Any reefers out there?

[MrsFring]

I was wondering if any of you kept tropical marines? I'm three months in and have a 275 ltr tank with captive-bred fish and some soft corals. Anyone else?

So excited! I aim to have my fuzzy, fu Manchu, small puffer and two long- nose hawk fish.

Nothing against tangs, I love them, but I've been told by various sources that it's not good to keep them in anything less than a four- footer. I was actually thinking of getting a Tomini tang as they're quite small and I love their subtle colours. Do your tangs seem happy in your tank? I would love to have one if I could.

I was in a quandary yesterday as to whether I should swop my 275ltr cube for a 6 foot 600 litre one or keep the cube and have a similar sized predator tank next to it. It was a choice between a large reef with shoaling fish and inverts or interesting predators. I went for the latter. I guess I could go super- sized further down the line.

My tangs are fine, because they are of the grazing kind. I had the same worries as you, and DS desperately wanted a 'Dory'
So I read, looked around, asked fish shop owners and everyone told me yellow tangs and kole tangs were perfect as they don't need the zooming left to right space, but love rockwork and nibbling algae of it, which I can provide. They really are so active and happy.

I look forward to reading your updates on the monster tank. Having another kitchen quote in tomorrow and last on Monday and then it's decision time and deciding on exact big tank we are having!

Well, you've convinced me. I will be getting a Tomini for my final fish in the reef tank. it's funny how the fish often confound their typical behaviours though; fairy wrasses are supposed to be easy- going while Beyoncé is extremely bossy and mandarins 'expert level' only while mine is a gut- bucket ( I suspect that luck played a large part though).

Will your new tank be custom- made?

Yay for tangs! Honestly, I love both of mine and you won't regret it. Your glass and rocks will be clean and they are such lovely fish.

Yes, it will be totally custom. We had three designers so far and two more coming. Everyone coming up with different ideas and about 10k difference So after Monday we will sit down and go with the best design and best deal and then fit the tank custom on it.

So I've been doing a bit of research and think I may get a Kole tang. Could you describe yours? The pics I've seen show a deep blue- ish colour with spots and yellow eyes, lovely! I'm thinking that I may put him in the new tank (350 litres) along with the three dwarf lions, mini puffer and two long-nosed hawkfish. He should control the algae in a new tank and would be too big to be on the menu for the lions.

Puff meets his wife on Tuesday!

Yay for kole tangs

Mine is more of the brown type like this one.

If you are going to put him into the big tank straight away make sure you got enough algae sheets for the first weeks until it builds up on your glass and rocks.

It's definitely one of the best fish, just looking at mine kissing the glass again. So cute!

You can get dwarf lions? Tell me more, might be something for our big tank.

Ordered the kitchen today, it's going to be fabulous! I cried a few happy tears, can't wait to have it installed. Only 65 days to go... (Oct half term). And then the new tank will go in so by Christmas it will be up and running.

Lovely spotty boy! Yes, dwarf lions are great. I already have my dwarf fuzzy; he's currently c. 2.5 inches and will get to be about 5. The Fu Manchu lion is amazing, have a Google. They're all carnivorous hunters so my little fuzzy is currently stalking and pouncing on live shrimps. They're reef- safe if every other tank mate is too large for them to swallow.

Your kitchen sounds amazing!

I've just googled your lionfish, they are stunning! Would they also eat frozen or does it have to be live food?

Here is my kitchen totally outing myself

First pic main view from dining table. You can see the cupboard door next to the bar stools which will be our access to filteration.
Second pic shows where the tank will go, basically from the arch to almost the window. It will be 44 width by 20 depth by 30 height (although DH doesn't want to go this high, but I want the 500 litres which I'll get via this). This is the view from when you walk in from the living room, so the tank will be right in front of you.

Kitchen designer said he never had to build a kitchen around a tank, ha ha

Wow, awesome. Love the open design, is that an extension to be built or a refit? My tank(s) are in our kitchen too; it makes sense as we spend most of our time there and the fish really do get socialised if they see a lot of human coming and going.

Here's a pic of my little lion. Any thoughts about a mandarin for your reef tank?

Oh my, I'm definitely having a lion. So cute!

Not sure on mandarin as it's hit and miss. A bit apprehensive.

Kitchen is a re-fit. It was about time after 7 years in this house. Guy who lived here before stuck some cheap B&Q cupboards in and his layout doesn't make sense, i.e. fridge and food cupboard furthest apart so simple things like making bread takes constant trekking back and forth...

Just treated myself to smarter and posher tableware. getting old

Oh, fish related -

We are planning on going to a couple (or a few) of our marine shops next weekend to look for new goodies. Want more corals and a blue starfish! System is mature enough now to have one of them. Can't wait!

