Inhabitants Questions:

[sublime]

The Tank:
90 GAL tank 48x18x24. Right now water turn over through the sump is ~750gal/hour and the turnover inside the tank including the HOB protein skimmer, an OCT-800, is ~600gal/hour. There are two medium sized clown fish, 15-20 hermit crabs, 10 nass snails, 10 mexican turbos, and 5 small snails. There are also ~15 muscles in there and 5 peppermint shrimp. There is 120 lbs of live rock from Flordia, 50 lbs from the LFS and 50 dead lbs from the LFS. The pistol shrimp came with the Flordia live rock shipment along with about 10 other types of hitchhikers. I have a 230w lighting system with 4 bulbs, two 10,000's and 2 blue actinic.

I have my rock designed to have water movement that varies greatly throughout the tank. My eventual goal would be to have a peaceful tank that can house a couple seahorses, and a few more fish with a wide variety of LPS and SPS corals that can co-exist in the very restrictive environment I have set forth. I realize I will have to compromise greatly during this build and it is a 3 year plan. I do need another Koralia pump maybe two to get my desired water flow. There is a also a wide variety of "lamp and shade".

The tank has been setup for ~16 weeks now.

I just got rid of my red slime, I am about to wage a war on the aiptasia.

I have a few questions about my inhabitants that came with the Florida live rock. Before I start planing the fish population.

Q1: I have ~15 muscles in the tank they are all decent size 1.5-3", how much waste are they producing, and how many less fish will I be able to have in there with them? They are cool and ideally I would like to keep them, or at least some of them. I read somewhere they can mess with seahorses?

Q2: Is a pistol shrimp an okay thing to have in the tank? I had two, I think there is only one left after I killed the other one. I don't really want to have to find this one. I would rather buy some gobies for it to pair with. Can it break the tank? - How do I know this is a pistol shrimp? It fits the size requirements and I got a good look at the one I pulled out. Also, it makes the popping noise all the time and has the right looking claw and colors. However, I want to try to identify the exact Latin name for it but I am having a hard time finding a list.

Q3: I think this is Cladocora Arbuscula - the small "tube coral" or "ivory tree coral" native to Caribbean. Is this a desirable coral to have? I have a couple pieces doing very well.

Q4: I think this is Echinometra Lucunter, or "rock boring urchin". Is this desirable to have in the tank? I have three of them about 1/2 inch across, maybe a little less.

Q5: I also have this other type of coral that seems to be part of the rock that has long hair like tubes come out of it during different times of the day. What is this?

I have other images, but this forum won't allow more than four images per post, I don't see why.

Q6: What could have stung me when I was moving the live rock? It has been over two weeks and two days ago the welts started to itch and puss.

Q7: Is this aiptasia bad? (The stuff I am going to wage war on.) I got the peppermint shrimp to kill the aiptasia, they seem to be killing some slowly. But I need to kill the big ones right? I have some stuff I bought from the LFS to do it, comes with a syringe.

Q8: Is there a way to promote coralline algae color, health and growth?



Help on any one of these issues would be great. Thanks to anyone that can help.

Brandon

 

[Aquadiva]

Q6: There is a lot of bacteria and other undesirable stuff in our tanks that can have health effects. I recall someone allergic to salt water (seriously) and I will never forget the Ryan "lip" saga.

http://www.bostonreefers.org/forums/showthread.php?t=11841&highlight=lips

If it has been two weeks and it is starting to pus, it sounds like a trip to the doctors is in order, and make sure they know how you got it. There is a marine bacteria that is pretty nasty. Maybe someone will remember the name.

Found it: http://www.medicinenet.com/mycobacterium_marinum/article.htm

 

[sublime]

Well, just today, the welts seem to be going down in size and itching less. I have been using quite a bit of topical benadryl though. I was just hoping to figure out what happened. It is localized to one area of my arm and one welt on my other arm. Both were in the water for about an hour moving rocks around. I figure it has to be something I touched. Was just hoping someone may have had some idea of what it was.

