Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Dipping my toe into video. Let’s see if it works.

Only a couple of hours after adding this piece of macroalgae to the tank (from the sump), this crab arrived on it and appeared to be eating stuff off it. Maybe it was eating microalgae on its surface. The macro itself seemed too tough for it to consume.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The Seachem ammonia alert is still reading no ammonia, so it appears there will be no concerns in that area. Good to know for the creatures that came with the rock and sand. I may proceed to add things like more macroalgae and pods while awaiting the next rock delivery. :)

 

[Sophie"s mom]

My recollection is that you are not really into SPS sticks. But I have to say that if you don’t try your hand at coloring up a couple nice sensitive and vibrant Acropora, you will not experience the true thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat :)

I agree! I am not a SPS person either, but I successfully killed my first attempt! I have a second one in now for almost 2 months and man does it feel good to see it growing! It’s like a pat on the back from nature!

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Dipping my toe into video. Let’s see if it works.

Only a couple of hours after adding this piece of macroalgae to the tank (from the sump), this crab arrived on it and appeared to be eating stuff off it. Maybe it was eating microalgae on its surface. The macro itself seemed too tough for it to consume.

Aww great video! Your little crab is cute!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aww great video! Your little crab is cute!

Thanks. I didn’t even know I had a you tube account, but I see I used in 10-15 years ago. lol

 

[Jasonak]

I agree! I am not a SPS person either, but I successfully killed my first attempt! I have a second one in now for almost 2 months and man does it feel good to see it growing! It’s like a pat on the back from nature!

What was your first SPS attempt and what are you growing now ?

 

[Jasonak]

Thanks. I didn’t even know I had a you tube account, but I see I used in 10-15 years ago. lol

Been there done that, went to set up a account and there like it appears there is already a account with this email :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I ordered some mixed phyto and apocyclops pods from dinkins aquatic gardens. I hope to get them established and ready for a pair of tank raised mandarins shortly after the second rock delivery. I picked that pod type since seems among the more likely to become self sustaining.

I had won a Dinkins contest last holiday season, getting a gift card. Something like tank needing the most help, and since mine was in the garage leak testing, it apparently won. The also have a bogo sale now, so the time was right.

@Dinkins Aquatic Gardens

 

[Jasonak]

Here all this time your helping people with all there questions about there tanks chemistry and a 100 other topics and you didn't even have tank going. You are a good dude!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Here all this time your helping people with all there questions about there tanks chemistry and a 100 other topics and you didn't even have tank going. You are a good dude!

Thanks. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I put GFO in my skimmer bag. It’s much simpler than any other method I’ve tried.

Sounds good!

 

[jonelder68]

Dipping my toe into video. Let’s see if it works.

Only a couple of hours after adding this piece of macroalgae to the tank (from the sump), this crab arrived on it and appeared to be eating stuff off it. Maybe it was eating microalgae on its surface. The macro itself seemed too tough for it to consume.

Looks like a gorilla crab and Pom Pom algae? My hitchhiker gorilla crabs never ate my Pom Pom growing in refugium. But they would pick at it assuming like you suggest grabbing something else. Only issue I had was they would constantly move it around the tank. The stone crabs would move sand everywhere creating tunnels.

I’d catch that crab when you can and toss him. Mine would double in size every week. You probably have 20-30 more as well. 6 months in and I’m still catching them. One in my DT got a hold of one my clowns and scratched him up pretty good.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Ok, thanks. Do other folks agree it’s a problem crab that should be sumped if I can catch it?

 

[bradreef]

If you need pods in the future. I owe you some.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Could the crab in the video not be a red mithrax?

@LiverockRocks

Red Mithrax Crab - TBS farm

Ruby Mithrax Crabs arrive as live rock hitchhikers from the TBS farm.

tbsaltwater.com

Ruby Mithrax Crab

Resides : Rocks and horizontal surfaces Consumes : Hair Algae, Complex Macroalgae and Turf Algae Max Size (Carapace): 1 or 25mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you need pods in the future. I owe you some.

Thanks! :)

 

[twentyleagues]

Could the crab in the video not be a red mithrax?

@LiverockRocks

Red Mithrax Crab - TBS farm

Ruby Mithrax Crabs arrive as live rock hitchhikers from the TBS farm.

tbsaltwater.com

Ruby Mithrax Crab

Resides : Rocks and horizontal surfaces Consumes : Hair Algae, Complex Macroalgae and Turf Algae Max Size (Carapace): 1 or 25mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

I think it is or something that is not going to cause issues. It has cupped claws typically means herbivore or whatever the translation is. Just be wary all crabs can go rouge they are opportunistic and technically all are omnivorous.

 

[rishma]

What do you recommend?

My thought is to light it at a low level, enough to keep the coralline and anything else that needs light alive. It will be a month until the next rock arrives, and that seems too long to go unlit to me.

I really don’t know how much light it needs, but tbs says that most things on the rock prefer low light.

I think low light makes sense. Would be nice to keep the photosynthetic life thats made the trip. I think because everything is live, there are not a bunch of fresh surfaces for organisms to battle for territory (worried pest algae could win). With dry rock, I’d want to keep it in the dark for a while.

 

[jonelder68]

Could the crab in the video not be a red mithrax?

@LiverockRocks

Red Mithrax Crab - TBS farm

Ruby Mithrax Crabs arrive as live rock hitchhikers from the TBS farm.

tbsaltwater.com

Ruby Mithrax Crab

Resides : Rocks and horizontal surfaces Consumes : Hair Algae, Complex Macroalgae and Turf Algae Max Size (Carapace): 1 or 25mm Origin : Caribbean Availability:...

www.reefcleaners.org

Sorry you are correct. It does not appear to be a gorilla crab. I don’t see the black pinchers in the video. Both my gorilla’s and stone crab’s have big black pinchers. Lucky! You might have got some good guys!

 

[lubeck]

Ok, thanks. Do other folks agree it’s a problem crab that should be sumped if I can catch it?

If it’s red, I have the same one and it’s been fine.