Help me complete my 20g setup

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azcummins

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Mar 17, 2008
70
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Texas!
I've got a 20 gal tank and I'm looking for your advice on what else to add to really make the tank unique. The tanks has been up and running for about 5 weeks and the water levels are great, but my local shop has advised me about not putting in anemones or corals for another 3-6 months so that the tank can mature (and I don't have the light for it yet).

So what else would you put in to round out the tank? I'm open to coral suggestions too so that when the time comes, I'll know what to get.

Current inhabitants:

- 2 ocellaris clown
- 1 cleaner shrimp
- 1 serpent star
- 1 conch
- 4 snails - 1 turbo, 2 tiger stripped, 1 other
- 3 scarlet reef hermit crabs
- 1 emerald crab
- 1 feather duster worm that came in on a piece of live rock

current equipment:
- Tunze protein skimmer
- Koralia nano powerhead
- 100W heater
- 20# live rock
- 5# live sand
- el cheapo light that came with the tank - it was an all in 1 setup

So what's next?
 
small species wrasse would be a good option, yellow coris (canary wrasse), sixline wrasse, fourline wrasse, most gobies would be good as well. Maybe save your money and get your light, so you can then start stocking on coral.
 
You can get a couple of firefish, cardinalfish, or get some corals. You can start with mushrooms and polyps this is what I have in my 3 gal. and 15gal. nano tanks. These are the best starter corals I have found.
 
Definitely more live rock, maybe a goby or jawfish, and more brighter colored inverts. For corals, it depends on what lighting you will have. I wouldn't go with anemones as most species have a very high mortality rate in captivity. They also will pollute the tank VERY quickly when they die and will often nuke a nano system.
 
fridmani (orchid) dottyback and some firefish (purple) also more liverock. I would also cover the back and sides with black it will make the rock and fish stand out a lot more.
 
Hmm...my local fish store thought this setup was maxed out on fish since I'd be adding an anemone and corals later. You all seem to disagree though...?
 
Well I personally would keep the pair of clowns in there until the tank matures more for sure. Thats why i think you should save your dollars so you can get the light you want, then worry about getting another fish or two. 3 months from setup you can add some soft corals (if you have lights) and 6+ months from setup to get an anemone. If you ask me i would let the tank age and mature for a year before you get a lot of coral and anemone's.

Heres my tank 10 months in:

IMG_0385.JPG
 
Well here is the final product until I get some bigger lights, which I plan to do once the tank matures. (Its only 2 months old right now)

Inventory:
- 2 ocellaris clown (just replaced the smaller once which died)
- 1 Yellow watchman goby
- 2 Kaudern's cardinal
- 1 cleaner shrimp
- 1 arrow crab. I got to eat the bristle worms and he ignores them :irked:
- 1 serpent star
- 1 conch
- 7 snails - 1 turbo, 2 tiger stripped, 1 other, 3 Nassarius
- 3 scarlet reef hermit crabs, 1 Dwarf blue leg
- 1 emerald crab

Overall I figure I've dropped about $500 into the setup and watching the fish is very relaxing, but now my wife and I want a bigger tank!

(P.S. Anyone in the Austin, TX area who wants to get rid of their tank, let me know!)

final.jpg
 
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