Which corals, do you think? My fave in my tank is a beautiful orange and silver Acan which has doubled in size in about 6 weeks; looks like a piece of enamelled jewellery. I love the blue starfish, the sea horse display at London Zoo is full of them.

A mandarin is doable if you load your tank with pods for about six weeks beforehand- my little Puff is the star of my tank. I'm a tad nervous about introducing him to his wife tomorrow though! YouTube has films of reefers doing just that and there are often fishy scuffles before they settle down. One film ends with the Youtubers wife screaming "Jeffrey! She's got him by his fucking fin!" Will keep you posted...

Well, Mrs Puff is a doll. Mr puff loves her and she's eating like a good 'un.

Get a mandarin!

Zombieeee! Where are you? I need to obsess about our tanks! Hope you're ok and not buried under a load of kitchen rubble...

I am soooo sorry! The week before the holiday we foolishly decided to get new carpets upstairs and with that came all the dismantling of furniture, storing stuff and painting and re-decorating rooms. Then it was back to school time. And I am shattered! Is it half term yet?

Glad to hear Mrs Puff and Mr Puff are happy together. I did nothing fishy related in the past fortnight, really want to go shopping, but won't have time. I desperately want to get more corals, but just won't have time. So much to do for school now, it's madness.

Kitchen arrives in 6 weeks!

Phew, you're back. I have no other female fish obsessives in my life so I need you woman!

Sounds like a stressful time for you; bet it will look fabulous in the end though. Is your DH a fish man? My second tank was delivered today, it's huge! 34x24x24 and 350 litres. It's right next to my 275 litre cube in our kitchen, the whole room just looks like an aquarium shop now- I'm feeling a bit self indulgent tbh.

I'm considering a Niger Trigger, apparently they are very interactive and make grunting noises when you feed them. Ooooh...

Pictures please! Need to see your aquarium shop kitchen

Yes, DH also a fish man. He is not as clever as me, he forgets the names etc but happily chooses corals etc with me, and mostly pays without moaning

Niger Trigger looks awesome! Get one.

Here's a pic of my little lion to start your day with a smile.

Awwwww! It made my weekend start with a smile :) Sorry, been so busy again. But this Sunday we are definitely going to get a fishy fix by going to our favourite shop. New corals!!!

Glad you like him. I'm putting together my fish list for the new tank. I was going down the fish-only route but, having just spent silly money on some LED lights which will make the colours really 'pop', I'm thinking that I might have corals too. So, no butterflys as they will eat the corals. I'm thinking: three dwarf lions, a jewel puffer, two long- nosed hawks and, maybe, two medium sized angels. Do you know much about angels? I like the multi-barred and the regals..... any tips?

What corals are you getting? And how's the kitchen?

How's it going Zombie?

My new addition, a Deep-Water Anthia.

I'm here! I am so sorry, I took a break from MN as work just took over and I just couldn't find the time so I didn't log on. Should have told you, so sorry.
And then I come back and find a long teacher thread in AIBU and I nod to every post. The workload is getting ridiculous and me and my colleagues are really crumbling.

Aaaaanyway... my kitchen is being built! We had extra busy weeks, ripped out tiles, laid new floor, walls re-plastered and painted. Exhausted! Fitters started today and it's looking fab already.

Picking up the tank this Saturday

Loving the anthias. Dude at fish shop said you can have a predator tank and still have corals. You just got to choose them wisely, things like mushies because they won't eat them. Basically any soft corals. Puffer fish is also already reserved, will start cycling straight on Saturday and in a few weeks he can move in

Hooray, you're back! I didn't realise that you're a teacher; you have my deepest respect. My son goes to a huge (2.5k) high school and the staff are bloody heroes. Why the hell this poxy government can't leave the professionals to get on with it is beyond me. I hated Gove but Morgan seems as bad or worse.

Exciting news about the tank! My predator tank now contains four fish; beautiful Dilo my dwarf fuzzy and, as of today, an Orangetail Filefish, a Blue throat Trigger and.... a Kole Tang! I'm ogling them now- so bold and lovely. The Filefish is quite big (4 inches) and the Trigger will get to c.5 inches so I'll only get two more; a Fu Manchu and an Antennata. I'll only be keeping Zoas and Mushrooms in this tank so all should be well. I'd love a puffer but worry that it might nip at my lions extravagant finnage.

Sad news though, my beautiful Beyoncé jumped. How he got through a tiny gap in the lid I'll never know. It was very, very sad. Keep me posted on new developments please!

How's it going Zombie?