FAQs on Stinging-Celled Animal Compatibility 1
Related Articles:
Coral Compatibility: On Reducing Captive Negative Interactions Cnidarians
by Bob Fenner, ppt. vers:
Cnidarian Compatibility: On Reducing Negative Cnidarian Interaction Parts:
1,
2,
3,
4,
5, by Bob Fenner
Cnidarians,
Water Flow, How Much is Enough,
Related FAQs:
Cnidarian Compatibility 2, Cnidarian Compatibility 3, Cnidarian Compatibility 4, Cnidarian Compatibility 5, Anemone Compatibility, Coral Compatibility, Zoanthid Compatibility, Mushroom Compatibility
Soft Coral Compatibility,
Cnidarians 1,
Cnidarians 2, Cnidarian Identification, Cnidarian Selection, Cnidarian Behavior, Cnidarian Systems, Cnidarian Feeding, Cnidarian Disease, Cnidarian Reproduction,
Acclimating Symbiotic Reef Invertebrates to Captive Lighting,
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A note to scientific folks here re aquarium hobbyist use of the term "coral"... this is
often applied to disparate groups of cnidarians... even
hydrozoans like milleporids and Stylasterines! Don't let this
semantic conglomeration throw you... e.g. sometimes gorgonians
are called "corals", other times not.
|
New eBook on Amazon: Available
here
Livestocking Pico, Nano, Mini-Reefs; Small Marine Aquariums
Successfully discovering, determining, picking out the best species,
specimens for under 40 gallon saltwater systems.
Book 1: Principles, Algae, Invertebrates
by Robert (Bob) Fenner |
Massive Coral Infusion! 8/26/05 I'm feeling unsure
about my tank. <Well, we all get that way at times! Scott F here
with you today!> I have a 46 bow with Prizm skimmer, and Fluval 304,
around 40 lbs of live rock, and 3 bags of aragonitic live sand. I have
been slowly adding coral ( 8 or so pieces so far) until
today I added 12 more. ( LT Plate, 2 short Tentacle Plates, 2 Wall
Hammers, 1 Branching Hammer, 1 Branching Frogspawn, Ricordea Mushrooms,
Bullseye, Flowerpot, Green and Purple Star Polyps, Elegance Coral, 2
Brains, Acropora, Bubble Coral, Leather and some more Shrooms).
<Wow! What was the rush, my friend? Adding these corals all at one
time was not one of the better moves you could make...Also, you added a
mix of very aggressive LPS corals, soft corals, and Acropora in a
relatively modest sized tank! Not a great recipe for long-term success,
IMO. I'd try to "specialize" in one type of coral in this
tank. For example, if you like "Large Polyped Stony Corals"
(LPS), stock with mostly LPS. If you are seduced by Acropora, stay with
"Small Polyped Stony Corals" (SPS). There is a lot of
allelopathic competition going on in this tank!> I was told I
probably shocked my tank by adding 12 at one time ( I thought you could
only shock with fish). <Well, remember, corals are living animals,
too, they take on food and eliminate waste, adding to the
"bioload" of the system. This is a tremendous amount of life
to add to any system at one time.> I guess I was wondering if I
messed up my tank and if not how much should I be feeding? <Well, I
wouldn't say that you "messed up", but I would suggest
that you take some corrective actions by specializing, as alluded to
above. As far as feeding is concerned- it's dependent upon the
animals that you keep, and their specific needs. Yes, some of your
corals will benefit from feeding, so research their dietary preferences
and feed accordingly. I guess the one general rule of thumb is to feed
carefully, taking care not to leave excess amounts of uneaten food in
your system to decay and degrade water quality.> How beneficial
would a refugium be? <Refugia are beneficial to almost any system.
In addition to providing additional biodiversity and processing of
organics, the many animals and plants that thrive in a refugium can
provide natural supplemental food sources for your fishes, in the form
of larvae, plankton, etc.> I was thinking about a 40 gallon
refugium.( I also have a Purple Tang, Diamond Goby, and Lion.. I plan
on taking out the lion because of his waste production) <Good idea..
And I would consider removing the Tangs as well, as your tank is kind
of at the "lower limit", size-wise, for keeping this fish on
a long term basis. The 40 gallon refugium is nice, because it
effectively adds to your system's overall water capacity, and
provides greater environmental stability.> Oh, yeah- I have Coralife
PC( 2 96 watt bulbs). <A good light source, but if you intend to
keep the more demanding SPS corals, you may want to increase the
lighting accordingly. As for the future...Study the animals that you
have, make some decisions about what direction you want to go, and do
consider specializing. You really can't "have it all" in
a tank of this size, so slow down and consider trading your unwanted
animals for those that you want to keep. In the future, embrace
quarantine for ALL new animals-even corals, stock carefully, make sure
that your skimmer is producing skimmate regularly, and apply common
sense husbandry (i.e.; water changes). Also, use of chemical filtration
media (activated carbon and/or Poly Filter) is a good idea, as it will
help remove some of the nasty allelopathic compounds being produced by
your corals. Steady as she goes! Good luck! Regards, Scott F.>
Cnidarian interaction, Anglish 8/24/05 I have a question
and a surprising discovery the first is all
my levels are perfect <?> but i cannot get my
Zoanthids to spread, they are not dying at all they are a
lot bigger in size but are not spreading their colonies
out everything is perfect awesome light about 250 watts CF on a
29 gallon tank my mushrooms have tripled in size
<Here's your answer... the Corallimorpharians are suppressing
the Zoanthids> in about 3 months and are going to be
fragged but my zoos are not doing anything i feed Kent's phyto
max every 3 days along with golden pearls once a
week, any ideas? Second i have 10 gallon tank i
use to experiment on corals with my yellow polyps went from
a colony of about 30 to just five left so i got mad and put them in a
tank that was void of live stock but i forgot to turn the
heater up from 72 degrees i did feed them even
though i wouldn't look at them as i have stuff stacked
around it surprisingly after about 2 months i went back to
that tank to pull their rock out to use as a rock to break
up and frag with there are about 100 of them in the tank so
i called a marine biologist i know and he looked them up for
me they grow best at around 70-71 degrees as they will
not tolerate the heat of most normal reef tanks (my display
is at 78 at night to 80 during my photo period that probably
explains why so many people just have them vanish.... thanks
and take care.......Luke <The personal pronoun "I" is
capitalized... "awesome", "perfect" and not
providing scientific names... are subjective evaluations... not useful.
Bob Fenner>
Mixing cnidarians 7/29/05 A year and half into my
first tank (37 tall) I find myself ensnared in beginner
"garden reef" syndrome. <Almost a universal experience>
Noxious combo #1,512: Sinularia and Sarcophyton higher up, Discosoma
and Zoanthids near the bottom. And thanks to a spontaneous
frag trade, I inherited some quickly-growing frags of
Pachyclavularia, Capnella, and Xenia. Finally there's a
medium-sized Montipora that hitchhiked in on the Sarcophyton rock.
<Heeeee, well put> Right now the corals are all well spread apart
but I know this mix won't last forever. In fact the small
Pachyclavularia frag just started kicking the butt of the Sarcophyton
the other day. Sarcophyton closed up like a tulip and the
only polyps that would extend were a few on the opposite side of
the star polyps. That lasted four days; I performed two 10% water
changes, changed out the carbon, but to no avail. So I moved the
polyps, and lo and behold, in a few hours the Sarcophyton was back to
normal. <Yes... not the storybook teevee presentation of the
"peaceful reef" eh?> For the long term plan I have two
questions, 1 specific, 1 general. Specifically: The Sinularia is
gigantic. I want to remove it. The problem is that his stalk is like
3" wide and he's attached to the two largest pieces of rock in
the tank. Any advice on removing? <Can, could cut, move about all,
or more all, including the bits on the rocks and have regenerate, sell,
give away...> I don't want to release horrific waves of
toxins into the tank...but the rocks are such a substantial part of the
tank that removing the rocks would be difficult. How strongly are these
attached to their rocks? <Very... tearing is not a good idea. Best
to sever with a sharp single-edge razorblade (outside the tank...)
rinse, remove to another system/s...> Can the base/stalk be detached
from the rock without cutting much tissue? Or do you have to slice
under the rock a little?. <Can try... with a chisel, grooved side
down... but almost always better to cut the Alcyoniids> Could I
harass it enough to encourage it to loosen its grip? <Not a good
idea> Maybe working at night would be better, since it's half
the size then. Any other suggestions? <Take your time, enjoy
yourself, come out dive/adventure traveling with me/us> Generally: I
have to decide which ones to keep. I'm happy to part with the
Sinularia and Zoos, but that leaves Xenia, Capnella, Sarcophyton,
mushrooms, star polyps. Like so many others I love my Sarcophyton,
I'd like to keep it, frag it. I guess I could run a
Sarcophyton-dominated tank, but I'd like to keep at least a *few*
other corals. I do also like the Xenia a lot, and the star polyps
(which I now know don't mix well with this Sarcophyton). As long as
I leave the Shrooms and star polyps in the mid-to-bottom part of the
tank, can the rest stay on top? <... almost feel like I'm
chatting with a youngster asking for more candies...> My rock
arrangement has sort of upper level and lower level terraces. I know
situations differ widely with regards to setup, particular specimens,
maintenance regimen, etc., so... 37 gallon tall -- to be upgraded to a
75 or 90 55 lbs LR 3" DSB OrbitUSA 2x65 PCs -- to be upgraded with
the bigger tank, T-5s maybe? AquaC Remora 3 Maxi-Jet powerheads Whisper
power filter (for carbon) 2x Ocellaris Royal Gramma feather duster,
cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, ~25 snails, a few hermits Thanks for
any advice. John <John, you've "got it bad"... perhaps
a job in a store or public aquarium... Get the larger tanks... Yes,
plural. Bob Fenner>
Rose Bubble Anemone 7/25/05 Hi,
<Lovely day today?> You guys have been so helpful in the past,
hope you don't mind me asking another question. <Not at all
:)> My set up is a 5 ft tank, with MH lighting and significant water
movement. <Not too specific there, but ok> I've got leathers,
fan corals, cup corals, mushrooms, green carpet anemone, and a NEW Rose
Bubble Anemone . ALL seems to be doing well, except for the Rose.
