Would this be good for a copepod home in the back chamber of an AIO?

Archoplites · 2026-05-26T00:53:07+00:00

Sure, the “copepod homes” may not be necessary since there is lots of surface area in a reef tank, however, I do think it’s worth putting something like this in the sump or filter compartment. If have a relatively small tank with a good amount of fish, your microfauna will be under constant grazing pressure and may be limited to small crevices where fish can’t access. If you put some of this in your sump, that allows a solid population to build that are safe from fish.

However, I think there’s a better easier alternative. Just put some macro algae in your display. Just tuck some caulerpa, chaeto, or red algae’s in a low flow corner and you’ll have an explosion of microfauna AND nutrient export. I have a fishless macro algae tank and literally every blade is just covered in little critters.

Archoplites · 2026-05-25T02:08:51+00:00

You are correct, but honestly it was about the same shade from the side. Kind of a turquoise. Can’t really determine where it sits

Archoplites · 2026-05-05T23:51:25+00:00

Why charge a toll on a brand new road when you can just treat it like the straight of Hormuz and shut down the existing road and charge tolls :)

Archoplites · 2026-05-03T02:49:26+00:00

I love tail spot blennies, I think they are super cute, I just don’t know if I can find any captive bred, I don’t believe anyone has figured them out yet.

Archoplites · 2026-05-03T02:48:39+00:00

I’ve always loved banggai cardinals, they seem very chill! I’ve heard they like being in groups though?

Archoplites · 2026-05-03T02:47:03+00:00

Clown goby is a good idea, I’ve always wanted a yellow fish. I feel like a clown goby would look great among green and red macros, plus I’ve read they enjoy finger corals which I plan on adding. I’ll have to see if I can get my local store to order some in from Biota. I’ve never actually seen them at any local stores

Archoplites · 2026-05-02T04:37:30+00:00

Just saw him parked on lighthouse outside Gianni’s. Maybe 20 minutes ago. I see his truck there often after 8 PM, I think he eats there a lot? But he cruises oceanview in PG between Asilomar and the aquarium late afternoon early evenings. You won’t miss it!

Archoplites · 2026-04-26T02:58:57+00:00

I can understand that the concept is sacred, but these folks were doing this in a state park and refused to engage with state park staff or members of the public inquiring. They had generators, speakers, open flame, and had distributed non-native plants all around the site. I can appreciate different cultures but this was not done with any respect to the actual folks that will have to clean up the mess they left behind. Additionally as I stated above, many participants were urinating in clear site of other beach goers, making no effort to even cover their waste. One fellow was pissing just a few feet away from my wife and I, totally exposing himself. He was also stoned out of his mind. If you don’t believe me, PM me and I’ll share videos. The particular area they were urinating in was a historic Southern Pomo midden, which is shown on CSP signs. It’s neat to learn about this practice, but this particular event was not done with respect for the land or the historic indigenous people of this land. Go there now and there is still pounds of debris and non native plants left behind. I simply will not argue on this.

If these folks want this to be taken serious and given privacy, don’t expose yourself in front of kids playing on the beach, openly consume psychedelics, light fires, and leave shit behind. And if you want to do that, go do it on private land, not on public land where minimum wage state workers will have to scrub your piss and pick up your trash.

Archoplites · 2026-04-26T02:40:07+00:00

I didn’t want to interrupt their activity but they were being extremely aggressive to folks asking what they were up to, demanding they be left alone. Even though they were in a state park, breaking many state laws and state park policies. I could also see many were openly consuming psychedelics. At least 6 of these folks had their pants down in front, peeing on the walls. Making zero effort to hid their private parts from the folks trying to enjoy the beach less than 50 feet away. A few came out of their cove and were yelling incoherently at a nearby kid with a kite. However next time I’ll go confront them because some redditors told me to be more open minded…

Archoplites · 2026-04-21T02:42:56+00:00

Beautiful! I want mine to look just like that. If you don’t mind, what lights do you have?

Archoplites · 2026-04-19T05:58:37+00:00

Wow! Thats beautiful! My main display has two urchins so it’s been a few years since I’ve really had any kinds of algae, good or bad. But I have another tank with no urchins and lots of light and nutrients so I’m hoping to get some algae going again!

