BrineShrimps infesting my tank (Is this ok) (What fish to get to control?)

[Wally.B]

Just wondering if my overload on brine shrimp could be bad.

My 90 Gallon tank, with lots of live rocks and corals has been fallow for almost a year (after all fish died of Velvet).
I not ready for fish, since busy with another tank.

Tanks is loaded with Corals which I feed.

Lately I have noticed a large population of brine shrimps. They are getting quite big. I think this is partly because I cultivate my brine shimp in large jars in my sump, and some must get out due to bubbling of airstones (plus they get fed with Phytoplankton and other coral foods, so are multiplying on their own)

Is this ok to have so many Brine Shrimps?

I'm thinking with such a large population, adding a fish might be a good thing. (just a fish, that I won't have to feed since plenty of live food).
Would a Copperband Butterfly be ok? A Madarin? A Pipefish? Something else?
Main concern is that they sometime swarm corals when they get weak. Not sure if they are killing them (or are Acans dying/weakening and then shrimps pick on remains).

 

[johanasu]

Copperbands will eat corals.

Mandarin will eat copepods, would probably be fine, but won't eat brine shrimp

Pipefish also eat pods, not sure if they get big enough to eat adult brine, and have specific requirements like seahorses.

Many wrasses would probably eat brine shrimp and they can be quite attractive.

 

[Betta132]

Adult brine shrimp are extremely low in nutrients. They cannot be a fish's entire food source, it'll starve.
I highly doubt they're any real problem. If it concerns you, perhaps add a small fish such as a wrasse or yellowtail damsel. Yellowtail damsels are a little bit nippy, but they're small and rather cowardly- they won't attack anything that isn't teeny and timid.
Instead of adding something that specifically eats live critters, I'd suggest adding just a small fish that will hopefully be able to find enough pods to keep itself fed.

Do you have photos?

 

[Wally.B]

I have another post on this issue.

They are NOT brine shrimps. I posted a photo. They are Ampipods and accorinding to Thread reply, a possible problem for why my Zoa's are doing bad.

See Last couple of post in this thread ( with details and Photo's ).

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2530342

Glad I finally figured out my problem. Now I need a solution. AN EFFECTIVE SOLUTION (but hoping a fish, I don't have to feed daily. I have a Tigger copepod farm for my other Tank and Mandarin, and can feed live Pods from there. Tigger Copepods are fed Phytoplankton, same with my Live Brine Shrimp when I make a batch) Here is my Farm thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2463026

Small Wrasse sounds good, but want to get the best solution since this tank is fish free, and wasn't planning fish, till I resolve my Lighitng and Coral issues (which I now think is not either, but the Ampipods).

At this point, I spoke with LFS and they recommend a LongNose Hawkfish (they have one on order, and should arrive next week or following). Any objections for this choice? (Fish looks great and read ups look promising). At this point, I want to add JUST ONE Ampipod control fish!

 

[Betta132]

Longnose hawk should work. They can be a bit aggressive towards any small fish that are added later, though.

 

[Wally.B]

Longnose hawk should work. They can be a bit aggressive towards any small fish that are added later, though.

Just picked up a HawkFish at another LFS. Small one. No need for quarantine since first fish.

I don't plan on adding fish to this tank in the near future.

Always can remove the Hawkfish when the time comes.

Short term goal is to get Zoa's growing. (Surviving for now).

 

[Betta132]

You should still quarantine. It won't infect the fish in the tank, true, but you could possibly infect the tank itself with whatever disease the fish might be carrying.

 

[Wally.B]

You should still quarantine. It won't infect the fish in the tank, true, but you could possibly infect the tank itself with whatever disease the fish might be carrying.

Thanks. Never hurts to be extra safe. I've learned the hard lesson about not doing Quarantine.

It's too late, I put him in. However, I did consider the fact that LFS had him in their tank for 6 weeks. So risk is smaller then a Fresh Shipment purchase.

 

[hotelbravo]

Thanks. Never hurts to be extra safe. I've learned the hard lesson about not doing Quarantine.

It's too late, I put him in. However, I did consider the fact that LFS had him in their tank for 6 weeks. So risk is smaller then a Fresh Shipment purchase.

