Stocking a 20 gallon high

[Dyl1234]

Clownfish are egg layers and will care for their eggs.

I think I am going to just go with the 2 oc. Clowns with the hermit crabs and snails. That is all I am going to put in my tank.

 

[carey]

Thats a great attitude. start slow and if you can get another fish or two later on then you can decide then.

 

[Dyl1234]

Thats a great attitude. start slow and if you can get another fish or two later on then you can decide then.

Yep. And you have been a lot of help so far helping me set up my aquarium and giving me advice. thanks

 

[carey]

Youre very welcome! Thats the point of coming here and asking questions, so people can help you out.

 

[Dyl1234]

Youre very welcome! Thats the point of coming here and asking questions, so people can help you out.

Yea, I really like this forum. Lol. Looking at the saltwater part of the forum made me want one. So I got rid of all of my freshwater stuff. And I now getting my tank set up one step at a time. It's hard on your pocket being young and going to school with no job. Lol. I plan on asking for a lot of stuff for my Christmas presents. I think I am going to ask for petco gift cards and the visa gift cards so I can order some stuff.

 

[carey]

I';d skip the petco cards as that store is way overpriced. You can order salt and other goodies online from dozens of different retailers. If you need something in particluar just ask, I have probably bought that same item and cheaper than petco so I or others can lead you in the right direction. No reason to spend top dollar if you dont have to, it leaves money for other things; lol - Like fish and other critters-

 

[Dyl1234]

I';d skip the petco cards as that store is way overpriced. You can order salt and other goodies online from dozens of different retailers. If you need something in particluar just ask, I have probably bought that same item and cheaper than petco so I or others can lead you in the right direction. No reason to spend top dollar if you dont have to, it leaves money for other things; lol - Like fish and other critters-

I was gonna use the petco card for the fish and live rock. We don't have but 1 local fish store. And they are only freshwater and its dirty. And I have to travel to my nearest petco which is 45 mins away!!!! Can you buy live fish with gift cards? For some reason my family likes to give gift cards for Christmas. I guess it's easier than trying to find someone a gift. I like it. Lol

 

[carey]

Gift cards rock! i love getting them.

You can order live fish online but the shipping can be expensive. What state are you in? I live in florida and we have several places that ship for like $15 within the state.

For base rock I would go with an online retailer like marcorocks or reefrocks.net or even bulkreefsupply and it's like $2 a lb. You wont be getting alot of live rock I assume so that might work getting it at petco.

 

[Dyl1234]

Gift cards rock! i love getting them.

You can order live fish online but the shipping can be expensive. What state are you in? I live in florida and we have several places that ship for like $15 within the state.

For base rock I would go with an online retailer like marcorocks or reefrocks.net or even bulkreefsupply and it's like $2 a lb. You wont be getting alot of live rock I assume so that might work getting it at petco.

I live in North Carolina. And I already bought probably about 2 to 3 pounds of live rock it might be more?! And I am selling my friend 50 hermit crabs for $20 and she is going to give me 5 pounds of live rock for freeeeee!

 

[carey]

Nice, swapping is a cool thing if you know people that do saltwater. SO you should be all set with live rock. I would aim for 20-25 lbs total and yu will have at least 8lbs of live. The rest just get base rock and youre good to go

 

[Dyl1234]

Nice, swapping is a cool thing if you know people that do saltwater. SO you should be all set with live rock. I would aim for 20-25 lbs total and yu will have at least 8lbs of live. The rest just get base rock and youre good to go

Yep when I get some money I am going to buy some rock from BRS. They have pretty good prices.

 

[jefferzbooboo]

Do you have a 20g saltwater tank? Or a lawnmower blenny? I had clowns and that blenny in a 29g and they were just fine. When you stock you dont actually consider the water volume with rocks you go with the tank size. lol If that were the case a 125g reef would only have a few fish and tangs couldnt fit! LOL Which isnt the case at all. Most people will use common sense when adding rock and it wont be a tank full of rocks which then woudlnt allow much of any fish to be in that tank.

I agree two clowns should be in a 30g tank but the OP can get away with 2 in my opinion.

Yes I do have a 20H SW, what does that have to do with this? I don't have a lawnmower because they don't belong in a 20g tank.
It's nice and all you had them in your tank, but just because you put them in there doesn't mean they should be in there.

 

[Dyl1234]

Yes I do have a 20H SW, what does that have to do with this? I don't have a lawnmower because they don't belong in a 20g tank.
It's nice and all you had them in your tank, but just because you put them in there doesn't mean they should be in there.

