PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by ChelseaRanee

I have a 20 (ish) gallon tank. I was thinking about getting 2 Clown Fish (Probably Ocellaris ones but maybe Percula) behaviorally the same


I also like the look af the peppermint shrimp. Would these be compatible? yes

Yes, should be fine; note that clownfish really want a slightly larger tank, but 20 gallons would work for the species you are looking at.

What other fish would be good as part of the CUC? No other fish. Inverts would normally be cleanup crew but do not mix snails (my preferred) and hermit crabs.

The LFS guy said I could have 6 clowns as well as the CUC in my tank but this sounds like a lot?

That is silly, ridiculous, and is taking advantage of the fact that you are new. Anyone who has been associated with the hobby knows that only a single pair of the same species can work long term in a normal (less than300 gallons) sized tank.

How many would you recomend/what else could I have instead as I only want 2 clowns?

[ChelseaRanee]

Thanks heaps for your help 2 clowns it is!

Maybe I shoulda told him that I work for his competition down the road (we only deal with freshwater fish though) wonder if he'd have stopped trying to upsell me then :P

Actually, I forgot. I had at least 2 bristle worms and 3 mini brittle stars hitchhike in on my rock. Would these and the peppermint shrimp be enough or would the snails help complete the CUC?

[LCDR Noble]

OK Steve here it goes. My tank is FOWLR and is 300 gallons 96x24x31. It has a built in sump that houses my skimmer and the wet dry bio balls. I have a sand substrate, 150 lbs of base rock with another 50 lbs of live rock seeding.

My current stock is:
CUC (about 50 snails and small hermits)
1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Coral Banded Shrimp
1 arrow crab
1 diamond watchman goby
2 Domino Damsels
6 Neon Goby
1 Royal Gramma
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
2 Clark Clowns (yes I have this many clowns together but no problems yet)
3 Emerald Crabs
4 Lyretail Anthias (females)
1 Fox Face

wanting to add:
maybe 3 more female Lyrietail anthias just because I love them
1 firefish
1 banner butterfly (Heniochus)
1 gold headed sleeper goby
1 Kole Tang
1 yellow tang
sand sifting starfish

thank you Steve, you are so knowledgable and we really appreciate your time and assistance.

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by snorvich

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat
Think mine got missed

Posting in here since I didn't see the sticky at first lol

Edit.. in a 210 tank ~72.5 x 24.5 x 29.5. ~250lbs liverock, Avast CS1 skimmer, 36" x 14" x 16" sump, and 24" x 15" x 15" refugium.

Currently in the tank:
4 decorator crabs
2 naked gobies <2"
3 chalk bass (all ~2")
1 lantern bass ~2"
1 bay anchovy ~3"
4 tiger conchs
1 thin line hermit
1 pencil urchin
4 peppermint shrimp
1 serpent starfish
2 flounder ~3"
~12 littleneck clams
various CUC consisting of small hermits, the normal snails
A good amount of locally collected grass shrimp
2 small fish fry that aren't big enough for me to ID yet, but look to be croaker or some sort of drum.

In route:
2 golden coral shrimp mated pair
2 yellowhead jawfish mated pair
1 cowfish. Interesting fish, but risky; as I am sure you know, they can nuke a tank

Would like:
small sargassumfish and some sargassam natan as soon as the boat is de-winterized and I can get offshore. well, sargassum fish are ambush predators and you have many animals you are keeping that would be victimized.

I am keeping a south florida/caribbean/western atlantic native species tank

Thanks!

As far as the saargassumfish, I know there would be the potential. My hope would be to get him very small, and that most of the fish he could eat (gobies, etc) would stay on the bottom and the sargassum fish stay in the sargassum.

As far as other fish that would stick to the top of the tank, I am also hoping to get my hands on a man-o-war fish... Any idea on them? Other options could be needle fish, or other sargassum inhabitants.

Lastly, I like squirrelfish... How would they do with my tank?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by ChelseaRanee

Thanks heaps for your help 2 clowns it is!

Maybe I shoulda told him that I work for his competition down the road (we only deal with freshwater fish though) wonder if he'd have stopped trying to upsell me then :P

Sigh. I hate LFS that try to up sell, gives all of us a bad reputation. New Zealand, by the way is one of my favorite places in the world!

