The boys and I went to The Aquarium Shop on Sunday. I was thinking I’d get five small (<1″) damsels to cycle my aquarium before adding the “real” inhabitants, as I had done twice before. Instead, I got lucky with some trade-ins from a big reef tank, and came home with two larger (2″) Chromis viridis, commonly known as the blue-green chromis:
This is one of the most peaceful and active damsels, and now that these two have settled in they’re showing off for me. In fact, I may try to get a smaller lionfish and see how well they do together, rather than taking these back after the tank is cycled.
If I do decide to return them, I’ll probably choose a tang to go with the lionfish (its deep body will keep it safe, and they won’t bother each other). If I work up the nerve and I find a good one, I may try a purple tang, but a kole tang is more likely.
I think I’ve gotten a little nerdier since I last did this. For example, one of my very first thoughts was “why didn’t I ever put the filtration on an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) before? That seems so obvious.” Heh. So I did that. It also seems that in my hiatus from the hobby, the computer-controlled tools for aquarium maintenance (continuous water monitoring, temperature control, stuff like that) have just exploded. I’ll have to tread lightly there. This budget is hardly unlimited.
I’m delighted to have fish again. It makes me wonder why I ever went without.
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Oooooh! PRETTY!
Really? I’m too lazy for any of this. Mostly self-sufficient cats is about the best I can do right now.
Keep the pictures coming, though; I LOVE the look of them.
What about the unpredictable pootie tang?
I’m too lazy to take care of a salt water tank too. I kept getting salt deposits on top of the lid. The freshwater I have now has the world’s oldest living Red-bellied Pacu and I have no idea why he hasn’t died. I do feet him occasionally, but the tank is filthy. I haven’t seen the plecostomus in weeks. He’s lost in the algae growth.
Any time I think of lionfish in an aquarium, I can’t help but remember that snowflake eel that assassinated mine. They had gotten along so well for over a year (possibly two) and then one day I came home to find the eel quite happy and the back half of the lionfish missing.
Mrs. Chili: If you ever want to try one, let me know. It’s almost certainly easier than you think.
Sarah T: I think those are illegal in this state. 🙂
Cheryl: If you have any kind of water movement–and you should, for sufficient gas exchange–the salt creep on the top is just part of it.
Buzzregog: Man! I never heard of anything getting into a lionfish except another lionfish. The story of “just one day…” is a cautionary tale for lionfish too, though. I’ve heard a story or two of a lionfish getting along perfectly with a fish tankmate, or even some invertebrates here and there, for a long time–and just slipping a gear and sucking them all down one day.