2 year old 16 biocude - corals stopped growing

[Cee Birk]

Two maroon storm clowns,  cleaner shrimp, couple hermits and snails occupy this tank. I started with some soft corals a while back and they spread fairly fast but nothing over the last year. The clowns sleep in the soft coral a night, but cant seem to get an anemone to be happy in this small tank.   Is there a specific anemone that might work or another soft coral that would take to this smaller tank? Also should I be adding nutrients for the soft corals specifically or is the light and general fish feeding sufficient? 
 

I run matrix media and chemipure blue, does the matrix media ever need to be changed out or added to?

 

I recently set up a 32 biocude and its doing well, so Im working my way up😁

 

couple picks of the 16 bio below and appreciate any feedback —- Craig

 

 

  

[Tired]

Clownfish, especially captive-bred ones, won't favor an anemone over corals. They just want something to hide in. 

 

Most soft corals will be fine in that tank, if you want to add something else. 

 

I think those are black storm clownfish, maybe mocha storms. They're definitely not maroon clownfish, which is good, because maroon clownfish grow to the size of your hand. 

 

To find out if your nutrients are sufficient, test them. You want to have a minimum of 0.03ppm phosphates and 5ppm nitrates. In some tanks, feeding is enough, and in some tanks it isn't. Depends on how much you feed and how often you do water changes. 

 

Your lightbulb might be getting old. Those palythoas (watch out for those, by the way, they may be highly toxic) are stretching quite a lot, which probably means they need more light. 

[Orangutran]

Check the PO4, NO3 and Alk. If you are just keeping soft corals, you might want to make sure nutrients are not too low. I just looked up chemipure blue and it does warn about reducing phosphate too much in a nano. 

 

Don't get an anemone, it'll take over your tank! It'll get big, and split, and walk all over the place!

Maybe try a duncan, looks like a nem that the clowns might take to.

[debbeach13]

My clown fish host a toadstool.

[Cee Birk]

23 hours ago, Tired said:

Clownfish, especially captive-bred ones, won't favor an anemone over corals. They just want something to hide in. 

 

Most soft corals will be fine in that tank, if you want to add something else. 

 

I think those are black storm clownfish, maybe mocha storms. They're definitely not maroon clownfish, which is good, because maroon clownfish grow to the size of your hand. 

 

To find out if your nutrients are sufficient, test them. You want to have a minimum of 0.03ppm phosphates and 5ppm nitrates. In some tanks, feeding is enough, and in some tanks it isn't. Depends on how much you feed and how often you do water changes. 

 

Your lightbulb might be getting old. Those palythoas (watch out for those, by the way, they may be highly toxic) are stretching quite a lot, which probably means they need more light. 

You are correct,  they are mocha storm clowns.. I will test all nutrients and see whats up. The palythoas seem to be stretched out to get above the hair algae I was combating but the new Mexican turbos are all over it so far. They just wont get in with the soft corals so its growing under them causing them to stretch out.  Should I order another light panel for the biocude, its been two years..

 

Why would they sell something highly toxic as a starter coral? What should i watch out for?

 

appreciate all the  feedback

[Cee Birk]

23 hours ago, Orangutran said:

Check the PO4, NO3 and Alk. If you are just keeping soft corals, you might want to make sure nutrients are not too low. I just looked up chemipure blue and it does warn about reducing phosphate too much in a nano. 

 

Don't get an anemone, it'll take over your tank! It'll get big, and split, and walk all over the place!

Maybe try a duncan, looks like a nem that the clowns might take to.

Ok no anemones in the 16… thanks  

[Cee Birk]

14 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

My clown fish host a toadstool.

I will try a toadstool…. Are they hard to keep or anything special I need to know?. 

[Cee Birk]

23 hours ago, Tired said:

Clownfish, especially captive-bred ones, won't favor an anemone over corals. They just want something to hide in. 

 

Most soft corals will be fine in that tank, if you want to add something else. 

 

I think those are black storm clownfish, maybe mocha storms. They're definitely not maroon clownfish, which is good, because maroon clownfish grow to the size of your hand. 

 

To find out if your nutrients are sufficient, test them. You want to have a minimum of 0.03ppm phosphates and 5ppm nitrates. In some tanks, feeding is enough, and in some tanks it isn't. Depends on how much you feed and how often you do water changes. 

 

Your lightbulb might be getting old. Those palythoas (watch out for those, by the way, they may be highly toxic) are stretching quite a lot, which probably means they need more light. 

Also wanted ask if  the matrix media ever need to be changed out or added to? Its been in there since the beginning about two years  

[debbeach13]

The toadstool I have has been very easy to care for. I feed it if I am feeding the other corals but do not think you have to. It drops a baby from time to time and the LFS buys them.

[Tired]

Palythoas are easy enough to be careful with. Just don't touch them with your bare hands. If you do, wash your hands very thoroughly. Never boil the rock they're on, or vigorously scrub it with a brush, and don't remove them from the water and then put your face directly over them (they can squirt water). 

 

You could use tweezers to pull the hair algae from between them, or try a smaller turbo snail. That's gotta come out eventually.