Pix & ID: Critters that come in your rocks: the good and the bad.
- Thread starter Sk8r
- Start date
ladynavyvet
New member
Definitely get a emerald crab, they are interesting to keep in your tank. It was my first invert, and mine is doing a yoemans job keeping my rocks clean. It can be quite entertaining too.
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Ron Reefman
Active member
Option #2!
Carefully remove them. It isn't the end of the world if you pop one or two open, but they are a nuisance bubble algae. They are each a single cells and if they pop, they can spread. So do your best to try and remove them intact. They can get in between branching corals and become very difficult to remove.
Carefully remove them. It isn't the end of the world if you pop one or two open, but they are a nuisance bubble algae. They are each a single cells and if they pop, they can spread. So do your best to try and remove them intact. They can get in between branching corals and become very difficult to remove.
AlSimmons
New member
Just a heads up for those who are considering an Emerald crab for bubble algae, the bubbles pop when they're eaten. Unless you want that crab as a pet as opposed to a janitor you might as well just rip the bubbles out yourself. (preferably right before a water change)
Btw there have been some reports of Emerald crabs going rouge and attacking corals, so there's that as well. Definitely keep your eye on them.
Btw there have been some reports of Emerald crabs going rouge and attacking corals, so there's that as well. Definitely keep your eye on them.
I had 100% success killing bubble algae with hydrogen peroxide. Inject each bubble with a hypodermic needle full of the hydrogen peroxide.
ladynavyvet
New member
That's different, can't wait to find out what it is.
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Ron Reefman
Active member
badellbe, sorry but I can't help with the fish.
About you aquascape, are those the TBS rocks? Did the big sponges come with the rock?
I'm assuming you are fairly new to the hobby (you joined RC in April). I'd make a few comments. The tank looks too crowded to my eye. You have lots of rock and not a lot of free space. If you are doing a tank that is nontraditional, that's OK. But if you expect to add fish they will need to be small as there isn't much room to swim.
There isn't a lot of room for corals to grow.
How big is this tank? You have several good size sponges and they can be very difficult to keep. They tend to starve to death over time (anywhere from a few weeks to a few months). Sponges aren't like fish or corals, they have different food requirements and water flow requirements.
I wish you all the best.
About you aquascape, are those the TBS rocks? Did the big sponges come with the rock?
I'm assuming you are fairly new to the hobby (you joined RC in April). I'd make a few comments. The tank looks too crowded to my eye. You have lots of rock and not a lot of free space. If you are doing a tank that is nontraditional, that's OK. But if you expect to add fish they will need to be small as there isn't much room to swim.
There isn't a lot of room for corals to grow.
How big is this tank? You have several good size sponges and they can be very difficult to keep. They tend to starve to death over time (anywhere from a few weeks to a few months). Sponges aren't like fish or corals, they have different food requirements and water flow requirements.
I wish you all the best.
That's a pearl fish. It was checking out your cucumber because that's where it lives. The Pearl fish and cucumber have a symbiotic relationship.
Yes it is TBS rock and everything in the tank came from them. I don't even know what some of the stuff in there is yet. There is a flame scallop that looks like it would need more room to hop around. It is a 22 Gal 16x16x20. I bought the 15 gal "package" This is my first tank. I was planning on making it mostly rock with one or two small fish. There are 8 pieces of rock in there. Maybe I should pull a couple out?
Ron Reefman
Active member
Wow! are you saying those big sponges came with the rock? Or did you get them at the same time as the rock but ordered them special? I know they sell other critters and sponges.
The flame scallop is a filter feeder and may struggle in a new tank. It does NOT need room to 'hop around'. Once it finds a spot where it's happy it will attach to a rock and likely stay there permanently.
You don't need to remove rock. It's all about what you want in the tank. If you were only going to add a few small fish, then you're fine. I have a 65g shallow reef 4'x2"x14" and it's got a lot of rock and very few fish as well.
Just enjoy!
Ron Reefman
Active member
Al is 100% right. A very cool sponge in fact.
Sponges can be quite difficult to keep so enjoy this one. I've seen a couple almost like your's in my tank as well.
ladynavyvet
New member
A quick ditto about your flame scallop. I have one in my tank. Don't be surprised if it seems to disappear going under, between, or behind your rock structure, mine has. I can basically see it's reflection on my back glass. It may move occasionally, otherwise pretty stationary. I hope your scallop does as well as mine is doing
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They came with the rock. They were freebies. The only thing I ordered was the rock and the clean up crew They also threw in a crab (picture attached). The scallop has been hiding in the rocks. He's probably in his third spot now. I have been feeding the tank Kent Microvert every other day. And I am also going to be feeding Seachem Phytoplankton twice a week.
Attachments
That he has. I search the rocks with a flashlight looking for him. I was wondering if he would get someplace he couldn't get out of. He is in his third spot now, Guess he's looking for a good spot to call home.
ladynavyvet
New member
That is what it's doing. They are quite beautiful to look at, but seemingly bashful, therefore seldom seen once in our tanks.
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AlSimmons
New member
It looks kind of like a Decorator crab.
