Pico? Need Options for 2.5 or 5g tank

[SaltwaterNuB]

Nice! How do you like that heater? I'm using the same one. Will it turn off after it reaches 80'?

[marty20]

How deep is that sand bed?

[Racnakd]

Originally Posted by Dimdim

Agreed. I have 40g and 1 peppermint, i can see him all the time! Im not a fan of pistol shrimp as id rather not risk tumbling rocks and broken tanks . I want to get a cleaner shrimp, a blood shrimp and maybe another peppermint for my 40. I prefer to shop locally too, but when it comes to sps theyre scarce locally. Not many ppl around here have the light capacity for sps, ive only met a few even my lfs doesnt use leds and only keeps montiporas i from what i saw, no clams either

That's understandable. I live in San Diego and there are a lot of reefers out here.
pistol shrimp are cool. You just have to prepare for them.
You can keep pretty much any coral under t5 Ho lighting. You just have to have enough of them.
I personally like metal halides. That is a personal preference. You can keep anything under metal halides as well.

[Racnakd]

Originally Posted by jmay33

I've thought about a pistol shrimp, but if I do that I want to have a shrimp-goby pair and I would feel guilty putting any SW fish in a tank that small. I'm the girl that keeps bettas in 3 gallons at very minimum, though. I think 5-10 is more appropriate. Lol. I love pistol shrimp and one of these days I'll have one! My water is all clear and pretty and I put a background on the tank. I'll post a picture in a few minutes.

It is hard to stock a tank that small. I would also agree to that. My pistol shrimp now is about 4" and a fatty. I got him in a nano set up when it was about 1". He got big.
When stocking something that small make sure that everything you out in you have the intentions of upgrading their surroundings as soon as you feel they are uncomfortable. At my lfs they have a small nano (2.5g or so) and they have a baby clown. It looks happy and perfect size for the tank. They have all intentions of moving him when he outgrows the setup though. Most of the time you can get away with it for many many months as some fish are slow growers.

So you are not going to stock fish at all? Just crabs.

[Racnakd]

I would say that the sand bed is around 2" judging by the sauce cap and also the heater.
That is a good heater for small tanks. There is no guessing during setup. It just is what it is. And those are normally 80*.
I like peppermint a lot. In big set ups though they don't live long and are normally for certain purposes. I.e. aptasia.
Agree that lfs are a bit more pricey but you can always see what your getting. If it doesn't look good then you don't get it. Worth the money to me to shop at an established place where quality product is a must. That also depends on the lfs.
Tank looks good. I like the size. Miniature, cute. And yes I said cute.

[jmay33]

Thank you! I have that thermometer in several tanks. Never fails me. In my larger tanks (10 gallons) they usually stop around 78, but in this tank it stops at 80. I guess less water to heat? Not sure. If I ever put a fish in this tank, it can be put in my 55 gallon. The only fish in there is an ocellaris clown for now. (I lost his partner when I transferred everything) I'm thinking just corals and inverts. I may get a neon goby for a little while and then move him over. I feel like parameters will be a little harder to maintain in here.

[Ricksreef]

Diamond Goby will work.Sexy shrimp are perfect for that size tank.Plus you will see them all the time,get at least three.

[jmay33]

Originally Posted by Racnakd

I would say that the sand bed is around 2" judging by the sauce cap and also the heater.
That is a good heater for small tanks. There is no guessing during setup. It just is what it is. And those are normally 80*.
I like peppermint a lot. In big set ups though they don't live long and are normally for certain purposes. I.e. aptasia.
Agree that lfs are a bit more pricey but you can always see what your getting. If it doesn't look good then you don't get it. Worth the money to me to shop at an established place where quality product is a must. That also depends on the lfs.
Tank looks good. I like the size. Miniature, cute. And yes I said cute.

Lol. For some reason I just saw your cute comment. That's what I've been calling it too. It's adorable. The coaster that's sitting next to it gives a pretty good reference.

[jmay33]

Originally Posted by Ricksreef

Diamond Goby will work.Sexy shrimp are perfect for that size tank.Plus you will see them all the time,get at least three.

