Fighting Fishies--What To Do?

[Doc]

I agree. RC seemed to indicate that his parameters are spot on and I think his bioload can handle one more. I like the addition of the neon dottyback to his system. It is a striking fish. I wish I had room for one.

-Doc

 

[Rcpilot]

Let your water parameters dictate whether or not you can add more fish. If you are not getting high nitrates, try adding one more.

The only time I ever had any nitrates in this tank was right after the initial cycle when the tank had nothing but sand and CC. Since adding 61lbs of rock and my cheato--along with a DSB in the tank AND refugium--not even a hint of nitrates on my tests. I'm really proud of that. I don't even test for it anymore. Maybe once a month. The test always reads zero.

Nobody in town has one. But a couple of them are closed today. I will have to wait until next week, with the holiday tomorrow.

 

[Rcpilot]

How about that Flame Angel I was thinking about? I almost got a flame last time, but decided to get Nemo for the kids instead.

I went to Petco today. (I know-- :roll: - evil bastards) It's 4 blocks from my house. Couldn't help myself.They have a Flame Angel thats been around for about 10 days. It is about 2.5" long from nose to end of the tail. About 1.5" high from the belly to the top of the dorsal fin. It was picking at some hair algae in the tank at Petco. I asked the girl to feed it and she just looked at me. I told her it was a vegetarian and should eat Ocean Nutrician -- Formula Two. She got a cube and dropped a pea sized piece in the tank. The 10 ocellarous clowns in the tank instantly hit the food and worked it over pretty good. The Flame showed no interest. She put more food in. Again, the clowns went crazy and the Flame was intent on swimming through the side glass into the other tank.

Seams odd to me. It was picking at hair algae on a piece of dead coral, but it wouldn't touch the prepared food.

It has a small white spot on it's left pectoral fin. It's not ich. Looks like it got hung up on something and damaged the fin a bit. I can't see any fungus of squishy stuff hanging off the wound. So, I don't think it's infected. I honestly think it would heal up fine in my tank.

I told the girl I would stop in next week and see if the Flame was still available.

They are beautiful. I like it and I'm tempted to buy one. Maybe not THAT one. Perhaps another store in town has one.

Just worried it will be too much fish for my tank. I know--I'm a nervous nelly. Trying to be smart and disciplined with my tank and not do stupid :pooh: like I used to do 20yrs ago when I was a teenager.

What do you guys think? About the fish--no comments about my neurotic personality--please. :nono:

 

[Doc]

they would be a great add. I love the flame in my work tank. They are great and can handle themselves against triggers and big angels so don't worry about the wrasse bullying it. Don't get the one at Petco, but get a different specimen. never get a fish that is not eating.

-Doc

 

[Bifferwine]

And they aren't vegetarians... They are omnivorous and need a varied diet, including meaty foods. They'll pretty much eat anything.

 

[yote]

Doc and Biff are right.Flame Angels are great fish.I have one and he's probable the most active and personable fish in my tank.
He'll hammer what ever I feed,and loves to pick those little Q-tip sponges off the bottoms of my rock.But has not touched a single coral that I know of.

 

[Rcpilot]

I've got a zillion of those Q-tip sponges in my tank. I guess a flame angle will eat all those. I'm okay with that. They don't do much and if he's hungry enough to eat them--have at it.

This leads me into a question about what kinds of corals and inverts I can keep in my tank. I don't know anything about whats compatable and whats not.

Should I start a new thread or can we merge this into a "compatability" thread with discussions about corals, SPS, LPS, brains and my current zoas, mushrooms and polyps?

 

[yote]

You can keep most corals in the same tank.You just have to take a few precautions when keeping a mixed reef.
If a softie happens to touch an SPS,then the SPS is more then likely going to bleach where it was stung.
The same with LPS.
Plus softies can and will engage in chemical warfare.You just have to have a decent skimmer,and run carbon to combat the chemicals.

 

[Rcpilot]

I really like SPS corals.

Whats a softie? Is that a leather? Or a toadstool?

Whats a brain coral? Is that considered an LPS?

Can I keep brains, hammers and more SPS in my tank? I think I have enough zoas and mushrooms now, so not looking to get anymore of those. The leather corals really don't do much for me--so not too worried about them.

Would I need to run carbon all the time with brains, hammers and SPS in the tank?

 

[Bifferwine]

A toadstool is a type of leather, which is a type of softie.

Brains are LPS.

You can keep LPS and SPS together, just don't let them touch. You should only have to run carbon if you have a lot of softies. Not necessary for brains, hammers and SPS.

 

[Doc]

Decide what corals you are interested in first and then pick your favorites. I have softies in my 125 and LPS / SPS in my 90 reef upstairs. Soft corals grow so much faster than LPS and SPS corals. Buy a good book about inverts and pick out the ones that seem to suit you. Some are very difficult to keep, like elegance corals, but for the most part, LPS corals are much easier to keep than SPS. They seem to need a more established tank that LPS do. I would wait about 6-8 months before adding an SPS coral to your tank.

-Doc

 

[Rcpilot]

I don't really care much for the leathers and softies.

I do like SPS and LPS and of course-- the zoas, polyps and mushrooms.

Wait 6-8 months for my first SPS? :shock: I had one within a month after my cycle. :mrgreen: It didn't do so great under the old PC lights. Turned brown. But with my T5s, it has perked right up and is a nice fluorescent green color on the stony part. The tips are purple with whitish/pinkish bubbles on the ends.

I think I'm going to move in that direction. I do like the SPS, LPS and the brains. The leathers, cabbage, soft hand/finger leathers don't appeal to me very much.

 

[Doc]

the reason it is recommended to wait a few months is for your parameters to get solid and consistent. SPS corals do not handle fluctuation of the water quality very well. It seems to take about 6 months to really get water parameters stable. You seem to have done a great job with that. Be proud.

-Doc

 

[yote]

Rc,
Just keep in mind that any SPS you add,that were under halides will have to light acclimated to your T-5s.I've bleached out several of mine by starting them out to high.

 

[Rcpilot]

So, my T5s are going to be brighter, or more intense than MHs?

:bounce: :bounce:

 

[yote]

IMO,their more intense.
At Bermuda,we take frags and place them right at the surface of the water.That tank has 4-250 watt halides and the frags just dont seem to open as fast.
But with my T-5s,If I dont start them out on my sand and work them up over a few weeks,they'll bleach every time.

 

[Bifferwine]

I bleached more frags that I care to discuss under my MH too, even though the frags came from tanks that had much more intense lighting than mine has. I don't think it really matters, when you get a new SPS it's better safe than sorry, regardless of the lights you have. Just start at the bottom and move them up.

 

[yote]

In case y'all ever wandered about the par ratings of T-5s,
Reef Central Online Community - T5 lamp PAR readings
Check this out.

 

[Rcpilot]

Problem solved. Hopefully.:shock:

Turn the sound down, unless you want to hear my TV and my kids.



He's not taking any crap from the 6-line wrasse. :fechten2:

Sorry about the light spots. Thats the Christmas tree reflecting in the background.

 

[yote]

Thats a great looking flame angel Rc.