Stocking list for a 24 gallon cube

Sharkman7 · Dec 1, 2019

Have a 24 gallon AIO cube, just finished cycle a few weeks ago, only thing I. It are 2 small clowns, and will be adding small gobies and inverts and anemones. Y question is what fish would be good to help with all control?, I know that it is to small for any tangs, just wondering what other options there are? Thanks

TheShrimpNibbler · Dec 1, 2019

Sharkman7 said:
Have a 24 gallon AIO cube, just finished cycle a few weeks ago, only thing I. It are 2 small clowns, and will be adding small gobies and inverts and anemones. Y question is what fish would be good to help with all control?, I know that it is to small for any tangs, just wondering what other options there are? Thanks

I assume that you mean algae control. Besides tangs, which are certainly not an option, there are blennies and dwarf angels. The only angel that might work is a Pygmy cherub angel. Even that I would worry about not having enough room. A Blenny might work, but it would need to be one of the smaller species.

mta_morrow · Dec 1, 2019

There are really no fish that will work in that size tank that would offer significant algae control.

Mattman1977 · Dec 1, 2019

Look into a hector goby. Just picked one up for my jbj 24 gal aio cube. Not expecting to do as well as a tang but will clean algae off the sand and rocks.

Matt

mta_morrow · Dec 1, 2019

Mattman1977 said:
Look into a hector goby. Just picked one up for my jbj 24 gal aio cube. Not expecting to do as well as a tang but will clean algae off the sand and rocks.

Matt

Hectors are cool gobies. But I would recommend getting it because you want it and not expect it to have an impact eating algae. Beautiful fish!

Sharkman7 · Dec 1, 2019

Mattman1977 said:
Look into a hector goby. Just picked one up for my jbj 24 gal aio cube. Not expecting to do as well as a tang but will clean algae off the sand and rocks.

Matt

Thanks will check it out, I do want some gobys and blennies.

X-37B · Dec 1, 2019

I had a 18" cubed nano. Pair of clowns and a 6 line wrasse for 2 years. I would get 4-5 smallish turbo snails. They controlled the algae on the 25 lbs live rock very well.
If I was to do it again on a tank that small I would not put 2 clowns or the wrasse in as they get large fast.
I would do 1 clown and small goby.
The female clown bullied the male for the last year. The male is now in my 120 and lives in the 12 head frogspawn that came out of the nano.
He does not move far from the frogspawn unless its feeding time and he has his own corner now.

DSEKULA · Dec 1, 2019

I love all the little gobies, one of my favorite is my Ora sharknose. It picks on algae and any offered food and also acts as a cleaner fish riding on the other larger fish in the tank. There's no significant impact on algae but the fish is very active small and fun to watch.

Mattman1977 · Dec 2, 2019

mta_morrow said:
Hectors are cool gobies. But I would recommend getting it because you want it and not expect it to have an impact eating algae. Beautiful fish!

Oh I agree 100% fish and snails won’t have a huge impact in a nano unless you way over stock it then some will starve as the food supply runs out. The hector is the only omnivore fish I found in my research for a nano 24gal then found one at my lfs so was super excited. Super cool fish to watch.

TheShrimpNibbler · Dec 2, 2019

Urchins are really cool and can eat a lot of algae. I have a pincushion that tries his best to keep my tank clean and he’s super fun to watch. Honestly, he’s as interesting as some fish to me.

DSEKULA · Dec 2, 2019

TheShrimpNibbler said:
Urchins are really cool and can eat a lot of algae. I have a pincushion that tries his best to keep my tank clean and he’s super fun to watch. Honestly, he’s as interesting as some fish to me.

Urchins are Soo cool, I wish I could have one but I've heard they scratch the heck out of acrylic tanks. Good suggestion