Actually, I forgot. I had at least 2 bristle worms and 3 mini brittle stars hitchhike in on my rock. Would these and the peppermint shrimp be enough or would the snails help complete the CUC?

bristle worms and the micro brittle stars are excellent. I would still go with a variety of snails including nassarius if available. Shrimp in addition to being interesting, are excellent scavengers.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by LCDR Noble

OK Steve here it goes. My tank is FOWLR and is 300 gallons 96x24x31. It has a built in sump that houses my skimmer and the wet dry bio balls. I have a sand substrate, 150 lbs of base rock with another 50 lbs of live rock seeding.

My current stock is:
CUC (about 50 snails and small hermits)
1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 Coral Banded Shrimp can take fish
1 arrow crab can take fish
1 diamond watchman goby
2 Domino Damsels holy terrors
6 Neon Goby
1 Royal Gramma
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
2 Clark Clowns (yes I have this many clowns together but no problems yet) you will, even in this sized tank
3 Emerald Crabs
4 Lyretail Anthias (females)
1 Fox Face

by the way, FOWLR would not include the inverts that you are keeping

wanting to add:
maybe 3 more female Lyrietail anthias just because I love them
1 firefish
1 banner butterfly (Heniochus)
1 gold headed sleeper goby
1 Kole Tang
1 yellow tang be sure this is last!
sand sifting starfish

thank you Steve, you are so knowledgable and we really appreciate your time and assistance.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

Thanks!

As far as the saargassumfish, I know there would be the potential. My hope would be to get him very small, and that most of the fish he could eat (gobies, etc) would stay on the bottom and the sargassum fish stay in the sargassum. well, I would not mix predators with fish that they can eat . . .

As far as other fish that would stick to the top of the tank, I am also hoping to get my hands on a man-o-war fish... Any idea on them? they only live within Portuguese man of war which I do not recommend.



Other options could be needle fish, or other sargassum inhabitants.

Lastly, I like squirrelfish... How would they do with my tank?
they too eat fish and are more nocturnal

I really prefer not to advise on predator tanks unless they are single species

[Pigpen17]

My Daughter wants a Midas Blenny, and I prefer the Bicolor. Can they stay in the same tank? or do we have to arm wrestle?

56g 30”w 25”t, 18”d
No stock but CUC (snails and hermits, emerlad crab, small serpent star, cleaner shrimp)

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Pigpen17

My Daughter wants a Midas Blenny, and I prefer the Bicolor. Can they stay in the same tank? or do we have to arm wrestle?

56g 30”w 25”t, 18”d
No stock but CUC (snails and hermits, emerlad crab, small serpent star, cleaner shrimp)

two members of the same ecological niche in a small tank is not going to work

[Pigpen17]

Originally Posted by snorvich

two members of the same ecological niche in a small tank is not going to work

I could say the same about two Blenny lovers in the same house. Guess she has to go.

Thanks.

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Pigpen17

I could say the same about two Blenny lovers in the same house. Guess she has to go.

Thanks.

Well . . .

[Crashdown]

Waiting for my tank to cycle. It's 55 gallons with a filter rated for 70 gallons, skimmer rated for up to 200 gallons and currently 50 lbs of live rock. My intended fish will be: 5 green chromis, 2 o. clowns, 1 cardinal, 1 orchid dottyback, 1 goby or blenny of some kind, and a couple of shrimps and hermit crabs and a starfish of some kind. Is this too many fish? Is this an okay order to put them in?

[hunterisgreat]

Originally Posted by snorvich

I really prefer not to advise on predator tanks unless they are single species

So you don't have to search:
210 tank ~72.5 x 24.5 x 29.5. ~250lbs liverock, Avast CS1 skimmer, 36" x 14" x 16" sump, and 24" x 15" x 15" refugium.

Currently in the tank:
4 decorator crabs
2 naked gobies <2"
3 chalk bass (all ~2")
1 lantern bass ~2"
1 bay anchovy ~3"
4 tiger conchs
1 thin line hermit
1 pencil urchin
4 peppermint shrimp
1 serpent starfish
2 flounder ~3"
~12 littleneck clams
various CUC consisting of small hermits, the normal snails
A good amount of locally collected grass shrimp
2 small fish fry that aren't big enough for me to ID yet, but look to be croaker or some sort of drum.

