New Tank Help- Sand sifting sea star
Stocking and Reading 3/1/08
Hi there!
< Raiza>
First of all, you guys are awesome. I am new to the hobby and most of my questions are answered by your website (I have a lot of questions).
<The website will answer most queries.>
I have a 29 gallon tank that I now wish were a lot bigger.
The tank has been running for a little over two months now. We cycled for a full month, with no fish, and have about 20lbs. of live rock and we started off with half of our substrate as live sand.
We check all our water levels weekly. All is okay.
<I will take your word.>
We started with a yellow tail blue damsel and a lawnmower blenny (we had a lot of algae from leaving our lights on too long).
<I am sure other factors were involved with the algae.>
After a week the lawnmower blenny died. He didn't look good from day one. :(
From articles I read I am pretty sure he died from not eating.
<The tank is too small: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeblensart.htm.>
He had a pinched stomach and he seemed to be gasping for air. We got a better air pump after that.
<Not the problem.>
We have now added an ocellaris clown fish, a fuzzy dwarf lion fish,
<This tank is too small. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/dendrochirus.htm.>
a bicolor pygmy angel, Banggai Cardinalfish, an emerald crab,
<The Emerald can/will be trouble. Please see http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mithraxfaqs.htm.>
a hermit crab, 2 Nassarius snails, and a sand sifting starfish.
Should we remove the starfish?
<Yes.>
If so, what is the reason?
<Purely a feeding issue, another link to read, http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sndsftstrfaqs.htm.>
The starfish won't have a lot of sand to sift because of the way we have placed or rocks.
The aquarium guys we purchased our fish, rock and sand from know the size of our tank and our water levels and constantly tell us our tank is fine and that all our fish are compatible.
<Maybe for the very short term.>
They seem to know what they are talking about.
I just want to get the tank started right in order to avoid future problems.
If my questions have obvious answers please forgive me!
Thanks so much!
Sincerely,
Raiza R.
Los Angeles, CA.
<All your answers are posted on WWM, follow the links and all will be clear. Scott V.>

Bioload and Firefish compatibility 02/27/2008
Greetings reef gods and goddess,
<<No gods or goddesses here, just Andrew>>
My question is regarding the possible addition of a Helfrich's Firefish. First of all, will this fish be accepted by a purple Firefish who has been established in the tank for about 5 months? My LFS says they are schooling fish and enjoy one another's company...I never take vendor's advice at face value.
<<I would not add this to a tank which already houses a purple Firefish, due to clash. Helfrich does usually tend to ignore other tank inhabitants, however, I would see this fish being a little aggressive to others of its kind>>
If it is OK to add this fish, my second question is in regards to its effect on my bioload. I currently have a 29 gallon system with 2 Percs, a yellow watchman and a purple Firefish. Inverts consist of a collection of hardy soft corals and a few LPS. I skim aggressively, have a small refugium with Chaeto and have red grape algae in the display to control for nutrients and trates. I habitually change 5 gallons twice a week. Would I be pushing the envelop with the addition of this Firefish? Thanks for your ongoing service to the aquatic community.
<<You would not be pushing the bio-load by adding another small fish, but I think its wise not to choose this particular one for reasons stated above>>
<<Thanks for the questions, I hope this helps. A Nixon>>

Flower Pot swollen   2/27/08
I have a green flower pot in my tank and it's been doing very well, I was originally told they were pretty easy to keep,
<Yikes, no. If we're talking about Goniopora sp., they are not easy to keep. Please see lots of info available here:
http://www.goniopora.org/>
but today it's gotten swollen, the tentacles aren't reaching out, but it's just all puffy. The ammonia, nitrates and nitrites all test at zero, but I also just lost my Scopas tang, who was gilling at the bottom. The only other fish in my tank is a Mandarin fish, which I acquired today, and I have no idea what went wrong. The tank is an 8gallon nano,
<Wow, those are probably two of the worst possible livestock choices for a nano tank. Please research your live stock purchases before you make them. Mandarin fish need at least 50lbs of well established live rock (and probably also a refugium) to get the live food they need to survive.>
with a couple other little corals in it, the Scopas was just in there till our 50 gallon matures. He was only about 2 inches long.
<Even 50g is probably too small a tank for a Scopas tang. Please see here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/zebrasom.htm
Best,
Sara M.>

