Tank needs more CUC I think. suggestions

coco62

coco62

Member


I now have 2 Oscellaris Clownfish and a Xenia making the total load in my tank,
2 peppermint shrimp
turbo snail
limpet snail
ruby redleg hermit crab
Emerald crab
Phyllangia americana . . . a
mantis shrimp (still have not been able to catch)
I have a 22 gallon tank, 20 pounds live sand and 15 pounds live rock
Tank is 5 weeks old
levels have been
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 to 10
PH 8.2
SG 1.024
I have Halimeda growing well in my tank and the base rock is starting to get a purple tinge to it. Everything looks very healthy so far. I have started a 5 gallon qt tank for the next purchase to protect my display. I have 2 small powerheads.
Here is my questions. Do I need more CUC and if I wanted to add some coral what would you suggest. I have a decent light but not a great one. I also want to get a Goby and shrimp pair and am wondering what other fish I could get. I am very new at this but I am learning so much. Thanks all.
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
First catch mantis or you won't have anything left in your tank. Also the last picture is a type of Zoo are your Xenia not in any photo? If your tank is only 5 weeks old I would slow down, a 20gal show change quickly, you need to test often in the beginning. Did you already cycle your tank, your sand looks to clean?
 
coco62

coco62

Member

My Xenia: As you can see I have good water flow. I think the other coral is Cladocora arbuscula. Sorry, I labeled it wrong. I did a lot of research and the pictures look like that. It came in on the LR that I have. I started out testing my water every day for the first month. Now I test every other day. The tank did cycle, I am watching for any rises in levels after adding my fish.
 
coco62

coco62

Member

If you look just to the left and under the Cladocora arbuscula and behind the limpet that is what I believe is the mantis. It snaps every once in awhile, but never in sets of three. It looks a lot like a stomatapod. My LFS says it is a mantis, but he believes it won't get any bigger. He said he'll buy it from me when I catch it. I watch for it everyday and try to see where it is hiding. So far no luck. Could it be something else?
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I will agree that it looks like and most likely is a member of the order Stomatopoda. But I will disagree with your LFS assessment that it will not grow any larger without a positive identification of species. In any event you will have to remove it or risk losing livestock. Mantis make amazing species only tank inhabitants and I would urge you to set up a tank as such.
If it is a mantis the noise you hear is it thumping something they do not have claws that snap that would be a pistol shrimp
BTW it is difficult to tell but it looks like you may have an aiptasia infestation
 
coco62

coco62

Member
Yea, this morning I found where the mantis was hanging out and I removed that rock to the qt tank and now I just need to wait til he makes a showing and I can remove his rock. Then he'll be easier to catch. The other good thing is that is where the 1 aiptasia I had was hanging out. So that too is out of the display tank. Can anyone tell me what the white tenticle looking things are in this picture? They only come out at night and they are about 4 inches long. I'm not sure if they're all connected or not.It is the best picture I could get.
 
coco62

coco62

Member
I would love to keep the mantis because he is fascinating to watch but I think I need a qt tank more than a species tank. I will keep him for awhile though, I'm not getting anymore stock for at least a month. The stuff that looks like aiptasia is actually gone now. I don't think it was aiptasia. Someone said it was some kind of turf algae.
Quote:
Originally Posted by florida joe http:///t/388390/tank-needs-more-cuc-i-think-suggestions#post_3425321
I will agree that it looks like and most likely is a member of the order Stomatopoda. But I will disagree with your LFS assessment that it will not grow any larger without a positive identification of species. In any event you will have to remove it or risk losing livestock. Mantis make amazing species only tank inhabitants and I would urge you to set up a tank as such.
If it is a mantis the noise you hear is it thumping something they do not have claws that snap that would be a pistol shrimp
BTW it is difficult to tell but it looks like you may have an aiptasia infestation
 
mr. limpid

mr. limpid

Active Member
Hay Joe, So is that a new picture of Lola, if so she looking great after her walk. Coco62 if you think you got the rock the mantis is hiding in QT, then just add some snails to the tank this will get him out to make sure.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/388390/tank-needs-more-cuc-i-think-suggestions#post_3425337
Hay Joe, So is that a new picture of Lola, if so she looking great after her walk. Coco62 if you think you got the rock the mantis is hiding in QT, then just add some snails to the tank this will get him out to make sure.
Thanks for asking friend, yes that is a pic of her after a successful molt after her stroll outside the tank
Btw the snails will work if the mantis is a thumper if is a spearer you will just have to wait and get a look when its good and ready to come out
 
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