Marine Acclimation

[prk22]

I am new to this forum, but think I might benefit well from it.

I started an ecosystem for a college project almost 3 years ago. I have a marine tank with damsels, tangs, hawkfish, dragonets, clownfish, puffers, and others.

I however have acclimated a Columbian shark and Mollies to my reef tank successfully.

I have done much reserach on looking to add a Corydoras to my tank...I read that they are really sensative to variances in salinity. Is this the case for a general shock to a great change...or can I acclimate them over a period of days/weeks?

If not at all, is there another fish I should be looking for that would do their job as a scavenger fish?

Help is much appreciated!

 

[Bloo]

Cories are not marine fish. Why don't you stick to Marine scavengers?

 

[prk22]

Cories are not marine fish. Why don't you stick to Marine scavengers?

I am aware most are freshwater based. Do you recommend marine scavengers that resemble cories?

Could someone please answer the original question though?

 

[andywg]

Cories have evolved in very soft waters with little to no appreciable salt levels. I doubt any of the species will survive any length of time in a marine habitat due to them not being able to osmoregulate.

Acclimatising mollies and columbian shark cats isn't that huge a thing as both are naturally brackish, so already have the capability to osmoregulate in water with salt in it.

 

[jollysue]

Wonder of wonders! I agree with andywg! Nice answer, andywg.

Yeah, andywg is correct. Corys are not good candidates, and while I have not tried your experiment, I predict that you will kill the Corys.

Also, while I am open to using salt occasionally and andywg is much more often opposed to it, we appear to adamantly disaprove of this use.

Additionally, Corys are a very defensless fish and more easily stressed by their tankmates.

 

[Kuhni]

if your after a marine scavenger, assuming your aquarium is at least 60-70G, you could probabably fit a bicolour goatfish, they look very catfishy as well as being free of the problems associated with coral catfish

 

[andywg]

if your after a marine scavenger, assuming your aquarium is at least 60-70G, you could probabably fit a bicolour goatfish, they look very catfishy as well as being free of the problems associated with coral catfish

Ummm, no, I don't think so.

Scott Michael recommends a 100 gallon minimum in Reef Fishes Volume 3 (Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes) and one can certainly never accuse Michael of recommending tanks larger than necessary, stating as he does a 55 gallon minimum for a Pterois volitans (Volitans lionfish) which grows past 12" and becomes a very large fish.

Add to this the fact that Parupeneus barberinoides has extremely variable survival rates in captivity and I don't think that it will be a good choice.

For anyone interested in a bit more information relating to keeping cories in salted water (though in this case light brackish up to a maximum of 10% sea water (SG of 1.003) consider reading this thread.

 

[jollysue]

I'm inclined to thimk Khuni had his tongue in his cheek.

That looks like a really interesting thread, andywg, and I will puruse it when I have some down time.

Thanks.

 

[andywg]

I'm inclined to thimk Khuni had his tongue in his cheek.

That's as maybe, but left unchallenged someone else might have considered it a good idea.

 

[Kuhni]

Deleted- double post.

 

[Kuhni]

if your after a marine scavenger, assuming your aquarium is at least 60-70G, you could probabably fit a bicolour goatfish, they look very catfishy as well as being free of the problems associated with coral catfish

Ummm, no, I don't think so.

Scott Michael recommends a 100 gallon minimum in Reef Fishes Volume 3 (Angelfishes & Butterflyfishes) and one can certainly never accuse Michael of recommending tanks larger than necessary, stating as he does a 55 gallon minimum for a Pterois volitans (Volitans lionfish) which grows past 12" and becomes a very large fish.

Add to this the fact that Parupeneus barberinoides has extremely variable survival rates in captivity and I don't think that it will be a good choice.

For anyone interested in a bit more information relating to keeping cories in salted water (though in this case light brackish up to a maximum of 10% sea water (SG of 1.003) consider reading this thread.

Hrmm.. Strange.. At work we often get goatfish and from our experience they are almost bulletproof, have never heard of this low survival rate, I have researched quite a bit using the site Wet Web Media and they seem to support my observations of them being a very hardy fish albeit one with a tendency to jump. I'm definitely getting one for my first marine aquarium, a 6x2x2.
Actually, I'm not telling the complete truth, wet web media believes they are an extremely hardy fish when they arrive in good condition, stating something along the lines of: "there are two states of goatfish, Ready to go or belly up and dead." Although in my experience having witnessed a small number of goatfish and their adaption to aquarium conditions, I would say they are quite the hardy fish, just remember this is simply from my experience.


Regards,
Michael

 

[andywg]

Hrmm.. Strange.. At work we often get goatfish and from our experience they are almost bulletproof, have never heard of this low survival rate, I have researched quite a bit using the site Wet Web Media and they seem to support my observations of them being a very hardy fish albeit one with a tendency to jump. I'm definitely getting one for my first marine aquarium, a 6x2x2.
Actually, I'm not telling the complete truth, wet web media believes they are an extremely hardy fish when they arrive in good condition, stating something along the lines of: "there are two states of goatfish, Ready to go or belly up and dead." Although in my experience having witnessed a small number of goatfish and their adaption to aquarium conditions, I would say they are quite the hardy fish, just remember this is simply from my experience.

Indeed, though the experience of an lfs is not going to provide a great deal on survivability. Most lfs can probably sell on a moorish idol or a ribbon tail blue spotted ray and they look ok. However these fish almost never feed well in captivity and even professional aquaria are hit and miss on them surviving more than 6 months.

Also, wet web media is only talking about the goatfish family in general when mentioning hardiness, whereas Michael was talking on the particular species suggested above.

 

[jollysue]

Ah, well, guess I was wrong. And Khuni can certainly speak well enough for himself.