Question on first nano cube

[Mcgeezer]

Hi,

Brand new here and also first time tank owner. Done my due diligence in research and I'm going to start a 29 gallon Coralife nano cube. My plan is to stick to simple corals, mushrooms and button polyps (mostly photosynthetic) an anemone and mated clownfish pair as the centerpiece, and a shrimp +cleanup crew.

My main question is....what kind of fish can I realistically add besides the mated clowns? I'm really going to be more focused on the corals for the aestetic aspect of the tank so I figured giving the clowns and shrimp free reign of the tank would prob be best.

I was thinking if I do in fact only have the clowns in there, would a gold striped maroon clown be a good choice? My LFS owner, who is a marine biologist, said they tend to have dicey relationships as mated pairs.

Thoughts?

[Reefmedic79]

For once an LFS with decent advice, LOL.

Female maroons can get pretty aggressive, especially in combination with a small tank. They will also likely out grow the tank, IMO.

I think your best bet would be Oscillaris or Perculas, or maybe a Skunk if you'd like something not everyone has. Finding a mated pair will be the hardest part, but getting 2 juveniles of the decided species will likely pair up without much issue if added simultaneously.

As for other fish, if your tank has a top any small bottom dwelling goby as well as a gramma, basslet or assessor would round it out my suggested fish list.


To Reef Central

[Mcgeezer]

Thanks for the tip. This LFS is awesome. He has some hybrid black ocellaris mated pairs that are already bonded with a bubble tip that ill likely put in there. I forget what they're crossed with...but they were very good looking. The owner being a marine biologist helps with everything.

All of his water is 100% straight from the Atlantic Ocean. The water parameters and nutrients are pristine.

[Reefmedic79]

I just noticed you are in Deland, is this LFS Stormborne?

If you are ever in need of hands on help, I'm about an hour away. Feel free to ask.

[Maxxumless]

Maroon's and especially anemone, require moderate to expert knowledge in husbandry. The male needs a 'safe' spot to escape the females wrath while going through the bonding phase, and sometimes after. Anemone are tough to keep even by people that know a lot about their care. The aquarium also has to be set up specifically for them.

Most clownfish will take many 'things' as their host, even a powerhead or a hole in a rock. If you want a centerpiece animal, you could try a pair of clowns from Diver's Den (example). They've already been examined, quarantined, and bonded. That doesn't guarantee mating, but it means they've already gone through the process of domination (who's the boss).

[Mcgeezer]

No i didn't know about that one until recently....the one I went to is in south daytona, it's called Amazing Aquariums

[Fish Biscuit]

the tank needs to be 9 months to a year old before you add the anemone, clowns will associate with other corals, a mag float, god only knows what else....

[Mcgeezer]

I'm buying a mated pair that's already bonded to a bubble tip....

[mbingha]

Originally Posted by Mcgeezer

I'm buying a mated pair that's already bonded to a bubble tip....

They won't miss the anemone. Save yourself the headache, and the anemone, and don't get it. They rarely survive in a new tank, and in a smaller tank they tend to wander around singing and killing corals. Not to mention the (common) occasion of them wandering into a powerhead and getting shredded, nuking your entire tank. They really are best left to people that have some experience in the hobby.

[Derrick12]

Power head a nag float. They really take to these. Wow