In route:
2 golden coral shrimp mated pair
2 yellowhead jawfish mated pair
1 cowfish.

How would you feel about a single or mated pair of Flame Cardinals in my tank? What about Juvenile Lookdowns? I frequently catch them in the summertime inshore... dunno if they are actual lookdowns or a different species, but definitely the same genus.

I feel I should make any additions ones that will utilize the upper level of the tank

Thanks again!

[Mr.C]

I have a 75 gal DT with a 25 gal sump. So far it has a yellow watchman goby w pistol shrimp and a handful of zoanthids.

I want to add..
3 flasher wrasses (2 female 1 male) Or 2 males of different species?
2 Bonded snowflake clowns
2 bonded cardinals (probably pajamas)
And eventually a mandarin if possible

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Crashdown

Waiting for my tank to cycle. It's 55 gallons with a filter rated for 70 gallons, skimmer rated for up to 200 gallons and currently 50 lbs of live rock. My intended fish will be: 5 green chromis, 2 o. clowns, 1 cardinal, 1 orchid dottyback, 1 goby or blenny of some kind, and a couple of shrimps and hermit crabs and a starfish of some kind. Is this too many fish? Is this an okay order to put them in?

5 chromis will become one over time; otherwise, should be fine

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by hunterisgreat

So you don't have to search: I never search; I could not keep up if I had to do so
210 tank ~72.5 x 24.5 x 29.5. ~250lbs liverock, Avast CS1 skimmer, 36" x 14" x 16" sump, and 24" x 15" x 15" refugium.

Currently in the tank:
4 decorator crabs
2 naked gobies <2"
3 chalk bass (all ~2")
1 lantern bass ~2"
1 bay anchovy ~3"
4 tiger conchs
1 thin line hermit
1 pencil urchin
4 peppermint shrimp
1 serpent starfish
2 flounder ~3"
~12 littleneck clams
various CUC consisting of small hermits, the normal snails
A good amount of locally collected grass shrimp
2 small fish fry that aren't big enough for me to ID yet, but look to be croaker or some sort of drum.

In route:
2 golden coral shrimp mated pair
2 yellowhead jawfish mated pair
1 cowfish.

How would you feel about a single or mated pair of Flame Cardinals in my tank? What about Juvenile Lookdowns? I frequently catch them in the summertime inshore... dunno if they are actual lookdowns or a different species, but definitely the same genus.

I feel I should make any additions ones that will utilize the upper level of the tank

Thanks again!

flame cardinals should be fine; lookdwons are way to large for your tank

[luamada]

Hi guys I am so thankful for this site. Here is my dream and putting it together now.
New tank already ordered 220 gallons(72x30.5x25), will have about 250pounds of live rock( but dried out before putting it in the tank), 2 to 3 inches of live sand after the tank cycles, sump 80 gallons, skimmer for 500(have not decided on which one yet), but I will have a refugium with miracle mud, led lights, reactors, ATO, controllers (don't know which one yet), LED Radion PRO 3, I already bought the new 6 stages RO/DI unit, refrectometer, digital temp meter, I am not sure what to use for heater yet (if one or 2:?). ALL NEW dried live rock, will cycle the tank with bio-spira for at least 2 month after my nitrate gets to 0 before adding any fishes, will add some corals (need to know the hardie ones first after tank cycle and will feed the corals, will add crabs and snails and will feed them daily (for awhile). Will do 20% water change weekly. So here are the fishes that I want. I know there are many but I will do a lot of water change and feed twice per day and will monitor the water daily.

Quarantine set up already
55gallons no sump:-(
Bio wheel with carbon and ceramic things for the bacterial to grow
No sand
PVC MANY for hiding places
Will start this tank this week to start cycling it also with bio-spire because my display tank will come in 6 weeks. I figured I will take about 8 weeks to cycle the tank. Is that a good number of weeks?

