Someonefishy's Reef Tank Build

Hello all! I have been doing tank stocking mania these last few days. I got the 15 Gallon Fluval Flex all setup in the first month, with 2 clowns and 2 hermits. Then, I got in trouble of sorts, and school got to me (lets no get into it, lol.) Anyway, I then was able to go to the fish store. I got the following -
5 Hermits
1 Turbo Snail
1 Peppermint Shrimp
1 Rose Bubble Anemone
1 Serpent Starfish (2 1/2 legs are damaged, I get to help regrow!!)
1 Green Button Coral
1 Kenya Tree
1 Moving Mushroom?

The coral frag is very small for the mushroom, so I'm a little worried it won't stay in place. I have a powerhead, so that is why I'm worried. It moved to the floor of the tank.

2 Questions - A: Do coral move B: Can I leave him on the floor?

 

Mushroom corals are actually AKA "disc anemone". They aren't true nems but they aren't really coral in the strictest sense of the word. It is VERY normal for them to move when placed in your tank. Yes, you can leave him on the floor. Most of them prefer low flow and lower light (assuming you're talking about regular run of the mill mushrooms) but even in an ideal spot they will often take a little walk. Usually this results in part of the foot being left behind, which will grow into a new mushroom.
If you're worried about the powerhead, worry about that RBTA - they will move a lot further a lot faster than the shroom will, and if he gets into the powerhead....not good. You can wrap it with a strip of foam to protect him. Also, for the nem, I hope you upgraded from your stock light...

 

I have no particular story, more of a question I guess. The big questions we can try to cover are:

How small is "OK" to frag
When SHOULD you frag
HOW should you frag, and if you need equipment.

HI again! I have a small GB zoanthid that is doing well. My only "concern," is how they fold into themselves when something happens, such as me opening the tank to try and feed the anemone. Is this a normal behavior, or do I need to be worried?

 

That is their method of protection and very normal As long as your water quality/light/flow is right for them they should open back up after a little while (a few minutes to hours). Zoas are hard to tell exactly what they need...there are soooo many kinds, and they like different levels of light and flow.
Remember coral are animals too. When you bug them they say "hey!!!" and sometimes sulk.

You can find lots of info on Youtube and google about fragging. It is completely dependent upon the type of coral.
Mushrooms will frag themselves by walking off their foot. Kenya trees too; they just drop branches everywhere - soon you'll be throwing them away... Zoas you can drop a rock on the colony and they'll grow over the top and you just pull it off. Anything with a hard skeleton has to be broken or cut, again depending on the type. leathers are a whole other ball of wax.

 

That is their method of protection and very normal As long as your water quality/light/flow is right for them they should open back up after a little while (a few minutes to hours). Zoas are hard to tell exactly what they need...there are soooo many kinds, and they like different levels of light and flow.
Remember coral are animals too. When you bug them they say "hey!!!" and sometimes sulk.

You can find lots of info on Youtube and google about fragging. It is completely dependent upon the type of coral.
Mushrooms will frag themselves by walking off their foot. Kenya trees too; they just drop branches everywhere - soon you'll be throwing them away... Zoas you can drop a rock on the colony and they'll grow over the top and you just pull it off. Anything with a hard skeleton has to be broken or cut, again depending on the type. leathers are a whole other ball of wax.

lol, that is great! Thanks for the info. I am excited for the reef to grow. I'll post some pics of the tank, and of the damaged star, "ragtag"

Anemone question coming at you guys. He recently crawled under the live rock I have, it must be comfortable or something for him. Should I be concerned if he doesn't come back out? I got him so I could try and create a natural environment, (also just because nems are cool...) I was hoping the clownfish could host, but if he is under the rock, it'll be hard for him to be a host, and to feed and whatnot.

 

HI SomeoneFISHy Congrats on the salty build. I have moved your questions regarding this tank so they are all in one thread, making it easier for us to keep up with what's going on and better answer your questions. Please contain your updates and questions about this tank here, as this will also help keep the forum nice and tidy. If you would like to change the title, or perhaps to edit the first post to include more info about the tank, then I am more than glad to help you with that.

As for your questions, I completely agree with Magicpenny75 's advice. For a year with them in my tank, I would have sworn that mushrooms don't move, but indeed they do. Though moving is one thing and attaching for the first time in your tank is another. For now, try to provide him with super low flow and not too much lighting, then let him do his thing and don't touch anymore. Btw, mushrooms are what's known as corallimorphs, closely related to corals with some physical/visible aspects similar to anemones.

