Need some advice help please

Nick986

New member
I am currently looking to purchase a tank. My father many years ago used to own a 90 gallon reef tank and loved it but I realized something that size can be very costly to fill and maintain. I am looking into something smaller but not sure what to size to go with. I am thinking of going with the bio cube 29 but not sure whether to get the hqi model or the regular model?

I would like to have the following in the tank and this is just what I can think of now and want to know if a 29 gallon would suffice or should I look into something bigger and if so about what size?

Corals
Blue tang (small)
Naso tang (small)
2 percula clowns
Mandarin goby
Firefish
Red corris wrasse
Royal gamma
Flame angel
Cleaner shrimp

I don't think I'll be adding much more maybe something here and there down the line if I like but these are the fish I have been looking into.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
 
That's a big shopping list for a little tank. Corals, Shrimp, Flame Angel (add with caution as they can pick on corals), Firefish and Gramma are OK. The Tangs, even if small, will outgrow a tank that small (Naso should have about 150 gal min). You might want to consider some Gobies, Fairy Wrasses and small inverts (like hermit crabs). These are more suited for a small reef. You'll be carrying a fairly heavy bio-load and will need to be meticulous about water changes and chemistry.
 
Your wish list is way too much for that tank. Tangs start at a min of 75gal. Mandarins need an established tank with fuge and pods. Go for the clowns, gobies, firefish, etc. Check LiveAquaria.com to look at the fishes you want and they all have recommended tank sizes and suggested diet.
 
Based n your list, I would put two clownfish and the shrimp in a 29 and call it a day. Anything more is too much.
 
Corals: Yes
Blue tang (small): No, no matter how small the fish is.
Naso tang (small): No, no matter how small the fish is.
2 percula clowns: Yes
Mandarin goby: Yes after several months and provided you do not add a wrasse which will out-compete the golby for food.
Firefish: Yes
Red corris wrasse: Yes but not with a Mandarin
Royal gamma: Yes
Flame angel: Your tank is too small for the Flame Angel, which in addition to having a 50% chance of nipping at your corals and eating your shrimp (mine LOVES fresh shrimp), will get aggressive kept in a tank under 70 gallons. It may be okay as far as aggression goes if you get a small one for the first year, but it is going to go crazy kept in a 29 gallon tank eventually.
Cleaner shrimp: Yes

Think 4 small to medium sized fish maximum.
 
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