Whats a good 29g Livestock combo? Questions/Pictures

[o2zen]

I have a new BC29 that I am ready to start adding fish too.

Current Bio-Load:

4 turbo snails
1 peppermint shrimp
2-6 gulf cucumbers (2 actives ones, up to 4 possible others living in the LR, hitchhikers)
1 tiny gorilla crab (hitchhiker)
1 tiny unknown all white crab (hitchhiker)
4 clams (hitchhikers)

Current filtration is via 20lbs cured LR, 20lbs Tampa LR, plus 10lbs cured LR rubble in the back middle chamber. I am also using 40 lbs live sand.

I have an order for a few blue legged hermits that I should get today.

I cycled my tank with 5 Damsels which have been returned to the LFS as of last night and I am looking to start adding real fish slowly to my tank. I am looking for some good suggestions based on my current bio-load on what I should add first, second, etc.

Since this is my first tank I am looking for some experienced suggestions.

I have not upgraded my lights yet so I am still working with the stock BC29 lights. The upgrade will be done in the next few weeks for better lighting. I am also thinking about changing out the 10lbs LR Rubble for a protein skimmer (suggestions on this regarding doing it at all, now, and later?)

Checking my water daily my current stats are:

PH 8.2
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates 10
Salinity1.024

I was feeding my Damsels flake every day and Cyclops every other day.

 

[scowiii]

Probably want to get rid of the gorilla crab. From reading they get pretty nasty in the tank and best to be disposed of.

 

[Illuminati]

Ditto on the gorilla crab, get him out of there.

As for fish if you want a clown I'd start with that since they are hardy. Things like a sand sifting goby, a basslet (Royal Gramma or Chalk Bass), firefish and a flasher or small fairy wrasse would all look great.

Avoid any pseudochromis though, they will have that peppermint for a snack.

 

[DiViNeLeFT]

the livestock for my 29g is 2 false percs, a lawnmower blenny, and a pajama cardinal. the rest is coral and inverts. i doubt i will add anymore fish unless it is something small like a goby or maybe another cardinal. as for the skimmer, im using a coralife super skimmer 65g and it keeps up with my bioload with no problem.

 

[dgin]

I'm in the process of stocking my 30g too and have 2 juvenile false percs, Tiger Pistol Shrimp and Randall's Shrimp Goby so far. The shrimp and goby have paired up and they are quite entertaining to watch. I'll probably add a small wrasse (6line maybe) and maybe 1 more thing after.

Blue legged hermits are ok but I really like the Scarlett hermits the best (as far as hermits go).

 

[o2zen]

Any good ways to trap a crab? He almost never comes out of his LR holes

 

[o2zen]

How fast/slow do you add fish to your tank? Say you know the 5-6 fish you want, how do you determine the order and the speed which to add them to your tank?

Same for corals, how do you determine how you add them, how they work with others, etc...

 

[Bmgrocks]

My 29 is like this fish wise

1 ocellaris
1 black ocellaris
1 royal Gramma
1 Dwarf Angel (can't decide specie yet)

I keep up with my water changes, 20%weekly, because I feel like my tank could be overstocked

 

[newtanksmell]

In my 29 BC I have:

1 Cleaner Shrimp
2 very young Ocellaris clowns.
1 Yellow Watchman Gobi (2 inches)
1 Six Line Wrasse

Seems to be a nice balance of a support crew that also adds movement to my tank. Except for the clowns. They just, clown.

Based on general reading, I may be pushing Bio load by one fish or so as they grow. Im running a skimmer, Pura Pads as my filter medium in cartridge, as well well as a Chemipure bag.

I do 10% water changes weekly and without fail as I am a firm believer in the 'ounce of prevention" theory. It also prevents me having to dose anything.

 

[DiViNeLeFT]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8937216#post8937216 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by o2zen
Any good ways to trap a crab? He almost never comes out of his LR holes

most likly it will come out at night... try burying a cup in the sand or leaned up agains a rock that has some food in it. if the crab falls in trying to get the food it will not be able to climb back up the glass.

 

[srieger]

i would say...

dwarf angle- main attraction/show fish
shrimp goby w/ pistol shrimp- bottom deweling, will draw attention to the sand bed of your tank
lawnmower or bicolor blenny- add personality
any than any middle to top swimming fish you like at the pet store.

 

[bwest]

I don't personally have one, but I agree with the bi-color blenny. I saw one while at the LFS, and it would back itself into an open shell and just hang out. I was tempted to buy it at least a couple times.

 

[srieger]

they are actually better looking in the pet store than online. i was thinking about buying one once i saw him up close, but i picked the lawnmower insted.

 

[o2zen]

My LFS was waiting on two big orders so I went ahead and picked up a nice Firefish. Amazing color in it compared to the rest I have seen.

Until I get picks of mine:

I also picked up a nice small Condy Anemone:

I also picked up 4 blue-legged Hermit crabs which are all tiny little guys right now.

Next week I will add a Tomato Clown I think, maybe a pair if they get a nice small pair in. This is the one Clown known to pair up with the Condy on a regular basis from what I have read.

I am also looking at possibly adding a Yellow Watchman Goby, or a Wheeler's Watchman Goby.

Still thinking if I want to add anything else, that will be 3-4, plus my 1 peppermint shrimp, I still need a cleaner shrimp as well.

Maybe a Red Velvet Wrasse, or a Six Line Wrasse.

 

[Illuminati]

I love my firefish, nice choice.

I have seen condy anemone's grow to over 1' wide, it will outgrow your tank.

 

[o2zen]

I am hoping that it will split before then, at least according to what I have been told by others in at a few of my LFS. It is a cheap anemone to start out with and see how it does in my tank and if it does get to large I will trade it in for another smaller one or something else. I almost picked up this L/T anemone the day they came in. Red base and white tents with red at the end but i am glad I did not because when I came in the next day it had opened up to about 18 inches and would have been my whole tank.

 

[o2zen]

I placed my Condy between 3 of my clam shells at the top of my tank fairly close to my Hydor Flow so its getting a ton of wavy flow and is closest to my stock BC29 lighting for now.

It did not move and seems happy to be there but I wonder how the 3 live clams will react to it or it to them.

 

[intenseimage]

I have in my cube:

2 Clowns (One Perc and one Osc)
1 Yellow Watchman Goby
1 Japanese Pistol Shrimp (paired with goby)
1 Purple Firefish
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Emerald Crab
A bunch of snails