Growing up!

Okay, so I have a 5 gallon sw tank that has LR, a sand bed about 1 1/2 inches deep and an under gravel filter along with an in tank filter. This was originally being set up for the dwarf sea horses that we are still waiting on. I added 3 damsels since the lfs told me that the dominant one would more than likely kill the weaker one. Well the smallest of them all killed the two much larger damsels. So now we have a little tank with a 2 inch long yellow fin damsel. I have since set up the 29 gallon tank. My sister had a filter, that has an internal skimmer, and 2 10watt compact fluorescent bulbs that have an output of 75 watt each. In this tank, the future home of the killing damsel, there are 2 tank raised percola clowns, 1 chocolate chip starfish, 1 feather duster, 1 bubble tip anemone, and the usual clean up crew. I also have 2 coral frags that I don't know what kind they are. if you know then please tell me. I am wanting to add the damsel to the big tank, but I don't know how many fish would be good in a 29 gal tank. Any Ideas?

Also I am wanting to hook the 5 gal up as a refugium, I need help!! LOL!

Oh boy, I'm sorry to say, I see some serious problems here. A 5 gallon tank is IMO way too small for 3 damsels. It's not surprising aggression reared its head. I have to ask, why, if the LFS said one of the damsels would kill the other two, did you buy three anyway? UGFs and hang on filters are fine for fish only tanks, but they're not appropriate for tanks housing nitrate sensitive inverts and corals. They're great at removing ammonia and nitrite, but tend to turn into nitrate "factories", resulting in very high levels of nitrate.

As for the 29, you should be able to add another fish or two, ut I wouldn't add the damsel. They're very agressive by nature, and will likely harass your clowns. If you're going to turn the 5 gal into a fuge, just return the damsel to the LFS. I should warn you that chocolate chip stars are not reef safe and will eat a number of different types of coral. I also should say that the BTA should also go back to the LFS or be given to a local hobbieat with the necessary setup to keep it successfully. While BTAs are amongst the hardiest of anemones, they need considerably more light than your providing. Either T5 bulbs with individual reflectors, or metal halides. Some people have been somewhat successful keeping them under PCs, but in those cases, they need a good amount of supplemental feeding which will likely foul such a small water volume. Anemones typically need the stability of a mature tank (6 months to a year) with pristine water conditions. Not to mention the fact that BTAs get quite large fairly rapidly. Like enough to fill your 29 ;).

I don't mean to be harsh, or say these things to discourage you, but in order to save you lots of future frustration and your critters a miserable existence. The good news is, you have found a great community of hobbyists who are friendly and more than willing to answer questions and point you in the right direction.

I got the three because they were supposed to be put into the big tank but my daughters had dropped some kool aid into it and I had to restart the darn tank. So they had to go into the small one to start with since I had baught them and came home to a grape tank. I was soooo not happy about that. I only have the rock on one side of the tank so that one side is open right under the light and that is where the BTA has decided to stick around. It seems to be quite content. I do supplemental feedings to it once a week, and it has grown. I do water changes on the tank every week, 3 of them are smaller 15-20 % and then I do a bigger one once a month. I am in the process of upgrading the light system on the tank too. I was actually going to ask for advise on that. As for the star fish I was thinking of trying it out in the 5 gal since I did notice that it really likes the one type of coral, it leaves the other one alone completely though.

I too would return the Damsel as well as the Choc. chip star. The damsel will harass the clowns, the CC star will mow over a reef rather quickly. I don't think a 5 gallon is large enough to house the star.

The LFS should give you a partial credit for them then you could use that to get something reef safe and suitable for a 29g tank.

I guess that the star will have to go if it won't work in the 5 gallon. Do you think it would be okay in a 10? lol, I can always pick one up and use it instead of the 5 for the fuge. And then it would provide more water too. Thoughts?

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Originally Posted by seahorsies4me

I guess that the star will have to go if it won't work in the 5 gallon. Do you think it would be okay in a 10? lol, I can always pick one up and use it instead of the 5 for the fuge. And then it would provide more water too. Thoughts?

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Here is one link that says 30 g min.

Chocolate Chip Starfish - Protoreastor nodosus

Saltwaterfish.com states 20 g min.

They grow quickly so I wouldn't risk it myself.

Thanks for the input!

Hi Ken and :welcome: to TR!

Pearson and Rhonda have given you some good advice! I can't imagine a GRAPE tank, that must have been incredibly frustrating!

Will the clowns be going to the bigger tank as well when it's ready?

They are in the bigger tank now, I got the tank cleaned out and luckily had live rock in the small tank to re- get the new rock going. I didn't want to take the time to cure the rock again so I got new stuff to put in there, same with the sand. So I got it set back up, and they are happily living in the bigger tank. My girls named them Marlin and Nemo, I know original. LOL!

It was, I had it up for about 6 months before I was ready to put fish into it. So 6 months of work out the window.

My anemone tried to commit suicide!! I looked at the tank, everything was fine. About 20 minutes later I look again and the anemone is stuck in the power head intake! So I carefully remove the grate and gently pry it loose. It still looked really pink so I left it in the tank in hopes that it was still alive. Sure enough it looks bad, but it is alive. Any suggestions on how to keep that from happening again? I keep running in there every 5 or 10 minutes to make sure it's not there again.

Common problem. You can get foam prefilters for most powerheads, but they reduce flow and need to be cleaned every couple of days.

My experience with stars is you have to read up on their diet. I wanted a choc chip start but there is some potential of them eating corals, thank god the woman at my LFS told me that, since I didnt do my research on him. I like the marble sea star which is and omnivore and the sand sifters which some say they never see above sand but mine surfaces every few days. I even find him on the glass.

Well, the anemone had a second attempt before I got the netting up over the intake. And he survived for about 2 days, and now he has gone away. :( As for the star I am going to take him to the LFS after the wedding this weekend. It has almost killed the one coral, it only goes after the 1, leaves the other one completely alone. I don't get it. Oh well, he will be going because I really want more coral. After I get the lighting upgraded of course. I will replace the anemone then too.