Small unique or species tank suggestions/ideas?

DamnPepShrimp · 02/04/2008, 08:47 PM

I am looking to set up a small tank in my room just for something different. I already have a 110g mixed reef. I have several tanks I could use, 6g, 10g, 15g, 20g, 30g, 40B. I'd want to use one of those tanks. I have misc filters, skimmers, pumps and lights (NO or VHOs) that I could use, as well as extra live rock (+300lbs in my reef) and sand if needed (3 30lb bags unused).

So I am looking for ideas for a cool unique tank, maybe species. I'd probably run a HOB skimmer and a HOB fuge for filtration, maybe VHO lighting, no sump. I am considering the following but open to all suggestions!
Mantis shrimp
Harlequin Shrimp
Scorpion Fish
Angler

I also have a carpet anemone that I'd like out of my 110g system, I was considering putting this in the unique tank, maybe with a pair of clowns, pair of jawfish and something like a pair of harlequin shrimp or an angler?I just don't know if I want to have another tank I'd have to feed every day with clowns/jawfish. I'd love a peacock mantis shrimp, but afraid he'd break my glass tank. I'd probably go with the 40B, depending on what I put in the tank.

So lets hear any unique/cool ideas for a bedroom tank!

reefergeorge · 02/04/2008, 08:59 PM

I have always wanted to do a frogfish/ angler tank. A 40 would be great.

DamnPepShrimp · 02/04/2008, 09:00 PM

Yeah, I am leaning towards that as well. I'd have to do a lot of research first. I won't be upgrading, so I don't know what species would be ok for life in a 40b. Also, do you know if I could keep anything else with the angler? Any kind of other fish, invert, or coral?

burton14e7 · 02/04/2008, 09:02 PM

If you get a tall you could do a seahorse tank. Also ever since I saw an octopus tank I've always wanted one. So cool to watch them show off for you and play with their toys....and hunt.

DamnPepShrimp · 02/04/2008, 09:29 PM

I forgot about seahorses or an octopus! How big would a tank have to be though? The 40b, 30g and 20g are all only 16" high. I'd like to use what I have. I don't know if there are any seahorses that could fit in a 40b? I could make it like a refugium reef type tank, natural algaes etc, very cool idea! I considered an octopus a while back, but they only live for about a year in captivity I hear? I'd have to do a lot of research! Thanks for the ideas.

If anyone else has any ideas or can chime in with help on how to take care of a special species tank, it would be greatly appreciated! Habitat, tank size, lighting/filtration, diet, compatability etc, thanks!

burton14e7 · 02/04/2008, 09:55 PM

My buddy had an octupus that lived 3 years, but generally 1-2 same with seahorses i believe. They're all smaller tank spieces but typically you want something taller for the seahorses so your tanks wouldn't work too well. The octo I saw was in a 30g hex but I'm no expert on them. I just liked watching them

iamwhatiam52 · 02/04/2008, 10:12 PM

Tiny gobies and shrimp!
I have 15 gobies and 5 shrimp in a 20 gal with a few shrimp and mostly soft corals.

Pair of Stenopus (small type with blue thorax)
2 sexy shrimp
1 Holthius shrimp

GOBIES
2 clown
3 masked
5 Eviota
4 Trimma
1 rainford

In the last year and a half I've lost only 2 gobies and added the rainford, so population is stable and happy.

DamnPepShrimp · 02/04/2008, 10:19 PM

Burton, what kind of octopus? I'd think a 40b would be good enough for pygmy ones. I need to find out what species would do best and do my research on that. I knew a guy who had one in a 30g cube. It died a few months after he got it though, he didn't really take care of it though. I will definitely be doing my research before I buy anything at all though.

iam, wow! That is a lot of fish! But you have it tied into your 180g so it would be fine. Mine will be sumpless, so I don't know, might be too much of a bioload. I am still looking for something a little more exotic or not commonly seen, definitely want a cool unique factor tank. Do you have any pics of your 20? It would be interesting to see.

The octopus really has me going, seahorses would be nice as well. I've always liked mantis shrimp, but afraid it would break my glass. Angler is probably a possibility, but I'd like something a little more unique, seems a lot of people have them.

ManotheSea · 02/04/2008, 10:21 PM

I have been experimenting with sponges. With a few tips I think anyone could keep a Sponge Garden successfully. Mine are doing very well. I even have several in QT that were found out of the water on the beach and they are regenerating.

The colors are very nice. I have bright baby blue, plum purple, red, orange, yellow, brown, black and green sponges. You could set up a Sponge Garden and keep starfish, seahorses, fish.

They require low lights and high flow. Perfect for a bedroom. Set it up with a skimmer, live rock, dsb and you can play with what ever low lighting you have. See what look you like. Low light eliminates algae proplems. Dont skimp on water quality because I feel that is one key to keeping them healthy. I have only put a small amount of Dt's phyto in the tank one time the other day and the purpose was for the benefit of the pods. The sponges have always done great with no supplemental feeding at all.

This is a shot of my Sponge QT.

A shot of my beginning Sponge Garden

.

DamnPepShrimp · 02/04/2008, 10:26 PM

Pretty cool, I love the colors and diversity of the tank. But I would want some movement as well in there. Maybe I would add sponges to the tank with a angler, mantis, octo or seahorses. I definitely want a few corals/sponges/inverts etc in there, along with some sort of other creature. I want the tank natural looking, especially if I go with seahorses or an angler/octo. I think a mantis would destroy a lot of the rockwork/corals.

