Newbie Corner Feedback-Reefkeeping 101
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Aquarist007
New member
I have 2 Black sea urchins or i think they are black sea urchins I am sending a public link to the pic on my facebook so u can see and tell me whether or not i'm right about what they are. The wrasse has gone after and injured my firefish, all seems to be well with him for right now, and so far he has left the hi-fin goby alone.
must be a six line wrasse
Aquarist007
New member
hard to tell from the picture--can you magnify the possible black urchin.
They can hitch hike inside live rock when you put it into the tank.
Aquarist007
New member
I use aptasia X or Joes Juice which works great. The aptasia X has a curved applicator that can get right into the crevices in the rock.
Peppermint shrimp also eat aptasia.
If you are using a cube of frozen food a day then you should be rinsing it first in a brine shrimp net. The cubes can be a source of nitrates and phosphates which could be giving you the high reading.
MICHAEL128
New member
Thank you, Tom
Thank you, Tom
Tom,
I'm new to the reefkeeping hobby. I joined Reef Central 1 month ago. I have an M.S. in chemistry, and work in Cancer Research. I've read and studied a great deal about reefkeeping since New Year's Day 2010. I read "Natural Reef Aquariums" (Tullock), "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" (Fenner), "Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies" (Skomal), most of the articles on "Reef Central", and a great deal of articles on the Internet.
I am planning to set-up my first reef tank (180-gallon) within the next 6 to 12 weeks. I want to do things right. My #1 priority is the health and well-being of all the living creatures that will be under my care. I look at it this way.... the more we do to take the best care of these wonderful creatures, the more we honor Our Wonderful Creator - Who designed and made these wonderful creatures.
All of your articles are extremely useful to me. I just want to thank you for all of the time, energy, and HEART you put into helping others in this wonderful hobby. Thank you for your kindness in sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Take care,
Michael
Thank you, Tom
Tom,
I'm new to the reefkeeping hobby. I joined Reef Central 1 month ago. I have an M.S. in chemistry, and work in Cancer Research. I've read and studied a great deal about reefkeeping since New Year's Day 2010. I read "Natural Reef Aquariums" (Tullock), "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" (Fenner), "Saltwater Aquariums for Dummies" (Skomal), most of the articles on "Reef Central", and a great deal of articles on the Internet.
I am planning to set-up my first reef tank (180-gallon) within the next 6 to 12 weeks. I want to do things right. My #1 priority is the health and well-being of all the living creatures that will be under my care. I look at it this way.... the more we do to take the best care of these wonderful creatures, the more we honor Our Wonderful Creator - Who designed and made these wonderful creatures.
All of your articles are extremely useful to me. I just want to thank you for all of the time, energy, and HEART you put into helping others in this wonderful hobby. Thank you for your kindness in sharing your knowledge and expertise.
Take care,
Michael
creep42031
New member
hey there i recently bought a Torch Coral n right now my salt level is good almost set to the middle , n my calcium is at 400 right now, just wondering where does my calcium level needs to be at when i have a 25 gallon tank...plzzz help
Aquarist007
New member
I just answered your post on the welcome thread.
I encourage you to use all the forums on here--you don't have to stay in the new to reef forum.
Your question would have been best posted in the reef chemistry forum.
Its not a posting error but rather posting where the reefers are that can best answer your questions:thumbsup:
creep42031
New member
o ok thank u very much capn hylinur
creep42031
New member
hey guys i just recently bought a torch coral n i wanna know wat kind maintance i need to do.. i know how to feed them... but the thing that worries more theres days it will be all out blooming n then later that it will be all sucked in my salt levels was lil low im bringing it up n my cal. is at 400 n i dont know about the magn or the alk.. i havent tested those plus im not that advance yet in this hobby lol plzzzzzzzzzz help
Paul B
Premium Member
I feed them clams. I keep a large chowder clam in the freezer and shave off very thin pieces. I use a baster looking thing to suck them up and blast them into a container a few times to give me tiny pieces of clam. About 1/8th long and paper thin.
I use the baster to put a piece of clam in every open polyp. There are tiny tentacles in each polyp, unfortunately they are not sticky like an anemone and you sometimes have to gently push the clam into the tentacles. In a minute of so, the animal will engulf it.
I also sometimes feed them small pellets soaked in fish oil but I believe the clam is better. I feed them about once a week and they multiply much faster is you feed them.
