I bought a $100+ Damselfish... 🤑 (Starcki Damsel)

This is a rare case of jumping onto something that I was in the know. Usually hobbyists balk at paying more than $10 for a damselfish, let alone $40. But when a Starcki Damselfish suddenly showed up on my local reef club's forum, I immediately contacted the seller for pick-up. Here is the story...
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Chapters:
0:00 Quick background on how this Starcki Damselfish came about
1:51 Fish acclimation
4:04 3 Weeks check-in
5:46 Future fish stock plan for this system
7:12 Harlequin Shrimp update -- anyone local needs one?
7:49 Peppermint Shrimp disappointment
9:18 Nutrients spike... oops.
10:51 Weeping Willow Leather Coral check-in
12:21 Two Little Fishies AccuraSea 1 salt
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Check out this channel's merchs on TeeSpringf: inappropriatereefer.creator-s...
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Instagram: @inappropriatereefer
Email: [e-mail]

[@JonGilGonefishing]

The price of damsels these days are calling me poor louder than anything else 😅

[@InappropriateReefer]

Heck yeah! I remember back in the days I was buying $3 damsels as feeders to my Frogfish… no way I could support that financially these days. 🤪

[@JonGilGonefishing]

@@InappropriateReefer should have bought damsel stock 🥲

[@robertwelsh6878]

Tank looks fantastic as always mate and I can’t believe how big your 2 children are I remember when they were born! Keep up the good work.

[@InappropriateReefer]

Thanks man -- Life has been a heck of a journey, glad you've been along for the ride!

[@shawnriv9]

I purchased a Starcki a few months ago. It’s a fantastic fish.

[@InappropriateReefer]

Nice! This fish has been bold, active, peaceful, and beautiful, can't ask for a better fish!

[@davidroberts9037]

The whole tank looks great. Would make a great animated background

[@jackson6745]

I have a Starki for the last 5 months. Super peaceful. Size and color is more like a dwarf angel. Great addition. Best of success.

[@QuitoWarrior]

I hope one day you show you and your son set up his starter reef tank. Inappropriate Reefer Jr.!

[@InappropriateReefer]

At the rate he is going, it's just a matter of time! He's already suggesting to put random critters into my tanks..

[@yammyboyz]

Loved seeing you On the WWC channel! your amazing dood!

[@InappropriateReefer]

Thanks man! I just wish they came when the tank was in a better shape 😆

[@yammyboyz]

@@InappropriateReefer to be honest in their video i couldnt even tell the acro was peeling. so i think your good!

[@matthewhayden6505]

I have kept several peppermint shrimp and none of them have done anything except for the most recent one I got about 1.5 years ago. He annihilated every aptasia in my tank and now there isn’t a single one left and I haven’t seen one for over a year. He just died this week so I really hope the aptasia doesn’t come back because I doubt I will have any future luck with any more peppermint shrimp

[@InappropriateReefer]

So sorry you lost the confirmed aiptasia eater!! I'm going to try the suggestion of cutting back feeding a little in my system, I wonder if that'd help convince them to give Aiptasias a try and hopefully stay on the menu afterwards? Hope Aiptasias do not return to your system though, that's no fun!

[@neilstewart9286]

I find with peppermints you have to cut back on feeding the tank to make them go for aptasia, there pets now not naturally hunting food, especially when food drops on there nose, I mean would you eat a burger if a steak was on the menu 😊 happy reefing , also I love the Red Sea damsel , white with a dark line down the back with yellow on top , really peaceful aswell for damsel species from my experience

[@InappropriateReefer]

Thank you for the suggestion on the Peppermint, I'll cut back on feeding this week and see if that convinces them! 🙏 Always down to learn what other small fish options there are, checking out the Red Sea Damsels...!

[@davidroberts9037]

Hippos are beautiful. Your clam is looking great

[@InappropriateReefer]

Thank you!!

[@MACNTOSFAM]

love my talbot’s. had it for a year. that yellow-purple/pink hue

[@InappropriateReefer]

Heard they're really peaceful as well! I've been waiting for them to show up locally for awhile now.

[@MACNTOSFAM]

@@InappropriateReefer they’re awesome damsels. they are quite peaceful. hope you get one around the VA, MD area mok-yi!

[@damiantosd8720]

Bloody hell how big has the little boy got. 😂

[@InappropriateReefer]

Time flies Uncle Damiantosd8720 😂

[@chrisribble]

I just added a short like a day ago. I isolated the peppermint shrimp with any frags that I had aiptasia on and he cleaned them right up. If they are on the rockwork it sucks for sure.

[@Chefsoen]

Two little fishies salt portion. 3.25 cups salt mix for 5 gal.

[@InappropriateReefer]

Solid, will try using this as a starting point next time! 🙏

[@ultimatefishkeeping]

Hi Mok-Yi. How are you, Sir? Congratulations on your new Fish. It is absolutely beautiful. It reminds me of a #Sulferhead #Haplochromis (#Cichlid). The only thing it is more beautiful than a #Sulfuerhead #Cichlid. Your video has now been given the 25th Like 🤙🏼to say, thankyou very much for sharing. Have a great Weekend and take care, Sir. 🤙🏼🙂🤙🏼❤️

[@InappropriateReefer]

I just googled the Sulferhead Hap, beautiful fish that I did not know exist before -- thank you for that! Have a great week and see you next time!

