Indulging in Marine-Help!

[Serrateeth_2002]

i am new to marine,i know a few basics but there is a whole lot i need to know like what mixes with what and the what's with coral,anemones and inverterbrates.I got several questions

1)do clown fishes need anemones?
2)do damsels need to be in schools?
3)how to cure marine ich?
4)what to corals contribute and what do they need?
5)the cleaner wrasse does not seems like it does a good job in cleaning parasites,is it my fault?

[mogurnda]

First, I will do my usual plug for Bob Fenner's Conscientious Marine Aquarist and John Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums, excellent books that will answer a lot of these questions.

Then, I'll answer the ones I have experience with.

1)do clown fishes need anemones?
Nope, they will be happy and even spawn without them. They will often take other things, like soft corals or powerheads, as hosts.

3)how to cure marine ich?
I had good luck running 200 gph of tank water through a 15W UV unit, but others will chime in with simpler remedies.

4)what to corals contribute and what do they need?
Corals are a pet. They make your tank a true reef. They are a hugely diverse group, with differing needs, but most of the commonly-kept species need bright light (upwards of 3W/gallon)and stable conditions.

5)the cleaner wrasse does not seems like it does a good job in cleaning parasites,is it my fault?
Cleaner wrasses aren't particularly good for ich, which is tiny and embedded. They are generally a bad idea, because most won't adapt to aquarium foods and will ultimately starve to death. If you want a cleaner, shrimp are a better choice, but still won't take care of ich. It is completely not your fault. The LFS should not have sold it to you.

[OrionGirl]

Preventing ich from being introduced with a quarantine period is your best bet. If it's too late for that, then move the fish to a hospital tank for treatment with copper, and leave the main tank fishless for at least 4-6 weeks--I'd go the full 6 weeks if it were my tank. The fish should be medicated for at least 4 weeks after the last visible symptom, and this tank cleaned regularly during the treatment period.

Damsels do not need to be in schools, and tend to cause too many territory disputes when kept in groups. They will harrass anything and everything that invades their territory, even killing fish.

Clowns are damsels, so the same goes for them.

Agree with all points above.

[Serrateeth_2002]

Thanks for the tips,it is clearer now on how to keep marine fishes,didn't know clowns were territorial,they seem friendly but one more thing,do starfishes eat anemones?What do they eat if they do not?

[OrionGirl]

Depends on the star. I'm not familiar with any that go after anemones, but there are some that are predatory and will target fish. Many are grazers--algae in all it's forms.

[Mandairn]

this is just generlizing but, stars with around disk and about even circle arms (brittle, serphens) tend to eat what ever is dead one the bottom or on the rock, their more likey to be attaked then attckers. The more oval with triangled arms that are one sold color ten to be more algae eaters or them mandairn diet of LR LS inhabitans. The more multi color bigger stars nubby guys ARE NOT REEF SAFE . Will they eat anemones dont know.

lIKE i WoRTe ThiS iS onLY A GenRLIzTION oF StARs.

Ps.. to inspire confadence in this i will tell your i had bad luck with star fish..=/ still having bad luck.

[Ray Pollett]

mogurnda,

"First, I will do my usual plug for Bob Fenner's Conscientious Marine Aquarist and John Tullock's Natural Reef Aquariums, excellent books that will answer a lot of these questions."

Keep doing it - great books. In my opion a new book to add to that list is "Reef Invertebrates" by Anthony Calfo & Robert Fenner.

That makes two of the 3 by Bob
:cool:

Understand I go against what most say about ich. Ich indicates your fish is stressed out. Usually this is caused by water parameters being off, territory problems, and/or diet. I've found that if you correct the water parameters, territory problems, and feed a correct diet; the fish will fight off the ich.

Ray

[mogurnda]

Ray,
I completely agree about your approach to ich. The last, and only, time I saw it was when the fish were totally stressed because of my stupidity. I am just concerned that the fish may succumb before tank conditions stabilize.

[Ray Pollett]

Originally posted by mogurnda
Ray,
I am just concerned that the fish may succumb before tank conditions stabilize.

That is where I'm lucky. I can remove a fish with ich and put it someone elses healhty tank; while correcting the other tanks problem, if it takes more than an hour or two.

Ray