Elizzy Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Hi there! Been trolling the boards for a few days now – lots of great info! Recently (as in 2 days ago) set up a 29 gallon reef tank. Bought 2 live rocks, live sand, Coralife Aqualight (30" – yes they do exist) dual T5 HO (figure I'll gripe about the ballasts later), water from Amazonia. This is a converted cichlid growth tank, so I've got all the other equipment (don't worry, I'm a reef newb, not an aquaria newb). Questions: Since there are no fish in the tank, should I just buy all the rocks now and throw them all in? Should I remove the tiny shrimp I saw? Worried it could be mantis, although it definitely appeared shrimp-like and not mantis-like…was fast, small, clear –Pistol, maybe? Removed bristle worm with long fork. Eventually would like to get corals, clowns, mandarin. About me: Originally from the Washington, DC area – Old Town Alexandria, VA specifically. Got my Divemaster cert off the Great Barrier Reef over 20 years ago. Had great aspirations to become a marine biologist, but became a gypsy instead, travelling the pacific northwest and Australia for a number of years. Moved to Austin in 2000, live in Round Rock now. Have never lost my love of the ocean, guess I never will Best, -eLiz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 Welcome. Is it a 29 gallon bio cube? I love those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 Nope, just a standard. Saw those biocubes though, they are awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diabeetus Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 welcome!! how small was the shrimp-like creature? it could be a copepod which would be the opposite of bad they help clean the tank, and are a good snack for some fish ( one being a mandarin ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted September 27, 2010 Author Share Posted September 27, 2010 welcome!! how small was the shrimp-like creature? Thanks! This big: >^"> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Posted September 27, 2010 Share Posted September 27, 2010 WELCOME eLiz!! I only have gotten as far as snorkeling, South Florida and St. Thomas, and would love to hear about you diving in the Great Barrier...photos are a plus!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzobob Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Welcome, always good to have another Round Rocker in the crowd as well as a fellow diver. Probably want to keep the bristle worms you see in the future. While there are a couple varieties (fireworms) that can be problematic the vast majority are both harmless and beneficial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Hi Mama, hope to post some pictures soon! Need to dig them out. Thanks for the info Gonzobob. Was checking out the rocks tonight and saw one of the "shrimp" catch a snail and eat it. Slightly concerned -- wondering if you can give me any advice. Read about how to catch mantis shrimp...this shrimp eating the snail was small (1cm)...I did however, see a larger red and white shrimp, probably about an inch or so, run around the rock and then hide in hole. Thanks again, -eLiz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diabeetus Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 which shrimp ate the snail? the red one or the tiny one? if it grabbed a snail, then its probably not a copepod. hopefully not a mantis, but it would be cool if it was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzobob Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 Hi eLiz, A shrimp snagging and eating a snail is something to be concerned about. A great sorce for infomation is Wet Web Media. Below are a couple of links on mantis shirmp which may be helpful: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/stomatopods/mantisshrimp.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/arthropoda/stomatopods/mantisfaqs.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted September 28, 2010 Author Share Posted September 28, 2010 Thanks for the info Gonzobob! After studying, I think (I'm hoping) what I have are Gammarus Amphipods. I'm concluding this because I saw one of them roll around in a little ball. The snail it ate was probably already dying (again, I'm hoping) as they're detritivores. Diabeetus - the larger shrimp (hopefully Gammarus) was definitely shrimp like and not mantis like. It was the smaller shrimp that was eating the snail - and it actually was picking it up and moving it -- I hope that's normal for Gammarus. Oh, and in other news, I saw an Asterina Wega...brown one...should I be trying to remove this? I was so happy to see it, but then I found this page. Thanks for all your help!! -e Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diabeetus Posted September 28, 2010 Share Posted September 28, 2010 its possible that you have several asterinas if you have seen one, because they split pretty much everyday. some are harmless. i have tons of them, but they rarely get on my glass and never eat my corals. i would leave it unless you start to see them eating corals, then i would get a harlequin shrimp to eat them all up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzobob Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 +1 on what diabeetus said. There are several different species of asterinas and as far as I know only one or two are not reef safe. (see http://garf.org/STAR/starfish.shtml) The others can be a nuisance but generally aren’t an issue. If during a water change if I see more than a few, or if they just annoy me, I’ll pull out a few but make no effort to catch them all. My nieces like to play spot the starfish in the photos I send Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoneroller Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 Hi eLiz, I would get rid of all the little Asterina in the early stage of your tank and keep them out as long as you can (just hand pick them out or suck them out during a water change). Don't wait and then have to suffer the consequences later. IMO harlequins shouldn't be a "planned" solution; they are better off on the reef. Put all the rocks you want in now and let the tank cycle fully before adding fish and corals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offroadodge Posted September 29, 2010 Share Posted September 29, 2010 +1 for what STONEROLLER said. And Glad to have ya here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted September 29, 2010 Author Share Posted September 29, 2010 Thanks so much for all the great info!! Really excited about the tank!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
labradorduck Posted October 4, 2010 Share Posted October 4, 2010 Glad to see another northerner here. When are we getting a LFS on the northeast side of town? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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