Stocking 29 gallon

[Jarred Darque]

ok, I wil lbe upgrading to a 29 gallon, and when it is ready, I need to know what can go in there.

It will start with a domino damsel (since I have the fish already in the 10gallon that is getitng upgraded) Requirements for the tank are 2 clowns and an anenome. I would also like to get a pistol goby and pistol shrimp, and maybe 1 or 2 other really small gobies (thinking red-head cleaner goby and or red striped goby) The Damsel does not need to stay, I dont mind getting rid of it later on downthe road. Any suggestions, tips, etc?

I am plannin on about 50lbs of live rock total.

 

[vsnsofadrgn]

imo, the pair of clowns and a goby/shrimp pair about all you should put in a 29. i wouldnt even bother with the damsel, hell just get mean and youll wnat to get rid of him so save your self the hassle, lol. as for the anemone, do you have the correct lighting? also, they require an established tank. hth.

 

[john0087]

I believe that with that fish list, you would be overstocked for a 29g.

IMO

Domino Damsels are Territorial - You may have issues in a small tank.

The Damsel does not need to stay, I dont mind getting rid of it later on downthe road.

I hope you mean that you can give it back to a local fish store or a friend.

2 Clowns - Clowns do not need an annoneome to survive. My concern is that the only annenome that I would consider in a 29g would be a BTA. Most of the BTA's you will find will be too small to host 2 clowns, creating stress on the annonome. There is also no garuntee that the clowns will host. Some may say that a 29g is too small for any annoneome, but I am keeping a BTA with one Percula under PC lighting in a 37g. it is possible, you just really need to stay on top of the PWC and maintenance. I also trust that you have the lighting to support the annenome.

1 Pistol Goby/shrimp - I have never kept them, but they are cool. Shoudl be fine in a 29g.

1-2 more Gobies. - Also cool fish.

I think I would look into...

1 Clown/annenome
1 Pistol Goby/shrimp
1 more Goby or keep the damsel

HTH

John

 

[melosu58]

As mentioned above lighting is a big question. Also anenomes need mature and established tanks which means IMO a tank about a yr old. I also think you`ve mentioned too many fish for that size tank.

 

[MarineFlake]

I have had a pair of perc clowns, coral banded shrimp, yellow watchman goby and yes a now rather large green bta in my 29. Plus, 1 mithrix emerald, 3-4 scarlet, 5-6 blue crabs, 3-4 astrea and 1 large turbo that keeps the corals turned over for me (ha. ha.), crocea clam, varous soft/sps/lps corals. I was skimmerless up until about a month ago with no po4 or trate issues. I put the skimmer back on due to my inability to do weekly water changes as I had started out doing. (Hey, life comes at you fast, get a skimmer)..Anyway sounds like you have a similar arrangement in mind. With weekly or bi monthly (as in every 2 weeks) wc's you should have no problems. Fall behind schedule and your tank will tell you..with a vegance. There are pictures in my gallery of the tank (I think)..Not sure if any are recent...I use a Coralife fixture consisting of a 1 x 150W 10k HQI MH and 2 x 65w actinic (420nm) PCs. you *should not* put an anemone in that tank for at least 12 months plus.

Peace!

 

[Jarred Darque]

YEah, what I meant with the damsel is that I can trade it in. I only got it cause my yellow clown goby died one night, unknown causes..just saw the next mornin it was being eaten by my emerald crab, and not wanting to have to recycle the tank, I ran to the pet store and got the only healthy lookin fish that was small enough at the time to fit in a 10 gallon...

Yeah I dont plan on getting an anemone for AT LEAST 6 months after I have the 29 gallon up and running smoothly. As for lighting, I am still looking at what lighting, but I am looking for I guess aorund 150watts of PC lighting, 50/50 10k/actinic. I wont start setting the tank up for another 1-2 months at the earliest.

BTA? I will look for some pics, I think that is the type I amwanting though if I rmember.

