Fish for smaller tanks (again..)

supercichlid

supercichlid

Member
Hey folks..
I did plan on setting up 2 2g tanks, both 12"x6"x6", but have decided to go with one slightly larger 18"Lx10"Hx12"L tank...that works out at 9.36US gallon..so pretty much a 10g..
I would like to go with the same setup as i planned before (a few hermits, a shrimp or two, some snails) and would also like to add a fish...
Any suggestions about something i could try? And what shrimp(s) i could go with?
The tank will have around 12lb of LR and 3" or so of Live Sand..
Thanks all!
James:)
 
itchy

itchy

Member
supercichlid, I would still be careful with this 10 gal tank as a saltwater. I dont recommend anything less than 29 gal. If you are an experienced saltwater junkie you might be okay. I would put a cleaner shrimp and maybe a seahorse. Seahorses need to be by themselves pretty much. If you go this route add something for them to cling to. This may be a tank to add hardy corals too. good luck
 
supercichlid

supercichlid

Member
i am definatly NOT a saltwater guru!
The only other SW tank i have is a 3ft..
Seahorses im not too keen on to be totally honest...
So, i couldnt have any fish in a 10g either? Not even 1?
 
peasly1

peasly1

Member
one of my favorite tanks is a 10 gal. and I have 5 diffent size tanks(1-1o,1-20 long,2- 29 high,1-125gal) in the 10 gal is 15lb lr,3 in.dsb,foam corner filter powered by air pump, 2 small false pecurla's,1 orchid dottyback(will only get 2.5 in full grown),1 cbs,3 red hermits,blue/green mushrooms, and healthy calupra growth..I change about 2 quarts of water every couple of weeks and clean the glass same time,almost no maintance..lots of people say the smaller the tank the harder to keep,probably due to quick changes in water chemistry and overfeeding(IMO).I think you are going to enjoy your 10 gal. more than 2 -2 gals..good luck
 
S

sinner's girl

Guest
I'd add a starfish.
Camalback shrimp (looks like a peppermint shrimp...only is bigger and the red and white are brighter) is cool! he comes out as soon as i put food in the tank. When we feed shrimp to the inverts he still won't take it from our hands but he will steal a piece or two from a hermit.
a CBS shrimp is cool too (will eat peppermint shrimp and can be agressive towards small/slow fish).
I'd say you could put a damsel in a ten...I wouldn't put clowns in a ten...but i have seen them in a ten...clowns, imo, love to swim around and enjoy more space....
maybe you could add a bleeny...
add a few pieces of lr and you have yourself a cool tank.
Just be careful and test your water often with a small tank...add inhabitants slowly.
hth
 
itchy

itchy

Member
Okay lets try this again.....I hit new thread instead of post last time. I would try a small tang... no more than 2 to 3 inches. One this small may be hard to find, not sure where u live. I never meant for it to sound like you couldn't have a fish. Just be careful with the small SW tanks..... Good luck:D
 
pyro383

pyro383

Member
You can keep the tang in there for a mere week. They grow pretty big and would outgrow that tank in no time. They need at min. a 55 to start.
 
heavenly damsel

heavenly damsel

Member
A percula clown and a sebae anemone would be a neat combo. My clown only leaves her anemone to chase away other fish. Make sure you feed the anemone though, many think they don't need food and the anemone dies as a result.
 
S

starfishjackedme

Guest

Originally posted by pyro383
You can keep the tang in there for a mere week. They grow pretty big and would outgrow that tank in no time. They need at min. a 55 to start.

THANK YOU!!!! Even a 55 is too small IMO.
 
jak424

jak424

New Member
I've got a 10 gal with about 10 pds LR and CC bed. Several blue hermits and a nice hitchhiker hermit of some sort and a mex turbo snail patrol the bottom. Fake perc. cruises around the mid and top. Pipefish sticks to the LR, and a green clown goby hangs out in some red plants we got. Everyone's got their own place and everyone's happy. I don't think that 3-4 fish, as long as they are smaller fish and each inhabits a different "space" in the tank is terrible. Some people might say that I'm crowding them, but when you see them in the tank, no one;s stle is cramped and they peaceful and happily co-exist. That's been my experience, for what little that's worth...
 
heavenly damsel

heavenly damsel

Member
"Space" is just one of the issues. Of more importance is the bio load created by too many fish. Smaller tanks are more fragile because there is just less margin for error. No one should have to go through a tank crash because of bad advice. The rule of thumb is 1" of fish per 5 gallons of tank. You can push the window a little, but not that much. Your tank....your choice.
 
itchy

itchy

Member
UNFORTUNATELY you will get different answers from everyone. What works for me might not work for you, but I have always been told no more than half of inch of fish per gallon and I have red many books on salt water and they are all different. I would do something in the small category that can grow, if it becomes a problem you can sell it back to the store. Yes most tangs do get big but fish grow to their enviroment as well. At some point you would have to trade in for a smaller one. Just be careful...ask one of the experts in your LFS. good luck;)
 
fshhub

fshhub

Active Member
FW fish grow to their enviroment, but contrary to popular belief SW do not. Even though some lfs's would like you to believe this, besides, the main reason for a longer tank for a tang is due to stress and swimming habits, not size alone. KOLES only get to be 6 or 7 inches, but would stress out without the proper room to swim(and inevitably probably contract ich).
Stay small, a false percula clown or most damsels. or maybe a goby(depending upon species)
In a nano reef that size, I would definitely go with a false percula clown, maybe 2 but that would be it. or even one tomato clown.
 
heavenly damsel

heavenly damsel

Member
There is a reason advice is free.....
SW fish are not limited in growth by their environment and experts are very hard to find at the LFS.
There....now I feel a lot better!
 
ifish

ifish

New Member
The only fish I would try in a 2 gallon are the smallest of gobies. (Neon [Order Online], Catalina [Need Colder water]) For shrimp, I wouldn't try one - their tentacles get very long.
Search Gobies at ***********.com
 
ryebread

ryebread

Active Member
I can't believe that some of you (and you know who you are) are recommending a tang in a 10 gal. tank. What works for you (and you know who you are) will probably work for another week or two. Not to offend anyone (you know who you are).:p
 
ifish

ifish

New Member
Another good point, I thought you were being sarcastic. The TANG POLICE at Reef Central wil set you straight.
 
itchy

itchy

Member
well.....I guess the police got me uh? I do not have a small tank I have 2- 75 gal tanks, but I do know someone who has a smaller reef set up and has a 3 inch yellow tang. He has had no problems out of it. He however has had to trade in a couple of times because of size. I did however recommend not to do a small tank at all , I just think there can be problems. I think the best advice would be a small gobi, but what do I know? Only what I have personally experienced in the last 5 years. I am in no way a marine biologist . I think we have beat this horse with a stick and believe that the point is well made!!!:p
 
jake22

jake22

Member
Dont do seahorese in a ten gallon unless there are dwarf or pixie.
The only thing i would put in a tank that size is shrimp and maybe a neon gobie or small clown like a false perc.
 
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