New 29 gallon reef

Killerflash · Dec 21, 2015

Hey everyone! I have had this 29 gallon tank sitting around for over a month now and am deciding to finally do something with it.
I want to put turning my 90 gal FOWLR into a reef on hold and just make this one a reef and see how it goes first.
I want it to be primarily, if not completely softies.

I do have some plans for fish as well and was wondering what everyone thought; also any suggestions are welcomed as well!

Here is what I had planned for stocking it:
2 purple firefish (mated pair)
1 catalina goby
1 sailfin blenny
2 clowns (mated pair; probably yellow striped maroons)
1 royal gamma (maybe?)

I will get an anemone for the clowns to host in as well and if things take off and my corals grow I will probably frag them and throw them in my 90 gallon as well. What do you guys think?

AdamNC · Dec 22, 2015

The Royal Gramma may go after the Firefish due to the similar shape. They may look cute but mine holds his own against a Gold Stripe Maroon Clown. The Maroon Clown pair will dominate that small of a tank within the first few years. Make sure you have a screen top for the Firefish, they like to jump. And hold off on the Anemone for a few months, preferably 6-10 months.

Davileet · Dec 22, 2015

I say skip the anemone as they do not live well in captivity. I also say skip the 29 and just add corals to your 90 gallon as long as you don't have fish that will eat them. A 29 gallon tank just sounds like a pain in the butt. A 90 gallon is too small imo, lol. Royal Gammas will become aggressive and annoying to deal with.
If you must start with a 29 gallon to start your reef, just go slow and add fish slowly. Same goes for coral. Add two fish and see how they do for a while, then add more, slowly. Also, you will have to buy nice lights for your 29 and 90 if you do it this way.

mrsaltwaterguy · Dec 22, 2015

Just make sure to stay on top of water parameters and you will be fine with the 29 gallon. As others have stated be sure to wait on the anemone for 6 months.

saltyfilmfolks · Dec 22, 2015

Grammas are grumpy. Love mine to death. took a while for everyone to stake out territory in my 55. She and my firefish still like to bicker. Fire fish are pretty territorial too. I took out the clowns and my fire fish are happier and come out more.

Killerflash · Dec 22, 2015

I didn't mean to scare anyone with thinking I wouldn't take it slow. It will be a process all the stuff I mentioned already is just a ballpark idea of where I want to be one day with it. I doubt I'll ever get all of those fish in the 29, it gives me somewhere to start though when I do.
I also went ahead and got 3 frags today and put them in my 90, just softies, but I'm gonna see how they do.
Probably won't mess with the 29 until after the start of the new year.