Possible Fish Choices

[Sean_Buckley]

I'm setting up a 10 gallon nano, and I have a few ideas about fish. This is just a possibility list, not a stocking list, and will be probably be shortened by my LFS lack of variety (actually, only about half will probably not be possible....)
Pyjama Cardinals, Percula Clown, Ocellaris Clown, Maroon/Black Clown, Six-line Wrasse, Goby of some sort, Mandarinfish (I know normally they aren't sustainable in a 10 gallon, but the only ones my LFS ever has in eat flake and frozen, I haven't seen them eat flake, but I have seen them eating frozen), Court Jester Goby, Reef Basslet, Clown Goby and Firefish. The ones that my LFS usually has in stock are the Cardinals, the Clowns, Mandarinfish and usually some sort of goby and Firefish. I would really like to get a Mandarinfish, a Black/Maroon Clownfish, and leave the rest open to what my LFS has in stock. Can I get some more suggestions? And maybe some suggested stocking lists? Thanks!
As for the corals...well...there's so many of them I can't decide. I will have a 110W PC light, and use R/O D/I water. Can I get some suggestions? Also, if I have cleaner shrimp, and hermit crabs, and maybe a porcelain crab, will I have to dose with iodine? Thanks!
Sean
EDIT: I put this here because it includes both fish and inverts, so I didn't know which section to put it in. If a mod has an idea, could someone move it to the correct forum?

 

[superman]

I'm setting up a 10 gallon nano, and I have a few ideas about fish. This is just a possibility list, not a stocking list, and will be probably be shortened by my LFS lack of variety (actually, only about half will probably not be possible....)
Pyjama Cardinals, Percula Clown, Ocellaris Clown, Maroon/Black Clown, Six-line Wrasse, Goby of some sort, Mandarinfish (I know normally they aren't sustainable in a 10 gallon, but the only ones my LFS ever has in eat flake and frozen, I haven't seen them eat flake, but I have seen them eating frozen), Court Jester Goby, Reef Basslet, Clown Goby and Firefish. The ones that my LFS usually has in stock are the Cardinals, the Clowns, Mandarinfish and usually some sort of goby and Firefish. I would really like to get a Mandarinfish, a Black/Maroon Clownfish, and leave the rest open to what my LFS has in stock. Can I get some more suggestions? And maybe some suggested stocking lists? Thanks!
As for the corals...well...there's so many of them I can't decide. I will have a 110W PC light, and use R/O D/I water. Can I get some suggestions? Also, if I have cleaner shrimp, and hermit crabs, and maybe a porcelain crab, will I have to dose with iodine? Thanks!
Sean
EDIT: I put this here because it includes both fish and inverts, so I didn't know which section to put it in. If a mod has an idea, could someone move it to the correct forum?

[snapback]861205[/snapback]​

I don't have time to elaborate on much other than the mandarine fish. As far as keeping one in a 10 gallon that eats frozen food, it can be done, but there is a hitch. Mandarines are constant feeders, even if they do eat frozen food, you will need to feed them at least 4 or more times a day in order to keep them from wasting away over time. The decieving thing about Mandarins (and fish in general) is that they can go a very long time without food, and can hang around for extremely long amounts of time if they are getting even a small amount of food. This behavior makes many of us believe that we are successfully keeping the fish in question, for example a Mandarin. Even a mildly healthy Mandarin can last as much as 4 months without getting much to eat at all, and can last even longer with successful feedings. What I am trying to say is that Mandarins really need food available 24/7 and if you wer planning to keep it in a tank no smaller than 100 gallons I would also feed it frozen food then you would be in really good shape, since the larger tank would supply the Mandarin with a good amount of copepods and amphipods in between feedings of frozen food. The problem with keeping a Mandarin in a 10 gallon is that there will be nothing for the Mandarin to eat in between frozen food feedings. Problems of water quality becaue of feeding so much frozen food so much in such a small tank will arise, but you could get around this problem by adding a skimmer and being very dilligent in water changes. So... I guess you know where I stand on the matter, now you just have to weigh the pros and the cons and decide if you will take the plunge and try and keep one, I wouldn't. I can elaborate later on some of my recommendations for your 10 gallon later, in the mean time take care.

