copepods?

[miskairal]

Hi again all,

I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank is
way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far, does
that mean I dont' have any?

[Roy]

IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
there.
On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
> wrote:
>><>Hi again all,
>><>
>><>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
>><>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank is
>><>way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far, does
>><>that mean I dont' have any?

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Rocco Moretti]

> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
> > wrote:
>
>>><>Hi again all,
>>><>
>>><>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
>>><>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank is
>>><>way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far, does
>>><>that mean I dont' have any?

Roy wrote:
> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
> and not have any copepods.

Is there a good way to measure *amount* of copepods? How can you tell if
you have enough to support, say, a mandarin, or other copepod specific
animal? (And one mandarin vs. two, etc.)

[Roy]

I have not the slightest clue, but if you have primarily algae or
herbivore eating fish, and a large estanlished tank with some age on
it, with live rock and a decent sandbed it would more than likely have
sufficiient copepod population to support a mandarin........As cheap
as they are, my local lfs will ask a lot of questions to any person
that wants to buy a mandarin and a few other fish.......and he has
disturbed some by not selling them a mandarin..because of their tank
size and length of time the tank has been up not being anywhere near
to having a decent supply of copepods in it. I want a mandarin myself
in the worst way, but I am far form having sufficient copepods to
feel good about it. One of the most cheapest fishes in the area around
here, and also one of the neatest colored fishers that there
is........Just too bad they are not good at eating prepared or
pelleted foods....

I know of some folks that have a nice large fuge with tons of
copepods, so that would be a good method to ensur eyu have an adequate
supply of them, that are in a tank free of any predators. Hey a fuge
can be an awfully interesting setup as well as the nicest reef tank
can be. I have a setup with nothing but bristleworms, aipstasia and
other unwanted / desired critters and its just as neat to watch as my
reef tanks are......it also teams with pods.
On Mon, 30 Jan 2006 17:38:58 -0600, Rocco Moretti
> wrote:
>><>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>><>> > wrote:
>><>>
>><>>>><>Hi again all,
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
>><>>>><>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank is
>><>>>><>way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far, does
>><>>>><>that mean I dont' have any?
>><>
>><>Roy wrote:
>><> > IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>><> > and not have any copepods.
>><>
>><>Is there a good way to measure *amount* of copepods? How can you tell if
>><>you have enough to support, say, a mandarin, or other copepod specific
>><>animal? (And one mandarin vs. two, etc.)

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[miskairal]

Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
(clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.

Roy wrote:
> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
> there.
> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
> > wrote:
>
>>><>Hi again all,
>>><>
>>><>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
>>><>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank is
>>><>way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far, does
>>><>that mean I dont' have any?
>
>

[RicSeyler]

At night you should see a bunch with a small pinlight. Everywhere!
Go to a LFS and get a cup or so of sand/crud out of
their LR/LS tank. Maybe you need to get a population started
or reseeded.
If you aren't seeing a bunch of pods and several different kinds of pods,
I don't think you are ready for a mandarin.

miskairal wrote:

> Hi again all,
>
> I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My ultimate
> goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or so as my tank
> is way too new yet. I've not seen anything resembling pods so far,
> does that mean I dont' have any?


--
Ric Seyler
Online Racing: RicSeyler
GPL Handicap 6.35

http://www.pcola.gulf.net/~ricseyler
remove –SPAM- from email address
--------------------------------------
"Homer no function beer well without."
- H.J. Simpson

[miskairal]

I found a starfish last night. It's little, maybe 2-3cm in total length,
and it's thin, white on the bottom and red and white striped on top like
a coral banded shrimp. Now I have to go and learn about starfish.

Didn't see any pods I don't think. There was something on the glass that
looked like miniscule shiny silver dots in the torch light but there
weren't that many of them.

My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?

miskairal wrote:
> Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
> shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
> algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
> out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
> (clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.
>
> Roy wrote:
>
>> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
>> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
>> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
>> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
>> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
>> there.
>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>> <>Hi again all,
>>>> <>
>>>> <>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My
>>>> ultimate <>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or
>>>> so as my tank is <>way too new yet. I've not seen anything
>>>> resembling pods so far, does <>that mean I dont' have any?
>>
>>
>>

[Roy]

Odds are those little things you seen on the tanks glass at night are
pods of one species or another.

While I can not say with certainlty, what kind of seastar yu have, its
a good bet its a type of serpent brittle star. They are one of the
most common hitch hikers on live rock and are very abundant. You can
have them and never know it, and 99 out of a 100 times you will only
ever see it at night or during the day the most is an arm waving out
and testing the waters form its hidden hole or crack in the live
rock.