<*sigh*. I'd be hard pressed to think of a more
unnatural mix of creatures from completely different geographic and
reef locations. Please, PLEASE don't put anemones
together with coral, and it's not a good idea to keep two anemone
species together. If you want my opinion, return that
anemone, and the carpet or the coral as well> When I got the Rose 3
weeks back, it was about 2 inches in diameter. I placed it
in a prime location in the tank, <?> and was doing well for the
first 2 weeks. In that time, it grew about 50% in
size. Suddenly last week, it moved to another location to
the side of the rock. Anemones move 'cause they do not like the
existing location, but moving to a shady location? <Newly acclimated
animals do not "grow". They may expand themselves,
trying to gather more light, but they won't start growing until
completely adjusted and their energy reserves have been built back
up. If it's moving, it's not happy, and it probably
just ended up in a shady location. If it can still stick
itself out towards the light, it should be fine> I left it there
till 2 days ago, when I rotated the rock so that it is facing up
towards the light again. However, it seems to be
"hiding" in the stone, showing only partial tentacles, as if
it were avoiding bright light. <How was it acclimated? If
it came from a dealer (with usually inadequate lighting) it's
probably suffering from light shock. These animals need to
be acclimated slowly to new lighting conditions over days/weeks, not
hours> I tried feeding it commercial anemone food 2 weeks ago, but
it did not seem to like it. My older green carpet anemone
easily consumes the commercial food. <What is commercial anemone
food? You should be feeding finely shredded seafoods, like
shrimp, fish, scallops, crab and the like> One other point is,
I've got 2 clown fish with the green carpet, but the rose does NOT
have any clowns. <Good - just what a stressed out anemone
doesn't need is clownfish hosting in it. BTA's are
only a natural host for Maroon clownfish, anyway - your other clowns
likely won't move> I heard of cases where after long periods of
darkness during shipments, anemones avoid light when they reach the
tank as they are not able to adjust. <See above> Should I
continue to move the anemone towards light, or just leave it? <Leave
it alone> Should I but it a pair of clowns? What should I
do? <Clownfish are not beneficial to anemones, at least not in
captivity, they would only stress it further. For now, just
leave it alone, and let it move to where it wants> Jason <M.
Maddox>
Coral Compatibility 07/01/05 Hi, <Hi there! Scott F. with
you today!> I have a 2.5 year old 55g reef tank, w 80lbs LR and 260w
PC lighting. I also have the AquaC Remora skimmer and a 4" deep
sand bed and use only RO/DI water. For the most part everything has
gone well, with this site to thank! <We're glad to be a part of
it!> To keep nitrates in control, I just added a refugium w/miracle
mud and Chaetomorpha and a new detritivore kit from Inland aquatics,
which has been up and running for about a month. Water
parameters are very good and things look much better but some corals
are still closed up, specifically the Pagoda, Finger Leather and Star
burst Polyp. The only left that I can figure is that I must
have a chemical fight going on with the corals. <Very likely...>
Are there any problems with the following co-existing? Finger Leather
Coral, Pagoda Coral, Star burst Polyp, Torch Coral, Brain Coral, Bubble
Coral, Hammer Coral, Mushroom Coral, and Acropora. Not sure
what else to do here. <Well, this is a pretty interesting mix! The
Torch and Leather Corals are extremely aggressive. The Mushroom Corals
really have no place in this mix, coming from much deeper on the reef
than Acropora. Also, rethink the Acropora in this tank. The
allelopathic compounds being produced by the other corals will create
great problems in the long run, particularly in a tank of this volume.
Study the corals that you really want to keep, and develop a stocking
plan that incorporates corals that come from similar environmental
niches and conditions.> Any suggestions? Thanks <As above-
I'd think about the corals that are "must haves" in your
book, and figure out which of the other corals you like will work with
them. Do check out the resources here on WWM, and in books like Anthony
Calfo's excellent "Book of Coral Propagation", or Eric
Borneman's "Aquarium Corals". Both are excellent guides
to identification, selection, and care of corals. Good luck! Regards,
Scott F.>
Corals At War! (An Unnatural Mix of Coral) Hello all, <Hi
there! Scott F. with you today!> First off, thanks for your
website... it rocks!!! <Excellent! Glad that you like it!> I am
asking about my 55 gallon reef tank. It is in very good
health for a 2 year old tank and everything is well (for the most
part). I have 4x65W PC lighting, 2 Dual Daylight and 2 Dual
Actinic that I run for about 11 hours per day. I change the
bulbs about every 9 months or so. <A good habit to have..> I have
healthy fish (2 Tangs, a Blenny, a few gobies, 2 mated clowns and a few
Chromis). Most of my fish are over a year old and I do not
intend to add any more since they are happy (very little aggression - a
quasi-peaceful tank if you will). I have slowly added
specimens and my protein skimmer is fully functional so this patience
and water clarity I hold responsible for their health. I
have been diligent not to overstock my tank and do frequent water
changes (~10% every 2 or 3 weeks) because I realize my bioload is heavy
(I have many corals). <You're doing okay!> I have many soft
corals and 5 LPS and 2 SPS. My Galaxea, Trumpet, Tongue, and
Hydnophora are all healthy and growing like crazy. My tank
looks great! <Great to hear...That is a potentially problematic mix
of corals in a relatively small tank. Allelopathic compounds are no
doubt being released by these corals, which is problematic in this
sized tank if you don't keep at your diligent water
change/maintenance/protein skimming schedule.> (I also have 4 other
reef tanks that are doing awesome). By the way, I have about
90+ lbs of live rock and about 2 inches of live sand as my biological
filter). I don't use a trickle filter. I have a few questions: 1) I
have a piece that I got from a friend that has a Spaghetti Finger
Leather on a sort of conical rock. Around the perimeter, was
the light brown version of Goniopora which COMPLETELY died off several
months after I got it. <Not an uncommon occurrence with this coral,
unfortunately> I let the leather keep growing where it was and 5
months later, the Goniopora came back!!! It is growing like mad. I was
very surprised to see it come from "nowhere." <Cool!>
My first question is twofold. a) My Leather has never grown
large. The fingers are small and extend only a fraction of a
cm. I have had this coral for over a year and it's size
has not changed. I want it to expand. Now that
the Goniopora is growing around the leather (again) will it kill the
leather? <It is possible, as these are strongly aggressive corals.
Of course, Sinularia species are very aggressive, as well. To be quite
honest, I think that you need to really re-think your overall stocking
plan of corals for the long term in this tank. A smaller tank like this
is tough to manage with an unnatural mix of aggressive corals like
this...Specialize!> b) What can I do to get the Leather to
expand? It has looked the same with and without the
Goniopora present. <Well, you actually answered your own question.
You can't have 'em all in this tank. You really need to think
about what kind of corals you want to keep, especially in a smaller
system such as this. Someone needs to go.> I have been waiting for
it to grow but it doesn't; it looks healthy, but does
not grow large. I have thought about cutting the Leather
like a pizza pie and let it heal for a while and then take the frags
and rubber band them to small rocks, hoping the frags will grow better
than the "mother." <Not in this situation. The
"chemical warfare" occurring in this tank will not go away if
you keep this mix. These are corals that are not found together in
nature in such proximity, so the odds of success with this mix in
captivity are really small.> HOWEVER, I like the rock as it is with
the Goniopora circling the leather. I really want the leather to grow
with longer fingers and have better polyp expansion with everything
else the same. Also, my Devil's Hand Leather is small
and behaving the same way (without the Goniopora). <But with the
Hydnophora, etc...Do rethink this mix again!> Both are about midway
in the tank... I want my Leathers to grow. Can you advise me
on this? <Again, I'd "specialize" in one type of
coral: soft corals, LPS, etc. In this sized tank, an unnatural mix such
as this is a real problem.> 2) My Pagoda Cup has two strange air
bubbles. Everything else is fine; the polyps are
healthy. How can I make these bubbles go away and are they a
problem? What should I do? <If they are somewhere on the
surface of the coral, you could gently brush them a way.> 3) I have
a Hammer coral that has 4 branches/polyps (the pink variety). One polyp
got damaged in transportation and is dead. A second polyp is
not looking good; it is not expanding and the tissue seems
to be receding. My question is two fold again (sorry): a)
Should I remove the dead polyp branch or should I leave it - a healthy
polyp is right next to it - could it grow back, I mean could
the healthy polyp spread to the dead one? <Do watch for the dreaded
"Brown Jelly" infections for which these corals are known. If
it makes you feel better, you could remove the dying branch for
isolation/observation.> b) As far as the
"sick" polyp, it still expands somewhat during the day but
the adjacent polyp which is very health seems to be over crowding
it. Should I cut the branch off or treat it some how for the
recession? <If you're only talking about a single polyp, it may
not be too problematic. If it's an entire branch of polyps, then
it's far more serious.> I realize I am asking a lot of
questions, so thanks for listening. Cheers, Karlo <My pleasure,
Karlo. Again, I think if you try to keep more compatible species
together...The real recipe for long-term success, IMO. Good luck!
Regards, Scott F.>
My Darned Sebae Anemone Hello Crew, <Hi
there> I've perused your FAQ's for a couple of weeks now-
and what a wealth of information! This is by far the best informational
site... and I've referred many a person to it for general reference
and troubleshooting. Great job! <Thank you> I've tried my
hand at saltwater fish tanks for a couple of years now, on and off
(only because I've moved so many times, from the Bay Area to San
Diego and then back again), and I'm starting on slowly introducing
invertebrates into my new tank. It's now been set up for a little
over three months. Anyway, please allow me to give you the specs on my
tank: 55G saltwater tank (water from the LFS) Fluval 304 canister
filter (running w/ Activated Carbon, ceramic bits, & phosphate
sponge) 192W Coralife lamp (92W full spectrum, 92W Actinic) Bak-Pak 2R+
Skimmer Fluval 3 underwater filter (for water movement in the lower 1/2
of the tank) AquaClear 50 powerhead (at the top of the tank) 70+ lbs LR
30 lbs LS A couple bunches of Caulerpa racemosa <Illegal now in SF
and SD BTW> ~20 snails (including 1 "Conch snail") 1
mandarin goby 1 yellow tang 5 (assorted) damsels 2 skunk cleaner shrimp
2 brittle stars (one I bought, other little guy was introduced with a
mushroom coral) 1- 5" rock w/ mushroom coral (there's about
7-8 on it) 1 toadstool leather coral (about 2 & 1/2" in
diameter) 1- 4" Galaxea coral <A tremendous "stinger"
as you're likely aware> 1 sebae anemone EVERYTHING except the
anemone is happy. I have the actinic on an hour before and an hour
after the full spectrum light is on (actinic on from 1pm - 11pm, full
spectrum on 2pm - 10pm). After that, the moon lamps are on until the
next light cycle. I do partial water changes weekly (~5 gallons,
siphoning the detritus off of the bottom). Here are the water specs:
Ammonia: 0ppm nitrates: 10ppm nitrites: 0ppm pH: 8.5 alkalinity: 280ppm
Ca: 350 mg/1 The anemone was nice and full when I got it... and the LFS
guy said that they had the animal about 3 weeks prior to the sale. It
was a nice, light brown, with purple tips. Actually, only the tentacles
nearest the mouth were more of a yellowish color. <Previously dyed
likely> I referenced your site and thought that it might have been
lacking some Zooxanthellae from these tentacles... <Yes> and I
know my lighting is a bit on the low side, <Yes> so I placed the
anemone at the top of the tank. <Not a natural place...> It
didn't like it. Maybe it was the high water flow. It deflated, and
"spit" out the contents of it's gut. I pulled out the
brown substance and left it where it was. <Good. It will move
itself> The next day, it had moved from the top of the tank all the
way down to the substrate. It has only fully opened twice since then
(stays open for about a day, then deflates for 2 days). I know not to
attempt to feed it if the gut is out and the tentacles are deflated...
so I've only attempted to feed it 3 times since I've acquired
it (frozen silversides, defrosted of course, live brine shrimp on a
different occasion, live plankton w/ liquid vitamin mix on another).
