Critter questions

ICE JUICE

Member
I recently purchased live rock that had two red mithrax crabs two snails a filter feeder that looks like a clam and a clam. I just started to cycle my aquarium and want to know if these critters will survive? Do I need to feed the crabs? I don't know exactly what they are eating but they pinch at the rocks all day. Today I noticed a leaf from some halimeda in one crabs grasp and I don't want the little guys to starve. Can I like tweezer them some pieces of brine shrimp while this tank cycles? 75g 60lbs dry rock 15lbs live rock 80lbs live sand. Just started cycling Dec 31.
 
Ok. Everything seems fine right now I guess. The clam is eating I guess not much in the water I suppose since its new and the crabs are constantly picking. I will put a piece of something in there.
 
So I went and bought brine shrimp and reptile tweezers. Pinched some food and both crabs ate and the aptasia or anemone or whatever it is ate also.


URL=http://s1379.photobucke
 
Established, well cured live rock will already have a good population of nitrifying bacteria and if the new aquarium has enough of it and livestock is added in a responsible manner there is no reason to believe the tank will experience an ammonia spike.
 
I didn't have any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates after I put the rock in. I wanted a cycle to start so I dosed ammonia after live rock was in about 2 days. the tanks has been running with live rock and ammonia since last Thursday. I dosed the 3 ppm ammonia and its still at that level or just a tad under as of today. I had a slight amount of nitrites per api test kit this morning it was a litter darker than the light blue and same goes for the nitrate as it was slightly darker than the yellow. I did have a small amount of coralline algae to turn white but that's it. I tried to get the lady at my lfs to pull the snails and crabs off but she couldn't. none of the critters that I can visibly see have died thus far so maybe they will survive. when one of the crabs that usually hides all day came out and started eating leaves I just figured they might be hungry because its nothing in the tank besides what they came in on. I did feed them brine shrimp last night both crabs and i also saw a very small crab come out of a hole in the live rock to eat so i have 3 now. also that majanos ate and its a lot bigger today than i originally thought it was. once it ate it extended fully and i thought that was pretty cool to see.
 
Back
Top