Check out wetwebmedia.com its about the largest repository of
marine related stuff pertaiing to sal****er setups around........There
is a heap of reading on copepods and seastars and everything else you
could possibly imagine.



On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 08:12:21 +1000, miskairal
> wrote:
>><>I found a starfish last night. It's little, maybe 2-3cm in total length,
>><>and it's thin, white on the bottom and red and white striped on top like
>><>a coral banded shrimp. Now I have to go and learn about starfish.
>><>
>><>Didn't see any pods I don't think. There was something on the glass that
>><>looked like miniscule shiny silver dots in the torch light but there
>><>weren't that many of them.
>><>
>><>My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
>><>rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
>><>walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>><>
>><>miskairal wrote:
>><>> Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
>><>> shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
>><>> algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
>><>> out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
>><>> (clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.
>><>>
>><>> Roy wrote:
>><>>
>><>>> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>><>>> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
>><>>> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
>><>>> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
>><>>> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
>><>>> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
>><>>> there.
>><>>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>><>>> > wrote:
>><>>>
>><>>>>> <>Hi again all,
>><>>>>> <>
>><>>>>> <>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My
>><>>>>> ultimate <>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or
>><>>>>> so as my tank is <>way too new yet. I've not seen anything
>><>>>>> resembling pods so far, does <>that mean I dont' have any?
>><>>>
>><>>>
>><>>>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Jeff]

Rocco Moretti wrote:

>
> Is there a good way to measure *amount* of copepods? How can you tell if
> you have enough to support, say, a mandarin, or other copepod specific
> animal? (And one mandarin vs. two, etc.)

Hi Rocco,

I think the 'standard' way to measure if you've got enough copepods to
feed a mandarin is by tank size.
The minimum size I've seen recommended for ONE mandarin is 55g with
plenty of live rock as well.
That's assuming that the fish won't take brine etc.

HTH,

Jeff

[Mark Henry]

miskairal wrote:
>
> My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
> rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
> walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>

Is it more of a green/earthy smell (algae decomposing) or a fishy kind
of harbor smell (fish decomposing)?

mark h

[miskairal]

Aw, gee, now you're asking mark :)
All fish are present and accounted for but I can't say the same for all
the hitchhikers. I've had hair algae pretty bad but I pulled most of
that out for weeks and it seems to be under control. I now have diatoms
in a big way. I'd say the smell is nearer to the first smell you
describe and definitely not the smell of animal decomposition.

Roy - as always thankyou! I've been to wetwebmedia many times but there
is just so much there I don't go back often. It certainly helps when you
have an idea what to look for to start with.

Mark Henry wrote:
> miskairal wrote:
>
>>
>> My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being
>> near rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable
>> when you walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>>
>
> Is it more of a green/earthy smell (algae decomposing) or a fishy kind
> of harbor smell (fish decomposing)?
>
> mark h

[miskairal]

Ay, I think I've found it. Thanks Roy for the direction. It looks much
the same (but healthier) than the one halfway down this page
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm

I also found this
"Their common name is derived from their sinuous, snake-like movements"
here
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm
which pretty much sums it up.

I'm wondering how much more this live rock contains that I still don't
(and may never) know about!

Roy wrote:
> Odds are those little things you seen on the tanks glass at night are
> pods of one species or another.
>
> While I can not say with certainlty, what kind of seastar yu have, its
> a good bet its a type of serpent brittle star. They are one of the
> most common hitch hikers on live rock and are very abundant. You can
> have them and never know it, and 99 out of a 100 times you will only
> ever see it at night or during the day the most is an arm waving out
> and testing the waters form its hidden hole or crack in the live
> rock.
>
> Check out wetwebmedia.com its about the largest repository of
> marine related stuff pertaiing to sal****er setups around........There
> is a heap of reading on copepods and seastars and everything else you
> could possibly imagine.
>
>
>
> On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 08:12:21 +1000, miskairal
> > wrote:
>
>>><>I found a starfish last night. It's little, maybe 2-3cm in total length,
>>><>and it's thin, white on the bottom and red and white striped on top like
>>><>a coral banded shrimp. Now I have to go and learn about starfish.
>>><>
>>><>Didn't see any pods I don't think. There was something on the glass that
>>><>looked like miniscule shiny silver dots in the torch light but there
>>><>weren't that many of them.
>>><>
>>><>My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
>>><>rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
>>><>walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>>><>
>>><>miskairal wrote:
>>><>> Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
>>><>> shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
>>><>> algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
>>><>> out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
>>><>> (clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.
>>><>>
>>><>> Roy wrote:
>>><>>
>>><>>> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>>><>>> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
>>><>>> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
>>><>>> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
>>><>>> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
>>><>>> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
>>><>>> there.
>>><>>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>>><>>> > wrote:
>>><>>>
>>><>>>>> <>Hi again all,
>>><>>>>> <>
>>><>>>>> <>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My
>>><>>>>> ultimate <>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or
>>><>>>>> so as my tank is <>way too new yet. I've not seen anything
>>><>>>>> resembling pods so far, does <>that mean I dont' have any?
>>><>>>
>>><>>>
>>><>>>
>
>

