Looking for advice

[John Reed]

I'll try to make this short. I started a 29 gallon reef aquarium about 10 months ago. After the tank cycled I got 2 yellow tail damsels, 2 peppermint shrimp, nasarius snails, cerith snails, and blue legged hermit crabs. I later purchased a Royal Gramma and an Emerald Crab.
The crabs began killing my snails and the damsels harassed my Gramma and the crab disappeared after a couple days (later found dead). I returned the Damsels and all the hermit crabs to the shop, cleaned and re-arranged my live rock and added some turchen snails.
All was well and the Gramma was very happy. Next I added an Emerald Crab. It hung out and ate for two days and then disappeared. Next I added a Starry Blenny. It seemed to do very well for about 1 week then disappeared. The Gramma started rubbing it's face on stones and then disappeared.
I hate killing living beings and I am going broke feeding my love of a salt water reef tank. My water parameters have been perfect the entire time (salinity occasionally goes a little high and I bring it back). My snails are doing great and my peppermint shrimp are breeding! I can't understand why my Emerald Crabs die? I believe the Blenny was diseased and passed it to my Gramma.
Here is where I want advice:
1) What is killing the Emerald Crabs?
2) I'm starting 10 gal.quarantine tank. I want to use it for coral and fish. Do I need expensive lighting?
3) I'm thinking of going with coral, 2 clown fish, and a blenny. Any advice on what kind of Blenny (or something similar)? And - what should I add first, second, etc.?
4) Any general advice. I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I have only 1 small salt water shop near me and everything is very expensive.

 

[cromag27 Verified Sponsor]

Emerald crabs could be dying from lack of food. that could have also been why you other crabs went rogue.

No lighting is required on a qt.

Most any blenny would be fine. intro order with the fish list isn't really a big deal.

I would be concerned with the gramma rubbing against the rock.

 

[NanaReefer]

I'm a Yooper too!! MQT to be exact [emoji2]

I know you said your parameters are perfect but please provide us with numbers so that we're better prepared to help you. There could be several cause to your issues thus a process of elimination is a must.
You do not need special lighting for QT but if you want your corals to survive adequate lighting should be considered. For a 10g it will not be expensive.
A great tool when choosing fish can be found here under marine fish. Take your time and research the fishes needs.
http://www.liveaquaria.com

 

[Chrisfish]

I had my emerald crab for 2 weeks , put him in the tank and he disappeared , one morning I get up and look in my tank and there is my "emerald crab" just flopping around in the tank and I realize he's dead, I was really sad cause I hate having anything die in my tank , so I do a search on the web about them just up and dyeing and quite a few people had posted about how they found their EC dead etc and how they net it out of their tank and disposed of it only to look in their tank one day and low and behold, there's Mr. crabby alive and kicking. EC and other crabs too, molt and I think after that happens they hide out for a while. Not saying yours didn't die but there might be a chance he's just hiding. Oh and welcome to R2R

 

[Bob3655]

What kind of water are you using, conditioned tap water?

*Edit* Welcome to R2R

 

[CodyRVA]

+1 to most. EC were definitely starving IMO. Fish ailment is likely unrelated; could have been sick when you got it or it stressed in your system and got sick. You were adding and removing a lot of livestock so the chance a disease was introduced is high. Damsels are notoriously aggressive so that doesn't surprise me.

Lighting depends on what coral you want; as does many other aspects to the system.

Stick with snails, few hermits. You have a smaller tank you don't need much. +1 clowns or Blenny is pretty wide open.

Introduce some soft corals and see how they do and slowly work up to harder to keep corals. FYI your salinity needs to be constant, look into an ATO. Also, +1 on testing your parameters, especially before buying coral. Good luck!

 

[NanaReefer]

Are you sure the crab was dead and it wasn't just it's "molt"?

 

[John Reed]

Wow! Sorry, I didn't know I had so many responses (newbie I guess ). Food for crabs: I didn't add any because I thought they just ate algie.
Yooper: Awesome, I live in Negaunee Township. Is Mare-z-dotes the only salt water supplier?
Water parameters: salinity usually varies from 1.025 to 1.028. Nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia have never been measured above 0. Calcium is always at the top of the scale.
Do I need to quarantine coral? I was planning on just dipping them and adding to my main 29 gallon. That has a coralife (?) T5 saltwater light.
The first emerald crab could have been a molt. Never found the second. I don't want to take the rocks out to look.
Thanks again for the replies. I'll watch the thread now, I was waiting for email notifications. (Newbie and not tech savvy ).

 

[CodyRVA]

Definitely need to get your salinity swings in check. You can QT or dip corals, QT is best.

 

[John Reed]

Definitely need to get your salinity swings in check. You can QT or dip corals, QT is best.

 

[John Reed]

What will I be looking for on my coral during qt? Also, how long should I keep them in quarantine?

 

[CodyRVA]

What will I be looking for on my coral during qt? Also, how long should I keep them in quarantine?

Depends on the coral/pest. You should still dip them regardless. When you do, you may find critters in the solution. Often times you find nothing, but better safe than sorry.

Some reefers will QT for weeks, 4-6 "ballpark", before placing in main display. More or less you'll want to monitor the corals health. Pests usually stick to corals they can utilize or destroy. You might get some random hitch hikers as well.

 

[John Reed]

How can I stabilize my salinity swings?

 

[John Reed]

Should I have a high output light on my qt tank if I put coral in it for 4 to 6 weeks?

 

[CodyRVA]

Should I have a high output light on my qt tank if I put coral in it for 4 to 6 weeks?

Look at an ATO: automatic top off to control salinity

You should have a decent light but doesn't have to be top shelf. Corals will die faster from you much light than not enough.

 

[John Reed]

I'm a Yooper too!! MQT to be exact [emoji2]

I know you said your parameters are perfect but please provide us with numbers so that we're better prepared to help you. There could be several cause to your issues thus a process of elimination is a must.
You do not need special lighting for QT but if you want your corals to survive adequate lighting should be considered. For a 10g it will not be expensive.
A great tool when choosing fish can be found here under marine fish. Take your time and research the fishes needs.
http://www.liveaquaria.com

Do you shop at Mare-z-dotes for fish and inverts? I live in Negaunee Township.

 

[NanaReefer]

Do you shop at Mare-z-dotes for fish and inverts? I live in Negaunee Township.

Check your pm [emoji2]

 

[John Reed]

What kind of water are you using, conditioned tap water?

*Edit* Welcome to R2R

I have well water that runs through two particulate filters and a demineralizer.

 

[NanaReefer]

I have well water that runs through two particulate filters and a demineralizer.

Pm sent [emoji2]