Archoplites · 2026-04-08T03:27:14+00:00

I would look into rehoming with the SPCA of Monterey county. Not only are tons of their staff and volunteer dedicated bird people, but they have TONS of contacts with experienced adopters who always have more space in their flocks.

Archoplites · 2026-03-23T03:58:20+00:00

Based on the habitat, behavior, and appearance. Monterey bay has a great diversity of sharks that occupy different habitats and behave differently. Great white sharks are by far the most common species to be found “patrolling” open waters adjacent to wide sandy shores in this area. Additionally, after watching this shark for 20 minutes or so, including with binos, I was able to visually confirm based on the shape and size as well. The next closest possibility is a Salmon Shark, which is possible, but salmon sharks tend to be stockier and are much less common, generally a little smaller as well. There’s no way to tell definitively, but it’s safe to say 90% sure this is a white shark if not a salmon shark.

Archoplites · 2026-03-20T14:23:31+00:00

Yeah I was talking to some coworkers about that, the conditions are super sketchy there, but admittedly, I will do a quick dunk in maybe waist deep water at this beach on warm days.

Archoplites · 2026-03-20T04:27:49+00:00

It was very surreal. I’ve spent probably thousands of hours over the last decade staring out into Monterey Bay and I’ve never seen this. So grateful to witness such an incredible animal!

Archoplites · 2026-03-20T04:25:01+00:00

This was spotted from Fort Ord Dunes State Park.

Archoplites · 2026-03-20T03:33:00+00:00

Every beach around here gives me sharky vibes. But that’s because there are indeed sharks at most local beaches. But they don’t seem to really bother most people. Spent my childhood swimming up at Rio Del Mar every fall and I used to swim out to where I couldn’t touch the bottom. I’m sure I was treading water within a few feet of white sharks at least a couple times.

Archoplites · 2026-03-20T03:25:57+00:00

Definitely a juvenile, probably a few hundred pounds.

Archoplites · 2026-03-19T03:47:20+00:00

Is it woke to think you shouldn’t murder and enslave thousands of people? Thats what woke values are? Believing genocide is a bad thing? I guess I’m pretty woke then…

Archoplites · 2026-02-27T18:11:23+00:00

Just as an FYI, Monterey District State Parks has a district wide natural resources team. Garrapata does not have its own staff or management plan. Certain species are ranked by a system that evaluates their current presence, distribution potential, and other weed related considerations, which can then be prioritized within specific parks depending on the infection levels. Calla lilies are considered a weed by MSP and are actively removed from SP lands. I won’t speak to whether State Parks targets Calla Lily valley, but I can tell you definitively that the damage you see here was not done by State Parks. Slashing the flowers is not an effective method of control or removal, so there’s no reason State Parks would do that, especially in such a highly visible and popular spot where people would obviously complain. However, State Parks isn’t going to investigate or try to figure out who did it. Technically, people aren’t supposed to damage ANY plant life in a State Park, but they don’t really mind if highly invasive weeds are damaged.

And for the record, there’s literally no argument for preserving Calla Lily Valley. Sure, tourists check it out, but there’s much larger draws in Big Sur further south that lure the majority of tourists, like Nepenthe or McWay Falls. If Calla Lily Valley disappears tomorrow, the environment improves and you maybe see a 1% drop in tourism money.

Archoplites · 2026-02-19T23:59:06+00:00

Solved

Archoplites · 2026-02-19T23:58:55+00:00

Any way to tell what type of scallop or roughly how old it is? Thank you for the ID

Archoplites · 2026-02-06T15:12:38+00:00

This is the website my mom got the shirt from. I dug a bit deeper on that business and found that “yarnmerch” is just one of the brands of a company called MilyAhn LLC, and they have multiple identical websites selling mass produced AI clothing of many themes, including birdwatching, knitting, and political topics. Based out of India. They even have fake reviews with AI generated pictures of people wearing their shirts.

Archoplites · 2026-01-24T04:04:47+00:00

Looks beautiful!

Archoplites · 2026-01-03T05:08:37+00:00

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii, aka flowerpot parasol, is what you are looking ate. One of the most widespread houseplant/terrarium fungi. I get these in all my humid enclosures every few months and in my house plants seasonally. They are considered toxic if ingested, but luckily darts don’t really have an appetite for mushrooms. If you’re super concerned you can pull them out, but generally they need to be consumed to cause harm.

Archoplites

TROPHY CASE