Sapphire

haha! Taht's good - almost J K Rowlingesque!

Well we bought some mussel last night and fed the brittlestar. Once the mussel was put in it only took a minute or so to come out and devour it - it ate more than I thought it would! everything fine this morning.

I've got xenia that need pruning - I think you know the ones I have. If you're interested let me know. In fact I may also have one a piece of rock spare once I get my new corals in tonght. I also found a xenia video on You Tube: (hope the link works).

That's the one - thanks Wilson you've saved me a job!! What did you feed yours (apart from green star polyps!)?

Welcome to the forum!

Yes yours is different to mine. I don't have a photo but will see what I can find online and see if we can get a good pic. Some of the reading I have been doing agrees with Wasp, and suggests if they are hungry they may attack coral and some also suggests that they do need to be direct fed.

Thanks for all the advice. I'll certainly feed it for a bit and see how it goes. If it is just hungery then well and good. I'll try shrimp and or mussel. I understand iI can also feed grated mussel to the sun coral anyway. Given the way it eats I wouldn't expect there to be too much left over. I also don't really know how much about how much it'll eat - as I've seen it eating brine shrimp I had thought it was fine... Will see what happens.

Yes it is one of the ones from Organsim - just the standard black/brown bands. It's been eating brine shrimp from when I feed the sun corals but that is the only thing I'm actively feeding in the tank. We don't have any fish in there yet. Would I be best to direct feed it as well? I've been trying to reduce feeding the tank as it's still new and has some cyano and diatoms at the moment that I'm trying to eliminate - but that said I don't want to starve the brittle star of course. Edit: I also know putting the sun coral in early wasn't one of my smartest ideas, I did buy on impulse and so I have made things a little more difficult for myself. Still love them though - great sense of achievement from having one that wont' open at all to seeing it completely out

I wondered if there was something missing from it's diet? Is it just testing? I would have thought there was enough in the tank for it to scavenge and it has had a good go at the leftover brine shrimp (although I syringe feed each polyp to reduce waste). My water parameters are fine (as of Sunday): SG 1.025 NH3/NH4 0.00 NO2 0.00 NO3 0.25 PO4 0.00 (salifert) Temp 26 (but some variation)

The lights in the rsm turned of and the brittle star came out.... Great so far (it's only been in the tank a few days) I saw it over a piece of rock with one large and a couple of small pulsing xenia. All good... then it went away and hid out at the back corner of the tank. The next time I looked a couple of minutes later, there is the brittle star all over one small xenia - it then proceeded to rip off most of it leaving the base and scurry way..... is this normal behaviour? I thought they were reef safe? It's been coming out and scavenging around (and over) the sun corals when I feed those (thawed brine shrimp generally every couple of days).

That too! So whatever happnes I'm pretty much covered! Althoguh the r/o thing is definitely my project - I have a serious aversion to diatoms!! I know it's normal to have them in the tank at the momwent but I want them gone and I don't want them back!

Yes, on that RSM reefers website alot of them have added extras to try and increase flow etc. I'd consider it, but am starting to seriously consider a small r/o unit and that would come first.

Poetic licence dear!!

Looks great - I really like the combinations of texture and colour. You must be please with your rearrangement.

I found a baby brittle star in our tank last night that would be perfect!

I found this a while ago. it doesn't say how long the RSM been set up or how much experience the person has with clams but judging by the tank they seem fairly keen on them .... They seem to have them at all levels http://www.rsmreefers.com/gallery13.htm

That's be a good auction - There'll be the reefer equivalent of a feeding frenzy... They are particularly stunning.

Beautiful! Those clams are very impressive. My little one is one of my favourite things in my tank. I know you use a wide variety of foods in your tank. Is there any specific advice you have re the clams? I've read plenty but given how great yours are I would appreciate your take on it

Thanks. will do. Where it's going is in an area of good current but there will be plenty of room. The torch isn't big at the moment but I'm moving a couple of things around so when it goes in there will be no chance of it touching anything as it grows. I had originally decided against a torch because of how aggressive they are and how much room would be required but this one is such a fantastic colour (IMO) that I caved in!

It's only a RSM so I have planned some rearrangement and also am leaving a good deal of space between them and other corals (I don't have that many anyway). I think after these corals I won't be able to put much more in. How much space do you think will be needed around the hydno?

I like that second one down in your pics too!! If only....!! Anyway, made a quick dash to Johns.... you know how I wasn't going to buy anymore for a bit, ....... well it's my perogative to change my mind, being female and all, so am getting an awesome green torch (also something I had decided against because of the size etc!!), green hydnophora! Yay!!

Really nice! Awesome clam too. You must be pleased with it

Thanks Wilson - that looks like them!!

ooohh..... my birthday isn't THAT far away......!!!

That crab does look like it means business! Does anyone know if there are other clams available in nz? (although I reallly shouldn't get too much more soon - as generous and indulgent as my partner has been with buying things for the tank recently I think Christmas is getting uncomfortably close!