Starter Fish

[jah8102]

Hello all!! Does anyone have any suggestions on what fish we might want to start out with in the tank? We also need a little more algea control. Currently, we have5 turbo snails and 5 blue hermits(well, there were 5 when we bought them but only see 1). We want to start adding some corals and fish, but don't really know where to start. Also, we are rather new to the hobby so the more information the better. Thanks in advance!!!

Julie

[miztahphong2]

damsels are good but with live rock in there they are a pain to get out. some of the tangs are pretty easy to keep. what do you have in your tank right now?

[scubaman]

I just started a tank two months ago. I started with a lot of live rock etc.

I used damsel to start out, but I agree with miztahphong2, a pain to get out. You have to remove all the rock.

My next fish were Coral Beauty and a Kole Tang. Both are now dead. (I think was my from the LFS selling bad stock).

I am now using a different LFS and had great sucess with two true percula clowns, a bicolor blenny, an anthyais (sp), and a chevron tang.

How old is the tank. The reson I asked is becasue I went thorugh major algae blooms that my 5 turbo's and 10 blue legged hermit could not keep up with. I think this is just part of establishing a new system from what I have read.

Good luck

Mistakes that I have made: Bought salt water from LFS-source probably not the best (It was called Catalina Water-off coast of California, but rumor has it that it comes from a local harbor). I now make my own salt water using oceanic salt and RO/DI water. Sure beats lugging around those five gallon jugs.

Get a realiable source for fish. Watch out for those store that stock too many fish in there tanks.

[jah8102]

Right now we have 50 lbs of LR, 5 Turbo Snails and 5 blue hermits ( we have only seen 1 lately though). The tank is about 5 months old right now. We are getting major red algea blooms on the bottom of the tank. The Turbos tend to stay up on the rocks and don't even touch the red. We also don't have an RO/DI yet. We are looking into getting one and are trying to find one that is reliable and won't break the budget. There are a couple sites that offer "Algea control" packages, and we are thinking about getting one of them, but first priority is the RO/DI. There are tow Algea Packages that I was looking at. Here are the links to them. Let me know what you think.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=25&pCatId=535

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=25&pCatId=531

Julie

[scubaman]

Try a couple of sand shifting star fish. These keep my sand bed looking like it came right off the beach.

Later//james

PS I heard that red algae is caused by high phosphates and or silica in the water.

Check out this link for a good RO?DI unit. http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KM1431

It will pay for itself with in a year.