mermaid fan and coral rx

[Crys]

I just ordered some mermaid fan algae and wondered if I should dip it with coral fx or what would be best before I put it into the tank.  thanks

[mcarroll]

I've never seen anyone grow it successfully.   Unless you're an expert at growing it (and are only asking about hitchhikers because this is just your first time acquiring it sight-unseen) then I wouldn't do anything like what you described that could jinx you straight out of the gate like that.

 

Instead, make sure you know what it takes to grow this algae successfully and just do that.

 

If you're just really paranoid, then I would cancel the order and keep your existing critters safe....or plan to grow it in a separate container.  

 

A dip is not a panacea if you have no tolerance for (or maybe more important that you believe your system has no tolerance for) dealing with a hitchhiker. 

 

For better or worse, there is no panacea aside from not mixing them with your current animals.

 

FYI, this is an inherent danger in ordering livestock sight-unseen....you literally have no idea what you're getting.   If you can buy locally (even if more effort is needed), you can know what to expect and eliminate this degree of worry....instead you just plan appropriately for what you know you're bringing home.   Far less risky....can even be no-risk.

[Crys]

Thanks for the detailed answer.  Always appreciated by a new tank owner.  I did some research, which said it can spread, so I thought I would give the extra to my LFS, but I wasn't thinking about it being algae and therefore not be able to dip it.  I am still in the "oh that's so pretty I need to have it in my tank" phase.  After seeing what came off the coral I did dip I won't order from there again!

 

Living in a small prairie town in Canada really limited to selection.  The LFS is 2 hours away but has good quality clean stock, just not a lot of variety. 

The first time I bought coral I didn’t do a dip and ended up with a variety of unwanted creatures. Brown flatworms, so bought a springer, who took care of that.  Aiptasia so bought a peppermint shrimp who took care of that.  I am worried about montipora eating nudibranch now.  I should have learned my lesson, although I did get a couple of good hitch-hikers.  A couple of very cool toadstool coral, and a stomatella snail.

 

Can I ask another question that I probably made.  I have been having hair algae problems, so I asked at my LFS what I could do.  They sold me a tiny spiny sea urchin, with the promise I could exchange it for another small one.  My tank is 13.9 gal.

 

I realise now that I just have to let what is in my tank grow and stop looking at pretty shinny things.

 

Thanks

 

 

[mcarroll]

2 hours ago, Crys said:

I am still in the "oh that's so pretty I need to have it in my tank" phase.  After seeing what came off the coral I did dip I won't order from there again!

There's nothing wrong per se with responding to what you like.  We could say that's most of the point of having a tank.  😊

 

I would just try to get on the side where you're more OK dealing with the expected and the unexpected once they arrive.  99% of what can hitchhike is not dangerous....so the real worry level should never need to be high.  After that category of things, all there are is "reef critters" that will probably do nothing but make your tank healthier and more stable as time goes on.  Real pests such as coral eating worms are exceedingly rare...and even if they can be a problem for your tank, they still aren't dangerous.  They won't be the end of you or your tank.

 

Try not to think of the tank as a puzzle where all the pieces snap neatly into place or a room of the house where you store whimful knick-knacks. 

 

Instead, think of your tank as an adventure.  It will have ups and downs...maybe even a close call or two...(and if you move too fast, you might even crap out)....and it wouldn't be worth having at all without experiencing those things.

 

May as well collect stamps or music or have a cat...or something else if you're not into the adventure of it.  At least IMO.

 

Do the due diligence up front to minimize the baddies, etc, rather than putting yourself in the position after the fact of being unprepared and needing to depend on "a miracle cure dip" that will have to make your animal "magically clean".  Plenty of "acclimation processes" get promoted like panaceas for "everything" -- caveat emptor applies.  In reality, 1) you'd never want to treat "everything" so the whole concept of a dip or treatment like that is a fallacy.

 

For example on due diligence: If you called and spoke with the vendor who sold you the macro algae before you made the purchase, they might have been able to tell you what to expect on it/in it, including any worries...or they may have just said "I don't know".  Any answer would be helpful for you in deciding whether to order.  And most folks will be forthright if you give them the chance...or put them on the spot, depending how you look at it. 😉 It's some extra bother and a lot of added wait to go through the asking though.  (And worth it.)

 

Do the same thing with coral vendors....ask them about things like coral eating worms, if that's the bee in your bonnet.

 

You can take more control if you want to.  👍

 

On the other hand, lots of places that sell online don't even offer a phone number, or they make it very difficult to use a phone to contact them, so communication with those online vendors is necessarily limited.  You have to be willing to use that as information too in deciding whether to order or not.

 

The default state for buying online is don't ask/don't tell:  make your selections, click buy, and get out of the store please and thank you.  (It should be able to go without saying but: this state is not to the buyer's benefit.)  It really is an absurd experience, but when it comes to spending their money that seems to be what most folks seem to want.  🤷‍♂️  You can do online differently though!  👍  Also (for now at least) you have that 2-hour away LFS option where you can still shop in-person!  Don't fail to make use of that option whenever possible.

 

3 hours ago, Crys said:

I realise now that I just have to let what is in my tank grow and stop looking at pretty shinny things.

I'm not a fan in general, but these tiny captive bred urchins are new so I haven't been around them in person yet....take the reset of these observations with that in mind.   Their being small is definitely an advantage.  But urchins in general have a reputation of eating everything including the top layer of rock and specializing somewhat on coralline algae.....which is a problem if the "rock" they are cleaning happens to be your pump cable that's encrusted with coralline.  The can chew up the plastic.  So I dunno....watch for signs of excess, but try not to worry too much in the mean time.  👍  Maybe they won't do any of the bad things that larger urchins are reputed for.

 

I'm still more into snails for cleanup crew....they more or less focus on green algae and have no capability for damage.

 

 

[Daniel-J]

Anyway, try to grow them in a separate aquarium, I think it will be an interesting process.

[Crys]

So far the Mermaid fan is doing well, but time will tell.

[Crys]

Mermaid Fan update.

 

The mermaid fan continues to do well and it just sent up 2 new shoots!  So far no one eats it which is good because I have a small spiny sea urchin, and I hear they like sea weed.  On another note about sea weed.  I have red dragons tounge which out grows my tank fast, so I thought I would see if my koi like it and they are delighted with their new treat. The other benifit of the dragons tounge is it keeps my phosphates at 0.1. I will post a picture of the the mermaid later.