Saltwater community Q, Sm. stkg.  2-25-08
Hello, I am emailing you guys about advice on a 37 gallon saltwater tank I would like to set up. I plan to use a canister filter that can filter tanks successfully up to 55 gallons. I would like the tank to consist of somewhat of a variety of fish with different bright colors. I chose the following fish due to the size of the tank, their temperament, appearance, diets and the fact that they are all pretty hardy fish.. And I was wondering if you feel that this may be a successful community. 1 Royal Gramma Bass let, 3 Blue Green Reef Chromis', 2 tank bred Ocellaris Clownfish and 1 Filamented Flasher Wrasse. Could you please send me something in return with advice on my set up and if it is suitable along with any other tips that you see helpful that will come in handy such as dieting suggestions and tips on managing this tank. Thank you.
<All of this information and much more is available in our archives, and www.fishbase.org. Please do your research regarding basic aquarium care and please use proper capitalization when emailing us - M. Maddox>

Seahorse and reef, tog.?   2/23/08
Hello WWM,
I just wanted to say thank you guys for this web site. I Have a thirty-five gallon tall hex tank with a xp3 Rena filter on it. I have a MH on it also. I
have green star polyps, yellow gorgonian, xenia (pink and red) feather dusters a cool green looking brain and two big brown in color on the outside Zoanthid but under the actinic the glow green. flower pot some hermit crabs and a very big maxima clam. I just added a seahorse (Kellogg) My question is did I mess up by adding the seahorse? Will any of my corals sting him?
<Possibly, yes, if currents, some other influence causes it to be pushed into them>
Also can I add any fish with him.
Thank you,
Kimberly from
Corpus Christi
<Only time can/will tell whether this fish can settle in with this mix... is going to be crowded in time... Bob Fenner>

40g reef live fish, stkg.  02/15/2008
Hello,
<<G'morning Andrew today>>
I have a 40g reef that has damsels that I am giving away. I was wondering about what fish to put in.
I want a long nose hawk, a group of chalk bass, maybe a goby or blenny, and possibly a dwarf angel or wrasse unless they would crowd the tank too much.
My questions:
How does that group of fish sound?
<<Longnose Hawkfish is ok, potential there for it to go for small shrimp. Chalk Bass is a nice fish, no problems there. Goby or blenny no problems...Dwarf Angel, depending on what you choose, they can nip at corals and sessile inverts...Wrasses, again, very much depends on the type of wrasse you want. No compatibility issues per say with you selection of fish, however, I would only 4 out of the selection above>>
How many chalk bass would make a good school?
<<I would only add one Chalk Bass to this system>>
What order should I add the fish?
<<Goby or blenny first, chalk, hawk and wrasse last>
Thanks, Rowan
<<Thanks for the questions. A Nixon

Adding more Clownfish or Alternatives 02/15/2008
Hi guys and gals,
<<Guy.. Andrew here today>>
I have a 38-gal (36"L x 20"H x 12"W) reef tank with 2 tank-bred Ocellaris clowns. I don't claim they're "mated" because neither is significantly larger or more dominant. They've been together about nine months and are both about 2". Tank mates are a Coral Beauty and a Royal Gramma. I was wondering about adding another pair of juvenile tank-bred Ocellaris. Alternatively, I was wondering if a Bicolor Blenny and a Watchman Goby could coexist in this setup?
<<I would not add another pair of clowns in your tank. I would go for your alternative arrangement with the blenny and goby. They would be fine together>>
Thanks, Scott
<<Thanks for the questions. A Nixon>>

