Product review

[Siberman]

(For those of us who still use DSBs)

Just got my "Mix and Match" special from http://www.ipsf.com/

1) 6 baby bristle worms. Good size (1 to 1.5"), active and healthy.

2) 6 sandbed clams. Good size (approx 5/8"). Dug in right away after being released.

3) Nerite grazers. Disappeared shortly after putting on the liverock.

4) Strombus grazers. Haul glass.

5) Micro-hermits. All appear to be the Hawaiian left-handed (black and white) variety. Supposed to be snail safe but I had one a few years ago that got pretty large and terrorized smaller hermits.

6) Reef amphipods. Nice variety in sizes. Some of those suckers would look good in cocktail sauce.

7) Anthelia polyps. The jury's still out on these. There was an unpleasant odor coming from the bag and they look a bit limp but I'll wait a few days before pronouncing judgement.

8) Live Sand Activator. A nice collection of rubble with assorted worms (spaghetti, bristle, etc. ) and micro-hermits. (Should have used my bristle worm and hermit options for something else, lol.)

9) WonderMud. Aragonite slurry which contains bacteria, micro-flora/fauna, etc. Can cloud up a tank so use care when adding.

10) Mini-stars. These were the reason I ordered the whole shebang. 6 for 19.95 when you order the Mix and match. Extremely tiny ( had to get the reading glasses out) and won't grow much bigger but they breed in the tank with no planktonic phase.

I paid 119. 90 (American) . The Mix and match is free shipping. As I'm slowly rebuilding after a summertime tank disaster and having to start from the bottom up, I'm well pleased with the package.

My kudos (FWTW) to ISPF.

[matt24]

Looks kind of expensive IMO... half of the list can be acquired by borrowing a couple cups of sand from a neighbors tank.

[Siberman]

Assuming, of course, that your neighbor actually has the lifeforms described (in the first post) in their sand bed.

[Siberman]

********Update********

The micro-stars are doing quite well. I've seen several and they're about the size of a quarter. No color, though. Do they remain white/clear?

The strombus grazers have bred in my tank.......and bred.........and bred.........(y'all get the idea). Guess we all know what I'll be trading this summer.

The anthelia has obviously recovered and is now a colony of about 2" square. The surviving polyp laid down and attached its length to the rock and small ones started popping out of the stalk. Kewel!

I have more (population and variety) of worms than I can shake a stick at but if I find one of those three foot long suckers I'll have a 20-high reef for sale.

I don't think the "sandbed clams" made it. I've found several shells on the surface of the bed. I should've known better on those since I've had major problems in the past with keeping freshwater mussels.

[chrischris]

well you will eventually get bristle worms (every body has them)
hope they do well for you

[Siberman]

Originally Posted by chrischris

well you will eventually get bristle worms (every body has them)
hope they do well for you

Yeah, I know, but after the total tank crash I figured it wouldn't hurt to be sure. It's also a plus to have worms from several sources (IMHO). Helps diversify the gene pool.
Btw, what's that coral in your avatar?