Ideas for a 3 gallon.

JimMelAddie

JimMelAddie

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#1
Jan 20, 2005
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#1
So I ran into Petco yesterday for some Melafix for my Ple*co (poor guy, look up his thread in the BOTTOM FEEDER section (Common Pleco are TANKS!)). Anyway, I saw a 3 gal mini tank on the clearance table and I immediately thought "nano reef for work." I know you guys are sick of newbies comin' here sayin' "gimme ideas, gimme ideas" but, well...here I am...

If ya'lls ideas are good enough, I just may go back & buy it!
 

lordroad

lordroad

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#2
Sep 2, 2004
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That could be one helluva soft coral tank. Ram Man keeps a mantis shrimp... one would work in a 3 gallon too. Also other colorful shrimps will work too.

I personally wouldn't keep a fish in that small of an environment because it's difficult for the tank to maintain its bioload, but you can keep a small starfish (very cool), zoanthids, mushrooms, star polyps, etc.

If you want to try saltwater fish, may I suggest a ten gallon? You could keep two in there, like a pair of clowns or a clown and a goby, you have a good amount of options. Yes, it will be a tad more expensive, but even one fish is fun to have.

To give you some ideas what you can do with a tiny 3 gallon, let me show you what I've done with my 1 gallon vase... http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/showthread.php?t=29533

Welcome to the nano reef side of fish keeping! You'll love it.
 

JimMelAddie

JimMelAddie

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#4
Jan 20, 2005
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After just re-reading your post lordroad, the mantis shrimp "popped" out. Just recently I was researching for a nano reef tank & I want to say that I read somewhere that "with/in your live rock you could possibly get the "dreaded" mantis shimp." Does my memory serve me correctly and, if so, why?
 

Shaunna

Shaunna

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#5
Oct 6, 2005
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#5
Yes, that is correct. You will get lots of little critters with your live rock and sometimes the mantis shrimp is one of them especially if you get uncured live rock from what I hear. You can always soak your rock in a higher salinity for around 10 minutes and it will cause all the little critters to run out and then you can choose what ones you want to keep and get rid of.
 

Shaunna

Shaunna

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#7
Oct 6, 2005
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#7
Oh!!! LOL! My bad, because the mantis shrimp packs a punch hard enough to break aquarium glass!!!! Though it is not too common it does happen and most people don't want to take the risk so they just don't get them.
 

JimMelAddie

JimMelAddie

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#8
Jan 20, 2005
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#8
AH! Now I remember reading THAT as well!!!:p I don't think I'll worry about that. I'm positive this tank is acrylic. 'Tis something to consider though.*thumbsups
Thanks Shaunna!

OOOOOOOOOOO, I'm getting excited! I LOVE these little fish-capades! They make me giddy as a school boy!!!*BOUNCINGS
 

ram man

ram man

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#10
Apr 16, 2005
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#10
actualy there has been only one repot of a mantis cracking a tank open. and the tank walls were not thick enough for a peacock( biggest smasher) if you were to get a mantis, try to get a small species. a g smithii or a N wennerrae would be good for this setup. a small mantis and some nice soft corals would make an interesting tank. if you have any questions about mantis shrimp feel free to ask!
 

Shaunna

Shaunna

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#11
Oct 6, 2005
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#11
Ram man, I meant to holler at ya and tell ya I was telling my husband about you over the weekend! Did you watch animal planets most extreme with the strongest animals? They had a mantis shrimp, it was like number 4 I think. Anyway, they were talking about the aka thumbsplitter and I was telling Joey about your's hitting you!!! :D Anyway, just thought I would tell ya.
 

ram man

ram man

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#12
Apr 16, 2005
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#12
i missed it... the worst thig about mine is when i hits out of defense it can unfold the front of its arm like a jack knife... the thing i like about mantis shrimp is they are actualy trainable. i am teaching mine that 3 taps on the glass means mysis for lunch. i still cant get over how cool you rottie looks.
 

Shaunna

Shaunna

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#13
Oct 6, 2005
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#13
Thank you! You are the second person to comment on him today! I will tell him he has a fan club! That is cool about the mantis being trainable. I am looking into and studying and all the things that you do in the infancy of even possibly entertaining the thought of joining the marine world! Won't be for a while though. Wanting just some l;ow light corals and a couple of clowns or gobies and a clean up crew. The inverts were actually the first thing that got me interested and I wanted an invert only tank but the more I research the more I liike the idea of the corals. The fish are actually the least desirable to me in this matter. They actually probably won't be along for a while after everything is set up. I am most interested in seeing what kinds of goodies I can get in my LR. But that is another thread another day.
 

ram man

ram man

Superstar Fish
#14
Apr 16, 2005
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#14
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthropoda/crustacea/malacostraca/eumalacostraca/royslist/

here is a great site to lurn about mantis shrimp.
http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...acostraca/royslist/species.php?name=g_smithii
this is the species i have, it could be put in a 3 gallon but would do better in a 5 gallon.

http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/arthro...costraca/royslist/species.php?name=n_wennerae
this would be the best species available for you tank. they are often out going and wonder about in the aquarium for you to see.
 

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