Most of the time either the other fishes steal the food, or the shrimp
steal it. I've had it about 2 weeks now... should I return it? Do
you see problems in my set-up that could be causing the animal
distress? I am hesitant to move it around... I know that it will find a
place that it likes eventually. This animal is playing with my
emotions! Oh, and the other creatures in the tank have been moved to
accommodate the motility of the anemone... since the anemone is on the
substrate now, the Galaxea is at the top (middle) of the tank,
toadstool is left mid-tank, mushroom coral rock is right mid-tank, and
the anemone is on the substrate, in the middle. None of the corals or
anemone have touched one another. <At least not physically>
It's been two days since the anemone was last full and happy.
Should I be patient, as this could just be a "Sebae" trait,
or is it doomed? <Not doomed... but should be moved, removed from
this system> Sorry this was so long. I wanted to make sure I got any
and all factors affecting this animal's health in this message. I
hope you can help my Sebae! Thanks, Karen <Thank you for writing so
well and completely. You are experiencing a "classic" case of
Cnidarian incompatibility. Your 55 gallons is just too little a volume
to contain all the types of stinging-celled life you have. Alike to
chemical allelopathy in plants, where there are types of "chemical
warfare" with delimiting growth, germination, the Corallimorph and
Galaxea here are poisoning the losing Sebae/Heteractis... Really, the
only solution is its removal. Bob Fenner>
Co-habitation...
with a Ceriantharian? Hi, <Howdy> I love your site and
"The Conscientious..." Thanks for all the great
info and excellent attitude. You guys are a rare source of
"straight" info--with no sales pressure! <Welcome> I
have a 35 g. tank with a medium (6-inch) tube anemone <Yikes...
Cerianthus? These are dangerous to keep with other life, particularly
in small quarters> and a newly added colony of Green button polyps
on a small branch of live rock. The coral is 3 days old and
opening for light, but I have noticed a few white marks on the polyps
when open. Reading your site has ne concerned about a
negative biochemical situation between these two animals. My questions:
1. Can these 2 animals live together? I am
willing to entertain a special setup to make it work. <Not really.
Please see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/tubeanem.htm>
2. If they cannot, how much time do I have to remove the
tube save the coral (if indeed this is a biochemical warfare issue)?
<Not much> 3. Would it be possible to keep a rose
bubble tip anemone with polyps and other soft corals (and with the tube
if I get positive answers to my first 2 questions)? <... please
read...> What I am hoping is to keep some soft corals (a small
number, I know my tank is on the small side) and also an
anemone/clownfish duo. Can it be done? Again,
special equipment, to a degree, is OK. <Not with the Tube
Anemone> All the best and keep up the great work, Dave <Keep
collecting those data points, you'll do fine. Bob Fenner>
It's A War Zone Out There! - 04/29/05 Hi there, <
Hello Andrea! > I was just wondering if any one could possibly give
me a few pointers on some corals I have and if (at all) they are
compatible or if I have an allelopathic war going on. < Allelopathy
will be present in most every reef tank, in varying degrees. > The
system comprises of a 100g corner tank 90cm deep, with one 400w 10000k
halide and a 100g sump with bio balls, magic mud and Caulerpa
prolifera. Fish, mollusks etc. 4 x Anthias 1 x Blue tang 2 x Fire
scallops 1 x Giant clam 2 x Blood shrimps 2 x Cleaner shrimps 1 x
Stichodactyla 2 x Sea apples < Yikes! Be aware that harboring Sea
Apples can have grave consequence to your other tank inhabitants. Along
with the fact that they rarely live for more than a few months while
slowly starving to death. > Soft corals etc. Lots of xenia 3 x
Sinularia 1 x Sarcophyton 2 x Cladiella 2 x medium colonies of
Parazoanthus 2 different Discosoma sp., one green one orange/brown,
both with nodules. SPS 1 x Hydnophora 2 x small frags of Montipora 5 x
different Staghorn frags LPS Turbinaria Euphyllia (torch and anchor)
Heliofungia Tubastrea < You definitely have some heavy chemical
aggression present in your tank. All too common with the "reef
garden" type setup you describe. > I’m setting up a
second tank and was wondering which of these I should separate off from
one another completely. Some of the animals are large and could be
fragged to inhabit each tank. < My recommendation would be to house
the soft corals in the second tank. The Euphyllia and Hydnophora all
require lots of open space around them. Put them in whichever tank
allows you to arrange the other corals to give them a wide berth. >
Best wishes Andrea < And in kind, Eric R. >
Coral Compatibility Hi folks, <Hello Brian> I've
got a pretty tame set-up going - 50 gal w/75 lbs. LR. Only corals are
two mushrooms, two polyps, a devil's hand and a toadstool mushroom
leather. Everything seems perfect, water parameters are great. Only
fish I have now are two false Perculas. I've got a pretty standard
clean-up crew, too. So, I'd like to get a bit more exciting and LFS
has a beautiful green bubble but I've got reservations about mixing
with my softies and/or mushrooms based on what I've read... So my
question is, can I do this? <Brian, I will direct you to the
coral compatibility FAQ site. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/corlcompfaqs.htm.
James (Salty Dog)> Thanks for all the great advice on the site.
<You're welcome>
Mushrooms & SPSs Making Excellent use of WWM Hello Bob
& Crew, I was going to attach a picture of the species of mushroom
that I have, but I found it on FAQs about Corallimorphs 3, the first
picture of Purple Mushrooms. The questions is... can I not mix a rock
of these mushrooms with SPSs in a 110 gal tank ?? I like the mushrooms
a lot, but the optimum health of the SPSs are the priority. <As long
as they don't touch each other, especially any sweeper tentacles.
James (Salty Dog)> I really appreciate the advice, you guys are the
best!! <Thank you>
Coral Compatibility, Toxicity, Excitability Dear Adam, <
Hey there. > I'm sorry to keep bothering you, but I can't
help it. I'm very grateful for your advice and tolerance! I have
one of those personalities that is not content when there is no change.
So, after falling in love with some hammer and frogspawn corals that I
saw and reading the articles and FAQs on WWM, I feel comfortable with
transforming the tank to an LPS reef. The question is what do I do with
my Capnella and Xenia? < They will do very well in the same
tank. I would just be sure to leave 6 inches or so between the corals
so they don't fight. > My understanding is that since most
soft corals exude a lot of toxins and LPS corals do the same and have
sweeper tentacles this will lead to toxins accumulating in the system
which will lead to problems 2+ years down the road, assuming the corals
are spaced adequately apart to prevent problems short term. <
Yes but if you do a water change once a month you will be fine. Sounds
just like my tank. > But Capnella and Xenia are pretty
harmless so they will present no danger to the LPS. I know the Capnella
is very sensitive. If Caulerpa even get within 3" of it, it fails
to open, but not so the Xenia elongata! They grow intertwined with
Caulerpa racemosa! < Yes, Xenia will grow over anything. >
" Can the Xenia remain? < Yes, no problem. > I
don't understand why I won't have problems 2+ years down the
road with just the LPS? Won't they continue to exude toxins even in
the absence of softies? < Again, all corals release some
amount of some toxin. But if you run carbon, have a skimmer, or do
water changes, you will be fine. > Won't these accumulate
in the system? Are they just immune to other LPS toxins? This was the
logic that I originally followed when I chose to house Capnella and
xenia exclusively. I have a 100G acrylic tank that I am in the process
of setting up as a FW planted tank and now am wondering if having an
LPS tank and a Capnella/xenia tank is better than having an
LPS/Capnella/xenia tank and a FW planted tank... < Don't
worry about it. With proper attention and care you will be just fine.
> Thank you, Narayan < Blundell >
Coral Compatibility 3/8/05 Hi Mr. Calfo! <cheers, my
friend... please call me Anthony... or handsome... or Antoine!
<G>> I just ordered the book you co-authored with Mr. Fenner
(Reef Invertebrates). I realize there might not be much in it about
coral compatibility and allelopathy... <actually none at
all... this first book covers all non-Cnidarian creatures. After
"Reef Fishes" volumes, we will do Corals, Anemones, Jellies,
Hydroids, etc> ...and will eventually get "Coral
Propagation" (budget thin now with all the spending involved in
starting a reef tank...) <no worries... thanks kindly> A reply
from MikeB pointed out that mixing types of coral was not the best
idea. So I started to read a bit about it on WWM, which lead me to
write to you now. Very difficult to completely sacrifice a category of
coral, they all have their appeal... I'm sorting out the soft
corals as they are my "less favorite" but I'm still crazy
about Polyps, SPS and LPS (maybe LPS being my favourite after all).
