Trying to figure out if my clown can have some more company in her round 9g

[Han Solo]

I'm trying to figure out if I could get another clownfish and what I really want, a dragonet.

 

I also wanted to know if anyone has had good success pair two clownfish when one was brought in separately to the other? To be honest aside from clowning around in an anemone (that I don't have), I'm not really sure what two paired clownfish act like... aside from all the crazy sex.... 'changes'

 

My tank is a Biube 9 gallon cylinder. I got it off Amazon although it's best used for freshwater. See that cylinder in the middle of the water? That used to be the bubble filter, but using sand (Tahitian Moon black sand, not live) makes it basically impossible. Now I just use a Fluval internal filter stuffed with a small bag of Chemi-pure... heard the filter itself was pretty horrible though.

 

Anyways I've left a good amount of sand room and two live rocks (on the smaller side). The tank has only been running for a few weeks though all the parameters are well and stable from the best I can tell.

 

All my livestock:

- 2 blue legged hermits

- 2 bumble bee snails

- 2 nassarius snails

- 1 clownfish (misbar)

- 1 camel shrimp (he's upside down in the middle of the tank on the rock)

- a few tiny zoas I'm hoping will grown bigger soon

- green five-star polyps

- a duncan (up front on rock)

- a birds nest hard coral

 

Ehh you may have to turn your head a bit. Sorry!

 

And my PAR38 does NOT look very good with an iPhone camera. I will get around to use my DSLR soon!

[Tamberav]

My concern would be.. fish like horizontal swimming room and your tank is mostly vertical space. I would say the tank isn't suited for a frozen fed dragonet. The filtration seems very underwhelming for the amount of frozen food a dragonet can consume. They are also very active, generally moving along the floor space... and you have a small sand bed with a little rock. Bad news sucks but just being honest.

 

Your tank is very unique which makes it pretty cool. However, it is a tank best suited for coral and not fish. If you like fish a lot, you may want to consider a longer tank and I would plan the fish out first and then buy a tank to fit them.

 

As far as pairing clownfish goes, buy one smaller than yours. That's about all there is to it. If they fight so bad, that one is hiding/torn fins, then swap for a new clown fish.

 

Just a thought on your stocking:

 

Bumble bee snails are predatory and eat the fauna in your sand bed that makes it live, pods, worms, other small snails. You may want to consider removing them. Since they are in a tank with such a small amount of sand bed and live rock, I would think they would have a negative impact.

 

Camel shrimp are not reef safe. May suddenly start ripping up your coral.

[Han Solo]

Thanks for the advice! I'm an going to go only with another clown fish and not a mandarin. I think they should handle it even though my tank is tall. I've seen much more overstocking a small nano

 

I'm also going to remove the bumblebee snails per your suggestion. I probably have enough already.

 

 

 

Can you eleborate on the camel shrimp though? As of now he mostly hides in the rocks except for lights off, and I've seen him maybe walking on the zoas only a few times. Wasn't sure if he was eating them or not. Is it bad enough for me to remove? I am planning on adding alot more corals too....

 

What would I do with him?

[Tamberav]

Thanks for the advice! I'm an going to go only with another clown fish and not a mandarin. I think they should handle it even though my tank is tall. I've seen much more overstocking a small nano

 

I'm also going to remove the bumblebee snails per your suggestion. I probably have enough already.

 

 

 

Can you eleborate on the camel shrimp though? As of now he mostly hides in the rocks except for lights off, and I've seen him maybe walking on the zoas only a few times. Wasn't sure if he was eating them or not. Is it bad enough for me to remove? I am planning on adding alot more corals too....

 

What would I do with him?

 

Yes, if you plan on adding A LOT of corals, return him to the store. They are basically a large risk. It is not u uncommon for them to be fine for months and then suddenly start tearing shit up.

 

If you want a shrimp, a cleaner shrimp or fire shrimp would be your best bet. Just be sure to give them something meaty before feeding corals or they will steal all the food.

 

Research before you buy. Lots of non-reef safe and unsuitable critters for nano's or even captivity for sale in this hobby. Don't listen to the LFS.

 

Yes, people overstock and cram fish into tiny boxes. It isn't a wonder people are trying to shut this hobby down.

[Han Solo]

I do know too much when I see it, trust me there. But I agree I should take out the camel after do some more research right now on it. Unfortunately it was my very first tank mate (besides the hermits) before I knew anything about invertebrates, and there tendency to be very susceptible to temp/sal. changes. And also unfortunately I bought him at Petco from a 'knowledgable employee' which means I can't return him there. I'll ask my LFS (Memfish, they are great) if they will take him, but I doubt it on an $8 shrimp and the liability for them, of course.

 

And no friends or anyone else I know has a saltwater tank that I know of.

 

I don't want to kill it

Or maybe I do... *looks at username



PS; Tamberav, I'm taking at look at your mantis shrimp tank, they are beautiful. One of the reasons I got into the hobby. How does he do in your tank with so much life and fish? I thought they were vicious!

[Tamberav]

I do know too much when I see it, trust me there. But I agree I should take out the camel after do some more research right now on it. Unfortunately it was my very first tank mate (besides the hermits) before I knew anything about invertebrates, and there tendency to be very susceptible to temp/sal. changes. And also unfortunately I bought him at Petco from a 'knowledgable employee' which means I can't return him there. I'll ask my LFS (Memfish, they are great) if they will take him, but I doubt it on an $8 shrimp and the liability for them, of course.

 

And no friends or anyone else I know has a saltwater tank that I know of.

 

I don't want to kill it

Or maybe I do... *looks at username

 

 

 

PS; Tamberav, I'm taking at look at your mantis shrimp tank, they are beautiful. One of the reasons I got into the hobby. How does he do in your tank with so much life and fish? I thought they were vicious!

 

They are 100% safe with coral... mostly.. they will move frags and aquascape how they like so glue everything down.

 

They will in most cases eat snails/shrimps/crabs/urchins/clam's ect. Sometimes they will eat fish but smasher's don't hunt them as much as invertebrate's. Basically don't put any fish with them you can't afford to lose.

[Han Solo]

I'm not sure I follow you there. I thought you said they were not reef safe? Or do you mean they just are careless and physical knock corals around (all mine are basically glued well) yet they don't actually eat them?

 

 

 

Thanks a ton for the info though!

[Tamberav]

I'm not sure I follow you there. I thought you said they were not reef safe? Or do you mean they just are careless and physical knock corals around (all mine are basically glued well) yet they don't actually eat them?

 

 

 

Thanks a ton for the info though!

 

I was talking about the mantis

[Han Solo]

Have you heard the story of the mantis shrimp and hermit crab?

[Tamberav]

Have you heard the story of the mantis shrimp and hermit crab?

 

"One day..."

 

Thats it, thats the whole story.

 

[Han Solo]

I'm pretty sure that fish is trying to save the hermit crab right there. Or just really interested!