[Roy]

Thats the neat thing about liverock.Its an almost never ending
surprise as to what you find. We still find stuff we did not know we
had many months down the road......Then that newly found surprise
cxritter, leads to lots of looking aorund to fins out what it
is......My wife spends hours at night with a tiny pin point red lens
flashlight investigating every nook and cranny in all the tanks.

On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 19:51:50 +1000, miskairal
> wrote:
>><>Ay, I think I've found it. Thanks Roy for the direction. It looks much
>><>the same (but healthier) than the one halfway down this page
>><>http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm
>><>
>><>I also found this
>><> "Their common name is derived from their sinuous, snake-like movements"
>><>here
>><>http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm
>><>which pretty much sums it up.
>><>
>><>I'm wondering how much more this live rock contains that I still don't
>><>(and may never) know about!
>><>
>><>Roy wrote:
>><>> Odds are those little things you seen on the tanks glass at night are
>><>> pods of one species or another.
>><>>
>><>> While I can not say with certainlty, what kind of seastar yu have, its
>><>> a good bet its a type of serpent brittle star. They are one of the
>><>> most common hitch hikers on live rock and are very abundant. You can
>><>> have them and never know it, and 99 out of a 100 times you will only
>><>> ever see it at night or during the day the most is an arm waving out
>><>> and testing the waters form its hidden hole or crack in the live
>><>> rock.
>><>>
>><>> Check out wetwebmedia.com its about the largest repository of
>><>> marine related stuff pertaiing to sal****er setups around........There
>><>> is a heap of reading on copepods and seastars and everything else you
>><>> could possibly imagine.
>><>>
>><>>
>><>>
>><>> On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 08:12:21 +1000, miskairal
>><>> > wrote:
>><>>
>><>>>><>I found a starfish last night. It's little, maybe 2-3cm in total length,
>><>>>><>and it's thin, white on the bottom and red and white striped on top like
>><>>>><>a coral banded shrimp. Now I have to go and learn about starfish.
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>Didn't see any pods I don't think. There was something on the glass that
>><>>>><>looked like miniscule shiny silver dots in the torch light but there
>><>>>><>weren't that many of them.
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
>><>>>><>rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
>><>>>><>walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>><>>>><>
>><>>>><>miskairal wrote:
>><>>>><>> Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
>><>>>><>> shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
>><>>>><>> algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
>><>>>><>> out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
>><>>>><>> (clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.
>><>>>><>>
>><>>>><>> Roy wrote:
>><>>>><>>
>><>>>><>>> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>><>>>><>>> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
>><>>>><>>> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
>><>>>><>>> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
>><>>>><>>> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
>><>>>><>>> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
>><>>>><>>> there.
>><>>>><>>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>><>>>><>>> > wrote:
>><>>>><>>>
>><>>>><>>>>> <>Hi again all,
>><>>>><>>>>> <>
>><>>>><>>>>> <>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My
>><>>>><>>>>> ultimate <>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or
>><>>>><>>>>> so as my tank is <>way too new yet. I've not seen anything
>><>>>><>>>>> resembling pods so far, does <>that mean I dont' have any?
>><>>>><>>>
>><>>>><>>>
>><>>>><>>>
>><>>
>><>>

--
\\\|///
( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[miskairal]

Only a couple of days ago I heard about the red light, that it doesn't
frighten the fish as much. I need to get to a town so I can buy one
myself as my coral beauty really doesn't like the nights I go rock watching.

