The Ocean Can Be A Violent Environment

[Boulder]

Just a general thought on our ocean biotopes ... they can be a violent place.

Just tonight in my aquarium I witnessed two things:

• One of our 'Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crabs' must have wanted the shell of our 'Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab' as he had him flipped on his back and was going at him. I made the mistake of interfering with nature and separated the two and he went right back at him literally 'head-butting' the Scarlet with his shell. I made the mistake again and put them at opposite ends of the tank but have told myself to let nature take it's course. I think the Scarlet is hurt as he is not moving now.

• Second thing I witnessed was one of our Turbo Snails was slowly creeping up the tube of our 'Feather Duster' ... I thought, no big deal, he's just eating algea on the dusters tube - well, when he reached the top of the tube near the base of the crown, he started violently shaking his shell as if he was trying to break the parchment tube to harm the worm. Again I interfered and moved the snail.

I guess the idea of a community tank doesn't necessarily exist in SW quiet the way it does in FW.

 

[Zer0]

Well, the whole hermit crab thing i would have let happen b/c i dont care for hermits lol. But the feather duster thing... No way. I would have definitely taken the snail off of it, and if i saw it ever going near the duster again.. i would have smushed its little face into the sand and killed it. The feather dusters IMO are awesome inverts and are worth WAY more then a $0.50 snail. Plus i dont like snails all that much. ROFL.

But yeah, the ocean shows no guarantees. We find that some fish get along with eachother and others dont.. but whos to say something wierd wont happen.. Just because we have tested it, and found that some things get along with eachother better than others, doesnt mean that some random occurance wont happen, and two of the nicest fish you've ever seen wont go at it. I have my doubts with the whole compatability thing. Just because we see things are going fine on a regular basis.. doesnt mean that something wont go wrong on a rare occasion. Just my opinion though.

 

[MichaelsLilGray]

i have a lionfish with a lawnmower blenny.. black false percula... a cinnamon clown and a scopas tang... and the lion is in harmony with everyone lol he never ate my damsals... (he is closing in on 10" body length... 15" fin span...)

It has its rare instances.. and it has its downfalls..