[scottjua]

ok Dilema... regards my Serpent Star, Yellow tail, and new fish...

Currently I have a very few animals as livestock in my 29 gallon reef tank. I have a Serpent Starfish, a Yellow tail damsel, and a berghia nudibranch (although the berghia is MIA until I spot him again... and it's hard to tell if he's making aiptasia dissapear or they are jsut moving around). I have a quite a few corals and a increasing algae problem.

I haven't kept snails in my tank for some time, and the only snails in there and the tiny tiny snails that come out at night and pretty much never die. I usually lose snails to the starfish, as he gets them before I notice they are overturned... or to some other unknown factor.

My water is all consistant over thepast years, and as snails work, I hate to waste money on them since they do not last.

I have tried a Yellow Tang, and Sailfin tang at various times over the past couple years, however, each time we had either an A/C problem or somehting similar where the whole tank would go out of whack and then soon after the tangs would wind up being consumed by the star fish.

Now I'm not sure if the starfish is the main problem with new animals, as he may be to some extent... (for instance my last cleaner shrimp dissapeared after molting) or if it's the yellow tail damsel...

I was hoping to get a lawnmower blenny sometime soon, but not sure if it's worth it to try him with the current inhabitants... or oust the star fish and yellow tail for the new guys.

Keep in mind the yellow tail has been in my tank for 5 years or so, with two years prior to that in another friends tank, went through the cycling of that tank, and I can only guess how long in captivity before that... and the starfish has been with us for about 4.5- 5 years as well...

Should we get rid of our old buddies, and get all new inhabitants... or try a blenny with them?

Or any other suggestions?

I have kaulerpa, sponge algae (the WORST prat for now), hair, bubble, you name I got it... other wise the tank is healthy...very healthy. I'm jsut sick of cleanign it myself and stressing them all out every time I have to.

Lighting is PC 10K and an actinic, Aqua C remora HO skimmer, Miracle mud substrate, Eheim Canister filter.

older pic:

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by scottjua

ok Dilema... regards my Serpent Star, Yellow tail, and new fish...

Currently I have a very few animals as livestock in my 29 gallon reef tank. I have a Serpent Starfish, a Yellow tail damsel, and a berghia nudibranch (although the berghia is MIA until I spot him again... and it's hard to tell if he's making aiptasia dissapear or they are jsut moving around).

As far as Aiptasia control is concerned, I think you might be better off trying two or three peppermint shrimp (Lysmata wurdemanni). You could get three or four of them for the price of one Berghia verrucicornis nudibranch. The idea behind using B. verrucicornis in an aquarium to eat your Aiptasia is that the nudibranchs easily reproduce, giving you more little munchers to get rid of the anemone pests. A solitary B. verrucicornis won't reproduce and probably won't be able to keep up with your anemone population. It is probably better to start out with three or four nudibranchs to allow for possible losses due to them going over the overflow and to have a better shot at reproduction.

Incidentally, there is no consensus yet whether the B. verrucicornis sold in the U.S. as an Aiptasia control is the same as the 'real' B. verrucicornis. This species has a considerable range of color variations, so it is quite possible that it is, but then again, maybe it isn't. Some nudibranch experts doubt that it is the same species.

The other natural predator that is commonly used against Aiptasia in aquaria is the Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus), but they require a tank larger than yours for their long term survival.

I have a quite a few corals and a increasing algae problem. I haven't kept snails in my tank for some time, and the only snails in there and the tiny tiny snails that come out at night and pretty much never die. I usually lose snails to the starfish, as he gets them before I notice they are overturned... or to some other unknown factor.

You should add several grazing snails of the genus Trochus to help with your algae problems. IF you like hermit crabs, add a few of those, too. Some people like them and some people don't. Most sea stars are risky in reef aquaria, as you now know. There are some that are known to be harmless but unless you have one of the few species known to be safe, you are taking a chance. The larger they get, they better they get at removing things you paid good money for. My suggestion is that you remove the sea star.

I have tried a Yellow Tang, and Sailfin tang at various times over the past couple years, however, each time we had either an A/C problem or somehting similar where the whole tank would go out of whack and then soon after the tangs would wind up being consumed by the star fish.

Tangs will not do well in a 29-gal aquarium. I wouldn't recommend any of them for anything smaller than a 75-gallon tank.

Now I'm not sure if the starfish is the main problem with new animals, as he may be to some extent... (for instance my last cleaner shrimp dissapeared after molting) or if it's the yellow tail damsel...

It might have been the sea star. The damsel is a personal choice. Some people like them, many people hate them.

I was hoping to get a lawnmower blenny sometime soon, but not sure if it's worth it to try him with the current inhabitants... or oust the star fish and yellow tail for the new guys.

Another personal choice. The lawnmower blenny (Salarias fasciatus) will help with your algae problem and hopefully will also eat commercial foods so that it won't go hungry after the algae is gone.

Keep in mind the yellow tail has been in my tank for 5 years or so, with two years prior to that in another friends tank, went through the cycling of that tank, and I can only guess how long in captivity before that... and the starfish has been with us for about 4.5- 5 years as well...

The damsel is a personal, sentimental choice. The sea star is a menace and I would trade it for a player to be named later.

Should we get rid of our old buddies, and get all new inhabitants... or try a blenny with them?

See above.

I have kaulerpa, sponge algae (the WORST prat for now), hair, bubble, you name I got it... other wise the tank is healthy...very healthy. I'm jsut sick of cleanign it myself and stressing them all out every time I have to.

The natural predator most commonly used in reef aquaria to attack bubble algae (Ventricaria, formerly known as Valonia) is the Emerald Crab (Mithrax spp.). These sometimes work and sometimes don't. They are risky in aquaria as they get larger. The larger ones have been known to attack and eat small fish. Do a search on this board for eye witness accounts. However, you could still try out a couple of them with the idea that you would remove them and trade them in for something else once the Ventricaria problem is handled. I wouldn't put any small fish in the tank with any Mithrax crabs that are 2" across the carapace or larger.

There are very few herbivores that will eat hair algae unless there is nothing else on the menu. Some of the tangs will sometimes eat it but it is not usually their first choice. The Lettuce Sea Slug (Elysia crispata) is reported to consume Bryopsis. I have three of these in my tank now. I had four originally but one perished due to an unfortunate encounter with the sump. In fact, I remove one or two of them from the sump on a regular basis. I have been watching them very, very carefully and I cannot yet confirm what exactly they are eating, if anything. They do appear to be going through the motions of eating but my confusion is that they seem to be doing that in all the wrong places.

Lighting is PC 10K and an actinic, Aqua C remora HO skimmer, Miracle mud substrate, Eheim Canister filter.

I'm sure you already know to watch the Eheim canister filter carefully to make sure it doesn't hold too much detritus. Canister filters require more frequent maintenance on reef tanks.

Good luck,

[scubadude]

I agree w/ everything Ninong has said, naturally .....What are you using for your water source RO water? RO/DI? what are you feeding your tank? that skimmer should be adequate for a 29g but it looks to me like the PH feeding it is pretty caked w/algae....maybe if you spend some time maintaining the skimmer it will keep the system cleaner, just a thought