Dudeeee this so bites!! I come home only to find a fourth of the green ricordia gone. I am like scratching my head like what the heck?? After watching the tank for about 5 minutes I see the bi-color come in and start biting at the body of the rest of the ricordia trying to eat another piece. I kinda tapped the glass to kind of scare him. I then fed the fish real quick, he's such a pig, and he's always been one. I notice he feeds less on algae and more on the flakes and mysis, and now he loves biting into a 25 dollar green ricordia. What am I to do? I have nothing to seperate them....is it time I take him back to the LFS and get something else? Lastly will the ricordia regenerate the 1/4 of it's body it got bit off? It looks alive on the rest of it's body...if a pic will help I'll take a shot of it and show you guys, so let me know. Thanks.
Argh!! My poor green Ricordia!!
- Thread starter dragon79
- Start date
that really sucks....i didn't know blennies picked at corals like that. always thought they were peaceful and fully reef safe. i'd probaly try to trade him back in to your LFS, doesn't seem worth it to keep losing 25 dollar corals like that. i'm assuming that since ricordea can be split and propagated like most other soft corals, and as long as too much hasn't been destroyed, that it has a good chance of growing back.
I found the culprit...
say hello to hitchhiker ugly, brown, and hairy crab.
here's another shot
Apparently as I was watching the ricordia before the lights went off, I noticed there are holes in the rock that the ricordia sits on, and through those holes, a long tentacle or tongue like thing comes in and out of that tiny little hole like a refracting tongue of a frog. mini organisms I guess, but just as I was showing my g/f of the mini life, all of a sudden the ricordia moved a lot, but it wasn't the ricordia, it was what was under the ricordia making it move.... it was that crab, it came out, pinched at the ricordia and went back under. When I saw that, I freaked out, called my brother who was like, "what the heck? you got a hitch hiker, no telling if it's good or bad" I then called my friend Adrian, and I described the crab, and he said he was a bad crab and would go around eating the corals and cause mayhem to the tank, and had to die. He doesn't believe the bi-color would eat the ricordia even though I told him it was picking at it at first, he believes it's the crab for sure. I couldn't wait for any more responses, so I thought as long as it's living under the ricordia, it was my chance to take it out of the tank, and with some needle nose plyers remove the crab. I did indeed do that, and ol crab lost a few legs in the process, but all in all, I got him out completely and put him in some tuffleware to be sent back to the LFS or exterminated upon identification tomorrow.
Lastly I heard that the ricordia in it's condition it's in now, it shall regenerate as he's not too bad of shape, what do you think guys... check it out..
on a side note, here's another organism, sorry it's blurry but they are almost microscopic. It's like a centipede looking thing with tentacles in front, also kind of resembles a roach. Are these what copepods or amphipods look like when they get bigger?
say hello to hitchhiker ugly, brown, and hairy crab.
here's another shot
Apparently as I was watching the ricordia before the lights went off, I noticed there are holes in the rock that the ricordia sits on, and through those holes, a long tentacle or tongue like thing comes in and out of that tiny little hole like a refracting tongue of a frog. mini organisms I guess, but just as I was showing my g/f of the mini life, all of a sudden the ricordia moved a lot, but it wasn't the ricordia, it was what was under the ricordia making it move.... it was that crab, it came out, pinched at the ricordia and went back under. When I saw that, I freaked out, called my brother who was like, "what the heck? you got a hitch hiker, no telling if it's good or bad" I then called my friend Adrian, and I described the crab, and he said he was a bad crab and would go around eating the corals and cause mayhem to the tank, and had to die. He doesn't believe the bi-color would eat the ricordia even though I told him it was picking at it at first, he believes it's the crab for sure. I couldn't wait for any more responses, so I thought as long as it's living under the ricordia, it was my chance to take it out of the tank, and with some needle nose plyers remove the crab. I did indeed do that, and ol crab lost a few legs in the process, but all in all, I got him out completely and put him in some tuffleware to be sent back to the LFS or exterminated upon identification tomorrow.
Lastly I heard that the ricordia in it's condition it's in now, it shall regenerate as he's not too bad of shape, what do you think guys... check it out..
on a side note, here's another organism, sorry it's blurry but they are almost microscopic. It's like a centipede looking thing with tentacles in front, also kind of resembles a roach. Are these what copepods or amphipods look like when they get bigger?
mikeguerrero
Active Member
Wow,
Dragon let me begin by saying that thanks to your ability to take pictures, I have identified the crab. In my opinion 90 percent of crabs are bad for a mini reef and only 10 percent are good. And let me tell you that according to your pic, you pulled out a good crab, let me explain.
He is called a decorator crab. They are harmless and only scavengers in a tank. They look so ugly because they walk around finding anything in a reef to place on top of their sticky body. With time they have all sorts of little stuff around there body, hence the name decorator crab. This serves them in the wild to hide against predation.
