of darwin, a bubble coral, and a tang

[dab1]

Hello,

Last week I decided to add to my aquarium for the first time in a few months, and took my wife along to assist in the picking out of what to get. She (mostly) and I chose a bubble coral of maybe four inches in diameter and a juvenile yellow tang of about an inch and a half. At that time I put both in my quarantine tank setup (10 gal wal-mart jobbie with a sponge filter and a piece of live rock I removed some bubble algae from) for observation, and have been observing. Unfortunately, this morning I observed that the bubble had made a meal of the tang (fortunately, I discovered this before my wife got up as hearing of it was disconcerting enough for her...). Being a pragmatist, I am of two minds on this. First, it is unfortunate that the tang didn't get much of a chance to learn the error of his ways, and second that perhaps I should have moved the bubble into the display aquarium so that the tang would have had more room in which to swim untroubled by danger.

However, that introduces and leaves me with my question. The display aquarium was set up in April (and is my first experience with marine fish/reef keeping), and is roughly described as follows:

36 Gallon (US) All-Glass Bowfront
2 flourescent lights (one reef blue actinic, and one 10000K)
60 pounds (or more...) live rock
inch and a half of live sand on the bottom (forty pounds maybe?)
ViaAqua multi skimmer

Livestock:
two (false?) percula clowns
south seas devil damsel
two peppermint shrimp
two other shrimp
five or so hermit crabs
one rock with green mushroom coral
one rock with some other coral polyps

Can't be more specific on any of the stock as my primary local dealer isn't big on proper taxonomy and I haven't gotten around to figuring out exactly what type of polyps they are in the four months I have had them (and I don't recall what kind the other shrimp are, red little beasties that mostly stay hidden in the rock).

I am aware that setup is too small for a tang, however I am moving soon and will be getting a larger aquarium at that time (month and a half or so). My question is whether the current setup is large enough for everything in there to likely be able to keep clear of the bubble coral unless it is damn fool enough to poke its nose in? As a correlary, anyone with experience to answer what the likelyhood that any of my livestock will be damn fool enough to poke its nose in and get ensnared (particularly the clowns as that would cause my wife more distress...)?

Thanks much,

DAB

 

[ChrisRD]

IMO you shouldn't have a problem in the main tank. Sorry to hear about the tang.

I'd recommend target feeding the Bubble Coral a few times a week with chunks of raw shrimp, fish, silversides, etc.

 

[Len]

The tank is large enough that other fish shouldn't get snagged by the bubble coral. It's rarely a problem and I'm sorry to hear about the tang. I would personally refrain from adding anymore fish until you move on to a bigger tank. It's safer that way.

Maybe the reef gods are telling ya not to add a tang just yet

 

[Anonymous]

You are also likely to catch a lot of grief from concerned people for adding a tang to a 36 gallon tank.

I'm of the persuasion that I don't really think that tangs belong in anything smaller than 75 gallons, however, it's up to you.

Also, I have never met anyone who has quarantined their corals. Maybe a good idea, but I've always figured that moving a coral to different conditions and lighting three times is worse than just putting it in the target tank.

Also, I'm unaware of many cases of coral disease spread in tanks, though I'm sure there is a possiblity.

 

[hsosa]

I never heard of a bubble eating a fish. Of course bubble do like to eat shrimp . That is rare. You wouldnt have any problems with a larger tank. If your going with a larger tank. Go 75gal or larger you will regret it if you dont. I agree tangs need a good amount of space. For them to get large . Here is a pic of my blue tang. He is five yrs old.

 

[Anonymous]

I agree that there isn't much reason to quarantine the corals. Also a ten gallon tank is pretty small for a quaratine tank for most fish. Doesn't make sense to have a quarantine tank that is more stressful than the main tank. You could probably pick up a 20l for about $25 bucks which would work a little better IMHO.