Also, I have more than one reefer buddy who brought home a nem, didn't have the protective sponges on powerheads, and lost the anemone in the first week. Shoot, one of my better reef buddies had a nem get chewed up by a powerhead in the first several hours of introducing it to his tank. So... I cannot stress the importance of covering powerheads enough. Right now, your new nem is adjusting to a new environment and this is quite a lot of stress on him. You'll need to keep an eye as best as you can but you must also let him do his thing. If provided with the right environment and lighting, he should meander his way around until he finds his sweet spot in your tank. Unfortunately, you have little control over this but if healthy, it's likely he'll pick a place in the 'sun'. Keep in mind that nems don't always transition well, and if he dies, there's a possibility that he'll nuke your tank... meaning that his remains can release toxins that will irritate or even kill other corals. This isn't the case of every nem death in every tank but it's something I think is important for us nano reefers to remember. A smaller water volume only allows for higher concentration of toxins.

Nothing good happens fast in a reef tank... that is probably the best one-liner advice in the hobby. If the nem gets happy and finds a good happy place, it is likely that your clown will try to make a host out of him. If your mushroom finds happiness with the environment, he'll eventually move, leave part of his foot behind, and you'll have two shrooms afterward. If your zoas show happiness for some time, then grow and spread onto a new rock, you can easily separate/frag them in the tank, but even if they don't grow onto separate medium... if you do your research and take safety precautions, you may use a sharp tool to cut them and make your own frags. Lots of ifs, yeah? Well, right now everything is new and adjusting, and you do not want to mess with your new critters until they are well established and what is generally referred to as... happy.

 

stella1979 Thanks alot! I've not been on in a while, so I kinda forgot about the amount of actual threads I had. Sorry! The tread name is great, my first thread/blog/thing about my tank. I will move the powerhead, and try to protect it. The mushrooms are cool, I didn't know that they were like a coral, but not one at the same time. I'm excited for them to grow, and leave behind a frag. I will be careful with the nem. This has provided TONS of info for me. I am hoping to move away from questions, and more to updates soon here. I love how supportive everyone is. Thx again.

 

A feeding question. For the nem, I have no frozen foods. I have bloodworms, and brine shrimp, as well as pellets. Can I give those to the nem? Could I crush them, and put them into a bowl of saltwater, the use a baster to feed it?

 

I don’t know, but that is so cool that you get to keep starfish!! Will you please post a picture of it?

 

I don’t know, but that is so cool that you get to keep starfish!! Will you please post a picture of it?

I would be more than happy. I can send pictures of the tank later!

 

Thanks!! Can’t wait!!

 

can't wait to see pics to

 

I'm so glad I can help! And please, do not worry a bit over questions. I was full of them a couple of years ago and reefing involves ongoing research as we progress... and it's great that it's never boring. Questions, answers, and research are how we learn and help others, and educating and sharing is exactly what Fishlore is all about.

As for the anemone... I would not feed him yet. While they benefit from meaty foods, they are photosynthetic so can get all of their nutrition from the light. But... that's no fun, is it? I know how you feel and that you want to feed him but feeding an upset nem is not a good idea simply because while he's working through this other stuff, he does not also need to work on digestion. Make sense? I would wait until he's settled and fully inflated before offering food... and since you'll have some time, and your fish will appreciate this too, I'd recommend picking up some frozen food in the meantime. Quality pellets are fine, but frozen/thawed protein that exists in his natural environment is better. I'd sugges mysis shrimp, which are way healthier than brine, or a good seafood blend. I have one I like by HikarI called Mega Marine which is a blend of shrimp, clams, krill, mussels, spirulina (a superfood!) and some other stuff... I think there are oyster eggs in it.

Anyway, this is a good way to offer a wide variety while for us, it's an all-in-one. I don't currently have a regular type of nem, but my rock flowers anemones, LPS corals, and fish all go crazy for this stuff. Another really great mixed food is LRS Reef Frenzy Nano and the only reason I don't recommend this first is that it advertises to have pieces of food no bigger than a large mysis shrimp... and that's simply not true. There's some chunky stuff in there big enough for larger fish than I keep. Lucky for us though, a clownfish will bite at it until he can get it down, (my goby will also steal it in the process, 'cause he's the big mouth in the tank) and a happy anemone will have no trouble with it either. I would also say that though LRS is considered a top food option, I would wait until you have more coral. It's a blend of big, medium, small... and extra small stuff. It's great for a whole reef tank because the corals get the tiny stuff, but if corals aren't eating it, then it's just dirtying up the tank. And that leads to... on no! ALGAE!! Keep the feedings clean and simple for as long as you can my friend because algae will eventually rear its ugly head, and it certainly doesn't need a helping hand.