Roy wrote:
> Thats the neat thing about liverock.Its an almost never ending
> surprise as to what you find. We still find stuff we did not know we
> had many months down the road......Then that newly found surprise
> cxritter, leads to lots of looking aorund to fins out what it
> is......My wife spends hours at night with a tiny pin point red lens
> flashlight investigating every nook and cranny in all the tanks.
>
> On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 19:51:50 +1000, miskairal
> > wrote:
>
>>><>Ay, I think I've found it. Thanks Roy for the direction. It looks much
>>><>the same (but healthier) than the one halfway down this page
>>><>http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestardisfaqs.htm
>>><>
>>><>I also found this
>>><> "Their common name is derived from their sinuous, snake-like movements"
>>><>here
>>><>http://www.wetwebmedia.com/brittlestars.htm
>>><>which pretty much sums it up.
>>><>
>>><>I'm wondering how much more this live rock contains that I still don't
>>><>(and may never) know about!
>>><>
>>><>Roy wrote:
>>><>> Odds are those little things you seen on the tanks glass at night are
>>><>> pods of one species or another.
>>><>>
>>><>> While I can not say with certainlty, what kind of seastar yu have, its
>>><>> a good bet its a type of serpent brittle star. They are one of the
>>><>> most common hitch hikers on live rock and are very abundant. You can
>>><>> have them and never know it, and 99 out of a 100 times you will only
>>><>> ever see it at night or during the day the most is an arm waving out
>>><>> and testing the waters form its hidden hole or crack in the live
>>><>> rock.
>>><>>
>>><>> Check out wetwebmedia.com its about the largest repository of
>>><>> marine related stuff pertaiing to sal****er setups around........There
>>><>> is a heap of reading on copepods and seastars and everything else you
>>><>> could possibly imagine.
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>>
>>><>> On Wed, 01 Feb 2006 08:12:21 +1000, miskairal
>>><>> > wrote:
>>><>>
>>><>>>><>I found a starfish last night. It's little, maybe 2-3cm in total length,
>>><>>>><>and it's thin, white on the bottom and red and white striped on top like
>>><>>>><>a coral banded shrimp. Now I have to go and learn about starfish.
>>><>>>><>
>>><>>>><>Didn't see any pods I don't think. There was something on the glass that
>>><>>>><>looked like miniscule shiny silver dots in the torch light but there
>>><>>>><>weren't that many of them.
>>><>>>><>
>>><>>>><>My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being near
>>><>>>><>rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable when you
>>><>>>><>walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>>><>>>><>
>>><>>>><>miskairal wrote:
>>><>>>><>> Hmmm, well I think I have very good live rock but my sandbed is very
>>><>>>><>> shallow. It started off a little thicker but removing cyano and hair
>>><>>>><>> algae has depleted it. I often check out the tank at night after lights
>>><>>>><>> out and have not seen any. My tank is 700 litres and I only have 5 fish
>>><>>>><>> (clowns, cardinals and coral beauty) and a shrimp so far.
>>><>>>><>>
>>><>>>><>> Roy wrote:
>>><>>>><>>
>>><>>>><>>> IMHO it would be pretty strange to have good live rock and a sand bed
>>><>>>><>>> and not have any copepods. I find the majority of mine late at night
>>><>>>><>>> after lights out, or early in the morning, all over the sides of rthe
>>><>>>><>>> tank and hip hopping along the sand bottom..... Just about all fish
>>><>>>><>>> will snack on them if they have half a chance. So that is another
>>><>>>><>>> reason you may not see many of them around, but odds are they are
>>><>>>><>>> there.
>>><>>>><>>> On Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:32:29 +1000, miskairal
>>><>>>><>>> > wrote:
>>><>>>><>>>
>>><>>>><>>>>> <>Hi again all,
>>><>>>><>>>>> <>
>>><>>>><>>>>> <>I'm wondering how you know if you have pods in your tank? My
>>><>>>><>>>>> ultimate <>goal is to get a mandarin or two, probably in a year or
>>><>>>><>>>>> so as my tank is <>way too new yet. I've not seen anything
>>><>>>><>>>>> resembling pods so far, does <>that mean I dont' have any?
>>><>>>><>>>
>>><>>>><>>>
>>><>>>><>>>
>>><>>
>>><>>
>
>

[Wayne Sallee]

Since it's the first smell, don't be overly conserned
about it.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



miskairal wrote on 2/1/2006 4:44 AM:
> Aw, gee, now you're asking mark :)
> All fish are present and accounted for but I can't say the same for all
> the hitchhikers. I've had hair algae pretty bad but I pulled most of
> that out for weeks and it seems to be under control. I now have diatoms
> in a big way. I'd say the smell is nearer to the first smell you
> describe and definitely not the smell of animal decomposition.
>
> Roy - as always thankyou! I've been to wetwebmedia many times but there
> is just so much there I don't go back often. It certainly helps when you
> have an idea what to look for to start with.
>
> Mark Henry wrote:
>
>> miskairal wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being
>>> near rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable
>>> when you walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>>>
>>
>> Is it more of a green/earthy smell (algae decomposing) or a fishy kind
>> of harbor smell (fish decomposing)?
>>
>> mark h

[Terry]

> Thats the neat thing about liverock.Its an almost never ending
> surprise as to what you find. We still find stuff we did not know we
> had many months down the road......