Them having it for a long time is a red flag for me because that means they have been in a tank with many disease carrying fish and/or been in a tank that HAD many disease carrying fish and he has had plenty of time to contract every single one of them


Just something you should consider and think about

 

[Wally.B]

Them having it for a long time is a red flag for me because that means they have been in a tank with many disease carrying fish and/or been in a tank that HAD many disease carrying fish and he has had plenty of time to contract every single one of them


Just something you should consider and think about

Thanks for all slapping my hands. I was slapped pretty hard last year, and I guess didn't learn (enough).

Should have thought twice before putting him in, since this exact tank Dec 2015 was fish wiped out by Velvet. First time I've ever gotten disease in 15 years. (Since then my other tank with Fish only gets fish intro after 3 weeks and a bit in QT).

There are no plans (in this tank) for future fish for at least 6-8 months. And that long term plan is 2 Pellet eating Mandarins from ORA farm. Roughly when they will be releasing them.

So what do I do till then? Just see if he survives, or develops a visible disease. He will be the only fish (all alone). Can't think of anything else till the time comes for Mandarin introduction.

 

[Wally.B]

Am I now getting Paranoid about Ampipods?

So I've been watching Ampipod activity after Dark.

Things get pretty active at night. Scary scenes. Ampipod swaming my Acans.

Maybe they are just picking at dead tissue. Maybe not.

Either way, wish that Hawkfish was a night time hunter, since Ampipods are really active at night.

They were running around, while Hawkfish was snoring my my Finger Leather.

I guess this is no such thing as a night time predator for Ampipods?

 

[jayball]

Am I now getting Paranoid about Ampipods?

So I've been watching Ampipod activity after Dark.

Things get pretty active at night. Scary scenes. Ampipod swaming my Acans.

Maybe they are just picking at dead tissue. Maybe not.

Either way, wish that Hawkfish was a night time hunter, since Ampipods are really active at night.

They were running around, while Hawkfish was snoring my my Finger Leather.

I guess this is no such thing as a night time predator for Ampipods?

I am surprised that something like an Acan is not feasting on little critters like Amphipods crawling over it.

I saw on another thread that some inverts, Skunk cleaner shrimp were mentioned, will actively hunt pods and I know my skunk is active at night.

 

[Wally.B]

I am surprised that something like an Acan is not feasting on little critters like Amphipods crawling over it.

I saw on another thread that some inverts, Skunk cleaner shrimp were mentioned, will actively hunt pods and I know my skunk is active at night.

Here is proof they are picking at the Acan.

One Amphipod is sitting right on top.

However it could be Acan's is not healthy (notice the bottom part is receeding and Skelton emerging).

It didn't look like this a week ago. (Are they going after Acan's since all Zoa's removed and in sump).

I have another Acan in the Sump that is also in really bad shape. Thought it died, but it's slowly recovering in Sump Tray.

Could this be the Amphipods, just them picking of Acan die off?

Or is this due to lighting increase (Small 5%)?
But other Acan had no lighting increase prior to collapsing.

I'm puzzled. Something is causing a rapid change in this tank to a Few Corals. No other Corals are reacting this way (YET!!).


(Did the Cheap Zoa's I got bring something into tank). I dipped the new Zoa's all in Revive (Extra Long).

 

[PhaneSoul]

Are you feeding this tank anything?

 

[Wally.B]

Are you feeding this tank anything?

Things have gotten better. 2 Acans are doing very well. Most Zoa's surviving now. Lost one Acan (since he was originally burned), and lost a few Zoa's for unknown reasons.

I basically backed off on Lighting, and then brought corals back into tank for a real slow acclimatization.

Yes, I am feeding this tanks Corals.

- Weekly (various combos of Reef Roids, Coral Fenzy, PolyLab Polyp Booster, and the odd Time Seachem Fuel).

- Now the tank gets a bit of Flake and Frozen Foods (since I feed the Longnose Hawkfish). Very little since he is Extremly Fat from eating Live things in my tank like I hope the Amphipods (Unfortunately he also has a taste for Crabs, and polished off two Emerald Crabs).