Have you had them in your tank before?

 

[woody390]

I would be wary with two turbos in a tank that size, they need a lot of algae to graze on and a tank that size won't produce enough in my opinion so maybe just the one turbo and look at some narcissus snails or something different

 

[carey]

Don't know where you get your information Jeff, but a lawnmower is perfectly fine in a 20H. As long as there is enough algae to eat he will be good. You really dont think a fish 2-3 inches in fine in a 2 foot tank? So what, does everyone need a 55g tank? lol

Really now....let's be realistic.....

 

[Dyl1234]

I would be wary with two turbos in a tank that size, they need a lot of algae to graze on and a tank that size won't produce enough in my opinion so maybe just the one turbo and look at some narcissus snails or something different

There is plenty of algae and I also give them algae wafers occasionally.

 

[Dyl1234]

Don't know where you get your information Jeff, but a lawnmower is perfectly fine in a 20H. As long as there is enough algae to eat he will be good. You really dont think a fish 2-3 inches in fine in a 2 foot tank? So what, does everyone need a 55g tank? lol

Really now....let's be realistic.....

That's what im saying. Some people have different ways of thinking. I think some people think you need a 55 gallon just for gobies.

 

[carey]

It's good to be cautious about tank size, you dont want to endanger the fish if you dont have to.

But you also have to take into account the fishes habits and lifestyle. A lawnmower for instance does pretty much nothing but perch all day long. Mine like to sit on my mag float and watch me. lol They arent a swimmy type of fish, they are perchers like alot of blennys and gobies. Liveaquaria probably has the tank size for the lawnmower at 30-35g, they can get larger than 3 inches but from what I've seen they don't like 95% of the time. I have two right now and they are both under 2 inches. The one I had for a few years started at about one inch and went to about 3.

This was just a suggestion fish as you are limited in what you can keep in a 20g so I wanted to add a fish that has a great personality, was cheap and would do double duty. (he is cool AND he eats algae). There are alot of other smaller fish you might be able to add as well, you just have to stabilize your tank and see how you do with clowns. Clowns are usually suggested for tanks 30g and up but in my opinion that is erring on the side of caution which is a good thing. The most important thing is to start slow and carefully. This is probably the most important thing in saltwater, going slow. Not a single good thing happens when you rush.

Another suggestion for fish would be a goby and shrimp pair. Like a watchman goby and pistol shrimp. They are small but it is way cool cause they will live together in a small burrow and the goby will take care of the shrimp and bring him food. They are like best friends in a tank. lol That goby wont be a swimmer either but will perch on the rocks and stay near his burrow.

So many options, so little tank space, lol

 

[Dyl1234]

It's good to be cautious about tank size, you dont want to endanger the fish if you dont have to.

But you also have to take into account the fishes habits and lifestyle. A lawnmower for instance does pretty much nothing but perch all day long. Mine like to sit on my mag float and watch me. lol They arent a swimmy type of fish, they are perchers like alot of blennys and gobies. Liveaquaria probably has the tank size for the lawnmower at 30-35g, they can get larger than 3 inches but from what I've seen they don't like 95% of the time. I have two right now and they are both under 2 inches. The one I had for a few years started at about one inch and went to about 3.

This was just a suggestion fish as you are limited in what you can keep in a 20g so I wanted to add a fish that has a great personality, was cheap and would do double duty. (he is cool AND he eats algae). There are alot of other smaller fish you might be able to add as well, you just have to stabilize your tank and see how you do with clowns. Clowns are usually suggested for tanks 30g and up but in my opinion that is erring on the side of caution which is a good thing. The most important thing is to start slow and carefully. This is probably the most important thing in saltwater, going slow. Not a single good thing happens when you rush.

Another suggestion for fish would be a goby and shrimp pair. Like a watchman goby and pistol shrimp. They are small but it is way cool cause they will live together in a small burrow and the goby will take care of the shrimp and bring him food. They are like best friends in a tank. lol That goby wont be a swimmer either but will perch on the rocks and stay near his burrow.

So many options, so little tank space, lol

Around Christmas I am going to make a trip to petco and see what they have. The OC clowns. And I am gonna get an anemone. I don't think I am gonna add anything else other than a few snails.

 

[carey]

Just really really take your time in getting an anemone. They do best in a stable tank with absolutely pristine conditions. I waited years before I added one, I was too paranoid about them. LOL

You also will need a pretty good light for one as well. Either a 4 or 6 bulb T5, a good led panel or Halides which I wouldnt really suggest. ( they are expensive to run and generate alot of heat)