Adding my livestock? Hermit help?

[aceguitar1]

Hello!
Ok, so my tank has finished cycling (I did my at home tests, then also had the LFS check my water) and so I went and picked up my first animals! I got two snails, two hermit crabs, and a peppermint shrimp (doesn't sound all that exciting I know, but for me it's the first pet I've ever had!). So the people at the fish store told me I should wait a while before I add my next additions. How long should I wait, and what is the waiting period doing in terms of the tank?
While I'm post, I do have a second question. One of my hermit crabs seemed somewhat sluggish today when I looked in the tank. After I got back to my apartment from class, he was out of his shell and in the corner of the tank. Now, he is nowhere to be found... Should I be looking for a dead body? Or is he shedding his exoskeleton, as I've read they do that. He seemed pretty normal at the LFS, but he was sluggish and acting funny today, suggestions? (It's a blue leg if that helps anyone)

 

[meowzer]

hermits molt so don't worry too much about it
also wait a good week...test your water after 1 day, and then again in 2 days to make sure you have no changes

 

[aceguitar1]

What should I be testing for? And what causes the change if you don't mind me asking?
And is the week just a precautionary thing? or does it have to do more with the territorial aspect of the animals? I'm a very careful person, so I'll probably wait longer than a week anyway, I would just like to be aware of what I'm looking for.

 

[meowzer]

More precautionary with a new tank...you are testing your basics...ammonia, nitrite, nitrate
sometimes adding livestock can cause a small change in water parameters...if you add wisely and slowly, you will avoid that
I doubt 2 hermits, 2 snails, and 1 peppermint will cause anything though...lol

 

[aceguitar1]

One more question... Does the week apply to fish and inverts only? Or does it apply also to adding corals (I know they are inverts as well, but you get what I mean), because I would like to put in a Zoanthid frag they have at the LFS (on sale for 10 dollars!), but I don't want to kill it if the wait applies to corals as well.

 

[meowzer]

I think a zoa frag would be fine
P.S. You do know we like pictures here right.....LOL

 

[aceguitar1]

Haha, thanks for the help! And yes, I've noticed everyone keeps asking for pics, but it's a 12 gallon nano with LR, LS, and the five things that we've been talking about. So, although I think it's GREAT, I would think other people would view it as being lame... haha

 

[meowzer]

I think it's all great...LOL....we like to see progress too ya know

 

[aceguitar1]

Haha, I might start a nano diary...

 

[meowzer]

Originally Posted by Aceguitar1
http:///forum/post/3132132
Haha, I might start a nano diary...
You should.....

 

[king_neptune]

That is a good start for a 12g. What kind of lighting do you have? That is important for choosing corals.
As you increase your bio load you can consider adding more inverts. Moving along slow is perfectly fine. Eventually the peak of your invert population for a tank that size will be 10-12, and probably 3-4fish. I would consider waiting on any corals for at least a couple months.
Ideally you want to build up a small invert population(which you did), then bump up the fish, then add the remainder of the inverts. Once you got it balanced and safe your tank will be established well enough and stable to safely care for corals/anemones.
I personally have a young 125DT and it is close to two months old.
Currently I have:
1 arrow crab
1 sally light foot crab
2 emerald crabs
12 hermits
20ish assorted snails
1 yellow watchman goby
1 pistol shrimp
1 engineer goby
RIP 1 Lawn more blenny who died last night due to lack of adapting to prepared foods.

Died of starvation.
In about 3 weeks ill add a couple more fish and some very basic care GSP corals.So as you can see Its all about going slow. But since I have a larger tank with more room for mistake, I can move faster with less risk. Your already starting out in the advanced nano world. Kudos! Just take it slow. Fish inverts first, then basic corals. I would estimate your would want to be at about 3months post cycle before your adding your first coral. Nothing good ever happens fast.

 

[aceguitar1]

Thank you for the advice! I'll wait on the corals then. I didn't know it should be such a while until adding corals. Good to know though. I eventually would like one clown fish (probably an Ocellaris) and a small goby or a green damsel. I only want two fish. I don't like pushing the boundaries, although one LFS told me I could get six in there... I find that a bit hard to believe. I would also like an emerald hermit, but from what I read, they should be added later, because otherwise they can be territorial

 

[aceguitar1]

That is a good start for a 12g. What kind of lighting do you have? That is important for choosing corals.
I'm not entirely sure.. However, I have the JBJ nanocube at a tank, and the people at the LFS told me that the lighting that comes with it is ok for the soft corals and such (more beginner ones). Opinion?

 

[king_neptune]

I added my emerald first. He chose his spot and stays to a 4" rock in one corner. His counter part has a spot opposite side of the tank, same story. Most problems come from them being hungry, but mine get spot fed daily with various shrimp.
I see no reason why you cant have 4 smaller fish. A wrasse,a clown, and a goby are indeed fine additions. Whats your filtration?
I am doing a 29g nano soon, and will have chemipure,purigen,filter floss, and chaeto. I am not into the skimmer fad. They are good filtration, but I believe enough people run tanks without them to prove that it can be done safely. And before they were invented, people got along just fine. They remove both good and bad stuff from the water.

 

[aceguitar1]

Same kinda story as the lighting

The filtration is the stock filtration system that came with the tank. Think I need more?

 

[king_neptune]

not really so much as adding anything, but rather changing the media you got to a better quality.
Change the garbage porcelain pellets and carbon they gave you for something better. experiment to see what you like. mine will look like this:
Filter floss-->Chemi pure(in a sock)--> Purigen(in a sock)--> Chaeto powered by a nice led light that clips on the back.
Filter floss is cheap, it shouldn't cost you more than $15 for a years supply. Chemipure probably $40, purigen $30. I ahve never done a nano, but Ive talked to people who swear by the above mentioned. Changing bi-monthly is a 15min process.
The filter floss gets about the large debris(do that weekly in small amounts or bi-monthly in larger amounts. The chemipure is a carbon that not only removes waste, but also adds a nice blueish tint to the water. The Purigen gets out what the carbon doesn't. Both go inside their own small 3x4 inch filter sock. For your size your talking a few spoonfuls per refill, so you can see how a $40 large gallon jar can last a while.
The chaeto grows off whatever the previous three cant finish off.
I don't know what kind of nano you have, but many models let you add a turf scrubber. I highly recommend this. Even a 6" screen will produce a large amount of algae that will do far better than chaeto. You might even be able to balance it right and do filter floss, and a algae scrubber, and skip the chemipure/purigen altogether. Just remember your going to meet a lot of resistance from people who insist your toast if you don't have a skimmer. I simply ask what about people who had reefs long before skimmers existed? With all things, don't take my word for it. Read and double check everything. Your going to hear peoples who agree, and people who disagree. Its up to you to sift it all out and decide whats best.
Some people will insist you upgrade the pumps that come stock, but I ask why? Why would you want water racing through your fuge? things are supposed to cook and settle in. Extra flow should be achieved by power heads. In something your size a pair of cheap maxijets, or korellia nano's would do absolutely fine.
For a good LONG read on algae scrubbers check this thread out:
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/365261/adding-my-livestock-hermit-help
Its funny to see how this thread started out meeting a STIFF amount of resistance, but now people have accepted it as good solid science. 21 pages later there is a lot of support for it.