<this is difficult for long term success... mixing such unnatural
groups of animals like deep water Corallimorphs or Zoanthids with
shallow water SPS corals. There is no one standardized water parameters
that will satisfy all optimally> I'm under the impression that
if you are to try mixing coral types, soft corals are the worst part of
the combo, is that right? <although they can be noxious... there are
bullies in all Cnidarian groups. You really are best to focus on
keeping a specific group, or species from a more natural
biotope/niche> What about polyps? Are they to be considered like
soft corals for that matter? <can be very aggressive to the point of
being a nuisance. Zoanthids encroaching upon SPS is common> I know
if I would be wiser I would not mix at all, but is there not an
acceptable middle-ground that could be reached? <compensate with
weekly water changes, constant carbon use... best of all: ozone use>
What combos would be less "counterproductive" (LPS+SPS,
Polyps+LPS, ...)? By taste, I would lean toward a predominance of LPS
with some spots of Polyps and SPS. I give you here the list of corals
I'm interested in. If you could give me a hand, I would appreciate
very much. My system will be: 90 gal (48"x18"x24"deep) +
30-40 gal fuge with 4" sugar-fine aragonite DSB in both. 1x 250
watts 10000k MH in the center of the tank + 2x 96w actinics. <all
very fine> Polyps: -Starburst Polyp (Pachyclavularia sp.)
-Pumping Xenia (Xenia spp.) -Pipe Organ Coral (Tubipora musica) -Snake
Polyp (Isaurus tuberculatus) <be careful with that beautiful star
polyp... it is invasive and one of the most aggressive corals money can
buy> SPS: -Acropora Coral, Neon (Acropora spp.) -Montipora
Coral, Branched (Montipora digitata) -Stylophora Coral (Stylophora
spp.) LPS: -Candy Cane Coral (Caulastrea furcata) -Fox Coral
(Nemanzophyllia turbida) -Green Eyed Cup Coral (Mycedium sp.) -Lace
Coral (Disticophora, Purple) -Pagoda Cup Coral (Turbinaria) <your
coral selection overall leans towards bluer lighting. Seek 10k K to 20k
K lamp combos> One unrelated question: will a yellow tang pick on a
pulsing xenia? <there is a small chance, but not much more than
other "safe" reef fishes> Many thanks! Regards, Dominique
Capelle <best of luck/life to you my friend. Anthony>
Bristle worm
compatibility
Hello, <Hi there> I have a 10 gall nano reef
tank, and I was reading on your killer site that Bristle worms show no
harm to corals of any kind only decaying corals that are fading away.
<Mmm, I would say, "most"> But I did not read anything
on clams. Are they safe as well? <Actually... about the same
situation... there are incidences of large or many small Polychaetes
"attacking" both cnidarians and Tridacnids... that didn't
appear ill, dying> Because I don't want to kill these cool
looking worms when I read that they are great for my little ecosystem
along with my pods. Thanks for your time! <In such a small tank, I
don't think you'll have a problem... but this size system is
also too small for a Tridacnid IMO. Bob Fenner>
Carpet anemone and
green star
Hello! I have been reading the FAQs trying to find some
info. I recently bought a green carpet anemone. It was very sticky when
I bought it but has lost much of its stick. I have it in a tank with
two types of green star polyp (I think one is Briareum and the other is
Pachyclavularia) some mushrooms, a small colony of Zoanthids and two
clownfish. When the lights are off the anemone opens up and looks fine.
When the lights are on the anemone shrinks down and its mouth is partly
open. All tests are in the perfect ranges, pH 8-8.6, ammonia 0,
nitrites 0, calcium 425, KH 11. Nitrates are slightly higher then I
would like but not too bad (waiting to get a new test kit as the one I
am using is old and may not be giving me correct readings). I have 6
watts per gal of PC lights. What could be the problem? Could it be
chemical warfare from the green star? I have read that they can be
aggressive. The anemone is nowhere near the green star. Everything else
in the tank is doing fine. Please help!!! <Six watts PC per
gallon? A lot depends on the depth of your tank. These anemones are
difficult to keep with all conditions good, and they do much better
under halide lighting. Even with a shallower tank, 6 watts/gallon
really isn't enough for these guys to thrive for any length of
time. Please read, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/anemlgtgfaq3.htm.
James (Salty Dog)><<This is little doubt, a case of chemical
incompatibility between all this Cnidarian life... the size of the
system is not stated, but all the water gets mixed about... I would
remove this anemone, post haste, to another system. Bob
Fenner>>
Monti Feeding
II
Hello Crew,<Hey,> On the following response to a question
that I asked I am a little confused. I have read on your site that
Phytoplankton is not very useful with SPS corals. <There are
pro's and con's to using this product. Basically, there could
be better food sources out there, such as refugiums. But, in a bind
DT's can get the job done if used correctly. Let me stress the word
CORRECTLY.> So I question the recommendation of DT's
Phytoplankton. I have found BioLife's Coral Plankton and the
SPS's seems to eat it (Polyps Expand), I am not sure about the
particle size of Cyclop-eeze and will also add the DT's if it is
eaten. Otherwise, I look at it as algae food. I do like to feed as much
of a variety as possible since I do not want to get into a refugium.
Also this is becoming a SPS tank eventually (my favorite) however I do
have BTA's with very happy Clowns and one Galaxea, is this a
problem? Thank you for all the help! Rich <Rich, the BTA will
be a problem eventually and so will the Galaxy coral. They will sting
and bother the SPS corals. The problem with feeding food for the SPS
corals is that people generally feed too much to the tank. This then
causes a spike in water quality and degradation of the corals. I would
remove the BTA and the Galaxy coral to another tank if you want to keep
the SPS corals long term. Also, use what ever phytoplankton you decide
that works best in moderation. Good Luck. MikeB.>
Turbinaria coral strange behavior 2/27/05
I
have been searching the internet for an idea of what is happening
to my Turbinaria... I have had it for a year, and it has been doing
fantastically until last week when it started to develop this
bubble. I did have to move it very slightly closer to the lights
recently, and nearer my branching anchor. Is this polyp
bailout? <it definitely does look like polyp bailout...
how ironic too, I use a pic similar to this in one of my
presentations describing how light shock or aggression from a
nearby coral (like your VERY noxious/aggressive hammer Euphyllia)
can cause this> Could it be getting stung by my anchor?
<easily so at night with modified sweeper tentacles on Euphyllia
that can reach 10"> I called my LFS and they had no idea
what it could be and suggested I dip it. <yikes! no...
please don't stress the coral any more... the LFS is mistaken
here> I appreciate any help you can offer. Great site, and
thanks! Kevan <best regards, Anthony><<To add my dos
centavos here... DO move one or the other of these colonies.
RMF>> |
|
SPS
and soft corals
I am planning to upgrade my 55 gal reef to 155 gal.
The 155 gal will be 72'x28'x18'. I already have good
success with pc lighting, my soft corals are doing great, had them for
1 year. Will it be possible to have some SPS corals together with the
soft corals ? <Not a problem> A couple of questions here, I
purchased 3 HQI Geisemann, 250 watts, 13000 k, 1 bulb per 2 feet. Will
that be sufficient? <Excellent choice of lighting>
Will that affect the growth of the soft corals? <You will want
to gradually introduce them to the more intense lighting by gradually
increasing (daily) the photoperiod. Start with a hour and add 1/2 hour
daily till you reach your desired photoperiod.> Where shall I
place the soft corals, probably towards the lower part of the tank ?
<I believe they prefer the lower third of the tank.> How
will I acclimatize them to the new lights ? <As above> My
collection includes : mushrooms & 2 finger leathers (planning to
get rid of if I will keep SPS ) <Why?> 2 Favia brains 1
plate coral 2 star polyps 1 sun polyp (I heard they release some
toxins, is that right ? ) <Not to my knowledge, they do not like
direct light though.> 1 clove coral 1 Huge colt coral 1 Xenia Please
tell me your opinion about any incompatibilities between my collection
and SPS. Thank you. Ramy Banoub <I don't see any compatibility
problems, just use normal care allowing them not to touch each other.
James (Salty Dog)> Allelopathy and sand anemones Dear Crew
<Jim> I have had some sand anemones creep into my tank on live
rock. <Sand... Googled... are these Aiptasia?> My Tank has been
set-up four years with a massive profusion of live rock and is 6ft x2ft
x1.5feet. My tank is a mixed garden reef with the following stock :- 2
colonies Caulastrea 1 Montipora (grown 2-3 inches in 6 months) 1 hammer
coral (growing well) 1 torch coral 2 Turbinaria (scroll coral) 1 not
opening with polyps 1 Porites soft corals 1 colony of Sarcophyton
(massive) 1 colony cabbage coral Zoanthids and star polyps of various
types My question is can these sand anemones cause allelopathy against
my less defended LPS corals, they are around 1 inch in diameter (not
near corals at moment). <... Yes... as can/do your soft corals and
the stonies...> I am considering removing them to my refugium is
this wise? <Better than having them more proximal to your other
Anthozoans, yes> Also I have this fish stock 1 maroon clown 1 yellow
tang 1 Pseudochromis 8 green Chromis 1 scarlet Hawkfish 1 flame angel 1
Midas blenny Is this too much for a mixed reef garden such as mine
along with said coral stock?. <Sounds fine for this size system,
other listed livestock> I am considering de-stocking some corals
because of allelopathy concerns; although I do take regular cuttings
from the Sarcophytons to the LFS. Best regards, Jim <Good idea...
know that much of allelopathogenic properties are diminished by
long-residence among species... in other words, that most all
detrimental effects are greatly lessened by the life "getting used
to each other" over time... New livestock will have a much harder
time "making it" in your well-established system. I would be
"fragging" to help pay for my habit! Bob
Fenner>
Re:
allelopathy and sand anemones
Thanks for the reply <Welcome>
Just to clear up a few points. These are sand anemones not Aiptasia
(similar tentacle shape but fatter and with Zoanthid in the tissue).
<... do you know a/the species name of this Actinarian?> On
reflection I won't be de-stocking the stonies. But I am going to be
heavily cutting back on the soft corals. They grow so profusely I
actually snip the whole head of the Sarcophyton off then fuse it to
living rock lumps with elastic bands over a few weeks. <Okay> I
also didn't mention the mushrooms I have which to be honest are
becoming a nuisance as I am aware of their potent toxicity in a closed
reef system. I will be fragging them shortly too. <Okay> I am
actually starting up my own aquatic business here in the UK shortly so
will keep you posted on events. Your website could be invaluable to my
success, please could you send me details? <... details?
Please read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/svccosaqs.htm and the
links above, where you lead yourself. Bob
Fenner>
Crowded tank, woozy
corals 2/4/05
Hi, Thanks for such a good website. <thank you...
please do tell friends about us too> I have a 28gal bow nano, 3in
sand, plenty of rock, pc lighting, good flow, and good water quality.
