Stocking Suggestions

[moongoddesss007]

I'm looking for suggestions on compatble fish for my 29 gallon tank. My inhabitants at this point include a blenny, tomato clown and a damsel plus a bubble coral and a small leather. Also, since we are in an algae breakout, what are your thoughts on emerald crabs? I would like to get one/two but I want to be sure they will be a good selection for my tank. Thanks

 

[kevensquint]

snails are better than crabs, your tank will have alot less algae. In a small tank the damsel and clown may chase any newcomers. So normally you would get something like a yellow tang, but in a 29 gallon it is too small for a YT. Kind of a catch 22

 

[tcb7019]

Be careful with emerald crabs. They are fine when they are small, but when they get big, I find they do cause problems. The bigger the claws, the more concern IMO.

Tom

 

[NCreefwannabe]

get rid of the damsel, and go for another clown maybe? and at most a gobie of some type. not much room for many fish in such a smalll tank.

 

[McCrary]

I have an emerald crab in my 27 and he seems to do fine, but he is on the smaller side. I stocked my 27 with a maroon clown, royal gramma, sixline wrasse and a bicolor angel. For your setup I would throw in a few turbo snails and a little centropyge angel, like a cherub or fireball.

 

[ACBlinky]

What kind of algae are you combatting? There are different critters that will tackle different algaes. Overall, lowering PO4 and NO3 is the best fix, but having a diverse cleanup crew helps as well. In a 29g I might try:
1 turbo - handles hair algae, film algae and sometimes cyano
3 cerith - stir the sand a bit, eat film algae on rocks and glass
3 Astraea - spend time on the glass and rocks, eat hair & film algae
1 trochus - fast, hungry snails that eat film algae, diatoms, possibly hair
5 nassarius - if you have a sandbed, these guys are great for stirring it up and keeping the surface clean. They don't eat algae, just meaty stuff
3 blueleg hermits - stir the top of the sand, eat hair algae & leftovers
2 scarlet hermits - sometimes lazy, but good cleaners when they feel like it
1 female emerald crab - stays much smaller than a male, eats hair, bubble, coralline, leftovers, fish poop, cornpops, hotdogs... j/k, but honestly there's nothing these guys won't eat IME

 

[emilese]

I love my blackcap basslet - beautiful fish. He's not agressive but will stand his ground if challenged.

 

[moongoddesss007]

wow thanks for all the advice! we were thinking about getting a shrimp goby but i'm not sure about pistol shrimp. i've been reading they can be a little aggressive, maybe i'm wrong. i know we have a small tank, but i'm trying to only select one more fish, and of course, something on the small side. who knows we might upgrade in the next little while.