Disaster in the Nano!!

[howardj]

What's killing the Hermits?!?!
In ONE day, I found:
Two Hermit Crabs dead
Majano Anemone moved
BRISTLE WORM
AAGH!
My hermits were totally out of there shell.. so it wasn't a molt. The shell was dormant.
The anemone moved moved.. probably because I accidentally sucker punched it.
And a Bristle Worm!? I hope I don't have more. AH!
What would be killing my Hermit Crabs??
Amm: 0-.25
Trite: .1
Trate: 20
pH: 8.0
Temp: 76
SG: 1.024
I have had the hermit crabs for 2 weeks
the two that died were my first bought ones. I bought more last week, and they are still alive.
ALSO: do you think that I will have more bristle worms? and where did it come from?! The tank has been up for almost 4 weeks and I'm just now seeing one.
I took him out, along w/ the dead crabs
I plan on getting rid of the anemone, because I plan(ned?) on getting some mushrooms and GSP this week.. probably won't now..
What do Bristle worms do?

 

[nietzsche]

nitrites really need to be at 0, raise your specific gravity to 1.026, it wasnt the bristle worms.. they only show up once something dies

 

[nietzsche]

get a different test kit and make sure your ammonia is reading 0ppm
if you see a bristleworm you might have more, but they cleanup anything that dies and eat any leftover food
do a water change quickly too to see if you can lower this down... did anything die in the tank?? im assuming your tank already cycled?

 

[howardj]

Two hermit crabs died..
My test kit was 27 bucks.. and I don't have any money to put down on another one.
The tank is still in cycle.. but I added 2 HC and two snails to start.. then ended up getting more the third week.

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by HowardJ
Two hermit crabs died..
My test kit was 27 bucks.. and I don't have any money to put down on another one.
The tank is still in cycle.. but I added 2 HC and two snails to start.. then ended up getting more the third week.
thats why then. you should have waited until ammonia and nitrites read 0ppm and you should see nitrates jump. afterwards you do a waterchange to lower it and you could add some snails
dont add anything more until its finished cycling. i hope everything else makes it :

 

[deltablack22]

I would recommend a 1.025 salinity reading and def. stop adding things until your tank cycles and gets stable. You dont need a new test kit either. Oh, and bristle worms are good... There are many different kinds and only a few will bother corals.

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by DeltaBlack22
I would recommend a 1.025 salinity reading and def. stop adding things until your tank cycles and gets stable. You dont need a new test kit either. Oh, and bristle worms are good... There are many different kinds and only a few will bother corals.
thats specific gravity. salinity should ideally be at 35

 

[lexluethar]

Agreed salinity should be at 35ppt, and the reason your hermits are dying is because your tank is still cycling, ammonia and nitrites are very toxic to inverts.

 

[tangwhispr]

Originally Posted by HowardJ
What's killing the Hermits?!?!
In ONE day, I found:
Two Hermit Crabs dead
Majano Anemone moved
BRISTLE WORM
AAGH!
My hermits were totally out of there shell.. so it wasn't a molt. The shell was dormant.
The anemone moved moved.. probably because I accidentally sucker punched it.
And a Bristle Worm!? I hope I don't have more. AH!
What would be killing my Hermit Crabs??
Amm: 0-.25
Trite: .1
Trate: 20
pH: 8.0
Temp: 76
SG: 1.024
I have had the hermit crabs for 2 weeks
the two that died were my first bought ones. I bought more last week, and they are still alive.
ALSO: do you think that I will have more bristle worms? and where did it come from?! The tank has been up for almost 4 weeks and I'm just now seeing one.
I took him out, along w/ the dead crabs
I plan on getting rid of the anemone, because I plan(ned?) on getting some mushrooms and GSP this week.. probably won't now..
What do Bristle worms do?
Bristleworms are good, they are a detrius eaters....also wait on the coral...your tank is only 4 weeks old....give it time.

 

[kanicky]

Also, having an anemone so early into the game isn't really a good idea. I'd wait for at least six months before adding an anemone... also, anemone's need sufficient lighting (MH's, VHO's, T-5's, etc.) not just fluorescents... it might have moved due to lighting or due to stress...
Good luck!

 

[howardj]

Probably stress.. It was a hitch hiker Majano anem.

 

[nietzsche]

Originally Posted by HowardJ
Probably stress.. It was a hitch hiker Majano anem.
the other stuff died from probably the ammonia and nitrites

 

[howardj]

Everything seems to be fine now.
I did a 1 Gallon w/c before school today.
nassarius are all in check, and the crabs/anemone seem to be doing fine.
Astreas too

 

[tangwhispr]

There is no "seem to be doing fine" most of the time things are fine and just suddenly go bad, If you want to be successful in this hobby you must learn to be patient...take your time, it will save you headaches and money.