Recently while moving another tank I put the coral 2 frog spawn frags,
large star polyp rock, Sarcophyton (toadstool), mixed Zoanthids, and I
think that's it. <Yikes! FWIW this is a very aggressive mix and
tough to pull of in such a small aquarium long term. Euphylliids,
Zoanthids and Sarcophyton are some of the most noxious corals in the
sea. Do compensate with large weekly water changes and daily use of
carbon (also change weekly). Else you will have serious problems with
allelopathy in time> Well I put them in my tank for holding. Yeah it
is a little crowded but nothing is touching. <touching is the least
of your problems, my friend... unnatural levels/concentrations of
chemical allelopathy will begin killing these corals in time> But
two small (silver tip xenia I think) frags that were already in the
tank have since shriveled and the tips are turning white. <many
possible reasons (do see our extensive archives at wetwebmedia.com for
more info on this group of corals). Beyond this weak coral getting
poisoned by the above named crowd... low pH (below 8.3 by night...
higher by day) or low Alk (under 10 dKH), Xeniids suffer at times>
The only other time that I've seen them like this is when I first
got them from a friend who over stocked is tank with fish and had a
nitrate problem but all my water parameters are ok. I supplement with
b-ionic only, 5gal water changes every 2 weeks. Should I dip them, use
iodine, Strontium? or what. <weekly 10-5 gallon water changes would
do this tank good and also ease dependence on supplements> The other
corals are coming out in two days. Thank you very much
<whew! best of luck, Anthony>
To add or not to add...
Alcyoniids, Cnidarian compatibility Hi Crew I am a long time reader
(2+yrs), first time writer. <Welcome> I have a 90 gallon reef, 33
gallon divided sump Caulerpa growing in divided area (refuge if you
will) <Okay> CPR overflow 60lbs live rock 135lbs of aragonite
2x250w halides 2x40w actinic fluor ASM G-2 skimmer powered by Sedra 3500
pump( works great!!) Rio32HF return pump. 10-12x turnover rate I use
activated carbon and change it every week I also add iodine, strontium
and some sea-chem reef builder every once in a while. Never really had
a problem with calcium, I think 360 is fine for my tank. 10% water
change each week. lightly stocked fish (I think) small yellow tang,
Foxface, yellow belly damsel, cleaner wrasse (bad choice I know but has
lived for 6 months and readily accepts any food I offer), 5x green
Chromis, royal Gramma, scarlet cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp,
hermits(25) snails(7) Condy anemone ( also bad choice I know, looking
for a new home for it as we speak) For corals I have: fluorescent
green(25) green striped(4) red speckled(5) lavender(5)and hairy
mushrooms(3) Xenia(4"stalk) Pipe organ that is on the way down the
crapper:( Clove polyps that haven't really opened fully for about a
month until today, but I am not worried because they are rapidly
producing new polyps Green star polyps a fragment of candy cane coral a
fragment of branching frogspawn I have 2 questions 1. Do you think it
would be okay if I added a small fragment of a finger leather
(2-3")and a small Sarcophyton (1" cap) or would this just be
asking for major unwanted/unneeded chemical warfare in a already
successful system? <Not likely a problem started small> 2.The
candycanes sweeper tentacles have not extended fully lately, I think. I
have checked periodically during the day and night and the most I have
ever seen them out is about 1/4" when I first got the coral (about
4 months ago) the lights would go out and the coral would let out its
tentacles soon after and they would be up to 3" long. Nitrites-0
nitrates-20 ph-8.3 amm-0 cal-360 alk-11dkh The coral still looks very
healthy and has very slowly started to split, <Perhaps due to
stressful conditions> the only thing I could possibly think of why
it is doing this is because it is too close to the frogspawn?
<Maybe> It was about 2 inches away from it for a little while but
I moved it today to about 8" away and will see if that makes a
difference. Any questions/comments/concerns would be greatly
appreciated thanks, Adam <I would wait, see here re #2, go ahead
with the alcyonacean additions. Bob Fenner>
Ich, anemone compatibility, BioBale
Hi Guys, <Jason> Thanks for your time,
your website is incredibly informative! I'm relatively new to the
hobby, having only started my first 30 gallon saltwater tank a little
over six months ago, and I can't seem to learn enough. <Me
neither!> My tank's current residents include a false percula
clown, a sailfin blenny and a domino damsel who is residing in a long
tentacle anemone. I also have a serpent star, a brittle star, two
peppermint shrimp, an emerald crab and somewhere around fifteen hermit
crabs. My lighting is a 2x65w Orbit lighting system, and for filtration
I have a BakPak skimmer accompanied by a Whisper 30, <Good> a
MaxiJet powerhead with a sponge filter attached, 3 inches of sand and
30lbs of live rock. I have had some trouble with the BakPak where the
path to the path to the output valve gets clogged (my suspicion being
that the BioBale is responsible)... <Me too... you can remove this
(I would)> ... causing the skimmer to overflow and dump onto the
floor. This was very disappointing and makes me leery of sustained use
of this particular skimmer, do you know of anyone else having problems
with this unit? <Often hear of same... have told Suk Kim (owner of
Creative Plastics Research) re.> Anyhow, all of my tank's
inhabitants were doing very well for a while, most surprisingly the
anemone who I was a bit apprehensive about taking on but has nearly
tripled in size since purchase. Well, my poor little fish came down
with a case of the Ich recently and I had to move them to a hospital
tank that I had just set up and treated with copper. The hospital is
pretty small, as I wasn't really sure of what I was getting into
and the people at the LFS were less than helpful (apparently they are
fine with over stocking my tank with incompatible fish (my first
inhabitants) but quite testy with answering questions when problems
arise). The hospital is only a 5.5 gallon tank and currently houses my
clown, blenny and damsel. I've been keeping an eye on the levels
and they tend to be ok and the fish seem to get along. Would it be wise
to upgrade the hospital tank to something larger in mid treatment (I
didn't think so, and I really want to be cautious here because the
fish haven't been eating much (or at all) since being put in the
hospital). <This size system is too small to treat all your
fishes... AND they ALL need to be treated... taken out of the main tank
as you've done...> Also, I have never seen the blenny eat either
the flake food or the shrimp pellets that I feed the other two fish,
will he get by in the hospital? <Not indefinitely... and this
fish does NOT eat these foods much if at all> There is little algae
growth for him to munch on and I am not sure what to supplement his
diet with while he is being treated. Also, I was curious if getting a
cleaner shrimp might deter future Ich outbreaks. <Will indeed
help> I've read that they've been known to clean Tangs
and some other species, but would they do my clownfish or damsel any
good? <Yes> Do they eat parasites when they are free swimming or
still dormant in the sandbed? <No, just on host fishes> My next
question is about coral and anemone relations. I've seen it written
often that you should not mix the two, but I have not found much
justification for this printed in literature. <Mmm, they have
aggressive mechanisms... stinging cell structures, digestive
dominance... to prevent competition for space, light, food in the
wild> My LTA has his foot firmly planted in the sand and I was
interested in growing some small button polyps on the uppermost reaches
of my live rock. I understand that anemone movement can potentially
knock over corals, but my anemone appears happy and unlikely to move,
and my intuition is that the polyps should not be as sensitive to the
anemone's movement as something larger and more branchlike anyhow.
<I would hold off adding other stinging-celled animals to this size
system> Lastly, I was just curious if using my hospital tank as a
refugium for better filtration when it is not needed for sick fish is a
good idea and if there are any good tutorials on setting one of these
up around. <Ah, a good idea... much archived on WWM re>
Thanks again for all the great work! Jay <Glad to share. Bob
Fenner>
Coral
aggression/allelopathy 1/11/05
Hi Anthony, <cheers> Thanks
for your advice on my torch. You said I have quite a mix
of corals (that might cause WW 3 in my tank).
<yes... this is common too - the dreaded "garden reef"
tank with an indiscriminate mix of corals. It leads to excess
stimulation of unnatural species to produce chemical warfare so to
speak> Does your book address the correct mixing of corals? I
ordered it 2 days ago, due in tomorrow). <Book of Coral
Propagation yes - in various places (re: biotope tanks, need
for natural groupings by family, monospecific culture for coral
farming, etc.)> If not, can you recommend any books that
do? <there are lots of papers on plan/algae and coral
allelopathy... do dive into the science section of your local
university libraries as well as a keyword search of the topic online.
Very interesting reading> Call me old fashioned,
even though I'm 27, but I like print a lot more than the
internet. <agreed> Do you have any personal reviews for "The
book of Coral Propagation"?-:) <there are a variety
of reviews on Amazon.com, some big message boards, etc.> Thanks
again for your help. James <always welcome... best of luck!
Anthony>
Battling corals
1/11/05
I have searched and posted on the forum for this, got no
answers. <OK> My tank- 90 gal, 135 lbs LR, 2 x 250 HQI Ushio 10K
halides + 1 96 watt 50/50/PC, G-2x skimmer, 2000 gph closed
loop( adding an additional 1800 gph pump with SCWD
soon), 77.5 F, 1.024 SG, 0 Amm, 0 trite and trate, 9 alk,
375 calcium. <all fine> My branching torch coral is
placed about 5 inches off the bottom, got it 2 months
ago. 1 month ago, I noticed one tentacle was extremely
bloated, and I found another tonight. It has been
doing OK since I got it, but has never been as extended as
it was in the display tank at the LFS. All
my other SPS, LPS, encrusting, and plate corals are doing
very well. What is causing this? <the
sensation of competitive species of coral in the tank. It can be
tempered by more aggressive chemical filtration (Chemi-pure or
Poly-filters) and/or ozone use... all good> Also- is there any known
amount of calcium in a 2 teaspoon to 1 gallon
Kalk solution? <do check the reef chemistry
forum at reefcentral.com... lots of good info on types of Kalk there in
Randy's archived answers and directs to articles> I have 2 new
SPS placed high, is it safe to assume that if the polyps are fully
extended (they are), that they are content? <not an indicator...
only one of water flow, not "happiness"> Sorry to add the
last 2 questions, but they have been bugging me-:) Thank you so much
for your time, it is appreciated! James <you've described a
wicked assortment of unnatural tankmates my friend... please do
consider being a little more focused with species selection by family
or biotope for starters and you will enjoy better long term success.
