hlcroghan's 29 gallon thread......

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2981934
Cool beans. They are fascinating critters the way thier mantle comes up over the shells though aren't they? I would love to keep one if they weren't such a time bomb.
Yeah. He is beautiful. I am almost tempted to just leave him. He was one of the first things I got for my tank and I even asked in my thread what people thought and no one said anything. Grrrr....lol
It's funny though my LFS has several reef displays and they have cowries in all of them and never have had problems so I wonder what the deal is. Maybe they only like a certain kind of corals???

 

[spanko]

Quote from associated content.
"Most of these snails are not recommended as an aquarium resident due to their carnivorous nature. They will feed upon sponge, corals, anemones such as Discosoma and Tunicates(ascidians)."
Plus they grow large and cumbersome.

 

[hlcroghan]

Okay so here are the pics from my new aquascape. I purposely put most of the rock up higher. My plan is this....zoos on the flat rock, xenia sloping upward, and maybe a torch coral or elegance on the top rock or maybe an anemone in the future as they will be the most aggressive. An anemone in a 29 is pushing it though so I don't know. Plus they move around.....anyway, I have the one little frag of green zoos and the xenia which attached just fine to both rocks....lol. I was hoping for only one but whatever....I'll glue both...and then I would like some sort of fleshy LPS that doesn't require a ton of light for the sandbed.....I have been looking around.......
Attachment 221013
Attachment 221014
Attachment 221015
Attachment 221016

 

[hlcroghan]

What does everyone think of the new aquascape? Will this be better in terms of being able to have more option with the corals?

 

[spanko]

Looks great. Lots of lighting requirement options from low to high. The only question I have is the highest rock stable?

 

[6mmmedic]

From what people have said is that is depends on the individual angel. Some do and some don't. I am hoping to have some healthy corals already in the tank prior to adding the angel and keeping it well fed will reduce the likelihood of any nipping occuring. We'll have to see.

We have a flame angel that is fixing to get traded in at the LFS. It nips at our corals. It is actually guilty of eating a whole frag of yellow polyps! It has also started chasing our other fish. It is a beautiful fish, but harrassing.

 

[aquaknight]

Are you sure that's a cowrie? Looks more like a conch or an 'olive snail' to me?

 

[spanko]

Originally Posted by AquaKnight
http:///forum/post/2982691
Are you sure that's a cowrie? Looks more like a conch to me?

To me the give away to it being a Cowry is the smoothness of the shell for one thing. This is from the mantle constantly going over the shell to give it the polishing. Conchs have a more standard snail type shell in that it is rough.

 

[aquaknight]

Looked it up...
It's a 'Chestnut Cowrie'
The Chestnut Cowrie is also referred to as the Date Cowrie with its egg-shaped shell colored orange, tan, brown and white shell. The opening in the shell has "teeth," which provides protection from predators. The mantle extends through this opening and completely covers the shell unless the snail feels threatened.
The Chestnut Cowrie is native to the deeper and colder ocean waters off the coast of California, from Monterey Bay south to central Baja California. This species of Cowrie is a temperate snail that prefers cooler water temperatures, especially by typical saltwater standards. Although they can tolerate water temperatures up to 72 degreases, they are best suited in temperate aquarium that replicate natural environmental conditions found in Southern California with water temperatures the mid-60°F range.
Provide the Chestnut Cowrie with ample hiding places and sufficient room. It is a nocturnal animal by nature; during the day it is found under rocks or resting on soft corals, and at night it forages for food. An aquarium with live rock provides a good environment where it can graze on algae and diatoms growing there. Although mainly herbivorous, when it becomes larger, it may try and feed on sponges and soft corals. If there is insufficient algae, its diet should be supplemented with dried seaweed, tablets, and flaked foods that are eaten off of the bottom.

 

[hlcroghan]

well it is hard to say in this case then......they sold it to me as a mouse cowrie but that description does fit. It doesn't hide at all though and is always eating. It moves around all the time on the glass, rocks and sand. It is about 2 inches long and it's shell is really shiny and smooth with brown and cream colors. I haven't noticed it seemed stressed at all but then.....how the heck do you tell with one of those anyway.........it's not like they have a little sign that says "the water is too warm...." lol.

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by hlcroghan
http:///forum/post/2968949
From what people have said is that is depends on the individual angel. Some do and some don't. I am hoping to have some healthy corals already in the tank prior to adding the angel and keeping it well fed will reduce the likelihood of any nipping occuring. We'll have to see.

We have a flame angel that is fixing to get traded in at the LFS. It nips at our corals. It is actually guilty of eating a whole frag of yellow polyps! It has also started chasing our other fish. It is a beautiful fish, but harrassing.
Thanks for the heads up.....I believe we are actually going to veto the angel because it is alot larger than our clown (like twice the size) and I don't wnt to have to catch anything later because it is destructive. What I really want is a couple small fish that I can keep life term that have a lot of personality...maybe to the point of handfeeding like a puffer (but reef safe). I have to admit though, my LB is really happy to see me now. He practically begs for food. I think that 4 pellets of spirulina and flake everyday for him is enough though. I don't want him to blow up....

