Okay so don’t worry i’ve had freshwater fish and now i definately think it’s time to move onto something more of a challenge. I also closely know a really good lfs that will help me out a lot. But basically i’m planning to have a mini protein skimmer and all the stuff that a small marine tank has. Now for fish i have a few questions: (by the way the tank will be fish only with live rock until i feel comfortable to add some corals or an anemone in the future)
1) I definately want 2 ocellaris clown fish, lets face it they’re essential to any marine tank in which they’re compatible. So do they need an anemone?
2) Bangaii cardinal fish, so i hear that they’re best in pairs because they get quite aggressive to the odd one out. Any thoughts on these guys?
3) Green chromis, okay so i hear they’re relatively peaceful and a good little fish. I know they’re damsel fish but do they like to be kept in groups? How many could i get (comfortably) in the 30 gallon?
4) Longnose hawkfish, i’d love one of these guys (only one) and i can’t see why i’d have many problems with one. How does that sound?
5) Schooling fish, i really want to have a schooling fish, any suggestions?
6) Coral beauty angel fish, don’t really want one but i may as well throw it into the mix, any opinons on these guys?
7) Bicolour blenny?
what is an ideal anemone for the ocellaris and how hard are they to look after? (don’t freak out about it i’m not going to be getting one the first day i set up the tank)
So an ideal first stocking would be:
2 x ocellaris clownfish
1 x longnose hawkfish
and
6 x Chromis (if they like to be kept in groups, or another schooling fish)
How does that all sound and please give me any suggestions but i definately feel i’m ready to go marine.
I would also love some type of cleaner shrimp, ideally the skunk clener shrimp (lysmata amboinensis)
I don’t want to add all of these fish. They’re just some fish that i’ve read are suggested for marine beginners, they are some of the fish i would like to incorperate and with the information given i’m wanting people to give me suggestions on how to mix and match them.
Yes i’m just asking on here to get some opinions.
I also think that i should just go with the 2 clowns, and 6 chromis. How does that sound.
I’ve researched and green chromis only get about 3.5″, thats quite a bit smaller than 5″.
And you’re probably right, a hawkfish might be a bit to much for a 30 gallon.
Are you sure cleaner shrimp will be attacked by clown fish?
Or could i just keep 1 dwarf type of lion fish and give it all my attention to start off my first marine tank. I think there are some types that can be kept in a 30 gallon and it would be the only fish?
Thanks for the answers and at the moment if i were to set up a marine tank i would just stock it with one dwarf lionfish and leave it at that. My lfs has one that looks just like this fella:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+36+225&pcatid=225
The site says they can be in a 30gallon and it would be the only fish.
Also i would love an angler fish. Anglers and lionfish are the 2 fish i have pretty much always wanted to keep but i have never seen angles for sale, i would love a tasselled angler.
