Starting 29 gallon reef tank

[Khij159753]

Okay. Thanks. One other thing. In your opinion could I use a bucket as a quarantine tank? I don't see a difference between a 5 gallon bucket and a small blacked out tank.

 

[Mrc8858]

And water tight container can be used as a quarantine

 

[Jlsardina]

Some people use small tanks, others use rubber maid bins. Lol. Sometimes we just play mcguiver is this hobby. Most important is to just make sure filtration and oxygenation and movement are maintained of the health of the animal.

 

[Khij159753]

So what all would I need in the bucket?

 

[22engine]

So what all would I need in the bucket?

I'm guessing a power head, heater and a HOB filter. Seems like that would get all the things u need.

 

[Khij159753]

Okay. New "problem" I guess. Not a problem. Just a mistake that will take extra work to provide. I impulse bought a scooter blenny yesterday. I always wanted one and I know I should've researched before. But Upon research. Yes I know it's like a dragonet yes I know I needed a more matured tank. How can I make him survive? In planning on buying a bottle of Copepods. How long will that last feeding him? Also he's picking at rocks and sand. Does that mean he's finding food? And he is trained to eat frozen foods. I watched the LFS feed him but idk what he fed him so after the bottle of Copepods is running low I will be makin a trip to the LFS to get some of whatever it was. I think it might have been cyclopeeze but I wanna check.

 

[Khij159753]

I'm prepared to spot feed him 2-3 times a day, more if needed. And by him Copepods every month or week if needed. I just need to know what to do to make him thrive in my tank.

 

[spoonman]

I had a red scooter blenny in a new tank and he lasted about 3 weeks. I saw him eat at the lfs too, but he didnt eat in my tank. Sad sight. He died with a sunken empty stomach. I have seen testimony that they can eat a bottle of pods a day. At $20 a bottle, you dont want that responsibility! If he stays eating frozen, then you should be ok. Odds are against you here. I would return it if you can.

 

[Khij159753]

My LFS doesn't take back livestock :/ really though? A bottle a day?! Hopefully someone will chime in with some other options. I was hoping 1 bottle would last the 3-5 days it'll take me to make I back to my LFS. To find out what he fed it.

 

[spoonman]

I would call and find out now. Have you tried feeding it frozen yet?

 

[spoonman]

I have seen some eat pellets too. Try whatever you have in small quantities so you dont foul the tank.

 

[Khij159753]

I have no frozen food. Right now. I need to go get some. But I don't wanna buy a bunch of food that will go to waste. Does cyclopeeze come in like a long skinny bar? Because if so that's what my LFS feeds every one of his tanks. Any other really good frozen foods you can think of? Should I also buy a bottle of Copepods or live food of some sort if I can find it? The closest pet store near me is petco so idk how good of a selection they'll have. :/

 

[Khij159753]

Yeah all I have is pellets and instant ocean brine shrimp gel packets. Because thats what my firefish eats. And he won't touch those. But the brine shrimp does just kinda float so I don't think he'd swim to the surface. The pellets land in front of him and he hops over them.

 

[Khij159753]

Anyone know anything that could help me?

 

[Khij159753]

I bought some cyclopeeze and put some in the tank. Tried spot feeding but it didn't work too well. Hopefully he'll eat some. My firefish sure is enjoying it. Any ideas on better spot feeding? I used a turkey baster. Would an eye dropper thing work better?

 

[Jlsardina]

I bought some cyclopeeze and put some in the tank. Tried spot feeding but it didn't work too well. Hopefully he'll eat some. My firefish sure is enjoying it. Any ideas on better spot feeding? I used a turkey baster. Would an eye dropper thing work better?

Hope and pray

 

[Khij159753]

I was kinda hopin for advice on spot feeding. It's not that he wasn't interested. I just couldn't do it effectively with a turkey baster. He looks healthy so he might be eating when I'm not looking. He's very very active. Jumping and swimming and crawling and pecking at everything. If it were a normal blenny or other fish I wouldn't be worried at all.

 

[Jlsardina]

The problem with dragonetes is that they can deplete a pod population quickly because they are constant grazers. you are going to have to try to feed him without scaring him off too fast with the thrust of the water coming out of any baster or pipette. It's difficult because that is the nature of these devices. Cyclopeeze is your best bet because it settles- however if this guy wasn't trained to eat prepared foods, he will mostly keep hunting as they do in nature.

Without over doing it- you may just need to broadcast feed cyclopeeze two or three times daily and hope it works.

 

[Khij159753]

That's what my LFS did to feed him and I did it when I got home with the cyclopeeze earlier today but I was tryin to spot feed him to make sure he was eating... It didn't work... He does pick at the rocks and sand and everyonce in a while the glass though. He's constantly picking at it all. Should I just stick to brodcasting it without powerhead or filter on and wait a while? Then pray he eats it or picks it off everything once it settles?

 

[Jlsardina]

Pretty much that's about all you can do. It would be great if he lives off of cyclopeeze but he will eventually need something more meaty. There are companies that sell dead pods for spot feeding as a supplement.