Tell me about it!!! I've just found the orange and white striped bristleworm
that killed my fantastic Malu anemone last weekend. :(

As far as I can work out, the malu decided to head across the tank and sit
his 'foot' half on the sand and half on a certain piece of live rock. In the
morning he was pretty much dead with a hole in his foot and some insides
out. Staked out the rock area the following night and lo and behold out came
about 3 inch's of worm from the very bottom of the rock.

I'm not sure if Bristleworm's can suffer but...........It'll be begging me
to end it's life when I get hold of it.

[miskairal]

I think it's going already as I couldn't smell it yesterday.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
> Since it's the first smell, don't be overly conserned about it.
>
> Wayne Sallee
> Wayne's Pets
>
>
>
> miskairal wrote on 2/1/2006 4:44 AM:
>
>> Aw, gee, now you're asking mark :)
>> All fish are present and accounted for but I can't say the same for
>> all the hitchhikers. I've had hair algae pretty bad but I pulled most
>> of that out for weeks and it seems to be under control. I now have
>> diatoms in a big way. I'd say the smell is nearer to the first smell
>> you describe and definitely not the smell of animal decomposition.
>>
>> Roy - as always thankyou! I've been to wetwebmedia many times but
>> there is just so much there I don't go back often. It certainly helps
>> when you have an idea what to look for to start with.
>>
>> Mark Henry wrote:
>>
>>> miskairal wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> My tank is starting to smell. It smells like the ocean, like being
>>>> near rocks at low tide, not bad smelling but it's quite noticeable
>>>> when you walk into the room at night or early morning. Is that Ok?
>>>>
>>>
>>> Is it more of a green/earthy smell (algae decomposing) or a fishy
>>> kind of harbor smell (fish decomposing)?
>>>
>>> mark h

[Roy]

There is literally thousands of different kinds of bristle worms that
can be found as hitch hikers on LR. For the most part there is only a
handfull of all of them that are known to be problematic. Most are
most beneficial to any reef tank as a scavenger......I have a huge BW
about the size of a pencil in my one tank as well as a heap of others
and have yet to have a problem...Guess you just got the bad draw when
it came to getting good / bad bristleworms. You can easily make a trap
for it if your wanting it removed. Take a long plastic tube and tie a
sting to one end and poke a hole large enough for the worm to get into
on the opposite end. (Pill bottle work ok, but some are a bit boutant
so weight may need to be added such as rubble etc. In the far end of
the tube furthest from the hole place some tasty bait, such as frozen
fish food or chopped piece of shrimp. Place tube in tank along rock
wall or area where the BW is not afraid of being exposed to and set
back and watch...Sometimes yu can accelerate the process by putting a
bit of chopped shrimp or frozen foods in the water so the inhabitants
get the scent of food...and draw out the ones from within the liverock
quicker. Also turning off lights helps as well in the process of
trapping them......

On Thu, 02 Feb 2006 20:07:18 GMT, "Terry" >
wrote:
>><>
>><>> Thats the neat thing about liverock.Its an almost never ending
>><>> surprise as to what you find. We still find stuff we did not know we
>><>> had many months down the road......
>><>
>><>Tell me about it!!! I've just found the orange and white striped bristleworm
>><>that killed my fantastic Malu anemone last weekend. :(
>><>
>><>As far as I can work out, the malu decided to head across the tank and sit
>><>his 'foot' half on the sand and half on a certain piece of live rock. In the
>><>morning he was pretty much dead with a hole in his foot and some insides
>><>out. Staked out the rock area the following night and lo and behold out came
>><>about 3 inch's of worm from the very bottom of the rock.
>><>
>><>I'm not sure if Bristleworm's can suffer but...........It'll be begging me
>><>to end it's life when I get hold of it.
>><>

--
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( @ @ )
-----------oOOo(_)oOOo---------------


oooO
---------( )----Oooo----------------
\ ( ( )
\_) ) /
(_/
The original frugal ponder ! Koi-ahoi mates....

[Mark Henry]

miskairal wrote:
>
> I think it's going already as I couldn't smell it yesterday.
>

Green/earthy is fine - it's the algea growing, decomposing, and being
eaten. As you've noticed it will come and go in stages as you have algea
blooms and die offs. Mine usually smells that way 5-7 days after a
bloom; as the nutrients run out and the algea either dies or is eaten,
or both.

mark h