[moonstream]

well after nearly 5 months I am reday to start gtting fish and corals. I want to make sure my plan looks okay, here it is. my equipment is
50 lbs LR spread over fuge and display
20 lbs sand in display (might replace it because it is so fine the hermits have trouble walking on it)
40 lbs (about 3") DSB in fuge
20g long display
29g fuge
coralife super skimmer (up to 65g tank)
96 watts T5 light (no SLR now, will add some)

corals will be LPS, maybe some lower light SPS (after I add the SLR), lots of zoas, shrooms, rics, and yumas. for inverts I will have a skunk cleaner, sexy shrimp, and maybe a pepermint (if he is still alive, cant find him in the holding bin), as well as my CUC (some astrea, 3 blue leg hermits, 5 nassasarias, and 2 scarlet reef hermits). I am thinking about keeping a flame scallop (would dose phyto weekly) and a BTA (after addittion of SLR, and most of my corals) and now for the fish, I want to have as many as I can, and may end up keeping one or three in the fuge. I want a peacful relaxing tank, with no one chasing anyone else. here is my plan.
1 percula clown (mom will kill me if I dont get one lol )
1-2 african blue stripe pipefish
maybe a small (no bigger than 3") flasher or fairy wrasse
could I keep maybe something like a firefish or a small blenny (tailspot or barnacle) as well?


I did my best to choose small, not too aggressive fish. I will be aquascaping with the thought that I want to keep a fish (the warsse that needs a fair amount of swimming room and that I need lots of caves and such for territories. do you think it will work? I am going to get the pipes and clown first.

[rjs5134]

Shocked you haven't gotten a response yet... Well from my limited experience, although I am fairly well read, the clown and wrasse would probably dominate the pipefish and not allow them enough food. I've read that flame scallops don't really thrive in our systems and kind of deteriorate over a year or so. Your system will definately be too small to allow the scallop to thrive. I think I've read that the BTA needs a much larger system also.

I'm sure your planned bioload is way too much. I'm sure Lee will weigh in to confirm shortly. You should probably pick 2 of those fish and stop there. If the clown is definately a must, than the wrasse is probably your best tank mate for him.

Good luck

[moonstream]

well, its been awhile since I had posted this, but I have established that the scallop is a no, the BTA is a no as I decided that with my luck it would wander into a powerhead. as for fish, I have stocked almost completly, a small male clown (his mate was found dead this mourning), a trimma, an eviota, the clean up crew, a not so happy serpent star, several corals (a leather, ric, and zoas), and my old skunk cleaner shrimp. I have decided that I will get the male a mate (named Nemo) and also get either a wrasse or a candy stripe hogfish. I will also be planning to get many more coral frags in the next few weeks (have people had good experiences at aquabliss?), as well as afew more astrea snails and nassasaria snails (may also pick up afew more blue leg hermits, great workers). I am loving the zoas I have, they are green with a blue ring and grey center, also were small (and CHEAP! that was the best part, am on a tight budget for livestock). I also get my new light strip to hook up my new T5s. cant wait.

[ReeferSD]

That not so happy serpant star, How big is it? I have seen serpant stars eat small fish. Not kidding, it trapped the fish from above. Keep that thing fat and happy.(especially in a 20gallon) Mine is way cool. I have seen it missing a leg and within months its grown back. The best thing i do when stocking is be Patient. Slowly start to stock with pieces you really enjoy. Wait and save if you have to, you will like it better in the long run..

[moonstream]

not very big, and my gobies are at the other side of the tank all day (and as far as I know night, anyways. I have soem more bad news. after losing my female clown yesterday, today I lost her mate too. I think they died from brook. the male had a very white slime coat, I suspected it from day one, I ahve decided to wait to get any more clowns for the time being.

[rjs5134]

moonstream, you really have alot of reading to do. No QT, an overstocked tank, a number of new additions all at once. The mistakes are going to compund themselves and create problem after problem. The first 2 losses could have been avoided by simply following the QT process suggested by Leebca. Reefer correct, your tank is not appropriate for the star, or any star and there's no way a 20 gallon tank is going to allow any inhabitant to avoid another. Read, Read, Read. Good luck

[almostdiva]

pipefish, like seahorses, need to be in a dedicated tank (or a tank with sea horses). they are very slow ,methodical feeders and will TOTALLY get out competed for food by the other animals on your list. Is your star a serpent or brittle star? How big is it? I agree with ReeferSD -- it may need a new home.