My kids have gotten fascinated with some of the basic inverts, i.e. hermit crabs, turbo snails, cc starfish. Is there any problem adding these to my fo tank? Do I need any different lighting or water movement? thanks for the help. I would love to get more, especially if they help with algae growth.
Adding inverts to FO tank
- Thread starter MichaelStern
- Start date
Nope, no one on your list will mind a few inverts. In fact, you might want to look into getting some shrimp--with preference for those which will act as cleaners but will take prepared foods. They would help keep your tang healthy.
Blood shrimp are great, and are happy in a group of 3+. Snails, hermits, ect are fine. Avoid getting the larger hermits--they tend to be abusive of snails, and knock things around. Not as big a deal in a FO tank, but still annoying. Red knees and blue legged hermits will be okay, though the blue might go after smaller snails. Try to avoid getting starfish that get big--I've seen crown of thorns for sale, and while they are cool, they get to be 18 inches!
HTH
Blood shrimp are great, and are happy in a group of 3+. Snails, hermits, ect are fine. Avoid getting the larger hermits--they tend to be abusive of snails, and knock things around. Not as big a deal in a FO tank, but still annoying. Red knees and blue legged hermits will be okay, though the blue might go after smaller snails. Try to avoid getting starfish that get big--I've seen crown of thorns for sale, and while they are cool, they get to be 18 inches!
HTH
For what it's worth, over the last few days, my new hermit crab and both my snails have been eaten. I do not know who the culprit is, although the lunare wrasse is looking a bit suspicious. Anyway, hopefully the starfish will be ok. I think I will stay away from other inverts for now.
Uh Oh!!!
I think I may be in trouble with the star fish as well. When I arrived home from work, just as I walked in, I saw the lunare wrasse knock the starfish off the glass and then take a little nip at it. I quickly ran to get some food to feed the fish. while doing this, I noticed both the pb tang and lemon peel angel take a swipe at it. is there anything I can do
I think I may be in trouble with the star fish as well. When I arrived home from work, just as I walked in, I saw the lunare wrasse knock the starfish off the glass and then take a little nip at it. I quickly ran to get some food to feed the fish. while doing this, I noticed both the pb tang and lemon peel angel take a swipe at it. is there anything I can do
well tangs are herbivores, so its not going to bother anything, and angels generally wont kill anything, but they will pick at dead or dying animals. Wrasses have been known to eat inverts. Lunar wrasses are generally safer, but maybe you have a misIDed or unruly specimine.
My suggestion is to sit tight, and maybe rearrange some of the rock. Starfish should hide on their own.
My suggestion is to sit tight, and maybe rearrange some of the rock. Starfish should hide on their own.
My starfish never seems to hide. Occasionally it is crawling around on the tank bottom, but, 90% of the time, it is hanging out on the side of the tank.