12g tank load?

[chrisstie]

Well, our 12g is just about cycled and we are getting ready to prepare our cleanup crew.

Since the tank is still relatively new and there isn't too much visable stuff to clean up, I don't want to overload the tank so I was thinking 6-8 blue leg hermits, 1 smaller turbo snail -more as needed, tank is still looking relatively clean(astrea its called? Still learning all of the scientific names!)..

And we are hoping to make this a home for just one clownfish in the future. Would it be system overload if I were to get a shrimp to go with like a peppermint? They are *so* cute I would love to have one of the more colorful and interesting crustaceans with our display but want to keep a very balanced and healthy load on the 12 gallon.

I will post more pics to my original aquapod post too once we select our new guys :)
Thanks for answering yet another newb question too!!!

[funman1]

That may be abit much on the hermits. I bought 10 for my 12G and ended up trading most them away because they got big and I needed less of them..
everything you listed should have no problems with regular water changes and carbon filtering.

[chrisstie]

Please forgive my ignorance but could you explain why I would want to use carbon filtering for that kind of setup? And yeah from what I understand you want few hermits so they don't starve.

[hairymushroom]

CArbon removes various toxins and metals from your water , it prevents your water from having a 'yellow' tint to it, and also removes chemicals produced by some soft corals like leathers. you might want to add a few more snails as well. shrimp should be fine.
HTH

[chrisstie]

From what I have raid using carbon is more of a personal preference- if you wait long enough for your tanks eco system to stabalize and become really balanced you wouldn't need it.

My setup will let me use it.. hmm not sure if i want to or neet do

[hairymushroom]

If iT will bEnefit your system, why not use it?

[Sk8r]

You might go to a site like Live Aquaria.com and look at nanofish...as in...really small fishes. They will have a choice of types you might not know exist.

[chrisstie]

I got home from a really nice LFS and I ended up with 3 margarita snails (great for the holiday weekend right?!) 3 red legged hermits, and 3 of the little turbo snails that dive under the sand.

They said I could probably get a peppermint shrimp too if I wanted (i'll get pics up as soon as i take them) but didn't have any in stock.

I liked the look of the skunk shrimp - there are any large differences? Guess I have to do some shrimp homework for the coming weeks ahead :)

[hairymushroom]

I wouldnt sUggest putting a shrimp in a 'almost cycled' tank. give it a month or two. LFS arent the best sources of info IME

[lessans]

Like hairymushroom said, wait until the tank is completely cycled to put any animals in. I don't know how 2 different species of shrimp will act together, but I do know that a clownfish and a skunk cleaner shrimp is alright. Skunk cleaner shrimp are so cool. Whenever I get my hand close enough to the shrimp in the tank the shrimp crawls all over my hand and arm scavenging. It's such a weird sensation.

[a4twenty]

go with the skunk cleaner, IME the peppermints tend to hide by day and usually end up in the overflow ( or smashed down in the sump ). cleaner shrimp have lots of character and as lessans said become quite accustomed to human contact. ( mine does the same, whenever my hand does in the tank he / she tries to give me a good cleaning )

oh yeah, i agree with both of them wait for a month or two after the tank is fully cycled.

[chrisstie]

We are planning to wait a month or so to do this so no worries! We know to go slow and Sea in the City in orlando is as awesome as they say :)