new 10 gallon tank!

Discussion in 'New To The Hobby' started by coug, May 4, 2006.

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  1. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    Location:
    Kenosha, Wisconsin
    It is also green under high lighting, forgot to mention that.
     
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  3. ragc

    ragc Bristle Worm

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    The "slug" is a stomatella snail. It has a shell, often hard to see because it's flat. It is a beneficial scavanger that will not eat coral. Keep it - I have one that hitchiked too.

    Coralline looks like in the pix of my 10 gallon that I posted at the start of this thread. I have also described it for you before. I include another picture here. It's the purple and green stuff all over my rocks and back glass. It is good as it inhibits growth of hair algae on the rocks and is a sign of good water chemistry.
     

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    Last edited: May 23, 2006
  4. coug

    coug Astrea Snail

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    Ok... So I'm sitting in front of my tank, which I seem to be doing often just watching for things moving. I know that sounds really weird but I do it, and let me tell you it's amazing what your eye finds in a saltwater tank with a little patience.
    So I'm seeing movement under a particular piece of coral/live-rock. It's a a two count of these very tiny creatures. They seem to be attracted to this one piece of live-rock and I think they might be a pair. It would be almost impossible for me to get a photo of these things. But the best way to describe them is between a very tiny shrimp/centipede/scorpion. I say scorpion because their tails seem to be slightly curved at the end. Their color is that of a shrimp, in sections and alternates from trasparent-gray-transparent, and they are very fast. You could almost describe them as little parasites.

    If anyone has any idea what I might be talking about feel free to respond. Like I said it's very hard to describe without photos.

    Another thing I'd like to bring up is that I think it would be spectacular if someone had the equipment to get a time-lapsed infrared/night-vision video of what happens in live-rock/coral tanks when the lights go out. I bet it's a whole other world.

    ;D
     
  5. JeridJohnson

    JeridJohnson Spanish Shawl Nudibranch

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  6. coug

    coug Astrea Snail

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    well, I had added 2 hermits and a turbo snail into my tank for reef cleaning and they lasted all of maybe a week and then they just died. Found one hermit crab out of his shell, the other hermit crab I don't even know where he went. So those 3 new additions just died, the blue damsel and the anemone are thriving and nothing is wrong with them. I don't quite understand it really.
     
  7. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    What are your readings. Have you tested?
     
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  9. ragc

    ragc Bristle Worm

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    The 'shrimp' are copepods. Beneficial/harmless - they feed on green algae.

    The hermits dissapear for long times - if alive they will re-appear. The one leaving it's shell may need a larger shell. If he stays out he is easy prey to other animals like snails, etc. I had one that left it's shell periodically and was caught and eaten by nassarius snails. Provide an assortment of shells in your tank for it to change into - he may need a larger shell.
     
  10. coug

    coug Astrea Snail

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    I haven't gotten any readings yet, unfortunately I work later hours so I haven't gotten a chance to do that yet. Unfortunately the one that was out of it's shell wasn't moving or responding even when I picked it up. Unless they're masters at pretending to be dead then he most definitely was. And I've since placed him in a bag in the freezer so if he wasn't dead then he is now. I only had them for maybe 2 weeks at the most, I don't think they were already looking for a new/larger home. Not to mention the snail also didn't make it as well.
    I need to do a water change for sure, but I've only got so much saltwater left to exchange with the water I take out. I know that if water evaporates you simply add distilled or RO water back to the tank, but if you take out water you have to replace it with fresh saltwater.
     
  11. Superpede1

    Superpede1 Astrea Snail

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    Keep in mind, they are older then the two weeks you had them, who knows how long they where living in the sea before a dive yanked him out and shipped him to your lfs. Why the hell did you put it in the freezer?:confused: :worried: If your out of saltwater then buy more! You cant just keep putting off changing the water, before you know it everything will be dead if you do. Dont try adding stuff when the water is bad, it will probably just die, especially if you didnt aclimate it well
     
  12. asilefx

    asilefx Skunk Shrimp

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    Yes I would pick up that salt and do a water change ASAP. Smaller tanks really need them often. One nice thing about having a nano though is a bag of salt will last you longer.