved nearer to it which is something.
In the interests of not destroying my baby girl with yet another fish bloodbath. I booked her into after school care (my day was sucked up quickly!) and ran down to my LFS. I once had an issue with them. Now we're best buddies. I basically pay them rent now. I have been in almost every day since the weekend. BY THE GRACE OF GOD (I can't take the heartbreak) they had 3 Blue Tangs in stock. I got a beautiful healthy eating little fish. He is happily home. He has hung out with The Nemos, played laps with Uncle Naso and has been busily sizing up crevices in rocks to see where he wants to sleep.
I also made a small chink in the bank account by buying a Lebout's Fairy Wrasse that was in a tank there. It is a gorgeous fish. Again, straight in the tank and he is a happy fellow.
I also grabbed a large frogspawn and a finger leather because it's been months since I bought some coral. I'll take a photo when I can get a decent shot.
My stomach just turned itself inside out. It may be stress it may be antibiotics for my surgery wound!!
. I ended up buying my gold head sleeper goby from Fantasea in West Gosford because MFD apparently did not have the fish in stock... Despite the fish apparently being in stock when I ordered it weeks ago. Oh well. It's a great fish. He picks up mouthfuls of sand, gobbles the detritus and releases the sand from his gills.