Else, the escalating levels of chemical warfare/allelopathy will be a
source of continued frustration for you in the future. With kind
regards, Anthony> Corals 3/20/04 Hello, I have a 100 gal tank
that I am adding corals to. I have added a finger leather, a torch, a
long tentacle plate (very beautiful), sunburst polyps and an open
brain. I have two 220 watt pc for lighting. My
question is can I add another plate to the system (other side of
tank?). <You certainly could, but long tentacle plate corals are
very poor aquarium survivors. They will often look good for
a couple of months and then die. Our systems don't
provide the tiny planktonic food they need to survive.> Also, what
other corals do you suggest that wont wage war on the ones I already
have? I would like to go with softies but don't want to
start any problems. <Torch, hammer, frogspawn, Blastomussa, and open
brain all top the list of most sensitive. Leathers, colts,
Zoanthids, and mushrooms top the most aggressive list. This
doesn't mean you should not keep these corals together, but rather
be observant. If most corals are doing well, but one is
failing to expand or thrive, it maybe chemical aggression.> I
currently have a dual BakPak skimmer, two Fluval 404's and two 802
powerheads for enhanced circulation. I have a refugium on order and
plan to have it soon. any ideas? All corals in tank are
doing fine and would like to keep corals now more than fish. Thanks,
Erik in Reno <Sounds good. I am a fan of refugia, and
your animals should benefit from it. I am not a fan of
canister or power filters for reef tanks for many reasons including
nitrate accumulation and the fact that they are often
neglected. Best
Regards. Adam>
WAY too many
mushrooms!
Hi Bob, If you have time, I have a question I'm
hoping you can aid me in answering :-) I have a 600g reef tank that has
been taken over by larger blue mushrooms (100-500) and large Aiptasia
(100+ easy). Was thinking of adding either a Raccoon or Copperband
Butterflyfish to take care of all the mushrooms and Aiptasia.<I
don't believe the butterflies are going to bother your mushrooms as
far as eliminating them> Are these the best choice of fish to handle
this task? Or do you have a better suggestion? Any is welcomed
:-)<As far as the Aiptasia goes, you will find what your looking for
here.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/aiptasia/aipfaqs.htm>
James (Salty Dog) Main reason I'd like to rid my tank of the
mushrooms and Aiptasia is that I'd like to start adding SPS and do
not wish to be dealing with the mushrooms and Aiptasia after adding
numerous frags. The population will just continue to grow and threaten
the corals. Will the Butterflyfish remain peaceful with my current
stock of fish? <No problem> I'm more concerned about my
current fish and shrimps than the Butterflyfish, but to realize the
cleaner shrimps may 'disappear'. The leather corals would be an
acceptable loss and if needed I could move the Gorgonians and
Blastomussa corals to my holding tank. I do realize I'll need to
take out the Butterfly prior to adding the SPS and ensure I keep the
nutrients low. Catching the fish may take some time thou; been there,
done that :-( I have massive amounts of live rock and do not wish to
destroy the aquascape I've created; therefore scraping is not an
option I want to take :-( Thanks for you time and any suggestions you
may have, Sincerely, Tony De La Cruz Current stock: Anthias
Bartlett Lyretail Wrasses
Read Velvet Leopard
Exquisite Cardinalfish Kauderni
Spotted Orange Lined
Longspine Green Chromis Canary Deep Water Damsel Gold
Assessor Basslet Kole Yellow Eye Tang Yellow Tang Yellowhead Jawfish
Pseudochromis Fridmani Many Cleaner shrimps (Lysmata amboinensis),
these I fear Butterfly will eat :-( Various leather corals Gorgonians
Blastomussa coral Pearl bubble coral
Corals Vs. Anemone...
First, let me start off by thanking you for this wonderful
site. I have learned so much about saltwater aquarium from
your site. Many thanks. <And thanks to you for the kind
words!> My question is regarding an aggressive Maroon
Clown. I searched the previous post and did not find any
information. I have a Maroon Clown which has been paired
with anemone in a 75 gallon tank for the past year or
so. Within the last month or so, the anemone has moved his
location in the tank. I have recently notice that the clown has started
to attack my Torch and Hammer corals which is within proximity (very
close) of the anemone. In attempts to relocate the anemone
to another location, I used a small power head, thinking this would
push him back in the other direction. This did not work.
<Not a good idea...You really want to avoid handling the anemone
unless the situation is absolutely grave, IMO> The clown is
suffering damage from the attacks on the corals. I do not think the
corals will continue to be able to withstand the abuse. If
you could offer any suggestions, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks George <Unfortunately, these are highly aggressive corals;
even hobbyists can be "stung" by touching one of these
nasties. Since keeping these corals and anemones together is not
advised, I'd make a decision as to which of the animals you intend
to keep for the long run. Remove the corals or the anemone...It's
your call. Good luck! Regards, Scott F>
Urchin now eating
corals? I have a diadem sea urchin I've had for years and
recently he has been munching on some of my new soft corals. (pulsing
xenias and a type of tree coral). The corals where healthy otherwise,
but I've seen the damaged parts he munched on. Not something I
expect from a Diadem. I've had him for years and he has gotten
along fine w/ the mushrooms, bubble coral, anemones, et al. <<
Indeed a little bit odd. I'd say he is running out of
good algal food, and this is his next choice. I would feed
him some Nori sheets, or maybe even ask a friend to take it for a
while. It may be a case where it is starving. I've never
seen any urchin eat soft corals in the aquarium. >>
<< Blundell >>
Anemones and the
lighting they need
Dear crew, <Hi> I have a twenty gallon
tank that I would like to put at least two or three anemones in it and
a few assorted hard and soft corals. <I see a major issue here --
first, your tank is considered on the small side. In a healthy
environment, anemones can get quite large. One anemone may take up a
large portion of your tank leaving little room for corals which it will
not eventually sting. Secondly, I advise against adding more than one
anemone to a smaller sized aquarium. Anemones will often battle each
other for space, lighting and good. Usually when anemones battle, none
of them survive. With that said, I would stick with one anemone for
your 20 gallon tank.> I know that my 15 watt lights will need to be
changed, but to what kind of lights and to how many watts do I need to
have a healthy aquarium? <To start with, lighting only plays a small
role in a healthy aquarium. Many other factors are equally important -
Water quality is a huge issue. Before adding the anemone make sure
everything is in order and where it is suppose to be. Anyway, 2x 65wt
Power compacts would make excellent lighting for your 20 gallon
(depending on the dimensions of the aquarium). You can often buy
retrofit kits at almost any local pet store or online to setup the
lighting exactly how you need it to be.> Thank you for your time.
<No problem. On a last note, if you are still considering an
anemone, I would look for a bubble tip anemone (E. quadricolor). These
often do the best in captivity.> thank you again,
<Take Care, Graham.>
Sven
Corals and
Anemones? (Almost) never together 2/5/04
Dear WWM crew,
<howdy!> Thanks in advance for the help. I am running
a corner tank (custom made) approx. 50 gals. I am running 3
CFs, one 10,000K daylight 50-50 and two actinic 50-50's all 65W for
a total of 195W. I am running a Fluval 303 with biological
and chemical media attached to a UV sterilized processing between 50-75
gal/hr. I recently added a refugium ( a 10 gallon aq.
capacity is about 7.5 gal and a sump about 3.5 gal. I'm
using an overflow box to get the water from the tank to the sump and it
free flows from the sump to the refuge. and a quiet one 3000 pumping at
about 400 gph. The refuge is about 2 weeks old, Q1. How long
and when should the refuge be lit? <depends entirely on
the needs of what is growing inside (just like light over displays).
Anything you read about 24hr illumination applies only to Caulerpa,
which you need to understand well if you are going to use... many
merits and dangers with the genus. Chaetomorpha or Gracilaria are
better/safer macroalgae IMO to be lit on a simple 12hr photoperiod
(reverse of display if you like to help with pH stability> I had
some problems with Cyanobacteria so I backed the lighting off of the
main tank. I am running the two actinic from 10am - 6 pm and
the daylight from 11am to 7 pm. <Cyano is not about lighting my
friend... it is entirely about nutrients. That is what feds/fuels
Cyano... and its caused by many things: quality of source/tap water,
overfeeding/overstocking, poor skimming (less than 3-5 dark cups
minimum weekly), and most commonly - a lack of adequate water flow
(10-20X) which allows detritus to settle and feed nuisance algae>
The main question I have is this. I did some drilling on my
stand to run the hoses for the refugium and I lost my yellow
tang. I thought he had died from stress, but my Condy
anemone is getting huge. Could he have eaten a silver dollar
sized tang. <yes... possibly> His base is about the
size of the palm of my hand and he stretches from about
10-12". He seems to be getting to big for the
tank. Will he eat other fish? <they can
indeed. And please take note to read further about the perils of mixing
anemones with corals. It should almost never be done in my opinion
(beyond being an unnatural mix with most sp.> I recently (1 month
ago) bought a Sebae anemone, white w/purple tips. <Oh,
no... mixing anemone species is arguably even worse. Arghhh. These
anemones simply are not commonly found mixed in/on a reef with
corals... and even when they are, the condition of confines in an
aquarium with motile stinging cnidarians (anemones0 with sessile ones
(corals) is a recipe for disaster in the long run. Please
reconsider> I know this isn't good but he seems to be doing OK
and my maroon has taken to him. He is between golf and
baseball size. He has taken up residence under a ramosa
shell I have in the tank. He wasn't eating very well but
I have read some of your articles and will change my feeding
regime. <OK> I have a Goniopora coral, the Condy, a
Sebae, and Xenia in the same tank. Can/Will they get
along? <The fact that your young tank also has a
Goniopora in it tells me that you are getting staggeringly bad advice
on buying decisions... or you are not taking good advice from your LFS,
my friend. I say this to help you... there are several red flags going
up here that earmark your tank for an all too common disaster in the
near future. Fish/coral losses at very minimum> The Condy is slowing
growing and is getting pretty close to the Goniopora. Will
he sting in and kill it. <Yes, possibly. It is one of
the problems with mixing anemones with corals as mentioned above> He
has already harmed the Xenia? How far apart should they be
and any info you can provide will be nice. <10" is
the minimum distance to keep between most corals to start with> I
just found your website today and spent about 4 hours
here. My wife is ready to kill me. Thanks, Dave <read on
my friend... and buy flowers <G>. Anthony>
Need your expert
suggestion....