Fish compatibility, sandbed cleaning... small SW 1/6/2008
Hi there.
<<Andrew here, good day and welcome>>
I have a 29 gallon tank with 30 lbs live rock, 40 lbs live sand, sump (rated for up to 75 gallon), 500 GPH pump back to tank, getting the AquaC EV-120 skimmer soon, 130 watt 50/50 bulbs. So far I have 1 green Chromis, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 maroon clown, 1 Condy anemone.
<<maybe consider a lighting upgrade for the anemone as it would be better to have T5 or Metal Halide lighting>>
I made the usual beginner mistake of listening to the local fish store guy..thats why I have the occupants I have now. What should I keep / give back?
<<Depending on the size of the Maroon clown, your on the borderline of tank size really, and these can be aggressive. These are the more aggressive type of clown fish, and don't really make good inhabitants for a tank of this size, so, I would take the maroon back, and get either a true or false percula clown fish. These are very passive for the most part and would be suited fine for your tank.>>
I want a clown, but I understand my tank is a bit small for this guy. Love my shrimp. Condy seems okay (only had about 3 weeks), although he did change from bright white to a slight tan-brown color. Also, I have hundreds, if not thousands of all different bugs on sand and side of tank.
<<This is one of the many wonders of marine aquaria, the life that we have in there>>
What do you recommend to keep sand well sifted and bugs down.
<<Cerith snails are a good choice for cleaning the sandbed, as they are scavengers and will come out of the sand at feeding time, clean detritus of the bed too>>
I know they are a good sign...but I'd like someone to keep population under control. FYI- I have NO interest in a mandarin, as I know they are very difficult to keep and require much more than I can offer.
<<The fish will pick and choose at the pod population, and will control it a little>>
Right now I feed system Phyto Plex, Purple up, flakes, and frozen Mysis...anemone loves these! Really appreciate the knowledgeable advice.
<<I would stop dosing the purple up, with good lighting and water parameters, your coralline will grow itself>>
<<Thank you for your questions, Regards A Nixon>>

Re: Sudden death of Ocellaris Clown, Cleaner Shrimp and Emerald Crab 12/31/07
Bob (and/or crew),
<Rana>
Thanks for the response on this. Since I sent that email, I visited the nice and knowledgeable folks at the LFS. Same folks who set up the system initially with the rocks and sand and almost all the corals that are in there today.
<Good>
While I agree with you (and the LFS folks concur) that the system has gotten crowded with growth, they tested my nitrates and found them to be much lower with a test kit (near 10). And so while I'm humble about my complete novice status I wouldn't say I'm starting from zero as I think I've researched and tested quite a bit (including quite a bit of research on your site!!).
I am writing though to ask a follow-on question - since I sent the email and now, I spoke to the folks at the store and (they are intimately knowledgeable with the tank) described the very sudden turn of events, they suggested that a mantis shrimp could be responsible. One that has been growing in the rock (probably right alongside that fabulous bristleworm) and reached a good size now.
<Perhaps>
Not having experience with mantis shrimp, I hadn't really registered the clicking sounds that I'd heard the few days prior - thought those were just errant bubbles from the quirky clowns.
The destruction of the shrimp and 2 crabs was a) for the crabs definitely some kind of smashing and b) for the shrimp looked like spearing or smashing in the middle.
<Maybe a Stomatopod...>
Would you think mantis also? Lastly, your comment re: pH was a bit inscrutable - though I'm all too intimate with the fluctuations of the dollar! - and it's reasons and impact to the tank... could you elaborate?
<Heee! pH is the negative (base ten) logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration... a "whole point" is an order of magnitude... ten times... Your stated difference is HUGE!>
By the way, did I mention that tank has been stable? So yes, I'm very surprised at the sudden death of one fish and 3 invertebrates. But then something may be obvious to you with your experience - not obvious to me hence why I'm writing in.
<Good also... such rapid, wholesale, anomalous losses are much more common in smaller volumes...>
Despite your strong inclination against small systems, any good advice on adjusting things for this one (besides my existing plan to set up a new larger tank and move some corals into it?)?
Thanks
Rana
<Not to be (seen to be) too disingenuous, but adding a sump/live refugium would improve matters vastly. Be chatting, BobF>

Re: Sudden death of Ocellaris Clown, Cleaner Shrimp and Emerald Crab 12/31/07
Awesome Bob,
Thanks for the great advice. On my way to the LFS to buy a bigger tank (budget permitting). Plan to get at least 30 gal with a CPR BIOPAK skimmer/biofilter at least and create a lot more breathing space!
Rana
<Ah, outstanding Rana. Am sure all will benefit from the larger quarters. Cheers, BobF>