 

UPDATE: Not a question I got the pics! We have Clown, and Fish (go figure.) We have Ragtag the starfish (2 1/2 legs are missing. ) He is INSIDE the rock. We have the anemone. Then there are the crabs, the snail, the shrimp (made a home in the rock,) and the corals.

 

nice this makes me want to start sw

 

O oooh peppermint shrimp are pretty lol.

 

nice this makes me want to start sw

what part? start a thread if u want help! I'm glad in encouraging you.

 

what part? start a thread if u want help! I'm glad in encouraging you.

lol I might change my own 15 gallon

 

For a basic overrun, first, RESEARCH! Know your tank. There are many types of tanks: FOWLR, Reef, Nano, Seahorse, Coral, etc 2nd, be patient and do a good cycle. 3rd Get fish and inverts.

 

For a basic overrun, first, RESEARCH! Know your tank. There are many types of tanks: FOWLR, Reef, Nano, Seahorse, Coral, etc 2nd, be patient and do a good cycle. 3rd Get fish and inverts.

I know I might do it

 

It looks great, love the snails!

 

It looks great, love the snails!

same

 

OK friends, I need some help with ragtag, (the starfish.) He is a serpent starfish, trying to heal his arms. He is an active little guy, but is hiding inside of the live rock. My hermits look to be around and on his arms. A small part of the arm fell off. Should I be worried about the crabs hurting him?

 

stella1979 coralbandit Culprit

 

I stopped keeping hermits .They are trouble IMO..
I am not super versed on corals or fragging but the hermits are opportunistic predators towards snails ,corals ,shrimp and fish ...
I kept them till they were seen eating my Kenya tree !
The nem hiding is no good. You can't move him but he will not tolerate poor water quality at all.

 

I stopped keeping hermits .They are trouble IMO..
I am not super versed on corals or fragging but the hermits are opportunistic predators towards snails ,corals ,shrimp and fish ...
I kept them till they were seen eating my Kenya tree !
The nem hiding is no good. You can't move him but he will not tolerate poor water quality at all.

Alright, the anemone is moving back out. Anything I should do with the hermits? Are they just saltwater? I don't want to endanger other species in my tank. I have a Kenya tree, but they haven't gone for it. The mushroom likes to move around a lot.

 

I was gonna say the same as coralbandit Crabs are opportunistic little hunters. I was so against any kind of crab for a very loooong time, and then, I really felt like I was being ridiculous because I had nothing eating the hair algae that had been growing in my tank. (Boo... and here I was algae free for more than the first year, thinking I had things all under control.:rolleyes Still, I dreaded adding crabs and did tons of reading and tons of worrying before buying 6 very tiny blue-legged 'reef safe' hermits and a female emerald crab. I did what I could to get the 'safest' crabs possible but still, I worry about one or more going rogue someday.

So, I'd ask what kind of hermits you have..? Some species are said to be more rotten than others. I got Dwarf Blue Leg Hermits (I think! I hope!) a few months ago and they've been good so far. This isn't to say that they will continue to be so, and not all hermits with blue legs are safe. Idk the common name, but there are these blue guys with hairy legs that are said to not be safe at all. Really though, I'd say that you don't need crabs at all at this point. In a mature system, there is much more food available than there is in a new system, so crabs are less likely to go rogue and eat something you'd rather they didn't. I'd definitely be concerned for the seastar and weigh the desire for each. Not to be rotten myself, but if the bigger goal is the seastar and his recovery, the crabs would have to go. Someday, the star will hopefully be healed, and perhaps someday, you'll really feel like you need to up your clean-up crew.

In my honest and unabashed opinion, anything that puts corals in danger is unwelcome and rotten little crabs can wait until they're absolutely needed. I should also mention, I've done everything in my power to keep algae under control without crabs... I run a fuge, use ChemiPure Blue, replace mechanical filtration twice a week, feed carefully, stick to the water change schedule, and test my tank. NO3 and PO4 are very low but the hair algae growth is hiding the excess nutrients, and apparently, the diet of 3 fish and all the corals is a bit much for my closed nano system. The only steps I was unwilling to take are sumping the 20 gallon or investing in an HOB skimmer, (which do not have the best reputations.) Now that I have some crabs, I'll have to admit they're cute, they help with algae, and I enjoy watching them, but the moment I see coral damage, they're out!

