Featherduster?

D

dward254

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Feb 24, 2003
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Akron, OH
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Hello All!

I'm new to the forum and have spent hours reading many posts. I think this is the best site I've found. My question: I am 12 days into the cycle of a 55 gal sw fish only tank. My ammo is starting to escalate and nitrite levels are just starting to show. I purchased a couple of lbs of live rubble rock (small pieces of lr). I found what I think is a feather duster in one of the pieces. It started at about 1/2 in diameter and is now about 1 in. It has dark tips and dark rings down to the center. It seems to be doing fine but, I am not sure it will survive or if I should be adding something to the water. My lfs said it was probably a tubeworm of some sort. Not sure what to do.

Tank specs:


55 sw fo AGA
2 24" factory hoods w/ lamps
1 domino damsel
1 four stripe damsel
1 yellow tailed blue damsel
emporer 400 filter
200 watt heater
50 lbs. rock (lava and tufa)

p.s. I started the cycle with a product called Bacter Vital and 5 damsels. Two damsels have died, unfortunately. I wish I had found this site before I took the advice of my lfs.
 
:)

Water changes will help decrease the ammonia and nitrites. This will help out the fish as well as any critters on your live rock. I would just do a few small water changes to bring the ammonia down to under 1, and keep the nitrites under .5. If you don't wish to keep the damsels once the tank is done cycling, you can easily remove them and return them. Add some cocktail shrimp (from the deli), and leep the cycle going. You may lose this tube worm, but they are a frequently seen hitch hiker on good live rock.

Welcome to AC--glad to have another saltie!
 
Wow! You guys are quick to reply. Thanks!

If you could answer one more for me. I've read about fishless cycling throughout the forum. I would like to proceed with this type of process. Should I remove the damsels when I put the coctail shrimp into the tank?
 
Yep, get them out. Damsels aren't the best members of a reef community setup, due to their aggressive behavior. They are very hardy, and can tolerate some poor water conditions, so are often recommended for cycling. The shrimp will generate more ammonia than those damsels, meaning you have a better bacteria bed once ammonia and nitrites hit zero. If you don't want to remove the damsels, don't use the shrimp method. It will generate enough ammonia to kill the fish quickly.
 
Thanks for the info. I think I am going to trade in the damsels for the fishless cycle method. I want to be sure that I am setting up a proper environment for any fish that will eventually live in the tank. ... maybe I'll enclose the fish tank's area with some plastic sheeting and pipe the smell to my neighbor upstairs! Ha, Ha, Ha! We never got along anyway. :p
 
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