You know you’re in trouble …

[Fl_Seagull]

It all start with a phone message: Honey, call me you need to meet me. I got you some Live Rock for free.

I rushed over just in time to load 100 lbs of live rock in our minivan alone with an IO bucket and an other container which said “5 lb animal crackers”.

“Oh,” my wife said, “ that Animal Cracker container has the corals and anemones in it.”

Seems the people had an hour to move out and they were just going to throw the rock way when my wife had contacted them.

When I got home, I had my son put the rock into a 44 gal garbage can and add some of the 32 gal of fresh salt water I had made yesterday. Mean while, I started trying to get the QT tank ready for the corals and anemones. The plan changed fast when my son said “Dad, what do you want me to do with the fish?”

Fish 8O 8O ???

In the IO bucket (3 gal of water):
4 ea groupers (5-6”)
1 ea Twin spot lionfish (2”)
1 ea Dwarf lionfish (3”)
1 ea Flame Angelfish (3”)
1 ea Maroon Clown fish (4”)
1 ea Australian Miniature Spiny lobster (4”)
1 ea White-banded Coral Shrimp (2.5”)
1 ea Cardinal Cleaner Shrimp (1.5”)
1 Pistol Shrimp (dead)
1 Crab (1”)
2 sea stars (3”)

In the Animal Cracker container:
2 ea Neon Orange Tube Anemone
3 ea Feather duster (Sabellastarte Spectabilis, 6”)
2 ea Colorful Sea Rod (1 red, 1 yellow)
2 ea Leather Corals (3-4” tall)
1 ea small sea mat
1 ea rock with small mushroom corals
2 ea Pizza Anemone (1-2” dia)
1 ea BTA (2-3” dia)
3 ea unknown Anemones (2-3” dia)
1 ea Twinspot Hogfish (3”)

In addition, the live rock was covered in 50+ sea urchins, mostly long-spined but some globe and pencil.

All the fish except the Lionfish are in my 125 gal tank. The two lionfish are in the QT tank. All appear stressed… but, at least they are no long gasping at the water surface or on their sides.

All the corals and anemones are also in the 125 gal tank.

Suggestions??????

 

[danmhippo]

what do you already have in your 125? What kind of setup do you have and is it mature enough to handle the sudden influx of bioload?

In the mean time, I would get another garbage can and start making more water.

 

[danmhippo]

..........and you get all that for FREE?

You lucky bastard..........

 

[MI0706]

I'm sure some of the reefers here would gladly help you with your "new" guests!!!

Send some of the corals my way... I will set them up with a very happy home!!! :lol:

 

[K9coral]

Gimme gimme gimme,,, I'll take it off your hands so dont worry :!: :wink:

 

[Fl_Seagull]

what do you already have in your 125? What kind of setup do you have and is it mature enough to handle the sudden influx of bioload?

In the mean time, I would get another garbage can and start making more water.

The simple answer is I had ~100 lbs of live rock, 150 lb of sand, a mandarin and a Mantis shrimp. I run a 20 gal sump with a top-fatom TF-200A skimmer and a 15 gl refur.

I just accidently killed off my star fishes and corals by inducing a new cycle and not having new water mixed for a 30% water change. I was just recovering, with a planned 30% water change to even out the last of the excessive Nitrites, when I got the surprise.

So, no I was not stable enough for the sudden bioload. But, so far everything is holding even. Tomorrow, I plan a 30% water change.

Sorry, the bad news is the wife isn't willing for me to give anything a away. The good new is my wife is talking about 250 gal tank for the Groupers .

Oh, seem one of the groupers is actually a spanish hogfish. Is a 250 gal big enough :wink: ???

 

[Baianotang]

" I just accidently killed off my star fishes and corals" 8O am confused. Please TAKE CARE of the animals you steel from the ocean that is the least we can do I dont know if you have too much money or something but you do seem a bit clumsy and reckles.
(sorry no intention of being personal). :evil:

 

[mountainbiker619]

Baian...if he was, as you say, clumsy, then he would not be in this forum asking for advice and such. Even the best reefer in the world has killed live stock at one time or another.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

" I just accidently killed off my star fishes and corals" 8O am confused. Please TAKE CARE of the animals you steel from the ocean that is the least we can do I dont know if you have too much money or something but you do seem a bit clumsy and reckles.
(sorry no intention of being personal). :evil:

Clumsy?? Perhaps. Freshwater is very forgiving. Salt is not. This is my first salt tank. I induced the cycle by trying too hard to target feed a feather duster which lost its crown.

When I realized I had a problem, I worked with what I had to minimize the loss of livestock. But, if you don't have the means you don't have the means. That means something dies.

Too much money :lol:. There are those who will say anyone with a reef tank has too much money.

If I was not concerned about the animals in my charge, I would have just left the groupers and lions in the trash (or worse, returned them to the wrong ocean). Instead, I am trying to insure I can care for them. Three days now, everyone is eating and doing well except for the lionfish.

Perhaps you could suggest how I should sort this strange combination of fish and invert into appropriate aquariums?

 

[Ijkreef]

IMHO I would suggest: groupers and lionfish in one tank, flame angel/clown/hogfish and crusties/starfish in another. Mantis shrimp (if you wanna keep it) should stay by itself as should the tube anemone... predators all.

 

[Fl_Seagull]

Thanks for the input.

I was thinking along the same line.

The Tube Anemones I was thinking of moving to their own tank. But, I haven't found anything about how big or how much light is needed. They seem very happy trying to capture my flame angel :wink:.

I would move the mantis shrimp but he keeps moving arround so I don't know which rock to pull out.