acmeacres
New Member
The tube's been in that tank since it was set up a year ago (actually everyone has, including the condy and other than the hammer coral we bought and the little polyps in the middle). We have copes for the mandy. He's not our first Mandy 
The fish side of salt Im very familiar with, it's the coral side that I need to get under "control". And I was under the assumption that 4 watts per gallon was considered medium light, not low?
Originally Posted by Robdog696
http:///forum/post/2669697
Just a few thoughts on your tank. So far you have good corals for your low lighting, with the exception of your anemones. The condi anemone is very bleached. Tan color=good. White color=bad. They feed off of zooxanthalae, which is a photosynthetic organism that lives within their tentacles and gives them color. Tube anemones are not as dependant on light, but are nocturnal and extend their tentacles hunting for fish at night. This is not an anemone I would want in my tank. Though many aquariasts have had success with them in reef tanks, they can and will eat your fish. I hate to be the one to be the mandarin police, but please research this fish. They are listed as "expert only" care requirements. The reason is because of their diet. If you're one of the lucky ones yours might eat pellets or flakes. If not, buy some bottled "live copepods" at the very least to add to your tank. As for the recommendation of xenia, be aware that it spreads quickly. I'm not a fan of rapidly multiplying corals. However, your lighting is fine for just about all "soft" corals. Colt coral is a very good softy coral. Also, toadstools are one of my favorites. Mushrooms are also very easy to care for. Of the three, colts are the hardest to keep. Here's a tip your LFS won't tell you. Check your salinity and the salinity of the water your new corals came in before adding them to your tank. Rapid salinity changes will cause soft corals to die in a kind of melting way that is very unpleasant to deal with. It's not a fun lesson to learn the hard way. Also, soft corals don't like to be touched a lot, so handle them as little as possible when placing them in a spot you like in your aquarium. I think you already know your tangs need a bigger tank, so that's good. If I were in your shoes I'd get rid of the tube anemone, stock some copepods for the mandarin, and spend the money you want to buy corals with on a better light for the anemones. But good luck with whatever you do! There are some very good things I see with your tank, and you're asking all the right questions!
The fish side of salt Im very familiar with, it's the coral side that I need to get under "control". And I was under the assumption that 4 watts per gallon was considered medium light, not low?Originally Posted by Robdog696
http:///forum/post/2669697
Just a few thoughts on your tank. So far you have good corals for your low lighting, with the exception of your anemones. The condi anemone is very bleached. Tan color=good. White color=bad. They feed off of zooxanthalae, which is a photosynthetic organism that lives within their tentacles and gives them color. Tube anemones are not as dependant on light, but are nocturnal and extend their tentacles hunting for fish at night. This is not an anemone I would want in my tank. Though many aquariasts have had success with them in reef tanks, they can and will eat your fish. I hate to be the one to be the mandarin police, but please research this fish. They are listed as "expert only" care requirements. The reason is because of their diet. If you're one of the lucky ones yours might eat pellets or flakes. If not, buy some bottled "live copepods" at the very least to add to your tank. As for the recommendation of xenia, be aware that it spreads quickly. I'm not a fan of rapidly multiplying corals. However, your lighting is fine for just about all "soft" corals. Colt coral is a very good softy coral. Also, toadstools are one of my favorites. Mushrooms are also very easy to care for. Of the three, colts are the hardest to keep. Here's a tip your LFS won't tell you. Check your salinity and the salinity of the water your new corals came in before adding them to your tank. Rapid salinity changes will cause soft corals to die in a kind of melting way that is very unpleasant to deal with. It's not a fun lesson to learn the hard way. Also, soft corals don't like to be touched a lot, so handle them as little as possible when placing them in a spot you like in your aquarium. I think you already know your tangs need a bigger tank, so that's good. If I were in your shoes I'd get rid of the tube anemone, stock some copepods for the mandarin, and spend the money you want to buy corals with on a better light for the anemones. But good luck with whatever you do! There are some very good things I see with your tank, and you're asking all the right questions!