Edit: Oh... and I haven't had a 'real' anemone for many, many years and didn't really do well by my last one, so I try not to talk too much about things I have such little experience with. However, I have watched anemone introductions to many other tanks here on Fishlore and have seen evidence of one hiding early and being fine later... I have also seen evidence of a nem hiding early and never really doing well afterward... meaning, they never acclimated to the new tank/didn't transition well, or maybe, were not as healthy as they were thought to be to begin with. So, in the early days, I really think it's a toss up and would try not to worry too much just yet. As always, patience and observation are your friends in this.

 

I was gonna say the same as coralbandit Crabs are opportunistic little hunters. I was so against any kind of crab for a very loooong time, and then, I really felt like I was being ridiculous because I had nothing eating the hair algae that had been growing in my tank. (Boo... and here I was algae free for more than the first year, thinking I had things all under control.:rolleyes Still, I dreaded adding crabs and did tons of reading and tons of worrying before buying 6 very tiny blue-legged 'reef safe' hermits and a female emerald crab. I did what I could to get the 'safest' crabs possible but still, I worry about one or more going rogue someday.

So, I'd ask what kind of hermits you have..? Some species are said to be more rotten than others. I got Dwarf Blue Leg Hermits (I think! I hope!) a few months ago and they've been good so far. This isn't to say that they will continue to be so, and not all hermits with blue legs are safe. Idk the common name, but there are these blue guys with hairy legs that are said to not be safe at all. Really though, I'd say that you don't need crabs at all at this point. In a mature system, there is much more food available than there is in a new system, so crabs are less likely to go rogue and eat something you'd rather they didn't. I'd definitely be concerned for the seastar and weigh the desire for each. Not to be rotten myself, but if the bigger goal is the seastar and his recovery, the crabs would have to go. Someday, the star will hopefully be healed, and perhaps someday, you'll really feel like you need to up your clean-up crew.

In my honest and unabashed opinion, anything that puts corals in danger is unwelcome and rotten little crabs can wait until they're absolutely needed. I should also mention, I've done everything in my power to keep algae under control without crabs... I run a fuge, use ChemiPure Blue, replace mechanical filtration twice a week, feed carefully, stick to the water change schedule, and test my tank. NO3 and PO4 are very low but the hair algae growth is hiding the excess nutrients, and apparently, the diet of 3 fish and all the corals is a bit much for my closed nano system. The only steps I was unwilling to take are sumping the 20 gallon or investing in an HOB skimmer, (which do not have the best reputations.) Now that I have some crabs, I'll have to admit they're cute, they help with algae, and I enjoy watching them, but the moment I see coral damage, they're out!

I would personally love crabs!

 

OK. I don't have a transfer tank for the crabs... IDK what to do. I took the starfish as a deal (for a freshman, $10 bucks off... do the math.) I didn't know though, that they were opportunistic little crabbies. Anyway, I'll monitor it. The anemone has moved out, or is in the process. The mushroom has moved onto the ground, again. . The Kenya Tree is perfectly healthy, standing straight up. The zoas are hard to tell, but they seem well. The peppermint shrimp has a lair of some sort. The snail looks like a giant, just slowly making it's way around the tank.

I would personally love crabs!

Not to turn this into a BSTF page, but PM me if you maybe want some.

 

Sounds like a treasure map lol.

Not to turn this into a BSTF page, but PM me if you maybe want some.

nah. It's fine. I'm focusing on a diffren T tank at the moment.

 

Is the moving mushroom greenish ?
If so look up elephant ear ..They also are predators ..The serpent may also be a predator ?
I keep brittle stars not serpents.There is a difference .

 

Is the moving mushroom greenish ?
If so look up elephant ear ..They also are predators ..The serpent may also be a predator ?
I keep brittle stars not serpents.There is a difference .

Whoa... love it when you blow my mind Tom. I'd not yet heard of the elephant ear mushroom and WOW!! What a cool little baddie that guy is.

SomeoneFISHy Do a little research and try to determine if you've got an elephant... because you may not want it if you do. I quick search revealed many reports of them eating fish (even largish ones) as well as other corals (even a Torch, which is quite a meanie itself). Very cool, and very scary.