Fish list :::

1st introduction
5 cardinals

2nd introduction
2 black/whight clown fishes (maybe with anemone)
2 snowflakes ( maybe with anemone)

3 introduction together
5 Goby purple fire fish
1 wrasse red head salon fairy male
1 wrasse carpenters flasher

4 introduction together

3 dotty back bicolor
10 green blue chromis

5 introduction together
1 purple queen anthias
1 Achilles tang

6 th Introduction together and small
2 purple tang
4 yellow tang

7th introduction together
2 blue royal tang
1 powder blue tang

8th introduction and last after the tank is full of corals too
1 coral beauty angel
1 goby mandarin
1 goby yellow

I really want these fishes and I can do maintenance to make this happen. Please let em know what you think and also if there should be a different introduction. Thank you so much
Lu

[luamada]

Oh I forgot I will get 2 mp40 for water circulation. Is that enough?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by luamada

Hi guys I am so thankful for this site. Here is my dream and putting it together now.
New tank already ordered 220 gallons(72x30.5x25), will have about 250pounds of live rock( but dried out before putting it in the tank), 2 to 3 inches of live sand after the tank cycles, sump 80 gallons, skimmer for 500(have not decided on which one yet), but I will have a refugium with miracle mud, led lights, reactors, ATO, controllers (don't know which one yet), LED Radion PRO 3, I already bought the new 6 stages RO/DI unit, refrectometer, digital temp meter, I am not sure what to use for heater yet (if one or 2:?). ALL NEW dried live rock, will cycle the tank with bio-spira for at least 2 month after my nitrate gets to 0 before adding any fishes, will add some corals (need to know the hardie ones first after tank cycle and will feed the corals, will add crabs and snails and will feed them daily (for awhile). Will do 20% water change weekly. So here are the fishes that I want. I know there are many but I will do a lot of water change and feed twice per day and will monitor the water daily.

Quarantine set up already
55gallons no sump:-(
Bio wheel with carbon and ceramic things for the bacterial to grow
No sand
PVC MANY for hiding places
Will start this tank this week to start cycling it also with bio-spire because my display tank will come in 6 weeks. I figured I will take about 8 weeks to cycle the tank. Is that a good number of weeks?

Fish list :::

1st introduction
5 cardinals

2nd introduction only one pair of clownfish in this sized tank
2 black/whight clown fishes (maybe with anemone)
2 snowflakes ( maybe with anemone)

3 introduction together
5 Goby purple fire fish will become one over time unless you get really lucky and a pair bond
1 wrasse red head salon fairy male
1 wrasse carpenters flasher

4 introduction together

3 dotty back bicolor very aggressive and may impact firefish and flasher and fairy wrasse
10 green blue chromis will become one over time

5 introduction together
1 purple queen anthias expert level fish; unlikely to survive
1 Achilles tang

6 th Introduction together and small in a six foot tank, you can try two zebrasoma tangs introduced concurrently
2 purple tang
4 yellow tang

7th introduction together this number of tangs is not long term stable in this sized tank
2 blue royal tang needs a longer tank
1 powder blue tang

8th introduction and last after the tank is full of corals too
1 coral beauty angel not reef safe
1 goby mandarin
1 goby yellow

I really want these fishes and I can do maintenance to make this happen. Please let em know what you think and also if there should be a different introduction. Thank you so much
Lu

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by luamada

Oh I forgot I will get 2 mp40 for water circulation. Is that enough?

As this thread is only about marine fish compatibility, we don't answer questions on equipment. Flow will depend on what corals you plan to keep.

[Crashdown]

Originally Posted by snorvich

5 chromis will become one over time; otherwise, should be fine

Thank you. Can you recommend another type of small schooling fish that hangs out top or mid tank, instead of the chromis?

[snorvich]

Originally Posted by Crashdown

Thank you. Can you recommend another type of small schooling fish that hangs out top or mid tank, instead of the chromis?

Unfortunately no fish will really school in this sized tank.

[Crashdown]

Originally Posted by snorvich

Unfortunately no fish will really school in this sized tank.

Okay. I'll just stick to my list, sans chromis. Thank you for your help.

[nanomania]

22g, I already have a pair of nemo, hermit (soon will be shifted to hob fuge or new tank) and lawnmower blenny... can I add a pair of pajama cardinal?

[cklole]

I'm thinking about setting up my first saltwater tank when I graduate college. I have years of experience keeping a freshwater tank, so I understand the workload and some of the general intricacies of keeping fish. That being said, I want to start with hardy fish to get the hang of salt water. Would it be in the least wise to start out with a 150 Gal. and

1 Radiata Lion
1 Picasso Trigger or Niger Trigger
1 Snowflake Eel

I think with this grouping, I would need a pile of live rock for the eel, and some hiding spot for the lion