My 180 Gal Brackish Tank

[brackishdude]

Two of my orange/red morphology chromides are guarding and tending to eggs laid on the stalk of one of my Cryptocoryne Cilata.





I also have four new neovespicula depressifrons from Rt4 aquarium on this site (Good experience with the vendor). They've been here two days. they seem okay, though I haven;t seen them eat yet.






My only really coveted fish left to get is the Monodactylus kottelati. If you see'em let me know!!


Current Stock:

18 mollies (3m,15f) breeding wildly
4 australian rainbows (till I can catch'em. A fifth is already in the refugium awaiting eviction) GONE
4 Neovespicula depressifrons FWwaspfish
3 each of two different kinds of blennies, see posts above
6 bb gobies (down to 4)
4 orange chromide (red morphology)
4 orange chromide (wild morphology)
Various grass shrimp, mosquito fish, least killi, scuds, others as found routinely in my local collecting spots. Few long term survivors from carnivores and going over the skimming overflow



10 olive nerites
1 striped nerite
1 spotted nerite
1,000,000,000 MTS
10 Spiny Tricolor Cleaner Nerite Snail-

Plants (arrived early 11/11)

Water Sprite (Ceratopterus thalictroides) 2" Pots 3 {waxes and wanes. Huge now)
Moneywort (Bacopa Monnieri) 1 (slow but steady grower)
Cryptocoryne Cilata - 5 (Very happy)
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Giant Micro Sword - Lilaeopsis carolinensis 1
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Common Micro Sword = Lilaeopsis brasiliensis 1
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Narrow-Leaf Micro Sword = Lilaeopsis mauritiana 1 All are DEAD
Moss Java - Aquarium Plant-Moss, All dead
Java Fern - Aquarium Plant-Misc - Java Fern Few remaining scraglers, stunted


Sump

spotted ctenopoma
10-15 mollies


here is a movie from last night.


[video]http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j247/alauve/?action=view&current=M4H02434.mp4[/video]

 

[Gr8KarmaSF]

Nice video...

 

[fugupuff]

what happened to the eels?

 

[brackishdude]

what happened to the eels?

The last eel I had was the Gymnothorax polyuradon I got from you about 6mos ago. He disappeared shortly thereafter following a loss of electricity. I suspect he swam up into the return plumbing and got an unpleasant surprise when the pumps kicked back on. He may well turn up, but I do no think so.

The prior eel was a snowflake I sent to you along with the scats. how are they doing, by the way? and get me a Monodactylus kottelati, please!! Youda man Wes, thanks agin for all your support of my tank over the years.

 

[brackishdude]

The plant is now clear of eggs, and I have an undulating sheet of newborn fish in the bottom of one of the now three pits. The parents keep moving the babies betwen the different pits.

 

[brackishdude]

My tank si pretty active now with lots of smaller fish, and the mass of fry grew smaller over about three days before being gone altogether. Musta been tasty. Next time I'll put parents and fry in the refugium. . .

 

[brackishdude]

I received a male and female pair of Platystacus cotylephorus whip-tailed Banjos from Franks Aquarium. I am keeping them in the refugium for now to be sure they don'[t get out competed for food. theya re taking erthworms, but havn't seen them take prepared food yet.

Frank has Toxotes blythii for sale right now for 35$ each.

One of my red morphology orange chromides mated with one of the natural morphs. they were aggreessively guarding the eggs and the red was dead the next moring without a scratch. I suspect he attempted to "scoot" a wasp fish and got gigged by the dorsal fin. They are said to give a NASTY sting to humans if stuck.

A natural morphology orange chromide:




Wasp fish




Dead red morph orange chromide






Most recent FTS



Wasp again



Almost all of the plants died except the ones listed below which are very happy. The water sprite did what it has done for me in the past: thrive, retreat, thrive, retreat, die.

Current Stock:

18 mollies (3m,15f) breeding wildly
4 Neovespicula depressifrons FWwaspfish
3 each of two different kinds of blennies, see posts above
3 bb gobies
3 orange chromide (red morphology)
4 orange chromide (wild morphology)
1 Spotted Ctenopoma

10 olive nerites
1 striped nerite
1 spotted nerite
1,000,000,000 MTS
10 Spiny Tricolor Cleaner Nerite Snail-

Plants (arrived early 11/11)

Moneywort (Bacopa Monnieri) 1 (slow but steady grower)
Cryptocoryne Cilata - 5 (Very happy)
Aponogeton bulbs, 4-5 bought dry from walmart. Do well if initially survive

 

[Leptoe]

Beautiful tank and evenly impressive stock!

 

[william3918]

Nice set up and beautiful photo. Thanks...

 

[brackishdude]

Havn't checked in in awhile. I added a few things, lost a few, mainly a docile tank now

Current Stock:

18 mollies (3m,15f) breeding wildly 2 female mollies
4 australian rainbows (till I can catch'em. A fifth is already in the refugium awaiting eviction) GONE
4 2 Neovespicula depressifrons FWwaspfish
3 2 each of two different kinds of blennies, see posts above
6 1 bb gobies
4 0 orange chromide (red morphology)
4 3 orange chromide (wild morphology)
3 spotted ctenopoma
Various grass shrimp, mosquito fish, least killi, scuds, others as found routinely in my local collecting spots.

<10 olive nerites
1 striped nerite
1 spotted nerite
1,000,000,000 MTS
<10 Spiny Tricolor Cleaner Nerite Snail-

Plants (arrived early 11/11)

Water Sprite (Ceratopterus thalictroides) 2" Pots 3 {waxes and wanes. Huge now)
Moneywort (Bacopa Monnieri) 1 (slow but steady grower)
Cryptocoryne Cilata - 5 (Very happy)
Newish: Samolus from seed given by fellow MFKer
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Giant Micro Sword - Lilaeopsis carolinensis 1
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Common Micro Sword = Lilaeopsis brasiliensis 1
Potted Micro Sword-Pot-Narrow-Leaf Micro Sword = Lilaeopsis mauritiana 1 All are DEAD
Moss Java - Aquarium Plant-Moss, All dead
Java Fern - Aquarium Plant-Misc - Java Fern Few remaining scraglers, stunted


Sump

1 Leapard moray eel
2 eel tail banjos Platystacus cotylephorus http://www.planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/shanesworld.php?article_id=378

a few pics

one of the two "new" ctenopoma taken april 2013, they're both as big as the big one now about 6"