I use the baster to put a piece of clam in every open polyp. There are tiny tentacles in each polyp, unfortunately they are not sticky like an anemone and you sometimes have to gently push the clam into the tentacles. In a minute of so, the animal will engulf it.
I also sometimes feed them small pellets soaked in fish oil but I believe the clam is better. I feed them about once a week and they multiply much faster is you feed them.
Aquarist007
New member
I feed them clams. I keep a large chowder clam in the freezer and shave off very thin pieces. I use a baster looking thing to suck them up and blast them into a container a few times to give me tiny pieces of clam. About 1/8th long and paper thin.
I use the baster to put a piece of clam in every open polyp. There are tiny tentacles in each polyp, unfortunately they are not sticky like an anemone and you sometimes have to gently push the clam into the tentacles. In a minute of so, the animal will engulf it.
I also sometimes feed them small pellets soaked in fish oil but I believe the clam is better. I feed them about once a week and they multiply much faster is you feed them.
I am confused here oh great mentor. The op was asking about feeding torch coral. I believe you are describing and showing how to feed trumpet coral or candy cane coral?
mannyfly84
New member
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5450519&l=223727f2a0&id=613087651
This is a better pic of the sea urchins, please let me know if they could be a danger to my 20 gal. tank. I also have started hearing clicking noises at night inside my tank and did some research and am worried if maybe a pistol shrimp was the cause for my peppermint shrimp dieing??? Any suggestions on how to find out whether or not I have a pistol shrimp would be great cause I haven't seen anything yet.
This is a better pic of the sea urchins, please let me know if they could be a danger to my 20 gal. tank. I also have started hearing clicking noises at night inside my tank and did some research and am worried if maybe a pistol shrimp was the cause for my peppermint shrimp dieing??? Any suggestions on how to find out whether or not I have a pistol shrimp would be great cause I haven't seen anything yet.
Aquarist007
New member
I don't know what you mean by danger but
long spined urchins will
grow too big for a 20 gal
consume all your corraline algae from the rocks
knock all corals and frags over
stab you in the fingers when you clean your tank
Clicking sound sounds like a mantis shrimp. Check at night with a flashlight
mannyfly84
New member
I have watched like every evening when the clicking starts and nothing and the clicking will go on during the day now, all my fish and snails are fine the only thing ever that got injured were my peppermint shrimp, and i think the wrasse did that i watched him and the clowfish pull one apart... is there anyway this could be a pistol shrimp? plus how could it be a mantis those things are huge arent they? Is there anway to draw the mantis shrimp out to see if it is in fact that?, and the urchins are long spined black sea urchins? how do i get rid of them?
Aquarist007
New member
mantis like other shrimp and crabs can be small enough to hitch hike into the tank in the pores of the live rock
Methods to Capture Mantis Shrimp Outside Tank:
If you can quickly remove the rock where the offending mantis shrimp is hiding, then you can isolate the animal using the following methods.
Replace rock in its own, isolated tank with saltwater. Do not provide sources of food for several days, then trap mantis using bait.
Dunk rock quickly in carbonated water. You may use club soda or make your own liquid by mixing dry ice and saltwater. The mantis shrimp will quickly scoot out of the rock when exposed to this.
Squirt boiling or hot water into the cavities where mantis shrimps may be hiding. This has been suggested to me by retailers of local fishing stores as well.
Dunk rock in freshwater. Some people say they have used this to good effect, but others note that it could severely damage the other inhabitants of the live rock.
http://www.blueboard.com/mantis/pest/catch.htm
mannyfly84
New member
I caught this thing in my tank, not sure if it is a mantis shrimp, kind of looks like it but maybe a baby one? check these pics out and let me know please!!!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5502670&l=091eb5c8c9&id=613087651
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5502738&l=b69c47c764&id=613087651
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5502670&l=091eb5c8c9&id=613087651
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=5502738&l=b69c47c764&id=613087651
Aquarist007
New member
Its hard to tell Manny but I will send the link to PaulB--he should know
jason2459
Well-known member
definitely not a mantis shrimp. Looks like a nasty Cirolanid isopod. If you have one you probably have several. They are not good and I would say worse then a mantis shrimp to have in your tank. They are not the source of your clicking though. You probably have a mantis or a pistol shrimp. Pistol shrimp good and mantis may not be so good and needs a species only tank.
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/bp/index.php
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