Reef Pilot's Undersea Oasis

[Reef Pilot]

My Setosa and Red Planet were about to go to war, so I laid down an epoxy border (was more concerned about the Setosa). Just below is a Purple Cross (another aggressive coral) that will soon meet up with the Red Planet. So will see what happens there. The frag at the top left can be moved so am not worried about it.


And mounted this little Red Planet frag just yesterday. It was an accidental casualty when I was laying down the epoxy. But today, I see all the polyps are out. It is less than 1/2 an inch, but obviously a tough coral.


A few days ago, I removed (and sold) my original Purple Cross mother colony. The stalk was more than an inch in diameter, and needed a hammer and small wooden mallet (am not joking) to do the job.

But it came out pretty cleanly, leaving only some growth around the bottom which I will leave in place. It was just too big for that location, and kept beating up on its neighbors, so it had to go. I have another one growing lower down (can see it at the bottom of the 1st pic), and is again growing rapidly. The Purple Cross is my original SPS (bought a good sized frag just over a year ago) and probably my most prolific coral.

[Reef Pilot]

Yesterday, I moved my Kole Tang from my downstairs tank to my upstairs tank, along with a small Purple Tang and a Melanurus Wrasse that just completed their QT. I have a very bully, large Yellow Tang upstairs (has caused great havoc with other new fish in the past) and was hoping adding multiple new fish would divide his attention.

It took me a week or so to finally catch the Kole. I have a fish trap that I set up near where I feed, and kept putting some food inside. Eventually, he would go in, and I let the trap door go down and caught him. Almost didn't get him, though, as he escaped once when the door came down too slowly. But he was dumb enough to go in again, and the next time I got him.

But to my surprise and relief, the move went pretty well. The Kole was not bothered at all. The small Purple Tang, though, had a bit of a rough introduction. But not from the Yellow Tang. Instead my Dwarf Flame Angel went after him. The Purple seemed to hang around one spot, and didn't try to hide. Instead he fought back with his tail slapping. If he would have just gone somewhere else, the Angel probably would have left him alone. The Yellow did come by a few times with a few tail threats. But again the Purple would fight right back (even though he is about 1/4 the size), and the Yellow would go away. The Melanurus, of course, had no problems, and made himself at home almost right away.

By the evening all was at peace in the tank. Both the Kole and Purple were picking away at algae, like they've been there all along. And the Melanurus was in pod heaven...

Maybe the Yellow Tang is getting mellow in his old age. Or being together with the Pearlscale for a few years wore out his aggression. That little Purple one is a real toughie, though. Wonder what he will be like when he gets bigger...

Now I have to buy another Bristletooth for my downstairs tank. My big Foxface there might get lonely now with his buddy gone. I am thinking of a Chevron. Not sure if J&L or King Ed's ever get those ones in.

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Reef Pilot

My Setosa and Red Planet were about to go to war, so I laid down an epoxy border (was more concerned about the Setosa). Just below is a Purple Cross (another aggressive coral) that will soon meet up with the Red Planet. So will see what happens there. The frag at the top left can be moved so am not worried about it.

The above pics were from Dec 24. The below ones are from today, Jan 30. Seems my epoxy border didn't completely do the job. Some Red Planet snuck through underneath somehow, and it is indeed killing the Setosa. Will have to get in there tomorrow, and see if I can separate them again. May have some more Setosa and Red Planet frags soon...




While it may not exactly look like it (with the bright green base), this is a sliver of Red Planet tissue that I salvaged last month, and is now growing into a frag. Incidentally, this is about the size of the original Red Planet frag that I got about a year ago, that turned into this beautiful and large colony. It started with just a bit of tissue and a few polyps. Sure is one very aggressive coral, though.