Would this stock be too much?

[Rugops]

So I have a 29 gallon tank (31" long) that is on its way to becoming a reef tank.

So I was considering just 5 fish but there was one my brother wanted. I believe the system could handle the load. I have a lot of macroalgae in the sump but I need input.

Stocking List:

2 False Percula Clowns
1 Mandarin Dragonette
1 Starcki Damsel
1 Six Line Wrasse

Clowns: I was reasoning that since clowns have the tendency to stay in one place, they would for the most part do their own thing.

Dragonette: Since its a bottom dweller. It wouldn't swim as crazily as the bottom two.

Damsel: It would swim around upper and lower levels freely

Six Line: Would be last but I am getting him from a local reefer who said he was a model citizen. It would also swim around upper and lower levels freely.


There are a lot of holes and what not in the rocks if there is any questions about that.

 

[dedragon]

that would be absolute max and you will have to go slowly adding fish. I would start with the clowns, then damsel a month later, wrasse a couple months after, and then the dragonette about a year later

 

[dedragon]

you might need to culture pods if you want a mandarin that only eats copepods. They can go through a population fast, but some will eat prepared foods as a bit of supplementation

 

[Rugops]

you might need to culture pods if you want a mandarin that only eats copepods. They can go through a population fast, but some will eat prepared foods as a bit of supplementation

Yeah. I have a white worm culture ready and the pods have been proliferating. In my experience, no fish can resist those little wiggly treats.

 

[Rugops]

that would be absolute max and you will have to go slowly adding fish. I would start with the clowns, then damsel a month later, wrasse a couple months after, and then the dragonette about a year later

Wouldn't the dragonette be first then the wrasse?

 

[Derrick0580]

Research paulb’s brine shrimp feeder to help train your mandarin to take live foods and a captive bred one will always be best! Maybe avoid the damsel as that would make 3 damsels in a small tank and the clowns alone will probably get aggressive as it is.

 

[Derrick0580]

Wouldn't the dragonette be first then the wrasse?

Not at all, mandarin requires an extremely mature tank with a well established pod colony. Wrasse imo could go either way, being a smallish tank I would add it very last due to their known tendency to be aggressive once established.

 

[Rugops]

Research paulb’s brine shrimp feeder to help train your mandarin to take live foods and a captive bred one will always be best! Maybe avoid the damsel as that would make 3 damsels in a small tank and the clowns alone will probably get aggressive as it is.

Yeah that's what I've kept in mind. I might just see it works. If it does it does. If not, damsel would have to go.

 

[Rugops]

Research paulb’s brine shrimp feeder to help train your mandarin to take live foods and a captive bred one will always be best! Maybe avoid the damsel as that would make 3 damsels in a small tank and the clowns alone will probably get aggressive as it is.

I will look into that. Might culture my own pods too.

 

[JCM]

The wrasse will easily outcompete the dragonette for pods. I doubt you'll find long term success with it.

 

[Jay'sReefBugs]

Go with a CB mandrine . Adding 2 active hunters in a smaller system normally never works out . There's a constant trend I see from a large portion of my customer base and it's wild caught mandarins in a smaller system . Paying a little extra up front is going to save you a lot down the road

 

[nuxx Verified Sponsor]

Right at the limit IMO

 

[fish farmer]

The wrasse will easily outcompete the dragonette for pods. I doubt you'll find long term success with it.

I agree my sixline is constantly on the move in my 29 gallon tank, pods on glass are non-existent, I think it also put a hurt on my limpet population.

My success has been with three fish in a 29, a pair of 16 year old clowns and either a sixline or royal Gramma. If I didn't have the sixline I would go with a couple of small gobies or another small wrasse. Four fish max.

 

[Rugops]

Go with a CB mandrine . Adding 2 active hunters in a smaller system normally never works out . There's a constant trend I see from a large portion of my customer base and it's wild caught mandarins in a smaller system . Paying a little extra up front is going to save you a lot down the road

Agreed.

