First live stock and coral

[JammyBirch]

Going with a skunk cleaner shrimp, tuxedo urchin and Royal Gramma...

I'm on the fence with a coral, thinking Zoa. Any recommendations, I'm looking for orange, green and purple stuff...

 

[oscarinw]

I don't necessarily like the gramma as a first fish. Grammas are very popular fish and very beautiful for that matter. However, in my experience with them, they are also quite territorial and can be intimidating to newcomers. They like perching in a crevice and when new fish show-up, they will slowly open their mouths and approach the 'intruders'. That can be quite frightening to some other species. I would favor a blue-green chromis, a small goby or a cardinal as first introductions...

 

[whosurcaddie]

Zoa's are a great first coral also mushrooms or any soft coral for that matter. Look at a neon green neptha or green star polyps. As for first fish I would go with a Midas Blenny. Great personality and very hardy one of my favorite fish.

 

[VAReefDog]

Be careful with what lots of people say are easy first corals-- ie, mushrooms and green star polyps, xenia, etc. They are wonderful corals but you need to be careful to confine them to 1 rock or plan on them overgrowing larger areas in the future. Make sure it is something you want long term or make sure it can be easily controlled if starts to take off.
That being said- I love Green star polyps- as long as they are on their own rock. Zoas can be good choices for first corals.
+1 on chromis as good starter fish.

 

[JammyBirch]

The blue green chromis may make the cut, i'd like at least 2 of them though.

Remember i'm a 25g cube so livestock is severely limited...so i'm trying to limit the number of fish and get fish that are fairly active.

2 Oscillarus clowns with Anemone, eventually
Royal Gramma
Wrasse of some sort, 6 line is my preferrence

I was hell bent on getting a yellow headed jawfish but i don't want the sand bed messed with...great personality i know i just don't want the mess

Honestly i think 4 fish is plenty, if i could get the 2 clowns, the royal and 2 chromis in there that may work.

Let me know what you guys think. I have a small rock on the sandbed that i'd like to cover with the Zoa's it's the size of my fist.

The mushroom is a good one too...this is so hard to choose.

 

[Xavibear]

2 chromis will eventually become one in a small tank. I would wait until the tank is a little more established before adding the urchin.

 

[JammyBirch]

anything wrong with adding the Clowns first? Although they won't have an anemone for some time, they're hardy. I also have heard that they can be territorial...gotta do something.

I'll hold off on the urchin...

 

[Xavibear]

anything wrong with adding the Clowns first? Although they won't have an anemone for some time, they're hardy. I also have heard that they can be territorial...gotta do something.

That's not a problem.

I saw on your wish list that you would like a six line wrasse. Avoid it like the plague. Consider a pink streak or possum wrasse instead.