stocking 30 gallon reef tank

[that guy]

I'm starting my first reef tank and I don't want to make a common mistake and overstock the tank. I planning 2-5 corals. Also 2 clownfish, 2 mandarine dragonets/gobies, and 2 cleaner shrimp. Is this over stocking? Should I not put some in? Can I add some more?
Thanks in advance

[spieszak]

Because of their feeding requirements, unless you are planning a large fuge, a 30 gallon is usually too small for even one mandarin, let alone two. Take some time to research those guys before purchasing to ensure you'd be able to keep up with the required pod population. (and don't buy the idea that they will eat prepared foods.. some will, but even if they do, its not a healthy diet for them, and will not sustain them long term)
Having said that, 2 clowns, and two other small fish with the shrimp sounds about in the right range to me....might be a bit high, but I'd think you could keep up with it....

[that guy]

Thanks for the help. I knew mandarine dragonetts eat rediculouse amounts of copepods but I was hoping maybe more frequent feending would help.

[Hoosierfan]

As mentioned above, I'd avoid the Mandarins. I recommend looking at a flasher wrasse or two, and maybe a blenny or watchman goby.

[racoon28]

no tangs

[Seagars]

get tangs!!!

[Seagars]

just kidding

[rssjsb]

Originally Posted by that guy

Thanks for the help. I knew mandarine dragonetts eat rediculouse amounts of copepods but I was hoping maybe more frequent feending would help.

As someone upthread said, some mandarins may take prepared foods, but it's hard to keep them full with food you add to the tank. They need to be hunting pods constantly, all day long, to really thrive. Some people report getting them to eat pellets or prawn roe, but I don't think you can count on that. It is possible to culture pods for them, but that is a huge amount of work and gets to be kind of a grind after a while. Probably not something to take on as a beginner.

There are lots of nice smaller fish to choose from for a tank that size. Tailspot blennies, possum wrasses, shrimp gobies, smaller dwarf angels, flasher wrasses, assessors, just to name a few.

What kind of clowns are you planning to get? I would stay away from maroons, tomatoes, or clarks unless you want them to be the only fish in the tank. Perculas and ocellaris clowns should do fine.

[RAYISKING]

Some mandarins will get use to eating mysis shrimp I had a friend who place him in a small tank by himself I think it was a fluval edge and would feed shrimp and he got use to it.


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[rssjsb]

Originally Posted by RAYISKING

Some mandarins will get use to eating mysis shrimp I had a friend who place him in a small tank by himself I think it was a fluval edge and would feed shrimp and he got use to it.

Please read my comment above. It's not really an issue of whether some of these fish will eat mysis or other prepared foods. It's more that even if they do, it may not be enough for them to subsist on over the long term. These fish constantly hunt pods all day long. One or two feedings a day simply won't keep them healthy. Especially in a brand new smaller tank, I just think it's a bad idea to lead people to believe it's no big deal to do this.

There are some really experienced people on here who have devised a way to have a constant source of pods or other live foods for mandarins, but that takes a very high level of commitment. Again, probably more involved than someone just starting in salt water needs to worry about.

Some people may get lucky with mandarins who do fine in a 30-gallon tank with supplemental feedings of mysis, prawn roe, or even pellets. But for every one of them, there are probably a hundred that do not succeed and have to watch their fish slowly starve. I've been there, and can tell you it's not a great introduction into this hobby.

[Fish Biscuit]

No mandarin. Clowns, gobies, blennies, firefish, fairy or pygmy wrasses ok like other have said. Check out LA in their nano fish section for ideas.