 

[o2manyfish]

I'm a big fan of the Starcki Damsels - I think they are way overlooked in the hobby because they are a damsel.

They are beautiful fish and the striking colors are unmatched by most hobby fish. I have 5 of them in my 750g and been keeping Starcki in my reefs' for decades.

The only downside to your fish population is the activity level in the fish tank.

The clowns are going to pick a spot and hang out there. The Damsel even though a good community damsel is going to find an area and claim it as his and stay there. The Mandarin is in and out of the aquascape on the bottom, and the sixline is the only fish you have swimming around all over the tank.

Instead of the Starcki, maybe look into a Cherub or a flameback angel. Particular individuals might be a problem for some clams or lps, but they are nippers not destroyers. And in my experience of keeping pygmy angels for over 35 years I have only had to replace 2 flameback in all that time for being trouble makers. And for the past 15 years I keep them in harems of at least 3. So the odds are in your favor of it not being a problem fish.

Now the angel is going to more of a pod competitior than the damsel. But if the tank is well fed it shouldn't affect your ability to keep a happy mandarin.

Dave B

 

[Rugops]

I'm a big fan of the Starcki Damsels - I think they are way overlooked in the hobby because they are a damsel.

They are beautiful fish and the striking colors are unmatched by most hobby fish. I have 5 of them in my 750g and been keeping Starcki in my reefs' for decades.

The only downside to your fish population is the activity level in the fish tank.

The clowns are going to pick a spot and hang out there. The Damsel even though a good community damsel is going to find an area and claim it as his and stay there. The Mandarin is in and out of the aquascape on the bottom, and the sixline is the only fish you have swimming around all over the tank.

Instead of the Starcki, maybe look into a Cherub or a flameback angel. Particular individuals might be a problem for some clams or lps, but they are nippers not destroyers. And in my experience of keeping pygmy angels for over 35 years I have only had to replace 2 flameback in all that time for being trouble makers. And for the past 15 years I keep them in harems of at least 3. So the odds are in your favor of it not being a problem fish.

Now the angel is going to more of a pod competitior than the damsel. But if the tank is well fed it shouldn't affect your ability to keep a happy mandarin.

Dave B

Thanks for the input. So you say the starcki is more of a territorial fish than a "roamer"? Have you had any major problems with this?

 

[Rugops]

I was considering getting the dragonette from Dr.Reefs. Does anyone have experience from them?

 

[o2manyfish]

Thanks for the input. So you say the starcki is more of a territorial fish than a "roamer"? Have you had any major problems with this?

Some fish are active swimmers -- Like Angels, Butterflies, Tangs, Wrasses, Anthias. They are always moving about and bring alot of action to the aquarium.

A damsel is not an open water free swimming fish. It finds an area that it calls home and stays there. Some damsels like 3 spot, domino, 3 stripe, blue velvet - Will make that territory like the DMZ and attempt to kill anything that roams into it. The Starcki is much more community friendly and will still stick to its 'home area' most of the time. In my 750g tank with 10' for area to roam the Starckis each have there lil niche they stay in 95% of the time. Unless I am feeding at one end of the tank with the pumps off they seldom roam around the tank.

Dave B

 

[Rugops]

Some fish are active swimmers -- Like Angels, Butterflies, Tangs, Wrasses, Anthias. They are always moving about and bring alot of action to the aquarium.

A damsel is not an open water free swimming fish. It finds an area that it calls home and stays there. Some damsels like 3 spot, domino, 3 stripe, blue velvet - Will make that territory like the DMZ and attempt to kill anything that roams into it. The Starcki is much more community friendly and will still stick to its 'home area' most of the time. In my 750g tank with 10' for area to roam the Starckis each have there lil niche they stay in 95% of the time. Unless I am feeding at one end of the tank with the pumps off they seldom roam around the tank.

Dave B

Gotcha. Learned something new!

 

[Rugops]

Update: I found a PJ's artemia feeder. Hopefully will help me with feeding the mandarin.