Need Some Help Picking Fish

[trockafella]

I've done a lot of reading on that fish because I really want one, but I haven't worked up the nerve to get it. Many larger inverts including cleaner shrimp seem to be mostly OK. Smaller inverts like snails are probably toast. There are many reports of them being good reef inhabitants though there are also several that report they will raise mayhem. Actually, the mixed reviews are very similar to what you read about dwarf angels and I've kept many of those in reef tanks with no problems as long as they are fed well. I've almost convinced myself to add one to my reef tank several times but keep changing my mind because I've got a clam I'm worried it might go for.

 

 

sell the clam, buy the fish

[hypertech]

I've thought about it. Wife likes the clam especially because we've grown it from about 2" to over 4" now. Eventually when it gets too big for us I'll sell it and reconsider the fish then.

[~*Lisa*~]

Im sorry, but I have a really hard time believing a 1.5" crab grabbed a tang and ripped it to shreds.. How bout a pic of this amazing crab.?

 

ok...there is no need for you to be an ass!! If I still had the crabs I would be more than happy to show you a picture! I thought forums like this were to give advice and have fun not to call people liars and be a jerk!

[hypertech]

He's not being an ass. He's trying to help. Its nearly impossible that an emerald crab took down a healthy tang. Often, things are not as they appear and something like a picture of the crab might help get to the bottom of it. Its far more likely that the tang wasn't as healthy as thought or that the crab was something else than an emerald crab catching and ripping a healthy tang to shreds.

[FearTheTerps]

ok...there is no need for you to be an ass!! If I still had the crabs I would be more than happy to show you a picture! I thought forums like this were to give advice and have fun not to call people liars and be a jerk!

 

 

Wow, thats a strong reaction. Travis wasnt trying to be a jerk, he was just stated what most of us were thinking, I too find it hard to believe that an emerald crab took down a healthy tang. Even with the crab grabbing ahold, the tang should have easily been able to knock him off and swim away.

 

Travis is one of the good guys here, he was not trying to hurt anyone feelings. Lots of people in wamas are good friends in real life and not just here on the boards. Without you knowing him you might take his sense of humor the wrong way. Just be glad that Rob hasnt posted anything here yet

[Jan]

Hey, you're out of line! Travis is not an ass. We don't call each other names like this here. No one called you a liar. As far as a jerk goes, your post speaks for itself!!!

 

I don't believe an emerald crab ate a healthy tang either. Do I believe you're lying? No! Is it easier for me to believe you may have had a gorilla crab or some other predacious crab? Yes.

 

ok...there is no need for you to be an ass!! If I still had the crabs I would be more than happy to show you a picture! I thought forums like this were to give advice and have fun not to call people liars and be a jerk!

Edited November 29, 2011 by Jan

[smallreef]

Not to say you all are not right,, and no name calling.. and I'm not taking any sides...(being new here and all)

But I have seen an emerald crab grab a juvenile tang before (when it was sleeping inbetween some rocks) ...

Wasn't my tank, not sure how "healthy" the tang was, but it was a big emerald crab and not a big tang..

I dont think a tang swimming by could be caught by one... but it all depends...

[trockafella]

Not the first time Ive been called an ass, not even the first time by a girl named Lisa. I apologize for not making the statement in a more friendly tone. Wow, second time in two weeks I offened someone. Thanks Steve, Hypertech and Jan for that, much appreciated.

 

Lisa-- This is a great community on here, some of us are just more outspoken than others. I wasnt calling you a liar, its just not a very common thing to hear of. I hope I havent ruined your WAMAS experience. My apologies.

Edited November 29, 2011 by trockafella

[Jan]

Who are you calling out spoken, Travis? .

 

Not the first time Ive been called an ass, not even the first time by a girl named Lisa. I apologize for not making the statement in a more friendly tone. Wow, second time in two weeks I offened someone. Thanks Steve, Hypertech and Jan for that, much appreciated.

 

Lisa-- This is a great community on here, some of us are just more outspoken than others. I wasnt calling you a liar, its just not a very common thing to hear of. I hope I havent ruined your WAMAS experience. My apologies.

