Too Soon?

[AlyHarper]

Needing some experience reefer to help me out, I am wanting coral! I have 25 gallon tank; 1 long tip aneome, 2 piccaso clowns, 1 YWG, 1 dottyback, 1 emerald crab, 2 peppermint shrimp and a few snails. My tank is about 8 ish months old. Is that too young of a nano tank to introduce corals? I like the idea of green star polyps, zoanthids, and mushroom.. however my tank does not have many islands for fast growing coral..Thoughts? I am very new to corals (as in I have never owned one ) and looking for great insight on how to avoid beginner mistakes.

 

[Uncle99]

An 8 month old tank.
Add some corals…..certainly.

Just watch the invasive stuff like GSP, it’s ok to have, but on a rock island where it cannot spread to other rocks. Impossible to get off easily. Or glue it to the back glass.
Clove polyps same.
These GSP where the size of a quarter 8 months ago.

 

[AlyHarper]

An 8 month old tank.
Add some corals…..certainly.

Just watch the invasive stuff like GSP, it’s ok to have, but on a rock island where it cannot spread to other rocks. Impossible to get off easily. Or glue it to the back glass.
Clove polyps same.
These GSP where the size of a quarter 8 months ago.

Which no invasive corals would you recommend for my first time owning one?

 

[Jen1978]

some zoas would be great for sure. Maybe a little hammer

 

[CanuckReefer]

Which no invasive corals would you recommend for my first time owning one?

Agree with @Uncle99 ....let's add a few corals! I would consider one or two different Mushroom varieties, nothing extremely expensive to start. They spread but in my personal experience not invasively. My other suggest would be to pick up a Duncan frag, maybe one or two heads, and see how it does! A fairly hardy coral that looks beautiful, can grow quickly and is excellent at helping indicate water conditions for you. They are hardy, but will pout a bit if something is slightly off.
Enjoy your first venture into the world of corals!

One more thing, keep a trained eye on that Emerald , they can develop an appetite for the easy meal sometimes. Let's also see a pic of that Long Tentacle Anemone, we have one here for a number of years...

 

[AlyHarper]

Agree with @Uncle99 ....let's add a few corals! I would consider one or two different Mushroom varieties, nothing extremely expensive to start. They spread but in my personal experience not invasively. My other suggest would be to pick up a Duncan frag, maybe one or two heads, and see how it does! A fairly hardy coral that looks beautiful, can grow quickly and is excellent at helping indicate water conditions for you. They are hardy, but will pout a bit if something is slightly off.
Enjoy your first venture into the world of corals!

One more thing, keep a trained eye on that Emerald , they can develop an appetite for the easy meal sometimes. Let's also see a pic of that Long Tentacle Anemone, we have one here for a number of years...

 

[AlyHarper]

My anemoe is looking a little speckled because I stirred up the sand a bit, but I think he has found his favorite spot in the sand

 

[CanuckReefer]

Bravo! You are doing fantastic with this one at 8 months tank. They do grow fairly quickly under right conditions, but can also be finicky, so you've got a nice healthy specimen! If you can keep this specimen alive, a couple corals are certainly on your near future agenda. Go for it.

Mine, at about 3 years with me.

 

[AlyHarper]

I appreciate the help! Because honestly I was afraid he was looking a little sad! Sometimes he is standing up and open haha! That anemone is BEAUTIFUL!!! how big is your tank that he takes up the whole corner!

 

[CanuckReefer]

I appreciate the help! Because honestly I was afraid he was looking a little sad! Sometimes he is standing up and open haha! That anemone is BEAUTIFUL!!! how big is your tank that he takes up the whole corner!

Thank you...90 gallon. It grew out quickly fairly early, and now seems to have settled in to slower growth. 6 inch on purchase to maybe 14 or 15 inch now, when fully inflated? Hoping yours keeps thriving.

 

[AlyHarper]

90 gallon. It grew out quickly fairly early, and now seems to have settled in to slower growth. 6 inch on purchase to maybe 14 or 15 inch now, when fully inflated?

That's amazing!!! I got mine for my clowns but for whatever reason they don't seem to care that he is around haha.

 

[CanuckReefer]

That's amazing!!! I got mine for my clowns but for whatever reason they don't seem to care that he is around haha.

Typically Long Tents won't often host clowns...there is the odd exception though....mine same. No clown interactions, sadly.

 

[Idech]

Duncans are are easy and my favorite so far.

 

[AlyHarper]

Typically Long Tents won't often host clowns...there is the odd exception though....mine same. No clown interactions, sadly.

Should have checked with reef to reef before buying the anemone for my clowns I guess! Like I said soo new at this whole thing, But I am glad I got him because he is super cool!! It's so addicting to learn about fish and aneomes and corals!!

 

[AlyHarper]

Duncans are are easy and my favorite so far.

Have any cool photos of your duncan?

 

[CanuckReefer]

Should have checked with reef to reef before buying the anemone for my clowns I guess! Like I said soo new at this whole thing, But I am glad I got him because he is super cool!! It's so addicting to learn about fish and aneomes and corals!!

Nah, you'll enjoy the Long Tentacle just the same as one that would host. As mentioned they are quick growers, and magnificent creatures on their own...

 

[Tim McLellan]

I'm a newbie too, and started adding corals at about 5 months. My advice is just enjoy your enthusiasm for getting into it. All the experienced reefers warn about xenia and GSP being invasive, beginner weed corals, but my feeling is bring it on! Both were my first coral additions because I just love how both of them look, and I'm excited to have the problem of them growing too much, lol. That is much preferred to adding livestock and have it struggle. I'll learn for myself and apply the lessons when I upgrade to a bigger tank. I have about 8 corals now, both softies and LSP. So far so good, loving the journey. Get some corals that you like and will work with your tank and enjoy them.

 

[Idech]

Have any cool photos of your duncan?

Nah, I’ll try to take some tomorrow. One of them fell and I had to reglue it so it’s not happy right now, lol !

 

[AlyHarper]

I'm a newbie too, and started adding corals at about 5 months. My advice is just enjoy your enthusiasm for getting into it. All the experienced reefers warn about xenia and GSP being invasive, beginner weed corals, but my feeling is bring it on! Both were my first coral additions because I just love how both of them look, and I'm excited to have the problem of them growing too much, lol. That is much preferred to adding livestock and have it struggle. I'll learn for myself and apply the lessons when I upgrade to a bigger tank. I have about 8 corals now, both softies and LSP. So far so good, loving the journey. Get some corals that you like and will work with your tank and enjoy them.

Love it!!

 

[Idech]

Have any cool photos of your duncan?

Here is a picture from this morning, of one Duncan with multiple heads. They really make new heads fast if you feed them.