Invert Compatibility

[ReefCheif]

SO I recently scored a Fluval 5gal AIO. Once I get this set up my plan is to run this with 2 TruLumen 12" Led Strips, one all blue and one 50/50. Due to my recent experiences in fooling around with DIY filtration upgrades to the bio cube I will also be making a custom filter box for the exisiting filter area to house media.

Tank will also have a modified 2 gallon shrimp breeder used as a HOB fuge (those that have seen my 29 gallon know what Im talking about) that will house cheato.

Thinking about going with black sand in this one and running a simple skimmer of some type, probably the old coralife biocube skimmer I have laying around.

For coral Im thinking stricktly zoas (since this wont cost me any money to stock with high end pieces) as well as a couple ultra flower nems and i know the LEDs can grow these.

For livestock Im thinking solely inverts, NO FISH and this is where my question comes in. Id like to do a small harem of sexy shrimp, a harlequin or 2 and possibly a pom pom crab. Will I have compatibility issues with these guys? Ive kept them all at one point or another, just never kept any of them together, so Im not sure. Figure before I go setting my self up for failure and investing in expensive snacks I better make sure these guys can live together happily in a smaller tank.

Thoughts? Advice?

 

[Justin144]

I think they would be fine IMO. That size of a tank though I would watch for territory aggression with the pom pom . Make sure theres a lot of live rock and caves/overhangs are key.
try and add them at the same time if possible or add the pom pom last.

Good luck sounds like it will be a sweet nano

 

[greeleyram3]

My pompom is fairly peaceful except when my cleaner shrimp trys to snatch some of his food from him.

 

[Jeremiah]

I had 5 sexy shrimp 2 pom pom crabs and 2 emerald crabs in my 16 and never had any aggression issues...only thing I ever noticed was if the emeralds tried to go into pom poms cave you would see the pom pom smack him on the head and then look like he was trying to stiff arm him.

i will say keep the sexy shrimp fed, mine started digging at Zoa. I saw one poop a stream of bam bam orange...caught another with the bright orange on his hands.

finally removed them...I never really saw the pom poms and the sexy would just annoy the zoas. Even when not eating them, the zoas always ended up closed from being walked over. The sexy shrimp once ate a head of hammer.

i don't think I fed enough for them because when I first got them and made sure to hand feed them every day I had no issued. Basically I would make sure I gave each on a shrimp in the morning and set night. Then I got lazy....

 

[sethsolomon]

Yah IMO don't get sexy shrimp. Get a different decorative shrimp like a blood shrimp or weird like a yellow line shrimp.

 

[jda123]

I have fire, cleaner, peppermint and harlequin in with emeralds in my 240. There is an abundance of food and starfish (thousands) to eat.

I would skip the harlequin since you likely will never be able to keep enough starfish to keep it alive, but otherwise, they appear to get along if you keep them well fed.

 

[ReefCheif]

I have fire, cleaner, peppermint and harlequin in with emeralds in my 240. There is an abundance of food and starfish (thousands) to eat.

I would skip the harlequin since you likely will never be able to keep enough starfish to keep it alive, but otherwise, they appear to get along if you keep them well fed.

I will have plenty of starfish on hand with 2 other tanks also running as well as the chocolate chips i plan on keeping in the sump. Food for the harlequin will never be an issue.