# H. histrio Sagassum Fish tank



## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

I am looking to start up a species specific tank with a Sargassum Fish (Histrio histrio) and I was wondering what would be required to care for it?

I was thinking a 35 gal tank (most sites say 30+ but others say 50+) with a cover (they can flip/jump out of the water) and a protein skimmer and some live rock. I was thinking of snails for a clean up crew. I was also thinking of having a type of Gracillaria or caluerpa macro algae for it to hide in as well. If I can find somewhere to get sargassum weed of some type then I'll add that in too.

I am willing to feed live foods

Please say if i missed anything that I would need to care for it. Thanks


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

That all sounds like a pretty decent tank setup for one,make sure your local fish store carries the proper foods ahead of time unless you are keeping another system to have the shrimps and fish on demand.Once in a while you can feed em a cheap damsel or chromis. I would make sure that the tank be setup for several weeks or a month as to ensure the system is properly cycled,you don't want any spike in your chemistry.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

O.K. I'm going to bump this post instead of making a new one.

So I'm still getting the 35 gal tank and the H. histrio, but I think that I want to make a marine "planted" tank as well. The macro algae will let the H. histrio hide, but I want to make sure that the one I've picked out will work. So I was thinking about:

Animals-
Sargassum Frogfish
Harlequin Serpent Star

Macros-
Either Hypnea pannosa or blue ochtodes
Either Cladophora prolifera or maiden's hair
Blue Scroll
Either Red grape caulerpa or dragon's breath
Baggy seaweed

I'll have live rock, but I don't know what substrate to use in between the rocks. Fine? Coarse? 

I know I'll need a skimmer and probably a power head too. 

Please let me know if I missed anything or if you have any suggestions


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

A quality skimmer and some good flow will make a big difference in keeping your water chemistry in check not to mention the growth of the macros will make managing your nitrates and phosphates a bit easier. I love brittle stars and serpent stars, interesting characters that serve as great cleanup scavengers of uneaten food stuffs, I have a couple that will take food from my hand.

I have never been a fan of fine sand unless you have an animal that really appreciates it. The finer sands can be kicked up from pumps and get inside filters. It also make it rather difficult to do a gravel vac without suctioning out some sand too. I might suggest a medium grade aragonite.

I do like Blue Ochtodes
I find that cladophora iis rather invasive and harder to get off of the rock work one it takes foot. It does look nice like a nice moss though.
I have never seen Blue Scroll algae just Brown, it always reminded me of a tye of fungus that grows out of dead wood or old trees.
I love red grape and dragons breath so I would try both of those,not sure on the Baggy Seaweed?


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

badxgillen said:


> A quality skimmer and some good flow will make a big difference in keeping your water chemistry in check not to mention the growth of the macros will make managing your nitrates and phosphates a bit easier. I love brittle stars and serpent stars, interesting characters that serve as great cleanup scavengers of uneaten food stuffs, I have a couple that will take food from my hand.
> 
> I have never been a fan of fine sand unless you have an animal that really appreciates it. The finer sands can be kicked up from pumps and get inside filters. It also make it rather difficult to do a gravel vac without suctioning out some sand too. I might suggest a medium grade aragonite.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the feedback!

I think I might go with a fine sand because the frogfish will "walk" on it.

That's good to know about the claophora. I heard that the red grape is really invasive too. 

I attached a photo of the Baggy seaweed (gibsmithia hawaiiensis) and the Blue scroll


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

I have seen pictures of the blue scroll but have not come across it in the trade yet, I personally like macros and have been collecting certain specimens for some time, I have at least 15 kinds but no blue scroll or the gibsmithia. Should be an interesting tank when all is said and done. I know from personal experience that some macro algaes will not tolerate the same conditions as the next and many out compete one another so just be ready to do a little gardening.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

badxgillen said:


> I have seen pictures of the blue scroll but have not come across it in the trade yet, I personally like macros and have been collecting certain specimens for some time, I have at least 15 kinds but no blue scroll or the gibsmithia. Should be an interesting tank when all is said and done. I know from personal experience that some macro algaes will not tolerate the same conditions as the next and many out compete one another so just be ready to do a little gardening.


I'm hoping to use moderate lighting, so if you have any recommendations on that I'd greatly appreciate that. I've heard that some of the ones I had originally listed are faster growing than the others, but I have no problem gardening (I was an Ag kid in high school )


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

I just bought a 40 gal breeder! It was the second to last day of the $1 a gal sale at Petco so I went a head and bought the tank, a stand, and a cover for way less then my original plan


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

That's alot of room to play with. Nice score man, it's always good to get ahead of the game. More space for less cash sounds good to me.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

Okay here's a related but different question: when should I add the macros? Should I add them towards the beginning of my cycle with the LR? Or should I wait until after the cycle like you normally would? Since they absorb the the nitrates in the tank that will be coming from the cycle would it speed up my cycle? I've heard that when the lights come on at first there is usually an algae bloom, but wouldn't the macros more or less out compete the bloom and actually grow better themselves?

I hope I don't sound like a total newbie in asking, but now that I have my tank sitting in my room it just came to me about my timeline from here on out.


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

You are right that the macro will compete for the same nutrients but I might just start with some of the hardier and faster growers as some of the macro algaes can get smothered by faster growing nuisance algae. If you would like I could send you some starter macro so you are not out anything.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

So both on my LFS have cured LR. $4.99 for smaller/non-coralline covered LR and $7.99 larger/coralline covered LR. I also got LED lights today.

Next question running through my head: Power head vs circulation pump and which do I need?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

I prefer circ pumps over power heads for efficiency and better spread of the flow but if you need flow combined with partical removal then the power head it is.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm thinking about using an Eheim 200w Jager heater, anyone have experience with these?

Also for lighting I'm thinking about using Finnex FugeRay Planted+ Aquarium LED Light Plus Moonlights, anyone have experience with these?


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

I have used the jagers and they are great heaters, a little spendy where I am at, in the stores at least, but reliable from my experience. I have not seen the lighting you are referring to so no pointers there, do you have a link to the light you are purchasing?


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

badxgillen said:


> I have used the jagers and they are great heaters, a little spendy where I am at, in the stores at least, but reliable from my experience. I have not seen the lighting you are referring to so no pointers there, do you have a link to the light you are purchasing?


Here's the link and I'm looking at the planted + 36" model. The first link is the general line and the second is the model itself. 
Finnex Finnex FugeRAY Series

http://www.aquavibrant.com/lighting/led-fixtures/finnex-fugeray-planted-led-fixture.html


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

Well I must say that looks pretty sleek, you can always add another bulb to the mix if you have a glass top and want more light or spectrum.


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

What do you think about this aquascape? I've not epoxied it together yet


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

That top rock is amazing, will it go all the way to the top of the tank? Maybe some macros incorporated into the base rock?


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## Micco28 (Sep 2, 2014)

badxgillen said:


> That top rock is amazing, will it go all the way to the top of the tank? Maybe some macros incorporated into the base rock?


It goes up to about 11 1/2" and that'll leave about 3" between it and the surface. My plan is to have one or two macros on the rock


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## badxgillen (Aug 20, 2010)

I vote Blue Ochtodes on the top rock, just keep it trimmed back and you can have little blue tufts here and there among another possible red macro.


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