Diamond goby would be good. I love any kind of goby! I was thinking 4 would be a good number. my lfs almost always has them. I do like my lfs, I felt like it sounded like I was bad mouthing them earlier. Lol. They really are my favorite store in town! I just wish we had more than one so there was some competition. I'm all for board games, but this kind of monopoly doesn't do anyone any good.

[Ricksreef]

Originally Posted by jmay33

Diamond goby would be good. I love any kind of goby! I was thinking 4 would be a good number. my lfs almost always has them. I do like my lfs, I felt like it sounded like I was bad mouthing them earlier. Lol. They really are my favorite store in town! I just wish we had more than one so there was some competition. I'm all for board games, but this kind of monopoly doesn't do anyone any good.

Sorry,I meant neon goby.Diamond goby definitely would not work.

[jmay33]

Originally Posted by Ricksreef

Sorry,I meant neon goby.Diamond goby definitely would not work.

Lol. I thought you meant for my 55.

[Dimdim]

Another one to check out, look for a spotted prawn goby. So cool !!!

[jmay33]

Originally Posted by Dimdim

Another one to check out, look for a spotted prawn goby. So cool !!!

Love those! We always have them here.

[Dimdim]

Id love to find one around here !

[Racnakd]

Everything sounds good and there are plenty of choices. Whatever you decide to go with I'm sure will work fine. I do like the way the sexy shrimp look but it's just to bad that their main diet is star fish. I don't think that they would last very long in a 2.5 due to lack of food supply.

[jmay33]

Originally Posted by Dimdim

Id love to find one around here !

Aww. I wish I could send you one! Lol. My lfs always has tanks full of the little guys.

Originally Posted by Racnakd

Everything sounds good and there are plenty of choices. Whatever you decide to go with I'm sure will work fine. I do like the way the sexy shrimp look but it's just to bad that their main diet is star fish. I don't think that they would last very long in a 2.5 due to lack of food supply.

Thanks! Will the sexy shrimp not be okay with fresh chopped up shrimp? I can't find any info anywhere that says they eat starfish. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place. Lol.

[jmay33]

Just kidding. Found the info on that. Ha. I may give it a shot with a few of them and see if maybe a meat-filled diet will work. I meant to mention. I have a bristle worm colony in this pico already. Lol. At least I have something wiggling around in there for now.

[Racnakd]

Originally Posted by jmay33

Just kidding. Found the info on that. Ha. I may give it a shot with a few of them and see if maybe a meat-filled diet will work. I meant to mention. I have a bristle worm colony in this pico already. Lol. At least I have something wiggling around in there for now.

Sounds like a plan, I think they do better in pairs. I am not sure where I found that info I just remember from my research that their primary diet is stars. It my be worth a shot I just don't want you to spend the money on something and It won't make it. I recently picked up 30lbs of lr to add to my 120lbs and before I nuked it there was a ton of the little white stars. A lot of tanks have them and have them due to hitchhiking.

Bristle worms are a good sign of your cycling. Their a great addition to a cuc. They primarily feed on left over food and detritus. Glad to hear you have something wiggling around.

What type of lighting do you have in that 2.5?

[SaltwaterNuB]

My light came in and looks great. Going to check ammonia levels today and probably do a 1.5g water change. Would it be a bad idea to add a couple crabs if everything looks good. My lfs isn't getting neons in until next week. I don't want to add any shrooms or polys just yet. I also want a couple sexies. I just can't watch them each chocolates. Haha

[Racnakd]

Originally Posted by SaltwaterNuB

My light came in and looks great. Going to check ammonia levels today and probably do a 1.5g water change. Would it be a bad idea to add a couple crabs if everything looks good. My lfs isn't getting neons in until next week. I don't want to add any shrooms or polys just yet. I also want a couple sexies. I just can't watch them each chocolates. Haha

What type of light did you get? How big is your tank? Depending on how long the system has been set up and your parameters it might be ok. If you have a chocolate star then the sexy grip most definitely will have a go at the star. Eating it slowly till there is nothing left.