Hello and thanks for taking the
time.........Question is.... in a 120 Gal. tank 48 L X 24 W X 24
High <one of my all-time fave shaped tanks> with 4-6
inches of LS..... <excellent> progressive stacking of
rocks.... <be sure to avoid stacking rocks against any
walls... this will dramatically improve water flow and reduce nuisance
algae growth> with inhabitants such as Trachyphyllia
<this genus must be nestled in the sand... never on rock. Be sure
this is so> (all sorts of brain coral and moon corals...one or
two clams and softs like xenia, Sinularia, Zoanthids, leather, colt,
Sarcophyton, mushrooms maybe a pagoda cup and possibly one or two SPS
just because, what would be the ideal lighting arrangement utilizing
metal halides and / or fluorescents.... <Ugghh... with such an
unnatural mix of corals from all over the map, I do not know where to
begin. For long term success in an attempt at keeping this motley crew,
let me strongly encourage you to do weekly water changes (10-20%),
change carbon weekly instead of monthly or use ozone full time, and
make sure the skimmer (or two) are working superbly> I am
partial to the blue appearance mainly because of the way it makes
certain corals fluoresce but not too blue if you know what I mean, also
want the best for growth rates as far as photosynthesis is
concerned...I will purchase whatever arrangement you suggest and thanks
again for your time and brain power. Anthony Pastorelli NYC
Fireman <my sincere advice is to swap out some corals and
focus on a more natural mix of corals with like needs. Open brains and
high-light SPS corals could not be much further apart from each other
on a reef. Noxious soft corals mixed in really throw a monkey wrench
into the equation. There is no one lighting system that will satisfy
all of these creatures. Still... if you twist my arm for a
recommendation, 2 x 250 10k K Halides gets my vote for the compromise.
Anthony>
Gaggle of Anemones
4/28/04
I have a 125 gallon tank with a pretty big long tentacle
anemone a rose, and a Sebae and two little Condys and a carpet.
<yikes... what an unnatural mix!> They aren't near each other
except the Condy and long tentacle <that means little in such a
small volume of water and with motile stinging animals like your
anemones against the sensation of "chemical warfare"
conducted against each other. They will seem to get along for some
months... maybe even a couple of years. But statistically your chances
of making this work are near zero for the long term. Please do
reconsider> but I was wondering if they do touch what exactly
happens and what about touching other corals such as my hammer? <oh,
no... corals too. Ahh... please do read more in the WetWebMedia.Com
archives about stocking, compatibility and allelopathy (keyword
searches an simply navigate the menu> I also heard if one seems to
be dying although there not you should remove or risk killing the whole
tank. <this really is a dreadful way to run an aquarium with living
organisms. Putting it in a stressful environment and then pulling it
before it kills others. Anemones are really a dubious group regarding
sustainable harvest. They naturally can live many decades (some with
theorized "immortality" in the sense that they have NO
definable lifespan) and tragically never live more than months or a
couple of years because ill-advised aquarists put them in such mixes as
yours.> I understand I'm sure I have to many anemones in there
but I have an attachment to all of them. <please make the
conscientious choice and keep only one species per tank, and do so in a
system that specifically meets its needs (hard substrates, soft
substrates, lagoon with grasses, etc). Most of all... please, please,
please research the needs of all living organisms before you buy them
and throw them into potentially harmful or unnatural mixes> Is this
possible to keep. <no> thanks <sigh... best regards,
Anthony>
Get Your Coral
Straight
Thanks for the advice... will go with better husbandry
corals.... <excellent to hear my friend> so does this
mean that large polyped stonies (brain, moon, hammer) and soft corals
(Sarcophyton, Sinularia, Zoanthids, leather) can't or shouldn't
be kept with each other? <it is commonly done... and will work
for some years, but is not without sometimes considerable challenges to
coral health/husbandry. I think you will enjoy far greater success with
a more natural selection of like-needs species> what I had
come up with was 2 175 watt 10k MH and 4 110 watt VHO 03 of them
being actinic and one being 6500 k ...Was just concerned about keeping
the fluorescence of the LPS as I have read in your book of coral
propagation that if you have less than sufficient light the corals will
turn brown or release their ZOO <yes... true for some corals.
Other corals its the opposite. Its really a case by case basis. Its one
of the reasons why you hear so often that you have to pick your exact
list of corals (by species... not just by group/type) before you pick
your lights. Red brains need UV to maintain their reflective color it
seems, but other corals will darken under excessive UV, for
example> I am not even sure the SPS I like is really SPS it is
usually found in my LFS and they have it listed as Pagoda cup
coral. <Ahh, yes... its a LPS (Turbinaria), and a good, hardy
one at that. Excellent choice> It is shaped as a cup and has
long polyps that come out of the cup.. maybe LPS ?cant find a picture
of it in your book (cause there are no pictures) and Eric's book
doest show it either. <actually does... page 319, left-center
picture... a shaggy, healthy piece of Turbinaria peltata> any
way being that the tank will have 19 inches of water after the sand bed
will the lighting I suggested be sufficient to support (Brains, moons,
Zoanthids, Star polyps ,hammer and softs like xenia, Sarcophyton,
Sinularia and maybe some leathers ? The skimmer I bought is the
Euroreef CS-8 4 external, <outstanding skimmer!>
after I fist spoke to you on the water flow I bumped the pumps up to 2
dolphin 2000 each one driving opposite side of the tank on a dual
outlet manifold. also used as sump return pumps. Sorry to bother you so
much just want to do it right once...Ya know...Thanks a
million. <sounds very good my friend... best regards,
Anthony>
Bicolor Buccaneer
Bites 'em!!
>WWM crew, >>Aye, matey, hallo thar!
>Are there any Corals that I can keep with a Bi-color angel? I
removed all my Xenia because he started eating it. He does not touch
the Zoanthids and Polyps. Are there any other corals I can keep that he
will not nip at? Thanks, Chris >>Bicolors are a touchy lot, me
laddy. Nay, I must say, there are none proven to be
nip-proof whence under the lips of
angels. Lo! There are those that be better than
others - SPS corals shall refuse to walk the plank unless prodded
forth, whilst LPS corals will turn tail and head for the briny deep as
fast as we turn flags, Arrgh. Ye can expect your wee angel
to give all sorts a try, a nip, and a taste. Clam, brain,
any and all may come under scrutiny, only a few may pass
muster. Arrgh! Marina, the Salty Maiden of the
Seven Seas.
Bicolor Buc - Did
he Have a Go?>Thanks for the feedback Captain Hook!
>>Argh, matey, that's CAPTAIN-ETTE! Hee, thanks
for putting up with my fun. I've had my fish for the
night, so my swashbuckling is over for the evening, as my belly is
quite full. >I suppose the Zoanthids which [are] all over my rocks
are poisonous, and that's why he never nips at them? >>Zoos
can indeed be poisonous, and that isn't to say that he may not have
*already* had himself a taste or two. It'll be a process
of elimination, and confirmation that fish can't smell, seeing as
how he went to town on those Xenia. Marina
Super Green Star
Polyps!
Good Day - <Hiay! Scott F. here today!> OK - I've
searched but cannot find the answer among your previously answered
questions so here goes; I have an established tank 2+ years and have
had little to no problems. It is a 45 tall (I know tall isn't the
best but it's what I'm stuck with) LR/LS set-up and I have it
stocked mostly with Octocorallians and fish. I purchased some star
polyps about a year ago and they are growing out of control - stinging
my Xenia and Colt corals to death. Is there any way to stop/slow the
growth of the Star polyps? I have tried to redirect them only to have
them grow over anything I put in their path and onto the adjacent
corals. I have tried to "peel" them off of the rock with no
success. They are a very bright green and look like moss or grass
during the day but they are growing out of control. If I leave it
alone, they will eventually cover everything in the tank. Any
suggestions? <This is a problem that many hobbyists would like to
have! I have always liked GSPs, but they can become a problem if left
unchecked. I would have tried many of the same tactics that you did. In
particular, I like to "passively propagate" actively growing
corals like GSPs and Xenia by simply putting some rubble in the
"path" of the Star Polyps, letting them "overgrow"
the rubble, then removing the rubble and replacing it with a new piece
or pieces (and, this will help you supply our fellow hobbyists with
their own GSP starter colonies!). If you are impatient, then more
radical methods are necessary, such as removing the rock or rocks on
which the GSPs have set up shop, or regularly excising them with a
razor blade (a tedious process, but seemingly the best way to go in
your case). You really might consider propagating this beautiful coral
and supplying fellow hobbyists and fish stores! When life gives you
lemons, as they say....!> Thank you. J.T. Craddock
Corals to keep
Hey don't worry about the lateness <I do, I hate to make people
wait. but thanks> I have a question you mentioned that I
couldn't keep stony corals can you give me a quick list of the
corals I could keep I want anemones, fans, brain corals, sponges...
would this be possible, I bought the 155 gallon tank what else can I
have <I just think that you are going to have to be careful with
what you put into your tank unless you go to halides and a high
wattage.> <Let me give you some guiding sites here real
quick. Start here Alejandro you'll be reading some great
information http://www.wetwebmedia.com/stonycor.htm, good luck
MacL> thanks a to Alejandro
Everything and the kitchen sink
2/28/03
Can you mix soft corals with hard corals and can my saddle
carpet and bubble tip anemone live in peace with my Brain star coral
,Yellow leather coral, and my bubble pearl coral? <Ahhh...no. Read
more about why here: www.WetWebMedia.com Best regards,
Anthony>
Slow coral growth
Mr.
Fenner, First, I apologize for the length of this email in advance :)
<No worries, take your time/bandwidth> I am writing because I am
frankly stumped over why I have had mediocre luck with corals. First,
my tank parameters: * 30 gallon system, 35# Fiji rock, 4" DSB,
Prizm skimmer, occasional filtration w/activated carbon * 6.5 WPG of PC
light, 6500K <Wowzah, this must be a bright tank> * Ammonia,
nitrite, nitrate unreadable; SG 1.024; pH 8.4 (very alkaline
tapwater!); Calcium 450ppm; Temp 78F <What is alkalinity
reading?> * Caulerpa racemosa & Halimeda growth <Overpowering
growth, or just a little?> * Corals: sm. Galaxea, sm. Favites, colt,
sm. Sarcophyton, pagoda, bubble, sm. Sinularia, yellow polyps, star
polyps, assorted mushrooms. <All in a thirty gallon system?> *
Livestock: 1 sm. tomato clown, 1 blue damsel, 1 bicolor blenny, 1
six-line wrasse, 1 pacific cleaner shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 sm.
queen conch, 1 infernal sand-sifting star (thanks, LFS); several
Featherdusters, serpent stars, snails (Nassarius, Trochus, margarita),
and a few blue leg hermits. The tank has been set up for 8 months, with
corals for 6 months. I have observed negligible growth in several of my
corals with reputations for fast growth, and I lost a beautiful
red/green open brain that slowly receded over a period of 3 months.
