Developments in my coldwater marine aquarium.

 A lot has happened to my fish tank since the last post I did about it. Back in Summer, the few unusually hot weeks, unfortunately caused some significant losses. My beloved scorpions, lemon sole and the rockling perished... Because of this, I'm planning on getting a water chiller in Spring to prevent this from happening again. 

I also had to remove a blenny and a big ballan wrasse that were too boisterous towards the other inhabitants of the tank. Lastly, Papi the goby and the veteran of the tank, died a few weeks ago, probably from old age!

It's not been all doom and gloom though. Current Inhabitants are: 1 lobster, 1 goldsinny wrasse, 1 pollock, 1 velvet crab, 1 baby blenny and a gurnard! Along with plenty of prawns and winkles for forage and tank cleaning.

Plenty of cover and structure. 

Queen of the tank. 

It's a very harmonious environment, although only after I taped up the lobster's claws as he was picking fish off while they were sleeping. Lobster's got very territorial and also is a landscape artist(!). It was very surprising seeing it move rocks and plants around just to create the lair it prefers! 

The gurnard is the latest addition and seems very chilled out in the tank. I was also given a tiny boarfish that seemed to be suitable for the fish tank but unfortunately it's tiny size and preference for open swimming to hiding, made it an easy snack. I hope I find a larger one of them as it was so cool!

Only the left one survives now.

Tiny boarfish. Acclimatised but eaten...

Them claws are secure with tape now...

I'm hoping to incorporate a couple more little fish now that the lobster has been "pacified". Think the gurnard needs a shoalmate as the lobster ate his brothers and would also love another sea scorpion. 

I still keep the same regime of adding some water once a month along with some sand vacuum and filter cleaning. Still feeding chopped frozen prawns with some whitefish and pellets for some variety. The pellets are lumpsucker feed and most fish along with the lobster love them.

All in all I still love messing around with the fish tank and see it evolve. With the horrible weather we've been having, it helps me feel better for not being able to go fish.

RIP Papi...

First session of 2021 and a PB!

The weather for this weekend was meant to be calm but frosty. I decided to go on a shore session to begin the year. Was hoping a big mama pollock would show up and start this year with a bang!

Started with a 5" blue/silver shad on a 30g jighead. On the second cast I got a subtle take with the lure hard on the bottom and I struck into solid weight. I had set the drag pretty tight, even so this fish took some drag in short, slow runs. I knew it was a good fish but it didn't fight like a pollock.  Slowly I managed to get it closer. It kept trying to snag me up all the way in but soon enough I saw a brown lump coming up. It was a lovely cod and definitely a new shore PB at 3.6kg!

They're getting bigger! 

As New Year starts go, this was a cracker! I kept fishing and soon got amongst the pollock. There seemed to be plenty of  them but of only average size with the biggest going about 4lbs.

Average stamp.

In good condition.

Most fish took the lure close to the bottom while hopping it. Only a few came up on straight retrieve. Natural colours worked better.

On this session, I paired the Solpara Light Shore Jig rod with my 6000 Daiwa Ballistic LT and a 1.2PE braid. The combo worked well and I might use it more often. I was pleasantly surprised by the 25lbs Duel BIG fluorocarbon leader, as even though most fish tried to kelp me, it held up well. I hope the season continues like this and really looking forward to some settled weather so that I can get the boat out and play with the trolling motor/GPS anchor and also the new relief shading overlay by Navionics. Its amazing!  

Wow!

Let's see what this year has in store for us and best wishes to all for good health and tight lines! 

Dimitrios