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FAQs about Marine Scavenger Selection: Sea Urchins Related FAQs:
Urchin Selection, Marine Scavengers 1,
Marine Scavengers 2,
Marine Scavengers 3,
Sand
Sifters, Sea Cucumbers, Shrimp
Gobies, Sifter
Gobies, Marine
Algae Eaters, Hermit Crabs, &
FAQs on Scavenger: Rationale,
Compatibility, Specimen Selection,
Clean Up "Crews", Worms
As Scavengers, Snail Scavengers,
Shrimp Scavengers,
Hermit Scavengers,
Crab Scavengers,
Cucumber Scavengers, Serpent Star
Scavengers, Seastar Scavengers,
Fish/Groups as Scavengers, Losses/Troubleshooting,
Related Articles: Marine
Scavengers, Genus Valenciennea
Gobies, Hermit Crabs,
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Possible addition of small urchin. Algae Control 2/27/07
I have a question regarding the recent proliferation of hair algae in my
system.
29 gallon
1 65 watt 10k PC
1 65 watt Actinic PC
35lb of Fiji & Tonga
3-4" of aragonite substrate
Remora skimmer (produces .5 cup of dark skimmate per day), with box attachment
for surface skimming, I also added some porcelain rings (can't remember name of
them) for added surface area.
Aqua clear 20 filter for minor mechanical filtration and added carbon filtrant.
I use Tropic Marin Pro Reef Salt with my tapwater. No other additives
Established for 1 year.
Inhabitants include
1 lemon goby, full grown yet tiny
1 neon goby,
2 growing ocellaris clowns, can the big one ever nip!
1 Skunk cleaner
1 Blue/yellow damsel, exceedingly well behaved
med frogspawn, <Frogspawn> candy coral, xenia
several hermits and various snails
<Too many fish in your 29, causing excess nutrients in the system. I'd remove
the damsel.>
My problem started in Nov/Dec when I was putting the maintenance on my system on
hold while busy finishing my basement and trying work and have a family life at
the same time. Anyway, I left water changes for 6-8 weeks and only did the
minimum to keep the protein skimmer clear and the water level up. In the
meantime, I had the beginnings of my hair algae problem that I thought would go
away once I got the parameters under control. The one thing I see now is that
the particulate in the water is captured by the growing algae without hitting
the filters, definitely not a bonus for keeping nitrates/nitrites down.
<No, is not. Do you have around 250-300 gpm total flow rate? This will help
keep
the waste in suspension allowing the filter to capture more of it.>
I do extensive physical removal of the nuisance stuff, along with my weekly
water changes of 15-20%, I have also doubled my flow rate in the system with 2
more power heads. My question is due to the fact that I still don't have the
algae under control, would it be prudent to add a small Egg Urchin to the fray?
I am nervous about it not targeting my nuisance stuff and going after my
coralline and other "good" algae. My plan was to buy one (urchin) for just the
short term and I have permission to take it back to the LFS once it appears to
be under control. Will it harm any of the other inhabitants like the xenia,
sponges, tubeworms? Also if everything is at least worth a try, how do you
remove them from the system without getting poked? Net or rubber gloves.
<Definitely not a net, I just carefully pick them up with my hand. The urchin
you suggest, the Hairy Pincushion or Sea Egg is a good algae eater and, will
also eat
Caulerpa. It has a habit of collecting most anything to put on its body as
camouflage. This may include soft corals etc. The urchin will not directly
harm your corals/tubeworms, but rather indirectly by it's antics. Also read
here and related links for more info. http://www.wetwebmedia.com/nutrientcontrol.htm>
Thanks again for your opinions.
