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Everything posted by FuEl
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Orchid Dottyback & Royal Gramma
FuEl replied to Happy Reefer's topic in FOWLR (Fish-only with Live-rock)
2 ft tank seems to be too small to accomodate both. Then again you could experiment..just think before hand what you will do if both don't get along. Orchid dottyback is the saint of dottybacks. Strawberry dottyback is a devil. -
about 5-10x bigger than Artemia? They seem to be growing. Not sure what species yet..hope its not that toxic. They seem to be able to rest on the glass walls by attachment using their tentacles. When disturbed they start swimming.
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How anemones are shipped and how they are treated upon arrival greatly affects their survival. Most probably overseas retailers have better experience at acclimatizing anemones if you ask me. See how often anemones..even different species are dumped together in the same system in various LFS in Sg and you'll get what I mean.
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Haha..to my surprise I found these invaders to my shrimp culture. The bad thing with using natural seawater. Darn jellies..their eggs got past the 3 stage filtration and hatched in my sump. Set them aside to see what they grow into..hopefully box jellies?
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Hmm...makes sense but I think it would be better if the authorities actually specified the breed of dogs instead of using weight as a determining factor. Some small dogs will actually need more outdoor activity compared to other bigger breeds. Anyone seen an obese chihuahua or jack russel? Sigh if dogs after so long still can't be properly categorized I think reptiles will take maybe another half a century. By then I too old to even catch crickets.
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Everything starts with education. For example when I started reefing, I just kept buying and replacing dying corals (sad but true). Then I got educated through sgreefclub which helped me make wiser decisions. As a result, less marine life suffered in my hands in the years that followed. People buying pets for their children to make them happy is but a global phenomenon. There is nothing we can do about it but it's through responsible retailers that can make the difference. Let's talk about my next common interest besides reefing. I would say it aloud..it's herpetoculture. Basically it means the breeding of reptiles and amphibians. I understand that Sg being a predominantly asian society is rather conservative with regards to such animals. However, Taiwan and Japan's reptile industry has taken off ages ago. I deeply saddened, with Sg supposedly having a strategic location as a trade paradise, that the reptile industry is being subject to prejudice just because reptiles in general don't appear to be "human friendly". Imagine this scenario, if reptiles were imported for the reason to be consumed I'm sure their import would be legalized. But in the case for a handful of people who admire such animals, it's not possible. Cause ALL reptiles are banned and the only exception is the terrapin. Does this make any sense at all?! I was with a couple of reptile lovers years ago and we talked about getting a reptile club being started for the initial intention for education and where we might later move on to the commercial aspect of it (if it could ever happen). Put in alot of effort, had numerous meetings but nothing came out of it. Why was that so? Authorities were unsupportive, even if the purpose was EDUCATION. Talked to professors in a local university..yet none had the courage to back us up even though they knew we were talking sense. Talked to other societies involved with animal welfare and we were given the cold shoulder. Talked to local environmental groups and we were seen as enemies. I'm sure many others have tried too and ended up with the results. That's why reptile lovers here just keep quiet and keep their pets illegally. Not that they wanted to, but they were not given a choice. And while our intention to get the public educated the right way, the authorities decided to educate the public the wrong way. Articles following articles appeared on raids of exotic pet keepers. Most of which kept their animals in better conditions than what zoos could have provided. Then came the shock, articles were written to stigmatize the public with regards to such animals. I'm sure that does help "alot" with conservation in mind. People who keep "exotic" animals are not criminals, they are individuals who are being marginalised by society.
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Bah after all my ranting it all boils down to one simple statement. Bearing in mind the examples of the simple kitchen knife, or even the common vehicle. No animal should be judged/ostracized/banned by whatever it is or whatever it might turn out to be, its actions and impact on other people should be the full responsibility of the owner. No dog more than 10kg in a HDB apartment? Imagine if the rule was no occupants more than 70kg in a HDB apartment. If equality between species is even to be considered such rules should either be taken away or applied to human counterparts as well.
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And oh yes..the good old days for amphibian lovers. Fire-bellied toads, fire-bellied newts, axotols were commonly available. Now they're banned while the common terrapin still roams free in the trade. Yea, fire-bellied toads and newts are poisonous..only if you eat them or an animal eats them. I had a fire-bellied newt which died, I fed it to my Oscar cichlid which just spat it out immediately. Don't see how a human could swallow one of those. And the all cute axotol..it's even common in strict Australia but now its banned in Sg. Hmm..finally someone who shares my opinion on the lack of diligence exhibited by certain people. Anyway, trust me...if a dog like a German Sherperd got loose it would cause more panic than a snake, even a cobra. Simply because a snake would rather flee than to defend itself. Not sure what to say with regards to a dog though, especially a large breed. Anyway, an animal is only dangerous if it's keeper allows it to be. It's like a simple kitchen knife. Give it to the wrong person and it can be very very dangerous. Maybe we should get knife licensing? Anyway, in addition to knives..pepper sprays, stun guns etc are plentiful.
