Reef Discussion
Not whenever I've been in there, I'll ring them though as they are close to me so that would be handy.
Its sad isn't it. Honestly I only took my scooters on because I haven't rescued any wildlife in a while and I was having withdrawals. The first two weeks I spent 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day watching them eat because I know if I don't I won't notice quick enough if they are not eating enough, missing out or declining. Its a lot of work getting them right and even worse to pay for the privilege of doing so. That amount of time spent isn't sustainable for more than a few weeks - good thing I don't watch TV :p
We're down to 10 mins a day now because they are stronger, settled in and eating faster.
I've been thinking lately that the Scooters aren't making any progress, so I looked back at the picture of them in the bucket a month ago only to realise that a) they have grown heaps and b) both of them have fat on their tails that wasn't there a month ago :) I'm also starting to think I may have two males, their top fins are getting pretty big but I only get a quick glimpse of them when they flare their fins.
@firebird and @Wrangy - really good call on the Lobster eggs. Between that and bloodworms its really gotten them over the line.
How's the female mandarin @Felicity goodall?
@firebird and @Wrangy - really good call on the Lobster eggs. Between that and bloodworms its really gotten them over the line.
How's the female mandarin @Felicity goodall?
Woohoo :D Good t hear they're going strong!!
I'm looking to get some bloodworms too, I got myself a nice fat red mandarin boy from @Buddy and he's loving the lobster eggs too! :) Where did you end up getting your bloodworms from?? And are you now culturing them yourself or just buying as you need? :)
I'm looking to get some bloodworms too, I got myself a nice fat red mandarin boy from @Buddy and he's loving the lobster eggs too! :) Where did you end up getting your bloodworms from?? And are you now culturing them yourself or just buying as you need? :)
Just using Hikari frozen bloodworms I get from a local pet shop. I am thinking about culturing some copepods to stock the tank with but it will have to wait for now as I have too many other projects. These guys sell live copepods and are local Victorians:
http://www.exoticaquacultureaustralia.com/products/copedpods?variant=798595227
http://www.exoticaquacultureaustralia.com/products/copedpods?variant=798595227
Here is the smallest of the two doing well - he's not fat but he's a good weight now. Excuse the background noises, had the phone right next to a pump to film it.
I feed them twice daily with frozen foods and if I don't have time I can just throw the food in and walk off now and they will hunt it down for themselves. This feeds them a meal but it wouldn't sustain them if I did it all the time. I make sure that at least every second day I turn the pumps off and put the food on the bottom of the tank where they can get a big belly full with little effort.
The scooters have both turned out to be males - as they've grown their first dorsal fin has gone from equal height to the back dorsal fin and rounded at the top to developing into a large, web shaped fin.
The bigger male has become best buddies with my Algae blenny, so I will keep them together. I'll get the smaller male a girlfriend when I can find one, have been keeping an eye out.
I feed them twice daily with frozen foods and if I don't have time I can just throw the food in and walk off now and they will hunt it down for themselves. This feeds them a meal but it wouldn't sustain them if I did it all the time. I make sure that at least every second day I turn the pumps off and put the food on the bottom of the tank where they can get a big belly full with little effort.
The scooters have both turned out to be males - as they've grown their first dorsal fin has gone from equal height to the back dorsal fin and rounded at the top to developing into a large, web shaped fin.
The bigger male has become best buddies with my Algae blenny, so I will keep them together. I'll get the smaller male a girlfriend when I can find one, have been keeping an eye out.
Oh I can't watch it cause my iPad can't get the latest version of you tube.
I got a small spotted male from a friend and even though I didn't think the chances of them getting on were good. I thought I would try. In the sump all he did was court with her and it was very cute because he was a third her size. She ignored him. And then the just left each other alone. So after a few days I put them in the dt to see how they would go.
After a day he wouldn't let her near the bottom of the tank to feed and started being mean so I caught her and sump she went. I did give her to a friend who has an infestation of pods so she can be happy and healthy. I did not make the decision easy mind you.
So...i am now looking for a female spotted for my little fella
Which I have noticed is hard to come by right now
I got a small spotted male from a friend and even though I didn't think the chances of them getting on were good. I thought I would try. In the sump all he did was court with her and it was very cute because he was a third her size. She ignored him. And then the just left each other alone. So after a few days I put them in the dt to see how they would go.
After a day he wouldn't let her near the bottom of the tank to feed and started being mean so I caught her and sump she went. I did give her to a friend who has an infestation of pods so she can be happy and healthy. I did not make the decision easy mind you.
So...i am now looking for a female spotted for my little fella
Which I have noticed is hard to come by right now
Unfortunately my female scooter dragonet disappeared last week and hasn't been seen since. Considering she was always front and centre when I approached the tank I'd say that says it all. She appeared to be doing very well - had a big appetite and was being fed 3 times a day. Thinking back I never saw her pecking around the tank for pods outside of feeding times, so that is not normal. But I don't know what happened exactly, perhaps it was the initial starvation or she was killed some other way.
The boys are still doing well - the smallest male is going through a growth spurt and appears to be catching up to the larger male. He no longer looks fragile. I wouldn't dare put them together, they make their feelings clear through the tank divider separating them :)
The boys are still doing well - the smallest male is going through a growth spurt and appears to be catching up to the larger male. He no longer looks fragile. I wouldn't dare put them together, they make their feelings clear through the tank divider separating them :)
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