help after clown death....sad

[nice1bruva]

hi guys.
i've been a member here for quite while but never really posted...here goes.
i have a mixed 60x30x30x SPS/LPS reef with one or two softies but mostly hards.
the tanks been running year now and my previous tanks two years and three years before that.

i have had a pair of tank raised percs that are about 3 to 4 years old now and after colouring up fantasically and brooding for the last 3 or 4 months the female died suddenly?
one day she was perfectly health swiming around in her adopted torch coral and the next...barrell rolling...gasping...fins hardly beating....a real sad sight to be faced with when arriving home from work.
water paramaters were all spot on,SPS and LPS in full bloom at the time also so im pretty much convinced that this was something major like heart attack or simular.
i was real sad about losing her as this pair were my first fish on return to the hobby after a 5 year gap after i broke my first tank down due to divorce.

the reason that i am posting is to find out what to do next with regards to adding another as a mate for the lone male.
the perc left home alone is definetly the male from the ex-pair and fully grown....for a male that is....
WHAT SIZED perc would you other guys add with regrds to a potential mate....singular if possible as catching fish in my tank with 95kgs of live rock in is nigh on impossible?

:rolleye1: :confused:


i've attached a pic of tank just after a bubble coral was introduced a while back so not yet inflated fully.
tank shot is about four months ago and more brains etc have been added since.
please excuse shabby photography as cam is not up to much as not does not reprisent true/brighter colours of my system....eg that acro tort is vivid blue/purple.
thanks for listening guys.

http://s83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/minkinslappa/?action=view&current=DSCN1484.jpg&refPage=20&imgAnch=imgAnch36 :rollface: :rollface:

[jallard]

get yourself a small one and let the larger turn female

[lt34]

So sorry about your loss. Very beautiful tank. I'll be interested what the more experienced say on adding a female.

[nice1bruva]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8183645#post8183645 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jallard
get yourself a small one and let the larger turn female


thanks for the reply jallard.

just editing this response as i made the age old mistke of not doing a search before asking stupid questions...lol
this thread just answered every question i needed answering in one go!
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=215098

again guys... thanks for the input!
:)

[nice1bruva]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8183673#post8183673 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by lt34
So sorry about your loss. Very beautiful tank. I'll be interested what the more experienced say on adding a female.

thanks for the kind compliment mate!
:rollface:

[dc]

Well everybody has to learn somewhere! It is a beautiful tank. Good luck with the new clown.

[nice1bruva]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8183954#post8183954 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dc
Well everybody has to learn somewhere! It is a beautiful tank. Good luck with the new clown.


thanks debi.
i'm not bad on the knowledge front normally but this was something i just wasn't sure about and i would hate to lose fish for the sake of ignorance....especially as the (currently)male is fully grown and the planned new male is so small.
i have been recently thinking about getting RBTA but not sure if i have any areas where i could shoehorn one in....lol
i have sucessfully kept BTA'S and a magnifica carpet nem before with no issues.
the trouble is,knowing my luck i know wherever i try and place a RBTA it wont want to stay there and end up trampling all over my beloved SPS.
any thoughts on this????
i'll post the tank from the other angle to show you what i mean.
(the streams would get gauze covering to prevent shredding)


http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/minkinslappa/DSCN1489.jpg


any input on this would be gratefully recieved as i have left the tank this long before adding.
:)

[dantodd]

Very Nice. Are you raising any cardinals? Nice work tracking down the FAQs. Any other questions don't hesitate to ask.

[nice1bruva]

thanks dan.
the atdinals are brooding but with work...small child and tank i dont have the time to commit to rasing any young.
:confused:
anyone have any input on the nem dilema?
:)

[dantodd]

Don't know of any way to make a BTA stay where you want it.

Some have had luck putting them on a pile of rock surrounded by sand as they won't usually walk of of rock.

Maybe you can put a big rock where the clam is and then 2 smaller rocks in front of it in a triangular shape. Then place the anemone in the crevice where the 3 rocks meet.

[nice1bruva]

just a quick follow up and thank you to those that helped me out.
i added a tiny tank bred to join the male today....(always get tank bred sp. when possible)
the mature male immediatly swap out from his host torch and shimmied at the tiny newcommer for a couple of seconds...they both then entered the torch and have been there for the last two hours!
:D
phew!
:smokin:

im now on the look out for a RBTA from someone giving up or a clone.
:confused: :)

[dantodd]

Congrats, it's always nice when the pairing works right away. That's what happened when I introduced a new juvie/male to my proven female clarkii.

[nice1bruva]

just a quick update for those who helped out and anyone who's interested.
the juvenile is now fully accepted and seems to get on like a house on fire with his older mate.
cant get a pic of them together due to them hosting in my torch coral thats right at the back of the tank and a camera that just wont focus 30" into the tank.
i mamaged to pick up a stunning rbta that a really good LFS gave me....he doesn't sell them but had a clone given to him and said he wanted me to take it due to my 'experience'
he's a good guy!

:)

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/minkinslappa/DSCN1723.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/minkinslappa/DSCN1726.jpg

http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j308/minkinslappa/DSCN1729.jpg


i just wish she'd stayed in the gap i made for here amongst the sps to the left!
:p

thanks again guys!
:D

[Sk8r]

Just as a what-happened, there's a certain danger in any birth, and sometimes the female has a congenital problem that doesn't show up until gravid. Wasn't your fault. That's a beautiful tank.

[nice1bruva]

thank you sk8tr.....
i guess i'll never know?
:confused:

the tanks about 18 months old now and all bar one SPS is a frag.
it took me this long to add the nem as i wanted parameters rock solid.
:)

[mobert]

Nice tank. In my opinion, though, the Rose will eventually grow and do damage to your SPS with rapid death. Mushrooms, and many softies can be next to the Rose and they may cringe but usually not die rapidly. I have not had any luck with Roses touching SPS. Dantodd's idea of building a berm/island in the center is a good one. Either that or just be ready for the Rose to take over most of the left side of the tank. It is hard to tell but those plates above the Rose look to be in immediate danger.