Stocking Levels, sm. SW  12/30/07
Hi there.
<Hello>
Need some guidance from a knowledgeable source. Have 29 gallon tank. Would like mostly fish but maybe a few inverts (a cleaner shrimp, 1 or 2 soft corals,
<Should not mix corals with anemones, allelopathy will be a problem here.>
a sponge). Right now I have a Maroon Clown, anemone, and Green Chromis.
<Tank is going to be too small, this clownfish can attain a length of up to 5 or 6 inches. Anemones do better in larger systems where parameters are much more stable, and not a good idea to mix anemones with fish other than clownfish. You do not mention lighting, anemones require strong light to photosynthesize and live. Read here and related links above http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/inverts/cnidaria/anthozoa/anemones.htm.>
Just got rid of my BioWheel filter and replaced with a sump with bioballs rated for up to a 75 gallon tank. I'll be purchasing an EV-120 by AquaC skimmer to run in line along with a Mag 5 (500gph) pump. Is this too much power for such a small tank?
<The skimmer is not going to produce 500gph flow, no worries here.>
I have a Mag 3 pumping back into tank and current seems very high already.
<I'm assuming the Mag 3 is in the sump returning water to the tank. In that case, after subtracting head loss from the length of tubing/restrictions being used, the flow rate of the Mag 3 should be somewhere around 280-290gph, which should be fine for your 29.>
Is there such a thing as too much filtration, skimming, or current?
<You can have too much current. A general guideline is 10x the tank size which in your case would be around 290gph. No such thing as overskimming. James (Salty Dog)>

Sand sifting star and nano tank -11/17/2007
These are probably really stupid questions and I fear this one may make your "funkiest query of the day!"
<Just hope Bob is too busy... ;-)><<As usual. RMF>>
Please refer to me the archives if I missed something in searching. You guys/gals have answered lots of questions for us over the last four months as we have upgraded our 90 to a 240. We are STILL in process of doing the upgrade and I have yet another question. We have a sand sifting star in the 90 with a DSB.
<Ugh>
We have only just over an inch of sand in the 240 gallon and then a DSB in the fuge. Despite their great reputation for starving and decimating the sandbed, s/he has actually grown over the past year and seems to be ok.
<Unfortunately, many marine animals can take a very long time to starve to death. If yours is growing, then I suppose it's not starving... yet. However, I suspect your sand bed has suffered dearly. And once it can no longer maintain the star fish (an inevitability), it will slowly die.>
Does the star stand a chance in the 240 without a DSB assuming the tank has several months to establish fauna in the sandbed before the star makes the switch from the 90?
<Sure, it would probably live longer. But again, you're just delaying the inevitable. And what of your poor sand bed?!">
Okay, on to the stupid part...my husband is the reefer and I merely stare at the pretty fish and read your FAQs, but I am trying to do an informed Christmas present. (Hope he isn't reading the FAQs today!) I want to get him a nano tank for a shrimp/goby combo. Due to the instability in this volume, I was hoping he could just plumb it in line with his main tank
<good idea>
since he already has lines going everywhere under the floor because the sump and fuge are in a different room from the main tank. Plus, he loves such DIY projects. Is this reasonable?
<I don't see why not. In fact, I frequently recommend this to people who want to keep a nano tank and already have a more "regular sized" system.>
If so, would one of the 24 gallon Nano Cubes be an option, or is it impossible to modify their set up?
<I've never had a nano-cube, but from what I hear, I don't think they're so easy to set up this way (because of the hood mostly I think). How would you get the plumbing in/under the hood?>
Surely you can at least add a sump and/or fuge to the setup???
<Of course you can.>
Is there a different brand you would recommend over the Nano Cube?
<Again, I'm sorry I've never personally had one of these. But if it were me, I'd simply go buy a small glass tank and proceed as if it were just another remote sump or refugium (as you put it). However, I'd do a little more of your own research on the Cube. It might work just as well, I honestly couldn't tell you for sure. I'd only wonder about how you'd get around the top of it.>
Thanks for any information and I apologize if I missed answers in the archives. Your time is always appreciated!
Michele
<De nada,
Sara M.>

