New nano invert only tank suggestions

[01111000]

Hey guys, getting back into the hobby after being away for 4 years. I love inverts and want to make an invert only tank. What are some hardy/easy inverts you’d recommend?

Currently looking at:
Cleaner shrimp
Peppermint shrimp
Various hermits
Various snails
Micro brittle starfish
Feather duster
Bubble Tip Anemones (small)
A few zoas and mushrooms

Might explore a Pistol and Goby pair, but other than that was not planning on adding fish. Any recommendations?

 

[thereefhotspot]

Hey guys, getting back into the hobby after being away for 4 years. I love inverts and want to make an invert only tank. What are some hardy/easy inverts you’d recommend?

Currently looking at:
Cleaner shrimp
Peppermint shrimp
Various hermits
Various snails
Micro brittle starfish
Feather duster
Bubble Tip Anemones (small)
A few zoas and mushrooms

Might explore a Pistol and Goby pair, but other than that was not planning on adding fish. Any recommendations?

You should check out porcelain crabs or anemone shrimp! They will host the anemones just like clowns and in my experience, are more likely to do so!

- Gavin

 

[shakacuz]

pistol goby pair would be a nice "center piece" type for what you're envisioning. i do like the idea of a BTA only tank with some porcelain crabs AND anemone shrimp to complement the goby/pistol pair! of course the crabs/snails will aid in keeping the tank clean so those are a given choice of stock.

 

[01111000]

You should check out porcelain crabs or anemone shrimp! They will host the anemones just like clowns and in my experience, are more likely to do so!

- Gavin

pistol goby pair would be a nice "center piece" type for what you're envisioning. i do like the idea of a BTA only tank with some porcelain crabs AND anemone shrimp to complement the goby/pistol pair! of course the crabs/snails will aid in keeping the tank clean so those are a given choice of stock.

Thanks for the idea on porcelain crabs and anemone shrimp. I’ll do a deep dive into seeing what they need. The tank is newly established so I doubt they’ll survive until the water column has enough sustenance.
Will the pistol kill these two or just push them around until they leave?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

My own 5 gallon invert tank has a coral banded shrimp, emerald crab, and some hermits and snails. The shrimp is the centerpiece of the tank.

It also has a sun coral (NPS coral), which I feed daily, and Im thinking about adding a rock flower anemone.

Personally I dont believe a fish belongs in a 5 gallon tank.

Another option for you to think about is sexy shrimp, I love those things, I have 5 of them in my main tank, they just walk and dance all day across the tank, very cool little guys. I think a 5 gallon sexy shrimp tank would be amazing.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I have a 10g nano with a porcelain crab, pom pom crab, a few cerith and astraea snails, a candy cane pistol shrimp, and a yasha goby. Even in 10g the pom pom crab hides out pretty well but is still a super neat small invert. My porcelain crab lives in a branching green star polyps colony rather than a nem and generally hangs out front and center in my tank. All of the inverts rarely wander from their own territories and seem to do their best to avoid each other.

 

[shakacuz]

Thanks for the idea on porcelain crabs and anemone shrimp. I’ll do a deep dive into seeing what they need. The tank is newly established so I doubt they’ll survive until the water column has enough sustenance.
Will the pistol kill these two or just push them around until they leave?

they should be fine as they will reside within the BTAs. i suggest getting one of the smaller sized goby’s to pair with the pistol. and for the pistol to get the red banded/candy cane pistol and they stay smaller as well