Invert Suggestions Please

[Uzidaisies]

I have a 14 gallon cube and I’m interested it broadening my biodiversity. I have two clowns that I intend to move when they get a little bigger. Currently there are also three emerald crabs, that I will also move or get rid of, five hermits, five Astraea snails, one Cerith snail and some corals. What are some showy, unique, or odd inverts I could add? I have a list of particular ones I’m interested in, but don’t know if they would work in a nano tank, or if I should wait until I set up a larger tank. These include; flame scallops, gooseneck barnacles, feather dusters, lettuce nudi, pom pom crab. Can anyone share their experience of keeping any of these in a nano tank? What are some other oddball inverts that are suited to small spaces? Or more generally, what do you think are the most interesting inverts, nano or not?

 

[i cant think]

I have a 14 gallon cube and I’m interested it broadening my biodiversity. I have two clowns that I intend to move when they get a little bigger. Currently there are also three emerald crabs, that I will also move or get rid of, five hermits, five Astraea snails, one Cerith snail and some corals. What are some showy, unique, or odd inverts I could add? I have a list of particular ones I’m interested in, but don’t know if they would work in a nano tank, or if I should wait until I set up a larger tank. These include; flame scallops, gooseneck barnacles, feather dusters, lettuce nudi, pom pom crab. Can anyone share their experience of keeping any of these in a nano tank? What are some other oddball inverts that are suited to small spaces? Or more generally, what do you think are the most interesting inverts, nano or not?

I honestly like a lot of shrimp from the genus Periclimenes - Specifically the Peterson’s cleaner. They have a ton of personality and stay small

 

[anthonygf]

How long has your tank been running? Flame scallops are very hard to keep alive in aquariums, I have seen a lot of negative reports of them not living very long in captivity.

 

[Uzidaisies]

How long has your tank been running? Flame scallops are very hard to keep alive in aquariums, I have seen a lot of negative reports of them not living very long in captivity.

About two months, but I’m not rushing out to buy anything. Thanks for the info!

 

[Wyvern]

Sexy shrimp.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I have a 14 gallon cube and I’m interested it broadening my biodiversity. I have two clowns that I intend to move when they get a little bigger. Currently there are also three emerald crabs, that I will also move or get rid of, five hermits, five Astraea snails, one Cerith snail and some corals. What are some showy, unique, or odd inverts I could add? I have a list of particular ones I’m interested in, but don’t know if they would work in a nano tank, or if I should wait until I set up a larger tank. These include; flame scallops, gooseneck barnacles, feather dusters, lettuce nudi, pom pom crab. Can anyone share their experience of keeping any of these in a nano tank? What are some other oddball inverts that are suited to small spaces? Or more generally, what do you think are the most interesting inverts, nano or not?

Semi similar situation! I am going with a duster in my 15 gal as well as a pom pom and lettuce (note: theres a few species, make sure you get one you like the look of, also, they can very in algae consumption). I hear flame scallops are really hard. Blood red shrimp are cool looking but are not super active in the day. Cleaner shrimp are cool and active. Some porcelain crabs are cool ( some species are agressive). electric blue hermits are cool and really docile. Venus nem shrimp are cool if you have a space for them. Blue tuxedo urchins are also cool

 

[Uzidaisies]

Semi similar situation! I am going with a duster in my 15 gal as well as a pom pom and lettuce (note: theres a few species, make sure you get one you like the look of, also, they can very in algae consumption). I hear flame scallops are really hard. Blood red shrimp are cool looking but are not super active in the day. Cleaner shrimp are cool and active. Some porcelain crabs are cool ( some species are agressive). electric blue hermits are cool and really docile. Venus nem shrimp are cool if you have a space for them. Blue tuxedo urchins are also cool

I've been considering an urchin. I find the way they carry things really amusing. But nothing in my tank is glued down, it would be a mess! If i could grow out a large population of tunicates, I'd try to keep a tunicate tank and a divided flatworm, if i could get my hands on one.

Photo credit; ken tam

 

[WheatToast]

Personally, I love the way my Dove snails flail around their tiny siphons! Since they are so small, they can also reach algae inaccessible to larger snails.
Reef Cleaners occasionally stocks them.

 

[WheatToast]

Oh, and I know this is not an invertebrate, but Dead man's fingers (Codium sp.) is quite a hardy and fascinating macroalgae with a fuzzy surface that some invertebrates love to graze on (but very few organisms can actually feed on the tough algae).
Edit: Urchins might eat this algae.

 

[Uzidaisies]

Oh, and I know this is not an invertebrate, but Dead man's fingers (Codium sp.) is quite a hardy and fascinating macroalgae with a fuzzy surface that some invertebrates love to graze on (but very few organisms can actually feed on the tough algae).

I’ve always kind of liked the idea of macro in the dt. Especially considering I have no fuge. That one is pretty cool.

 

[Uzidaisies]

Oh, and I know this is not an invertebrate, but Dead man's fingers (Codium sp.) is quite a hardy and fascinating macroalgae with a fuzzy surface that some invertebrates love to graze on (but very few organisms can actually feed on the tough algae).

Oh, and coincidentally, mycology is another interest of mine, and there’s an interesting fungus that goes by the same common name.

 

[SlugSnorter]

I've been considering an urchin. I find the way they carry things really amusing. But nothing in my tank is glued down, it would be a mess! If i could grow out a large population of tunicates, I'd try to keep a tunicate tank and a divided flatworm, if i could get my hands on one.

Photo credit; ken tam

I love those, but they'll eat your tunicates pretty fast, and then clone themselves and eat them faster. Pincushion urchins might be nice, but your rock will have to be strong enough to deal with them squeezing into cracks.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Oh, and coincidentally, mycology is another interest of mine, and there’s an interesting fungus that goes by the same common name.

they look cool, though rarely get that white finger look

 

[SlugSnorter]

I’ve always kind of liked the idea of macro in the dt. Especially considering I have no fuge. That one is pretty cool

Im thinking of getting lettuce slugs and am looking for a good macroalgae in the display tank they can eat, I can post it here if you want

 

[Uzidaisies]

Im thinking of getting lettuce slugs and am looking for a good macroalgae in the display tank they can eat, I can post it here if you want

I’m not sure what you mean to post, but Wikipedia has this to say about lettuce diet: “ The primary food source of E. crispata is relatively unknown, although some individuals have been known to consume a diversity of algal species such as Vaucheria litorea, Caulerpa verticillata, Caulerpa racemosa, Halimeda discoidea, Halimeda incrassate, Halimeda monile, and Penicillus capitatus; C. verticillata being suitable for a limited amount of time.”

 

[SlugSnorter]

I’m not sure what you mean to post, but Wikipedia has this to say about lettuce diet: “ The primary food source of E. crispata is relatively unknown, although some individuals have been known to consume a diversity of algal species such as Vaucheria litorea, Caulerpa verticillata, Caulerpa racemosa, Halimeda discoidea, Halimeda incrassate, Halimeda monile, and Penicillus capitatus; C. verticillata being suitable for a limited amount of time.”

They eat algae, yes, but sometimes are "picky" i'm not sure if this is a species or individual thing. They also practice kleptoplasty, and incorporate the chloroplasts of they food into themselves and use them to create energy.