Elegance coral concerns  12/15/2007
Hello WWM crew,
<Tyson>
First of all, like countless others, I have found your work to be an invaluable resource and I (and my tank's inhabitants) truly appreciate your efforts. My question is in regards to compatibility. I have an elegance coral in a one year old 30 gallon that has been doing very well and I plan on adding some corals in the coming months.
<Mmm, well... you have close to the "top" of a "stinging" echelon of animals already...>
The tank currently has two clowns a Firefish and yellow watchman (I will not be adding any more fish). The only other corals include Zoanthids, mushrooms and a Duncan.
<I would not add more here>
I know elegance corals are very sensitive to 'chemical warfare' that can occur when many species coexist in a closed system, particularly in such a small system. Some viable candidates that I have identified and am considering are Blastomussa, Ricordea and clove polyps. Do these seem like appropriate additions? I know leathers are out of the question and I am skeptical even of colt corals.
<Again... I'd stop where you are... as all have apparently "recognized" and made some sort of uneasy peace with each other>
One additional question I have is in regards to substrate. I have a crushed coral sand bed that is approximately one and one half inches deep. Can you recommend a good sand sifting candidate to add to my clean-up crew?
<Mmm, yes... yourself. Given the size, the livestock make-up... I would leave the rest of the livestock as is as well>
Also, what are your thoughts on vacuuming substrate?
<Posted>
How deep should I go?
<Do half the tank each maintenance interval...>
The jury seems to be out on this and I have seen corals go down hill after initiating a substrate cleaning regiment in the past. Presumably I stirred up too many toxins.
<Or nutrient removal...>
Thanks so much and happy holidays!
Tyson
<I would not be concerned with doing just part... though not too thoroughly... "Cleanliness is not sterility"... See WWM re. Bob Fenner>

Stocking Questions, reef, and Pairing Maroon Clownfish, - 12/9/07
Hello,
<Hello John, Brenda here>
First off, thank you for your site. It is incredibly helpful and I have certainly saved a number of fish; particularly a maroon clown at least twice in my "beginning year"--so she thanks you too.
<You are both welcome! Thank you for the positive feedback!>
That said, I have just recently downsized from a 210 gallon tank to a 28 gallon JBJ nano (stock everything including a 150 metal halide. The only upgrade is a Tunze 9002 protein skimmer.) Due to the downsizing, I now have some stocking issues that I never had to face before. (FYI, I will do a 20% water change every two week and throw in a bag of Chemi Pure once every couple months. The tank is currently stocked with a maroon clown (3.5") and 2 spotted cardinals (2"), 3 peppermint shrimp and a cleaning crew (snails and hermits). I keep the temperature around 78, pH near 8.4 and nitrate less than .1ppm, and salinity around 1.025 SG, calcium around 400, and truthfully I rarely measure alkalinity).
Question 1
I plan to keep the following (sorry, but the color description is for me to remember):
1. Toadstool (Sarcophyton)--green tint, (right side of tank, near the back and mid level)
2. Yellow Leather Coral, yellow (right side of tank, near the back and mid level)
3. Pulsing Xenia (front and middle of tank)
4. Green Star Polyps (right of tank, mid level)
5. Orange Ricordea (top and right of tank)
6. Red Mushroom (lower levels of tank)
7. Any blue or purple mushrooms (lower levels of tank)
This has seemingly worked well for the last few weeks but obviously I want it to work much longer, especially as everything continues to spread. In my attempt to stay away from a bubble tip anemone but still proved a "natural" home for the clownfish I purchased the Sarcophytons.
<I agree that an anemone is not a good choice here.>
It has worked surprisingly well (she actually uses both, they are on the same piece of live rock) so I cannot get rid of them. But anything else (gulp) can be removed.
<Heehee! Gulp? I sense fear here! I’ll try to go easy on you.>
My question is: Does the above mix and placement seem to be a reasonable mix or am I asking for a future calamity and where?
<The potential problems I see here is chemical warfare. You have a lot of soft corals! Your tank is a bit small and will be over grown quickly. You will need to keep things trimmed. How are your propagation skills? Green star polyps are quite toxic and spread quickly. I would remove, or at a very minimal keep a limited amount. I find that most people like to keep green star polyps on the bottom, away from any other rock, to eliminate the chances of it taking over the tank. Xenia is also a fast spreading coral. I would keep it on one or two rocks, and propagate before it spreads to more. Mushrooms can also quickly get out of hand.>
Sorry for the laundry list but it seems that the coral stocking questions and answers section are appropriate for a particular tank and I don't want to make a mistake (at least here--I'm sure I will make plenty of others elsewhere).
2. I have always thought that you had to purchase a mated pair of clowns to start off.
<Purchasing a mated pair does not guarantee they will co-exist peacefully once they are introduced to their new home. Also, a 28 gallon tank is a bit small for a pair of Maroons. This may cause additional aggression.>
After reading your site I realized that if I purchase a very small maroon clown that it may work or the poor clown may be killed.
<Yep! How is that for statistics? It’s a definite maybe! You will need to keep a close eye on them and remove if things get too rough. Don’t plan on going anywhere.>
I noted that you have mentioned "may" work regarding the potential pairing.
<This is true with any species.>
What percentage (best guess) "make it" if the steps you outline in your site are followed? (I also understand that I would have to find a good home for the cardinals). Just want a basic idea before I commit to attempting it.
<This is a tough one! I honestly don’t have any idea on a percentage. It is a risk, and nearly certain that the little guy will receive some abuse. Also, one technique does not work for all maroons. It can be a bit of trial and error here, extreme patience on your part, and knowing when to say enough is enough. The key here is to provide a way out for the little guy. PVC small enough that only the small maroon can enter, a breeders net, hung over the top of the tank, holding the smaller maroon while letting the larger get used to the idea of a partner. Eggcrate has also been used to create a partition between the two. Others have set up their quarantine tank adjacent to the existing tank, allowing the female to see the new maroon. Rearranging the tank, creating a new environment, has also worked. If it were me, I wouldn’t take the chance in a 28 gallon. I do know that many have done it, and succeeded. However, I do not believe this is what is best for the clownfish.>
Thank you in advance for any advice you may offer. It really is much appreciated. John
<You’re welcome and good luck to you! Brenda>

