Keeping critters in a live rock nursery?

fishgate · 11/01/2011, 10:51 AM

I have a live rock nursery that I put new rock in when I find something that I like. It is a 50 gallon tub filled with about 30 gallons of water and 3 powerheads, 750, 1500 and 300. It is heated to 80. The water params are currently 0,0,0 (ro/di). I feed it a few flakes of food every day or so. It gets indirect ambient light only (but I have a 120 watt PC light that I may put on it).

Would it be ok to throw some critters in there like a few hermits or shrimp or should I just leave it as is with just the rock?

I thought about using it as a quarantine tank but if I do get a sick fish will that affect the rock as well?

SneakyPete · 11/01/2011, 11:01 AM

It should be fine for putting some critters in there to help keep the rock clean (assuming this tank is cycled, which if you are ghost feeding, it probably would be).

As for a quarantine tank, probably not a good idea. If you get a sick fish and he is in with the rock, then that rock is unusable for 8-10 weeks. You also would have to catch the fish to move him to a hospital tank because if you treated the fish in that tank with all your rock, you would kill anything living on/in the rock and you also wouldn't want to put that in your display tank.

sporto0 · 11/01/2011, 12:38 PM

Yes on the critters, but no on the QT, mostly because you won't be able to observe the fish properly in a tub, you want to be able see the fish from all angles to be able to recognize any disease or parasites.

11/01/2011, 10:51 AM	#1
fishgate Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Damascus, MD Posts: 3,340	Keeping critters in a live rock nursery? I have a live rock nursery that I put new rock in when I find something that I like. It is a 50 gallon tub filled with about 30 gallons of water and 3 powerheads, 750, 1500 and 300. It is heated to 80. The water params are currently 0,0,0 (ro/di). I feed it a few flakes of food every day or so. It gets indirect ambient light only (but I have a 120 watt PC light that I may put on it). Would it be ok to throw some critters in there like a few hermits or shrimp or should I just leave it as is with just the rock? I thought about using it as a quarantine tank but if I do get a sick fish will that affect the rock as well?

11/01/2011, 11:01 AM	#2
SneakyPete I see you Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northwestern Minnesota Posts: 513	It should be fine for putting some critters in there to help keep the rock clean (assuming this tank is cycled, which if you are ghost feeding, it probably would be). As for a quarantine tank, probably not a good idea. If you get a sick fish and he is in with the rock, then that rock is unusable for 8-10 weeks. You also would have to catch the fish to move him to a hospital tank because if you treated the fish in that tank with all your rock, you would kill anything living on/in the rock and you also wouldn't want to put that in your display tank. __________________ 40B in recovery mode Trumpet coral, Kenya tree, unknown Zoa Skunk Cleaner, 2 Ocellaris Clowns, Royal Gramma Current Tank Info: 40B w 29 sump. 50 lbs rock

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11/01/2011, 12:38 PM	#3
sporto0 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. Posts: 2,924	Yes on the critters, but no on the QT, mostly because you won't be able to observe the fish properly in a tub, you want to be able see the fish from all angles to be able to recognize any disease or parasites.