I am a renewed hobbyist who has forgotten a lot and is not familiar with the newest technology. I would like to dive back in. I have a new Nano-Cube 24G Biotope tank. I would like to set up a reef tank with compatible coral and live rock/sand and invertebrates and fish. I'd like to include starfish, cleaner shrimp and crabs. Optional preferences, depending upon compatibility, including anemones with clownfish, pufferfish, psychadelic gobys. Tangs, angelfish, etc. are fine additions - but not priorities. Can someone please help me organize a symbiotic and happy tank?
Reef Help
- Thread starter oyen3301
- Start date
Dkuhlmann
New member
Welcome to Reef Central!
From what you are saying fish wise you are going to need a much larger tank for most of those fish. I highly suggest you research any fish or invert, coral etc on Live Aquaria website. http://www.liveaquaria.com/ here you will find all of the information on each fish in regards to water parameters and tank size. With a 24 gal you would be limited on what you can get and with your list of what you want I would highly suggest that you go looking for at least a 180 gal to be able to have many of the starfish, tangs, puffers and angelfish etc that you say you want. Starfish in particular don't live long unless it's a larger and very mature tank so the main food of them can be available, otherwise they will starve.
So if you still want to go with the 24 gallon tank I suggest you read lots of the threads in our nano forum lower down the page of forums list.
Also there is a sticky at the top of the new forum which this is that is called Setting Up. It's a huge file of pages of any and all information that you will need in setting up your tank.
Good Luck and again Welcome!
From what you are saying fish wise you are going to need a much larger tank for most of those fish. I highly suggest you research any fish or invert, coral etc on Live Aquaria website. http://www.liveaquaria.com/ here you will find all of the information on each fish in regards to water parameters and tank size. With a 24 gal you would be limited on what you can get and with your list of what you want I would highly suggest that you go looking for at least a 180 gal to be able to have many of the starfish, tangs, puffers and angelfish etc that you say you want. Starfish in particular don't live long unless it's a larger and very mature tank so the main food of them can be available, otherwise they will starve.
So if you still want to go with the 24 gallon tank I suggest you read lots of the threads in our nano forum lower down the page of forums list.
Also there is a sticky at the top of the new forum which this is that is called Setting Up. It's a huge file of pages of any and all information that you will need in setting up your tank.
Good Luck and again Welcome!
Sapelo
New member
What he ^^ said.
In a 24 gallon, you might manage a clown and a goby (MAYBE a clown pair) but that's about it.
Tangs and Angels are absolutely out.
It sounds like you have a lot of reading and thinking to do in terms of what you really want from your tank before moving forward.
It's an exciting time to be thinking and planning! My advice would be to do lots of reading and asking of questions before proceeding. Good luck!
In a 24 gallon, you might manage a clown and a goby (MAYBE a clown pair) but that's about it.
Tangs and Angels are absolutely out.
It sounds like you have a lot of reading and thinking to do in terms of what you really want from your tank before moving forward.
It's an exciting time to be thinking and planning! My advice would be to do lots of reading and asking of questions before proceeding. Good luck!
Dogshowgrl
New member
Welcome!!
Typically seahorses are not kept at Reef temperatures due closed loop systems have high levels of bacteria that will cause problems with them. They also need a minimum of 30 gallons and a ton of additional filtration. They also will limit you drastically on tank mates and even more on corals. If you would like to have seahorses there is a great forum here on them!
As for corals I started with softies such as toadstools, zoas, and green star polyps. As my tank has matured I moved into LPS like duncans, hammers and acans. For you in a small tank I would recommend staying away from hammers unless you love them and pack your tank full of them. They can reach quiet a way and can kill a lot when you have a small tank and nowhere to spread things out. I have learned to love acans with all the color options and short reach.
As long as you understand that all corals defend themselves in some way and give it great planning to who is who's neighborhood you will be fine. Softies defend themselves with toxins (leathers, palythoas and zoas) or outgrow others around them (green star polyps, zoas) while LPS typically sting each other (scolly, acans, hammers) SPS some sting and some have toxins but they grow slower and can easily be taken over by softies and LPS. Try to match defenses with neighbors when finding placement. You decided what look you want in your tank and go from there.
As for fish, we have a lot more captive bred (cb) available in recent years. CB clowns are less likely to want to live in anemones, due to lack of the proper amount of slime coat. And you most likely don't want anemones in a tank that small because when it decides to move it will sting a good chunk of your corals, who can't get away from it. But on the other hand you could do a tank of only nems and they can defend themselves against each other much better than most corals.
Live aquaria is a great source for basic info. It will help rule things out and show you new possibilities. They have a whole section on nano tank fish. I am partial to clown gobies. They are peaceful, have plenty of color options and perch all over.
Most of all RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. THEN RESEARCH SOME MORE. Ask questions, yes there are some jerk on here, but they are a ton of great people here too!
Read the stickies.
Remember this is for fun not stress! Good luck! Happy reefing!
Typically seahorses are not kept at Reef temperatures due closed loop systems have high levels of bacteria that will cause problems with them. They also need a minimum of 30 gallons and a ton of additional filtration. They also will limit you drastically on tank mates and even more on corals. If you would like to have seahorses there is a great forum here on them!
As for corals I started with softies such as toadstools, zoas, and green star polyps. As my tank has matured I moved into LPS like duncans, hammers and acans. For you in a small tank I would recommend staying away from hammers unless you love them and pack your tank full of them. They can reach quiet a way and can kill a lot when you have a small tank and nowhere to spread things out. I have learned to love acans with all the color options and short reach.
As long as you understand that all corals defend themselves in some way and give it great planning to who is who's neighborhood you will be fine. Softies defend themselves with toxins (leathers, palythoas and zoas) or outgrow others around them (green star polyps, zoas) while LPS typically sting each other (scolly, acans, hammers) SPS some sting and some have toxins but they grow slower and can easily be taken over by softies and LPS. Try to match defenses with neighbors when finding placement. You decided what look you want in your tank and go from there.
As for fish, we have a lot more captive bred (cb) available in recent years. CB clowns are less likely to want to live in anemones, due to lack of the proper amount of slime coat. And you most likely don't want anemones in a tank that small because when it decides to move it will sting a good chunk of your corals, who can't get away from it. But on the other hand you could do a tank of only nems and they can defend themselves against each other much better than most corals.
Live aquaria is a great source for basic info. It will help rule things out and show you new possibilities. They have a whole section on nano tank fish. I am partial to clown gobies. They are peaceful, have plenty of color options and perch all over.
Most of all RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH. THEN RESEARCH SOME MORE. Ask questions, yes there are some jerk on here, but they are a ton of great people here too!
Read the stickies.
Remember this is for fun not stress! Good luck! Happy reefing!
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