 

I've also had completely benign mushrooms walk alllll the way across a rock face over the course of a couple of months and drop five babies. Do you have a photo of your shroom? The most common beginner mushrooms are often a green variety.
From your photos that tank looks pretty young. *Usually* it is recommended not to add an anemone to a tank that hasn't been established for some time. They're just so testy lol they like things to not change.
The thing with all these saltwater critters, especially the motile inverts like nems and mushrooms, is you can't decide where they will live, and you can't force them to stay put, you just have to sit back and let them figure it out. A healthy RBTA is a sight to behold...an unhealthy one that dies can spell absolute doom for your reef tank, especially a smaller one like you have. I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer, I want to help you but also help you know what you are up against.
What is your lighting setup?

 

coralbandit The mushroom is not an elephant ear, or at least I think. It is too young to tell, or just too small. It did go on the ground, and not get eaten by crabs, (a win? yay?) The Kenya tree did move however, I'm not sure why. Should I worry? The star is a brittle star variety, and it seems to have a non=aggressive attitude. stella1979 I feel like I answered your questions in this post too, if I left anything feel free to ask again, lol.

Magicpenny75 The mushroom looks like it took a fall (or dive, whatever the verb is in water.) from a live rock. If it would move around the tank in a couple of months, this one could probably do it in 1/2 the time. I did post a photo of the shroom, it was so tiny though. It was in the picture of the overall tank. I've kept this tank for 3 months now. My lighting is purely the fluval. The zoas have stayed out, and the Kenya tree has stood straight up, (as opposed to the zoas hiding, and the kenya tree drooping.) The nem is being blocked by coming out from some hermits, although I'm still a little worried that it hasn't moved much over the course of a day. The clowns almost checked it out though!

 

That could be the hermits tossing your mushroom off the rock. Mine always used to throw my frag plugs on the floor. Hermits can be challenging to keep with coral. They're either murdering eachother or throwing the furniture around. Little hooligans.
I would be very (extremely) concerned about keeping an anemone under stock Fluval lighting. They make awesome tanks (I have a SpecV and love it) but their lighting is on the weak side.
I had coral that thrived under a Current Orbit Marine LED, but I was always advised by my friend, who was the owner/operator of a coral farm, that I could not keep an anemone in my tank. They get the majority of their food from photosynthesis via the zooxanthellae that live inside them and give them their color. Without enough light, they will expel the zooxanthellae, bleach, and usually perish.
Now, all that being said, if you wanted a nem to have a nem, you should seriously consider a lighting upgrade. If you just wanted a nem for your clowns to snuggle in, there are lots of soft corals that the clowns should take to just fine as a substitute. Especially if you have tank-bred clowns. You could consider any number of anthelia, xenia, finger leathers, or other un-demanding species for your clowns. I had a pair that lived and laid eggs repeatedly within a colony of pink pulsating xenia for over four years... This is them with my tominI tang under my Orbit light.

 

stella1979 coralbandit Srry to annoy you, (if I am,) but these crabs are EVIL. My Kenya tree is getting poked at, and I saw some climbing on my zoas, what do I do?!

 

a pic of the crabs could help them I know a little about saltwater myself but never got a tank so I might be able to help a bit

 

stella1979 coralbandit Srry to annoy you, (if I am,) but these crabs are EVIL. My Kenya tree is getting poked at, and I saw some climbing on my zoas, what do I do?!

I know you didn't ask me, but I don't want you to worry. Hermits walk on everything. You have to observe and see if they are actually eating/clawing at it, or just passing through. They are indiscriminate where they walk. When the zoa colony gets bigger you will see strips of closed up polyps where the hermits walked across. They will open up again in a little bit. If they are actually eating the coral, just take them back.

 

I know you didn't ask me, but I don't want you to worry. Hermits walk on everything. You have to observe and see if they are actually eating/clawing at it, or just passing through. They are indiscriminate where they walk. When the zoa colony gets bigger you will see strips of closed up polyps where the hermits walked across. They will open up again in a little bit. If they are actually eating the coral, just take them back.

It is fine, I appriciate everyone, thanks for responding. I am worried about the tree, but I will monitor them more closely. The shrimp is defensive of it's lair, but it lets the anemone pass through

 

stella1979 coralbandit Srry to annoy you, (if I am,) but these crabs are EVIL. My Kenya tree is getting poked at, and I saw some climbing on my zoas, what do I do?!

Sends the crabs ! It ,matters to me not at all where . If the LFS will take them back win if not unfortunately some lessons have expenses ..I banished mine to the sump till I could trade them in . I try to steer people away from them especially if they have or want snails .The hermits will kill the snail just so the shell is empty ! Even if the can't fit in it ...
The Kenya tree will be fine if it was not eaten. It is a self fragging softie and for no reason will shed a branch tip or whole section . It is how they reproduce and grow ..