Aquarium Update

                      Since "Our Aquarium in Progress" a few things have happened; 

   I was admiring our new friends in our aquarium when I noticed a few little "bugs" crawling on the rock. As I researched on line to try to identify them I found a site that I since have noted as quite misleading. It contained a list of "Common Hitchhikers on Live Rock" Since we are new to the aquarist hobby I have based my actions off my research. This site included sections on different types of hitchhikers along with their pros and cons, detailed with descriptions and pictures. I used all of this information to identify my creepy crawly friends as "Mantis Shrimp" and decided to take action as they are not nice animals to have in a community tank. I removed the live rock that had the majority of them and placed it in a different container else where. I began extracting the little fellows and placing them in a fish bowl that contained some live sand for them to hide in. (I also found two tiny starfish that I later found out are not Brittle Starfish but a smaller type that stays little tiny.)

       This little guy is "Dipper" I didn't get a pick of "Orion" before I reintroduced him to the tank..

   I took one little crawly fellows around to three pet store to confirm the identity as I am notably new at this so I did not want to make a mistake. I was told a great many things by each different person that I spoke with but determined that I could trust two that were very confident that he was a Copepod. A very harmless creature that I should welcome into my tank. Well I wasted quite some time with that venture but it is well worth it as I had a few nightmares that I woke up terrified that the "Mantis Shrimp" had eaten our Emeralds and our Sally light foots.

   I replaced the rocks and the Copepods back into the tank. We have also named the crabs; The largest Emerald that stays hidden is Lenny Crabits, The medium sized Emerald that seems unpredictable at times is Verde  Diamond, and the baby Emerald that is darker in color is Midnight. For the Sally Light Foots my man had suggested Sally, Nancy, and Martha. I said I would use Sally and Nancy if he liked but I wanted the third one to be Suzie (These three names were used by my grandparents for their girls so I thought it would be suiting that we both could agree on.) So the confident strong willed one that is not fearful is "Suzie", The shy and very moody one is "Sally", and the oldest of the three that desires to have her own space is "Nancy"

   In addition to the 3 Sally's, the 3 Emeralds, the 2 tiny Star Fish, and the Copepods we adopted 2 Maroon Clownfish yesterday that the kids named "Scarlet" and (You knew it was coming folks...) "Nemo"

                          Scarlet is on the left Nemo is on the lower right in the above picture.

                     In the picture below Nemo is in the front left with Scarlet in the back center.

  If you noticed that these two do not quite resemble Nemo's specific type of Clownfish you would be correct. These two are Maroon Clownfish; Nemo is an Ocellaris Clownfish. However the kids (and my man) believe that it would be wrong to have a pair of Clownfish and NOT name one Nemo! Who am I to argue with such an adorable crowd!?!

   Any suggestions on a good informational book to New Aquarist? I looked at a few yesterday at the local bookstore; Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies (ca $20), An Idiot's Guide to Saltwater Aquariums (ca $20).. (Both of which I would prefer not to support as I am neither an Idiot or a Dummy), The Complete Guide to Saltwater Fish (ca $30), and The Complete Guide to Saltwater Invertebrates (ca $30). I liked the Guides because it had detailed information on things that I have not been able to find on line such as the full grown size of certain friends I am interested in, but I am also interested on the precise ideas of how to build a community tank that will be able to grow together happily.. Any ideas?