5 Gallon Stocking Ideas?

Teebo · Mar 17, 2016

Not that I am anywhere near ready to even think about adding inverts, etc, but I wanted to touch on this as I was at the LFS again today. Since I decided on a no-fish approach I do want to add as many living things as comfortably able to. Lets start knocking things off the list, remember 5 gallons...
-I saw spiky black urchins but they look like they get wayy too big. Are there any dwarfed urchins?
-Seemed like there were 2 types of shrimp, cleaner shrimp and these others with big claws, they were still red and white like the cleaners but the white was true white not the yellowy off-white the cleaners are. Not sure if they eat coral but they seem like they could eat anything I put in the tank if they wanted and their claws seem far too large to be effective at eating algae.
-Starfish? Any small starfish I can keep?
-I did not see any but, sea slugs look pretty colorful on Google...and they are small! Do they eat algae?
-Hermit crabs! There are all sort of types, I know they kill snails though. I saw some tiny ones with red feet that seemed cool.
-Of course snails, many options to choose from here which will be where I expand the most. From a FW standpoint Nerites are obviously the best not only are they the most colorful but the most effective at eating algae, then Mystery/Apple snails which do eat algae but less of it and are less attractive (except for the Pearl snail I like keeping one of those in every tank for contrast). MTS I do not use because I do not like my substrate being messed with (gravel topped dirt) but in a sand aquarium they would be great. So, can you help me start somewhere with SW snails? I only saw a few types at the LFS no idea what they eat, but there was a bumpy colorful looking one in almost every tank.

I have some preference/order in which of these I would keep and why to help with your suggestions; algae eating capability and color diversity. If something is really colorful and worth keeping to look at I would like it...but if there is something that is extremely good at eating algae but dull I suppose it does not matter having one of whatever it may be could help but my intention here is not to clean my tank for me. Also I do not plan on adding everything at once, I will progress the same way people slowly add a bio-load of fish to their system.

Toadfish · Mar 17, 2016

Most urchins will get too big for a 5 gallon. Particularly the black ones you see at LFS.

There are loads and loads of shrimp. The two you are describing sounds like skunk cleaners and coral banded. Both too big for a 5, but there are others. I really really like Thor amboinensis, the sexy anemone shrimp. They stay very small and are hardy and safe. I want to say camel shrimp shrimp are OK too, but I don't remember off the cuff.

Asterina stars are basically inevitable, but I like them well enough. Just watch to make sure you don't have a coral eating type. (Done contention as to whether that is a thing at all, but I digress) other than them and the tiny brittle stars, all the common stars get too big, and are delicate to boot.

Nudibranch's and other slugs are right out I'd say. They are either not safe, impossible to feed, too large, or too sensitive. Or a combination. Sucks, I know, but what can you do.

I personally won't put hermits in any reef, but that's a personal preference mixed with paranoia. They are opportunistic feeders. With the smaller space, try for blue legs. They stay smaller than most.

Snails, there's quite literally thousands of varieties. Look up paper bubbles for a smaller, decorative, yet still useful snail. Stomatellas don't look like much but are awesome. Red banded trochus are good too.

Another option altogether, get uncured live rock and see what comes out. Can be dicey for a reef (see naiads current thread titled "fish murder") but you can get some interesting stuff that way.

Teebo · Mar 17, 2016

Thanks! Those shrimp you mentioned look cool, like a clown fish shrimp haha.

I think I saw tiny brittle stars at the LFS but I am not sure...they had a body like a crab with long legs unless there is a larger look-alike species.

Bummer on the slugs, would have been perfect.

The tiny red legged hermits did not seem like they could eat coral but that sucks. I will find the name of them next time I go back.

Yeah about that rock...I was thinking about buying live rock from the LFS @ $7 a pound and letting it dry out to scape with first.

Toadfish · Mar 17, 2016

The shrimp are sweet.

The little ones are either white or brown and tan stripes, no bigger than a quarter with legs spread. Typically hitchhikers, most LFS will just give them to you.

Red legs are small in store but get massive, and they are omnivores. Risky proposition, but some find them totally peaceful.

Be very careful about how long you leave rock dry. The longer it dries, the more stuff on it does, and three longer your cycle will be. I've seen dead rock take 4-6 times longer to cycle than dry rock even, because there are so many organics to get rid of.

My coworker had a good suggestion. Pom pom crabs! Fan works are always good too

LetItReef · Mar 17, 2016

Sexy shrimps and yes on Pom-Pom crabs

Toadfish · Mar 17, 2016

Fan worms not works

Teebo · Mar 17, 2016

Oh no these were bigger than that, they must have just looked similar (starfish).

I think the red legs look so cool, I don't know why. Thanks for the heads up

Well if it takes longer I am okay with that, I will use a bottled jump-start bacteria solution. I am afraid of glueing wet rock together for stability reasons.

Pom-Pom crabs looks cool! Awesome suggestion and they will not attack snails/shrimp or eat coral?

I was told if I wanted to eventually get a fish if my tank seemed roomy enough that Eviota gobies and Trimma gobies could potentially work.

Toadfish · Mar 17, 2016

I'm doing all but exclusively eviota and trimma in my current nano. Be warned, they can be hard to find. Most stores will need to special order them.

Teebo · Mar 17, 2016

I will keep that in mind, by the way I have a picture on my phone of the starfish I saw at the LFS...it must just be a baby:

Toadfish · Mar 17, 2016

That's a big one. Pretty thing.

Teebo · Mar 17, 2016

Full grown? Too big for my tank though right?

Teebo · Mar 18, 2016

Can I have a sexy shrimp with a peppermint shrimp without any issues? Is one much better or effective than the other at cleaning?

hung52 · Mar 18, 2016

Yeah you can get sexy shrimp, peppermint no problem for a 5Gal

hung52 · Mar 18, 2016

2 ocellaris, 4snails, 2 shrimps thats the maximum u can put....

hung52 · Mar 18, 2016

Dont put more then that. Purchase more liverock to have a better filtration and soft coral... It will look very sexy ur tank !

Teebo · Mar 18, 2016

So one of each shrimp, 4 snails (Margarita, Cerith, Nassarius, and Trochus?) but I am not sure two clowns will be comfortable at all I think I will skip those.

hung52 · Mar 18, 2016

Tbh, clown will be fine for a 5Gal.. But a 5G u can only put like 1fish MAX.

Toadfish · Mar 18, 2016

Clowns will not be OK in a 5.

Peppermints and sexy are fine together. Don't worry too much about numbers on snails, they don't really contribute much to bioload. I would avoid margarita, as they are somewhat cooler water snails.

Peppermints are cleaning shrimp, sexy not so much. But peppermints can be more aggressive. Make sure to keep it fed. They can pick on snails, starfish, etc.

Were you planning on corals?

You mentioned sand cleaning/sifting in your first post. Nassarius do that.

There are some really cool looking snails and crabs that could be center piece type critters, but not all are reef safe. Try going on liveaquaria.com and look at their invert section. Good info on most species and a decent selection. If you see anything you like, let us know and we'll talk compatibilities.

Naiad · Mar 18, 2016

There are some mini brittle stars that will work but you won't find them for sale. You can get them from fellow reefers or a good lfs will generally give you one if you spot them. I personally would pass on the peppermint shrimp. They just so greedy at food time.
Pedersons anemone shrimp is an awesome addition to a mini tank. As are porcelain crabs. A Halloween hermit is generally a peaceful choice for a centerpiece. Love the little nano gobies. Kept a blind one in a 2.5.