I want creepy things

PD Monkey · 01/30/2015, 11:29 AM

I have a 120 gallon tank that is about 6 months old. It currently is stocked with 2 clowns, electric blue damsel, yellowtail damsel, lawnmower blenny, peppermint shrimp, reefcleaner CuC. Corals are 1 hammer coral, 1 green branching palylop and 1 mushroom (it dislodged and disappeared). The fish are fun to watch but I like to look around and see creepy/crawly things. Where you can look into the tank and always spot new stuff.

We plan on a few more fish. Maybe Cardinals or dartfish or?? plus more corals.

What would you guys recommend for cool stuff (I know this is subjective)? But things that are coral friendly and you can look into the tank and go "oh hey, look at that" or "I've never noticed that before". I really like shrimp because they come and go, hide and pop out later. I've seen big brittle stars that LFS that are fun to see the legs come out and wave around.

Any ideas??

Jreed983 · 01/30/2015, 11:40 AM

One of my favorites has always been emerald crabs. And they have the added bonus of being pretty good algae eaters, I know at least bubble algae in particular. The wife usually goes for the starfish. Linkia come in tons of colors/patterns also!

Sk8r · 01/30/2015, 11:58 AM

In general, a variety of micro-hermits, and some burrowing snails (nassarius)--a couple of Tongan Fighting Conches, and maybe a cucumber...the latter can be toxic if it gets chopped up in a pump blade, so guard all intakes. Check out our sponsors and take a look at the inverts. Two cautions: green serpent stars and coral banded shrimp, mantises AND pistol shrimp are known fish-killers, so dodge those. [Yes, I know pistols are commonly sold as a novelty with gobies, but I'm not the only one who's lost the goby and several other fish to the pistol shrimp, so I'm not a fan.]

toothybugs · 01/30/2015, 11:59 AM

Order a small kit from Tampa Bay Saltwater - there is a build thread in the Big Tanks forum with a good illustration of what arrives on the rock. I don't think you need 400 pounds of rock, but a 50-80# kit might be something worth spending a few dollars on.

toothybugs · 01/30/2015, 12:01 PM

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2274436

There, page through that. See if it doesn't light a fire for ya.

Mishri · 01/30/2015, 12:15 PM

Yeah, their packages are awesome. I'm ordering one as soon as I get my equipment in. Only problem with him doing it is he already has fish and there will be some die off. He'll need to hold it in a different aquarium or container until the ammonia and nitrite drop to 0. Plus, the nasty hitchhikers need to be found/removed as well, or they could eat his fish.

PD Monkey · 01/30/2015, 01:46 PM

My tank has been up and running for around 6 months. It currently has a 2" sandbed and 100-120# of live rock.

Mishri · 01/30/2015, 03:14 PM

Sounds like it's time for a 2nd aquarium!

That's actually what my 40 is for exactly... have the neat life all over it, with basically no fish(might do a pair of clownfish and that's it).. my 75 gallon will have fish.

dkeller_nc · 01/30/2015, 03:25 PM

Since you live in San Diego, if you want some Pacific live rock (that's truly live) for your tank, you might be able to get a box of LR from Live Aquaria. Since they're in LA, the shipping might be a lot less than it would be for those of us that live in the East. Presuming that you're getting actual, natural ocean rock that's fresh, it will have lots of "creepy crawlies" on it.

PD Monkey · 01/30/2015, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkeller_nc

Since you live in San Diego, if you want some Pacific live rock (that's truly live) for your tank, you might be able to get a box of LR from Live Aquaria. Since they're in LA, the shipping might be a lot less than it would be for those of us that live in the East. Presuming that you're getting actual, natural ocean rock that's fresh, it will have lots of "creepy crawlies" on it.

Interesting. I'll look into it. I would be a little scared because my tank has no bad guys in it. I'd be scared to introduce bad hitchhikers.

mcgyvr · 01/30/2015, 04:14 PM

brittle starfish... black long spined urchines.. serpent stars,etc...

tkeracer619 · 01/30/2015, 04:18 PM

Mantis shrimp

PD Monkey · 01/30/2015, 06:25 PM

Aren't Mantis shrimp bad? I thought they were fish killers. I like urchins. I'll research if they are compatible. My son had a tuxedo urchin. It was super funny. What about pon pon crabs? Are they reef friendly?

tc2007 · 01/30/2015, 08:03 PM

Serpent Stars
Sea Cucumbers
White Porcelain Crabs
Fighting Conch
Nassarius Snails

All weird looking and good beings.

Brycen97 · 01/30/2015, 10:23 PM

i had a small snowflake eel in a 90 gal with no issues... i had coral and all never bothered anything he was freeking awesome. also i had an urchin and he was pretty cool

dkeller_nc · 01/31/2015, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PD Monkey

Aren't Mantis shrimp bad? I thought they were fish killers. I like urchins. I'll research if they are compatible. My son had a tuxedo urchin. It was super funny. What about pon pon crabs? Are they reef friendly?