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2982677
Looks great. Lots of lighting requirement options from low to high. The only question I have is the highest rock stable?
I know it does look unstable huh? It is wedged kind of behind the other one and leaning against the glass so it is pretty sturdy. I will check it again when I get home though. Thanks for the head up and feedback. I don't want any random deaths in my tank.....
I still am undecided about the anemone. There is a beautiful long tentacle at the lfs that is about 3 inches when it is open and i know they tend to host ocellaris most frequently. all my params have been stable and I have the lighting and i would like to get it so it can move around and put it's foot down prior to having too many corals that it would sting but i don't know....i am so anal about anything going into this tank that is even a little bit of risk. there is nothing for it get sucked into unless it crawls up the glass......

 

[spanko]

They do crawl up glass and your powerheads and intakes will need to be covered to prevent any blenderizing.

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2982764
They do crawl up glass and your powerheads and intakes will need to be covered to prevent any blenderizing.

It is covered already with a guard that has tiny little slits to filter stuff through.............that pic is funny as hell....blenderizing huh?? LOL
But do you think it is smart to to do it now before all the corals are in there or later after I have some or at all?? i guess wherever it plants down will depend on my other coral placements...

 

[spanko]

Well first off your lighting will not be sufficient to keep an anemone. Secondly your tank has not been up long enough to have the environmental maturity it takes to keep an anemone. So to answer your question later is the best bet and after you have some time to do some research into keeping a critter like this and to upgrade your lighting.

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2982809
Well first off your lighting will not be sufficient to keep an anemone. Secondly your tank has not been up long enough to have the environmental maturity it takes to keep an anemone. So to answer your question later is the best bet and after you have some time to do some research into keeping a critter like this and to upgrade your lighting.
I have T-5 lighting. I believe I have 2 watts per gallon (let me make sure). They are 10,000k and actinic. Why would I need more? As far as what I have read, it says the long tentacle is one of the less demanding as far as lighting goes. The maturity thing I am concerned about though. My system has not budged since the lr was put in but i definintely don't want a crash.
edit......i guess i will have to give it some thought. i called the lfs that i bought them from and they have a couple anemones and clams under t-5 that are doing well with only 3 watts per gallon. i will let you guys know what i decide.

 

[spanko]

GLO T-5 lighting with actinic and high level lighting is what your original post says. Gonna have to get some better info here. Are they HO bulbs. Individual reflectors? Haw many bulbs, what wattage?
On the maturity issue most people that keep anemone say that the tank should have a good 6 months of stabiblty under its belt before attempting. one.

 

[defcon11]

your lighting sounds good enough. That is what I have on my 29 gal, 2 10,000k and 2 actinics. The maturity though may be an issue. I kind of just let my tnak do its own thing for about 4 months with nothing but a CUC. The pod population exploded and other beneficial critters popped up over time. At about 5 months I got my first fish, a blenny, and at month 7 I thought it was stable enough for a BTA. HE seems really happy, the key is to give them a nice cave or hole that is still visible from the front and has nice flow to it. That way hopefully he wont hide in the back of the tank and therefore become hard to feed. I kind of aquascaped my tank with an anemone in mind and when I added him, he went right to the little hole I had set up for him. WHen he shrinks, he hides in the cave, and when he expands he is able to get all the lgiht and waterflow he needs. I wish I had a camera so I could post pics. Nice tank by the way, it's encouraging to see another 29 gal not biocube tank like mine here.

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2982844
GLO T-5 lighting with actinic and high level lighting is what your original post says. Gonna have to get some better info here. Are they HO bulbs. Individual reflectors? Haw many bulbs, what wattage?
On the maturity issue most people that keep anemone say that the tank should have a good 6 months of stabiblty under its belt before attempting. one.
Yes they are HO. Well one is HO and one is actinic (i don't know if that can be HO too or if they are different)for the separate ranges of light. They do not have individual reflectors. There are two that are 24" wide. 24 watts each. So 48 total. I do not have room to put an extra unit there so that is not happening but they do have a similar set-up on one of the display tanks at my store I go too and they actually are keeping clams in it which is something that I am not interested in. I was hoping to get the anemone to put it's foot down on that top rock closest to the light. Darn things have a mind of their own though.

 

[hlcroghan]

Originally Posted by defcon11
http:///forum/post/2982850
your lighting sounds good enough. That is what I have on my 29 gal, 2 10,000k and 2 actinics. The maturity though may be an issue. I kind of just let my tnak do its own thing for about 4 months with nothing but a CUC. The pod population exploded and other beneficial critters popped up over time. At about 5 months I got my first fish, a blenny, and at month 7 I thought it was stable enough for a BTA. HE seems really happy, the key is to give them a nice cave or hole that is still visible from the front and has nice flow to it. That way hopefully he wont hide in the back of the tank and therefore become hard to feed. I kind of aquascaped my tank with an anemone in mind and when I added him, he went right to the little hole I had set up for him. WHen he shrinks, he hides in the cave, and when he expands he is able to get all the lgiht and waterflow he needs. I wish I had a camera so I could post pics. Nice tank by the way, it's encouraging to see another 29 gal not biocube tank like mine here.
Thanks for the input. I only have two bulbs though so I don't know if that will be a problem. The lighting unit is sitting directly on my glass top not hanging so it is pretty close to the water. Maybe an inch or two away. i don't know if that makes a difference.