Invert Q's

[fishwatcher]

I've been enlightened to the fact that urchins usually don't do well in a smaller tank (20g) in that that they may starve.
Is there an urchin that would do well in this tank? Do they all eat corraline algae?
Also, do emerald crabs kill hermits and/or snails? Or even vice-versa?
Is there a starfish small enough for my 20-g?
I'm just trying to get my stocking list finalized, so the lfs won't be able to talk me in to something I don't really know about.
Thank!!

 

[shibby]

urchins may be too big for tank and yes a fair few eat corraline.

starfish maybe a dwarf brsittle star or sandsifter, ive seen starfish in nanos before ... just not sure though how long theyve lived in one, needs to be well matrued first.

not heard of emeralds killing hermits or snails before or vice versa great little eaters they are.

 

[AndyS]

I've been enlightened to the fact that urchins usually don't do well in a smaller tank (20g) in that that they may starve.
Is there an urchin that would do well in this tank? Do they all eat corraline algae?
Also, do emerald crabs kill hermits and/or snails? Or even vice-versa?
Is there a starfish small enough for my 20-g?
I'm just trying to get my stocking list finalized, so the lfs won't be able to talk me in to something I don't really know about.
Thank!!

Urchin - Not sure about that one but SH has kept a longspine urchin in his 24 gallon for a while now i believe.

Crab - Any predatory crab will become opportunistic, theres a possibility that an emerald crab could kill a hermit or snail, but i have never had any problems with the two i have had. Beware though, some LFS sell Gorilla crabs as Emerald crabs, and they are more aggressive.

Starfish - No unless you want the possibility (and inevitability) of it nuking your tank, most starve in small tanks.

 

[fishwatcher]

How can you tell the difference bt those 2 crabs? (I'm assuming they look alike.)
I guess I'll skip the starfish and just plan on trying an urchin in a few months or so, once I have plenty of algae, granted I can find one that will fit and doesn't eat corraline algae.
How many snails and hermits would you suggest for my tank? And would I add them all together or a certain number at a time?

 

[SkiFletch]

They pretty much all eat Coraline

 

[Donya]

My little 10-line urchin has never eaten coralline...but that could be because my tank is chock full of macro that it eats all day long and sometimes it gets a nori snack. Nobody else I've talked to about that species has put coralline on its list of foods either though. Just be careful with stocking combos, 'cause some urchins will snack on other inverts given the opportunity. I watched mine catch and eat a bristleworm once and it's not even considered a predatory species

Is there a starfish small enough for my 20-g?

Asterina stars? Sorry...they're all over my 12 gallon reproducing at a regular rate, so that's one type that does ok even if it is considered a pest by a lot of people.

 

[fishwatcher]

What is a 10-line urchin? I did a google search for it but nothing came up.
Also, how do I go about getting asterina starfish, since they seem to be pests? Is there someplace that sells them?

 

[@ombomb]

I have loads of micro brittle stars in my tank that seem to be thriving, but are hardly the same impact as a bright orange fromia which is probably what you had in mind...

I bought an urchin specifically to munch on the coraline algae... I have way too much of it!

 

[Donya]

What is a 10-line urchin? I did a google search for it but nothing came up.

Hmmm...odd. Guess that's not as common a name for them as I thought. What I've got is a Eucidaris metularia. The main book I have describing it says it's also called a "small salter pencil urchin" but I've never seen them referred to as that in the pet trade. Anyway, it's one of these guys:

http/saltaquarium.about.com/library/phot...linedurchin.htm

Only downside to that species I've found so far is that mine has evidently been chewing at one particular spot on the rockwork for some time and is making a small indentation as a result (no clue why it's doing that; I guess there must be good eats hidden in there). Other than that it's been quite an interesting little guy.

Also, how do I go about getting asterina starfish, since they seem to be pests? Is there someplace that sells them?

I don't think any place sells them. They're usually hitchhikers, which is how I got mine. The risk with Asterinas is that, although they're kind of fun (really small though...couple cm at most), they can overpopulate and it's nearly impossible to ID the species and some are known coral-eaters. The types I've got arn't problematic, but I only know them as "blue ones" and "brown ones" since they look identical in every aspect but color.

 

[fishwatcher]

I don't plan on having any corals, other than whatever may pop-up and thrive on it's own, so after a while I may have enough coraline for an urchin.
That is a cool urchin you have, Donya! Stupid me googled 10-line, not ten-line! I think I prefer the look of the typical pincushion urchin, but depending on what they have when it's time to try one...
I'm hoping to have some kind of good hitchhiker on my lr, but so far I've seen none, other than a piece of leather coral and this round white thing that's kind of like a group of small fuzzy circles. Not sure what it is, but it's kind of pretty, so I'm hoping it'll develop.
I think I may try a brittle starfish whenever the time comes. They should handle the tank condition ok, I think.

 

[Hobbit]

Im getting a mantis, so my only choices are pretty much an urchin, starfish, or a large turbo. From what ive gathered, you can feed them algea wafers, or other things, he doesnt need to get ALL his food from your tank.

 

[Donya]

From what ive gathered, you can feed them algea wafers, or other things, he doesnt need to get ALL his food from your tank.

Yep, dried seaweed works great. I give that to all the herbivores in my tanks as a supplement. The turbos are lazy and wait at the "feeding spot" in the morning until they get a handout...they're fun to hand-feed but they get spoiled quickly

 

[fishwatcher]

Would the lfs have dried seaweed, or is that something I'd get elsewhere?
Thanks!

 

[Donya]

A LFS would likely carry the expensive stuff, but plain old nori works just fine. $10 per pack vs. $1.50 per pack...the expensive brands like Sea Veggies can be more nutritious if there's truely nothing else to eat in the tank, but I've not had problems since I started using nori from my grocery store. If you do get the LFS dried seaweed, best to go with a green type first, since the red/purple/etc. ones arn't accepted by all herbivores IME.

 

[fishwatcher]

Do you use one of those veggie clips, or will it sink?
Thanks!