Mantis shrimp? sys., sm. SW period  12/5/07
Ok so I don't know if y'all know much about mantis shrimp but here goes....So I told my LFS to order a small mantis shrimp for me for my tank. They ordered a peacock. Yeah, they get huge, about 5 inches. So anyways, I have a tom deco 3,
<Three gallon... http://www.theaquaticdepot.com/tom-aquarium-products-deco-kit-3-gallon-nano-ree.html>
would my mantis be fine in my tank, for now? He about 2 inches long...if so, how long do I have until he will grow to adult size?
<Mmm, well... stomatopods are tough animals... but I give you very small odds of being able to keep this tiny volume stable-enough to keep even this alive. I strongly encourage your reading re "Nano" maintenance... and being VERY diligent re daily topping off, matching water spg exactly for regular water changes... Bob Fenner>

Re: mantis shrimp? Sys. and nano  12.8.07
I totally agree it will be hard but I have all the equipment and I am very good at topping off the water in my BC14 every week, if not twice a week. Ill tell you how it goes if you like?
<Please do. BobF>

Yay! Another stocking question! 12/3/07
Hi guys.
<Scott>
I have stocking questions about my 38-gal marine aquarium. I did much of my stocking based on resources like LiveAquaria before I discovered your site. Now, I have conflicting information and I'm trying to find out what I should or should not do at this point. Also, I notice sometimes different members of the crew will give different advice about stocking levels to different inquiries, or not mention when it seems like someone's tank might be on the crowded side, if it's not a stocking question that's being asked. I'm just trying to be cautious is all.
<A good trait>
My tank is 36" with about 50 lb. of live rock with plenty of caves and crannies. It seems to me like there's plenty of swimming room, but I'm not a fish. I have a Coral Beauty about 3". Everything I read before I came here said 30 gallons is ok. Now I read one of your articles that says 75 gal should be considered minimum, and tank should be "well-established." Mine wasn't.
<Bigger and longer set-up is/would be better>
He seems content, however, and is quite plump.
<Ah, good>
I have a Candystripe Hog Wrasse, about 2.5". Everything that I read about him said how peaceful he would be. This one is just a little feisty. I have a pair of tank-bred Ocellaris, about 2". I also have a Royal Gramma, about 2.5". Everyone has gotten along well, there has been little fighting, no one seems to be in anyone else's way. Up until last night I had a small Blue-Green Chromis which was my original fish, had him since January. Last night I noticed him struggling to stay upright, and saw a gash on his back. A few of his tank mates took swipes at him while I watched. I don't know if they picked on him because he was ill and struggling, or vice-versa.
<Just "the odd fish out">
Am I overstocked with this lineup, and is this the beginning of infighting as my fish grow?
<Mmm, you may be "right about there" with the sorts of habitats (in and about rock) the fish you currently have go... but there are spots available in the open-water (e.g. some common Apogonids) and the bottom/sand (e.g. Gobioids) that you might be able to slide some others into>
Most were juveniles when purchased, about half of their full-grown size so they have pretty much grown up together. Everyone eats well, two types of pellet food with some mysis and rotifers. The Coral Beauty gets "aced out" of the pellets by the greedier clowns and wrasse sometimes, but he is always nibbling at something on the rocks and glass.
<Yes... just keep an eye to make sure it isn't overly harassed, getting thin>
There is a tank-raised Neon Dottyback at my LFS that I would probably buy if I knew it wasn't the wrong thing to do.
<Not a good choice here with the Gramma>
I was also considering something like a Wheeler's Watchman, who would just hang out on the rocks and not be in the way.
<Oh! This Amblyeleotris would likely fit>
Thanks in advance,
Scott.
<Welcome. Bob Fenner>

