A whole bunch of critters

[DaveR11]

This was an interesting thread read. The risk of bad hitchhikers is a bit scary but I lean toward Oxylebius's view of them making a tank more interesting. My view might change if I ever have a catastrophic event due to a hitchhiker.

I reckon I've had my fair share of hitchhikers both good and bad but it has mostly been fun. I did try dipping my one of Zoathids that had the predatory slugs on it. The dip killed all the pods and snails that were sheltering on the rock but didn't touch the bad slugs. I'm not saying the dips don't work but it is a shot gun approach. You lose the good as well as the bad. I'm also attracted to the variety. Coral reefs are supposed to be second only to tropical rainforests in terms of biodiversity. A complex web of many species interacting together and we pick a few and stick them in a tank. So I tend towards the variety you get with live rock and not dipping corals and maybe I get a more diverse and hopefully stable system. But I have to take the rough with the smooth.... and if I get a baddy I have to put the time in weeding it out of the tank.

It also keeps me focused on the tank to spot the next new critter.

 

[DaveR11]

I recall how excited I was when I saw an asterina star fish appear on the glass of my first tank. Great pictures Dave.
Where do you buy your corals and live rock from?

Hi PCDS. All of my fish, bar one, have come from one shop - Cambridge Coral Tech. The corals and other inverts have come from a variety of sources. Two LFSs provided a good proportion of the stock - Cambridge Coral Tech again and H2O down in Essex. I have also bought some corals mail order from Mailorder Corals, Reefworks and Charterhouse provided my algae and some CUC. I have visited a number of other shops in the areaand got the odd bit here and there. My clam came from Coral Passion. Most of my rock is Real Reef artificial rock but I got two pieces of live rock from H2O

Both LFSs are a fair drive from me but are worth the trip. Both have helpful knowledgeable staff. I just wish they were closer (particularly H2O which is a 1 hour 30 minute drive away). Cambridge is a bigger shop space and has more tanks but H2O has a fantastic coral selection.

 

[PCDS]

I'm from Norfolk too but further east than you.(Norwich). It is nice to see UK marine enthusiasts ( I hope I spelt that right) on this site.

 

[DaveR11]

I'm from Norfolk too but further east than you.(Norwich). It is nice to see UK marine enthusiasts ( I hope I spelt that right) on this site.

So favourite shops....?

 

[PCDS]

So favourite shops....?

Swallow aquatics in East Harling is probably my favourite. They occasionally get some really nice live rock with natural tunnels/ caves.
There are a few others I go to like Maidenhead aquatics at my local garden centre and another in Taverham.

 

[PCDS]

I mail order a lot of equipment from tynwald pet centre. They do a lot of Tunze products.

 

[DaveR11]

I recall how excited I was when I saw an asterina star fish appear on the glass of my first tank. Great pictures Dave.
Where do you buy your corals and live rock from?

Hi PCDS,

Just realised I didn't reply to your question.

I have bought corals from a couple of relatively nearby LFSs. The ones I use the most are Cambridge Coral Tech and H2O. CCT tend to have the usual selection of corals but H2O have some really good stuff. Most of my rock was fake live rock but I bought a couple of pieces of real live rock from H2O. I have also bought mail order from three different places on line. Found that a bit of a mixed bag with some of the frags not really matching the colours on the website but others have been great. Got a lovely yellow Porites on line.

Dave