Floridian Mini Reef setup help

[mrfipp]

Im in process of setting up a 20L mini reef. Id like to try and keep it a florida only tank.

Live rock will be from florida, to keep hitchhikers FL local too.

 

I will have astrea snails and fighting conchs for snails. was thinking id add a condy.

 

I need help with suggestions for fish, and inverts. Preferably failry easy to obtain species please, as I am in CA, not FL.

 

Also, anyone have compatability issues with sally lightfoots?

[brian92]

Sallylightfoots IMO can be murderers

 

Sealifeinc.net is great for any "florida only fish" also reefcleaners.com has plenty of macroalgaes from florida

 

I would get a jawfish pair for a florida set up

[mrfipp]

Sallylightfoots IMO can be murderers

 

Sealifeinc.net is great for any "florida only fish" also reefcleaners.com has plenty of macroalgaes from florida

 

I would get a jawfish pair for a florida set up

 

Thanks for input. I do like the jawfish, thats a definite option. My only concern being depth of substrate. Its only about 4 inches deep.

 

Sealife inc is where i am getting my rock, Ill have to look at the fish a little closer.

 

Havent seen reefcleaners.com, ty for address.

[brian92]

Thanks for input. I do like the My only concern being depth of substrate. Its only about 4 inches deep.

.

 

The Yellowhead Jawfish is moderately hardy. It tends to be shy and is best kept with other docile fish. It will not bother other tank inhabitants, but other burrowing fish may bully it. It needs to be kept on 5-7 inches of fine soft substrate such as sand of various particle sizes (not fine)

 

If you get the jaw fish and want to be safe you can just add another inch of sand

 

Good Luck

[phiber_optikx]

Chalk Bass?

[simplenough]

a royal gramma would be nice. I scuba and snorkel over here frequently since i live in miami. I dont know much about shipping but if you want i can try to catch you some cool fish from here as well as crabs and urchins..

[mrfipp]

Royal Gramma are beautiful fish. I intend to get most of my inhabitants shipped directly from Florida, either through commercial suppliers, or member shipping. The tank is rather small, at a 20 long, so most bigger inverts and fish species are out of the question, as are aggressive species.

 

So far it seems that sealifeinc.net has reasonable prices and selection.

 

Simplenough, what kind of urchins and crabs do you see commonly?

[yardboy]

I don't think you can go wrong if you get the whole setup from SeaLife. There are other suppliers of Florida stuff, with good results, but they have little that Ken doesn't. I have a pair of rusty gobies in my nano and they are very cool, but shy. I don't see them as much as I'd like. I'm debating chalk bass from him. I've also wondered about a goby/shrimp pair. Pistol shrimp are very common around Florida waters, but my limited research hasn't come up with any pairs. They are common in the Pacific. I'll have to ask around.

If you choose a condy, you'll have to let your tank mature a bit, and have some intense light. Look at the last page of my Ghetto Beauty thread to see what light will be sufficient. I had one in that tank, but it outgrew it rather quickly. Surprisingly, after I moved it to a 70 it didn't continue to grow so big, so it might last for quite awhile in a 20L (which by the way is my favorite size tank). You can also get anemone shrimp which will host in a condy and they can be as enjoyable to watch as a clown/nem pair. (well, almost as fun) You caan even get several and they will host it together. Too cool.