Reefers say what??:BEST START UP FISH OF ALL TIME??!

[yah-the submariner]

MY tank is almost hitting zeros,so i figure this is when i should start thinking about stocking.
So i'm asking my big brother reefers. i'm keeping a 29 gallon fowlr tank for the time being,maybe for good.not sure. That said, i am almost completely dedicated to getting a clown-which would be the best for a beginner/long term success? should i get a pair?

my wife hinted/(silent demand) on a cardinal, she liked "the one with the big red eyes" :redface:...which would be best? more than one?

Have i reached my safe limit? if not, what would compliment those two fish and be comfortable?
also compatible clean-up crews with fish suggestions please.
I appreciate all the help and i ask because i've spent months just reading post:Lurking: and I trust this site more than the various LFS i frequent.

 

[probe dms]

i'd start with one clown or a blue damsel.

 

[Meadowlane]

3 spot damsel

 

[Montaquelaveist]

Tomato clowns are pretty hardy but i would stay away from the 3 spot damsel it will get big fast and become very aggressive after about a 3 weeks you can tell if your tank is ready for more fish i would wait about 1 month before adding cardinals and yes they do better in groups but keep the numbers odd , thats just my take on things

 

[yah-the submariner]

i appreciate the feedback,i was going to sidestep a damsel. Eventhough it seems to be the fish of choice for start-up,the one of ONLY things the lfs and reefers agree on is these guys get mean. they just tell me use one and return it,which i prefer not do. But i have seen some cool looking ones,lol
tomato clown: noted. and odd numbers. so could i put the clown and (three?) cardinals in a 29 gal safely given time?

 

[STHILL]

I would stay away from any damsel they will get to territorial

 

[xxxAngeloxxx]

I would stay away from any damsel they will get to territorial

1+ even thou your tank may be ready for livestock please read on what kind of fish and invert your going to get before your purchase them.

 

[yah-the submariner]

1+ even thou your tank may be ready for livestock please read on what kind of fish and invert your going to get before your purchase them.

I definitely plan too,which is why i started this. i have been in freshwater for a long time and learned you need first hand accounts on fish and then study,study,study. some fish look great on paper and of fish store and come home and turn into a nightmare. i've done massive reading and i started this so i could hone in on which fish/inverts to study.
i'm still going to gie my tank some time as i've learned parameters change slowly,so i'm taking time with it. just want to be ready when it's time.

 

[probe dms]

just donate the damsel off to someone on MR when your done with it. Blue damsels are real pretty in a tank that doesnt have much happening. plus they cost like 3.99 compared to a 15 - 200 dollar clown.

 

[skene]

I would stay away from any damsel they will get to territorial

Clownfish are damsels.

 

[albano]

Tomato clowns are pretty hardy

and can get very aggressive...same for Damsels...:scratch: best to figure what you really want, before adding anything
if clowns are a definite, I'd suggest 2 true or false percs...were you thinking about an anemone?

 

[yah-the submariner]

Probe,you make a great point. Albano i was thinking a fish only for a while. I know clowns have a symbiotic relationship to anemones,but I've seen seemingly happy ones without.what is your two cents on the matter?

 

[albano]

Probe,you make a great point. Albano i was thinking a fish only for a while. I know clowns have a symbiotic relationship to anemones,but I've seen seemingly happy ones without.what is your two cents on the matter?

My 4 clowns don't go near my Anemone! but, they do love frogspawn

 

[skene]

Clowns will host whatever they feel they are most comfortable with. You cannot make them like an anemone nor can you tell them that they have to be nice to their tankmates. I have a ocellaris pair that hosts a hammer.. and I have my first saddleback clown that hosts GBTAs that I have. Mind you that the saddleback has hosted previous anemones prior to. The pair has never hosted to a nem.

 

[Imbarrie]

You could get a blue green damsel. They don't get mean.
In that tank you could get a pair of clowns and they may breed if you buy them at the same time from a large population. That would give you the best odds of eventually having a M F pair.

There are inverts that are cool. Shrimp, porcelain crabs, clown gobies and there are others.

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

I say look into gobies and blennies. Red fire fish are cool, don't get big and are very docile. Yellow watchman are nice also. Get a shrimp some snails,hermits and you will be set.

 

[yah-the submariner]

Albano-thanks for the info. those are two types of clowns i was def considering. also,i don't know if you know this but there's an ocean in your house!
Skene-thanks for info as well. I saw a saddleback pair in a LFS and fell in love! i saw the teeth though and understood how clowns can be a problem for fish they don't like! i'm leaning towards t/f percs,but i wonder if saddlebacks could be an option for me? or would i be asking for trouble?
Imbarrie-B/G damsel sounds like it's the way to go. if i could get a M/F pair i'd be set. i've never seen all of the nemo movie,but i've wanted clown(s) forever.
Trigg- my wife is in love with gobies and blennies,they remind her of our son who scoots/crawls and hops,everywhere. those are definite.i do like the look of fire fish as well.great color. these would be in conjunction with the clowns correct?
so to recap two clowns(T/F percs,possibly saddlebacks-will wait for feedback) Damsel to get started(?) and possibly keep(?) goby,probably watchman,maybe clown(how many?) and/or blenny-how would the firefish work into this set-up? i feel like this is the perfect group to go with. now help me make it work for my tank guys,please. oh,yeah,and i planned to get some turbos and maybe a hermit as per advice of trigg. peppermint shrimp? cleaner shrimp? i love to learn and would rather ask a million questions vs screw things up!

 

[tentacles]

just donate the damsel off to someone on MR when your done with it. Blue damsels are real pretty in a tank that doesnt have much happening. plus they cost like 3.99 compared to a 15 - 200 dollar clown.

What is this "when you're done with it" sentiment? When you're done what, looking at it? The only time you should be "done" with a fish is if you're using it to clear up some pests or algae, unless you're using a fish to cycle a tank (which you should not be doing).

Yah- the clowns you want are a good choice. Also echoing trigger's suggestion of gobies and blennies- they are nice docile fish that don't add too much to your bioload.

 

[Custom05Taco]

Blue green damsels will skool if you add them at the same time.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

Well remember people we are talking about a 29 gallon here no schooling will be going on. I say if you want to do a pair of some type of clown you can but pairs of clowns tend to get nasty and territorial so maybe 1 clown would be better. I had a pair alone w/ a mandarin in a 24 nano and w/ in a few days of being in that tank the mandarin went carpet surfing and 1 of the clowns somehow disappeared so be careful. Mind you all 3 of these fish came from being in a 65 gallon together for about 3 years. So I think your best bet would be 1 clown,1, firefish,1 yellow watchman and maybe something else. You could add a few firefish they are small I'd say up to 3 would be ok w/ a clown and watchman. Then a few snails and hermits, a shrimp and you'd be at your max.