Compatibility Question

S

sosgal721

AC Members
Jul 28, 2007
107
0
0
39
Fort Mill, SC
I recently decided to convert one of my two FW tanks to saltwater since my blue tang decided it didn't want to share its home with the damsel anymore. Right now the damsel and a reef lobster are in a 10g waiting to go into the 20 Tall that once some tetras move out.

The damsel and the reef lobster get along fine, so I am not concerned about them, but I want to add a couple snails to keep algae down, and I want to move my chocolate chip starfish into there since the peppermint shrimp wont stop trying to eat it. Will the reef lobster try to eat these inverts? If they are not compatible, what can I use to keep algae down?

Also, I plan on having about an inch of sand and about 10 pounds of live rock; can I get away with using only a 240 gph powerhead for filtration? I would assume that since the tank isn't heavily stocked this would take care of basic filtration, but will this allow enough surface agitation?
 
Grins said:
How big is the hippo right now? If it is close to being an adult the problem could have more to do with it needing a larger home.
Click to expand...

Its still small and hasn't had any more white patches since the damsel was removed. Now it has turned its attention to chasing the royal gramma, which fortunately has learned to simply stay out of its way. Its funny that the tang doesn't mind any other fish, and even likes to swim close to the cardinal, but is such a little brat when it doesn't like something. I think eventually it will end up sharing a big tank with just the cardinal.

Anyways, back to the reef lobster.
 
Keep in mind, if you ever want any corals or anemone, the chochip star will eat them. I had lost 3 RBTAs & had fragged to one, before I figured out where they were going.
 
Pufferpunk said:
Keep in mind, if you ever want any corals or anemone, the chochip star will eat them. I had lost 3 RBTAs & had fragged to one, before I figured out where they were going.
Click to expand...

I would have replied to your post last night if I hadn't been sidetracked by the link in your sig for almost two hours:)

The chocolate chip star has already been taken out of the main tank for eating other starfish, and the tank that I want to put it in with the reef lobster and damsel would be purposely set up for them since they conflict with things in the main tank. Before I set this all up I just want to make sure that the reef lobster wont eat the starfish or snails.
 
catpicklesdog said:
I have a reef lobster in my main tank and he has left absolutely everything alone!
Click to expand...

Do you have any smaller/slow moving inverts in there? I don't think that my lobster would chase after something, but if a snail or the starfish fell upside down near it I don't know if it would take advantage of the situation.
 
I have snails (various), hermits (red legged, blue legged etc), peppermint shrimp, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp and a mandarinfish (very slow probably because of his fat belly (thought i'd say that before Grins!!!!). It didn't even go after my two ousted chromis that just sat in the corner of the tank and didn't move when I put the net in to catch them. It's probably like most things though, every individual is different. I've never seen mine out of his cave since I put him in. He just sticks a claw out for his food in the morning. The trick, I think, is keeping them well fed so that they're not tempted to go after anything else.
 
catpicklesdog said:
I have snails (various), hermits (red legged, blue legged etc), peppermint shrimp, 2 skunk cleaner shrimp and a mandarinfish (very slow probably because of his fat belly (thought i'd say that before Grins!!!!). It didn't even go after my two ousted chromis that just sat in the corner of the tank and didn't move when I put the net in to catch them. It's probably like most things though, every individual is different. I've never seen mine out of his cave since I put him in. He just sticks a claw out for his food in the morning. The trick, I think, is keeping them well fed so that they're not tempted to go after anything else.
Click to expand...

It probably does depend on the individual. Maybe I will try testing it with one hermit crab and one snail to see what it does. It actively tries to catch the food I drop for it, but at the same time doesn't bother the damsel at all, so maybe if it gets fed regularly and doesn't have to look for food it wont bother anything. Did you place it in the cave that it occupies now, or did it walk around your tank the first day to find a suitable place to live?
 
sosgal721 said:
I would have replied to your post last night if I hadn't been sidetracked by the link in your sig for almost two hours.
Click to expand...
LOL Cool, you like my puffer forum? Ya gonna get some?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom