Of Cold Water Marine, Hermits, And Blennys

[Wah]

Hello all!

I am a pure FW keeper for a while now, but i recently returned from a island trip for a week. (Hatteras.) Once home, i was washing off some shells and "mermaids purses" that one of the housemates wanted to make those tacky little shell filled vases/candles with, and got a little shock. What i took to be a string of small shells tangled in the seaweed, once the water hit them, turned out to be three little baby hermits . I took a look and saw a bit more, but sadly out of about seven, only these three seemed to have survived - which means they survied how many X days inside the mermaid purse tangle up on shore, and 2 days inside the baggie roomie used to carry the shells home.

Thankfully there's a beach near by (but nothing like the resort beach we were in, but it's a state up - I'am in VA stateside, so the same ocean, and the area is not public, so it's somewhat clean.) The little guys have been living in a little gallon or so betta bowl with a layer of sand i took from the beach and some salt water in it for about 2 days now, and seem to be doing well. They have a small bubbler/airstone.

Of course, i know that i SHOULD take these guys back and free them, or to my beach nearby (even though its quite a haul.) Would this be the best course of action? These guys are really small, and i can just seem them getting preyed on (and there size could be a care problem.)

To give an example of thier size, they could all problary rest on my thumb and have plenty of room to spare. Anyway, i knew that you salterwater aquarists keep "nanoreefs" so i fiqured for three little hermits, i could problary keep a "nano" cold water marine. So rather i kept the crabs or not, i always need a reason for more fish, so i aquired these materials today:

- 10 gallon (wally market tank.)
- Hydrometer
- Aquatic Gardens Marine salt. (There's not a difference between tropical and cold salts, are there?)
- A marine sand substrate
- A good number of oyster shells.
- A chiller (rated for up to 20 gallons.)
Total cost: $28 ^_^(counting tax!)
I have a old 20 gallon hanging powerhead filter i was planing to use -bad idea? Of course i have hoods, and i picked up some extra testing supplies.

So here's the question - is it worth trying this? Should i free these guys? Even more so, is it possible to identify them at this stage? Do i need a fish to cycle the tank (can i use the hermits? size issue?) Do i need more equipment?

Also, if i need a fish, i know blennys are coldwater - i know my local petco has a few of them, but i dont know if there a cold water speicies. If petcos tanks are heated, would i shock the fish putting in a tank with the chiller? These are herbivorius/omnivore fish that wouldn't bother the hermits? I know the local petco does not heat the fw tanks, or uses some kind of mass heater that makes the water not fully warm - have put my hand in when employees couldnt get fish, was coold! seen themoreters there come up cold to.

Thanks for any help in advance, and anyone pointing out mistakes i might be makeing or heading to - and pardon the spelling, it's not my strong suite.
P.S I intend to purchase a skimmer and am aware a blenny is rated for a "min" in the 25-30 gallon range, so that may be out of the question?

 

[Sadielynn]

Hello all!

I am a pure FW keeper for a while now, but i recently returned from a island trip for a week. (Hatteras.) Once home, i was washing off some shells and "mermaids purses" that one of the housemates wanted to make those tacky little shell filled vases/candles with, and got a little shock. What i took to be a string of small shells tangled in the seaweed, once the water hit them, turned out to be three little baby hermits . I took a look and saw a bit more, but sadly out of about seven, only these three seemed to have survived - which means they survied how many X days inside the mermaid purse tangle up on shore, and 2 days inside the baggie roomie used to carry the shells home.

Thankfully there's a beach near by (but nothing like the resort beach we were in, but it's a state up - I'am in VA stateside, so the same ocean, and the area is not public, so it's somewhat clean.) The little guys have been living in a little gallon or so betta bowl with a layer of sand i took from the beach and some salt water in it for about 2 days now, and seem to be doing well. They have a small bubbler/airstone.

