Caleb getting salty!?! No way..

[paul87]

That black thing could have been some sort of sponge. If that's the case its nothing to worry about. They are good filter feeders. Hard to tell what it actually is in the photo though.

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by paul87

That black thing could have been some sort of sponge. If that's the case its nothing to worry about. They are good filter feeders. Hard to tell what it actually is in the photo though.

Well I got another "sponge" on my big piece
Or so the LFS guy said.

Lol newbie + foreign material in tank = cut it out with a big knife




Caleb

[PassengerTN]

I like the new scape a lot better.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by hensleyjk

I like the new scape a lot better.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Thank you sir! I just felt like there would have not been enough swim space so I downsized and tried to make some little caves and crevices.


Caleb

[PassengerTN]

I just like offset hard scapes haha. Have you decided on live stock yet other than the cleaner/sexy combo or whatever


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

[ImACoolguy]

I'm still up in the air with fish.

Here's the stock I've seen so far of fish I know don't get huge but don't know if all of them will work. It's LFS Stock. So just browse through it. And I did do a bit of research that's the yes/no stuff

The Aquarium
Turban snail: $2.49
Blue leg hermit: $2.99
Mexican turbo snail: $3.49
Red tip hermit crab: $2.99
Zebra reef hermit: $2.99
Emerald crab: $8.99
Bumblebee snail: $2.99 YES! No other snails.
Arrow crab: $15.99 too big
Cerith snail: $1.99 Na
Scarlet hermit crab: $4.99 YES
Purple fire fish: $45.99 yes
Cleaner shrimp: $24.99 yes
Pencil urchin: $7.99 NOT REEF COM
Rainford's goby: $24.99 yes
Flame scallop: $9.99 NO TOO HARD
Scooter blenny: $15.99 too big
Neon goby: $25.99 yes
Red head goby: $39.99 yes
Sexy shrimp: $19.99 yes
Pom Pom crab $24.99


Aquatic Marine

Stock:
Halloween hermit: $14.99
Bumblebee snail: $1.99
Court jester! $29.99
Crinoid crab $25.99
Molly miller blenny$19.99
Scarlet hermit: $5.99
Dragon face pipefish: $26.99
*tiger pistol shrimp: $29.99
Red banded pistol shrimp: $24.99
Scooter dragonet(CUTE!) $14.99
Red fire fish: $14.99
Cleaner shrimp: $32.99
**Arrow crab: $19.99
Nassarius snail: $2.99
Chocolate chip starfish: $10.99
**Coral banded shrimp: $14.99
Emerald crab: $9.99
Zebra mantis shrimp: $89.99 (Maybe one day )


Caleb

[Finntastic]

no emerald crab or arrow crab. peppermint shrimp eat aptasia. Also yellow stripe clingfish are Finntastic.

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by Finntastic

no emerald crab or arrow crab. peppermint shrimp eat aptasia. Also yellow stripe clingfish are Finntastic.

Thanks for the input Finn. I'm really trying to stick to LFS stock on this one especially after my last online order encounter....


Caleb

[ImACoolguy]

LFS said they can do orders for fish and some coral depending on availability. This could be an option I forgot about that.


Caleb

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

LFS said they can do orders for fish and some coral depending on availability. This could be an option I forgot about that.


Caleb

A lot of online stores have them.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

LFS said they can do orders for fish and some coral depending on availability. This could be an option I forgot about that.


Caleb

This can be the best way to go about it that way you don't have to pay shipping. I used to do this a lot.

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by paul87

This can be the best way to go about it that way you don't have to pay shipping. I used to do this a lot.

It might be a source of some of my corals as well.

Going to look up the clingfish.


Caleb

[paul87]

Ok so I went over your list here. These are my opinions for the most part written in red.

_________________________________________________

The Aquarium
Turban snail: $2.49 (ok snails)

Blue leg hermit: $2.99 (they LOVE to take shells from snails)

Mexican turbo snail: $3.49 (great algae eating snails, can get big and bulldoze rocks/corals)

Red tip hermit crab: $2.99 (don't trust them one bit)

Zebra reef hermit: $2.99 (cool hermits but never owned one)

Emerald crab: $8.99 (don't trust them one bit)

Bumblebee snail: $2.99 YES! No other snails. (fantastic snails to have in a CUC, and yes they are compatible with other snails. I have a small army of these. They stay small and can get into the nooks and crannies)

Arrow crab: $15.99 too big Cerith snail: $1.99 Na (great snails to add to the CUC)(don't trust them, too big)

Scarlet hermit crab: $4.99 YES (the ONLY hermits I trust!)

Purple fire fish: $45.99 yes (very pretty and perfect for a small tank)

Cleaner shrimp: $24.99 yes (they are shrimp, they clean, and you are already set on it!)