[zygote2k]

Lisa-

Don't worry about those trolls- they just have been bitten by crabs too often.

 

I personally have seen an Emerald Crab reach out and try to grab a fish as it swims by. I imagine that if the crab actually did catch the fish, it would grab it with it's other claw and try to kill it.

It just doesn't happen very often, but it is certainly possible.

 

Selecting the proper fish would be easier if you told us your level of experience, the type of equipment you have, and what kind of expectations you have of your aquarium.

[~*Lisa*~]

He may not have been intentionally being mean but the way the statement was phrased made it sound like he was being a sarcastic jerk. I don't know any of you and you all have your opinions. For the record I never said that tang was huge or even big...I just said it was a good size. It was a juvenile and was in a 10 gal tank when I bought it of that helps with the size issue. I am not on here to fight with people I just want to get help and advice from people who enjoy the same hobby.

[Jan]

Hey, who are you calling a troll , Robert? ^Nicest most diplomatic guy you will ever meet on here. He's nothing like that Travis guy.

 

name='zygote2k' date='29 November 2011 - 05:33 PM' timestamp='1322606033' post='390089']

Lisa-

Don't worry about those trolls- they just have been bitten by crabs too often.

 

I personally have seen an Emerald Crab reach out and try to grab a fish as it swims by. I imagine that if the crab actually did catch the fish, it would grab it with it's other claw and try to kill it.

It just doesn't happen very often, but it is certainly possible.

 

Selecting the proper fish would be easier if you told us your level of experience, the type of equipment you have, and what kind of expectations you have of your aquarium.

[SunWyrm]

I think to clarify, a good size for us is probably 5-6" or so as some can get up to a foot in length. A juvie in a 10g would be tiny to us.

 

I've been caught in between some of the larger emerald crabs angry pincers and seen them tear up a dead fish. I don't trust crabs just for stories like this one, but I too find it very hard to believe (doesn't mean this wasn't the He-man of crab's) that even the largest of crabs could tear into an active tang. They usually take quite awhile to get to the insides of a dead fish and they're particularly slow when waving defensively at passersby. Though, if he caught him right I believe it's possible - I've seen some crazy things in this hobby. It's also possible that the tang was pestering the crab... just some of my thoughts.

 

Back to your original question though, you need to get some small, peaceful fish and ditch the crabs (hermits are ok with fish). Maybe try a species/biotope tank of some kind - find a specific thing that you love and draw your tank's inhabitants around that.

 

Like Jan said, give us all your specs and desires. Also, go on liveaquaria and find something you like - then youtube it (so you can see it in action), google it, come back and tell us your thoughts. We want to help and love doing so. Just cuz we're a bunch of skeptics doesn't mean we don't want to help you with your ideas.

 

We love the critters in this hobby and just want to make sure they are properly cared for. This is why some of us rush to the defense of bristleworms and emerald crabs, if we buy them or they helplessly fall into our care (hitchhike) we need to care for them or humanely deal with them.

 

Sorry for my lengthy post and look forward to watching your tank prosper,

 

M

 

 

[MBVette]

He may not have been intentionally being mean but the way the statement was phrased made it sound like he was being a sarcastic jerk. I don't know any of you and you all have your opinions. For the record I never said that tang was huge or even big...I just said it was a good size. It was a juvenile and was in a 10 gal tank when I bought it of that helps with the size issue. I am not on here to fight with people I just want to get help and advice from people who enjoy the same hobby.

 

Just to let you know, there should be no tang every housed in a 10 gallon tank. Most tangs need very large tanks (100 gallons +) and as juvi's they still need 50-75g tanks so they can swim and grow comfortably. This could have been part of the problem as the tang had nowhere to go and was probably just a sitting duck in the tank.

 

With a 10 gallon tank you really need to think small, and think fish that stay small throughout their life. Go onto liveaquaria.come and checkout their nano fish section. Just remember you probably shouldnt have more than 2 fish in a tank like that.

[Dr.eclipse]

for a 40 gallon, i would recommend dwarf angel, YWG goby and pistol shrimp(i have an entire tank dedicated to the relationship, very cool to watch) dwarf fuzzy lion, midas blenny. theres a lot more but this is what comes to mind.