If only 1 clown hosted an anemone and not the other, would that cause problems in the tank?

As for the gobies I am lookin at, I am lookin at ones that dont get larger than 2 inches, to keep stocking low.



BTW, the anemone my gf wnats in the tank (I dont know the type) is a clearish/white body with pink tips, is this a typeof BTA hopefully? Or is it a type that may also be compatible in this size tank?

 

[Ziggy953]

Clearish/white sounds to me like a Condylactis, which is not known to host any fish. They also have a tendency to "walk" around the tank, not a good option IMO. This is a bubble tip.
http://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_1...ategory=4&category_search=63&root_parent_id=4

 

[Jarred Darque]

ok thanks, I will tryt and sell my gf on a BTA then will need to search the net for some really cool pics of em to convince her I am sure

 

[john0087]

Sorry about the BTA - "Bubble tip" anenome. They are quite pretty and my clown hosted quite quickly. But once again, there is no garuntee.

Here is some good info on Anenome's. I read this site before I got mine


http://www.carlosreef.com/AnemoneFAQ.pdf

If only 1 clown hosted an anemone and not the other, would that cause problems in the tank

Not sure really. As far as I know, clowns are mild/moderate territorial. Whenever I am cleaning the tank, he gets all crazy and attacks the siphon tube when I get close to the anenome.

Maybe if you have a mated pair of clowns? I don't know, so I can not say that it will or won't work.

You lighing should be ok.

Good luck.

John

 

[Lance M.]

If you get two of the same clowns they will usually host the anemone together. If one does it the other will follow, but no guarantee that they will ever go near the anemone. Bta's are your best choice for clownfish host anemones as they have a greater survival rate than others. But as said before clownfish don't need a host.

I have a pair of o. clowns in my 20 gallon nano reef that host a bta and I have a pair of tomato clowns that host my huge mushrooms. So they can host corals. There have also been instances where they will host condys and rock anemone (neither of which are natural clown hosts). Like said above condys will move around the tank and kill corals. Rock anemones stay where you put them usually. Mine likes to be on the sand with it's foot underneath a rock.

I have a yellow watchman/ candy cane pistol shrimp combo in my ten gallon nano and a yellow watchman/ red pistol shrimp combo in my 20 gallon. Yes they are very cool and they will make the cracking/pop sounds. Be aware that you will not see the pistols that much, maybe once a day, twice if your lucky. My candy cane pistol is ---- long, that's how small he is. My red pistol is ------------------------------------- and he is very loud! I can hear him across the house.

Yes I do 20-25% pwc every week and a 10% pwc in the middle of the week so everything is doing very well. I'm also gonna get bigger tanks to house them in probably September/October. Probably two 40 or 55 gallons connected with a large sump.

 

[chris20]

ok I suggest a few great whites maybe a bull shark and maybe an alena junda

 

[Jarred Darque]

Would a 130 watt, 50/50 power compact (with moonlighting) be enough lighting for this setup?

 

[Ziggy953]

I would say the wattage is good but if it were me I would go with 10k and actinic combo instead of the 50/50....JMO

 

[Jarred Darque]

that is what I mean it is a 2 light combo, 1 is going ot be a 10K (or 12K which is best?) and an actinic.

 

[Lance M.]

If your talking about the Coralife Aqualight 24'' 130 watt then that should be good. I have this on my 20 gallon.

It has 3 switches- one for 10,000k, one for actinic, and one for the two moonlights. I really like mine. And it has a cooling fan that comes on when the 10,000k lights come on.

If you like that fixture, you can get it from DrsFosterSmith.com for $118.99. Just type in item "#VT-18778" into the search so you can get the sale price instead of the regular $139.99.

If your not talking about this fixture then I'm sure this one would be better than what you are talking about since it's $118.99.

 

[Jarred Darque]

(I founnd it, or one very similiar, for 75 bucks )

 

[Lance M.]

Wow. Where? That's a great deal.

 

[Jarred Darque]

ebay is your friend.