They can be, though lots of folks keep a mantis shrimp in a species-specific tank. But you're right, I wouldn't advise adding one to a tank that you intend to keep fish in, or especially, crabs (which are the mantis' favorite food).

Many urchins are compatible with reef tank creatures, and they can be voracious algae eaters. However, they are also potentially destructive as they'll knock over corals, live rock or even cause a landslide in a tank where the rock's just piled together. If you want an urchin, I'd recommend gluing the rock structure together.

01/30/2015, 11:29 AM	#1
PD Monkey Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Poway, CA (San Diego) Posts: 32	I want creepy things I have a 120 gallon tank that is about 6 months old. It currently is stocked with 2 clowns, electric blue damsel, yellowtail damsel, lawnmower blenny, peppermint shrimp, reefcleaner CuC. Corals are 1 hammer coral, 1 green branching palylop and 1 mushroom (it dislodged and disappeared). The fish are fun to watch but I like to look around and see creepy/crawly things. Where you can look into the tank and always spot new stuff. We plan on a few more fish. Maybe Cardinals or dartfish or?? plus more corals. What would you guys recommend for cool stuff (I know this is subjective)? But things that are coral friendly and you can look into the tank and go "oh hey, look at that" or "I've never noticed that before". I really like shrimp because they come and go, hide and pop out later. I've seen big brittle stars that LFS that are fun to see the legs come out and wave around. Any ideas??

01/30/2015, 11:58 AM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	In general, a variety of micro-hermits, and some burrowing snails (nassarius)--a couple of Tongan Fighting Conches, and maybe a cucumber...the latter can be toxic if it gets chopped up in a pump blade, so guard all intakes. Check out our sponsors and take a look at the inverts. Two cautions: green serpent stars and coral banded shrimp, mantises AND pistol shrimp are known fish-killers, so dodge those. [Yes, I know pistols are commonly sold as a novelty with gobies, but I'm not the only one who's lost the goby and several other fish to the pistol shrimp, so I'm not a fan.] __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/30/2015, 04:18 PM	#12
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Mantis shrimp __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

01/30/2015, 10:23 PM	#15
Brycen97 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: St. Louis Posts: 201	i had a small snowflake eel in a 90 gal with no issues... i had coral and all never bothered anything he was freeking awesome. also i had an urchin and he was pretty cool __________________ Only 15 and reefing on my own Current Tank Info: Cycling 20 Gal. Long

01/30/2015, 11:40 AM	#2
Jreed983 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 77	One of my favorites has always been emerald crabs. And they have the added bonus of being pretty good algae eaters, I know at least bubble algae in particular. The wife usually goes for the starfish. Linkia come in tons of colors/patterns also!

01/30/2015, 11:59 AM	#4
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	Order a small kit from Tampa Bay Saltwater - there is a build thread in the Big Tanks forum with a good illustration of what arrives on the rock. I don't think you need 400 pounds of rock, but a 50-80# kit might be something worth spending a few dollars on.

01/30/2015, 12:01 PM	#5
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2274436 There, page through that. See if it doesn't light a fire for ya.

01/30/2015, 12:15 PM	#6
Mishri Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Great Falls, MT Posts: 1,404	Yeah, their packages are awesome. I'm ordering one as soon as I get my equipment in. Only problem with him doing it is he already has fish and there will be some die off. He'll need to hold it in a different aquarium or container until the ammonia and nitrite drop to 0. Plus, the nasty hitchhikers need to be found/removed as well, or they could eat his fish.

01/30/2015, 01:46 PM	#7
PD Monkey Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Poway, CA (San Diego) Posts: 32	My tank has been up and running for around 6 months. It currently has a 2" sandbed and 100-120# of live rock.

01/30/2015, 03:14 PM	#8
Mishri Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Great Falls, MT Posts: 1,404	Sounds like it's time for a 2nd aquarium! That's actually what my 40 is for exactly... have the neat life all over it, with basically no fish(might do a pair of clownfish and that's it).. my 75 gallon will have fish.

01/30/2015, 03:25 PM	#9
dkeller_nc Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Central NC Posts: 5,062	Since you live in San Diego, if you want some Pacific live rock (that's truly live) for your tank, you might be able to get a box of LR from Live Aquaria. Since they're in LA, the shipping might be a lot less than it would be for those of us that live in the East. Presuming that you're getting actual, natural ocean rock that's fresh, it will have lots of "creepy crawlies" on it.

01/30/2015, 04:14 PM	#11
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	brittle starfish... black long spined urchines.. serpent stars,etc...

01/30/2015, 06:25 PM	#13
PD Monkey Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Poway, CA (San Diego) Posts: 32	Aren't Mantis shrimp bad? I thought they were fish killers. I like urchins. I'll research if they are compatible. My son had a tuxedo urchin. It was super funny. What about pon pon crabs? Are they reef friendly?

01/30/2015, 08:03 PM	#14
tc2007 Registered Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Midwest Posts: 867	Serpent Stars Sea Cucumbers White Porcelain Crabs Fighting Conch Nassarius Snails All weird looking and good beings.