Re: Yay! Another stocking question! 12/4/07
Hi Bob, thanks for your reply.
<Welcome Shelley>
It will be hard, but I'll try to forego the Neon Dottyback. As far as adding a cardinal, I've always liked the Banggai. However, I've hesitated to add this because I thought they might be too timid -- Firefish have not done well in this tank (I've been through three of them). Am I wrong in thinking this?
<No, not wrong>
In terms of the bottom-sitting gobies, I forgot to mention my Emerald Mithrax -- he's only about the size of a nickel, and I will probably get rid of him when he gets too big, but how much danger is he to a shrimp goby?
<Some; more as time/growth goes by>
I saw him make a run at the Gramma one night while the Gramma was hanging out behind the rocks.
<Bingo>
There's a Banded Coral Shrimp as well,
<Even more potential trouble. You need (currently) about twice the volume you have>
who seems pretty aggressive but never comes close to catching anybody he lunges at.
<... this Stenopid will>
Should I forget about a bottom-dweller with these two tankmates?
<At least stay vigilant>
I'm totally in love with Citron Gobies, but I can't keep them alive.
<... they're obligate corallivores. Live in/on Acroporids... posted on WWM>
Two of them have starved to death in my tank.
<...>
Even when I tried to spot-feed them, they just sat there and let the food bounce off their heads. This was before I was using the mysis or rotifers, though. All the reference sites say how easy they are to keep, but even at the LFS they seem to whither away if they don't get sold right away. Should I try again?
<... no. BobF>

Re: Yay! Another stocking question! Sm. SW    12/5/07
Hi again, Bob and thanks for your reply.
I've decided to trade in the Coral Shrimp and the Mithrax and get the watchman goby. I'll wait and think about what I might get for a free-swimmer, if anything. I think I hear you saying I should consider something that won't compete for space among the rocks and caves, but nothing to "wimpy". Should I avoid the Banggai, then?
<Yes, I would>
Are there any damsels I might consider?
<Not really. This 38 gallon system if memory still serves, is too psychologically small for the general family (you do have a or some Clowns correct?>
I appreciate the advice, because there's only one LFS worth going to within an hour's drive of my house, and I know you can't always trust the anonymous "experts" in the discussion forums.
<Is there someway for folks to "qualify" themselves I'm wondering>
I only know one other person who does this hobby, so it's nice to have an alternative source of info. Speaking of which, why is it that multiple reference sites will tell you something like a Citron is "easy" to keep, when clearly it is not?
Cheers,
Scott (using my wife's e-mail account)
<I will speculate that they either don't know... or that they're repeating something from another source of hearsay... I have seen, even collected Gobiodon species in the wild... they live on/under Acroporid, table type coral colonies... Their gut-contents analysis shows that they consume principally live polyps... see the ref.s on Fishbase.org re this genus. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