[@ultimatefishkeeping]

@InappropriateReefer My pleasure, Sir. Had I not kept African Cichlids for a while, I probably would not have known about that Fish. Yet, I really do say that Marine Fish is by far my favorite. Thankyou, and likewise. See you next time. Take care, Sir. 🤙🏼🙂🤙🏼❤️

[@cantusaurus8530]

Talbots are a good choice, they do look really nice in person. Very underrated fish. I think they can be found captive bred as well.

[@aaronfitz2892]

I think a potential reason they may not eat apstasia is maybe feeding to often or there is extra waste that they are eating. I've noticed the single one I have in my 180 he keeps the whole tang clean surprisingly but once I feed too much he kinda stops eating them and in like a week I have a good bit.

[@InappropriateReefer]

I am getting that sense after reading the comments, time for the tank to go on a diet! 😆 Thanks for the idea!

[@bocaorientalrugcarpetandti1273]

Very beautiful clam

[@bobbyiceman]

It does kinda look like an angelfish lol

[@xerxesz582]

My local petcos had about 8 baby mccullochi clownfish for sale I couldn’t believe my eyes lol, of course I bought 2 they were $90 each, does your petcos ever get crazy random rare stuff in like mine I still can’t believe I have a pair of mccullochi clowns

[@josgraha]

such a gorgeous fish and tank, amazing. so the people on youtube and r2r seem to go on about berghia nudibranchs for apthaisa.

[@InappropriateReefer]

I was initially going to go for Berghia, but they haven't been available locally for a few months (plus I'd lose them after the Aiptasia issue is solved) so I decided to give Peppermint a try. Reading the comments, maybe I should cut back on feeding to encourage the Shrimps..

[@gocedimoski728]

For an fish which will cost you another 100$ on victims 😬😭

[@NihilusMike]

Peppermint shrimp don't seem to do anything for me either. They hide, irritate my torch, and don't touch aiptasia. I've never seen them touch one - after a year of them doing nothing at all I'm finally going to move mine on and try something else

[@strat1960s]

I have taken a break from fighting aptasia. I have tried, copper band(s), berghia, and peppermint shrimp. Nothing seems to be working. In fact, I saw a few of the larger aptasia feasting on a peppermint shrimp. ARGH! I seem to be going through some of the same tank issues you are. I lost a torch and when I did my weekly manual water test, my phos and nitrate are too high. Need to buy some more salt and do extra water changes. I also replaced the carbon and GFO in my reactor. I look forward to your next video.

[@backwardpawn9475]

I recently tried Red Sea Aiptasia-X. Was super effective and easy to use.

[@strat1960s]

@@backwardpawn9475 only a handful of the aptasia are visible in my tank. I probably have 20 or so golfball sized ones in my overflow box. I may try the Aptasia x for the larger ones in the display tank and quarantine tank

[@InappropriateReefer]

Good luck on your war on Aiptasias my friend!! I also have some large Aiptasias in the overflow box that I could not get to, but I figure by now they're probably in the pipes too. I'm going to try to always have some sort of Aiptasia eater in the display to keep things in check... if Peppermint end up working out, that'd be great, otherwise I may look to Copperband next which I'm not especially keened on, since I'd need to start feeding frozen consistently and I'd be fearing for my smaller clams... PS - an aiptasia actually ate a peppermint shrimp?!

[@joeydaugherty5991]

It took 4-6 months before my peppermint started taking them out

[@thomasflynn8199]

I have a trio of Chrysiptera damsels in my 75. A Azure, Rollands, and Talbots. All get along with my other inhabitants just fine. If you really want damsels in a community tank stick with the Chrysiptera type.

[@atfinthehouse8631]

Starki - star - ki Just like Mo-kie

[@arvinsanolin3110]

Add another 4 Starcks Damsels

[@lt2869]

Please do yourself a giant favor n buy about 10 berghia nudis….. promise they will get the job done! Dunno why more aquarists won’t go that route?!?!? They absolutely work, just a lil patience at 1st, they need a wk or 2 b4 u start 2 see a difference. I have several wrasse including halichoeres n my tanks and the nudis still get the job done.

[@tyhintzke8112]

I think with the pepermints, I would wait at least a month. Ive had peps 2 times whip out aiptasia. Just have to feed them after they go thru the aiptasia or they will go rogue.

[@jonathanreich9694]

That is a beautiful fish and I would love to get one, but it is a damsel, is it as aggressive as the rest of the damsels are?

[@knox7945]

Starcki's are the least aggressive damsel fish along with the Azure Damsel. I have one and he's pretty chill.

[@les959]

Regal tang destroyed one of my acropora! i saw it biting the ends off

[@lt2869]

Oh and if u can, remove peppermint shrimp, they will definitely hinder(predation)the berghia progress.

[@atfinthehouse8631]

But might actually be a starkii (which is star-ki-eye)

[@enqiyang2829]

You have to get a convict tang. Trust me

[@user-ri1gk2zr8b]

My LFS better not get any ideas!!

[@MrJasonGlass]

I don’t QT every fish I buy.

[@JonGilGonefishing]

Third.

[@Ashton.munozz]

Nice fish but to aggressive I don’t trust them

[@wmars4655]

The price of something is only what somebody's willing to pay for it. Maybe I should call my house a million dollar house just in case some dummy wants to pay a million.

[@MostlyReefs]

You obviously have more money than sense. I said what I said!

[@SoundlessFantasy]

No one wants that fish lmao

[@Alx77771]

Love your videos.. Million Dollar Questions..Is this damsel really peaceful??..I got a Fairy Wrasse and a Purple fire fish..in a 55 gallon..Can I add a small Starki?? Help😀