Hi, would like to consult some of you sifu's out there. Would you have any idea if hermit crabs can damage sps corals?
I only started keeping sps corals 3 months ago. Although most of sps lasted, many seemed to suffer from the same problem. The bottom part of the corals seem to die off (turn white) first as you can see from the pics below. Would any of you know why? I thought it might have something to do with lighting at first but one night, I caught two hermit crabs hanging around an sps frag from one of the corals that died. So could they be the culprits instead? Can anyone advise please?
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Are hermit crabs harmful to SPS?
Started by maximus, Sep 21 2007 05:49 PM
14 replies to this topic
#4
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Posted 21 September 2007 - 06:21 PM
Don't think that the cos of hermit crab. What's ur water parameter?
Tank : 60" x 30" x 29" ( with Anti-reflective glass front panel )
Sump : 44" x 24" x 16"
Lightings : Giesemann SPECTRA 2 x 250w with Giesemann MEGACHROME Marine blub
Lighting Supplement : 2 x 54w Actinic, 2 x 54w Aquablue plus
Chiller : Panasonic compressor with drop in coil
Skimmer : Bubble King SM 250
Calc. Reactor : Deltec PF 601
Kalk Reactor : Deltec KM 500
FR : ADV Reef FR
Flow Rate : Red Dragon II Titanium(Return) and Tunze TS24, 6060 & Tunze Wavebox
Controller : Aquatronica
Tank Running Since Nov 06
Sump : 44" x 24" x 16"
Lightings : Giesemann SPECTRA 2 x 250w with Giesemann MEGACHROME Marine blub
Lighting Supplement : 2 x 54w Actinic, 2 x 54w Aquablue plus
Chiller : Panasonic compressor with drop in coil
Skimmer : Bubble King SM 250
Calc. Reactor : Deltec PF 601
Kalk Reactor : Deltec KM 500
FR : ADV Reef FR
Flow Rate : Red Dragon II Titanium(Return) and Tunze TS24, 6060 & Tunze Wavebox
Controller : Aquatronica
Tank Running Since Nov 06
#5
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Posted 21 September 2007 - 06:52 PM
QUOTE(Iceman @ Sep 21 2007, 06:21 PM) 
Don't think that the cos of hermit crab. What's ur water parameter?
Thanks for responding to my call for help, bro Iceman. Here are my water parameters:
Temp - 26.8
SG - 1.023
pH - 8.3
kH - 7.0
NO3 - 15
PO4 - 1.0
Ca - 480
Mg - 1440
ORP - 265
I have recently added an Resun ozonizer to introduce O3 via my Berlin Classic Protein Skimmer. Am trying to raise my ORP to 350. I am also looking around for a bigger skimmer such as the Hydor Performer 1000DP to see if I can improve on my NO3 and PO4. Any suggestions? Tks.
#6
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Posted 21 September 2007 - 07:18 PM
QUOTE(maximus @ Sep 21 2007, 06:52 PM)
Thanks for responding to my call for help, bro Iceman. Here are my water parameters:
Temp - 26.8
SG - 1.023
pH - 8.3
kH - 7.0
NO3 - 15
PO4 - 1.0
Ca - 480
Mg - 1440
ORP - 265
I have recently added an Resun ozonizer to introduce O3 via my Berlin Classic Protein Skimmer. Am trying to raise my ORP to 350. I am also looking around for a bigger skimmer such as the Hydor Performer 1000DP to see if I can improve on my NO3 and PO4. Any suggestions? Tks.
is your PO4 1.0 or 0.1?
try spelling "stressed" backwards for the cure!
#7
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Posted 22 September 2007 - 12:23 AM
its a classical case of stn. i am sure the hermits arent responsible for the death of the sps. they are there more to pick of the dead tissues and other organisms that might be feeding on the dead tissues.
the stn is due to other causes...one of which is, is your po4 1.0 or 0.1???
the stn is due to other causes...one of which is, is your po4 1.0 or 0.1???
#8
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Posted 22 September 2007 - 04:18 AM
Agreed with decentkid....
More likely its a case of lack of proper flow around the base area of the coral, too low SG or maybe even too high po4...
More likely the Hermit crabs are there to eat the dying coral/tissue rather than being the one that attributed to its detriment.
More likely its a case of lack of proper flow around the base area of the coral, too low SG or maybe even too high po4...
