that is funny and a good desciption, but I don't know if I can ever learn to love it, but I also don't know if I even have a choice at this point.
Brown/Rust color algae on substrate
- Thread starter mehrencron
- Start date
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10 astreas in a 55 gallon tank wont even make a ripple let alone a dent in your algae problems.
YOu should have bought your self 20 astrea snails as a starter crew.
Then a week later around 10 large turbos.
There realy is no rule of thumb as to how many snails per gallon,
some will tell you two some will say 1, some will say 3.
Its all about how fast algae grows form in your tank. Even if you can see the alage it is there. Thats why you see snails grazing on "clean" glass, and on "bare" rocks.
If you have a sand bed or aragonite bed other than crushed coral I would by some cerith or nassarius snails. They are EXCELLENT substrate cleaners.
They keep it turned over and sift if fairly well.
I would think In a 55g reef (from my own experience) you would want around 50-60 snails at least, and around 50-60 blue legged or red legged crabs.
YOu can always look into sea cucumbers to and sand sifting stars but they both tend to ge too large for a reef and knock things over quite freqently.
As well seacucumbers will release a toxic soup if they die in your tank.
Lawmowewr blenny's, tangs, hog fish, are al said to be great algae eaters but its bull shiat. LOL!!!
Blenny's eat the equivelant of maybe a brin eshrimps wieght in algae each day! LOL!! Tang wont touch hair algae in almost all cases either, they preffer MACRO algaes, Hog fish are aptasia eaters but not algae eaters.
You could also look into a pencile sea urchin, they are suposed to be none-coral eaters and I know for a fact an urchin will eat EVERY bit of hair algae you have and then some in a matter of days.
YOu should have bought your self 20 astrea snails as a starter crew.
Then a week later around 10 large turbos.
There realy is no rule of thumb as to how many snails per gallon,
some will tell you two some will say 1, some will say 3.
Its all about how fast algae grows form in your tank. Even if you can see the alage it is there. Thats why you see snails grazing on "clean" glass, and on "bare" rocks.
If you have a sand bed or aragonite bed other than crushed coral I would by some cerith or nassarius snails. They are EXCELLENT substrate cleaners.
They keep it turned over and sift if fairly well.
I would think In a 55g reef (from my own experience) you would want around 50-60 snails at least, and around 50-60 blue legged or red legged crabs.
YOu can always look into sea cucumbers to and sand sifting stars but they both tend to ge too large for a reef and knock things over quite freqently.
As well seacucumbers will release a toxic soup if they die in your tank.
Lawmowewr blenny's, tangs, hog fish, are al said to be great algae eaters but its bull shiat. LOL!!!
Blenny's eat the equivelant of maybe a brin eshrimps wieght in algae each day! LOL!! Tang wont touch hair algae in almost all cases either, they preffer MACRO algaes, Hog fish are aptasia eaters but not algae eaters.
You could also look into a pencile sea urchin, they are suposed to be none-coral eaters and I know for a fact an urchin will eat EVERY bit of hair algae you have and then some in a matter of days.
Surprisingly, the 10 Astrea snails have made a dent, but I still plan on adding more snails.
Unfortunately, I have a bigger problem. Last week, my Yellow Tang of 4 years died, and just this morning I found my firefish goby of 7 months dead. Both looked perfectly healthy just the night before I found them each dead. I had my water tested recently at my LFS, and everything looked to be in order.
Unfortunately, I have a bigger problem. Last week, my Yellow Tang of 4 years died, and just this morning I found my firefish goby of 7 months dead. Both looked perfectly healthy just the night before I found them each dead. I had my water tested recently at my LFS, and everything looked to be in order.
Hmmm..
Sounds to me like it could be something their not testing for, like a disease or something they might be eating. I'd check the fish you have left and make sure they look clean etc... and maybe even quarantine them in a hospital tank... Kinda hard to do if you have multiple fish, but at least you'll know what they are eating...
Sounds to me like it could be something their not testing for, like a disease or something they might be eating. I'd check the fish you have left and make sure they look clean etc... and maybe even quarantine them in a hospital tank... Kinda hard to do if you have multiple fish, but at least you'll know what they are eating...
thanks for the advice. I've been looking all of my fish over very carefully, particularly after the tang died, and they are all clean, no spots, ich, etc. And their behavior has appeared to be normal.
NP,
I'd say seperate them into another tank even if its just empty with some of your tank water and dose em with antibiotics. You can put them through a dip, but that can be stressful for the fish...
I'd say seperate them into another tank even if its just empty with some of your tank water and dose em with antibiotics. You can put them through a dip, but that can be stressful for the fish...
Well, my first thought when the Tang died was that the green algae in my tank that he so readily grazed on was toxic. But I don't believe the firefish has ever grazed on the algae, at least not that I have seen. And, like I said the small amount of snails I just got already seem to be doing a good job on the stuff, and are still kicking.
Not toxic. There are no toxic algae that fish will try to eat.
Your tang probably died of old age ( IF you didnt buy him young)
THe Firs fish could have been ill when you got him or contracted a hidden parasite while in your tank, IE internal.
What did you feed them?
do you wash your hands with soap before you put them in the tank?
Thats a BIG no no if you do. ALWAYS rinse youhands under luke warm water ONLY until the oily feel is gone.
Have you cleaned your carpets recently? Maybe a chemical leache din some how through th eair column?
Did they test for phosphates, KH, ca, Alk and copper?
How often do you change your water and what filtration do you use?
Your tang probably died of old age ( IF you didnt buy him young)
THe Firs fish could have been ill when you got him or contracted a hidden parasite while in your tank, IE internal.
What did you feed them?
do you wash your hands with soap before you put them in the tank?
Thats a BIG no no if you do. ALWAYS rinse youhands under luke warm water ONLY until the oily feel is gone.
Have you cleaned your carpets recently? Maybe a chemical leache din some how through th eair column?
Did they test for phosphates, KH, ca, Alk and copper?
How often do you change your water and what filtration do you use?
Well geez, it could be number of things now. Where to start, yes, I wash my hands with soap beforehand. I guess I'll stop that now. Second, uh, yes I steamcleaned my carpets a few weeks ago.
I am planning on taking a sample into my LFS tomorrow to test for everything.
Finally, I do a 20% water change about every 3 weeks. My filtration is a protein skimmer into a micron sock. I also run a polyfilter & chemipure.
I am planning on taking a sample into my LFS tomorrow to test for everything.
Finally, I do a 20% water change about every 3 weeks. My filtration is a protein skimmer into a micron sock. I also run a polyfilter & chemipure.