In your case he was just pinching the ric probably to get some pieces to stick on his body, I have seen them walk around with anenomes and mushroom attached to their bodys.
Okay, they do get big so I don't know if you would have wanted him in your tank. I thought he was the bad hairy crab that I have had in the past, but from your pic, he looks like the good crab.
Have incysor identify him, I would get a second opinion, because I'm only 75 percent sure it's a decorative crab.
The Blenny needs to go bye bye, because he will continute with his bad habits, that will not change. The only thing I can tell you is that, never purchase a new piece during your work week. The reason is that you are not home to referee any problems with compatibility.
I come home from work and notice that my hair algae are growing too much and decided to add my 4 medium sized red leg hermits to remedy the situation. I have little blue ones in the tank and they just don't get the algae like the reds.
So I transfer them from my 2.5 into my 12 gallon. And within one minute I notice the blue hermit attacks my red for the shell, and the red starts losing his legs, I'm like no way, that red is bigger than the blue and is losing the fight. I take my stick and try to break up the fight, with no avail. So I reach in with my hand and the blue hermit won't let go.
No way, so I pull them out of the tank and then place them on the counter top, and the blue finally lets go, the red is totally retract and the blue is trying to fight me, wow I place the red back in the nano and take mr mean blue into the 2.5 and drop his ass in.
The 2.5 has nothing but live rock. I was like had I not been there, the red would have died. He lost 3 legs in the fight, I hope he recovers poor little dude, it was a mean fight, wish I had captured it in real time video.
But that tells you that you shouldn't trust your instinct that nothing will happen while you are at work, remember what happened to my plate coral with the mean frog spawn, I left to work come back and he's all stung on his left side, luckly incysor gives me some advice raise them higher so the tentacles don't sweep each other.
So the lesson is do a purchase in the weekend or if Sandra can be home.
As for the bugs you have in your tank, congrats, they are good bugs known as amphipods, They are a sign that your water quality is really good and they serve to break down debris. It's amazing how quickly you are able to take pics and get response time.
Did your friend adrian, see the pic of the decorative crab before he advised you to pull him out?
Mike
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... CatId=1962
http://www.divegallery.com/decocrab3.htm
I found some links, that mostly likely indicate, it's a decorator crab aka as a sponge crab.
Dragon let me begin by saying that thanks to your ability to take pictures, I have identified the crab. In my opinion 90 percent of crabs are bad for a mini reef and only 10 percent are good. And let me tell you that according to your pic, you pulled out a good crab, let me explain.
He is called a decorator crab. They are harmless and only scavengers in a tank. They look so ugly because they walk around finding anything in a reef to place on top of their sticky body. With time they have all sorts of little stuff around there body, hence the name decorator crab. This serves them in the wild to hide against predation.
In your case he was just pinching the ric probably to get some pieces to stick on his body, I have seen them walk around with anenomes and mushroom attached to their bodys.
Okay, they do get big so I don't know if you would have wanted him in your tank. I thought he was the bad hairy crab that I have had in the past, but from your pic, he looks like the good crab.
Have incysor identify him, I would get a second opinion, because I'm only 75 percent sure it's a decorative crab.
The Blenny needs to go bye bye, because he will continute with his bad habits, that will not change. The only thing I can tell you is that, never purchase a new piece during your work week. The reason is that you are not home to referee any problems with compatibility.
I come home from work and notice that my hair algae are growing too much and decided to add my 4 medium sized red leg hermits to remedy the situation. I have little blue ones in the tank and they just don't get the algae like the reds.
So I transfer them from my 2.5 into my 12 gallon. And within one minute I notice the blue hermit attacks my red for the shell, and the red starts losing his legs, I'm like no way, that red is bigger than the blue and is losing the fight. I take my stick and try to break up the fight, with no avail. So I reach in with my hand and the blue hermit won't let go.
No way, so I pull them out of the tank and then place them on the counter top, and the blue finally lets go, the red is totally retract and the blue is trying to fight me, wow I place the red back in the nano and take mr mean blue into the 2.5 and drop his ass in.
The 2.5 has nothing but live rock. I was like had I not been there, the red would have died. He lost 3 legs in the fight, I hope he recovers poor little dude, it was a mean fight, wish I had captured it in real time video.
But that tells you that you shouldn't trust your instinct that nothing will happen while you are at work, remember what happened to my plate coral with the mean frog spawn, I left to work come back and he's all stung on his left side, luckly incysor gives me some advice raise them higher so the tentacles don't sweep each other.
So the lesson is do a purchase in the weekend or if Sandra can be home.
As for the bugs you have in your tank, congrats, they are good bugs known as amphipods, They are a sign that your water quality is really good and they serve to break down debris. It's amazing how quickly you are able to take pics and get response time.
