There are many different types of Saltwater Shrimp available for the salt water reef aquarium. One of the most common Cleaner Shrimp in the saltwater aquarium trade are the Banded Coral Shrimp also known as a Boxer Shrimp. These Shrimp are typically obtained for Ornamental, worm control and cleaner properties, Banded Coral shrimp are very good scavengers that make a good addition to any reef tank if you don’t mind a semi-aggressive shrimp.
Banded Coral Shrimp are native to the Caribbean and their scientific name is Stenopus hispidus. They thrive in an environment with temperatures in the 72-80F range and a salinity factor of the average reef aquarium from 1.023-1.025. They can get as big as 3 inches with their antennae growing up to 6inches and are Carnivores. They scavenge the reefs live rock for food matter especially meaty foods such as decaying fish. Banded Coral Shrimp are mainly nocturnal and will do most of their scavenging at night however they can be active during the day especially if food is offered to them or your tank. The Banded Coral Shrimp are notorious worm killers, I initially purchased my shrimp to control my huge population of bristle worms. This shrimp will however kill other worms including feather dusters ( I have lost 4 feather dusters in the last 4 yours to this shrimp).
A Banded Coral Shrimp sits on a Montipora Coral
I have witnessed my Banded Coral Shrimp can show aggressive behavior to smaller tank mates (gobies, blennies) when not properly fed or if the tank is so clean that they cannot scavenge anything. They often wave their Antennae to sense when food is in the water. If not enough food can be scavenged in your reef aquarium then it is suggested to supplement your banded Coral Shrimp with meaty foods ,bits of silversides, krill or mysis shrimp are among favorites of my Shrimp.
As with all salt water invertebrates; the use of copper medication in your reef tank is strictly forbidden, please keep tabs on all pH changes and avoid at all costs handling your boxer shrimp, those huge claws can leave a rather nasty pinch. A good amount of live rock is a must for this species of shrimp as they use it for shelter, food and safety. Drip Acclimation is required when first purchased.
The Video above is one of my Banded Coral Shrimp just hanging out on the rock work in my reef aquarium.
Out of all the difficult choices a reef aquarist has to endure when setting up a Reef Aquarium is deciding on what their aquarium will look like. Reef aquarium aquascaping is a pleasure to some and a pain to others, for me its a little bit of both. I have changed the look of my aquarium several (dozen?) times over the last five years and endured the pleasure and pain of the aquascaping experience.
If I had to tell a new reef aquarium hobbyist how to plan and change there reef aquascaping I probably couldn’t, after all beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I could, however, give some pointers on what should be done to provide a safe living environment for the new owners livestock.
First, Consider your coral and fish’s water flow needs, so that you can get a better understanding on how your live rock placement will effect your reef tank’s water movement. Live rock comes in all different shapes and sizes and if you are fortunate enough to live near a good fish store then you can usually hand pick the pieces that you want. But before you do all the live rock picking, you should come up with a plan for your rock placement. Live Rock should not be obtrusive in that it will block water movement but should be placed so that it will assist it, creating canyons, slopes, valleys and pillars will help assist this. To assist holding your live rock in place it is recommended that you superglue, putty (aquarium safe) or drill in PVC or plastic dowels into your rock work. While this is recommended by many reefers it is somewhat permanent and not necessary in most cases.
Keep in mind that certain corals have specific requirements that have to be met for the welfare of the coral, this usually include height and substrate placement. Also if you are going to have corals with sweeping tentacles then its important that they can not reach other corals. Always research your corals and make sure that they will fit your reef environment.
Here are a few examples of reef aquarium aquascaping.
Notice how on the above picture the rock work is not entirely laying on the sand.
The above picture I like to refer to as the Valley, this is an actual hobbyists reef aquarium and not an imaged picture.
The most daunting task for a beginner saltwater aquarium owner is choosing the right live rock to use in their aquarium. There are many different choices between the origin of the live rock, the size, porosity and price. Many beginning reef keepers are confused by the concept of using live reef rock as filtration for the marine aquarium and for may aquarists the concept is still shrouded in mystery.
