Good tank mates with a couple ocellaris clowns in a 29g?

[dezzy143443]

I'm workin on my first saltwater/reef-ish tank and was just looking for suggestions on good tank mates for a couple pairs if ocellaris clownfish. Corals, invertibres, and other fish. Anything! any other beginner advice would greatly b appreciated as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Only one pair of clownfish per tank!
There's all kinds of things that you can get....
What I suggest is to go on the internet or in a book and find things that you really, really like. Then figure out their requirements, care, feeding, etc (and that they will fit in a 29g) and find out if they are reef safe or not. THEN start buying equipment... lights, heaters, poweheads, filters, skimmers, etc. etc.
If you want corals, you have to get reef safe fish, (for the most part, there are exceptions) and you will have to invest in a good light fixture or retrofit kit and canopy.

 

[pezenfuego]

Hop on saltwater fish.com or site that sells saltwater fish. Look at every fig they have. Open up fish you like in new tabs and then read the descriptions. If it can't be kept in your tank with a pair of clowns, close the tab. Narrow it down that way and come up with a stock list to post here. I like fire fish, pajama cardinals, royal gammas, and orange spotted gobies.

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site!
Like Snake said, you can only keep one pair of clownfish in a 30g. As for fish stock ideas...A Royal Gramma OR an orchid dottyback, you would have to choose one or the other because they fight, but both are very beautiful fish. My all time favorite is the Lemonpeel dwarf angelfish, but the flame, bi color or coral beauty dwarf angles are just as stunning in color...again only 1 angelfish per tank.
When it comes to SW fish, they are very territorial, and many fight to the death any other fish that have the same colors or body type. So needless to say, the inch per fish rule no longer applies like it does with FW fish. One type of fish to avoid at all costs unless you intend to keep very aggressive fish are the damsels. They are beautiful, but tend to get mean, and they kill everything else in the tank when they mature, and will bite you drawing blood.
If you already have your tank cycled and have two sets of clowns, if you do ...remove one pair. If you have not yet begun...use a raw shrimp to kick start your first cycle, not a live fish...and definitely not a damsel.
Also..do you have the tank set up? List your equipment and test kits along with their exact readings so we can help you if something is needed or off ...just to be sure, that way we can help you double check.
As for inverts: once you have enough algae...a CUC will be needed. (Clean Up Crew) of snails, crabs, serpent or brittle starfish (NOT green brittle). Good interesting additions are peppermint or cleaner shrimps, and feather duster fan worms to name a few.

 

[dezzy143443]

All I have right now, is the tank and the stand. I never got anything else because I couldn't find any reliable information, until I found this website yesterday. And I'm more then likely going to get it this weekend. Any brands for certain things you reccomended, and brands to stay away from for certain things? I'll do my fish research tonight when I get off work. (I work at my lfs but I don't trust any of my boss's fish because customers always bring them back because something is wrong with them) although he's had this really cool tarantula crab that I've had my eyes on that seems healthy.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dezzy143443 http:///t/393321/good-tank-mates-with-a-couple-ocellaris-clowns-in-a-29g#post_3498238
All I have right now, is the tank and the stand. I never got anything else because I couldn't find any reliable information, until I found this website yesterday. And I'm more then likely going to get it this weekend. Any brands for certain things you reccomended, and brands to stay away from for certain things? I'll do my fish research tonight when I get off work. (I work at my lfs but I don't trust any of my boss's fish because customers always bring them back because something is wrong with them) although he's had this really cool tarantula crab that I've had my eyes on that seems healthy.
Okay...first things first...get a good beginners book on saltwater, that way you will know the basics. Read the 101 tips to start a tank at the top of the New hobbyist section. Snakebite has a thread on beginning a tank but I don't know the link.
After you read a little come back and we can help you with equipment brands and such.
A very basic list:
2 power heads
Some type of filter system (sump is best) but there are a few choices besides.
A heater
Lighting (type depends on if you want corals)
Salt mix
Reverse Osmoses water....either your own RO unit, or get your RO water from a grocery store refill station in jugs (Walmart by me sells RO for 37 cents per gallon). DO NOT USE TAP WATER.
Lab type test kits (not strips)
Live rock, or a mixture of base and live rock, at least 15 to 20 pounds for a 30g tank
Live or dry Aragonite Sand, crushed coral or live reef sand (live reef is best)
Hydrometer (a refractometer is best)
A thermometer or a stick on the tank one
A skimmer ...won't be needed right away (3 months at least), so last piece of equipment to have to purchase.

