Starting Twenty Gallon Salt, few quick qeustions

[Henry22]

I just got back from vacation at Hilton head island SC and picked up some cool shells i want to put in my tank, can i just boil them and then put them in and i was also wondering are their any butterfly fish small enough for a 20 gallon, im going to the lfs tom so. I saw two at a pet store their and loved them.thanks

 

[Henry22]

just disregard what i asked about butterfly fish, its defiantly not gonna be possible, anyways is boiling the shells fine.

 

[OCCFan023]

boiling should be ok.

What kind of shells did you find?

 

[Henry22]

umm just ones that look like clams and then one spirl one that could be used by a hermit. I actually found some all water hermits their in waist deep water and wanted to bring them back but i didnt know anything about them so i let them go. Is it ok if i get a few hermits and quarantine them with the pajama cardinal or just put htem in the display seperatly.

 

[OCCFan023]

I wouldnt qt them with the pajama because that could introduce some nasty stuff to the cardinal.


You could qt the cardinal first (if you already have him) and then do the hermits, or do the hermits first and see how they do, then add the cardinal; But adding them both could cause problems.

 

[Henry22]

Is it neccessary to qt the hermits. Problem is this is the only time i will be able to go to the lfs for a while because school starts tommorow so i just wanted to get somehermits. If not hten im gonna get a cleaner or more nassarus snails.

 

[OCCFan023]

O the hermits are from your lfs? I thought you were tlaking about ones you got from the ocean yourself.

You should be fine introducing them to your tnak without a QT.


As for QTing the hermits with the pajama, I dont really see a problem, but I just introduce mine staright to the tank (hermits)

 

[Henry22]

yeah, i was gonna bring the ones home from HHI but i didnt know if they were reef safe and i know they were carnivorous because tehy ate the little minnows i caught. But i liked them so much i think im gonna get a few blue reef hermits although i may wait because i think i have in sufficient algae for them. Do they eat mysis or pellets or flakes. I plan on mysis and formula 1.

 

[Henry22]

I have some snails and dont want my hermits eating them, i will provide extra shells if i can get them but are their any taht wont eat my snails. I also have a small peppermint shrimp less than an inch, and i dont want him hurt

 

[Henry22]

i Checked my param on my qt tank and everything is good. I plan on using the drip method of acclimation. Anyone know about the hermits?, whats the more peaceful type?
thanks

 

[OCCFan023]

the blue legged will be fine.

Flakes would probably be your best bet to feeding them. They shouldnt atack the snails, atleast mine dont, and the peppermint will be fine. I have a cleaner shrimp with my blue and scarlets and hes fine.

 

[Henry22]

Sweet,im off to the lfs, later

 

[Henry22]

I went to the fish store and found a scooter blenny with great coloration, i just couldnt let him go. He is less than an inch long and is acclimating right now. I hope i made a good choice, the owner of the lfs knew a whole bunch and said that he would be fine in my tank. They didnt have any mysis so i got some flakes. Did i make a bad decision. He was 19.99 so i felt it wasnt a horrible buy.

 

[Henry22]

Will i need massive ammounts of copepods for this fish. I have a med to deep sand bed and plenty of live rock.

 

[Henry22]

I think i have to take this fish back or he is gonna die. Im gonna get a cleaner instead hopefully and have them order the pajama cardinalfish.

 

[aresgod]

I am curious as to why you think it is going to die?

 

[Henry22]

Well i dont have a matured tank with enough liverock and stuff to support the food it eats, like copepods. Its smiliar in difficulty to a dragonet or is one correct? If i can keep it then i would ove to but i dont want him to starve

 

[wayne]

Get the mysis and try to get it to eat for a few days. They're slightly easier to get feeding

 

[Henry22]

I took it back, i just feared for the little guy and got a cleaner shrimp. I feel it was a better move, the guy at the store said he would rather have me brought it back than it die so i was happy. Im gonna buy fish and coral from them no on, its cheap prices and the guy knows alot. The cleaner shrimp was only 15 compared to 21 and 25 at the other lfs's.

 

[Henry22]

Can i get a emerald minthrax(mynthrax) crab? Their really cool look but i dont have bubble algae(thats what they eat right) can i jsut feed them regular food.