Found new critters after 1.5 years

Lowlandreef · Jun 16, 2020

So I have my reeftank for over 1.5 years now, but I discovered some new critters today.
It's a very exciting moment for me so that's why I'm sharing this.

I think the one in the photo is some sort of stomatella snail. Can someone confirm this?
In the video it seems to be some sort of pod with a snail. The only snails I added to the tank are trochus & nassarius.
This one looks pretty different. Does someone know what kind of snail it is?

code4 · Jun 16, 2020

The bottom picture appears to be an adult copepod. Good. The top looks like a stomatella. One of my favorites. Soft shelled so easily falls prey to a wide assortment of tank mates.

Lowlandreef · Jun 16, 2020

code4 said:
The bottom picture appears to be an adult copepod. Good. The top looks like a stomatella. One of my favorites. Soft shelled so easily falls prey to a wide assortment of tank mates.

Thanks for your reply! Good to know I have adult copepods, have been thinking about adding a mandarin dragonet. That stomatella is safe for predators, since I found it in my sump. Must somehow found it's way through the overflow LOL.
Any idea about the other snail in the bottom video?

code4 · Jun 16, 2020

Appears to be a nerite snail. So glad the stomatella is safe. They shoot eggs into the water column.

Shelley

code4 · Jun 16, 2020

I love Mandarin. I have several in different tanks. If you need advice on them feel free to ask me.

Lowlandreef · Jun 17, 2020

code4 said:
Appears to be a nerite snail. So glad the stomatella is safe. They shoot eggs into the water column.

Shelley

Thanks, that nerite snail looks very pretty!

code4 said:
I love Mandarin. I have several in different tanks. If you need advice on them feel free to ask me.

I'll definitely jump on that offer! I have a RSR 170 with about 38 pounds of live rock. It's running for about 1.5 years and I have a small refugium. Do you think I would be able to successfully keep a mandarin or will I still need to spot feed it?
BTW, I have a small ornate leopard wrasse but it eats flake food. Would that be an issue?

code4 · Jun 17, 2020

Should not be an issue. Since you have waited this long I suggest setting up a quarantine tank using some sponge from your current tank to seed it for quicker cycling. Wait until it is cycled. Then buy one. The females are smaller. So need less food. I am assuming since you are in the Netherlands that is litres and not gallons? My mandarins all start to eat frozen and sometimes even pellet food given time. But I still maintain a healthy pod population for them. If you can put small piles of small rocks in the back of the tank it will give pods a safe place to multiply. Can you easily get brine shrimp eggs? I hatch them daily in the beginning to be sure they have live food to eat. Mandarins are very hardy fish once they are eating well. I also like to use Paul B's feeder at first. Once they are eating well and I am sure they have no parasites I transition them to the DT. You can keep a pair as long as there is enough food. I know I am leaving out some things. Ask away. I do spot feed mine at times. Because I like to. Check your tank at night time with a flashlight. This is how I check the population of the pods. Give them some time to feel safe and come out where us humans can see them. I am betting you do.

Lowlandreef · Jun 17, 2020

code4 said:
Should not be an issue. Since you have waited this long I suggest setting up a quarantine tank using some sponge from your current tank to seed it for quicker cycling. Wait until it is cycled. Then buy one. The females are smaller. So need less food. I am assuming since you are in the Netherlands that is litres and not gallons? My mandarins all start to eat frozen and sometimes even pellet food given time. But I still maintain a healthy pod population for them. If you can put small piles of small rocks in the back of the tank it will give pods a safe place to multiply. Can you easily get brine shrimp eggs? I hatch them daily in the beginning to be sure they have live food to eat. Mandarins are very hardy fish once they are eating well. I also like to use Paul B's feeder at first. Once they are eating well and I am sure they have no parasites I transition them to the DT. You can keep a pair as long as there is enough food. I know I am leaving out some things. Ask away. I do spot feed mine at times. Because I like to. Check your tank at night time with a flashlight. This is how I check the population of the pods. Give them some time to feel safe and come out where us humans can see them. I am betting you do.

Yeah the RSR 170 is about 40 gallon. I actually came in the hobby because of mandarin fish. They are probably one of the prettiest fish in this hobby. Since I know they do better in well established tanks, I figured to wait a while to keep one successful.

I have some experience with hatching baby brine shrimp, so that won't be a problem. To be sure I will check for pods the next few weeks, and I will seed the tank a bit more just to be sure. I don't have a QT at the moment. If you think it's best for feeding purposes to first put the mandarin in quarantine, I will need to look in getting a QT. I do have a reliable LFS who quarantines all fish and I never had an issue with them, so I'm not too worried for diseases/parasites. I saw a thread about Paul B's feeder, I will try to make one myself!

code4 · Jun 17, 2020

If you are fairly confident the LFS has healthy ones go for it. Your tank is small enough to use a feeder for awhile. Hopefully the wrasse does not out compete the Mandarin for pods. But if that happens just use Paul B feeder. Use it anyway if you are worried about it finding enough pods. Choose a fish that is actively searching for pods. I think my target one is my favorite. Her name is Feona. I have had her about 8 years. Maybe 9. The Mandarin has a thick slime coat. They seldom get parasites because of it. Though they can. Get a female. A small one can take a couple of years to reach adult size. And your small tank can support her easier. I found out my Mandarin would eat prepared foods by accident. I use a baster to keep from over feeding my shy fish. And she just swam over and took some right out of the water column. Must have been about two years after I first had her. Now I try putting some near them a few weeks after I got each one. They will eat anything almost if you keep them happy on live food. They look dead when sleeping. Color leaves them looking whitish. Try to also look for one that is not to thin. And the red ones really are not prettier than the other two variations. Just more expensive.

Hope I didn't miss anything. I expect a photo.

code4 · Jun 17, 2020

I used Paul's feeders for years. I used an old net for my first one. If you have one of those batteries that float in a tank for baby fish you can use that net. Perfect size. You have to use fish is hose. And clean it weekly. Your tank is a great size for one. So easy and cheap. They are my favorite also. And I bought my first one when my tank was 3 months old and I listened to the kid at the store! Stupid of me.

Lowlandreef · Jun 18, 2020

code4 said:
If you are fairly confident the LFS has healthy ones go for it. Your tank is small enough to use a feeder for awhile. Hopefully the wrasse does not out compete the Mandarin for pods. But if that happens just use Paul B feeder. Use it anyway if you are worried about it finding enough pods. Choose a fish that is actively searching for pods. I think my target one is my favorite. Her name is Feona. I have had her about 8 years. Maybe 9. The Mandarin has a thick slime coat. They seldom get parasites because of it. Though they can. Get a female. A small one can take a couple of years to reach adult size. And your small tank can support her easier. I found out my Mandarin would eat prepared foods by accident. I use a baster to keep from over feeding my shy fish. And she just swam over and took some right out of the water column. Must have been about two years after I first had her. Now I try putting some near them a few weeks after I got each one. They will eat anything almost if you keep them happy on live food. They look dead when sleeping. Color leaves them looking whitish. Try to also look for one that is not to thin. And the red ones really are not prettier than the other two variations. Just more expensive.

Hope I didn't miss anything. I expect a photo.

Thank for all your info, it's been very helpful.
I think I'll still wait a couple of weeks, so I have some more time to prepare. I'm also going on vacation soon so I will wait till I come back. When I get my mandarin I will put a photo in my tank build thread, so make sure to check that out