MH Lighting on Nano 11/30/07
Hello there everyone,
<Hello, Scott V. here.>
Quick questions about lighting. I have a 12 gallon AP that is modded with a chiller, has 24 lbs of live rock in it and used to use stock lighting of 54w PC's.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o46/mynd/AquaPod/PB270009.jpg - tank I have recently upgraded to the Coralife 24" 150w MH with Dual 65w 03 actinics and moonlights. I run the actinics 10 hours a day and the MH's 6 with a pre 2 hour and post 2 hour actinic sunrise.
<8-12 hours a day (probably on the lesser side here) would be preferable with the halide, with actinics one hour before/after.>
Moonlights are on for the other 14 hours. I know they say that you should have at least 3 – 6 watts per gallon on your tank in lighting. My first question is as follows.
Is the equation for that as easy as taking total wattage 280w and dividing it by the amount of water ( 10 ) gallons in your tank? Meaning I would have 28w per gallon?
<First of all, I would not factor in the actinics, leaving you with a mere 15 watts per gallon! Small tanks like this are where the watts per gallon rule really lacks. If you follow 5 watts per gallon, this leaves you with 50. This may be adequate for mushrooms but any more light intensive corals will suffer, the intensity is just not there towards the bottom two thirds of the tank. I personally think your light is a good choice considering that you have a chiller.>
I currently have the lighting fixture 12 inches above the tank and it is 21 inches to the bottom of the tank from the light. What do you think the optimal amount of inches from the top of the tank would be so that I could get optimal results / color / growth for my mushrooms, Zoa's, Palys and acans along with a small piece of Hydno. The Hydno is at the top of the tank about 14 inches from the light and doing well. The MH's are 14k.
<21” from light to the bottom of your tank is just right for your light.>
I have no desire to do SPS but might consider a maxima 1" clam in the future.
<Maximas this small are fairly delicate and tanks this small are inherently unstable. In addition the clam will outgrow this tank. I would leave the Maxima out of the equation and concentrate on growing out the frags you currently have.>
I would think with this lighting that there is really nothing I can't put in there within reason.
<Yes, the lighting could, stability in the other parameters and room will be the problem.>
Currently the corals are frags and growing so I am not overstocked. What are your recommendations for the above mentioned? I enjoy commentary so throw in anything you think is relevant.
Thanks!
<Welcome, have fun, Scott V.>

SW Snail Problems... plus    11/30/07
Hello!
<Hi there>
I've been reading the articles about snail death and cannot seem to find an article that sounds exactly like my problem. I have a 10 gallon tank with 10 lbs of live rock that has been set up for about three and a half weeks now. Every single snail that I have purchased has died within a few days of introducing to the tank. At first, I thought it was an ornery yellow-tail damsel
<Needs more room than this...>
knocking them off the side of the tank and then nibbling on them (I have since gotten rid of him). I bought one Mexican turbo snail and was advised by my dealer to acclimate him over a half hour, and did so. He was dead within two days. We tested the water which yielded the following results:
alkalinity=9
<What units?>
pH=8.2
calcium=420
<Magnesium?>
nitrates=10
nitrites=0
water temperature=75-77 degrees
other critters in the tank:
6 crabs
1 tomato clown
1 watermelon wrasse
1 sand-sifting goby
<... none of these fishes can live well or long in this volume>
1 cleaner shrimp
all doing wonderfully!
<Uh, no>
My dealer has told me that because my tank is so new and has natural ocean water, I should not have a magnesium problem.
<I would not be... am not... so sure>
We are both stumped! Any ideas as to what I should next? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks!
All the best,
Meg
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/snaildisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above... AND on WWM re the Systems needs of the other life you list. You need to return the fishes, or get a much larger system... Bob Fenner>

37-Gallon Saltwater Community... Stocking choices 11/25/2007
Hello,
<Hi, Mich here.>
I have emailed you guys before about a community in a 30-gallon saltwater tank. I know have a 37-gallon that I would like to stock with the following 4 fish, reason being because of all the different appealing colors.
<OK, but certainly not the only thing to consider.>
1 Ocellaris Clownfish, 1 Royal Gramma Basslet, 1 blue/green reef chromis,
<So far so good...>
1 flame Hawkfish, and some type of inverts.
<Mmm, careful here... Flame Hawks (Neocirrhites armatus) find many inverts to be tasty snacks. Hermit crabs, snails and ornamental shrimp are not safe with this fish.>
I was wondering would this community be compatible in terms of aggression, dieting and size.
<I would recommend something other tan the Flame here.>
Could you please send me something in return about this matter and also an alternative community, with lots of bright colors, if this one does not work.
<If your tank is well covered, as in no tiny holes in which a fish could escape, I would recommend one of the flasher wrasses. You might try a Filamented Flasher wrasse (Paracheilinus filamentosus) for something that is similar in color to the flame hawk, but an more appropriate choice, and compatible with your initial three choices.>>
Thank you!
<Welcome! Mich>