???'s about Buying first fish/snails/crabs

[topheraz]

I am new to aquariums and have no clue what to get.What should be the first fish or snails or whatever that i buy for a 12g SW tank?? Do i need snails/crabs at all? How many things should i start off with?? The tank i have is the 12g Eclipse Kit. I have added a powerhead so i have great circulation and my temp is staying between 79-81 and my salinity is 1.022. I also have 12 #s of LR. I am told my tank is doing great. Whats good to start with? Please help me

 

[mudplayerx]

Get about 3-4 hermit crabs and about 3-4 astraea snails for a cleanup crew. As far as fish in a 12 gallon tank, I will leave others to comment as I have an invert-only tank.

 

[topheraz]

i have heard alot about these Mexican Turbo Snails. I see that 1 is good for 20 gallons. Could i just get 1 of those rather than 3-4 of the others??? And also should i get some crabs and snails first then get fish, or is it ok to get sveral things at once??

 

[topheraz]

1 other thing... are Cleaner Shrimp something i should get. The name seems to say it all. And if so will 1 be sufficent?

 

[trainfever]

I have a 12 gallon Nano cube. I have 18 lbs of LR in it. There are 2 Oscellaris clowns, 1 Engineer Goby, 1 Serpent star, 6 hermit crabs, 6 Astraea snails, and 1 Fidler crab in it. All are doing well. I put 3 hermits and 3 snails in before I put any fish in the tank.

 

[topheraz]

Wow, thats sounds like a lot going on in a little 12 gallon. Thats cool, so now i know i can still have quite a bit of stuff in mine. Do you know anything about the Cleaner Shrimp? Or anything about the Mexican Turbo Snails? I much rather have just 1 of them then 4-6 of the others.

 

[jacknjill]

trainfever, that engineer goby will get huge!
topher, i think you could get away with a pair of clowns, and a goby. not engineer though as they getr way too big. raise your salinity to about 1.025 as inverts wont survive at 1.022. how long has the tank been set up? a cleaner shrimp will probably be ok

 

[andretti]

You don't want to put snails and/or other cleaners if there is nothing for them to clean...they will die, especially the snails; they need algae to survive. You need to cycle your tank with some live rock; you'll need about 20 lbs for a 12 gallon. After a month or so, you can get damsels, they're very hardy. Then you can get a clown or two. Remember, with a 12 gallon tank, you can only have about 4-5 TOTAL inches of fish. Saltwater fish require a minium of three gallons of water per inch of fish. So that means you can have two or three fish that are two inches long (adult size) or one fish that will be about 4-5 inches.

:happyfish

 

[trainfever]

Jacknjill,
I know the goby will get big. The nano is a temporary home for him. He will eventually go into my 45 gallon tank.

 

[kdfrosty]

get a pair of morph clowns

 

[topheraz]

I have had the tank setup for about a week now. Sprinkled some food in it(heard it works like Raw Shrimp). I have 12#s in LR. I also added a powerheader. Im told my tank is doing great. Looks cool without even any fish yet. i was thinking of getting a Cleaner Shrimp and a Mexican Turbo Snail. Would that be ok to start with?? Should i add a crab in there too??