lutz123

Great for QR to reach out. It would be a fantastic opportunity to gain some more knowledge...

Actually, I think it is a fly pupa. Apparently if you just google pupa "live rock" it sounds like they aren't unheard of in newly cycled rock. It looks like sometimes "saltwater" flies lay eggs in exposed live rock when it's being harvested and they develop underwater? Strange. The pupa is empty now (i pulled it out to investigate). I saw some mention that worms may push it out of the rock. I'm happy enough with that. This is why I love live rock - always something new. I have Real Reef in my Nuvo and don't like it at all. Not porous enough so there's no cool stuff living in crevices and holes. I just managed to get mostly bryozoa and hydroids (and pods). Not nearly the diversity. Now I just need to decide whether I want to let this medusa worm live in a Pico... Edit to say: I love when I can answer my own question! Now, back to work... It's VERY hard having tanks in my home office. Bad decision!

Most of my hitchhikers I have been able to identify but this one has me stumped. I've scoured hitchhiker ID sites and just can't find a close match. It's about the size of a grain of rice, dark brown, shaped (and sized) like a fly pupa. I even googled fly pupas to see if somehow one mysteriously got into the tank! It was moving slowly last night after lights out - I noticed it while trying to get a pic of a medusa worm. This morning it was in the same general area, still moving, though now it seems still, even after flicking it closer to the glass with a chopstick. I'm pretty certain the underside is facing the camera.

Woah. Who knew. What do you tell the airline? Edit: spelling

My opinion is to hold off on a skimmer for an 8 gallon. You honestly should never need one. It's simple to keep the water quality up with regular water changes. I find filter floss (disposed of and replaced every few days) to be easy. Live rock and flow go a long way in a little tank. If you take it slow and enjoy you will have plenty of time to add or change as you find necessary. Don't ever add something until you need to. The biggest challenges with picos/nanos is evaporation causing salinity to increase. I try to keep mine a little lower - 1.023 or 1.024 - so that if it does get a little high it's not as quick to reach the danger zone. Mark a line on your tank so that you always know where to add fresh ro/di water (not saltwater) for top offs. Interestingly, I find that my 16 gallon with a glass lid evaporates faster than my 3 gallon open top picotope. Go figure. You don't have a need for an airstone, and the carbon pad will be a nitrate problem. (A little mesh bag of carbon can be added but may not be necessary except on occasion.). Test, test, test. Make sure those nitrates look good and steady for a period of time before you go crazy adding things. Then keep testing. Have fun. Take your time. Be willing to make mistakes. Ask questions, but follow it up with your own research (NOT by asking your lfs assuming they know). Everyone in this hobby has an opinion about the best and only way to do things.

+1 on the stomatella, especially in a pico. I had them in 2 of my previous tanks and they were my favorites. As a matter of fact I was planning on posting to see if I could get a few for the tanks I have now.

Nuvo 16 and a picotope. I could pack it up in a cooler and get it out if need be. i guess that's a plus for small tanks (though I know they heat up faster too)! Lucky for me my office stays pretty cool so it should be okay.

It got torn when packaging at the LFS I think. It looks better this morning but I'm keeping an eye on it. I did a revive dip before I put it in - no iodine on hand for the injury. Is there anything else I can do besides watch? Bigger problem is that or AC decided to stop working yesterday afternoon and it's going to be a hot day for the tanks! Luckily they are in my home office and I can use a fan (plus a fan blowing on a big bucket of ice).

Meh...until you have an experience that makes you very aware that you need to at least be cautious. As you get to know your tank you will feel more comfortable with what's in it. Invest in a 100 count box of powder free nitrile gloves and some of the long heavy duty ones. And chopsticks. I agree with ceriths and nassarius, maybe trochus or nerite. You can always add more later if they aren't keeping up. They all have different specialties and there is tons of info on the internet. I am partial to scarlet hermits. You could also add pom pom crabs and sexy crabs to a tank that size. Have fun and welcome! I love my pico tank! They aren't nearly as scary as they are made out to be.

Thank you! That's what I was hoping. It got so puffy I started questioning myself!

Sorry, it's late. . I will add photos.

Another view...

I picked out a little coral at the LFS thinking it was a pretty little turquoise colored mushroom and when I got home I realized it does not really look like a mushroom at all. Please help me ID. These all look so similar. It's about the size of a quarter. Sorry about the lighting. Thank you!

Incredible Corals has black in a few of their tanks I think.

A77 sold! Sorry!

A56 57 58 sold

Except if I moved out of the boonies I'd only be able to afford using a string and two cans!

Too few posted at one time for me to ever have a chance. I think I may just get in the car and go buy a couple of corals! Also, note to self: Get faster internet.

A23 sold

A16 sold

Now everyone is watching the post counter...

Bet you never thought that would net you $10!!

A11 sold

I appreciate all of the feedback. I will definitely try again. Steve reached out immediately and I feel much better (and I was super impressed by that!). I think it was just busy. There was no way they could have known that I'd just traveled an hour with my 4 year old to get there. "What? No red carpet?" was probably a hair unreasonable. And I totally agree that the fish deaths were probably an acclimation/shipment thing. They had just gotten some in. There is an LFS I have gone to that's relatively close to me where the couple of times I've tried it I feel like I'm begging to hand them money so I'm sure that plays into my first impression of anywhere new. I'm glad I posted though. If not I probably never would have gone back.

I'm sure I must have visited on an off day when I went but it wasn't stellar to me... I felt a bit like an outsider and honestly there were alot of dead fish (meaning 10-12 either just dead or being eaten, not tankfuls). I will probably try again but since it's an hour away it may be awhile. They did have really cool stock though - some things I don't normally see without special ordering. What's funny is I probably would have dropped at least $200-$300 (plus the IM ATO) if anyone would have really bothered. It was burning a hole in my pocket. Better luck next time!