38 gallon?

[ashtree68]

I have an empty 38 gallon that I've been on the fence about setting up or not, I've thought about doing an angler tank but don't want to have to spend a ton of money on new equipment and all of that.

I know a couple people don't use skimmers on small set ups, does this count as a small set up?

I have an old HOB filter that I was going to pack with LR and prob some cheato, would this be good enough?

What would be an interesting set up for a 38 gallon?

I've wanted a tube anemone for ages but don't want to dedicate an entire tank to just one, and have read mixed reviews about them eating tank mates, would the anemone and an anglerfish work? I know anglers are usually species only but thats because they usually eat their tank mates. Would the tube nem eat it or would the angler try and hang out on it and stress it out/get stung? I would probably section off 1/4-1/3 of the tank for a deep sand bed, or use some PVC pipe for the tube anemone.

I already have several lions and want to do something else with this tank.

 

[namxas]

I have a purple Cerianthus that's a good 10-11 years old, and have had it in various setups, one of which housed one of our Rhinopias. I've never had any trouble with it eating tankmates or stinging them, even when it was housed in my reef (which I no longer have). Now, with the Rhino, I did try to make sure is was out of its walking path "just in case", but IME/IMHO they've been given a bad rap. I'd have no qualms about keeping it with an angler, and if you separate it, all the better.

I think the skimmer issue depends on the bioload as well as the amount of nutrients that go into the tank. Since anglers only require light feedings due to their slow metablolisms, a skimmer would be nice, but not essential. If you can run some live macroalgae in the setup, this will go a long way in aiding your water quality, skimmer or no. Also, I'm not so sure I'd hang a skimmer on an angler tank unless it emits zero microbubbles, as anglers can ingest air and become buoyant. I'd also try to keep it under water at all times for the same reason, otherwise, you may have to "burp" it, which is a bit stressful for both you and the fish.

HTH

 

[ashtree68]

Thanks Greg!

What's the best way to acclimate the TA into the tank? I've read that they shed a mucus layer during shipping and can shed some tentacles which can cause problems. Do you just place it on top of the sand bed and bury it a little or if you're putting it in a PVC pipe put it in and then fill the pipe up with sand? I'm assuming the tube is similar to that of a coco worm/feather duster and are hard, but a couple places says they bury themselves so maybe I'm mistaken. This tank is still very much in the planing stages and probably won't be happening until mid-late April, still have lots of research to do.

 

[namxas]

Actually, the tube is very soft and leathery, and if you "palp" it lightly, you can feel the worm inside the tube...very weird feeling. Mine came from an LFS, and at the time, they had some super nice ones, in fact, I'm still kinda kicking myself for not getting an orange one and a white one as well.

The best way to bury it is to take your fingers and dig a 'trench' just deep enough to cover the tube, and bury it, leaving the opening above the surface of the substrate. If the critter isn't happy, it can leave its tube and secrete another. It can also simply pop out of another spot on the existing tube. Ours likes silversides about the best of anything.

 

[ashtree68]

Then what about placing it in a piece of PVC pipe? I don't have the space to give it a 6" sand bed but if need be I could use a piece of glass/something to build a divider so I have a deep sand bed on one part of the tank and not deep sand on the other.

l___l
lsandl__l

A bad, keyboard idea if it makes any sense.

 

[namxas]

Dood...mine never had a 6" sandbed. If they can't grow down, they'll grow laterally. I don't think I've ever run anything deeper than a 2" sandbed, so sometimes there has been a slight "mound' over the tube, but that's about it.

 

[ashtree68]

That would be very helpful not having to have that much sand. Do you have pictures of this set up?

 

[namxas]

Here's a pic of it in the 60 gal that the volitans outgrew:

 

[ashtree68]

Very nice tank.

Does the tube continue and curl up on the other side next to that macro algae? Or is that just another rock?

 

[namxas]

No, the tube is buried. Like I said, a Cerianthus tube is soft, leathery, and floppy. That's just a piece of branchy LR.

What will happen, is the tube will grow with the worm, and you might bury a 6" long tube only to find that it has become a 12" tube if you move it years later.