I missed Houston's "birthday"... he came to me on January 28th, 2011. I posted a photo and a thread when I got him, and again last year on Jan 28th. I'm a few days late this year, but I took a new photo of him just now - he actually likes mugging for the camera now.
When he was brought in to me, 2 years ago, he looked like this:
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=28716&d=1296253644" alt="" />
One year ago, he looked like this:
[IMG]http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=35197&d=1328983710" alt="" />
The last photo is of him today. Not a whole lot of change in the last year, and that's probably as good as he's going to get, but given what he looked like when he was brought through the door, I'd say he's lucky to still be alive :)
[IMG]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/73338_10151433181080140_1107032035_n.jpg alt="" />
He had severe HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)... cause(s) are still somewhat debated (not trying to start another debate thread here)... Suffice it to say, that whatever did cause it in the tank he was living in, has been corrected. He's still scarred, some of his skin is still thin, but he's still alive and kicking. More recent information concludes that fine carbon particles can lead to this, and some older thinking include poor water quality, poor diet and even stray electrical current. Again - not starting the debate here... what I DO know is that I tested the water he came in, and it was horrible - nitrate off the map. And I believe he was fed entirely with Sprirulina flakes and nothing more. Whether that had anything to do with it... who knows? I don't know if his keeper used carbon or not. So that's what I know about what happened to him before I got him.
Happy belated "birthday", Houston!
When he was brought in to me, 2 years ago, he looked like this:
http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=28716&d=1296253644" alt="" />
One year ago, he looked like this:
[IMG]http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=35197&d=1328983710" alt="" />
The last photo is of him today. Not a whole lot of change in the last year, and that's probably as good as he's going to get, but given what he looked like when he was brought through the door, I'd say he's lucky to still be alive :)
[IMG]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/73338_10151433181080140_1107032035_n.jpg alt="" />
He had severe HLLE (Head & Lateral Line Erosion)... cause(s) are still somewhat debated (not trying to start another debate thread here)... Suffice it to say, that whatever did cause it in the tank he was living in, has been corrected. He's still scarred, some of his skin is still thin, but he's still alive and kicking. More recent information concludes that fine carbon particles can lead to this, and some older thinking include poor water quality, poor diet and even stray electrical current. Again - not starting the debate here... what I DO know is that I tested the water he came in, and it was horrible - nitrate off the map. And I believe he was fed entirely with Sprirulina flakes and nothing more. Whether that had anything to do with it... who knows? I don't know if his keeper used carbon or not. So that's what I know about what happened to him before I got him.
Happy belated "birthday", Houston!
He's grown on me. Looking now - he's grown quite a bit in the last year. So while the scarring may not be much better, he's bigger. He's closer to the camera in today's picture (he was too close actually!) but relative to last year, I can see the difference now. I don't notice it day to day.