02/04/2008, 08:47 PM	#1
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	Small unique or species tank suggestions/ideas? I am looking to set up a small tank in my room just for something different. I already have a 110g mixed reef. I have several tanks I could use, 6g, 10g, 15g, 20g, 30g, 40B. I'd want to use one of those tanks. I have misc filters, skimmers, pumps and lights (NO or VHOs) that I could use, as well as extra live rock (+300lbs in my reef) and sand if needed (3 30lb bags unused). So I am looking for ideas for a cool unique tank, maybe species. I'd probably run a HOB skimmer and a HOB fuge for filtration, maybe VHO lighting, no sump. I am considering the following but open to all suggestions! Mantis shrimp Harlequin Shrimp Scorpion Fish Angler I also have a carpet anemone that I'd like out of my 110g system, I was considering putting this in the unique tank, maybe with a pair of clowns, pair of jawfish and something like a pair of harlequin shrimp or an angler?I just don't know if I want to have another tank I'd have to feed every day with clowns/jawfish. I'd love a peacock mantis shrimp, but afraid he'd break my glass tank. I'd probably go with the 40B, depending on what I put in the tank. So lets hear any unique/cool ideas for a bedroom tank!

02/04/2008, 08:59 PM	#2
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	I have always wanted to do a frogfish/ angler tank. A 40 would be great. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

02/04/2008, 09:02 PM	#4
burton14e7 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Keller, Tx Posts: 2,009	If you get a tall you could do a seahorse tank. Also ever since I saw an octopus tank I've always wanted one. So cool to watch them show off for you and play with their toys....and hunt. __________________ Go Lakers! Current Tank Info: Currently awaiting relapse.

02/04/2008, 09:55 PM	#6
burton14e7 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Keller, Tx Posts: 2,009	My buddy had an octupus that lived 3 years, but generally 1-2 same with seahorses i believe. They're all smaller tank spieces but typically you want something taller for the seahorses so your tanks wouldn't work too well. The octo I saw was in a 30g hex but I'm no expert on them. I just liked watching them __________________ Go Lakers! Current Tank Info: Currently awaiting relapse.

02/04/2008, 10:12 PM	#7
iamwhatiam52 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Freeport, NY Posts: 1,466	Tiny gobies and shrimp! I have 15 gobies and 5 shrimp in a 20 gal with a few shrimp and mostly soft corals. Pair of Stenopus (small type with blue thorax) 2 sexy shrimp 1 Holthius shrimp GOBIES 2 clown 3 masked 5 Eviota 4 Trimma 1 rainford In the last year and a half I've lost only 2 gobies and added the rainford, so population is stable and happy. __________________ Occupation: Need one. Will work for salt. Current Tank Info: 180 mixed up reef started April 2005. 4 small tanks on same sump.

02/04/2008, 09:00 PM	#3
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	Yeah, I am leaning towards that as well. I'd have to do a lot of research first. I won't be upgrading, so I don't know what species would be ok for life in a 40b. Also, do you know if I could keep anything else with the angler? Any kind of other fish, invert, or coral?

02/04/2008, 09:29 PM	#5
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	I forgot about seahorses or an octopus! How big would a tank have to be though? The 40b, 30g and 20g are all only 16" high. I'd like to use what I have. I don't know if there are any seahorses that could fit in a 40b? I could make it like a refugium reef type tank, natural algaes etc, very cool idea! I considered an octopus a while back, but they only live for about a year in captivity I hear? I'd have to do a lot of research! Thanks for the ideas. If anyone else has any ideas or can chime in with help on how to take care of a special species tank, it would be greatly appreciated! Habitat, tank size, lighting/filtration, diet, compatability etc, thanks!

02/04/2008, 10:19 PM	#8
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	Burton, what kind of octopus? I'd think a 40b would be good enough for pygmy ones. I need to find out what species would do best and do my research on that. I knew a guy who had one in a 30g cube. It died a few months after he got it though, he didn't really take care of it though. I will definitely be doing my research before I buy anything at all though. iam, wow! That is a lot of fish! But you have it tied into your 180g so it would be fine. Mine will be sumpless, so I don't know, might be too much of a bioload. I am still looking for something a little more exotic or not commonly seen, definitely want a cool unique factor tank. Do you have any pics of your 20? It would be interesting to see. The octopus really has me going, seahorses would be nice as well. I've always liked mantis shrimp, but afraid it would break my glass. Angler is probably a possibility, but I'd like something a little more unique, seems a lot of people have them.

02/04/2008, 10:21 PM	#9
ManotheSea Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: FL Posts: 414	I have been experimenting with sponges. With a few tips I think anyone could keep a Sponge Garden successfully. Mine are doing very well. I even have several in QT that were found out of the water on the beach and they are regenerating. The colors are very nice. I have bright baby blue, plum purple, red, orange, yellow, brown, black and green sponges. You could set up a Sponge Garden and keep starfish, seahorses, fish. They require low lights and high flow. Perfect for a bedroom. Set it up with a skimmer, live rock, dsb and you can play with what ever low lighting you have. See what look you like. Low light eliminates algae proplems. Dont skimp on water quality because I feel that is one key to keeping them healthy. I have only put a small amount of Dt's phyto in the tank one time the other day and the purpose was for the benefit of the pods. The sponges have always done great with no supplemental feeding at all. This is a shot of my Sponge QT. A shot of my beginning Sponge Garden .

02/04/2008, 10:26 PM	#10
DamnPepShrimp Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 5,152	Pretty cool, I love the colors and diversity of the tank. But I would want some movement as well in there. Maybe I would add sponges to the tank with a angler, mantis, octo or seahorses. I definitely want a few corals/sponges/inverts etc in there, along with some sort of other creature. I want the tank natural looking, especially if I go with seahorses or an angler/octo. I think a mantis would destroy a lot of the rockwork/corals.