New tank, Who dis?

[Y0U]

I have a maxspect dice 12g nano tank that I start a couple of months ago (this is my fist saltwater tank). It’s stocked with:
10 lbs live sand
6.5 lbs live rock
1 small red emerald crab (1 molt)
5 hermits (all have molted and swapped shells)
3 Nassarius snails (active and growing)
1 skunk cleaner shrimp (3 molts)
2 ocellaris clowns
1 cardinal
1 royal gramma
1 anthias

Currently, I have a bubble magus mini q skimmer.

I’ve been enjoying this tank and am patiently waiting to add corals.

Hitch hikers

I’ve been seeing small white little tentacles out of small crevices when I feed, I believe they are brittle stars.

I’ve also noticed two little brownish tufts of what I think are sea anemones. These are growing and I have even noticed them feeding on mysis shrimp.

Lastly, I found 1 bonus snail.

The question

Should I do anything about these hitchhikers? I don’t mind them but I don’t know what future problems may come.

Advice is welcome.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Do you have photos of the hitchhikers?

 

[Y0U]

 

[Y0U]

 

[get-salty]

Howdy.

looks like aiptasia (?)
If im not wrong, yes you def need to nuke them if you can. They can be pests and can annoy your corals.
I wouldnt rush into tearing your tank apart, but id try to kill them maybe on your next water change.

Good luck and happy reefing.

 

[Y0U]

Brittle star chomping on shrimp.

 

[MikeyZo]

The tufts definitely look like aptasia. They can definitely spread and if you don’t want a major outbreak, taking care of them sooner than later is always a positive.

I have the same tank and was thinking about a skimmer but wasn’t sure one would fit with the Maxspect jump light attached. So I threw some rubble rock and chaeto in the middle chamber. Another thing I did was I got rid of the filter sock and added a fleece roller. Works great. And I changed the return pump with a sicce syncra 1.

 

[Y0U]

The tufts definitely look like aptasia. They can definitely spread and if you don’t want a major outbreak, taking care of them sooner than later is always a positive.

I have the same tank and was thinking about a skimmer but wasn’t sure one would fit with the Maxspect jump light attached. So I threw some rubble rock and chaeto in the middle chamber. Another thing I did was I got rid of the filter sock and added a fleece roller. Works great. And I changed the return pump with a sicce syncra 1.

The skimmer I have fits great, I also added 500 ml of seachem matrix in the middle chamber. I’m still using the filter sock and cleaning it every 2-3 days. I’m still using the return pump that came with the tank but am looking to get another and keeping this as a spare.

 

[MikeyZo]

This is definitely worth taking a look at. A bit of pain to get it dialed in but once you do it works like a charm

N-Clear Nano Roller Filter – Automatic Fleece Filter for Nano Tanks

No more filter socks—The N-Clear Nano automatic fleece roller filter keeps nano aquarium water crystal clear. Fits Innovative Marine, Waterbox, UNS, Aquatop, Landen, HelloReef AIO tanks.

naturedimensions.com

 

[Y0U]

This is definitely worth taking a look at. A bit of pain to get it dialed in but once you do it works like a charm

N-Clear Nano Roller Filter – Automatic Fleece Filter for Nano Tanks

No more filter socks—The N-Clear Nano automatic fleece roller filter keeps nano aquarium water crystal clear. Fits Innovative Marine, Waterbox, UNS, Aquatop, Landen, HelloReef AIO tanks.

naturedimensions.com

I will look at it. Thanks!

 

[Y0U]

Would running a felt roller where the filter sock is and the protein skimmer in the next compartment be advisable? Would there be enough nutrients for the skimmer to do anything after the felt roller?

 

[Y0U]

Also, as far as removal of aptasia. What’s the best method? Should I think about stocking Berghia nudibranch to eat it?

 

[MikeyZo]

Nudibranch would starve once there’s nothing else to eat. If it’s just a couple, I would try
F-Aptasia or joes juice.

As far as the fleece roller, it’s no different than a filter sock really, it’s pulling out particulates not the proteins and stuff a skimmer gets. But you don’t have to worry about cleaning it every few days. It rolled it all up and you toss it and add a new one on after it’s done.

 

[Y0U]

I’ve been thinking about this aiptasia. I just went about 24hrs with lights out and know feeding and only a light feed before and after. The two small aiptasia patches are still looking strong in the tank. I was thinking about maybe the peppermint shrimp that eats it but I can’t seem to get a straight answer on which exact species.

What is better something that eats it or the joes juice?

I hope I’m not moving too slow to remedy this. Everyone else is doing fine in the tank.

 

[MikeyZo]

You’re not it doesn’t spread that fast. There are a a bunch of species of the peppermint shrimp and some aren’t as reef safe. But the aptasia eating ones are these two. The wurdemanni is the most known but the other is known to eat them as well.

The aptasia won’t go away with the lights out technique that easily especially since it’s a filter feeder. You could try a file fish but mine never touched it. I believe copper band butterfly fish also eat them but I think our tanks are too small for them.

I’ve used F-Aptasia with decent results. Just have to shut the flow off for a while and make sure you don’t lay the stuff on any corals or it will kill them also. Once you let it sit the appropriate time and turn the flow on, your water will turn a little milky as the stuff blows off but it won’t harm anything. Just don’t go crazy with it.

 

[Y0U]

Update: yesterday I went to a lfs to purchase some RO/DI and saltwater, they had peppermint shrimp for $9ea. I bought one, drip acclimated and added him to the tank. The skunk cleaner shrimp was chasing him all over the tank. I turned the lights out and went to sleep praying that my new shrimp makes it through the night.

This morning, the peppermint shrimp is still in one piece and one of my two aiptasia sprouts is missing! I truly hope that shrimp ate it and will soon eat the other one.

 

[Y0U]

Peppermint shrimp is doing fine, he still has to finish off the aiptasia.

However, I was cleaning this morning and thought maybe I would ask about these white things sticking the back of my display tank. I clean the front and sides of the tank but I have not cleaned the back wall. Today, I took a tooth brush and scrubbed at one, even though it looks like fibers from a white cloth it’s not soft but it kind of flaked off.

Any idea what this could be? And should I take action?

 

[Y0U]

This morning the other aiptasia sprout is nowhere to be seen.

The hero.

 

[Y0U]

Peppermint shrimp is doing fine, he still has to finish off the aiptasia.

However, I was cleaning this morning and thought maybe I would ask about these white things sticking the back of my display tank. I clean the front and sides of the tank but I have not cleaned the back wall. Today, I took a tooth brush and scrubbed at one, even though it looks like fibers from a white cloth it’s not soft but it kind of flaked off.

Any idea what this could be? And should I take action?

Perhaps I should not nest two critter ID questions in one thread? What’s best? Create a new thread for the white stuff on the back of the display tank?