Critter questions

[ICE JUICE]

I recently purchased live rock that had two red mithrax crabs two snails a filter feeder that looks like a clam and a clam. I just started to cycle my aquarium and want to know if these critters will survive? Do I need to feed the crabs? I don't know exactly what they are eating but they pinch at the rocks all day. Today I noticed a leaf from some halimeda in one crabs grasp and I don't want the little guys to starve. Can I like tweezer them some pieces of brine shrimp while this tank cycles? 75g 60lbs dry rock 15lbs live rock 80lbs live sand. Just started cycling Dec 31.

[Dkuhlmann]

They won't live through the cycle.

[ICE JUICE]

Ok. Everything seems fine right now I guess. The clam is eating I guess not much in the water I suppose since its new and the crabs are constantly picking. I will put a piece of something in there.

[ICE JUICE]

So I went and bought brine shrimp and reptile tweezers. Pinched some food and both crabs ate and the aptasia or anemone or whatever it is ate also.


http://i1379.photobucket.com/albums/ah145/ICE_JUICE/First%20Saltwater%20Tank/86FF8FBB-937A-4A80-8789-CBC2B59882A3_zpsr9qy4cor.jpg (http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/ICE_JUICE/media/First%20Saltwater%20Tank/86FF8FBB-937A-4A80-8789-CBC2B59882A3_zpsr9qy4cor.jpg.html)URL=http://s1379.photobucke

[Sugar Magnolia]

That's a majanos, pest anemone.

[C.Eymann]

They won't live through the cycle.

if the live rock is already well cured this isn't necessarily true.

[Dkuhlmann]

That's a big IF, I'll be surprised if there is no ammonia spike.

[C.Eymann]

Established, well cured live rock will already have a good population of nitrifying bacteria and if the new aquarium has enough of it and livestock is added in a responsible manner there is no reason to believe the tank will experience an ammonia spike.

[ICE JUICE]

I didn't have any ammonia, nitrites or nitrates after I put the rock in. I wanted a cycle to start so I dosed ammonia after live rock was in about 2 days. the tanks has been running with live rock and ammonia since last Thursday. I dosed the 3 ppm ammonia and its still at that level or just a tad under as of today. I had a slight amount of nitrites per api test kit this morning it was a litter darker than the light blue and same goes for the nitrate as it was slightly darker than the yellow. I did have a small amount of coralline algae to turn white but that's it. I tried to get the lady at my lfs to pull the snails and crabs off but she couldn't. none of the critters that I can visibly see have died thus far so maybe they will survive. when one of the crabs that usually hides all day came out and started eating leaves I just figured they might be hungry because its nothing in the tank besides what they came in on. I did feed them brine shrimp last night both crabs and i also saw a very small crab come out of a hole in the live rock to eat so i have 3 now. also that majanos ate and its a lot bigger today than i originally thought it was. once it ate it extended fully and i thought that was pretty cool to see.

[ICE JUICE]

What kind of clam is this and should it be turned over? I have three like it in the same position. Came on the live rock.http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/ICE_JUICE/media/First%20Saltwater%20Tank/893CFC87-C606-4D60-8DAD-6340E8CBFAE1_zps0rigggrb.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3

[ICE JUICE]

http://s1379.photobucket.com/user/ICE_JUICE/media/First%20Saltwater%20Tank/06CDD555-0BBA-4322-99D3-10F649AC78D1_zpscg7akbac.jpg.html?sort=3&o=2