Animals in a refuguim?

[MyColorYellow]

I have a 20 gal. ref.(about 3 weeks old now) with 5" of sand and LR. I put in 1 med. crab and 1 snail for now. Not that this tank is for viewing, but what else could I put in that would be fun, i.e.- brittle star, a small fish(chromis, damsel, etc.), feather dusters or what? I plan on adding cualerpa soon.
Sam

[Biomanjcs72]

IF you put a fish in there, it'll eat all of the cool little pods that you want to live there. I'd order a DSB kit from IPSF or inland aquatics and seed it out. No fish, I'd even take the crab out so that he wouldn't eat any of my little critters. JMHO [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img]

[Sker]

Yellow, I could see maybe a feather duster, shrooms, micro hermits but I don't think you want any fish in there. Or anything that may eat your pods or macro-algae.

Sker

[SPasse]

MyColorYellow,

The detrivores, such as micro serpent stars, bristle worms, most snails, perhaps micro hermits are good and expected critters in your refugium.

But any higher order predators are to be avoided as these would defeat the purpose of the “refuge”

Regards,

Scott

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The definition of an expert is a washed-up drip under pressure.
You can see my reeftank at http://www.homestead.com/spasse/

[scubadude]

Ditto what SPASSE just said

LOTS OF WORMS, It is my belief that they are the heart of the DSB pods are kewl but apparently from my dealings is a few will multiply to TONS and feed it well! [img]/ubb/smile.gif[/img] HTH

[MyColorYellow]

Thanks guys, no fish is good - I was just wondering if anyone had found something that worked besides critters. I have been seeding the ref. with my main sand, but I think I'll order a DSB kit.

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[mrok12]

Thanks guys, no fish is good - I was just wondering if anyone had found something that worked besides critters. I have been seeding the ref. with my main sand, but I think I'll order a DSB kit.

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I am doing something similar. I want to keep xenia in my refugium to take up nitrates and to trade to the LFS. Inland aquatics DSB kit is looking good. I have a 2 year old DSB in the tank I am moving to my 180 so I will use some of it to seed the refugium. I also thought about throwing in some artemia oy mysis.

[Poseidon]

I agree no fish!!!

I have about 5 snails in my fuge that I placed in there and about 20-30 other snails that have "appeared" from no where, they are very small but there none the less!!!

My 2 year old loves lying on the floor pointing out all the "bugs" in the tank!!

Good Luck!!

Mike

[reddhaus]

I have a refugium similar to the one mentioned. So far a have a good number of pods. Only a couple of worms.

What is the best thing to "feed" the refugium?

Should i just throw in a couple of Formula One pellets every day or is there something better.