Detrivore kits?

[Hookman]

I have a DSB, I used the carib-sea live sand. I guess it only has bacteria, so I was thinking of getting a detrivore kit. My tank is 4 months old, and I am beginning to see little paths in the top 2 inches of sand, like an ant farm. Should I bother with a detrivore kit or does this sound like it is proggressing. Where can I find a detrivore kit? Thanks!

 

[ellisz]

Did you get the bagged "live" sand? We used this stuff just because the right sand is impossible to find and it said it would make the tank cycle faster. We mixed it with other Carib-sea sand. I was under the impression that no actual organisms were present though.

We planned on seeding the sand with some real live sand. That would be cheaper than the detrivore kit. I just wish I knew someone locally ...

 

[loganj]

A detrivore kit would be a nice addition, but your sand will eventually become true LS as the organisms in the LR migrate down into the sand. A few nassarius snails would be a good addition as well. They stay just under the surface of the sand most of the time keeping the sandbed stirred and eating detritus. The tracks in the sand are from small worms in the sandbed. You will probably start seeing spaghetti worms soon. You'll see their tentacles sticking up out of the sand and sometimes one will crawl up the glass.

 

[ercfish]

Where is a good place to get a detrivore kit from?

 

[snapcrackler]

What I did was this: Talked to LFS guys and they gave me (free) scoops of gunk/substrate from the bottom of their live rock holding tank... you can just imagine the kind of crazy critters in this stuff... baby starfish, bristles, copepods, who knows what else?!?! 8O ANyway I dumped it in, after sifting briefly to look for angry little mantis shrimps or weird stuff like that, didn't find any. That worked good for me and was free (shh dont tell anyone) 8) Hope this helps a little. Now I have lots of little detrivorous weird-oids running around.

 

[ellisz]

I need a deal like that! Good job.

 

[Biggen]

Yeah most LFS will do that for you if you ask nicely.

If for some reason they won't, Inland Aquatics has great detrivore kits.

www.inlandaquatics.com

 

[ellisz]

When I go in to get my porcupine puffer, I will have to see I can score some. This will be awhile though ...

Thanks

 

[snapcrackler]

I saw a porc puffer at LFS with other types of fish, I thought they were supposed to be aggressive and chomping other fish and all that. This one was just floating around peacefully (no he wasn't dead ) What tankmates are you going to put your puffer with? Also I read the the spines are poisonous too. Man you'd have to take him home in a teflon bag huh. Just curious.

 

[ellisz]

I had a porcupine puffer before with clowns, damsels and even a yellow tang. He was very friendly IMO. I have a dog face puffer now with a percula clown. I want to add the porcpine with them and get maybe one other small fish.

The LFS told me about a dog puffer they had that killed alot of fish. I think it kind of depends on their personality. My porcupine was very alert to what was happening on the outside and would eat from your hand and spit on you

 

[snapcrackler]

Interesting..... I have never had a fish spit on me, but I will add it to my "to do" list just to see what it's like. hehe

I know what you mean about personality, you never know until you get a fish home if they're going to be sweet and happy, or aggressive, or even a little neurotic on occasion....