Species specific reef ?
- Thread starter sasquatch
- Start date
reefjitsu
Active Member
Generally, a species tank is one that A) contains only one species, usually a single specimen or B) a tank that is set up to keep an organism with special needs, usually in these type setups, only one target species is desired any other organisms in the tank are just accesories to facillitate keeping the target species.
Charlie97L
Well-Known Member
ie...
a seahorse tank (special flow and temperature needs)
a lionfish tank (generally not a good community fish)
an anemone tank (accessory species clownfish... depending on the anemone)
a zoanthid-only nano tank
generally, if you're into reefing, especially just getting started, species tanks are not the way to go. usually creatures that NEED a species tank are much more difficult to care for/dangerous than the average reef fish/coral/invert.
i have an acrylic 20g that i'm (eventually) setting up as a coral banded shrimp species tank. being sometimes they get too big to be safe in a community reef. also inhabited by some sps that he won't be able to break/mess with, and a damsel or two, as accessory species.
a seahorse tank (special flow and temperature needs)
a lionfish tank (generally not a good community fish)
an anemone tank (accessory species clownfish... depending on the anemone)
a zoanthid-only nano tank
generally, if you're into reefing, especially just getting started, species tanks are not the way to go. usually creatures that NEED a species tank are much more difficult to care for/dangerous than the average reef fish/coral/invert.
i have an acrylic 20g that i'm (eventually) setting up as a coral banded shrimp species tank. being sometimes they get too big to be safe in a community reef. also inhabited by some sps that he won't be able to break/mess with, and a damsel or two, as accessory species.
Thanks Reefjitsu thats what I was thinking but more along the lines of say one species and related subgroups. Charlie97l "creatures that NEED " wouldnt that be actually easier than managing the requirements of a mixed tank? Oh well wish i could formulate the questions I need to ask. see ya Steve
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
Well since they tend to be smaller tanks they are often more difficult.
I managed to combine the best of both worlds for my setup. I have a 24g seahorse tank next to my 125 reef. They share water so the paramaters stay more stable, but I am able to have lower flow and less lighting in the seahorse tank. The only thing I have not been able to adjust so far is the temp. Seahorses like a lower temp and I don't have a chiller (yet).
I also keep a cleaner shrimp some snails and some non photosynthetic corals (gorgonians and suns) in that tank as well just to have some variety etc.
I managed to combine the best of both worlds for my setup. I have a 24g seahorse tank next to my 125 reef. They share water so the paramaters stay more stable, but I am able to have lower flow and less lighting in the seahorse tank. The only thing I have not been able to adjust so far is the temp. Seahorses like a lower temp and I don't have a chiller (yet).
I also keep a cleaner shrimp some snails and some non photosynthetic corals (gorgonians and suns) in that tank as well just to have some variety etc.
Charlie97L
Well-Known Member
well you can make a mixed reef as hard or as easy as you want to... but it's a great starting point to learn the basics...
generally, the ones that need a species tank are either very time demanding and finnicky/delicate, like seahorses, or dangerous, ie. lionfish. we all get bit or stung the first year or so we do a mixed reef... better it's just a clownfish nip or a frogspawn sting than a poisonous lionfish spine, until you become more advanced.
i mean, if you've DONE a mixed reef, and are looking for a new challenge, go to it... if not, man, do a reef, they are SO diverse in life, and interesting to watch... and like i said, you can make it as hard or easy as you want, depending on the creatures you pick.
lsctorc makes a good point about the size of the tank, to start, bigger is better.
generally, the ones that need a species tank are either very time demanding and finnicky/delicate, like seahorses, or dangerous, ie. lionfish. we all get bit or stung the first year or so we do a mixed reef... better it's just a clownfish nip or a frogspawn sting than a poisonous lionfish spine, until you become more advanced.
i mean, if you've DONE a mixed reef, and are looking for a new challenge, go to it... if not, man, do a reef, they are SO diverse in life, and interesting to watch... and like i said, you can make it as hard or easy as you want, depending on the creatures you pick.
lsctorc makes a good point about the size of the tank, to start, bigger is better.