20 gallon stocking

[Pseudomugil]

I started a thread about a 20 gallon tank I was starting for all different inverts only (just crabs, shrimp and stuff like that no fish or coral), but now I'm rethinking it and I do want some fish. Would this stock work?

1 ocellaris clownfish
1 blue damselfish
1 green chromis

4 blue leg hermits
4 scarlet reef hermits
2 dwarf zebra hermits
1 peppermint shrimp
1 emerald crab
1 feather duster
1 brittle star

I also want some kind of true sea star, I already posed some options earlier but no one said they would work. Could I get a tiny chocolate chip star and just exchange it for a smaller one when it gets big? I can get one that's 2 inches long and make sure it's well fed.

[BigRedsReefs10]

With those 3 fish the tank will be a war zone damsels and chromis are both pretty aggressive and the clown (also in the damsel family) will hold its own too. I'd say a pair of clowns and a perching fish (blenny or goby) and a sandbed dweller like one of the shrimp gobies would work out much better in the long run. If you don't want a reef the chocolate chip should be ok, but if you do them it's a no go


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[Pseudomugil]

I've seen videos of clowns and damsels living fine together. What if I added them at the same time? Or is that too much to add at once? I really want a mix of colours. Also, I need to keep this really cheap so I can't get a pair of clowns or prawn gobies or anything cause those are like $40. I can get a single clown, all different kinds of damsels, green chromis, royal gramma, and yellow clown goby that's about it.

Could I do 1 clown, 1 blue damsel (both added at the same time), and 1 yellow clown goby?

Also, you don't think the chocolate chip could catch sleeping fish/inverts do you? I'd be afraid of it eating my hermits or feather duster for example.

[bribo12]

I could see it going for the feather duster. They seem to like sessile inverts. The hermits should be fine though.


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[Pseudomugil]

Would it go for a tuxedo urchin?

[bribo12]

Originally Posted by Pseudomugil

Would it go for a tuxedo urchin?

I don't believe so


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[BigRedsReefs10]

Originally Posted by Pseudomugil

I've seen videos of clowns and damsels living fine together. What if I added them at the same time? Or is that too much to add at once? I really want a mix of colours. Also, I need to keep this really cheap so I can't get a pair of clowns or prawn gobies or anything cause those are like $40. I can get a single clown, all different kinds of damsels, green chromis, royal gramma, and yellow clown goby that's about it.



Could I do 1 clown, 1 blue damsel (both added at the same time), and 1 yellow clown goby?



Also, you don't think the chocolate chip could catch sleeping fish/inverts do you? I'd be afraid of it eating my hermits or feather duster for example.

I'd still recommend against the damsel, they're little devils. You don't have to buy "paired" clowns as one will become the dominant female. A blenny or gramma would be a better option imo


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[Pseudomugil]

2 clowns is really expensive though. Theyre $20+ here.

What about 1 clown and a blue reef chromis? I really want a blue fish.

[4127john]

Chromis are schooling fish. Most people add about 5+. Even then some people still have them dying off. Chromis really don't do that well in a lot of tanks. I would say it is a hit or miss if you get 1 chromis.


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[54seaweed]

damsels are demons you'll be better off with out them , assorted Pseudochromis
1/2&1/2 purple any yellow head and tail also 1/2&1/2 top & bottom or all purple
you'd be able to slip a small school of about 6 of these in the 20
in groups they are the mellowest schooling fish I seen , singles they snap and go rouge

[Pseudomugil]

I'm just gonna go with 1 blue damsel. The tank was for invertebrates anyway. But still, as I said before, my lfs has damsels and clowns (all different damsel and clown species)(ocellaris, tomato, skunk, saddle clowns, yellowtail, blue, green, 3 stripe damsels and more) all in the same tank. So if I got a clown and blue damsel from that 1 tank why wouldn't they be fine together? I believe that tank is the "tank bred" fish tank as they are keeping all those different species together.

[bribo12]

If you think $20 is expensive for a sw fish you may not want to continue further into sw...lol. Let's just say it isn't for the faint of wallet


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[54seaweed]

$20. for 2 clowns thats a good deal

[Pseudomugil]

Originally Posted by 54seaweed

$20. for 2 clowns thats a good deal

No they're over $20 for 1. So probably like $45 for 2.

And I don't think $20 is expensive for a saltwater fish, but as I've already stated multiple times I have to keep this cheap with fish like a clown, damsel, green chromis, royal gramma, firefish, or clown goby, which are all cheaper in terms of saltwater.

[Sniperhank]

Well, that isn't that bad of a deal still. I personally always think a pair of clowns is a must for any tank that meets the size requirements to keep them.

[Pseudomugil]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Well, that isn't that bad of a deal still. I personally always think a pair of clowns is a must for any tank that meets the size requirements to keep them.

I really want a pair of clowns, but my mom is not a fan of fish so I can't get fish that are like more than $15 so even 1 clown would be pushing it. The most expensive fish I have was $36 and that was as a gift.

I have to pay for this whole thing myself and my parents will cover whatever's left (I don't have a huge stash of cash). I still need a lot of equipment and things too I don't even know how much I'll have left for actual livestock.