Update on my tank! New fish/Coral.

[GuOD]

Hey everyone,

So I haven't seen my tank since the 14th, but I went to see it on the 28th. The tank had been running without any filtration - just filled with rock and 2 powerheads creating surface agitation.

I was worried about how the fish would be doing but to my amazement, when I arrived all the fish were swimming around, healthy, and BIGGER! The sergeant major had part of his tail nipped off but it had fully grown back.

The first thing I did was turn the protein skimmer up and get the water cleared up a bit. There also wasn't much algae on the glass which was good. The bit that was on there was now GREEN! It looks much nicer than brown!

One problem - one of my rocks, had this brown slimey stuff on it. It's just on the one rock, and it was pretty bad. I took a baster and blew it all off, but it was just so disgusting. There was a bit of brown stuff elsewhere but very very minimal. I'm not sure why it happens on that rock.

One of the first things I did was top up the water and then test it! The first test showed 10 nitrates, 0 nitrites, max Ph and max hardness/alk. This was using a test strip. I decided to try my Ocean Master test kit on Nitrates, and when I ran the test it actually showed up as 0ppm. I don't know which one is correct, but the water is definitely doing well!

I added a few new additions to the tank as well. I got the following:

1. Skunk cleaner shrimp
2. 2x red leg hermit crab (and about 50 shells!)
3. Starfish (see below)
4. Yellow Tang
5. Two-barred rabbitfish
6. Green Star Polyp
7. Green Mushrooms (with some kind of Zoanthid on it also I think)

DETAILS:
1. The shrimp instantly scurried along the front wall and then into the rock work. He sat beside the rabbitfish for awhile, and then moved to the back and I saw his antennae hanging out.

2. These crabs were much larger than my other crabs (I think the other ones are blue leg) so I figured I'd just pick 2 larger ones up.

3. I was at the LFS and asked him if I would be ok to add any of these. He said if my water params are good, then the star would be fine. I think he called it a brittle star that eats detirtus (I have a lot of this due to user error with automatic feeder) so I figured it would be good to have. It looks like this, but purple:

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...catid=2126&N=0

4. This guy adjusted very fast and was swimming around and grazing within 2 hours of being in the tank. He looks to be in great shape!

5. I got this guy instead of a mimic tang because I thought he looked really nice and wasn't a 2nd tang that's yellow . He immediately swam down to a dark corner, fins raised (he's a spinefoot so he does that when stressed) and lied sideways like he was dead. He did this for about 2 hours while the shrimp looked over him but then he disappeared. I tried looking for him but I couldn't find him. A few hours later I saw him swimming around with the yellow tang. His fins were no longer raised and he looked happy. He already found his own little spot in the tank too!

6. I'm hoping to have a new light coming ASAP and it will be about 700w to conver to reef so I figured I'd try and start with some easy corals. I liked this one and it seemed like an easy addition. The thing is - the green things never came out since I put it in my tank. I was only able to watch it for a few hours before I had to go but hopefully it will come out.

7. I was looking at some polyps/leathers/mushrooms at the LFS and pretty much narrowed it down to mushrooms or a cool leather. I figured mushrooms are easier so I should probably try those out first. As a bonus, there are about 6-7 polyps on the same rock! Anyway, after putting this one in the tank, the polyps opened up very quickly to feed and were glowing nicely under the actinic so I think they're doing well. Mushrooms - I don't know how to tell how well they're doing but I guess they'll be fine.

Overall, I realise that I added a bunch at once, but it was a convenient time for me to add and get some good prices. Everything seems to be fine so I'm quite pleased. Now it's just a matter of time until I get my light situation sorted out!

[Devilishturtles]

Awesome. Can't wait to see some pictures.

[melosu58]

you only added two fish so you should be good to go. I agree with Lindsay that I cant wait for pics. Hope all goes well.

[GuOD]

I'm really excited to see it and take pictures too! I'll be back again this Friday and I'll totally clean the glass and take some new pics

I've read that the two-barred rabbitfish can be a coral nipper if underfed so Im going to make sure I get tons of the seaweed paper in there with veggie clips and some other nicer food

I also read that they like to swim in pairs - I have another chance to possibly get another fish/coral this Friday. Is it too soon to add more or would I have a better survival rate getting a second two barred rabbit? (Do they pair with any rabbit??).

[melosu58]

If they are not reef safe then I would not take a chance with a second one. Sometimes making sure they are fed is not enough. They nip on corals because it is their nature. IMO I would not risk another.

[GuOD]

Originally Posted by melosu58

If they are not reef safe then I would not take a chance with a second one. Sometimes making sure they are fed is not enough. They nip on corals because it is their nature. IMO I would not risk another.

Thanks.

Some things say they are reef safe, and some not.

I've decided to hold off anyway as it won't be convenient to get another. If it's causing problems I can just take it back to the LFS.

[Tomd]

I agree. Sometimes that is just the way it is and sometimes there is a thin line drawn between "reef safe."

Sure, individual fish can be different but those that are known to nip on corals "usually" will. Sometimes I think people that say some fish do not just have so many corals they may not even notice.

[GuOD]

Thanks Tomd.

To be completely honest, I did not know about this fish before heading to the LFS. They told me he'd be compatible and shouldn't cause problems.

I was originally planning on 2x tangs. Hopefully things will be ok. If he becomes problem I'll have no choice but to take the hit and give him back to the LFS.

[Hara]

As an example, even tangs will nip at corals when hungry...I cannot put an open brain in my tank, my tangs think it is a food source almost immediately. They are more then well-fed.

[melosu58]

That`s a shame Lisa. That would be a hard choice for me. I love my brain corals but I love tangs also.