questions about things to order

[imsqueak]

Art, has your scribbled rabitfish ever eaten aips? Dave said it was more a last resort thing.

Snails: I cant find a carnivore that would be well suited for barebottom tank. I want some that will clean the detritus that has settled on my rocks and more importantly on my sps. I also wish they came bigger than .5" because I tend to vacuum them out and not find them all in the filter bag. Any ideas? Even if they are not carried by MDL...

I am crabless for the most part but I believe I still have bad hitch-hikers since finding a dead one last week. Maybe I should get some hermits (to roam/clean the rock) but I blame them every time I see an empty snail shell so they have been banished from my tanks.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[EvilMel]

To be honest Don, Joe thought crabs of any kind in a reef tank was a bad idea and I sorta agree. I think this because I am concerned for my small fish though and since you don't have any really small fish, it's a toss up for ya.

I mean if crabs are present, they are going to eat what they can get their hands on, meat or not. If snails are around and they can get ahold of them...no more snails. If small gobies are around and they can get their hands on them...no more small gobies.

As far as things that eat aiptasia...are your nudibranches not eating it?

 

[cee]

Don,

Are you refering to bubble algae? Doliatus rabbitfish won't eat aiptasia, but some do eat BA. Interceptor will take care of crabs (as well as some other things you may not want to get rid of).

Dave

 

[RCS]

The Tongan Nassarius snails might be something to look at for bottom cleaners Don. They get to be around an inch and are pretty hard to miss in a tank. That, and they hide in the sand until you put food in the water.

 

[awcurl]

Don, he eats like a mule, he even nibbles on halimeda but has never touched a aiptasia.

 

[RCS]

Art, if he'll eat caulerpa, I'd be willing to borrow him for a couple weeks. I promise he'll be fat when he comes back! And by fat I mean stuck-on-the-toilet-for-a-week fat.

 

[Fishboy42]

I think Mel and Joe are right about the crabs, I've started to re-think their use in my tanks too. They really hit the biodiversity hard by eating anything they can, and they don't do any great service IMO, although I do like the colors.

Those Nassarius might be a good idea, as they are large and crawl everywhere. I've never had them before myself--I wonder if they do ok without sand?

I'm sure those nudis will take care of the aiptasia eventually, it just may take them a while to clean them out. I officially declared war on aips in the greenhouse Tuesday night by adding a dozen each of "home-grown" peppermints and berghia. Time will tell if this has any effect...I'd offer you some peps, but I've heard they aren't quite "reefsafe" --as for me, well, you saw the greenhouse...desperate times you know...

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6813752#post6813752 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RCS
Art, if he'll eat caulerpa, I'd be willing to borrow him for a couple weeks. I promise he'll be fat when he comes back! And by fat I mean stuck-on-the-toilet-for-a-week fat.

Eww...My Naso loves caulerpa (part of the reason I bought him--and he totally cleaned out the "field" of caulerpa in the 125 after a couple of weeks). Even though he eats out of my hand, I don't think I could ever catch him out of the reef, or I'm sure he'd like to spend some time at your place...

 

[stevensmd]

blue-legged hermit crabs are the only type I'd ever have in my tank...never had a problem with them, actually they have done a great job cleaning....also the Nassarius bury themselves in the sand all day until feeding time...not sure how they would do in a bare bottom. Probably wouldn't be too happy.
dave

 

[Runner]

My 25 blue-leg hermit crabs seem to be doing okay and growing rapidly. I did catch one picking on zoanthids the other day. I may transfer them to the sump soon. They are getting large and sporting a variety of snail shells now. I have one scarlet hermit that makes a rare appearence and has gotten very large. I have seen him attack snails before, but he leaves the corals alone.

 

[saltyunderground]

FYI... peppermint shrimp are one of the most aggressive predators of berghia.