Suggestions on my nano? (JBJ 12G DX)

rappo

New member
So I have a fully cycled 12g nano. Currently has about 12lbs of live rock (3/4 Fiji, 1/4 Tongo). I have a hard-working (and often employed) clean-up crew. I have a few inverts and two fish.

Here's what I currently have:
  • Plenty of rock
    cleanup:
  • 2x Turbo Snails
  • 8x Margarita Snails
  • 5x Red Leg Hermits
  • 5x Blue Leg Hermits
  • 2x Unidentified Hermits (from petco... I'll try to id if i can track them down)
    inverts:
  • 2x Sexy Shrimp
  • 3x Emerald Crabs
  • 1x Green Sea Urchin
  • 1x Lettuce Nudibranch
    fish:
  • 2x Domino ("3 Spotted") Damselfish

Now, I like the damsels, but I fear they'll get really aggressive, from what I've read. I'd rather replace them if they're going to show any signs of aggression... Right now they just chase each other around in a seemingly playful manner. I had two Azure Damsels and that was just pure disaster -- they're nasty buggers.

I love all of my inverts; I can just sit there for days watching them. :D

So what do you guys think of my setup? It seems like it needs some more activity, aside from the two damsels which I'm borderline getting rid of. Oh I forgot, I have a bristleworm hitchhiker too!

Some things I was thinking about, but I'm not too sure how they would fit in with my current setup:

- Yellow Watchman Goby (maybe paired with a shrimp? how will whatever shrimp i need coexist with my two Sexies?)

- Bumblebee Shrimp - Any problems with Sexy shrimp? What's their personality like (do they swim all over the place, or do they cling on to a rock/cave and hang out there)?

- Corals. I haven't done anything in the way of corals, I'm a blank slate with these guys. I'm open to all ideas :D

- Any other peaceful/interesting inverts/fish that would make a good addition?

some pictures:


 
Yeah, I definitely think I'm gonna get rid of the damsels. Any thoughts on a fish or two for the tank? Anyone familiar with Bumblebee shrimp?

Expedition, your tank looks awesome! Any chance you could go through and label some of its contents so a newbie like me could put a name to the images? :)
 
i have a 12g Nano DX. I have...
-12lbs live rock
-1 bubble coral
-1 colony of fire and ice zoos
-1 sun coral
-3 shrooms
-1 other coral (can't think of the name right now, i'll remember later :))
-5 snails
-5 red legged hermits
-1 purple firefish


soon to come.... some sexy shrimp :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8368801#post8368801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rappo
Yeah, I definitely think I'm gonna get rid of the damsels. Any thoughts on a fish or two for the tank? Anyone familiar with Bumblebee shrimp?

Expedition, your tank looks awesome! Any chance you could go through and label some of its contents so a newbie like me could put a name to the images? :)


clown fish

brittle star

red brain

maxima clam

yellow polps

G I Joe zoos

Ring of fire zoos

trumpet coral

hammer coral

toadstool leather

mushrooms

GSP

11lbs fiji LR

2 rose tip anemones


i think thats it. :D
 
Yellow watchman would be great. I actually just put one in my NC 12. I would definitely pass on the pistol shrimp though. Well unless you are a fan of having your sandbed completely moved around and piled in awkard and inconvenient places every night.

I'm not familiar with that particular urchin, but my experience with urchins is that they get big and then they start knocking everything over all the time.

In fact I've gotten both a pistol shrimp and urchins as hitchikers on live rock. Both of them have since been banished to their own tanks so they don't mess up my main tank. The best is when they team up: Urchin knocks small frag onto sand. Pistol steals it and buries it. Good times!

I'd also shy away from things that will outgrow the tank such as clownfish and clams. Well unless you have another tank to move them to when they get bigger. For corals, just start simple with some zoas or some easy, plague-like coral like green star polyps, xenia or yellow polyps. Once you are used to them you can look into more exciting corals like certain LPS.

Of course I guess you are limited by the stock lighting in the 12DX. I was lucky and bought a used one from a guy who had done a bunch of mods including adding a MH light to the hood. I guess you could always do some soft corals, but thats not my thing so I don't have any advice there.
 
Back
Top