Fish stocking for first tank....what to do!?

[ilektrik22]

Hi

I'm a newbie trying to figure what to stock my tank with if anyone can give me some advise it would be awsome.

The tank is a 30g tall ( 24X12.5x 25)
36 pounds of live rock and hidding places
and 20lbs of sandbed,
lots of flow( AC30 Carbon only, AC70 refugium, Maxi jet 400, Seio 180)
MH 150w, 20k lighting.

I would like roughly 4 fish depending on bioload ( don't want to over do it)

my choices are ( me and my boyfreind finally agree on choosing from these)

A pair of Clowns either gold striped maroons OR saddlebacks OR True Perculas( last ones to be add to the tank of course)
-will wait for anenome until tanks is mature


a shrimp/goby pair either
Orange Strip Goby/pistol shrimp
OR Orange Spot Prawn Goby/shrimp
OR high finned/ high filiment/ Yellow Rose Antenna Goby and shrimp( read that these should be kept in pairs?)
Or yasha Hase Shrimp goby/shrimp

purple firefish
OR Midas Blenny
OR Bicolor Blenny ( I heard their pretty cute)
(would my tank be able to handle the purplefirefish and the Antenagoby ( really small fish)?

So I'm really not sure which ones would work best together....any help narrowing down my choices would be great.

thanks

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF!!! Hope you enjoy it here As for your stocking list, I think the pair of clowns are a great choice for starters. Also, you don't have to wait for them to be the last ones to go in because they are pretty hardy and don't necessarily need an anemone to host. As for the other choices, I've actually never kept any goby's or blenny's I'm sure someone else will chime in soon. Good luck!

 

[Brenden]

Clowns are a great choice. The gobie/pistol while stay hidden so you will seldom see them. The firefish are nice and stay out in view all the time.

 

[auqua man]

I was told to use Damsels for my cycle cheap hardy. But very aggressive and very limiting to what you can have in your tank. I would try the clown fish.

 

[ilektrik22]

Thanks for the quick replies!

It's very much appriciated, I like it here already
( very informative site, and blue :razz: faces got to love that)

I was going to add the clowns last because I've read that those two particular species are semi-aggressive, especially the maroon clown, is that really true?

the blennies and gobies are pretty passive fish(from what I've read), so I was going to add them first. Just don't know which ones. I was thinking of those because I was told that they were pretty easy keepers ( not sure about the species that i'm interested in though)

I like the idea of the goby/shrimp pair realizing that they will be incognito most of the time, but such a cool concept.

Also my tank is uncovered ( at the moment) so I'm nervous about the firefish and carpet surfing.

 

[Krish]

From what I understand (and from my own personal experience with keeping clowns) they seem to be only agressive to their own species, but I've heard they will be agressive towards anything that comes close to an anemone they are hosting. Maroons definately are the "bad boys" I've heard they will kill other clowns! In any event, every individual clown is different and for me, I've never had any problems with mixing clowns with other fish and they were always the first fish I added first

 

[keener1830]

As for the firefish I have a uncovered tank and mine never did leap out, while I had it that is. It got sick and passed on to fishy heaven Blennys are great fish I have a lawnmower in my 10 gallon, he is my favorite and a very hardy fish as well. Good luck

 

[DaBrowns]

I can second the notion of Blenny's being hardy!! We brought home our first fish for our tank last night. 1 Perc Clown, 1 Purple and Yellow Gramma, and 1 Lawnmower Blenny. All was well until about midnight-ish when my wife heard a "squeak" coming from the other room and got up to investigate....what she found was the Blenny...about a foot from the tank...on the carpet. Also our tank is a little over 5 feet off the floor. How he made it is still a mystery for us. We are keeping a good eye on him though and he seems fine for now.

Pics will follow if we can ever catch the gramma who has taken to playing hide and seek in the rocks.

 

[ilektrik22]

It's good your wifes a light sleeper!!!

hope the little guy is doing well and would Love to see the pics


I thought lawnmowers were difficult to keep becase of sandbed requirements?they're sandshifters right?

 

[DaBrowns]

a few pics of the crew

Here are the first pics of our marine crew in their new home. Apologies for the picture quality. Absent are the Lawnmower Blenny, and Royal Gramma, they have taken to hiding in the rocks.

 

[mmkeeper]

Get some egg crate to use as a cover for your tank.

 

[ilektrik22]

the perc is SO darn cute!!!, I like the thick black lines.
I think I'm going to stay away from the Marron's ( mainly due to their size and aggression) and might go the true perc route instead.

Went to the store today and meant to get a fish ( purple fire fish to start with) but they were all out so I picked up a feather duster( hawaii I believe) on a whim, I was told that there pretty hardy, so far so good. Very neat looking worm, it's brought a sudden sence of life to the tank. Also got some turbo snails and a few scarlet leg crabs, and had to place another hermit (red and black legs) into detention in the fuge- caught him trying to turn some snails.....My boyfriend said he's going to have a talk with him...


I was going to buy some screening to cover the tank, I've hear that eggcrate reflects alot of light, is that true?

 

[Krish]

I was going to buy some screening to cover the tank, I've hear that eggcrate reflects alot of light, is that true?

Not sure if it reflects a lot of light, but it can block a lot of light depending on which egg crate you use. The smaller the holes the more light it blocks.

 

[DaBrowns]

He lives! I (the light sleeping wife) am amazed that our Blenny made it after that dive out of the tank. After spending 2 hrs up watching him, I didn't think he would. He is chomping on the rocks and leaving his little kiss marks as I type. How cute! I know, very girl. Any suggestions on the few tiny pieces of food that drop in the current drifts? Should we fish them out or let the system work its own magic?

 

[ilektrik22]

I can't help with that sorry ...as i'm still working on figuring out which fish i want, this might take me a while !

I would think that something in there would eat it, as long as you have a good cleanup crew....but i wouldn't trust my advise ( all I know from what i've read is do not over feed....but if it's just a few tiny chunks then someone might want a midnight snack...)

I'm glad he made it, he's a trouper ( and definetly deserves a name! I like to names things )