More likely the Hermit crabs are there to eat the dying coral/tissue rather than being the one that attributed to its detriment.
#9
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Posted 22 September 2007 - 04:02 PM
OMG 
.Even my LPS tank i managed to keep nitrate stable at 10 through the use of LR.Think Nitrate too high.SG also mus kept at 1.024-1.030.Reccomended SG is 1.026.Your tank's SG is suitable for fish-only you know that???All i noe for SPS tank Nitrate shouldn't exceed 5ppm.If you can keep SPS i think you go buy some giant clams to lower PO4 and NO3.
.Even my LPS tank i managed to keep nitrate stable at 10 through the use of LR.Think Nitrate too high.SG also mus kept at 1.024-1.030.Reccomended SG is 1.026.Your tank's SG is suitable for fish-only you know that???All i noe for SPS tank Nitrate shouldn't exceed 5ppm.If you can keep SPS i think you go buy some giant clams to lower PO4 and NO3.
Heh heh heh!!!
#10
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Posted 23 September 2007 - 04:29 AM
Some SPS can actually tolerate quite a fair bit of NO3 while some are more sensitive, while the ideal is zero, 15ppm aint end of the world... 
I would be more concern of the po4 in the water...
I would be more concern of the po4 in the water...
#11
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Posted 24 September 2007 - 12:26 PM
Hi all bros & sis, thank you all for your comments. Unfortunately, my PO4 is indeed 1.0 and not 0.1. I have been using Rowaphos in an old eheim cannister filter to bring my PO4 down but guess 10 is the best it can do. I am therefore planning to buy a FR hopefully at the end of the month to configure a phosphate reactor. Hopefully I can bring my PO4 further down then.
As for SG, no i didn't know 1.023 is not good enough for sps. I thank you angelfishlover for bringing this up to my attention. I will try to raise my SG to 1.026 or higher. On you suggestion for using clams (please see attached pic), I do have two clams in the tank right now and they seem to be doing pretty well. Do I need to add more clams? How effective are clams in bringing down NO3 and PO4 anyway?
[attachmentid=16381]
As for SG, no i didn't know 1.023 is not good enough for sps. I thank you angelfishlover for bringing this up to my attention. I will try to raise my SG to 1.026 or higher. On you suggestion for using clams (please see attached pic), I do have two clams in the tank right now and they seem to be doing pretty well. Do I need to add more clams? How effective are clams in bringing down NO3 and PO4 anyway?
[attachmentid=16381]
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#12
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Posted 25 September 2007 - 03:03 PM
It will take a heck of alot of clams to bring down significant No3 Po4....a more ideal solution is to put more Po4 absorbing media... u mention u have rowaphos in your canister... how long has it been since you last changed it....
Get a FR asap... its a good Toy... if budget dowa not allow.. then put it in a high flow area,,,
Get a FR asap... its a good Toy... if budget dowa not allow.. then put it in a high flow area,,,
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#13
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Posted 25 September 2007 - 03:09 PM
Perhaps u want to check your KH 7 IMO is abit low...
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Thanks & Best Regards,
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Thanks & Best Regards,
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#14
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Posted 25 September 2007 - 03:57 PM
QUOTE(Copperband @ Sep 25 2007, 03:09 PM)
Perhaps u want to check your KH 7 IMO is abit low...
Thanks bro Copperband. I will watch my kH and PO4 as you have suggested.
#15
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Posted 25 September 2007 - 04:37 PM
Parameters like :
SG: 1.023
kH : 7dkh
are alright for an SPS tank, only thing is that if the kH dips, the corals are stressed at 5dkh, having the kH higher at say 10 will provide more buffer in case the kH drops... otherwise, if you can ensure you can keep kH at 7 constantly, it shouldn't pose any problems... bear in mind that NSW is typically 6-7 dkh normally...
Likewise, there's no reason why SPS cant be kept at SG 1.023 as long as it's stable and constant.
SG: 1.023
kH : 7dkh
are alright for an SPS tank, only thing is that if the kH dips, the corals are stressed at 5dkh, having the kH higher at say 10 will provide more buffer in case the kH drops... otherwise, if you can ensure you can keep kH at 7 constantly, it shouldn't pose any problems... bear in mind that NSW is typically 6-7 dkh normally...
Likewise, there's no reason why SPS cant be kept at SG 1.023 as long as it's stable and constant.
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