16 Gallon BioCube Stocking Ideas (anything helps!)

[YungPleco]

Hello fellow fish friends!

I just started my first saltwater reef tank about a month ago. Currently it's cycling so I can put corals in it, but I bought a flame goby to help cycle the tank after setting it up. One day last week I realized I hadn't seen him in a day and panicked, taking all the live rock out to see where he was. Found him under a rock after 3 days of not eating (I assume because of how small his stomach area was) and he wouldn't eat and died later that day. Here's my (new post-mortem) aquascape and before I go buy corals to put in it next week, I would like to finalize in my head what kind of fish or inverts would cohabitate the ecosystem with the corals. I was thinking of just getting a clownfish so I can put , a bubbletip anemone on the top purple rock and watch it's arms move in the flow and for the clown to have more fun. But seeing I'm in this position, I thought before buying another fish I would ask a forum for that so that I don't overlook something as simple as "gobies like to bury so gravel isn't the best idea". Thank you for your help, I'd be happy to answer any questions as well!

[aclman88]

You could get a pair of clowns and then a yellow watchmen goby and pistol shrimp pair which would inhabit the bottom of the tank.  You could also look into clown gobies, firefish, blenny, or cardinal fish.  I would say in a 16 gallon biocube you would be limited to about 3 fish.  Anemone don't do well in new tanks (generally speaking) and are recommended after your tank has matures 6+ months and you know how to and are able to maintain stable tank parameters.

 

Do you have additional rocks?  The scape looks very crowded on the bottom, almost like a massive clump of rocks.  It would look more interesting, and be a more secure habitat for your fish, if you got tried stacking to get some overhangs and caves.  If there aren't a lot of places to hide or dart into you fish may be a little hesitant to be out.