 

[dezzy143443]

I've read all of snakes guidelines. And I know the basic setup. I'll make note of your list though. Thanks

 

[pezenfuego]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/393321/good-tank-mates-with-a-couple-ocellaris-clowns-in-a-29g#post_3498234
Welcome to the site!
Like Snake said, you can only keep one pair of clownfish in a 30g. As for fish stock ideas...A Royal Gramma OR an orchid dottyback, you would have to choose one or the other because they fight, but both are very beautiful fish. My all time favorite is the Lemonpeel dwarf angelfish, but the flame, bi color or coral beauty dwarf angles are just as stunning in color...again only 1 angelfish per tank.
When it comes to SW fish, they are very territorial, and many fight to the death any other fish that have the same colors or body type. So needless to say, the inch per fish rule no longer applies like it does with FW fish. One type of fish to avoid at all costs unless you intend to keep very aggressive fish are the damsels. They are beautiful, but tend to get mean, and they kill everything else in the tank when they mature, and will bite you drawing blood.
If you already have your tank cycled and have two sets of clowns, if you do ...remove one pair. If you have not yet begun...use a raw shrimp to kick start your first cycle, not a live fish...and definitely not a damsel.
Also..do you have the tank set up? List your equipment and test kits along with their exact readings so we can help you if something is needed or off ...just to be sure, that way we can help you double check.
As for inverts: once you have enough algae...a CUC will be needed. (Clean Up Crew) of snails, crabs, serpent or brittle starfish (NOT green brittle). Good interesting additions are peppermint or cleaner shrimps, and feather duster fan worms to name a few.
Tell that to a 24" arowana in a 24 gallon tank.

 

[snakeblitz33]

If I were to do a nano with all hang on back filtration I would buy....
Emperor 280 biowheel mechanical filter
150w Jager heater
Reef Octopus BH100sss skimmer
extra filter pads
Granular Activated Carbon
Two Tunze 6015 nanos for flow
Since it is a small tank, and I would be going reef, lighting it with LEDs would be pretty simple and cheap in the long run. A 27" maxspect R420R would probably be my choice if I were to go with a fixture. But, I'm cheap, so I would probably DIY one if I had the time and money.
Custom built stand
10g tank underneath for keeping an RO reservoir... and use a tunze osmolator in the tank to keep the tank topped off all the time. OR a cheaper alternative.
I'd also have the stand partitioned off for the electrical work to fit underneath it to keep it away from children and other animals.
BUT, that's just me.

 

[dezzy143443]

I really appreciate the help, guys. It helps a lot. Im going to do a little more research tonight online and more this weekend at other lfs's that r about an hour away from where I live.

 

[dezzy143443]

Based on the info ive been given on selecting fish, ive pretty much planned my entire tank's livestock. Ive grouped based on demands/compatibility. So let me know what you think please!
1- White Pygmy Angel (maybe. still discussing this one with myself. will take out if need be)
MAYBE 1-Scooter Blenny
3- Bangaii Cardinals
2- False Percula Clowns
1- Mandarin
3- Sixline wrasses (The site says they like to have groups, but Im willing to only get one)
1- bubbletip anemone
1-3 boxing crabs
5 cleaner shrimps, 5 hermits, 10 snaisl (????)
1- brittle star
and for my corals:
blue snowflake polyps
mushrooms (yes i am aware they need to be as far from other corals as possible, and will work with it)
zoanthids
and various leathers/ricoridas that i find at my lfs(that i dont work at) and like
opinions please???? thanks in advance!!

 

[dezzy143443]

just rereading that list myself, i see things that need to be fixed. like: i dont see why i need to have 5 hermit crabs if im planning on 1-3 box crabs. ill work with it as i get to that point.
ps: is 10 snails too many or too little for a 29G? :/

 

[pezenfuego]

Depends on the snails. Check out a few types and refine that portion of your list.

 

[dezzy143443]

Ok thanks. What's u think of the rest of the list though?

 

[pezenfuego]

Based on the info ive been given on selecting fish, ive pretty much planned my entire tank's livestock. Ive grouped based on demands/compatibility. So let me know what you think please!
1- White Pygmy Angel (maybe. still discussing this one with myself. will take out if need be)
MAYBE 1-Scooter Blenny
3- Bangaii Cardinals
2- False Percula Clowns
1- Mandarin
3- Sixline wrasses (The site says they like to have groups, but Im willing to only get one)
1- bubbletip anemone
1-3 boxing crabs
5 cleaner shrimps, 5 hermits, 10 snaisl (????)
1- brittle star
and for my corals:
blue snowflake polyps
mushrooms (yes i am aware they need to be as far from other corals as possible, and will work with it)
zoanthids
and various leathers/ricoridas that i find at my lfs(that i dont work at) and like
opinions please???? thanks in advance!!
Too many fish. The coral list is fine. What is your lighting like? An anemone needs light. You dont want 5 cleaner shrimp. That would not look good IMO. 1 is enough for your fish. Really you dont need any if you don't want. Skip the manderin. They are very hard to keep especially in a nano. Not saying that it can't be done though. Cut the fish list down. That's a huge bio load. I won't tell you how to cut it down. You can decide what to and subtract. I don't want to be too influential in that regard.

 

[dezzy143443]

Idk what the exact name of the fixture is, but it's a mixture of basic lights and leds. And I'm gonna buy a coral bulb to put where the regular bulb was.
I think I'm still going to try for the mandarin. But I'll take off the angel, and cut down to only 1 sixline wrasse. I'll cut down my cuc as well.

 

[rael]

Everything I've read is a mandarin will starve in either a new tank or a small tank. They need too many pods to live on. I think putting a mandarin in both a new and a small tank would mean certain slow death. I've had my 46 gallon for five years and I would still be hesitant to put a mandarin in it.