My First Fish...

Hi All,

I've enjoyed reading the forums for ages, and finally decided to post my own questions...

I've recently invested in a 180l tank with skimmer, 2 x T8s and 2 powerheads for a slow-build marine set up. I've had it for just over a month, and in that time added 2 hermit crabs (1 red, 1 blue, although the blue died after a few days), 6 turbos, 20 small ceriths, 10 nassarius snails and 5kg of live rock. I also have live sand and about 20kg of porous ocean rock (which is already growing soft coral courtesy of my live rock).

Anyway, it's about time to think about getting a fish! So, my main question was what would everyone recommend? (not clownfish though, out of personal preference and an aversion to Disney) And can I add more than one at once?

Now, a couple of nagging questions that I can't seem to find the answer to online...

1. I've just built a perspex condensation guard for the top of the tank as I've been losing about 10L a week. It fits fine, but will it affect the levels of light going into the tank? (It's flat, so the condensation collects on the underside).

2. Is it safe to add more invertebrates at the same time as the first fish(es)? (I have to admit that as fascinated as I am by my single hermit crab, I don't know how much longer I can stare solely at her and a few snails!)

3. Bristle Worms - I have at least four small specimens which are half pink and half brown (although one is about 3inches long now). Should I be concerned?!

I feel like I've cheated a bit for asking so many questions all at once, but any thoughts or answers would be much appreciated!!

Thank you.

Hi and welcome to the marine forum of TFF

Ok lets try and get you started then...

First fish.. flasher wrasses are great fish for a community and with a cover you wont have a problem with them jumping.
The same applies to firefish as these are great first fish to add.
I personally like the banana wrasse as these are bright and hardy and dont seem as territorial as the six line wrasse.

As for the lid.. Well it will cut out some light but as long as you keep it clean (algae will grow on this very fast). then you should be ok. I would watch the temperature however as this is the tanks natural way of cooling itselg.

Its perfectly safe to add more inverts at the same time. I would take longer to aclimatise them however as they are more delicate to chnging conditions than most fish. Inverts give out much much less waste material than fish so you can add as many as you like to be honest.

Bristleworms.. Not a problem. Good cleaners to your crew.. if you have 4 then you can be assured you have 40 more.

Hope tis gives you a bit of a direction to take your system.

1. I've just built a perspex condensation guard for the top of the tank as I've been losing about 10L a week. It fits fine, but will it affect the levels of light going into the tank? (It's flat, so the condensation collects on the underside).

So its between the lights and the water? If so, it'll decrease your light output somewhat, but that depends on how thick it is. If its 3/8" or thinner I wouldnt be too concerned. If its over 3/8" thick I'd be worried.

2. Is it safe to add more invertebrates at the same time as the first fish(es)? (I have to admit that as fascinated as I am by my single hermit crab, I don't know how much longer I can stare solely at her and a few snails!)

Yeah, MOST inverts pose very little biological load on the tank and can be added at will. Hermits are like that. The only inverts I'd be worried about thier impact would be like sea hares, or large conch's. If you want a couple more hermits, feel free.

3. Bristle Worms - I have at least four small specimens which are half pink and half brown (although one is about 3inches long now). Should I be concerned?!

Most bristleworms are just fine to have in a tank and are good detritus eaters. Unless they start harassing other tankmates during feeding I'd leave them where they are

As for a first fish, I'd reccomend a small wrasse or fairy wrasse. Great looking active little fish. You might also consider gobies, blennies, or other "nano" fish. I'd stay away from something the size of a dwarf angel as a first inhabitant. Right now your bio load is very low and you dont want to stress your system with a big fish so start with a single small specimin And make sure to take pictures

That's interesting.

I was sure that the light level dropped slightly when I added the perspex.

Here's a shot of the tank anyway.

Looking good

Did you buy that rock from Monty Burns

Personally I would do away with teh Perpex & just top up RO every day

Chac said:

Did you buy that rock from Monty Burns

Click to expand...

I don't get it

Tank's looking good, londonwriter.
As for a first fish, I back up Navarre and SkiFletch's suggestions. But its really up to you, as the owner. Just stay away from bigger fish

If you have an RO unit, I might do away with the perpex, like Chac said.

-Lynden

Monty who? Sorry, you've lost me!

I would have been happy to just top up with RO but I've been doing it once a week and adding quite a lot. The hermit crab doesn't seem to like it much! The first time I put it straight in, and she collapsed as the PH dropped. Since then I aerate overnight, add salt and baking soda to the mix to make sure the PH is ok, and it seems to work alright, although she still didn't look that happy.

I just figured that keeping the water in the tank might be a better option? It does make a difference to the light though.

Oh, and here's my soft coral! I'm quite proud as it was minute when it first arrived on the live rock. It's spread everywhere too!

emm , i was just browsing the topic , and have no sw experience - but that looks to me like aiptasia

yea that looks like aiptasia to me as well, not something to be happy about. And if I recall Nems of any sort are considered a type of stony coral (dont quote me on that) anyways.

To explain the monty burns joke ---- Simpsons is a tv show. Monty runs the nuclear powerplant, and as a result lots of things glow green, just like your rock. Get it now?

Ive been partial to Psuedochromis's. They are beautiful and have lots of personality. My favorite two are the neon and the fridmani. check em out.

londonwriter said:

Oh, and here's my soft coral! I'm quite proud as it was minute when it first arrived on the live rock. It's spread everywhere too!

Click to expand...

That's an Aiptasia alright! And it spreading and growing is - I'm afraid - not something to be happy about! It's what Aiptasia are famous for, and by the looks of it the infestation may be already to far gone to be cured without drastic measure!
Ah, well; you could pretend it was a soft coral! And, if you are content with it, a wonderfully hardy and fast-growing alternative to corals... because really, Aiptasia are one of the few animals that are too adapted to aquarium life. They are pests because they are, essentially, better than everything else, and they make their power known. They are perfectly evolved.

In fact... I set up a special pico tank just for them, but I can't... seem... to... find... one.

-Lynden, also known as
-ChestnutMoray55, the advocator of the good side of pests!

Oh dear!

What does it mean?! So it's actually a plant? What are the problems of leaving it in there? Do you mean it will take over everything else? It looks pretty good, so I'm not sure what the problem is?

More explanation would be very much appreciated!

OK, I got over the panic and checked it out on the web! Anenome, huh?

I think I'll look into getting a peppermint shrimp to try and munch on it. Apparently red legged hermits eat it, but mine is too busy scraping up all the algae! Might try a couple more hermits too, just in case I find one with a taste for tentacles!

Anyway, off to make that first fish purchase now...photos later

Probably the best way to get rid of them is to inject them with hot water vinegar, or a product known as "Joe's Juice".

Peppermint shrimp I would not reccomend because sometimes they eat it, and sometimes they don't. The ones that don't will eat your coral when you get some.

Aiptasia and Majano Anemones! by Me!