<You're welcome. James (Salty Dog)
Jeff
Urchin... comp. & as scavengers mostly 12/2/06
Good afternoon. <And to you, Mich here.> I recently purchased a variegated
urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) at my LFS to assist in some algae control, and
there were 2 color morphs, a green variant and a pink variant. The store owner
talked me into choosing the pink for it's brighter coloration, but when I
brought it home, it took much greater interest in my pink coralline algae than
in the green hair algae I was intending for it to help with. I realize any
urchin will likely have a taste for coralline, but does the animal coloration
have anything to do with it's dietary preference? That is, if I had chosen a
green one, would I be having more luck with the urchin devouring my green hair
algae? <Unlikely. As you know, most urchins will eat coralline along with
other desirable organisms ...they are not really reef safe.>
Thanks...<Welcome>
Tim
Starfish/Urchins in an Aggressive Fish Only Tank 11/23/05
Apologies if you have already answered this but I couldn't find it on the FAQ section.
I have a fish only tank with a Huma Trigger, Snowflake Moray and Lionfish. I have been looking for something to control algae but the trigger keeps biting chunks or any exposed pieces from any snails that I put in there (irrespective of
size). Can you keep starfish or urchins in this type of tank? And if so, would anyone have nay recommendations?
<The trigger will eat all inverts!! you better scrub the aquarium by hand!! IanB>
My dragon wrasse, stocking, scavengers...
Dear Mr. Fenner:
I hope you are off to a Happy New Year! I emailed you before about my spiny
box puffer, maroon clown fish, and dragon wrasse. I feed them Formula One
Brine Shrimp plus. I have an ammonia tester which is still in yellow so
there must not be much uneaten food.
<Don't rely on just one such "tester"... the best assay of what's going on in your system is your careful observation of your
livestock's' behavior...>
I noticed that for the past 2 days after eating my dragon wrasse will swim
upside down as if he is full. His belly appears swollen and I wondered if I
should put in only 1/2 a cube instead of the whole one.
<A good idea... and I would vary this diet with other meaty foods, bite-size... even "human-intended" seafood like shrimps, clams...>
It seems he greedily
runs to snatch away food from the clown.
<Yes... a good idea to train, feed "simultaneously" at opposite ends of the system...>
My puffer eats Krill-e most of the time 2-4 pieces a day. I have been
feeding 1 cube of frozen Formula one and then 1/2 a cube 6-12 hours later.
Should I feed only once a day?
<With this mix of fishes, probably fine>
I feed the Puffer 2 Krill-e at a time twice daily. I have a friend that only
feeds his fish every other day. Would that be better for the wrasse?
<Yes, if it is over four inches or so in length>
I read
that the clown and wrasse should eat at least 2 times a day but I certainly
do not want to overfeed either.
<Agreed>
I added 2 snails to the tank to eat algae and then I read in your book that
an urchin would possibly be a better choice.
<I am surprised the puffer and wrasse haven't eaten them>
The puffer hasn't eaten the
snails and they usually stay away from the fish. (2 turbo snails in a 55
gallon) I wondered if the puffer or wrasse would harm an urchin.
<If hungry, yes>
Do
urchins usually live long? My local pet shop "The Bermuda Triangle" says
they only get urchins in on live rock and would save me 2 back (hopefully
purple ones) but that they don't live long. What would you recommend?
<Please see the various parts of WetWebMedia.com here: under "urchins", "marine scavengers"...>
OK... I apologize because I know there are about a million questions here but
I promised my friend I would ask one more. :)
He has the purple lobster that he will give me later when I establish a new
tank. It is in a 37 gallon with a tomato clown and Percula clown. He never
really sees it. It hides under rocks and also doesn't seem to make tracks
along the coral. He feeds it the same formula one and alternates with squid.
He says the lobster has molted once and that by moving the rock, he sees it
is still alive. Is there anything in particular he could do to make this
world a happier place for the lobster to feel enough courage to come out and
say hello?
<Lower the lighting, increase water circulation, use activated carbon once a month, check the alkalinity, biomineral content of the water...>
Thanks so very much for your time and patience in these matters. Any advice
will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Kelli
<Be chatting my friend. Bob Fenner>
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