Did your friend adrian, see the pic of the decorative crab before he advised you to pull him out?
Mike
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod ... CatId=1962
http://www.divegallery.com/decocrab3.htm
I found some links, that mostly likely indicate, it's a decorator crab aka as a sponge crab.
djconn
New Member
Yes, I believe that is a decorator crab (I've seen them at stores) but I do think that he would be more likely to tear up your ricordia than the blenny.
Sucks he tore it apat but I'd be surprised if that ric didn't do just fine. Actually, all he did was probably break it in two and now you have two rics instead of one!
Congrats on the pods in your tank.
Sucks he tore it apat but I'd be surprised if that ric didn't do just fine. Actually, all he did was probably break it in two and now you have two rics instead of one!
Congrats on the pods in your tank.
thanks
BTW: mr. decorator is gone, left him at the LFS to have them do whatever they'd like. I also took pics of the pico tank you wanted, so I shall post in the lighting section where you first asked. Laterz.
Dj: Thank the new line product of Bio-Spira. It made the life of the copepods hit in waves 2 weeks earlier than normal as the cycling was totally advanced. All the corals have lived, none have died, the original tank raised Nemo is still alive since his introduction to the tank 1 month ago, set in the tank on his first night we set up the tank with my brother. Goes to show technology has come a long way, especially to those who have not been believers. Thanks for your support, you were a believer things would be cool since the beginning and rather curious about the progress of an experimental tank such as the one set up for my g/f.djconn said:
BTW: mr. decorator is gone, left him at the LFS to have them do whatever they'd like. I also took pics of the pico tank you wanted, so I shall post in the lighting section where you first asked. Laterz.
Another problem now....
I am having another problem now. As a result to what happened to the ricordia, it appears that it no longer liked it's current spot. It slowly over the weekend peeled itself off and I found it Sunday afternoon stuck inside the frogspawn. What I did was seperate it, and place it on the sand bed, and to keep it from floating all over the place, I used a top of a sprite plastic bottle. (cut top off) and use that as an upside down funnel. When I did that, it appeared to be just fine. Now if it stays cool, I'll have to run to the store to get some glue gel and re glue him back to that rock, or place him wherever. I'm considering it's cool. Hope you guys/gals can give more insight if this type of thing, and I'd also like to know when it's actually dead? does it fade or shrivel up or something??
I am having another problem now. As a result to what happened to the ricordia, it appears that it no longer liked it's current spot. It slowly over the weekend peeled itself off and I found it Sunday afternoon stuck inside the frogspawn. What I did was seperate it, and place it on the sand bed, and to keep it from floating all over the place, I used a top of a sprite plastic bottle. (cut top off) and use that as an upside down funnel. When I did that, it appeared to be just fine. Now if it stays cool, I'll have to run to the store to get some glue gel and re glue him back to that rock, or place him wherever. I'm considering it's cool. Hope you guys/gals can give more insight if this type of thing, and I'd also like to know when it's actually dead? does it fade or shrivel up or something??
Sorry, I missed this thread til now. I agree with everyone else that the crab was probably just a decorator crab. These guys aren't too harmful in a large reef tank. They will harvest sponges, and soft corals, but generally they take small bits off of many different pieces, so it doesn't do any harm, and can even end up helping to propigate corals throughout the tank. However they're not really good choices for nanos, cause we just don't have enough stuff for them to harvest from without doing damage. I know you didn't choose this guy, I mainly said it in case anyone else was thinking about buying one. I doubt the blenny was picking on the ric, it was probably striking at the crab. I've seen bi-colors go after many kinds of crabs before, but emerald/decorators/etc.. they particularly don't seem to like. It could actually be hitting the ric, since it's damaged, but IMO it was probably going after the crab. I'm glad you got it out. One of the 'rules' for dealing with crabs in reef tanks is if they have a hairy carapace, or black-tipped claws, they're almost always bad news.
B
B
So you think in my previous post that the ricordia should be fine, even though it dislodged itself recently and I have it with the top of a sprite bottle holding it from blowing away? ( I think that it's alive as the colors are there, and well I'm guessing if it stays like that when I get back, I can go buy some glue and reattach him to a rock.)incysor said:
Too Late for Ric
The ric died. When I got home, it was all cloudy in the sprite bottle as it had basically disolved mostly. It also had some gross brown too. When I removed the bottle, that's when it started to tear into pieces, so I scooped it all out real quick and *flush* It sucks incysor, but hey, at least I have that baby ric and it's healthy. Maybe with some luck it'll grow like the one that died.
The ric died. When I got home, it was all cloudy in the sprite bottle as it had basically disolved mostly. It also had some gross brown too. When I removed the bottle, that's when it started to tear into pieces, so I scooped it all out real quick and *flush* It sucks incysor, but hey, at least I have that baby ric and it's healthy. Maybe with some luck it'll grow like the one that died.