Another stargass keeper

Harmsway · 10/21/2005, 12:02 PM

I'm joining the club of seagrass keepers. I collected this small group from the Indian River Lagoon this past weekend. The pic isn't the best but you can see the new growth coming out from the front. Wow in only a few days.

My sandbed is about 4.5 inches deep.

Well I'm off to the photography forum to learn how to take better aquarium pictures.

Gene

Samala · 10/21/2005, 01:00 PM

Looks great! Just wait till you have a big field of them.

Gene is using considerably less light than I have been using (6, 7 or 10wpg) so its been nice to see that this species is so flexible with light.

>Sarah

piercho · 10/21/2005, 05:12 PM

Mines still going strong, even after the move and having to replace my "seasoned" DSB. This is a great grass, just a little "tender" and grazable. Thanks again, Sarah.

Harmsway · 10/22/2005, 08:55 PM

My angelfish hasn't eating any of it. Do you think a tank would?

Gene

Samala · 10/22/2005, 11:57 PM

A tang? I think a tang would find it absolutely delicious!

Known grazers of stargrass so far:

Urchins
Nass snails (little brats!)
Turbos, but strangely, not astreas
Rabbitfish
Lawn mower blenny
stop-light parrotfish seemed really interested
yellar tang

.. and, when offered, a green turtle said thank you for the foliage.. why we did this I dont remember now. I think manatees munch Halophilas too.. though if you are keeping either manatees or turtles in your tank, you have bigger problems than growing stargrass.

I'm sure there are many more species that would eat it if they had access but I havent had the chance to offer it to a lot of species yet. Many of these were bad run-ins in people's tanks whom I've sent grass too.

But... if you already own the tang.. offer it one of the older blooms.. see if it seems interested. Cant hurt.

>Sarah

piercho · 10/23/2005, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Do you think a tank would?

I've had good luck with a Kole tang and stargrass. I would guess that any of the combtooth tangs like a Kole or Chevron would not graze the grass. They do rasp the leaves to get the tender epiphytes off, and that seems beneficial to the grass, as far as I can tell. A medium-sized Siganus species rabbitfish wiped my first try out in a couple of day. I kept this grass growing in a tray in my sump until I got another chance. Its the easiest grass to grow, IME, and the most prone to getting grazed.

Harmsway · 10/25/2005, 09:41 AM

The only fish I have in the tank is a little blue angelfish. He has left the stargrass alone so far. The grass continues to grow.

Gene

ERICinFL · 11/05/2005, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Harmsway
... I collected this small group from the Indian River Lagoon this past weekend.
Gene

Where did you find it? I live right near the Indian River around the H&H bridge area.

10/21/2005, 12:02 PM	#1
Harmsway Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 94	Another stargass keeper I'm joining the club of seagrass keepers. I collected this small group from the Indian River Lagoon this past weekend. The pic isn't the best but you can see the new growth coming out from the front. Wow in only a few days. My sandbed is about 4.5 inches deep. Well I'm off to the photography forum to learn how to take better aquarium pictures. Gene

10/21/2005, 01:00 PM	#2
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	Looks great! Just wait till you have a big field of them. Gene is using considerably less light than I have been using (6, 7 or 10wpg) so its been nice to see that this species is so flexible with light. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

10/21/2005, 05:12 PM	#3
piercho Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Puget Sound Posts: 2,193	Mines still going strong, even after the move and having to replace my "seasoned" DSB. This is a great grass, just a little "tender" and grazable. Thanks again, Sarah. __________________ Howard Current Tank Info: 65G reef shut down 2007. 25G planted.

10/22/2005, 11:57 PM	#5
Samala Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,930	A tang? I think a tang would find it absolutely delicious! Known grazers of stargrass so far: Urchins Nass snails (little brats!) Turbos, but strangely, not astreas Rabbitfish Lawn mower blenny stop-light parrotfish seemed really interested yellar tang .. and, when offered, a green turtle said thank you for the foliage.. why we did this I dont remember now. I think manatees munch Halophilas too.. though if you are keeping either manatees or turtles in your tank, you have bigger problems than growing stargrass. I'm sure there are many more species that would eat it if they had access but I havent had the chance to offer it to a lot of species yet. Many of these were bad run-ins in people's tanks whom I've sent grass too. But... if you already own the tang.. offer it one of the older blooms.. see if it seems interested. Cant hurt. >Sarah __________________ "Seaweed is cool, seaweed is fun, it makes its food from the rays of the sun!"

10/22/2005, 08:55 PM	#4
Harmsway Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 94	My angelfish hasn't eating any of it. Do you think a tank would? Gene

10/25/2005, 09:41 AM	#7
Harmsway Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Florida Posts: 94	The only fish I have in the tank is a little blue angelfish. He has left the stargrass alone so far. The grass continues to grow. Gene