125g 2 in 1 Seagrass Reef - Page 7

ThePurple12 · 01/14/2021, 07:25 PM

I believe you on those strombus snails! You may be right about the fighting conchs, but they should at least take care of the diatoms and hair algae on the sand. I would love to add some grass shrimp, but I’m afraid the copperband butterfly and others will be a problem. Thoughts on this Michael/Dawn?

Michael Hoaster · 01/14/2021, 07:48 PM

The fighting conchs are great. They will definitely help out with algae in the lower few inches of your tank. I think they have a big impact. It sounds like you could use more snail diversity. There are several snails that reproduce in aquariums. Get more!

I've never kept a Copperband, so I don't know. It seems like they would rather eat nems and corals. Is their mouth even big enough?

However, in my experience with small shrimp like that, they have a better chance if they are added before the fish. Shrimp added afterwards are often considered food.

ThePurple12 · 01/15/2021, 07:05 AM

Yes, I need more snails! For some reason I just didn't add a clean up crew when I started the tank. The only thing stopping me right now is the dinos. I heard they take a toll on snails, which would make sense, as my 3 trochus snails have been sitting in the same spots without moving for days. Which means I should probably hold off on a fighting conch now that I think about it.

The copperband leaves the corals alone, I think sponges and bugs are more their natural diet. And Aiptasia, of course. I'm not worried that it'll eat the shrimp, just that it would attack them and force them into hiding or injure them. Same with the coral beauty angel.

vlangel · 01/15/2021, 08:30 AM

I have never had a copperband butterfly either. Since my grass shrimp are in the refugium there are not any other fish there except the salt acclimated mollies and they don't harass the shrimp at all. I definitely could use more snails in the fuge too since all I have are nassarius.

I still have not been able to get strombus.

Michael Hoaster · 01/15/2021, 08:51 AM

There are dinos that are toxic, but not all are. The ones I had were not, and my snails and mollies ate them without harming them.

ThePurple12 · 01/15/2021, 09:46 AM

Right. I ordered a microscope to identify the dinos I have and whether or not they're toxic.

01/14/2021, 07:48 PM	#152
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,341	The fighting conchs are great. They will definitely help out with algae in the lower few inches of your tank. I think they have a big impact. It sounds like you could use more snail diversity. There are several snails that reproduce in aquariums. Get more! I've never kept a Copperband, so I don't know. It seems like they would rather eat nems and corals. Is their mouth even big enough? However, in my experience with small shrimp like that, they have a better chance if they are added before the fish. Shrimp added afterwards are often considered food. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/15/2021, 08:30 AM	#154
vlangel Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Posts: 2,078	I have never had a copperband butterfly either. Since my grass shrimp are in the refugium there are not any other fish there except the salt acclimated mollies and they don't harass the shrimp at all. I definitely could use more snails in the fuge too since all I have are nassarius. I still have not been able to get strombus. __________________ And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, ...and God sawthat it was good. Genesis 1:20 - 21 Current Tank Info: A 56 gallon high nutrient macro algae/coral reef that overflows into a basement 30 gallon seahorse macro algae fuge that overflows into a 20 gallon sump

01/15/2021, 08:51 AM	#155
Michael Hoaster Registered Seaweedist Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Boulder, CO Posts: 5,341	There are dinos that are toxic, but not all are. The ones I had were not, and my snails and mollies ate them without harming them. __________________ As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance, our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018

01/14/2021, 07:25 PM	#151
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 361	I believe you on those strombus snails! You may be right about the fighting conchs, but they should at least take care of the diatoms and hair algae on the sand. I would love to add some grass shrimp, but I’m afraid the copperband butterfly and others will be a problem. Thoughts on this Michael/Dawn?

01/15/2021, 07:05 AM	#153
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 361	Yes, I need more snails! For some reason I just didn't add a clean up crew when I started the tank. The only thing stopping me right now is the dinos. I heard they take a toll on snails, which would make sense, as my 3 trochus snails have been sitting in the same spots without moving for days. Which means I should probably hold off on a fighting conch now that I think about it. The copperband leaves the corals alone, I think sponges and bugs are more their natural diet. And Aiptasia, of course. I'm not worried that it'll eat the shrimp, just that it would attack them and force them into hiding or injure them. Same with the coral beauty angel.

01/15/2021, 09:46 AM	#156
ThePurple12 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2018 Location: Virginia Posts: 361	Right. I ordered a microscope to identify the dinos I have and whether or not they're toxic.