(After trying it 3 different locations with variable lighting to try to
bring it back, it has been moved to my roommate's tank as a
last-ditch effort). The Sarcophyton has not grown at all (3"
diameter, 3" stalk), and is actually showing some degradation at
its base. Honestly, if you've ever seen a tree that has been
visited by a beaver, the Sarcophyton is beginning to look something
like that. The bubble, Galaxea, and Favites have not grown at all, and
the Galaxea is showing some tissue loss on the coenosteum. I've
read that the pagoda grows slowly, so I'm not surprised to see a
lack of growth from it. Happily, the colt has shown some growth, and
the polyps and mushrooms are finally starting to reproduce, but I would
like to see some growth from the others! I feed brine shrimp twice per
week, and suspension feeder food once per week. I also feed the bubble
a bit of shrimp once per week. The tank is set up such that aggressive
corals cannot reach others - no necrotic tissue is evident on anything.
Although this may be incidental, I have observed that coralline in my
tank bleaches in direct light. Too intense? <Yes, likely... and/or a
mismatch with too much biomineral (calcium) and too little alkaline
reserve, or too little magnesium...> Thanks in advance for all your
help, Jason <What is most likely is a incompatibility issue between
some of your stinging-celled life... the mushrooms most likely are
chemically, perhaps also physically interacting with the soft corals
you have... and vice versa... the "chewed" appearance of the
latter may also be due to some unwelcome predators... likely
Polychaetes or snails... I would check for these during the night with
a focused bright small flashlight... or a baited trap in the front
corner of the tank at night... Much more to postulate. Have you read
over our site: www.WetWebMedia.com? Please peruse, perhaps using the
Google search tool there for key terms... and we'll be chatting.
Bob Fenner>
Re: how about those corals and
sponges?
65 gallon tank w/ ecosystem.. all levels excellent The new
fish are very happy ... only fish ... restocking after huge die off 2
Firefish Magnifica 3 Neon Gobies Oceanops 4 Chromis Viridis More live
rock has introduced 2 more crabs (light brown and spotted). Already had
2 Mithrax, many snails, and hermit crabs The great Red Skunk Shrimp I
ordered was DOE. Added Red Grape Kelp. Added GE Chromaline 50 bulbs
Increased aeration Still have massive amounts of stringy thick brown
algae on the substrate. Would like to add a Percula or 2 and a
Paracanthurus Hepatus... maybe a flame angel? <I'd sub a
different Tang for the Algae, hold at adding any more fishes with
these. See the WetWebMedia.com site for Tang selection> Would like
to add a coral, or sponge, or something to add color. I am staying away
from anemones for fear of my inexperience per your advice. I have read
extensively the site and don't see anything listed as easy for
beginners as far as the corals or anything else that could add interest
and color to the environment. <Mmm, will have to make up such a
list... perhaps you will help in compiling same. Look at polyps,
Corallimorphs for now> My daughter is autistic and absolutely
fascinated with this venture. If you can point me to a few items that I
can try and maintain within my system I would like to read up and study
them a bit so that I can try and decide on later additions. <Look to
local sources, of people propagating soft and hard corals as your
selection criterion here.> The great Red Skunk Shrimp I ordered was
DOE. My daughter really liked him so we may try this again. Next time I
will order the large one as I believe the crabs would have done it in
anyway. Thank you Bob, Trisha Montez <Be chatting. Bob
Fenner>
Shy for a Star..
-polyp Hi, I
have questioned you once before and *once again* am back with another
question (thank you for your help!). <Today you get to talk to me,
Steven Pro. Bob is out of town for the time being and Anthony Calfo and
I are helping out.> I was reading your site (which is SO helpful)
because among all the things there are to learn on it I am having
trouble with my star polyps. They won't come out most of the time
and it seems mostly to coincide with how good the quality of water is
in the tank (I am just really a beginner and unfortunately sometimes I
get a little nitrate/nitrite .05 to .10 ppm, try to keep it to a
minimum but I think I tend to overfeed once in a while). Now the purple
"carpet" under the polyps seems to be sort of wanting to fall
of the original rock and is leaving empty spots on it. On your site I
saw you mentioned to someone "There is likely a negative
interaction between your Anemones and polyps... I would institute
monthly use of a chemical filtrant (like activated carbon) in the
filter flow path". I am not using any carbon in the Fluval 404 we
have and we do have one approx. 6 in wide anemone and one that is small
about 2 in wide maybe, plus two small what I believe are sand anemones
(mushroom anemone?). Could there be some kind of reaction going on
beside not having the best water quality always? <There are always
chemical interactions/warfare going on between the corals we keep.
Using carbon in the Fluval is a good idea. Be sure to clean once per
month and change the carbon.> Also the sand anemones also seem to
not maybe be liking everything, they have detached now from the rock
they were on when I purchased them and have sort of fallen to the
sandy/rocky bottom. The other anemones are doing well it seems. My tank
is 55 gal with about 80 lbs rock and one actinic and one
"power-Glo" light, <You seem pretty low in terms of
lighting. I have a 55 too and I use four 40 watt lamps (double what you
have) and I am too low for some corals and anemones.> a skimmer,
bubble bar, power head and 404 Fluval. I do add iodine and other
supplements sometimes (once every week?). <I hope you are feeding
the anemones, too. Several times per week is best.> Yes I know I
should have a set schedule but I'm still figuring out what it
should be. I do a water change about 5 gal every other week. <There
is much for you to read about anemones here
http://www.WetWebMedia.com/anemones.htm> Also while I have you (just
one more question I promise.. at least for a while!) what can you tell
me about teddy bear crabs? The LFS had one and was going to throw it
out but I took it home. I made a Plexi-glass separate box with air
holes for it as they said it would destroy reefs and eat fish (but
it's SO cute). <A separate small tank is probably better.>
Thank you so much!!! Melinda - pathetic at this point but hanging in
there hobbyist
Compatibility Questions
Greetings! I have a question about compatibility. Here are the
following inverts & corals in my tanks -Open Brain -Frogspawn
-Brown Star Polyp -Long Tentacle anemone -Finger Leather Do you see any
conflict with the above? Obviously the LT Anemone could pose a threat
if too close or begins to wander, but other than that, are there any
chemistry/toxin issues to consider? <Basically, there are always
chemical warfare concerns. Hence the need for good protein skimming,
use of activated carbon, water changes, etc. Nothing out of the
ordinary in your grouping.> Thanks for your response. P.s., my
current plan is to add some more soft and LPS corals. Any problems
there? -Adam <No, seems normal. -Steven Pro>
Anemone / Coral compatibility
Hi Bob (or WetWebMedia crew), <cheers> I currently have a green
carpet anemone in a 30-gallon tank. <holy cow... a tight fit
even in the short run. These anemones get a couple of feet across in
diameter and are extremely aggressive. They need quite a lot of light
(high intensity fluorescents or metal halide) and almost daily feedings
to survive. Else they will hang in for a year or two before finally
starving to death> Is it possible to add hardy soft corals to this
setup (leather, colt, mushrooms, button Polyps, star polyps)?
<under no circumstance would this work in a 30 gallon. Quite
frankly, anemones and corals are almost never to be recommended
together... it is an unnatural mix in most cases and the ensuing
chemical aggression in the water will cause great duress to all.>
I've read that many of these animals will sting each other.
<absolutely... they are best kept in a species tank> Is there a
way to tell if corals are compatible with each other? <its
best to group corals in tanks by family or group. Like... soft corals
only... LPS only or SPS only. Mixing groups can be quite challenging...
especially in a small tank like a 30 gallon. Be sure that you have a
skimmer that produces dark skimmate every single day and that you
change your carbon weekly> I've read that you should keep corals
8-12 inches apart, <pretty good> yet a lot of pictures and
pet stores have corals practically sitting on top of each other.
<most pet stores also have their tanks overstocked but do daily
water changes to compensate... catch the drift :) > Is it safe to
place members of the same genus closer together? <in some cases
yes> Another question... should I avoid star polyps? I've read
they can overtake an aquarium over time? Is there a species that
won't spread so rapidly? <they can grow fast... but many species
do. Almost any coral you pick will out grow a 30 gall in a year. Simply
learn some good coral propagation techniques to control growth> One
last unrelated question... is Hawaii the best state to live in to go
scuba diving on a regular basis? <beautiful... but the water
is cool and coral development is not a good for this northernmost coral
reef. Much good diving in the Caribbean from Florida. Better diving by
simply traveling from your home randomly out to the Red Sea and
Indonesia.> I'm currently land locked in Illinois, but would
like to move to a place where I can scuba dive easily. The only other
place I know of in the US with a coral reef is the Florida Keys, but I
don't really want to live in Miami. <all depends on the kind of
diving you seek. Sponges and Gorg.s in Atlantic, many stonies in Hawaii
but few soft... a plethora beyond that. What of living in Puerto
Rico?> Thanks for your time and rapid response, Jeremy G. <best
regards, Anthony>
Coral competition
<Anthony
Calfo in your service> I have a few questions regarding competition
for space in my aquarium. Which coral will win out over all for the
space between an SPS coral growing next to a colony of polyps?
<cannot be said in fairness categorically as each species is
different. But in gross terms, Zoantharians (mushroom and Zoanthid
button polyps) are VERY aggressive and will often tame SPS corals.
However, please do remember that corals forced to live close and combat
are not necessarily win vs. lose. Sometimes both will suffer and or die
after many weeks or months of being forced to compete> The polyps
are Zoanthids and the SPS coral is an Acropora that is growing
branches. The Acropora is spreading out at the base as usual, but it is
getting close to the polyps. <hard to say for certain... the
rule is that no coral should be allowed to touch. Please frag the Acro
to tame its growth or consider a "firewall" of rock/rubble
for control of either animal. More about this in my book on coral
propagation. Please do advise me if you need excerpts> I also have 2
small SPS corals that I glued onto the same small rock. Well as you can
imagine they have both grown into fine looking specimens; <ah,
yes... a common problem> however the base of one is growing onto the
base of the other. They are both great looking corals and I do not want
to break either of them off. What should I do? <they need to
be separated. Even when they appear to be getting along, one will die
"mysteriously" after some months from the silent chemical
warfare> One is a brown and white Acropora with a thick base and
thick branches. It's base is being grown onto by a Montipora
capricornis. The Montipora is growing into whorls and looks awesome.
Which will win the fight? <the Montipora is going to get
smoked like salmon by the Acropora...heehee> Any advise?
<yep... buy a bigger tank, add a refugium for frags, place corals
with consideration for long term growth/adult size and/or be more
willing to frag corals to control growth of close specimens. Best
regards my friend, Anthony Calfo> Thanks!!
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