Of course, i know that i SHOULD take these guys back and free them, or to my beach nearby (even though its quite a haul.) Would this be the best course of action? These guys are really small, and i can just seem them getting preyed on (and there size could be a care problem.)

To give an example of thier size, they could all problary rest on my thumb and have plenty of room to spare. Anyway, i knew that you salterwater aquarists keep "nanoreefs" so i fiqured for three little hermits, i could problary keep a "nano" cold water marine. So rather i kept the crabs or not, i always need a reason for more fish, so i aquired these materials today:

- 10 gallon (wally market tank.)
- Hydrometer
- Aquatic Gardens Marine salt. (There's not a difference between tropical and cold salts, are there?)
- A marine sand substrate
- A good number of oyster shells.
- A chiller (rated for up to 20 gallons.)
Total cost: $28 ^_^(counting tax!)
I have a old 20 gallon hanging powerhead filter i was planing to use -bad idea? Of course i have hoods, and i picked up some extra testing supplies.

So here's the question - is it worth trying this? Should i free these guys? Even more so, is it possible to identify them at this stage? Do i need a fish to cycle the tank (can i use the hermits? size issue?) Do i need more equipment?

Also, if i need a fish, i know blennys are coldwater - i know my local petco has a few of them, but i dont know if there a cold water speicies. If petcos tanks are heated, would i shock the fish putting in a tank with the chiller? These are herbivorius/omnivore fish that wouldn't bother the hermits? I know the local petco does not heat the fw tanks, or uses some kind of mass heater that makes the water not fully warm - have put my hand in when employees couldnt get fish, was coold! seen themoreters there come up cold to.

Thanks for any help in advance, and anyone pointing out mistakes i might be makeing or heading to - and pardon the spelling, it's not my strong suite.
P.S I intend to purchase a skimmer and am aware a blenny is rated for a "min" in the 25-30 gallon range, so that may be out of the question?

Hi Every thing looks good but your salt yes there is a diffrence in marine salt vs tropical salt . There are cold water salt areas but hatters is not cold water (I belive) If you keep them keep them in a small very controlled area til you can cycle your tank out , as chances are they will not survive the cycle .
You will want about 10 to 11 lbs LR and about 1-3 inches of sand in the bottom and some extra shells for these little ones to grow into .
10 gallon (wally market tank.) Should be fine

Hydrometer ditch this and get a refractometer these are known to be very inaccurate if not cleaned , have build up of minerals or even an air bubble can effect the readings

Aquatic Gardens Marine salt. (There's not a difference between tropical and cold salts, are there?) in short yes
- A marine sand substrate I use live sand only because it is prewet and does not have alot of floating particles that can seize impellars , you can use dry sand and just wet it-
A good number of oyster shells. ?
- A chiller (rated for up to 20 gallons may or may not need judge by temps you do not want more than a 2 * swing in 24 hours

I have a old 20 gallon hanging powerhead filter i was planing to use -bad idea? should be fine so long as copper/meds was never filtered through it You will also want a thermometer , and a heater ...
to cycle the tank just use an unseasoned deli shrimp for that
So here's the question - is it worth trying this? Should i free these guys? Even more so, is it possible to identify them at this stage? Do i need a fish to cycle the tank (can i use the hermits? size issue?)
Sure its worth trying setting them free in a diffrent location is probably not a good idea due to diseases and such . It is possible to id them post up pics ,Nope no fish needed just use an unseasoned deli shrimp , and watch perameters such as ammonia , nitrAte ,nitrIte once the ammonia and nitrIte is at 0 wait a couple days and do a water change then wait a day or so more and you should be cycled *check perameters one last time*
So add to your shopping list
marine salt .
Refracometer ,
test kit ,
LR -LS
heater/thermometer
some extra shells for these guys to grow into .
As for the blennies skip them they are tough to keep they eat pods or algea which in this size tank will be depleted quickly ....
I think most (if not all ) are tropical temp fish ... tho I am not 100%
HTH

 

[Wah]

Thanks, i have always assumed hatteras is cold water - mostly from my experinces there, i'll look into it. However, i am a bit worried about how to find these guys shells, as they realllly small. As well, keeping them in a smaller tank might be a issue, since the only spare (and non-fw tanks.) i have are little betta/fry bowls like the one there in, with the airstone. No heat/filter sizeable to mount to it..

