Brand new to hobby, looking for stocking ideas for 29G BioCube

egan35 · 01/15/2014, 08:20 PM

Hey guys, this will be my first SW tank. I'm keeping it fish-only.
Right now i'm looking at fish/inverts for my tank. I was thinking:
2 Occelaris Clowns
1 Purple Firefish
1 Diamond Watchman Goby
And i'm also determined to get a flame angel once the tank would be mature, I really want some kindof larger, centerpiece fish, and i think a flame angel would fit that.
I would probably add the clowns first, then the goby a month or so later, the firefish, then maybe flame angel awhile later. I've heard horror stories of firefish/watchmans fighting, or flames bullying other fish, but i dont know if these are common occurrences.
As far as inverts go, i just want a simple CUC
Definitely a cleaner shrimp
Pom pom crab
Pistol Shrimp to pair with goby(would the pistol be aggressive to other inverts? Are some species more docile than others?)
Maybe a small sea star of some sort, or sea urchin, maybe both?
Various hermit crabs (how many is something i dont know, or best species)
Snails. I dont know what types are the best, or what types feed on what. (Nassarius, astraea?) and how many?

Thanks in advance and sorry for all the questions, any info is appreciated, thanks.

ponda · 01/15/2014, 08:33 PM

<--has a biocube29
started with 1 cleaner shrimp *skunk?* then got another one......
we love having a pair! so i would suggest that
and later on an anemone for the clowns

JackandJill · 01/15/2014, 08:34 PM

Unfortionately the diamond goby won't survive the tank. It eats the microfauna in the tank and in a tank that size will quickly starve. What about a watchman instead?

egan35 · 01/15/2014, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackandJill

Unfortionately the diamond goby won't survive the tank. It eats the microfauna in the tank and in a tank that size will quickly starve. What about a watchman instead?

-What kind of Watchman Goby would be ideal? I would like to pair with a pistol

Nina51 · 01/15/2014, 09:41 PM

tank is way too small for a flame angel.

FTDelta · 01/15/2014, 09:53 PM

I agree with Nina. You won't be able to house any dwarf angelfish in a 29 Biocube. They do best in tanks of 55 gallons or more.

I'd get a Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby with a pistol shrimp instead.

Fish Biscuit · 01/16/2014, 10:57 AM

I would skip the clowns unless you go with a pair of clowns & a goby/pistol pair. Down the road I would expect the clowns to harass anything else once they start breeding.

You could go with a firefish, goby/pistol pair, and 2 or 3 other small peaceful fish. Look at assessors & blennies too.

FTDelta · 01/16/2014, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Biscuit

I would skip the clowns unless you go with a pair of clowns & a goby/pistol pair. Down the road I would expect the clowns to harass anything else once they start breeding.

You could go with a firefish, goby/pistol pair, and 2 or 3 other small peaceful fish. Look at assessors & blennies too.

Skip on the clowns? Why? They can survive by themselves. They can do well without an anemone though. Clowns are the easiest to keep - paired or not.

immortl · 01/16/2014, 03:44 PM

I have two oscellaris clowns in my Biocube 29, along with a helfrichi firefish and a gold assessor and they all get along just fine. It's a very peaceful tank with no fights/aggression between inhabitants. The gold assessor was a very nice and colorful addition that I stumbled upon in the diver's den (liveaquaria). They swim funny (sideways, upside down, etc...) because in the wild they primarily live in caves I believe.

I also have two RBTAs but the clowns prefer the duncan and yellow polyps.

On the invert side I have an arrow crab, fire shrimp, and peppermint shrimp. Again, they all seem to get along or stay out of each others way. The peppermint shrimp will sometimes snack on the tentacles of the duncan but I try to keep him fed better than that.

Tank has been up two years total, the current livestock have been in there for a year and I have had no aggression issues between them in that time.

01/15/2014, 08:20 PM	#1
egan35 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 6	Brand new to hobby, looking for stocking ideas for 29G BioCube Hey guys, this will be my first SW tank. I'm keeping it fish-only. Right now i'm looking at fish/inverts for my tank. I was thinking: 2 Occelaris Clowns 1 Purple Firefish 1 Diamond Watchman Goby And i'm also determined to get a flame angel once the tank would be mature, I really want some kindof larger, centerpiece fish, and i think a flame angel would fit that. I would probably add the clowns first, then the goby a month or so later, the firefish, then maybe flame angel awhile later. I've heard horror stories of firefish/watchmans fighting, or flames bullying other fish, but i dont know if these are common occurrences. As far as inverts go, i just want a simple CUC Definitely a cleaner shrimp Pom pom crab Pistol Shrimp to pair with goby(would the pistol be aggressive to other inverts? Are some species more docile than others?) Maybe a small sea star of some sort, or sea urchin, maybe both? Various hermit crabs (how many is something i dont know, or best species) Snails. I dont know what types are the best, or what types feed on what. (Nassarius, astraea?) and how many? Thanks in advance and sorry for all the questions, any info is appreciated, thanks.

01/15/2014, 09:41 PM	#5
Nina51 biggliest cofveve champ Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: 5th floor, Illinois, gewgaw expert Posts: 3,506	tank is way too small for a flame angel. __________________ of all the things i've lost, i miss my gary the most. Never hold your farts in. They travel up your spine into your brain, and that is where crappy ideas come from. Current Tank Info: i gave my reef away and i feel like a bird out of a cage!!

01/16/2014, 10:57 AM	#7
Fish Biscuit Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Chicago Posts: 1,164	I would skip the clowns unless you go with a pair of clowns & a goby/pistol pair. Down the road I would expect the clowns to harass anything else once they start breeding. You could go with a firefish, goby/pistol pair, and 2 or 3 other small peaceful fish. Look at assessors & blennies too. __________________ Michele I enjoy vodka entirely too much to share with the fish. Current Tank Info: 65 rimless with Eshopps R200 sump, current inhabitants randall goby, helfrichi, possum wrasse, barnacle blenny, mandarin, pistol, peppermint, & fire shrimp, snails, hermits, & LPS

01/15/2014, 08:33 PM	#2
ponda Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Posts: 293	<--has a biocube29 started with 1 cleaner shrimp skunk? then got another one...... we love having a pair! so i would suggest that and later on an anemone for the clowns

01/15/2014, 08:34 PM	#3
JackandJill Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 249	Unfortionately the diamond goby won't survive the tank. It eats the microfauna in the tank and in a tank that size will quickly starve. What about a watchman instead?

01/15/2014, 09:53 PM	#6
FTDelta Moved On Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Central NY Posts: 1,124	I agree with Nina. You won't be able to house any dwarf angelfish in a 29 Biocube. They do best in tanks of 55 gallons or more. I'd get a Yasha White Ray Shrimp Goby with a pistol shrimp instead.

01/16/2014, 03:44 PM	#9
immortl Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 114	I have two oscellaris clowns in my Biocube 29, along with a helfrichi firefish and a gold assessor and they all get along just fine. It's a very peaceful tank with no fights/aggression between inhabitants. The gold assessor was a very nice and colorful addition that I stumbled upon in the diver's den (liveaquaria). They swim funny (sideways, upside down, etc...) because in the wild they primarily live in caves I believe. I also have two RBTAs but the clowns prefer the duncan and yellow polyps. On the invert side I have an arrow crab, fire shrimp, and peppermint shrimp. Again, they all seem to get along or stay out of each others way. The peppermint shrimp will sometimes snack on the tentacles of the duncan but I try to keep him fed better than that. Tank has been up two years total, the current livestock have been in there for a year and I have had no aggression issues between them in that time.