Strictly invert tank?

[romeo22]

I have a fluval edge tank that has been up and running for a few months and has cycled. I put baby clownfish in there after the cycle completed but it seems that my emerald crab didn't like him swimming above his little cave in the LR. He quickly became a feast for the emerald until I pulled him out.

 

So, here's my question. Has anyone kept a small tank with just inverts? Crabs, stars, snails, etc. I enjoy the inverts just as much, if not more than i like the fish. I currently have an emerald crab, two red legged hermits, and two bumblebee snails in the tank. What else can I add? I'd love a starfish and maybe an arrow crab and some shrimp. Currently I don't see much algae in the tank so I'm sure the trick to keeping an invert only tank is making sure there is enough food available.

 

Any thoughts/suggestions?

[jnelson]

You could do inverts like cleaner shrimp, which tend to be more active but would require some supplemental feeding. An invert-only tank is more than doable - it just depends on how much activity you'd like to see.

[altolamprologus]

The advantage to an invert tank is that since they have less bio-load per specimen, you can keep more in there.

 

Cleaner shrimp get way too big for a fluval edge. My cleaners are pushing 10 inches from antenna tip to antenna tip.

 

Unfortunately, most starfish get way too big for a small tank and the ones that stay smaller need large tanks with established sandbeds to survive. Mini-brittles would make a good addition if you can find them.

 

You can, however, do porcelain crabs, pompom crabs, hermits, emeralds, sexy shrimp, anemone shrimp, sponges, NPS gorgonians, and other such inverts.

 

Were you planning on keeping coral as well?

[romeo22]

Thanks!!!

How about fire shrimp and/or coral banded shrimp? Also, I think I'm going to add more LR to the tank so that the critters have different spots to call home. Will the crew I already have in the tank be ok going thru a little cycle that the LR will create?

[altolamprologus]

Coral banded shrimp get bigger than cleaners so that's a definite no. You could probably get away with a fire shrimp, but it may not be too happy once it's full grown. Inverts are sensitive to changes, so I suggest buying fully cured live rock so you won't have a mini cycle. If you have no option but to buy uncured rock, cycle it in a bucket or another tank before adding it to your DT

[romeo22]

Thanks!

I'll be sure to add cured LR. Couple more questions:

 

My tank runs at about 76 degrees consistently. Will this be too cold for inverts? Should I replace the stock fluval edge heater with a more powerful one? I'd rather not if I don't have to because the fluval heater fits nicely and looks good. Any other will be an eyesore.

 

Also, what about feeding? Without fish and leftover food, will the LR and filtration be enough to sustain the inverts diet?

[altolamprologus]

76 is a perfect temp.

 

Without fish, you will need to feed your inverts directly. Filter feeders can be fed filter feeder food. I can be more specific about the kinds of food if you tell me what species you want. Scavenging crabs and shrimp can be fed pellets, flakes, frozen food, basically anything you would feed your fish.

[romeo22]

Thanks for your help! I'll put a list together of whatbid like in the tank and then post it to get your thoughts.

 

As far as the crew I have in there now, what would you suggest for feeding? I have pellets and flake food. Should I just throw in some flakes and a few pellets every couple days to kep them eating or is there a better method so I can be sure all of the snails/crabs get their share of dinner?

[altolamprologus]

Thanks for your help! I'll put a list together of whatbid like in the tank and then post it to get your thoughts.

 

As far as the crew I have in there now, what would you suggest for feeding? I have pellets and flake food. Should I just throw in some flakes and a few pellets every couple days to kep them eating or is there a better method so I can be sure all of the snails/crabs get their share of dinner?

Just sprinkle a few flakes or pellets in the tank every day or every other day. You can also add seaweed sheets if there isn't enough algae ATM for the snails. Every hermit may not get to eat each time you feed, but they are scavengers and as such, adapted to fasting for periods of time.

[romeo22]

Awesome....Just fed the tank and watched the emerald crab devour a food pellet. It was actually fun to watch...Will my LFS sell the algae sheets?

 

Also, I've been putting together a list of inverts I'd like to put in the tank. Sort of a wish list. Can you tell me what isn't safe for such a small tank? Also, can you introduce a large amount of inverts into the tank at once? I figured that since they have a different effect on the bioload it may be ok. The reason I ask is whenever I decide what I'm looking to keep in the tank, I'll just order them all online from one place, instead of buying each individually. Thoughts?

 

Here's the wish list so far:

 

Pom Pom Crab

Arrow Crab

Some type of urchin? (didn't know if there are any that would be "nano" safe. sealifeinc.net shows a "nano pencil urchin" and a "nano pincushion urchin"...didn't know if this was just a way to sell more of them...)

Horseshoe crab?

Sexy Shrimp for sure

Some type of starfish...any suggestion?

 

Anything else you all feel is "different" and fun to have in a tank?

[JaneG]

Awesome....Just fed the tank and watched the emerald crab devour a food pellet. It was actually fun to watch...Will my LFS sell the algae sheets?

 

Also, I've been putting together a list of inverts I'd like to put in the tank. Sort of a wish list. Can you tell me what isn't safe for such a small tank? Also, can you introduce a large amount of inverts into the tank at once? I figured that since they have a different effect on the bioload it may be ok. The reason I ask is whenever I decide what I'm looking to keep in the tank, I'll just order them all online from one place, instead of buying each individually. Thoughts?

