Reefs.org Forums

[sdbarton42]

Ok so I've been doing some research and thinking about what to put inside my tank and I would love some feedback as to whether people think this sounds good. Do I need more, less, two things not go together, etc. I would like more fish but I know you don't want to overload. My tank is a 10 gallon.

Clean-up Crew: 4 Astraea Snails, 3 Margarita Snails, 3 Nassarius Snails, 2 Porcelain Anemone Crabs (if I can get a mating pair), 1 Peppermint Shrimp, and 1 Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp. I had thought about hermit crabs, but I read that Astraea Snails shouldn't be placed in a tank with them. Is that true, and if so, why?

Corals: 3 Blue Strip Mushrooms, Candy Cane Coral, Devil's Hand Leather Coral, and a Green Polyp Coral. Are these ok for a beginner? How many corals can I put into my tank?

Fish: 1 Neon Blue Goby and 1 Firefish

I picked these animals because they are all peaceful and "easy" to care for. Let me know!

[brandon429]

the hermits can kill the snails to rob their shells, skullduggery of nature!

The corals you listed sound fine, but this sounds like a strong bioload for a ten gallon, and if the tank is new I recommend adding the stuff you have mentioned slowly, over a couple months, rather than putting it all in just after cycling.

so I think the list is okay, but keeping that much life in a ten gallon long term should be approached slowly just giving my two cents.

Thank you for posting in our forum and welcome, post pics when you can!
Brandon429

[brandon429]

regarding coral loading, you can put in those exact ones you mentioned and I vote to just start with them, change the water often, and if things are okay in one month you can add more. Technically you can pack it wall to wall with coral, they aren't bioloaders like fish, but this is a tricky balance built over time and it matters on the type of maintenance you are doing as well. the main thing is just add slow, stop at a certain low number of fish, but you can add as much coral as you can afford over time just keep reading on our site which corals interact well with others and space accordingly

[sdbarton42]

THANKS!!!!! I will definitely take it slow; put the CUC in after the tank cycles for a couple of weeks and then add corals two weeks later and then add my fish a month after that (this was my plan). I am having to buy supplies kinda slow too just because of money. I am going to buy my light and maybe my heater this week and then if I decide to go with a skimmer instead of a filter (which I'm kinda leaning towards if I don't need a sump) then I'll get that the next week probably along with my testing supplies and supplements. Then it'll be the rock and sand and such like that! YAY!!!!! haha I'm so anxious it's not even funny!

[sdbarton42]

Edit: I'm thinking now doing a Neon Goby and a Sailfin Blenny. I may try and create a tank with species from the Tropical Western Atlantic and/or Gulf of Mexico...

[brandon429]

Id refer to matt admin or seamaiden for fish ideas, I never memorized much about them characteristically my mind only works in terms of their bioload contributions/fish mass relative to water volume lol

You know ive found over the years that a cost-restricted stocking ratio is the best-its the slowest compared to a tax-return dump of great corals into a tank. I get really high stocking ratios of corals over long periods of time by stocking slowly, as my wallet allows, and it is surely causing the corals to become sensitized and simply 'sting' less and as a result they can literally be kept shoulder to shoulder in their own soup quite happily. Fish add great movement, but are the capital tax to your environment so plan easy but have fun
b

[sdbarton42]

So I have changed my mind now on my set-up lol I am going to have only species from the Indo-Pacific region. There are alot more species in general for CUC corals and fish. Now it's just seeing what is easiest to obtain. I definitely want a Falco's Hawkfish! They are SO cool! And then I'll probably get a Clown Goby and a Res Striped Goby (introducing the Hawkfish last since it is the most aggressive of the three). I was thinking this would be alright since it is only 1/2" over the recommended 2" per gallon. The couple of corals I get first will include 1 or 2 branching stony corals to give the Gobies a place to hide.