is it a good idea to put hermit crab when cycle a tank

khcy82dyc · 05/24/2014, 02:39 AM

i set up a TMC 15 nano tank two weeks ago and straight away put salted RO water and live sand in, two days later put 2 pieces (1kg) of good quality live rock in and immediately I spotted a clam, a tiny mushroom coral and few little starfish on it. about a week late, another kilo of live rock with 3 scarlet hermit crab arrived, I put some rubble into the filter box and the large ones into the main tank. and three little crabs quickly setting in. the third day, the clam disappeared and lots of poop on the livesand

this is basically the second week of my cycling i think i might made a mistake introducing crabs so early, but the problem is, since they eat and poo so quickly...will my tank ever gonna be ready to put fish in? the worst thing is my nano tank will eventually become a crab tank with nothing else in it i assume and this might be happening

Crooked Reef · 05/24/2014, 03:52 AM

Ammonia from the cycle will likely kill the hermits and probably killed the clam. Ammonia is highly toxic to fish and inverts. This is why you shouldn't add any livestock during a cycle.

Denbf58 · 05/24/2014, 06:16 AM

the reason we cycle a tank is to get ready for live stock and grow the bacteria that be the filter of your tank are you testing for ammonia? you need to see ammonia spike then when that gets down to zero look for nitrite when that is zero you will get nitrate then the the tank is cycled DO NOT ADD ANY MORE LIVE STOCK. UNTIL cycle is complete read the stickies on setting up a tank and take your time

05/24/2014, 02:39 AM	#1
khcy82dyc Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 1	is it a good idea to put hermit crab when cycle a tank i set up a TMC 15 nano tank two weeks ago and straight away put salted RO water and live sand in, two days later put 2 pieces (1kg) of good quality live rock in and immediately I spotted a clam, a tiny mushroom coral and few little starfish on it. about a week late, another kilo of live rock with 3 scarlet hermit crab arrived, I put some rubble into the filter box and the large ones into the main tank. and three little crabs quickly setting in. the third day, the clam disappeared and lots of poop on the livesand this is basically the second week of my cycling i think i might made a mistake introducing crabs so early, but the problem is, since they eat and poo so quickly...will my tank ever gonna be ready to put fish in? the worst thing is my nano tank will eventually become a crab tank with nothing else in it i assume and this might be happening

05/24/2014, 03:52 AM	#2
Crooked Reef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2014 Posts: 1,765	Ammonia from the cycle will likely kill the hermits and probably killed the clam. Ammonia is highly toxic to fish and inverts. This is why you shouldn't add any livestock during a cycle. __________________ “In wine there is wisdom; in beer there is freedom, in water there is bacteria.” - Benjamin Franklin Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef. Biocube 29 lionfish tank. Mantis tank.

05/24/2014, 06:16 AM	#3
Denbf58 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: selden N.Y. Posts: 885	the reason we cycle a tank is to get ready for live stock and grow the bacteria that be the filter of your tank are you testing for ammonia? you need to see ammonia spike then when that gets down to zero look for nitrite when that is zero you will get nitrate then the the tank is cycled DO NOT ADD ANY MORE LIVE STOCK. UNTIL cycle is complete read the stickies on setting up a tank and take your time __________________ Life is good Current Tank Info: 75gal reef ready koralia 3, 30g sump, 4b 48" t5s lighting, 29g reef with breeding pair clowns 55g reef 55g freshwater