Thanks for your reply and a quite interesting link.

Brandon

 

[Aquadiva]

possibly the aptaisia... glad to hear it it clearing up, though.

 

[jtmac]

question 8- keep your calcium up around 400 or better and your mag at 1300. this will help the growth. It also helps to spred it by shaving it ff a rock and let it float and land else where. This could take a while to get it going but once its growing strong it will take over. Nothing good ever happens fast in this hobby!

 

[molsen187]

if you want to keep seahorses it really is best to set up a tank that is just for them. they require colder temps than most reefs are. they become more suceptible to disease in the warmer waters.

pistol shrimps are cool little guys i used to have one in my 55f. that being said i wouldn't want another one he was always kicking up sand into the water column and grabbing frags and dragging them into his den.

 

[JayM]

I hate to say it, but I would start over on rock if you have that much aiptasia

 

[sublime]

moslen187: I will keep doing my research on the seahorses. Sounds like there is a good chance I just wont be able to do that with this one. I may try though.

Would you trap the pistol shrimp and put him in sump? Or what would you do? Can they crack a tank? Do they go after fish or pistol shrimp?

jtmac: Thanks for the tips

JayM: I would like to try to battle them. I have heard success stories. I will at least give it a shot. I have a long time before they need to be gone I may end up getting a butterfly to just let the shrimp catch up and then give it away.


Thank you for taking the time all.

Brandon

 

[MisFit]

Q1: I have ~15 muscles in the tank they are all decent size 1.5-3", how much waste are they producing, and how many less fish will I be able to have in there with them? They are cool and ideally I would like to keep them, or at least some of them. I read somewhere they can mess with seahorses?

The mussels are fine, they are not producing a bunch of waste, they are filtering your water. If you want them to live long term you will need to supplement with phytoplankton. IF you want seahorses go with the erectus (from florida where your rock is from) and keep the tank around 72-74 degrees. You will want to get rid of the clownfish though, they are too aggressive for seahorses.

Q2: Is a pistol shrimp an okay thing to have in the tank? I had two, I think there is only one left after I killed the other one. I don't really want to have to find this one. I would rather buy some gobies for it to pair with. Can it break the tank? - How do I know this is a pistol shrimp? It fits the size requirements and I got a good look at the one I pulled out. Also, it makes the popping noise all the time and has the right looking claw and colors. However, I want to try to identify the exact Latin name for it but I am having a hard time finding a list.

Pistol shrimp are fine in your tank. They will go after your peppermints if they are not kept well feed. Feed them krill a few times a week. They will not break your tank, those are large mantis that break tanks.
Try checking out the species here for id http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpheidae

Q3: I think this is Cladocora Arbuscula - the small "tube coral" or "ivory tree coral" native to Caribbean. Is this a desirable coral to have? I have a couple pieces doing very well.

I agree with your id. Pretty easy coral to deal with, feed occasionally with brine, cyclopeeze or chopped mysis, seems to do well in a wide range of light conditions in my Caribbean tank.

I think this is Echinometra Lucunter, or "rock boring urchin". Is this desirable to have in the tank? I have three of them about 1/2 inch across, maybe a little less.

Hard to tell when its so small, but you are probably right. It will mostly graze on algae in your tank, including coraline algae. Even though it does eat coraline it will actually help increase the amount of coraline in the tank as it removes the film algae from the rocks it gives the coraline more spots to grow.

I also have this other type of coral that seems to be part of the rock that has long hair like tubes come out of it during different times of the day. What is this?

Looks like it might be smooth flower coral Eusmilia fastigiata or hidden cup coral Phyllangia americana. impossible to tell from the photo. Feed with brine, cyclopeeze or mysis. Keep somewhat shaded.

What could have stung me when I was moving the live rock? It has been over two weeks and two days ago the welts started to itch and puss.

