First Marine Tank :)

[seffieuk]

I am staying away from zaos after reading that thread where the guy nearly died. No thanks :\ They look great but if their that toxic, im out.

Dont rule out Zoas, just make sure you wash your hands after they have been in the tank, should do this anyway and never touch your face after your hands have been in the tank before washing them, again, a rule you should follow anyway. All salties should keep antihistamin in their medicine cupboard as well as tell their nearest and dearest that your tank can harbour some pretty strange things so if you get ill and need to go to hospital, make sure you mention you have a marine tank!

Anyone heard of a green tree coral? LFS has a nice piece for nice price, considering getting it soon.

Remember the rule, buy nothing unless you know exactly what it is look up Kenya tree

Also are peppermint shrimp a good addition to the clean up crew?

Only if you have small aiptaisia

peanut worms and worms in general are good guys and a valued member of the cuc

 

[indir-emir]

Glad to hear about the worms. Looks like a kenya tree to me, brighter green then ive managed to find so far. But looks like kenya tree. Would i be okay to go and buy this coral today? Parameters from my LFS testing my water have been consistant since ive started taking it to them.

Are the peppermints no good without the pest anenome, aiptasia? I quite like how they look, im happy to try spot feeding them somehow.

 

[Morri]

Peppermints are fine addtion to the CUC but you will rarely see them I have 2 in my tank I only see them under moonlights I would look at blood shrimps (do best as pairs) or cleaner shrimps these will be seen more often and add peppermints if you start getting aiptasia.

How long has the tank been running what are your stats at:

PH
Temp
Sal
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate
Phosphate

 

[indir-emir]

PH is 8.2
Temp is 24-25 Celcius
Salinity is 1.025
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nirate 5-10
Phosphate - not sure off that one

It has all remained this way over the past few days was a small spike in ammonia on the 2nd day at just above 0, but dropped next day and has remained that way since. Have got it tested at a good LFS that i regularely visit, and watched her do the tests My personal test kits have not arrived yet, do the fresh water API test kits work on salt water? Some peopl say that they do but its a mixed opinion thing. Might test and see what happens lol.

I think it will be okay to add the coral and/or the peppermints as long as i kept an eye on the stats?

I am keen on the peppermint shrimp, i quite like them Really remind me of cherry shrimp from my fresh water days Just alot bigger hehe.

 

[Morri]

Those stats seem fine I would look for a small softee frag by all means you can add the peppermint but I would be surprised if you see them much i would also add a couple of turbos and a couple of hermits not to many though.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Would agree with Morri (apart from the crabs ). Peppermint shrimp are nice and they are good scavengers as well. However they also hide 99% of the time so you will never see them.

I would never willing put hermit crabs in a reef system again. They tend to eat snails and annoy corals, not to mention that they are also pretty rubbish when it comes to being CUC. Personally I think a mix of snails works best (cerith, turbos and nassarius are a good combination). Crabs in general are opportunistic scavengers and will eat whatever they want when they get hungry.

 

[indir-emir]

Thanks alot guys. Big step

Not a large fan of crabs personally for that exact reason Barney. Read to many stories of hte craps eating their tank mates. Going to go for a mix of snails along with the shrimp, i really like the shrimp

I decided to buy the shrimp and the coral today. Went with 2 peppermint shrimp and the green tree coral, really liked the look of both of them. I dont mind only seeing the shrimp at night as I tend to be home at night alot more then the day majority of the time. They have settled in nicely. Have put the coral in the middle of the tank, gets a small amount of direct flow and consistant moderate flow. ITs not as green as it was at the store yet but im sure it will get there soon

Fed the shrimp some mysis shrimp and they were very cool to watch haha. They pulled the shrimp outa the dropper i used to spot feed them in their little rock cave hehe. Should have recorded it

I also tested the water with my API freshwater master test kit. Which appears to work perfectly! Exact same reading for everything. Except ammonia, which is milky in colour but still appears to be the correct colour (yellow) so im not sure on this. I will continue testing with this kit as well as the LFS until my kits arrive

Pics soon to come, uploading them currently.

 

[indir-emir]

Uh oh, just pulled out a crab from the tank! Saw it in the rock somehow while moonlights are on.

Ofcourse my camera battery is dead so no icture till tomorrow when ti recharges...

However here is a description incase someone has an idea. Found hiding in a dark crevice of a live rock.

It is 20mm (2cm) from folded pincer 'elbow' to folded pincer 'elbow'. Is red, shell is a little darker red.Has 3 little antena type things coming of its head. Small red eyes. Shell size is probably about 10mm in diameter. Has 8 legs, which appear to be stripped? Or atleast an inconsistent red/white. Runs sideways and sometimes straightens one claw out when it runs around the container ive got it in to ID. Will try and get a picture ASAP.

Any ideas? Good or bad?

 

[Morri]

Red eyes usually indicate a nocturnal hunter from memory which = bad

 

[indir-emir]

Ok got a picture of the crab, and some shots of the shrimp and coral

Here goes.

Crab I need to ID as its sitting in a container ontop of the tank right now. Cannot id anything from google searches myself... May end up in the refugium either way. See descriptions above.

Peppermint Shrimp:

Green Tree Coral Shot:

Macro shot of the branches of the green tree coral:

Please note my camera is not the best. But is anyone able to ID the coral and the crab for me?

Thanks!

 

[Morri]

Sump the crab or ask your lfs if they will take it else its a visit to the freezer for him imo

 

[indir-emir]

Any ideas on what it actually is though morri?

I dont want to kill the little thing, mean looking as he is haha. Ill put him in the refugium and hope to god he doesnt find his way back to the tank or ill nuke his scary little behind with some boiling water and a fork

Also my coral is kind of sagging/drooping after lights out... Is this normal? Tho i did move it for a few mins while i got the crab of the rock outside the tank... Has been like this since being put back to its position come to think of it Would hate to see it die, it being my first coral and all. Any ideas?

 

[Morri]

I bleive its a Redius Eyed Nastius Crab at a guess
Softies do tend to sulk I would nt worry just yet

 

[indir-emir]

Thanks morri! Your a great help mate. Making me relax a little hehe. Going to reserach that crab now.

Does the coral look like a kenya tree to you? Appears so to my newbie eyes hehe. Just would liek to confirm to make sure it thrives

EDIT: Cannot find a single thing about the Redius Eyed Nastius Crab. Google search of the name comes up with nothing of relevane... Can you gimmie a link or omething with a bit more info or a picture please?

 

[seffieuk]

sorry, I did have to laugh, read it again!

Redius Eyed Nastius Crab

Red Eyed Nasty Crab

Seffie x