A beginner's guide

[Flowix]

Hi, I'm reaching out for some help with our saltwater tank. We've got a cleaner shrimp, a couple of snails, and a hermit crab, but the fish just aren't working out. Every time we bring some home, they don't make it - we're not doing it on purpose, I promise. My partner's the tech expert, checking nitrites, pH levels, all that jazz. I just enjoy looking at the tank, to be honest.

A friend who's also into saltwater aquariums is stumped as to why we're having such a hard time. We recently added some live rock, and since then, we've noticed some new additions - tiny bug-like creatures, thin worms, a reddish webbing on the sand, and something that looks like a thin caterpillar. I'm worried these might be bad news?

My partner's at the point where they want to get rid of the tank, but I've grown attached to our little guys, especially crabby and shrimpy. We've had the tank for six months, so I'm hoping someone can offer some advice. Any help would be amazing, thanks in advance.

[zenoxa]

I'm not claiming to have all the answers, but have you considered going down the invertebrate-only route? It could be a great way to keep things interesting and colourful, and you can always try introducing fish again down the line. Just make sure to choose a healthy one that hasn't been treated with cyanide, that's a big no-no.

[Flowix]

I'm not claiming to have all the answers, but have you considered going down the invertebrate-only route? It could be a great way to keep things interesting and colourful, and you can always try introducing fish again down the line. Just make sure to choose a healthy one that hasn't been treated with cyanide, that's a big no-no.

Thanks for the advice, it's given me some food for thought. I think we did rush into setting up our tank without doing our homework, so I'm going to spend this afternoon researching and gathering info. I want to make sure I've got all the facts before we decide what to do next. Cheers again for your help, it's much appreciated.

[flame9]

Invert-only tanks can be just as great, I've heard. Good luck with yours.

[Flowix]

Invert-only tanks can be just as great, I've heard. Good luck with yours.

Cheers for the encouragement, will definitely give it a go. Thanks again.

[neonwing]

You mentioned getting live rock, was it already cured or did you do it yourself. I'm having a similar issue with my freshwater tank, just can't seem to keep a betta alive. Don't give up, I'm rooting for you.

By the way, all those little critters you're seeing in your tank, they're completely normal. I've got 'em in my tank too - little worms, bugs, the whole shebang. What's your salinity specific gravity reading at, and what kind of fish have you tried to keep so far?

[fluteca]

If you give us a bit more info on the tank, we might be able to figure out what's going on. What's the tank size, equipment you're using, how much live rock you've got, what kind of filtration method you're using, and what's the turnover on your powerheads? Also, what are your water stats looking like? That'd be a great place to start.