Easy acropora?

ThunderGoose · Jan 26, 2018

I got an acropora crab as a hitchhiker and I'm thinking of getting it an acropora. The tank is a nano (10 gallons) with gorgonians, a few zoas and LPSs so I'm worries the conditions might not be "clean" enough for an acropora.

Salinity 1.024, temp 78, nitrates usually 1-2, phosphates usually 0.03, pH runs a little low (7.6-7.8), calcium and magnesium are within normal parameters (can't remember the numbers off the top of my head and I'm at work so I can't check the Excel file).

What do ya'll think? Can I keep one? If so, which ones would you recommend?

Thanks

ihavecrabs · Jan 26, 2018

ThunderGoose said:
I got an acropora crab as a hitchhiker and I'm thinking of getting it an acropora. The tank is a nano (10 gallons) with gorgonians, a few zoas and LPSs so I'm worries the conditions might not be "clean" enough for an acropora.

Salinity 1.024, temp 78, nitrates usually 1-2, phosphates usually 0.03, pH runs a little low (7.6-7.8), calcium and magnesium are within normal parameters (can't remember the numbers off the top of my head and I'm at work so I can't check the Excel file).

What do ya'll think? Can I keep one? If so, which ones would you recommend?

Thanks

Hey ThunderGoose,

Typically acropora crabs tend to like tighter, more dense acropora; however, if you were looking to "Test the water" with an easier acro, I would attempt a Acropora yongei (Green Slimer) as they tend to be very forgiving. I tend to see more acropora crabs in smooth skin acros, but those are a pain without the most stable parameters.

Acropora valida is a more forgiving acro, but probably not the easiest to color up. I would think an acropora crab would do well in a dense branching acro like these.

Good luck and keep us posted!

29bonsaireef · Jan 26, 2018

Get a seriatopora guttatus or pocillopora. Both are very easy sps and acro crabs love them

Gareth elliott · Jan 26, 2018

29bonsaireef said:
Get a seriatopora guttatus or pocillopora. Both are very easy sps and acro crabs love them

Second this one. Except ive always read sps crab species are coral species specific? I could be very wrong never had a sps crab to verify, so no first hand knowledge on them what so ever.
I can say watching seriatopora grow is fascinating, in the 6 weeks since adding a frag it has started numerous new branches and would say it has added about 1.5 centimeters in that time. My valida i added at the same time has encrusted its plug and just started to show pe. The joy of watching the speed of growth for sps vs lps is reason enough to add them

Nburg's Reef · Jan 27, 2018

One parameter that you didnt mention was alkalinity. Probably the most important parameter for sps. I would start testing several times a week to check your consumption rate and dose 2 part accordingly (if water changes are not enough). Can be tricky in a smaller tank but I had many acros in a small tank.

I agree with the slimer, ora frogskin aceo, poccilopora or maybe some montipora digitata.