A lot of things could have stung you including some sponges. Most likely you just got scratched by the rock and it got infected. Reef tanks can be sources of some nasty infections like mycobacteria and vibrio and sources of neurotoxins from some fish and corals like zooanthids and palys. Look those up and educate yourself. Wear gloves when you can and wash, disinfect and neosporin the crap out of any cuts or scrapes.

Is this aiptasia bad? (The stuff I am going to wage war on.) I got the peppermint shrimp to kill the aiptasia, they seem to be killing some slowly. But I need to kill the big ones right? I have some stuff I bought from the LFS to do it, comes with a syringe.

You need a crew of peppermints for them to feel safe enough to venture out and eat the aiptasia. They will not eat the large ones. You will have to kill those on your own or at least injure them enough to entice them to go after it. Remember to keep your pistol shrimp fed so it doesnt eat your peppermints. With all the hitchhiker corals I would not do my best to wage war against the aiptasia.

Q8: Is there a way to promote coralline algae color, health and growth?

High levels of calcium and high levels of magnesium

 

[sublime]

The mussels are fine, they are not producing a bunch of waste, they are filtering your water. If you want them to live long term you will need to supplement with phytoplankton. IF you want seahorses go with the erectus (from florida where your rock is from) and keep the tank around 72-74 degrees. You will want to get rid of the clownfish though, they are too aggressive for seahorses.

Well, I talked with my girl, and she says we should just wait and get a tank just for seahorses. I think she is right. This is going to be too cool of a reef tank that I don't want to restrict it so much. Thanks for the advice. I bought some phytoplankton supplement today, Kent Marine. 1 drop per 50 gallons every other day. Does this also feed the dozens of feather dusters I have in there?

Pistol shrimp are fine in your tank. They will go after your peppermints if they are not kept well feed. Feed them krill a few times a week. They will not break your tank, those are large mantis that break tanks.
Try checking out the species here for id http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpheidae

Cool. Good to know. How do I feed the pistol without feeding the peppermints? I want the peppermints to stay hungry for aiptasia. Also, is my tank ready for a watchman goby that could pair with this shrimp?

I agree with your id. Pretty easy coral to deal with, feed occasionally with brine, cyclopeeze or chopped mysis, seems to do well in a wide range of light conditions in my Caribbean tank.

How do you feed it?

Hard to tell when its so small, but you are probably right. It will mostly graze on algae in your tank, including coraline algae. Even though it does eat coraline it will actually help increase the amount of coraline in the tank as it removes the film algae from the rocks it gives the coraline more spots to grow.

These things are growing quickly. I will get some more pics in a few weeks.

Looks like it might be smooth flower coral Eusmilia fastigiata or hidden cup coral Phyllangia americana. impossible to tell from the photo. Feed with brine, cyclopeeze or mysis. Keep somewhat shaded.

It is Phyllangia americana, thanks! Is this a nice one to have? Or do people usually get rid of it? I think it looks cool and there are about 4 different patches in my tank. Some are only a couple cups.

A lot of things could have stung you including some sponges. Most likely you just got scratched by the rock and it got infected. Reef tanks can be sources of some nasty infections like mycobacteria and vibrio and sources of neurotoxins from some fish and corals like zooanthids and palys. Look those up and educate yourself. Wear gloves when you can and wash, disinfect and neosporin the crap out of any cuts or scrapes.

I am going to get some gloves and for now, not put my hands in the tank unless absolutely necessary.

You need a crew of peppermints for them to feel safe enough to venture out and eat the aiptasia. They will not eat the large ones. You will have to kill those on your own or at least injure them enough to entice them to go after it. Remember to keep your pistol shrimp fed so it doesnt eat your peppermints. With all the hitchhiker corals I would not do my best to wage war against the aiptasia.

Great advice. I have 5 peppermints in there right now. Only today have I noticed a drastic decline in the aiptasia population. There are only a few big ones I need to get myself which should be fairly easy and these shrimp should keep any new large ones from cropping up.

High levels of calcium and high levels of magnesium

I will watch these and try to keep them high.


Thank you for response, it was very helpful.

Brandon