[Michael Hoaster]

So you're going the caribbean biotope route? Obviously I'm stoked, but having been there for a while, I'll say it does kinda limit your options. You could call it a seagrass lagoon biotope (and not say caribbean) and you'll have way more options. Seagrass lagoons occur world wide. Just recently I came very close to doing this myself. Just a thought! Those shrimp fish are not caribbean…

Yep, mollies are caribbean, or floribbean biotope correct, and one of the best utility fish I can name! Their mouths are the perfect size to clean the grasses, as apposed to say, the red lipped blenny, which is the caribbean equivalent of a lawnmower blenny. Plus they are livebearers. They effectively turn algae into feeder fish! I bet a puffer would love that! They are also the only animal I have actually witnessed eating cyano bacteria. They work hardest for you if you don't feed them.

Mini strombus snails are also excellent for cleaning grasses. Indo Pacific Sea Farms is the only source I know for them. C. argi might help too, I don't know. The filefish might nibble at some epiphytes but they don't eat algae. I'm assuming you're talking about the aiptasia eating variety, which isn't caribbean. Unfortunately, they also go after worms, gorgonians and anemones.

Sure, I'd still call it a biotope. Look at mine: royal grammas are hardly considered a seagrass resident, but I believe you could find them there, hanging out by the mudbank. I've seen them in two feet of water under docks. Also remember the seagrass lagoon is the nursery for nearly every fish, so if you start with juveniles, you're good! I've taken a few liberties and the biotope police haven't come around to arrest me yet. I'm pretty close though.

My tank is brackish. I keep it at 1.018 or 25 ppt-the preferred manatee grass salinity. Fish, gorgonians, anemones and sponges all do great in it. Lower salinity actually reduces fishes' work to osmoregulate, making their lives a little easier. I doubt I will ever run a tank at natural seawater levels again. I think turtle grass does prefer higher salinity, between 30-35 ppt.

Hope this helps!