New hobbyers

[CholyaSaltTank]

My wife and I are starting the process of cycling are very first marine tank and have been doing research on good cuc for our 29 gallon long tank. I was hoping for banded trochus snails and dwarf blue legged her I crabs, and copepod piles in the corners. We want to start with a couple of clown fish after the cuc has been in there, and later atleast a year down the line a mandarin goby, what is everyone's thoughts? What is the conpatibility of these fish with the cuc and how many of the snails and crabs would be good? Any and all advice is welcome, thank you!

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Hermit*

 

[mcgyvr]

I'd recommend a snail only cuc as crabs can be well "crabs" and do more harm than good sometimes.. or just get 1..
https://www.reefcleaners.org/cleaner-packages-with-free-shipping
Sold by tank size there.. great company..great snails,etc...
pods too here..
https://www.reefcleaners.org/aquarium-store/tank-cleaners

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Thank yoyou for for the help!

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Anyone else have any input?

Thanks

 

[SFish]

mandarin goby Is a hard fish to keep

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2072752

Mandarin "Gobies" and Scooter "Blennies" aka Dragonets (family Callionymidae): Require large amounts of live food, quite often starve to death, providing larger tanks (50+ gallons) with large amounts of live rock and little competition for food has proved successful, do not treat with copper medications

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1157901&highlight=how+to+keep+a+mandarin+goby

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2581588&highlight=mandarin+goby

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560867&highlight=mandarin+goby

 

[bmitchell138]

I have a 29g tanks and keep about a dozen snails and a couple of small hermits for my CUC. Four or five Astraea, a fighting conch, a Mexican turbo, and a few nassarius. They do a good job.

If you get hermits make sure you've got some extra shells for them or they will kill your snails or each other for a new house.

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Okay thanks, yeah I've heard more failure stories then success when it comes to mandarins

 

[SFish]

I think there's more failure then success. Good luck!

 

[uncleL]

Welcome to your new addiction and make sure you read up on how to breed copepods

 

[SFish]

Also not sure if the tank is big enough for two Clowns. You might want to check into that. I have a 75 and was told it was to small for a pair of clowns. Another thing to be aware of is Clown fish can be mean. The one I had would attack my hand any time I put it in the tank or near it. I use to have small bite marks all over my hands.

Edit: yeah says a bonded pair of Clown fish needs about 50gals

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Haha yeah I'm already addicted! And SFish, if you don't think that would work, could you say why, and could you recommend something that would?

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

And I've read some success stories with mandarin gobys in 20 g, just have to make sure they have tons of food from what I hear.

 

[SFish]

You can have a clown fish they just recommend a bigger tank for two of them I was told just passing info along but if you know better then go for it. As far as the Mandarin i'm not saying it can't be done I'm saying it will be hard. If you've read about more failures then successes then it's logical that the fish will probably die. A clown and a goby will be fine together as long as your not talking about an aggressive clown fish like a tomato clown. Clowns can be territorial just trying to make you aware of that. Good luck

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

The biting of your hand sounds so crazy! Lol I love how mandarins look. But don't get me wrong I'm not even going to attempt to try one for at least a year but probably longer than that, maybe after I get a separate tank to breed copepods sufficiently. I was considering doing oscellaris clowns a mated pair that's been tank bred. I'm getting ahead of myself anyway lol. I just got my tank filled with ro water and mixed with salt. Im gonna get some live rock today. It is all very exciting. Thank you for your advice!!

 

[SFish]

That's the type of clown I was told you need a 50gal tank for a pair but that person could be wrong. I would just double check before you get them to make sure they will be ok. You can ask snorvich or sk8r The only reason I believe that person is because they said that's what snorvich had told them. You might want to look into adding Di to your RO filter as well. As far as the hand biting it reminded me of a bull dog. I would chase the fish away and it would just come right back and attack me until I removed my hand even if rock fell and I tried to put it back the fish would get PO-ed at me.

 

[aName]

My clowns bite my hand when I'm in the tank, but their mouths are so tiny it's more surprising than painful.

 

[CholyaSaltTank]

Hahaha I think it adds character.

 

[SFish]

When they get you in between your fingers is the worst. I've had them draw blood but not anything real bad. Don't get me wrong I like clown fish.

 

[Sk8r]

THe math, on keeping a mandarin. http://reefcentral.com/forums/blog.php?b=501