New peacock settling in. Need to remodel a bit.

[Jlentz]

So, I've had the lfs owner on the lookout for G. Smithi's for me with limited success. He asked again last week and they sent out a beautiful 6" peacock.

I couldn't turn it down, but I had a small setup for a smithi, so now my 90 gallon tank that just finished cycling is now a peacock/Zoa tank. Naturally it wasn't setup with any thought given to keeping a mantis since only insane people keep them in 90 gallon tanks...

Couple problems I'm trying to fix.

#1 No burrow. Lots of pukani though that he already setup as one.

#2 ~1.5" Carib sea Hawaiian black sand.


I went shopping today and got some abs drain pipe I think I can make fit with minimal movement of rock.

I've read black sand is bad/sharp. How can I go about removing it and replacing with the Carib sea oolite or pink live sand without causing a cycle?

 

[Calappidae]

I would stick with only two burrow entrances.

The sand debate is controversial, but it could be ignored. Should be fine since it's already in there.

 

[Jlentz]

I was thinking of blocking the straight bit but I was thinking he could do it if he wants, I like the shape, the 3" pipe scary huge. I have a bunch of rubble to add as well but it's not cured yet, just got it into saltwater last night so I'll be taking my time adding it.

 

[Jlentz]

I was also thinking about adding some more sand on top of the pipe, anyone see any issue with adding a bag of caribsea to the tank? (Probably oolite or the pink stuff. )

 

[Jlentz]

He started to murder the cleaning crew today.

 

[nmotz]

Very cool, yeah the PVC does take up a lot of space. In a 90G tank that shouldn't be too much of an issue though. What are the tank's dimensions? I like the aquascape, very simple and open, and the Pukani really does look nice. I used BRS Reefsaver and the good thing about that was that it doesn't leach phosphates quite so badly, but it isn't as attractive as Pukani.

Just take care to test your water over the first few weeks because I think that starting a tank with all dry rock is more risky than using LR, especially with the introduction of a large, messy eater. I'm not certain, but I suspect that my biofilter was still lacking when I added my O. Havanensis after about 2 months despite tests showing otherwise, and I lost him after about a week.

 

[Calappidae]

Just take care to test your water over the first few weeks because I think that starting a tank with all dry rock is more risky than using LR, especially with the introduction of a large, messy eater. I'm not certain, but I suspect that my biofilter was still lacking when I added my O. Havanensis after about 2 months despite tests showing otherwise, and I lost him after about a week.

In your defense, O. havanensis is a really touchy species with ammonia and due to being a messy eater, can easily cause minicycles from rotting food. Nothing is more frustrating than doing one thing you're required to do, then doing another you're required to do also and it intervines with the other things. My harlequin shrimp barely avoided death when they once crashed an entire 10 gallon from one bad starfish.

You can remedy these things by adding a little bit of biospira each feeding, and continue doing it until you feel confident enough that they got everything handled for your new additions (food being a new replacable addition counted), but like everything in this hobby, there is no sure fire method.

I prefer live over dry rock as well, the biodiversty is always nice (when you're not me getting eunice worms in every piece) and the nitrifying bacteria living it in boost the overall system's stability, making them easy filter media in and out of the main display.

 

[Jlentz]

Thanks!

It was a tossup between pukani and live rock but I wanted the look of pukani (and it was a lot cheaper too). It took about two months leaching with LC before I put it into saltwater. About 2months in the tank with a lot of birospira and whatever caribsea puts into their "live sand".


Like I said above, I was planning for a huge Zoa garden with some lps. So I was shooting for the looks.

I'm also fed up with aiptasia that came in on my live rock in my 90 mixed reef. Getting ready to get some nudis to eat it out... No aiptasia on acid washed pukani.

 

[Jlentz]

It's a marine land 90. 48x18x24. Not 100% on the tall dimension.

 

[nmotz]

Wow, great roaming space for a Peacock

 

[Jlentz]

Yep. I'm trying to figure out some fish that will stick to the top of the water column that I won't be too upset about losing.

 

[EI Gringo]

I had a three way peacock burrow and it loved it. Became really active all the time popping from one end to the other. It blocked off an entrance and then next time I looked it had opened it to block another one. Either way don't worry about it as long as it can find a good dark place and fully turn around on itself

 

[Jlentz]

Just put in 6 little chromis. Hoping for a little school in the top of the water column. One bought it within 5 seconds. (Swam right into the lair) I'm hoping that the rest will at least stick around for a bit.

 

[Fraggedmind]

Love peacocks. Mine is moving from a 16g that he grew up in for his first year of life into a 56

 

[nmotz]

Love peacocks. Mine is moving from a 16g that he grew up in for his first year of life into a 56

That's cool, how big was he when you bought him? Mine was only about 2.75" and maybe the width of my thumb. He's just under 3" now after his first molt with me.

 

[Jlentz]

New peacock settling in. Need to remodel a bit.

4 chromis still alive...

Hoping they smartened up.

He was/is ~6"

 

[Jlentz]

5 chromis made it! I was pretty sure one was a goner because I saw him take a couple swings at it. He'd just eaten one though so I'm pretty sure it was a half hearted attempt.

How much should I be feeding? (I'd really rather not just have him murder everything in the tank if I can avoid it)

What's normal for a ~6" peacock?

 

[Calappidae]

I wouldn't consider the chromis safe just yet, people have told stories like; mantis shrimp living happily for a year with other livestock, then going on a random killing spree after a molt. (their memories fade when they molt somehow according to Dr. Caldwell)

Giving them a small piece of shrimp (small as in what you'd see walking past the bagged seafood in small proportions.) three to four times a week is ideal, some may feed that everyday. The size of the specimen also makes a difference.

 

[Jlentz]

I wouldn't consider the chromis safe just yet, people have told stories like; mantis shrimp living happily for a year with other livestock, then going on a random killing spree after a molt. (their memories fade when they molt somehow according to Dr. Caldwell)



Giving them a small piece of shrimp (small as in what you'd see walking past the bagged seafood in small proportions.) three to four times a week is ideal, some may feed that everyday. The size of the specimen also makes a difference.

I don't expect much from the chromis frankly. They are cheap and pretty in groups.

I've heard fresh clams from the grocer are good as well, I take it variety is good here. (& they get to smash them open). The shrimp get soaked in selcon? Any supplements I should be adding?

 

[nmotz]

Yeah soak in Selcon, variety is best. I feed mine a mix of frozen and live foods. Emerald crabs, feeder shrimp, dwarf cerith snails, frozen krill, and frozen clams are all foods I've had success with (he'll also come out and eat the food pellets that I feed the CUC, but I try to prevent that from happening). The clams I get are the Hikari clams-on-the-half-shell. My Peacock picks them clean and he's just a little guy.