little critter control fish

[katarina]

Tank: 45 gallons with a 20 gallon sump
Filter: live rock filled sump, protien skimmer and carbon
Lights: 1 36" 96 W 10,000K ; 1 36" 96W acitinic; two moonlight LEDs (that stay on at all times)
Water: ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates low enough to not be measurable by my test kit
temp 78 degrees
salinity 1.026
stock: LTA
pair of false percs
4 chromis that I expect to end up as 2
blue leg hermits
scarlet leg hermits
a variety of snails
peppermint shrimp
2 emerald crabs
a few soft corals

The bottom of my tank has so many little creatures running around on it it looks like it is moving. The things are breeding out of control. I have little shrimp, starfish, snails, tiny earthworm looking things, the bugs that look like tiny white roaches. My water column has a lot of little creatures in it as well. The fish eat them and they are to small for me to really see them. They just look like big pieces of dust that doesn't float with the current. Oh, and bristle worms... I know that some are good for my tank and are part of my cleanup crew but I would like to get a fish that will keep their numbers under control. It will be the last fish that I will add. I have been considering a six line wrasse. Does anyone have any other recommendations?

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

A six line will become a terror in there sooner or later, I really dont care for that fish for this reason. All of the bugs you have swarming around are usually a good sign of water quality. There are a few harmful worm and snail species but most are harmless. With those clowns in a smallish tank you will need to get a fish that can handle a little aggression, orchid dottyback maybe?

 

[Enyo]

I agree on the wrasse turning into a terror, but if your clowns have an aggressive disposition (younger Occies usually dont) they will keep a mystery wrasse in check.

There are a lot of reefers that would die to have a living sand bed like yours (from the sounds of things), especially mandarin fans.

 

[jcw]

Picture! I want to see.

A while ago, the wall of my fuge looked like an ant farm only much smaller ants. A little later, small planaria worms ruled. Now the planaria are decreasing in number.

 

[evsalty]

Not all six lines are terrors. I have two and neither will start anything with anyone. They will defend themselves and will not back down for nothing but again neither will start anything.

Now the Dottyback that was recommended would not be a good choice in your tank with your current invert list. Specifically the shrimp. Dotties are notorious for eating shrimp.

There are many types of wrasses that will keep your bug level in check. Some will be more peaceful then others but it will depend a lot on the actual fishes personality.

 

[katarina]

My fish guy said that even with all of the critters I have a mandarin would eventually starve because the tank just isn't big enough to support a full grown one. I wish I had a camera that would take that good of a pic but no go. If you saw my chromis in anemone pics you can see what I mean. I did get rid of some of the problem by moving more rock into my sump. (well, at least I spread it out) I think the reason that I have so much life is I collected a little bit of sand from below the water line every time we went to the beach for an entire summer to start my first tank off with. I also feed 5 times a day in an attempt to curb agression in my tank. So, there were lots of critters to start with since my sand wasn't kept in a bag at the store, they get LOTS of food and they have not much by way of predators.
So, really unless the shrimp is gone my only option is the wrasse?

 

[katarina]

This is funny. I just went to look at my tank to see if I could get a pic of the little bugs when I realized that I was seeing quite a bit less than I expected. I looked under the ledge where the highest concentration of shrimp are and I see my littlest chromis, the one that I was worried about because it wouldn't eat, chowing down. The other chromis never go under the rocks. Will a green chromis get the job done? Will it eat bristle worms when it gets older?

 

[Kahuna Tuna]

Not all six lines are terrors. I have two and neither will start anything with anyone.

Give them time, they will come around eventually. An orchid (or a sankeys) dottyback is a much better choice than a six line. I wouldn't trust any other pseudos but I have kept both of these species with no aggression towards fish or inverts. The sankey's were especially nice and the mellowest pseudo I have ever kept. I did have a six line that mowed down an established cleaner shrimp that was bigger than he was after a year and a half together and then proceeded to claim the tank (a 90) as his own. This board is full of tales of woe caused by six lines.

A chromis isnt going to be a great pod eater and with a predator in the tank the pods will hide a lot more so you wont see as many. They wont touch bristleworms either, for that you will need a wrasse or a pseudo and either of these can change the entire dynamic of the tank and sometimes not in a good way. I wouldn't do a mandarin either unless you get one that is eating prepared food.