Lil help here please

quillers17

quillers17

New Member
Hey guys, i'm brand new to all of this so please bare with me. I thought about posting in the "new hobbyist" thread but i thought this thread would be a lil more appropriate. and i don't have alot of time to do as much searching for info as i'd like so i thought i'd ask for some help first.
I'm looking to get a 100-150 gallon tank and set it up for an snow flake eel or possibly an octopus. I would like to add alot of live rock or coral and make it as nice looking as possible. i'm just fishing for suggestions here. Which would be easier to maintain? and what kind of other fish, snails, etc would you recommend to go with either of these?
I'm sorry if these are stupid questions :(... but i'm interested in all advice that you guys can offer if you have a few mins.
Thank you very much
Luke
 
110innc

110innc

Member
If I were you I go with a agressive reef with the focus on the snowflake. The octo need extra secure tops annd special care. You could go with something like:
lionfish
large wrasse
tang[yellow,purple,etc.]
Thats all I think of for now but when going reef its going to be more money for lighting,skimmer,filtration,ect. One more major thing
BE PATIENT
.
Ps. Welcome to the boards.
 
A

arlene1995

Guest
Welcome to the boards!

I would personally not go with the octopus for the same reasons 110inNC said. Instead, I would put in the tank:
An Emporer Snapper
Porcupine Puffer
maybe a large angel i.e. Emporer Angel, Queen Angel
A Trigger would look nice too
A reef would be tricky to maintain with the FOWLR being the easiest. In my experience, Eels love to hide in pipes. It took my Fimbriated Eel 3 weeks before it found it though. As 110inNC said, Patience is a MUST. Good luck and hope this helps!
 
slackjawed

slackjawed

Member
Originally Posted by Quillers17
http:///forum/post/2656929
Hey guys, i'm brand new to all of this so please bare with me. I thought about posting in the "new hobbyist" thread but i thought this thread would be a lil more appropriate. and i don't have alot of time to do as much searching for info as i'd like so i thought i'd ask for some help first.
I'm looking to get a 100-150 gallon tank and set it up for an snow flake eel or possibly an octopus. I would like to add alot of live rock or coral and make it as nice looking as possible. i'm just fishing for suggestions here. Which would be easier to maintain? and what kind of other fish, snails, etc would you recommend to go with either of these?
I'm sorry if these are stupid questions :(... but i'm interested in all advice that you guys can offer if you have a few mins.
Thank you very much
Luke
any triggers will work
 
marquis115

marquis115

Member
Yea I'm going with everyone else. The Octopus would be too hard. Go with the snowflake eel and triggers, tangs, ect..
Welcome to the hobby!
 
quillers17

quillers17

New Member
thanks guys! those look like they would be really cool additions! now for some more technical questions... if i got a 150 gal tank...what do you guys recommend for lights, pumps, filters, protein skimmers etc....i've been looking at this stuff since i got home and theres so much stuff i don't have a clue as to what size or brand or anything like that. I do know that i would want to set up a tank with a refugium and thats about as far as i've got
 
A

arlene1995

Guest
Some T5 lighting is nice. It runs cool and is very bright.
 
txfishman

txfishman

Member
anouther reason not to get an octopus is they have short life spans and i think they have to be in a tank by themselves. if i had a tank that size and were knew i would go with easy fish like wrasses, eels, and a lionfish.
 
quillers17

quillers17

New Member
thanks! i'm prolly def gonna do that! what im really looking into now is how to set up the tank properly to keep it as clean as possible naturally without me having to do it that often. I know there will be quite alot to do on my part, but i'd like to minimize it as best as possible.
 
otter

otter

Member
Originally Posted by Quillers17
http:///forum/post/2659154
thanks! i'm prolly def gonna do that! what im really looking into now is how to set up the tank properly to keep it as clean as possible naturally without me having to do it that often. I know there will be quite alot to do on my part, but i'd like to minimize it as best as possible.
Welcome to the addiction!
Here is my 2 cents. I fully agree about the Octopus. Get some experience under your belt before taking on a very high maintenance creature. I am a new snowflake eel owner and so far, it has been great. They come out so you can see them, easy to feed, and really cool to look at.
As for corals and such. START SMALL. Coral keeping can be tricky. Temperature is more of an issue than keeping just fish. Water quality and the correct chemical balance is critical. Lighting is a very big one. Not enough light and they die. You will spend more money trying to keep a piece of coral alive than any fish you buy. IMHO, I would start out with a FOWLR (Fish Only With Live Rock). The live rock does not need a lot of light (neither do your fish or eel), It gives your tank a very natural look with none of the headaches of keeping coral, and LR will come with hitch hikers (small creatures hanging onto the rock) that are beneficial for your tank. Live rock will also help your filtration.
Tank setup:
Tanks: I have converted to a acryllic tank. No seams to bust and leave your water and critters on the floor.
Skimmer: The bigger the better. You are skimming the crud out of your tank. It can only help.
Filter: Again, bigger the better. Try to go the next size up from what you read on the box. When you have water quality problems ( and you will) a larger filter will help you correct them faster.
Heater: Anyone will do, but for a couple extra bucks buy a good one. Good temperature control is essential for happy tankmates

Power heads: With a large tank (or any tank for that matter) good water circulation is very important. You may want to buy three or more.
Lights: This is one I don't have as much experience on. I have used only flourescent, T5, and PC (power compact). Metal Halide lighting is a stronger light, but the I "think" you will feel it in your electrical bill. T5's don't require so much juice and do not give off as much heat.
Good luck and happy aquaristing
 
texasmetal

texasmetal

Active Member
Octopuses are very rewarding and far from impossible to keep, but as others have stated, get some experience first. Not a creature for someone brand new to the hobby. The main thing harder about them is making sure the lid is secure. Once they figure out where the top opens and closes, they will be checking it out often. They are very intelligent and can easily be underestimated. It's best to know your equipment and how the chemistry of the aquarium works inside and out before attempting a cephalopod.
They do have a painfully short lifespan of typically less than 2 years and they usually need live food to start out with. It isn't wise to mix them with fish but who cares? Anyone who has had experience first hand with an octopus realizes that you don't need anything else in the tank. Once you've gotten the hang of successfully keeping corals, you can confidently start seriously thinking about an octopus.
I encourage you to hold that thought and do it responsibly. Gather as much accurate, factual information about caring for them from reliable, experienced sources as you can. It will pay off. The Octopus News Magazine Online is the best place to start.
My current octo's video diary if you care to watch.
 
quillers17

quillers17

New Member
well guys...upon careful consideration, i think i'm gonna have to go with a nano tank with some smaller fish instead... at least until i feel comfortable with all the cleaning responsibilities of having an aggressive fish
 
A

arlene1995

Guest
Nanos are a whole bunch of fun. I love mine. Soon, it will be an SPS tank!!!!!
I guarantee that you'll enjoy your nano as long as you watch it carefully and keep up on water changes, parameters, etc. Good luck and have fun!
 
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