Cycle and Critter ID

Mini Coop · Oct 18, 2016

Hello! Running 76 days fallow after ick while 4 survivors are in QT - I think the DT is doing well! Just want to check as I had some new critters show up last night and started noticing this "hair algae". Wanted to see if you know what the critters are and what stage of cycle I am in and any advice of where I go from here in DT. Should I start growing some corals while running fallow? Tank is 120 gal, several hermit crabs, margarita snails, 3 turbo snails, one halloween crab, one serpent star fish. What water levels should I check if I am going to start corals, and how do I know what corals to start with besides the 2 I have? THANK YOU!!!!

bruleyii · Oct 18, 2016

The second looks like small feather dusters. They are just filter feeders. If I see what youre referring to.

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 18, 2016

Hi Jena, the first one looks kinda like a stomatella snail. Yea some feather dusters and maybe a ball or strawberry anemone.

A tooth brush and siphon will get the hair algae out, nip that in the bud before it becomes a problem.

Why are you waiting to get corals? do it. the tank is always cycling, there is no what point. yes it looks like your past the UGLY phase(how old is it?)
what most fail to mention (or notice perhaps) is your tank will pass through many more phases, some good some bad.

The what coral question, IMO, becomes what corals do YOU like. Gear the system (light, nutrients) towards what YOU like.

A whole lotta life in that tank! Beautiful too.

Mini Coop · Oct 18, 2016

saltyfilmfolks said:
Hi Jena, the first one looks kinda like a stomatella snail. Yea some feather dusters and maybe a ball or strawberry anemone.

A tooth brush and siphon will get the hair algae out, nip that in the bud before it becomes a problem.

Why are you waiting to get corals? do it. the tank is always cycling, there is no what point. yes it looks like your past the UGLY phase(how old is it?)
what most fail to mention (or notice perhaps) is your tank will pass through many more phases, some good some bad.

The what coral question, IMO, becomes what corals do YOU like. Gear the system (light, nutrients) towards what YOU like.

A whole lotta life in that tank! Beautiful too.

How do I know the difference between the feather dusters and the hair algae? Really, a ball or anemone?? Which one did you think was that? Can those just develop out of nowhere?

Life is good, right? Is the type of snail you are saying it might be a bad thing, or are they ok?
Original Tank set up was July 16. With tap water and first 2 water changes were with tap water as well, which caused the ick (advice from an "expert") which is how I got ick in the first place. And way too many fish (10 in 2 months). So I am kind of starting over, and been doing weekly water changes to get the bad water out. All RO water now, as I have learned so much on here. I have a really good population of copepods and amphipods!!! They are all over the place (which is awesome, because I really really want a green mandarin some day).

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 18, 2016

Jena Cooper said:
Life is good, right?

yes yes it is.

and yea "hitchhikers" the great mystery.

if you can take a pic of each in question its a bit easier to ID.

and no all I saw were good, many dont last long. Stomatella if thats what the first thing was, usually get eaten by the crabs.:mad:, I love stoma's

the possible nem is at 1:07 in the crevice.
1:03 I think is a feather duster, looks like a small red one to the right and also a sponge to the right of both.

Heres a good link to some hitchhikers.
http://www.lionfishlair.com/hitchhikers-guide/

And one for common nuisance algae.
https://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

also fwiw the tap water wont cause ick, it may be a stress source that caused the fish to break out. ick is a hitchhiker, a tiny tiny bug. if the fish get stressed the immune system is weak and the little vultures attack the fish.

I have always had mandarins. a great fish. do you have a refugium set up yet?your gonna need it.

ahiggins · Oct 18, 2016

That first one is a stomatella snail-i LOVE them congrats

Mini Coop · Oct 18, 2016

ahiggins said:
That first one is a stomatella snail-i LOVE them congrats

ok - I must ask why you love them and the congratulations lol. I am super excited that it seems I have FINALLY done something right!!

saltyfilmfolks · Oct 18, 2016

Jena Cooper said:
ok - I must ask why you love them and the congratulations lol. I am super excited that it seems I have FINALLY done something right!!

They come in SOOO many colors. From iridescent Opal to black on black. the also breed pretty well in the tank too. And..... how the heck did these wonderful animals get in there?! And WHY are they so many colors?

ahiggins · Oct 18, 2016

Jena Cooper said:
ok - I must ask why you love them and the congratulations lol. I am super excited that it seems I have FINALLY done something right!!

So many reasons to love them!
Theyre a great CUC, many colors as well. I have a red, a white and a black. And theyre surprises since you cant really buy them. They eat a lot of unwanted algae.
Theyre noctural so you dont see them much and I have yet to see one on a coral-like my astrea/trochus.