Please criticize my tank

L

LonersBlaze

HC Specialist
Mar 18, 2005
121
0
0
37
Please use constructive criticism.

Living in it are
  1. 1 Snail
  2. 4 peppermint shimp
  3. 2 cleaner shrimp
  4. 3 hermit crabs
  5. 2 pajama cardinals
  6. 1 red manderin dragonet
  7. 1 clarkki clown
  8. 3 damsels
  9. 1 anemone
  10. 1 bristle/fireworm (hitch hiker)
  11. 1 (some kind of small yellow goby?)

it is a 20G breeder with a skimmer, a filter, and airstone under a amazingly bright spreading light.

tank.jpg
 
1. get more and as many different sorts . Not conches they'll get too big and limit turbos go mostly for the smaller ones they'll work harder IME and IMO.
2.pepper mint shrimp usually cool little criters
3.handy little critters to have around they and the pepper mints are nitrate and nitrite sensative.
4. depends on what kind they are they might be great and they might eat everything else in the tank.
5.cool little fish
6.It will starve in here very quickly take it back to the shop all the eat are pods and your tank CAN'T hold enough! You don't have nearly enough lice rock for it to live
7. cool fish ,"see damsel"
8. Damsels and clowns are like cats and dogs or, oil and water. They are closely realated and like to use the same area. Also damnsles are more troule than they are worth imo they are very aggresive and will get pretty big.
9. see my other post and sorry your algae problem wasn't as bad as I thought.
10.1 lol just wait take a look after lights out and figure on that one again. They are wonderful scavangers for the most part.
11. probably ok
To answer your general question . Everyone has their own idea of what's the perfect tank . Decorations are a matter of taste and everyone should have something different. I will say though if you go reef everything but your sand will be pretty much covered in coraline.
hth
chris
 
LonersBlaze said:
Please use constructive criticism.

Living in it are
  1. 1 Snail
  2. 4 peppermint shimp
  3. 2 cleaner shrimp
  4. 3 hermit crabs
  5. 2 pajama cardinals
  6. 1 red manderin dragonet
  7. 1 clarkki clown
  8. 3 damsels
  9. 1 anemone
  10. 1 bristle/fireworm (hitch hiker)
  11. 1 (some kind of small yellow goby?)
Click to expand...
To comment - and only because you want critizim -

1. An airstone in a saltwater tank - You will get alot salt creep - An airstone is gret for freshwater, but not neccessary for salt.

2. Fake plants? are they temporrary?

3. Lots of fish in such a small tank - I have the same amount of fish in a 40, and im pushing the limits -

4. 4 peppermint shrimps? overkill - i'd get 1 or two, and spend the rest of your $$ on crabs and snails - get a good clean up crew - I have 1 pep shrimp, and he's eaten all my aptasia in the whole tank!

5. Damsels - can be mean fish - watch em...

6. What kind of lighting? What kind of skimmer? How much actual LR do you have? are you going FOWLR? or Reef?

7. I wouldnt recommend the mandrian in such a small tank - how long has it been set up? Mandrians for the most part wat only pods - you can get lucky, and either train them to eat other foods, but if they dont accept other foods, your's will starve - Consider a sump/refigiium to grow pods, or maybe return him to the LFS that sold it to you -

j
 
Last edited:
Is that vallis torta?
 
I am not a fan of airstones or filters on SW tanks they work but I feel a live rock/skimmer/sump,fuge set up works better and allows you to hide all you equipment and requires less maintenence over the long term. What are you using for water movement? I agree that the mandrian will probably have problems and you will probably have to get rid of it but good luck with it (if you could get it to eat prepared foods, they are beautful). Damsels can be good or bad it just depends on the type and individual personalities of the fish with the exception of dominos which are always a pain in the a**. That is quite a large bio load for that size you might want to return some fish. Your tank is overstocked for its size I'd say you need to cut it down and re-evaluate the fish you really want and ones you could returm.

I like the look of the tank (except that the ups sticker is still on the tank LOL). What is most important is that you are happy and enjoy your tank and your fish are healthy and happy. And if both are true you have the "perfect" tank. Lots of things can be done different ways in this hobby as long as it works for you.
 
What type of lighting do you have?

JMO, but you are overstocked, and the mandarin is poor choice for a small tank with serious supplemental feeding options--and a poor mix with an anenome.
 
my manderin is actually doing well. I've been bringing home some live brine from time to time. He seems to be eating it.in addition to that, i recently learned that i have pods sifting on my glass, which explains the glass pecking. its been 3 weeks so far.

I know my tank sounds overstocked, but considering how most of my fish have created their own territory all over my tank and chose to stay there(my damsels, shrimp), it appeared that i had more room. Some only come out to eat then go back to their little holes / tunnels , in/under the rock. It looks as though i only have 4 fish.

As far as taking care of marine creatures goes, i've been doing this for a year and 2 months, but actually caring for a whole ecosystem of creatures (my current tank), only 6 months. I first owned some marine hermit crabs in a successful attempt at coexisting land and marine hermit crabs in one tank.(i'll send pics to those that want to see it, PM me.) 6 months later it got to be too much work to maintain the small marine enviroment, so i gave the marine hermit crabs their own tank. I was really fascinated by the marine enviroment, so i did alot of research, and eventually got the money to begin setting up a good tank. After two weeks of cycling, i added the hermit crabs to take care of the rock, then 2 weeks later, added some fish.

thanxs for the help and the concern. Its through error, we get better
 
The problem is that your seeing juvenile behavior--not the same as the adult behavior. Mandarins typically can survive 6-9 months in tanks that lack enough pod reproduction--you might want to start ordering pod packs to supplement. Much better nutritionally than live brine.
 
that florecent light isn't bright enough for the anemone. you might also get algae because of the window in the room behind your tank.
 
thats actually not a window, its a mirrored BAckground.
as for light for the anemone, it isnt necessary for this species. It is nocturnal.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom