Setting Up My First Ever Saltwater Tank...

[PRW1988]

Okay, so I've got the basics of saltwater keeping down, but I still have a few more questions... First off, this tank is 29gallons, and it's going to be a fish only tank(untill I can afford the specialized lighting for corals). Now, my first question is, do saltwater tanks need an air pump to help oxygenate the water? or am I just better off without one? Secondly, what kind of fish are suitable for this sized tank? I went to a store (called SeaUMarine) and the guy there really seemed to know his stuff, I asked for some advice for beginner fish, he recommended clown fish, as they stay relativly small, and blue damsels, however somebody else told me not to get the blue damsels as they fight with eachother, is this true? He also recommnded this small yellow goby, not sure of it's name...

Now, would a 29gallon tank be big enough to have purple, or even common firefish gobies?


Another thing, I know the rule of thumb is 1" of fish per 2gallons of water (or something like that, please clearify if I'm wrong), so how many fish would I be able to get?? Remember, 29gallon tank...

Also, can anybody recommend any other beginner fish that are hardy, and suitable for a fish only tank? (29gallons)

 

[demonmagus]

Hi, an air pump would be useless and might just annoy the fish and can apparently cause harm to some corals, the fish that were recommended sound good but the damsel is aggressive, so not really a good idea - and a firefish is good.

 

[PRW1988]

Alright thanks, so I think my first few fish will be 2 clownfish, 1firefish goby and 1 watchman goby... Anyother suggestions for this tank? I'll also be getting a powerhead for it this week, so that should help keep up the current in the tank...

Also, would one Damsel be okay with these fish? I mean I know they are agressive especially for a nano-tank, but would 1 be fine? or is it better for me just to stick clear of these agressive buggers?

 

[wflash3]

they can be ok but if u ever add anything in the tank after them they will attack them for a long time until they die. I would suggest staying away from damsels unless u have a really big tank. You can look into some pygmy angels, they are very hardy and active fish. And the very popular six line wrasse.

flash

 

[Redstratplayer1]

Look up pistol shrimp,they form a symbiotic relationships with watchman gobys.

 

[PRW1988]

unfortunatly, all invertebre are out for this tank as I don't have the specialized lighting needed for them...

 

[afmo]

unfortunatly, all invertebre are out for this tank as I don't have the specialized lighting needed for them...

you shouldnt need any specialized lighting to keep a shrimp, or even snails and hermits. only for corals....

 

[PRW1988]

I was told that some shrimp preform photosynthesis and therfore should not be kept without the specialized lighting, also because some of them feed on the live corals and will not thrive without coral... Was I told wrong then? If I was, then would I be able to get a couple cleaner shrimp, snails and hermits? Also, what about crabs? Starfish perhaps?

 

[afmo]

I was told that some shrimp preform photosynthesis and therfore should not be kept without the specialized lighting, also because some of them feed on the live corals and will not thrive without coral... Was I told wrong then? If I was, then would I be able to get a couple cleaner shrimp, snails and hermits? Also, what about crabs? Starfish perhaps?

hrm...i don't think i've ever heard of shrimp performing photosynthesis. There is photosynthetic algae that corals feed off of, and its possible they eat that.... also, that would be some expensive food if your inverts were feeding on coral all of my inverts scavenge algae off the rocks/sand and i toss em in a piece of fish every week or so. The shrimp eats the fish as well....

 

[demonmagus]

starfish generally are bad - they just waste away

 

[RadaR]

Alot of types of starfish will eat your future corals.
I don't believe that shrimp need any special lighting requirements, just enough to see them.

 

[PRW1988]

Alright Well, seems asthough I'll be getting some Hermits, some snails and some shrimp YAY! Lemme guys know what your think I should add in the tank other than 2 clown fish, 1 yellow watchman goby and 1 firefish goby...

 

[RadaR]

Well, with those you are NEARLY fully stocked. You could get a Banggai Cardinal and maybe a Blenny of some sort.

 

[PRW1988]

hm... interesting...well those are the main fish that I really do want... along with some inverts for the bottom (clean-up crew)... a Blenny of some sort you say?? Are Blennys generally easy going, hardy and good for beginners?

 

[RadaR]

hm... interesting...well those are the main fish that I really do want... along with some inverts for the bottom (clean-up crew)... a Blenny of some sort you say?? Are Blennys generally easy going, hardy and good for beginners?

Midas Blenny, give it finely chopped crustacean flesh, mysid shrimp, brineshrimp and food for herbivores. They are fine in reef tanks. Rather than feeding on algae these guys feed mostly on zooplankton. I would introduce it as the last fish in the tank as some people have found they get quite boisterous in smaller tanks.