Pencil urchin: $7.99 NOT REEF COM (don't trust them)

Rainford's goby: $24.99 yes (awesome fish but I wouldn't recommend)

Flame scallop: $9.99 NO TOO HARD (difficult to keep for a long period)

Scooter blenny: $15.99 too big (not really too big, but they are a dragonet not a blenny so their main food source is pods. would not recommend to any beginner)

Neon goby: $25.99 yes (good little nano fish)

Red head goby: $39.99 yes (not sure on the size they grow too)

Sexy shrimp: $19.99 yes (very small, very ornamental, very comical, can be food!)

Pom Pom crab $24.99 (pretty cool crabs)


Aquatic Marine

Stock:
Halloween hermit: $14.99 (too big)

Bumblebee snail: $1.99 (same as above)

Court jester! $29.99 (same things as Rainfordi Goby)

Crinoid crab $25.99 (don't know much about them but they might work pretty good for a nano tank.)

Molly miller blenny$19.99 (too big)

Scarlet hermit: $5.99 (same as above)

Dragon face pipefish: $26.99 (not for beginners)

*tiger pistol shrimp: $29.99 (would work good with a goby)

Red banded pistol shrimp: $24.99 (would work good with a goby)

Scooter dragonet(CUTE!) $14.99 (same as scooter blenny)

Red fire fish: $14.99 (pretty and great nano fish)

Cleaner shrimp: $32.99 (same as above)

**Arrow crab: $19.99 (same as above)

Nassarius snail: $2.99 (my favorite snails for a sandbed. Great member of a CUC)

Chocolate chip starfish: $10.99 (eat coral, not reef safe!)

**Coral banded shrimp: $14.99 (can be aggressive)

Emerald crab: $9.99 (same as above)

Zebra mantis shrimp: $89.99 (Maybe one day ) (if that's the only thing you want!!!)

[paul87]

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

It might be a source of some of my corals as well.

Going to look up the clingfish.


Caleb

I'm against the clingfish for any beginner as well. Cool fish, just not a good choice no matter how finntastic they may be. Mandarins are a really awesome fish as well, but I would have to stop talking to you if you got one. LOL

[Finntastic]

Originally Posted by paul87

I'm against the clingfish for any beginner as well. Cool fish, just not a good choice no matter how finntastic they may be. Mandarins are a really awesome fish as well, but I would have to stop talking to you if you got one. LOL

Clingfish are actually pretty easy to keep as long as you have a lid and no mantis shrimp. My friend had one who was nabbed by two mantis shrimp at the same time we tried to help him but it was to late. He was clubbed in the face.

[ImACoolguy]

Wow thanks for the tips Paul that helps narrow it down a ton!

What do you have against mandarins? one LFS had one last time I was there. It was a green mandarin.

And also what is CUC?


Caleb

[ImACoolguy]

May be simple but what about a single ocellaris? I've always loved them. Or would he get too big :/


Caleb

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Finntastic

Clingfish are actually pretty easy to keep as long as you have a lid and no mantis shrimp. My friend had one who was nabbed by two mantis shrimp at the same time we tried to help him but it was to late. He was clubbed in the face.

Yea mantis shrimp don't play well with others, hopefully he wasn't aware he had the mantis shrimp. They are extremely finicky eaters and most do not eat right away. You would need to make sure the fish ate before purchase. Most eat pods and rotifers. The feeding habits is where the "expert" comes in. They are also very small and slender and can easily slip through overflow boxes, powerheads, and anywhere else for matter. They are hardy if you get one eating and is a peaceful tank (no bullies). I wouldn't recommend it as a first saltwater fish for sure. They do great in seahorse and pipefish tanks though, which is all "expert" as well. They are not super likely to jump but they do cling on to stuff.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

Wow thanks for the tips Paul that helps narrow it down a ton!

What do you have against mandarins? one LFS had one last time I was there. It was a green mandarin.

And also what is CUC?


Caleb

I have absolutely nothing wrong with mandarins, I just cant stand how often they are sold without research and how cheap and available they are. They are an extremely hard fish to have. They rely on tons of pods for food that only a very large established tank can provide. On occasion you can get them to eat prepared foods, but it isn't likely and they can always change their mind and want nothing but pods again. I would have to guess at least 90% of them sold die within a week. So very sad. For your other question, a CUC is a clean up crew. This is your snails, crabs, & worms that clean up the tank of algae, detritus, and uneaten food.

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

May be simple but what about a single ocellaris? I've always loved them. Or would he get too big :/

Caleb

I think a single Ocellaris Clown would be fine in that tank. I wouldn't add any more fish though. There are some pretty cool nano fish out there that you could probably get a couple. Check out the flaming prawn goby. They are my favorite goby (super tiny and expensive usually). These would be show fish for a tank like yours. The guy I deal with can get them a lot cheaper. Probably around $40 just guessing.

[ImACoolguy]

WOW! That is one pretty fish! That's all I can say... Are they hard to keep?

Edit: I've come to the realization after being in this hobby for a good bit that I want fish I can come home and see or will greet me at the front. I gave away my Raphael catfish because he hid 24/7, very pretty fish just not my type.

so if it is very shy and hides a lot I don't really want it :p and I knew ocellaris were pretty active which is why I asked.
Caleb