Reef Discussion

[Aspidites]

After not seeing him for 4 or 5 days (he usually comes out and feeds out of my hand) I have to admit he is finally gone. i suppose he had a good run. He went thru 3 different tanks and was with me for 13 years so I guess he had a good run.

 

[Agent M]

Sorry to hear, you had him a long time. I love Coral Beauties, great fish! Can I ask how big he was when you got him?

 

[Lesley]

Sorry, bad news, 13yrs wow !

 

[jart]

Sorry to read your news. Always sad to lose a "friend", especially one you have looked after for so long.

 

[MagicJ]

:(

Their life span looks to be around 10-15 years, maybe longer. We normally have no idea how old they are when purchased so I am guessing that yours lived out a long and happy life and probably exceeded the life span that it might have expected in the wild.

 

[ReeferRob]

You can sleep well knowing that you gave him a better life than he'd have had in the wild with not having to dodge predators and not knowing where your next meal is coming from.

 

[ezza]

Wow! What a long life! I'm sure the Beauty passed away peacefully knowing he was loved. Xxx

 

[curly747]

I guess he died of old age which probably isn't a bad way to go for a fish. I had no idea these little reef fish survive that long. You must have looked after him well.

 

[RobbieMVFC]

They are a beautiful fish , 13 years is a good run.
Although its a sad day credit to you for keeping it healthy for that long.

 

[Savage Henry]

Great memorial post! Great to hear of long lived captives.

I also have a Coral Beauty that is a favourite fish of mine. Had it for about three years now. Went through whitespot and I thought I was going to lose it three times, but it pulled through. It has no tail but is beautiful nonetheless. It has a genuine unique character.

 

[Savage Henry]

One thing more with my coral beauty, at times it shows up with lots of scales off it and scars that I think are from swimming through holes in the rocks it shouldn't go through. At times it gets really excited and does large figure eights around the corals and then goes through my liverocks. Often the scales are off around above it's eyes, like it's gotten wedged in somewhere.

I hope yours hasn't got stuck in your liverock.

 

[Aspidites]

Sorry to hear, you had him a long time. I love Coral Beauties, great fish! Can I ask how big he was when you got him?

He was about 3 or 4 cms when I got him and a flame. The flame lasted about 7 years. The beauty was about 6 or 7cms when he disappeared.

 

[Aspidites]

Great memorial post! Great to hear of long lived captives.

I also have a Coral Beauty that is a favourite fish of mine. Had it for about three years now. Went through whitespot and I thought I was going to lose it three times, but it pulled through. It has no tail but is beautiful nonetheless. It has a genuine unique character.

Yup, they are tough. I forgot the amount of bouts of white spot mine went thru. He did like to get sand stuck to its head sending the house into meltdown in fear of another "ich attack"!

 

[Aspidites]

One thing more with my coral beauty, at times it shows up with lots of scales off it and scars that I think are from swimming through holes in the rocks it shouldn't go through. At times it gets really excited and does large figure eights around the corals and then goes through my liverocks. Often the scales are off around above it's eyes, like it's gotten wedged in somewhere.

I hope yours hasn't got stuck in your liverock.

Thats one of the reasons I love these fish. They are constantly in and out of the rockwork and genuinely seem to adapt well to tank life.

 

[Aspidites]

Sorry, bad news, 13yrs wow !

Yup, got him, a flame angel (7ish years), and a trio of clowns at the same time. The clowns lasted about 8 years. If only I could get tangs to go that long :rolleyes

 

[ReeferRob]

Tangs don't live that long in the wild either, maybe 6-7 years. PaulB over on RC has had a pair of Flame Clowns for 14 years. They just did an article in Coral magazine and I was astonished that clowns could live 20+ years. Bonnie and Clyde, M's clowns are 7 and will be 8 if they make it to December.

 

[Aspidites]

I just have no luck at all with tangs. 2 months is about the best I have had. I have tried 4 types and they get ich or the other one that is similar but they fish never seem to recover. Even after getting them thru it and after having no visiable signs they pass on.
I am having a reboot of my system soon so will give it another go then.

 

[Savage Henry]

When I first attempted to keep Tangs I lost two Kole tangs to whitespot. I then treated my fish for it and left the display barren of fish for a couple months. I then had a go with a yellow tang and have probably had it for about a year now.

 

[Lesley]

Yup, got him, a flame angel (7ish years), and a trio of clowns at the same time. The clowns lasted about 8 years. If only I could get tangs to go that long :rolleyes

Some tangs are more difficult to keep than others. What tangs have you tried and lost ? ICH seems to be their main downfall. If you can get past that, or not get it in the first place Tangs seem to do ok. They do need a large environment and lost of swim space to not stress themselves out, let along multiple tangs stressing each other out.

 

[Aspidites]

Some tangs are more difficult to keep than others. What tangs have you tried and lost ? ICH seems to be their main downfall. If you can get past that, or not get it in the first place Tangs seem to do ok. They do need a large environment and lost of swim space to not stress themselves out, let along multiple tangs stressing each other out.

I have tried a few, all singles in a 5×2×2
Kole 3 months
Bristletooth 2 months
Sailfin 2 months
White cheek 1 month
So nothing that is notoriously difficult.
Have been given the OK by the planning comission tonight for the sump and its upgrades. (Bigger skimmer, more flow, open up the tank scape etc)
We shall see how it all works out I guess!:D