29 gal stocking

[JosephM]

I’m planning a 29 gallon reef tank with 20 long sump. So my stocking idea right now is:
2 clownfish - either perc, false perf, or ocellaris
2 flame angelfish
1 Royal gramma
1 Neon dotty back (or any other dotty back)
1 Helfricks fire fish (or red or purple fire fish)
1 Mandarin goby (once I get copepods established in sump refuge)
1 Black tip fromia star fish
1 Short spine urchin
1 Blue tuxedo urchin
2 nassarius snails
8 Mexican turbo snails
10 astrea snails
4 red legged hermit crabs
1 sexy shrimp
3 cleaner shrimp
Of course all of these will be added over a long period of time. I will be starting with live sand and 45 lbs of TBS live rock. Just wanted some opinions on this stocking. Thank you!

 

[Turnage]

That's alot of fish for a 29 gallon tank. I have a 32 gallon cube and all I have is a snowflake clown, lawnmower goby, very small royal gamma, small watchman goby, and a 2" yellow wrasse and even that is alot IMO. Your CUC looks solid and I would cut the cleaner shrimp down to 2 max. Better yet get one cleaner and one red scarlet shrimp.

 

[Bepis]

Also 2 flame angels, in a 29g one is already pushing it. The neon dottyback most probably will bully the fire fish, and may fight with the gramma.
This is what I would do:
One Flame
Pair of clowns
One Royal gramma
One firefish or Mandarin
(Firefish eat copepods and may outcompete the mandarin so I would chose one

 

[JosephM]

Okay, I’m glad I asked for some opinions. I will definitely be taking out the 2 flame angels and choosing between a fire fish or mandarin because I’m sure it’ll take me a while to get a sustainable copepod population.

The neon dottyback most probably will bully the fire fish, and may fight with the gramma.

If I added a mandarin would it be as aggressive? Or if I added the neon dotty back last would it be less aggressive because everything else will already have set territory?

 

[Kal93]

Unless you plan to culture pods or are willing to buy them weekly, I would advise against a mandarin. I tried keeping one in a 40G that supposedly ate frozen and it starved. You're better off picking a goby/blenny.

Dottybacks are aggressive regardless of when it's added; your clowns will be okay, but the dartfish and royal gramma will not (as they will compete for territory).

Mixing aggressive and peaceful species generally does not work. The peaceful species (like the dartfish and royal gramma) may hide during feedings or become susceptible to disease from bullying stress/injury.

 

[JosephM]

Unless you plan to culture pods or are willing to buy them weekly, I would advise against a mandarin. I tried keeping one in a 40G that supposedly ate frozen and it starved. You're better off picking a goby/blenny.

Dottybacks are aggressive regardless of when it's added; your clowns will be okay, but the dartfish and royal gramma will not (as they will compete for territory).

Mixing aggressive and peaceful species generally does not work. The peaceful species (like the dartfish and royal gramma) may hide during feedings or become susceptible to disease from bullying stress/injury.

I was planning on keeping copepods in my refuge and feeding them live phytoplankton until my tank could sustain them itself, but might rock with a fire fish for now since they’re not as picky. Do you have any goby/blenny recommendations that are colorful/good personality?

 

[Kal93]

Lawnmower blennies aren't colorful, but have a great personality and eat you algae.
Midas, forktail, and fang blennies have nice coloration. I haven't had one, but imagine that they also have a great personality.
Yasha (or dracula) gobies are very pretty and have an interesting symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp.

 

[Bepis]

Midas blended supposedly have a huge amount of personaality and are one of my favorites

 

[vlangel]

I have had lots of blennies. Midas, Orange spot, bicolor and linear were my favorites! In that order. Those are all combtooth and will scrape algae off the glass although not so spotless that you don't need to clean it, LOL.

Barnacle blennies are small but they are adorable as far as personality goes.

The fanged blennies are colorful and more open water swimmers but are not as personable in my opinion.

 

[JosephM]

Yasha (or dracula) gobies are very pretty and have an interesting symbiotic relationship with pistol shrimp.

This seems fun. Do pistol shrimp pose a risk to any of the live stock I’m planning on adding? And I want a reef tank once the tank matures so is it reef-compatable?

 

[Bepis]

This seems fun. Do pistol shrimp pose a risk to any of the live stock I’m planning on adding? And I want a reef tank once the tank matures so is it reef-compatable?

Yes they are reef safe, and will not kill livestock unless they go into its burrow which would be unwise

 

[Andreas' Reef]

Overstocked

flame angels need a 70 gallons

Mandarin needs 40 gallons

 

[Zionas]

x2 Ocellaris Clowns

x1 Shrimp and Goby pair

x1 Royal Gramma

x1 Blenny or Pink Streak / Possum Wrasse

 

[JosephM]

Overstocked

flame angels need a 70 gallons

Mandarin needs 40 gallons

Overstocked due to aggressiveness or because of tank size

 

[Zionas]

1. Flame Angels- Medium sized dwarf angel, gets to 5”, would suggest at least a 70-gallon tank and not a cube.

2. Mandarin- A 40-gallon cannot provide for its dietary needs long term. Can’t produce enough pods unless it’s in a larger tank.

 

[JosephM]

1. Flame Angels- Medium sized dwarf angel, gets to 5”, would suggest at least a 70-gallon tank and not a cube.

2. Mandarin- A 40-gallon cannot provide for its dietary needs long term. Can’t produce enough pods unless it’s in a larger tank.

So culturing pods in a refuge via seeding and feeding phytoplankton wouldn’t be enough?

 

[Zionas]

If you’re able to do that, then by all means give it a shot. May well work. To play extra safe maybe try getting a Captive Bred Mandarin from ORA that has a better chance of taking prepared foods as a backup.

 

[JosephM]

If you’re able to do that, then by all means give it a shot. May well work. To play extra safe maybe try getting a Captive Bred Mandarin from ORA that has a better chance of taking prepared foods as a backup.

Yeah definitely a plan for later on just thought they’re a beautiful fish and culturing pods would be a fun project once I can get some money saved up as building my own stand, sump, buying TBS live rock, plus fish and corals adds up quickly.

 

[Zionas]

Good luck!

 

[Bepis]

You guys are talking about him not being able to keep a mandarin unless in a 40g but no day notices the fact it’s a 29g tank and he said he has a sump.
@JosephM how many gallons is the sump?