Stocking suggestions for my nano

[instantsquid]

Hi folks,

Just coming up to a year ago, I set up a nano tank on my desk in my study, next to my computer.
Here's the link: http://www.ultimatereef.net/forums/showthread.php?t=168997

To start with, Rod my Frogfish lived in this tank. Sadly, Rod died a month or so back - I believe this was due to a "bad meal" which caused him to inflate like a balloon and float around the tank. It really was quite upsetting.

Anyway, since then the tank has just sat there not doing a lot - there's plenty of pods and worms grooving about, but it's missing something.

So.... I'm after some suggestions. I've got a couple of ideas but I'd like to hear what others think I should add. Don't forget that there is a 80 litre sump under the desk with an MC500 skimmer, caulerpa and more live rock - so filtration really isn't a problem. The water quality on this little tank has always been superb.

Over to you....

- Ian

[johnski]

pair of shrimp gobies and their pistol shrimp partner

[cajen]

Yeah, good call, Johnski. Perhaps a few other small gobies (neons, okinawae or some of the rarer ones).

[JASONC1]

how about a pair of firefish

[SCOOB]

5 x blood shrimp.

other smaller inverts, hermits, worms etc but focus on the shrimp.

i'd love a nano with no fish whatso ever, just loads of motile inverts and let the critters rule the roost.

[fras]

How about a pair of harlequin shrimp? They look amazing and the sump would be perfect for breeding the starfish.

http://www.vibrantsea.net/images/harlequin35_anilao22.jpg

[ickypimp]

maybe a peacock mantis if you fance an invert stylee tank

[fras]

Not enough display space for a peacock imho, a smaller species would be fine though.

[instantsquid]

Yeah, love the idea of a Peacock Mantis, but agree the tank isn't really big enough. Plus it's glass and I'm paranoid!

- Ian

[dan-the-man]

Think of a smaller one Ian, theres a lovely cyllicus or something in at cyber aquatics IIRC. ;)

[instantsquid]

Mrs InstantSquid likes the idea of pipefish, or another frogfish. I'm not so sure though.
I had a critter tank once before - various crabs and shrimps grooving about. It was supposed to be a frag tank but was never very successful on that front. Maybe that's the way to go...

- Ian

[dan-the-man]

http://www.cyberaquatics.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=35&products_id=243&osCsid=03d190d4d3d9b6bfea9089c3436f66ae

Nope not that one this one ;)

[instantsquid]

What a pants picture!

I'll Google the name though :D

[dan-the-man]

Try getting one like that in the marine world article! Bright yellow, I think thats where I got the name beginning with C from :confused:..

[instantsquid]

Any other ideas? Quite like the invertebrate tank, but wondered what options there were fish-wise? Is it really too small for anything other than a shrimp goby?

- Ian

[SCOOB]

sea horse? pipe fish? frogfish? fuzzy dwarf lion? blue spotted ray?

[zimreef]

Any other ideas? Quite like the invertebrate tank, but wondered what options there were fish-wise? Is it really too small for anything other than a shrimp goby?

- Ian

I've seen a number of small and colourful gobies start to appear in the shops in the South West recently as the number of nano setups do seem to be increasing quite quickly.

Pretty much all of them are suited to a nano as their biomass must be almost negligible.

Maybe just have to get the tank up and running and then grab the chance when they appear at your LFS.

Strawberry fish (or a pair) would be a reasonable and stunningly colourful choice too, but guess they might preclude the addition of any other fishes to a small tank even thouh they are one of the more peaceful dottybacks.

John

[instantsquid]

Well, the tank is now back up and running, albeit currently bare-bottomed. I've given it a damn good clean, huge water change and pruned the algae in the sump. I need to get some substrate in there again so that if I do opt for one of the lovely shrimp gobies, the tank is ready for it.
Failing that, I think it's going to be a critter haven - boxer crabs, sexy shrimps, pistol shrimp, etc. plus some zoos and rics.

- Ian

[zimreef]

The pistol/goby combo Stonogoboips yasha and Alpheus randalli is a stunning partnership for a nano. Also a possibility if you can put up with a deeper substrate is a pair of Yellow-headed Jawfish who are real characters IMO (without being too anthropomorphic about it)!

Keep us updated as to what you eventually decide.

John