Are Inverts Safe to Place into Main Tank w/o QT'ing?

[TheChad]

Hey all,

After having several problems with the fish & inverts purchased at my LFS's, I have made my first order from LiveAquaria.com.

Hopefully the fish I recieve will be of better health/quality than that of which I have purchased from LFS's.

I ordered 4 fish, which I will place in the QT tank. I also ordered several snails, and a few crabs.

My question is, Can the Snails and Crabs be placed directly into the Main Tank, or should they also be QT'd?

Also I wanted to ask, One of the fish I purchased is a Watchman goby, which I know Sifts sand, my QT tank has crushed coral. Will the Watchman goby be OK in this tank for 30 days? or Will I need to Skip the QT and place him directly into the Main tank with a Sand Bed?


Herey's What I'm working With:
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55g Glass Tank-
Aqua Clear 125 Sump System
Eheim Professional II 2026 Canister Filter
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2 Ocellaris Clownfish
1 Fire Shrimp
1 Camel Shrimp
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
1 Electric Orange Hermit Crab


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Occupants Comming from Live Aquaria
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Diamond Watchman Goby
Sailfin/Algae Blenny
Copperband Butterflyfish
Scooter Blenny

Dwarf Blue Leg Hermit Crab x 4
Dwarf Zebra Hermit Crab x 4
Sally Lightfoot Crab x 1
Margarita Snail x 2
Nassarius Vibex Snail x 2
Zebra Turbo Snail x 2


Does everything Look Good?


Thanks,

-TheChad

[roka64]

I don't QT my inverts. I DO acclimate them for 2 hours at least, since they are more sensitive to changes in water chemistry than most fish.
I would remove the CC from your QT. The only thing you need in a QT is plastic PVC pipe for hiding (enough for all of them to hide).
Your list looks pretty good, the two blennys might have a problem, since they have the same body type. I think the Sailfin/Algae Blenny, may bully the other. Let us know how it works. A couple of them seem like they may be hard to feed. I would soak their food in garlic, if you see any problems. Other than that, I think you are good to go!

[TheChad]

The Reason I keep the CC in my QT tank, is because I keep 3 Chromis's in the tank all the time, to keep the tank cycled. Sometime it is months between the purchase of new fish, So I don't want the 30G QT tank to loose the cycle.

So I keep the tank with 1 rock, 1 fake Coral, and 1 rubber Coral. As well as the CC so that the Chromis's have a nice home.


I am hoping the 2 blenny's wont fight since they don't compete for food. The Algae Blenny hopefully with say in the rockwork and eat the algae, the Scooter Blenny will hopefully be more on the sand bed, and tops of the LR. But since they arn't eating the same food, hopefully they wont fight. Also They really don't look the same, So hopefully that will keep them both happy.

Thanks,

-TheChad

I also do not QT inverts. I test the salinity when I get them home and if it is close it is quick acclimation and if not I do 1 to 1 1/2 hour.

How long has your tank been up?

You know the scooter is just like a mandarin for feeding req. right? Most only eat pods.

[TheChad]

Okay, Forgive the question but what are pods?

Live Aquaria said they will eat shrimp.


I have 65lb of LR, and 60lbs of LS, The tank has been up and running for about 8-10 months now.

Thanks,

-TheChad

[angelscrx]

Amphipods and copepods are the pods being talked about here. The scooter eats just like a mandarin but may take frozen food as mine did when I had one. It just has to be small enough to fit in it's mouth. Your sailfin should leave the scooter alone as I had both in my tank too and nothing ever happened between them. Do you see a lot of pods in your tank? If not you may have a tough time feeding the scooter.

[TheChad]

I have not seen any. But the LFS's said I should have them.

I assume thease will grow in their own? Not something I need to Introduce to the system?

-TheChad

Pods will come from LR and reproduce on their own. There are pods available to buy over the internet and at some LFS's, however most are Tiger Pods and are to big for the mandarin.

To establish a pod poulation in which can support a scooter, or mandarin, your tank needs to be well established and you need to run a refigium. This fish is NOT a good choice for a new tank and neither is the algae belnny. I would wait 6-10 months for the algae and longer for the scooter.

[TheChad]

Originally Posted by Mike469

Pods will come from LR and reproduce on their own. There are pods available to buy over the internet and at some LFS's, however most are Tiger Pods and are to big for the mandarin.

To establish a pod poulation in which can support a scooter, or mandarin, your tank needs to be well established and you need to run a refigium. This fish is NOT a good choice for a new tank and neither is the algae belnny. I would wait 6-10 months for the algae and longer for the scooter.

The Tank has PLENTY of algae.

The LR I purchased was shipped, and I doubt anything was still living on it. The LR has been in the tank for about 8 months, maybe a little longer.

The LS has been in the tank for about 10 months, and was purchased as LS, though I haven't seen any Life in the sand.

So if pod's don't exsist, in the tank, then they never will?

I don't have a refigium, or any real intention of getting one. I don't have any more room to add any more filters.

Virtually every LFS sells scooters, and none of them here anyway, have a refigium.

-TheChad

[lando]

I never QT my inverts either. Just be sure to keep the pakage and transport water out of your tank. At night, after lights out, take a flashlight and look in your tank. You may see little "bugs" running around on the LR and substrate. These are the pods and provide a wornderful natural food source for your tank.

Pods are their main food source. They are really in the dragonet family like a mandarin. Other food may supplement but pods in a refigium should be in place. If you cant provide the proper environment you should not get one. Do some Google searched on "scooter blenny" or "red scooter blenny" and you will read for yourself.

Pods will produce in time, however without a safe house such as a refigium a scooter or mandarin will wipe them out and they will not be able to reproduce.

Good Luck