First Reef Tank (29 Cube) Stocking Ideas

[dpb1298]

Hi all,
I am filling my 29 cube with rodi water as of yesterday and ready to mix in salt and get it cycling. I would love some stocking suggestions. I want it to be mostly coral: fungia, favia brain, elegance and others, but want some activity too. I would love suggestions for both peaceful community fish. I want a blue tuxedo urchin, lettuce nudibranch,would love twin spot gobys, but I know they're not exactly beginner level (and thoughts on red scooter dragonets and spooted mandarins? Are they easier than regular mandarins?), a royal gamma, firefish, and similarly would love a Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol shimp combo, but I've heard horror stories of the shrimp going rogue. Finally, I'd like a pair of white clowns. Additionally, I am interested in this clean-up crew package https://www.mysaltwaterfishstore.co...-for-eating-unwanted-algae-removing-detritus/ ; however, I have heard that cucumbers can poison tanks and that the starfish can murder fish. Lastly, I like the idea of crabs, including porcelain and emerald, but like the shimp have heard bad things. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

 

[glb]

Hi all,
I am filling my 29 cube with rodi water as of yesterday and ready to mix in salt and get it cycling. I would love some stocking suggestions. I want it to be mostly coral: fungia, favia brain, elegance and others, but want some activity too. I would love suggestions for both peaceful community fish. I want a blue tuxedo urchin, lettuce nudibranch,would love twin spot gobys, but I know they're not exactly beginner level (and thoughts on red scooter dragonets and spooted mandarins? Are they easier than regular mandarins?), a royal gamma, firefish, and similarly would love a Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol shimp combo, but I've heard horror stories of the shrimp going rogue. Finally, I'd like a pair of white clowns. Additionally, I am interested in this clean-up crew package https://www.mysaltwaterfishstore.co...-for-eating-unwanted-algae-removing-detritus/ ; however, I have heard that cucumbers can poison tanks and that the starfish can murder fish. Lastly, I like the idea of crabs, including porcelain and emerald, but like the shimp have heard bad things. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated.

I wouldn’t do a sea cucumber in a tank that small. For cuc’s, I suggest starting with snails and taking it from there. I have nassarius, turbo, and trocchus as my only cuc. I had an emerald crab once but it went rogue and had to find another home. In my 40g I have two clowns, a Midas Blenny, a ruby headed fairy wrasse, a chromis, and a diamond goby. They all get along swimmingly. Hope this helps!

 

[dpb1298]

I wouldn’t do a sea cucumber in a tank that small. For cuc’s, I suggest starting with snails and taking it from there. I have nassarius, turbo, and trocchus as my only cuc. I had an emerald crab once but it went rogue and had to find another home. In my 40g I have two clowns, a Midas Blenny, a ruby headed fairy wrasse, a chromis, and a diamond goby. They all get along swimmingly. Hope this helps!

My concern with gobies, as much as I like them, is that I have a fungia and have heard of the gobies biting them and of the fungia eating gobies. I like the other ideas tho!
I've been told that a beginner should not do cucs or nudibranches, so they're off the list. I also think I'll play it safe and steer clear of the crab.