 

[Christs_Knight]

Superman have you had experience with a mandarin fish???
I have kept one in a 15Gal.
It did fine.
For the first couple of weeks it wont touch frozen foods, but if it is on a rock it will eat it. Just from what i have noticed.
But they are quite hard to keep.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Would I be able to sustain one if I had a large refugium packed with live sand, live rock and macro? Cuz I was wondering about doing that anyone, almost like a display fuge.
Sean

 

[superman]

Superman have you had experience with a mandarin fish???
I have kept one in a 15Gal.
It did fine.
For the first couple of weeks it wont touch frozen foods, but if it is on a rock it will eat it. Just from what i have noticed.
But they are quite hard to keep.

[snapback]861266[/snapback]​

Yes I have, had one in my 92 gallon for a year, just recently traded him to a local reefer. Why don't you have yours anymore (everything was in past tense when you mentioned you had one) I suspect that you were good about keeping the water quality at good levels and fed him regularly, kudos. I've seen quite a few (none of them mine) live about a year slowly withering away the whole time, very sad to see. Just wanted to give Sean Buckley my first hand opinions on the fish, if you disagree then by all means post what you think, that's what these forums are for.

 

[superman]

Would I be able to sustain one if I had a large refugium packed with live sand, live rock and macro? Cuz I was wondering about doing that anyone, almost like a display fuge.
Sean

[snapback]861315[/snapback]​

A refugium (the larger the better) will definitely make your job as caretaker much more easy, and lit on an opposite schedule from your tank (with about an hour overlap) you can make sure that your PH stays real stable. Not to mention the transport of excess nutrients. I am all for refugiums!

 

[maestro]

Sean, for a 10 gallon nano you would only be able to keep 2 or so small fish, just thought id mention that as your list seems quite big.

The 6 line wrasse likes more swimming space, maroon clowns get pretty huge, I would suggest a pair of clowns and possibly a clown goby, you get get both tank bred aswell so they will be fairly hardy.

As for corals, well thats upto you but you want ones that are slow growing or stay fairly small in a nano or they will take over the entire tank.

Maybe start with some mushrooms

 

[Christs_Knight]

Sorry Superman if that came out like i was attacking you!

My mandarin is still alive and doing awsome.
I do agree, i really did take a risk with it.
Sorry mate, didnt mean to offend ya.
I now have 2 of the sukkers (male and female).
They keep breeding!!! (been going on for 4 days now).

 

[Ed4567]

IMO I would swap the Maroon clown for a perc. clown. Maroons tend to get big and would be too territorial for a 10 gallon.

 

[superman]

Sorry Superman if that came out like i was attacking you!

My mandarin is still alive and doing awsome.
I do agree, i really did take a risk with it.
Sorry mate, didnt mean to offend ya.
I now have 2 of the sukkers (male and female).
They keep breeding!!! (been going on for 4 days now).

[snapback]861537[/snapback]​

Thanks Knight (can I call you that for short? let me know) I guess I am pretty defensive of how people keep mandarins, SO many of them die in aquariums, I don;t even wanna know the exact number per year estimate. If I seem a little over zealous about how we keep these fish please forgive me. Please keep us posted about your mandarin pair, may I suggest a write up on how you care for your mandarins (detailed as possible) doing this may save many mandarins from uninformed aquarists. I would be very interested comparing notes! Have a good night.

Getting back on track now, I agree with Ed, the bio load and available territory in a tank of this size is a very delicate thing, and should only amount to a couple of fish. Percula clowns are a joy, and would be a great addition to a small tank. A goby/pistol shrimp pair would be pretty cool too though.

 

[Christs_Knight]

I fully understand, as breeding mandarins is very hard, even for an expert. Mine bred from chance,.
Most mandarins are caught from the wild, which is quite bad seeing they really do add so much colour to our reefs. If i master the breeding of these fish i could save alot of "reef destroying". I had to turn my tank upside down to catch my first mandarin, i couldnt imagine how they catch them in the wild.

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Ignore this post, I messed up in the quote thing, lol.
Sean

 

[Sean_Buckley]

Sean, for a 10 gallon nano you would only be able to keep 2 or so small fish, just thought id mention that as your list seems quite big.

The 6 line wrasse likes more swimming space, maroon clowns get pretty huge, I would suggest a pair of clowns and possibly a clown goby, you get get both tank bred aswell so they will be fairly hardy.

As for corals, well thats upto you but you want ones that are slow growing or stay fairly small in a nano or they will take over the entire tank.

Maybe start with some mushrooms

[snapback]861460[/snapback]​

I know I won't be able to keep many fish in it, but the list was just a list of possiblities, not a stocking list. Only about half the fish on that list are carried by my LFS, and most of them carry I price tag that I don't appreciate. I'm gonna opt NOT to go with the Mandarinfish, I would rather have someone who has the requirements for them to have them.
Sean