Also, the hydrometer i have (the only one the store had.) is not a spinning one, it is a bobbing kind, much like a theremoter, but with markings for the salnity. As well, i have tons of the equipment i left out for f/w, which i intend to clean and reuse - (as far as heaters and so forth go.)- the oyster shells were a decorative choice, since i have seen them about hatteras in the water where these guys came from quite a bit.

And oooh, so are blennys like SW plecos? Can't be to hard to feed them alage wafers/zucchini/seaweed strips and so forth (In a SW flavor of course.) then, can it?


SHall have a photo of them up in the ID thread soon as possible.

 

[Sadielynn]

Re:

Thanks, i have always assumed hatteras is cold water - mostly from my experinces there, i'll look into it. However, i am a bit worried about how to find these guys shells, as they realllly small. As well, keeping them in a smaller tank might be a issue, since the only spare (and non-fw tanks.) i have are little betta/fry bowls like the one there in, with the airstone. No heat/filter sizeable to mount to it..

Also, the hydrometer i have (the only one the store had.) is not a spinning one, it is a bobbing kind, much like a theremoter, but with markings for the salnity. As well, i have tons of the equipment i left out for f/w, which i intend to clean and reuse - (as far as heaters and so forth go.)- the oyster shells were a decorative choice, since i have seen them about hatteras in the water where these guys came from quite a bit.

And oooh, so are blennys like SW plecos? Can't be to hard to feed them alage wafers/zucchini/seaweed strips and so forth (In a SW flavor of course.) then, can it?


SHall have a photo of them up in the ID thread soon as possible.

Look for unpainted shells in a craft store ,we boil those and use em for us, if we cant find them at our LFS in the tanks... small bucket will work to hold them in till you are cycled , keep an eye on the perameters tho it should not be that big of a deal if they are small they wont contribute to the bioload signifigantly .....Those hydrometers are fairly accurate as well ...they are kinda not really the same

 

[MT79]

Also, the hydrometer i have (the only one the store had.) is not a spinning one, it is a bobbing kind, much like a theremoter, but with markings for the salnity.

Unless it is over approx. 12-18" long, odds are is not very accurate at all. Most of the ones sold for the aquarium hobby are just too small to be very accurate. IMO you would be better off w/ a plastic hydrometer, or better yet a "cheaper" refractometer.
FWIW placing animals in a warm home aquarium (approx. 70 deg. and above) that are found naturally in cool-cold waters will dramatically affect their life span. I'm not sure how effective or efficient (energy/cost wise) a chiller would be at keeping things cool enough. Cold water tanks are very difficult undertakings, that is why you don't see too many of them. HTH

PS-

- A chiller (rated for up to 20 gallons.)
Total cost: $28 ^_^(counting tax!)

How did you get a chiller and all that other stuff for $28? 8O

 

[Devilishturtles]

I agree with what MT said. The problem you are going to have is deciding what you like better...the hermits or the fish you plan to add. Tropical marine fish need higher temps, and like mentioned, the cold water fish are hard to care for and get waaaaaaay to big for your tank.

If it were me, I'd take the hermits back and look into setting up a nano-reef with the 10 gallon, since you went out and bought all the equipment. Nano reefs are tough...even for people who have been doing sw for a long time, so it would take a lot of dedication and daily maintenence (top offs, water testing, etc.) especially when the tank is new. That way you have a MUCH wider variety of fish to keep and you'll actually be able to keep corals.

Most blennies aren't a good choice for a 10 gallon.

HTH