 

Here's the wish list so far:

 

Pom Pom Crab

Arrow Crab

Some type of urchin? (didn't know if there are any that would be "nano" safe. sealifeinc.net shows a "nano pencil urchin" and a "nano pincushion urchin"...didn't know if this was just a way to sell more of them...)

Horseshoe crab?

Sexy Shrimp for sure

Some type of starfish...any suggestion?

 

Anything else you all feel is "different" and fun to have in a tank?

I would avoid the arrow crab. They have been known to eat just about everything and would very likely kill your sexy shrimp. The only real crabs I would say that are reef safe would be pom pom crabs, porcelain anemone crabs, hermits (debatable), and emerald crabs (debatable). The only small urchin that I can think of would be a tuxedo urchin, but I don't know about Sealifeinc's urchins. They do each coralline, though, which you might want to keep. I would avoid the horseshoe crab - they can get to two feet. Some ideas:

A pistol shrimp with a goby (I know you said you didn't want fish - just throwing it out there)

A white spotted anemone shrimp

Harlequin shrimp (if you would be willing to sacrifice starfish and feed them)

Bumble bee shrimp

[romeo22]

Thank you very much!

 

Where can I get algae sheets?

[JaneG]

Thank you very much!

 

Where can I get algae sheets?

Algae sheets are often sold as "Nori," which is used to make sushi. If it's not at your grocery stores, an Asian market will probably have some.

[romeo22]

Hahahaha. I would've been asking my LFS!

 

So how do I feed it to the snails? Just drop it in or put it on a clip in the tank?

[altolamprologus]

Awesome....Just fed the tank and watched the emerald crab devour a food pellet. It was actually fun to watch...Will my LFS sell the algae sheets?

 

Also, I've been putting together a list of inverts I'd like to put in the tank. Sort of a wish list. Can you tell me what isn't safe for such a small tank? Also, can you introduce a large amount of inverts into the tank at once? I figured that since they have a different effect on the bioload it may be ok. The reason I ask is whenever I decide what I'm looking to keep in the tank, I'll just order them all online from one place, instead of buying each individually. Thoughts?

 

Here's the wish list so far:

 

Pom Pom Crab

Arrow Crab

Some type of urchin? (didn't know if there are any that would be "nano" safe. sealifeinc.net shows a "nano pencil urchin" and a "nano pincushion urchin"...didn't know if this was just a way to sell more of them...)

Horseshoe crab?

Sexy Shrimp for sure

Some type of starfish...any suggestion?

 

Anything else you all feel is "different" and fun to have in a tank?

You can definitely add more at once than you can with fish, but you still can't stock the whole tank at once. Add maybe 3-4 inverts at a time AT MOST. Preferably no more than 2 at a time, but I do understand shipping costs can be a pain.

 

Pompom crabs and sexy shrimp are perfect for small tanks. Try to get the sexies in odd numbers, as they fight when in evens sometimes. A group of 3 or more will make them feel comfortable and they will be more likely to stay out in the open and do their sexy dance. Be careful with them though, as they do pick at corals. If you chose to keep these, sps and some lps may be off limits.

 

Arrow crabs are large predators so you shouldn't get one. Likewise horseshoe crabs get huge and have a very specific diet that can only be provided by large tanks with huge microfauna populations.

 

I don't know much about urchins, but I know people have had success keeping tuxedo and hat urchins.

 

Starfish are generally a no-no for nano tanks, but you can do mini-brittle stars.

 

Hahahaha. I would've been asking my LFS!

 

So how do I feed it to the snails? Just drop it in or put it on a clip in the tank?

You can use nori made for human consumption, but I recommend buying it from your LFS since seaweed packaged for aquariums comes in many different varieties, which helps switch up their diet a bit.

 

To feed the snails, rubberband a quarter-sized piece of algae to a piece of LR rubble and drop that in the tank. Algae is decieving and it's very easy to add too much. Take out any uneaten algae after 24 hours so it doesn't rot.

[romeo22]

How often would you recommend feeding the snails?

[JaneG]

How often would you recommend feeding the snails?

Others might disagree, but I would say maybe once/twice a week (if you make sure they get the food). Snails have an extremely slow metabolism.

[romeo22]

And, is the purpose for the snails to sit and eat off it or for it to be released into the water stream?

[altolamprologus]

Others might disagree, but I would say maybe once/twice a week (if you make sure they get the food). Snails have an extremely slow metabolism.

Agreed. Snails don't need much food, and even if you can't see it, there is still a small amount of algae on your rocks and glass that they will eat as well.

 

And, is the purpose for the snails to sit and eat off it or for it to be released into the water stream?

The snails will eat off it. Hermits will too.

[Builder Anthony]

I have like 40 asterias in my tank if not more they are real cool to look at.There ok if you dont have certain corals in your tank.I like seeing starfish all over the place and they eat alot of algae to.

[altolamprologus]

I have like 40 asterias in my tank if not more they are real cool to look at.There ok if you dont have certain corals in your tank.I like seeing starfish all over the place and they eat alot of algae to.

Oh yeah, I forgot about asterinas. If you don't get them as hitch hikers on LR, you can probably get some free from your LFS.