bpeitzke
Aquarium Advice Activist
We are SW tank newbies; had a problem a while ago with fish dying. Got advice from this forum (thanks!); redid tank, cycled, jump-started with shrimp. A week or so after seeing the nitrite spike subside, we introduced 3 small damsels & a 2" puffer. They have been thriving ) Yesterday we added 2 angels and a clownfish. The puffer kept nibbling on the clownfish, and we had to take him out. I wonder if there's some known incompatibility there, or if maybe the clownfish was sick and the puffer sensed it and went after him as an easy target. We thought he looked OK, but the puffer obviously picked on him.
At this point, our 40-gal tank has only a 2" substrate of crushed coral, and several dead corals providing hiding spaces. We have no LR, no invertebrates. We have a Fluval filter of appropriate size, and a protein skimmer, and just added two fluorescent lights, full length, one white, one blue (not sure wattage).
I'm wondering about adding some live rock, and/or some snails & crabs. I don't know if we could safely add LR with the fish in the tank. If not, what about getting some kind of neutral rock, and adding it? Would it eventually become "live"? What does that really mean? I.e. is LR just rock populated with bacteria like in the sand/coral, or does it harbor other critters? Would it be beneficial for our tank?
Also, I've read that snails & small crabs are good for keeping tanks clean. Could we introduce them safely to our tank as it is now?
I know this is a lot of questions for one note, but I'd be very grateful for any advice, even if only pointers to articles.
Thanks.
Bob Peitzke
At this point, our 40-gal tank has only a 2" substrate of crushed coral, and several dead corals providing hiding spaces. We have no LR, no invertebrates. We have a Fluval filter of appropriate size, and a protein skimmer, and just added two fluorescent lights, full length, one white, one blue (not sure wattage).
I'm wondering about adding some live rock, and/or some snails & crabs. I don't know if we could safely add LR with the fish in the tank. If not, what about getting some kind of neutral rock, and adding it? Would it eventually become "live"? What does that really mean? I.e. is LR just rock populated with bacteria like in the sand/coral, or does it harbor other critters? Would it be beneficial for our tank?
Also, I've read that snails & small crabs are good for keeping tanks clean. Could we introduce them safely to our tank as it is now?
I know this is a lot of questions for one note, but I'd be very grateful for any advice, even if only pointers to articles.
Thanks.
Bob Peitzke