Fish Wish List! Advice please!!!

the_hadleys

the_hadleys

Member
Hi!
We've got a 34gal red sea max 130D, it's been running for about two and half weeks, lots of algae at the moment (grr) and some invertabrates.
Not planning on adding fish for bit but here's the one's we want:
Mandarin Dragonet
False Percula Clown (aquacultured)
Leather Toadstool - Green (for the clown)
and/or
ORA Leather Toadstool - Long Polyp (for the clown)
Pajama Cardinal
Bi-Color Blenny
Six-Line Wrasse
Scooter Blenny
Emerald Crab(s)
Sand Sifting Cucumber
Any advice on compatibility, needs, likes, dislikes, etc? Opinions on pairing clowns with soft corals instead of anenomes? Thanks!!!
 
scottallert

scottallert

Active Member
scratch the mandarin, it will die in your tank, they need lots of live rock to support there food source; copepods.
 
oceansidefish

oceansidefish

Active Member
No scooter or mandrin...or any other dragonet... and the cucumber
I would go with a pair of clowns sixline and a blenny...That will max you out. Also the clowns will not necessarily host a toadstool. Actually more than likely won't.
 
reefaholic33

reefaholic33

Member
The mandrin needs a ton of copepods to eat and these come in a very established tank sometimes takes a year or more. So you should stay away from him for awhile. You can supplement the copepods but I'm not sure how succesfully this is. And I have never heard of a toadstool hosting a clown.
 
wahoowa

wahoowa

Member
You need to have a very established tank to have a Mandrin, I'd say a year on at least. I went against the advice of ppl on the boards and when I put mine in, it died a month and a half later. And that was in a 55 with about 150lbs of live rock. Take your time with it and it will pay off.....
 
the_hadleys

the_hadleys

Member
Thanks for the advice. We'll definitely be taking it slow. I'm more than happy to wait for the Mandarin.
As far as the clowns with the toadstools I've read a few articles online about people preferring soft corals for their clowns because anenomes are difficult and if they migrate while in your tank they can wreak havoc. I'm getting many mixed responses about this topic. My LFS worker says he's prefers the soft corals with his clowns at home and the owner of the store has an anenome with his clowns in his show tank but doesn't have a preference either way.
So a little confused.
Also I worry about getting two clowns because I don't necessarily want them to breed... Can it be avoided?
Either way, these fish are little down the way for us. We're trying to get rid of our major algae outbreak right now. It's rather disgusting.
 
reefaholic33

reefaholic33

Member
Your still cycling so wait for that and the algae will keep coming but after the cycle is done you can get a clean up crew and knock it out and do a water change will help. I have alot of soft corals including a toadstool and my clown does not host it, not seeing it doesn't happen but I wouldn't count on it.
 
reefaholic33

reefaholic33

Member
You don't have to have one to have a clown. But I would wait until your tank is very stable before you get one. They are not easy at all, do some research I had one he lasted a month and died.
 
gmann1139

gmann1139

Active Member
Originally Posted by Wahoowa
http:///forum/post/2931679
You need to have a very established tank to have a Mandrin, I'd say a year on at least. I went against the advice of ppl on the boards and when I put mine in, it died a month and a half later. And that was in a 55 with about 150lbs of live rock. Take your time with it and it will pay off.....
I wouldn't even bother to try either of the dragonets (Yes, a scooter is a dragonet, just like a mandarin).
You'll never have enough pods to support one, much less both.
Other than that, you should be fine with the other four fish. I would add the clown first (because they're nearly bulletproof), and the sixline last, because it is the most aggressive.
 
the_hadleys

the_hadleys

Member
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2934732
I wouldn't even bother to try either of the dragonets (Yes, a scooter is a dragonet, just like a mandarin).
Thanks for the advice. Do you say no to dragonets because of the amount of copepods they need?
 
small triggers

small triggers

Active Member
yeah,, unless you have an endless budget to buy copepods. Even when your tank is up and running for say over a year you may have enough to support one, but will probably not have enough to sustain it long term as they eat alot and even though copepods readily mulitply, your mandarin/scooter can still starve (I had one in my 35g w/20 sump/fuge and it died after about 6 months)
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
yes that right, mandarins and scooters need a mature tank with at least a 100 lbs of live rock and preferable a fuge for pod production. They are eating machines.
I would add the leather if thats what you want. Clowns don't need an anemone to be happy. They will host anything, even power heads and hair algae like mine. I have had them host leather and shrooms.
You could do a pair of clowns, your six line, bi-color blenny and maybe a pair of neon gobies.
 
the_hadleys

the_hadleys

Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2936634
Clowns don't need an anemone to be happy. They will host anything, even power heads and hair algae like mine.

That's funny. We've sure got enough hair algae if that's what they like! We're planning on getting two ocellaris next weekend - black and white and an orange and white. We can't wait!!!!!
Thanks for the advice!
 
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