So what is live rock anyway?
Live rock is merely rock that is collected in a natural reef or aquacultured from “seeded” rock in a plot in the ocean. This rock is generally dead coral skeletons that have broken off there mother colonies in storms or other natural and unnatural events. If this broken colony cannot support itself from the mother colony then it slowly dies and leaves behind a coral skeleton. This coral skeleton over time will become part of the reef and will become a host for beneficial nitrifying bacteria, other corals and anything else that wishes to inhabit it. Aquacultured Live rock is usually porous rock collected from a land area and is dropped in the ocean. Over time this aquacultured rock will become home to many different types of organisms and beneficial bacteria, this rock is usually collected after several months to a year and is sold to reefers world wide. Although it can be debated, aquacultured live rock is generally less porous then its natural counterpart and therefore more heavier.
How does the bacteria help my saltwater aquarium?
Live rock as I mentioned above is porous therefor creating deep holes in the rocks structure. These holes are home to nitrifying bacteria that create natural filtration for the saltwater aquarium. This nitrifying bacteria breaks down ammonia into nitrites and then breaks it down further into nitrate. The “die-off” from bacteria, plants and animals from shipping and exposure from air create a nitrite cycle. Once the live rock is placed into the aquarium the bacteria will start to regrow and will convert the present ammonia and nitrite.
The many types of live rock.
Naturally collect reef rock comes mainly from the southern pacific, places such as marshal islands, Tonga and Fiji currently prevail as live rock providers although the Caribbean is making a stronger presence in the live rock arena. There are many names for live rock grades and shapes. Tonga is known for its shelf, branch and ultra grade live rock, each name describes its characteristics. Ultra grade Tonga is generally live rock that has a very good amount of organisms and coralline algae on it. Branching Tonga live rock is just that, it looks like branches. Shelf live rock is merely slabs of rock that look similar to slate slabs. To better know your live rock it helps to know the corals that are indigenous to the area that the rock is found in, after all these corals made the rock to begin with.
How do I choose the right rock for my saltwater aquarium?
While some people will tell you that one live rock is better then another it simply is not true. All live rock are created equal with the exception of the shipper. Choosing the right live rock for your aquarium is merely a matter of taste and preference. for instance I prefer to have Fiji rock in my aquarium, I prefer the softball sized rock over all others because of its ease to move around and to create little niches for my fish to hide in. I have seen many beautiful Tonga branch aquariums and stunning saltwater displays with Tonga branch. But my preference for Fiji live rock has not stopped me from purchasing marshal island and Tonga branch pieces, after all bio-diversity is a key element for any reef aquarium.
What are Hitchhikers?
Hitchhikers is a term coined by reefkeepers referring to live organisms other then bacteria, that arrive on the rock once it has been received by the reefkeeper. These hitchhikers can be just about anything that lived in the area where the live rock has been collected and can be good or bad. Some common hitchhikers can be worms such as bristleworms, peanut worms and spaghetti worms. You could also get crabs, corals, and fish as hitchhikers while these may be a little bit more uncommon and they may not live through the shipping and cycling process they are definitely eye openers for the reefkeeper.
This rock is generally dead coral skeletons that have broken off there mother colonies in storms or other natural and unnatural events. If this broken colony cannot support itself from the mother colony then it slowly dies and leaves behind a coral skeleton. This coral skeleton over time will become part of the reef and will become a host for beneficial nitrifying bacteria, other corals and anything else that wishes to inhabit it. Aquacultured Live rock is usually porous rock collected from a land area and is dropped in the ocean. Over time this aquacultured rock will become home to many different types of organisms and beneficial bacteria, this rock is usually collected after several months to a year and is sold to reefers world wide. Although it can be debated, aquacultured live rock is generally less porous then its natural counterpart and therefore more heavier.
The many types of live rock.