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Here's some of my views. The recent topic of a blue ring octopus being bought by a consumer. While many people worry for the person who bought it, I share their sentiments especially if the person is new to the hobby. However if the person knows it was and still bought it, there lies with him the responsibility to make sure the animal is secure and there is no threat to others. I recently got to know a housemate, who told me that the most dangerous weapon in the world..is the automobile. It does however, kill people every single day around the world. Compared to automobiles, how many people die due to blue ring octopus bites? If you ask me, it would really be insignificant. In many other developed countries like U.S.A, you could even keep a large cat if you had the proper permits. However in S.G., a small blue ring octopus would even potentially alert the authorities. What does this imply on how the authorities judge their citizens compared to foreign countries? Are we supposedly made out to be immature people who can't make our own decisions and understand our own social responsibilities? And to tortoise lovers out there, many of which are in this forum. Don't you agree with me that captive bred animals make better pets in Sg compared to terrapins? The authorities know the damage the common terrapin is causing to the ecosystem..yet no steps are being done to cull them from the wild..nor are their sales being stopped. This has been going on for decades. Sometimes I wonder whether they are really ignorant..or are they sacrificing the local ecosystem for the considerable profit that such cute little green terrapins make. Anyone in nature society care to share their views? Andysho..I wonder how animal rights or ethics can ever be applied in Sg. Even if they do probably they will only be limited to animals that are considered domesticated to the majority of the population. Such is anthropomorphism. Animals like fish, and other cold-blooded organisms will probably not be awarded animal rights just because the majority don't see them to be "human". If a society is ever to be considered morally developed, such rights has to be given to ALL animals..be it a cat..a dog...a neon tetra (yea I know this sounds extreme but that's what I believe in). Animals that are not seen as "friendly" to the majority of people should not be ostracized by authorities (Eg. Iguanas, etc). Think of it this way, if Iguanas smiled they would probably be all over petshops in Sg legally now. Where I am down South, you got to apply for ethics approval to work on prawns. I wonder if such procedures is even done in Sg (there might be..but I have not heard of any). Terryz to get sued is ridiculous. Sg is supposedly a proclaimed country of free speach is'nt it? I find the lack of people having the courage to speak out deeply saddening. It's not like the old days of war where the possession of illicit literature can lead to executions.
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Remember the time cats were being culled? Or that only some dogs are allowed in HDBs? Or the recent rumour that huskies might be banned in Sg? Or even the "hush-hush" subject on reptiles or other exotic pets? Or even the apparent favouritism of some breeds over others? Or the permit of sale of some animals for economical benefit with disregards to the environment? Whatever your thoughts..air them here for all to read!
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So called dangerous animals are only dangerous if you do something stupid/foolish. Octopus don't purposely escape from tanks and look for people to bite. Anyway maybe you could look for terrorists and try offering them the animal for $25,000. Then again $28 is a rip off. I believe the cost price is below $10. If you do intend to keep it, it will probably only last a couple of months at most as its probably already a mature specimen. Black cobra? Never heard of people keeping it in Sg..but albino cobra yes..
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Hmm..talking about green acroporas not sure if this might be of interest. Once upon a time under 10,000K ATI T5s. This acropora was originally all cream. Then it got half cream and half green until I took down my tank.. Weird is'nt it?
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If you go for a weipro do take into consideration the amount of feeding and the overall bioload you are considering for your tank. There's got to be a balance between input and output. For example, even a beckett being run on the best tanks might not be able to cope if you accidentally spilled a whole bottle of selco into the tank. *over dramatization*
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Yea I thought so too it might be a color morph. Then again in all the years of reefing I have never seen a magenta colored occidentalis..have you? Then again there are other species of reef lobsters not common in the hobby..it might be one of them? Or the male might be a natural hybrid between occidentalis and debelius? I know hybrids are sterile..could that be why the larvae never survived?
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Hmm..the female E.occidentalis fanning her bright orange eggs. Suspect male to be Debelius reef lobster..then again it was'nt so purplish when I first took care of it..
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Haha...I'm starting to have my doubts whether these 2 fellows are actually separate species.. Anyone knows? Did'nt know different species of crustaceans will pair up and mate..
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Wat were your favourite cartoon when you young
FuEl replied to andysho's topic in General Reefkeeping_
Haha..gummy bears rock...care bears I find it gay now...not last time..lol...there was this cartoon about unicorns I think..forgot the title..It was awesome! -
Understanding SPS Light Requirements
FuEl replied to acura007's topic in SPS and Advanced Reefkeepers Forum
Maybe he feeds his sps more? -
Why are there so many beginners giving up?
FuEl replied to blueheaven's topic in General Reefkeeping_
One major reason is time. In Singapore there is always so many things to be done (if you are working you know what I mean), yet so little time... especially if you have a family. It's often hard to balance your time between your reef tank, family and work...even studies (did'nt apply to me though.. ) Ask the reefers (especially the hardcore ones) how much time they spend on their tanks a day.. So in short..if people did'nt have to work, got paid for reefing (how good would that be?), had lots of spare time...there will be alot of successful reefers. -
Mantist shrimp..Dentist shrimp..Lol.. It's mantis shrimp. Anyway I don't think most (if any) mantis shrimps you find are transparent with red dots. It might be a pistol shrimp? Pistol shrimps make more noise than mantis shrimps.
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Finally found out why the reef lobster larvae never survived...the larvae were hybrids between E.debelius and E.occidentalis! The male suddenly turned light purple today after a moult..haha.. So...hybridization can occur..
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Live brineshrimp are bacteria factories. Always rinse them for few minutes with freshwater before feeding to your fish.
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Hmm..is there any reason why you are using a freshwater test kit? These are not accurate for marine usage.
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Rainwater is acidic. It's best to ensure your corals and system is sheltered if it rains. You can probably get something like those electronically controlled shelters they use in kopitiams when it rains. Considering the amount of cloud cover in Sg most of the time I doubt natural sunlight alone will not be sufficient for optimal growth and probably even colouration. Supplementary MH will be needed. Why sps grow faster in the wild (even though light intensity varies during the day) is not because our lighting is not up to par, but because they have ample food supplies in the form of natural zooplankton. If you could get a reliable supply of clear natural unfiltered seawater it would be the best. 2 things you need to minimize in an outdoor facility. Temperature and evaporation.
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Wah...can apply for proper permits also must smuggle. I thought smuggling was only done for livestock whereby applying for proper permits won't get you anywhere.