cocojakes Posted February 18, 2014 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I have a 16 gallon tall nano, current residents are a small O. clown, tiny yellow clown goby, skunk cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, and miscellaneous hermits and snails. I'm adding a 10 gallon sump which will allow me to run my skimmer again, and after the upgrade plan on adding a second clown, and a purple fire goby. I understand this is pushing the bio load, but I think with the skimmer and added volume it can handle it. My main question is, should I keep the shrimp. For the most part the skunk cleaner just goes up to the surface when I feed the fish flakes and eats all the flakes, or steals all the mysis from my corals when I feed them, or is walking all over my zoas causing them to close. I have seen him attempt to clean the clown fish once (the clown was having none of it) and other than that, don't think he really bothers scavenging. The peppermint shrimp I have no clue what he does all day, he also goes up to steal flake food at feeding time, and didn't touch the one aphasia that I put him in there to handle. The skunk is nice and active, and adds movement to the tank, but I'm really not a fan, and my gf thinks his little legs are creepy (not that that has any bearing on me keeping it or not haha) Main point, would I be doing my tank a disservice by removing them, are they doing some magic stuff behind the scenes at night maybe that I'm not seeing, or will it not affect anything and just make my corals happier, and allow my fish to not have to fight for food. Link to comment
Rollermonkey Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 A shrimp isn't contributing anywhere near as much to your bioload as all those fish will. Also: flakes are pretty much the lowest quality food you can feed to a marine tank. They're like potato chips for fish. Sure they'll eat them, but it isn't really providing the nutrition they should be getting. Link to comment
cocojakes Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 I also feed frozen shrimp, spot feeding to the corals, but the fish eat it up too, my point isn't about the bio load, but more are they a significant benefit, I know they don't affect the bio load near as much as even the tiny clown goby Link to comment
Rollermonkey Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 That's up to you to decide. Either you want to have shrimp or you don't. Link to comment
masterbuilder Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 They are greedy food stealing monsters that make it near impossible to feed timid or slow moving fish. Feeding corals is difficult, especially LPS. I have seen them rip open the mouths of LPS corals and dig out any food. Next time I wont hold back my disdain for these evil zombies. They do make for great bait though. Link to comment
Rollermonkey Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 My shrimp engages in none of those activities. I don't even need to distract it before feeding corals. The clowns, OTOH, do steal from the mouths of my trumpets and duncans. Link to comment
melson Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 I don't see a problem with your bioload. I think it is more of your preference on whether you LIKE having the inverts. Myself, I can't get enough of them! Link to comment
cocojakes Posted February 20, 2014 Author Share Posted February 20, 2014 Yeah, see thats why I'm kind of on the fence, I like watching them walk around, particularly because my clown isn't very active, but I don't like their habits like stealing food from the mouths of my corals, and eating all the flakes at the surface before the fish get a chance at it, and walking all over my zoas making them close I think I'm going to get rid of them if theres nothing major they are contributing to the overall health of the tank. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Watch for aggression when your clown pair matures in such a small tank with so many fish. There are more factors than must bioload. Shrimp is just personal preference. Link to comment
cocojakes Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 yeah, right now the old one is maybe 2 inches, and the new one about 1 inch. I just introduced the new clown into the system today, and immediately the old one started coming out more, and swimming with it. The new one is much more active, swimming in the water column compared to the old one that used to just stand guard under the arch. Glad they're getting along and the new one is actually getting the old one to come out more where I can see him as far as the shrimp, I caught them both today, they're in solitary confinement for now until I make up my mind, I like the movement the skunk cleaner added, but can't deal with it stealing the food out of the mouths of my corals anymore, its just not worth it to me especially if the clowns stay out more now, and the fire goby will be out all the time too. Anyone have any last words for why I should keep them that I may not have thought of yet? otherwise, I'm posting an add on kijiji if anyone wants them, or if it takes too long they might have to make the big flush. Link to comment
RC1313 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 They are greedy food stealing monsters that make it near impossible to feed timid or slow moving fish. Feeding corals is difficult, especially LPS. I have seen them rip open the mouths of LPS corals and dig out any food. Next time I wont hold back my disdain for these evil zombies. They do make for great bait though. Mine rip my duncans apart for food. Got the s*** stung out of them by the nem though, now they leave it alone. Link to comment
Nocturnal Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Yeah, see thats why I'm kind of on the fence, I like watching them walk around, particularly because my clown isn't very active, but I don't like their habits like stealing food from the mouths of my corals, and eating all the flakes at the surface before the fish get a chance at it, and walking all over my zoas making them close I think I'm going to get rid of them if theres nothing major they are contributing to the overall health of the tank. When I had my cleaner I made sure to give it a chunk of food first. The peppermint shrimp I picked up last month was banished to my frag tank. It went after my duncans a little too much one day. He's lucky he didn't get sent to be roommates with Pennywise in the mantis tank. Link to comment
TwiceBanned Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 yeah, right now the old one is maybe 2 inches, and the new one about 1 inch. I just introduced the new clown into the system today, and immediately the old one started coming out more, and swimming with it. The new one is much more active, swimming in the water column compared to the old one that used to just stand guard under the arch. Glad they're getting along and the new one is actually getting the old one to come out more where I can see him as far as the shrimp, I caught them both today, they're in solitary confinement for now until I make up my mind, I like the movement the skunk cleaner added, but can't deal with it stealing the food out of the mouths of my corals anymore, its just not worth it to me especially if the clowns stay out more now, and the fire goby will be out all the time too. Anyone have any last words for why I should keep them that I may not have thought of yet? otherwise, I'm posting an add on kijiji if anyone wants them, or if it takes too long they might have to make the big flush. I can't think of any excuse to keep one of those PITAes. I keep one in a ziplock bag in my freezer alongside a domino damsel that took three days, a drained tank, and a rescape to catch. Link to comment
BluCrab Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Skunk cleaner shrimps are cool but those little peppermint patty shrimp can go to hell (sump). I had one tear up my zoa's and cause my lps issues. Link to comment
Ruester007 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I have to feed my peppermint shrimp before I can feed the corals....the little buggers are terrible. If I could get them out without destroying the tank I would. Link to comment
reefernanoman Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 Clowns get very aggressive when paired. My female Maroon would kill any fish in my 28g. That's why I have only her and her mate. Link to comment
cocojakes Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 Clowns get very aggressive when paired. My female Maroon would kill any fish in my 28g. That's why I have only her and her mate. maroons in general are a far more aggressive clown, now I can't comment on what they'll do once they are paired, but my clowns don't bother anyone, never bothered my old fire goby when it was in the tank, and they don't bother the yellow clown goby currently either. Link to comment
Tamberav Posted February 22, 2014 Share Posted February 22, 2014 lol.. can you guys stop buying shit only to murder it. Give the shrimp a piece of silver-side before you feed the corals and then you can feed your corals and keep him. He just needs something large to keep him busy. Can also probably trade him for a frag of a coral to a person in a local reef club, thats where my peppermints went. Link to comment
cocojakes Posted February 22, 2014 Author Share Posted February 22, 2014 my peppermint and skunk both just went to a fellow reefer in exchange for a small RBTA. which looks BEAUTIFUL by the way, loving it, we'll see if my clowns love it in due time and we'll see if that emerald crab I bought on wednesday starts eating the algae instead of picking at invisible stuff on my corals Link to comment
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