valt83

Hi everyone-

I've been keeping freshwater fish for a long time, but I am just now working on my first saltwater aquarium. Its a 20 gallon long with 72 watts of T5 lighting and 30lbs of live rock. Current filtration is a Fluval 2 Plus submersible filter, but I am just finishing off building a sump (with mechanical, live rock, and activated carbon filtration) which should take over this weekend. In the next month will build/add a 10-15 gallon refugium (copepods / algae - should I add anything else to it?) to the system. I will soon add a Tunze nano skimmer as well. So far, I have 4 hermits, 4 ceriths and 1 astrea snail, 1 strawberry crab, and a pair of pink skunk clowns. I also have a small rock with many purple mushroom polyps and a medium featherduster and a couple smaller ones. The only other coral is a red/green Australian Acan frag which is doing quite well.

I'd like to add one additional fish and was hoping to get suggestions. I like the longnose hawkfish, but I am not sure it is appropriate for my setup (is the tank too small? will it eat my featherduster?). I also like the red scooter blenny or watchman goby, and would definitely want a fish with a little color.

Also, my clowns tend to hide out behind the rocks a lot, and I'd like to get some sort of anemone surrogate to have them stay out in front more. What would be the best choice for this? Fragspawn?

Finally, any other suggestions for additional corals that would complement the setup?

Thanks for all your help!

Aquaman123456

How old is your tank?? if it is only a few weeks old, you should have not added the clowns that could be why their hiding. Fish should be added to your tank at least and this might even be to short after one month and they should get quarantined first. I found out the hard way when one of my clown fish died because I rushed and added fish which further delays the process of adding fish because there was a parasite in those clowns so I have to wait 30 days at least for the parasite to complete its life cycle before adding any fish.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...193&pcatid=193

The hawk fish needs 30 gallons like it says on the link, but maybe it will work someone with experience regarding hawk fish can tell you better than me. As well as blennies they require 30 gallons, but again maybe they can be kept in a 20. If you want to know what fish you can keep in your tank its best to just check sites like liveaquaria or any other site that shows profiles of fish and are generally accurate regarding the care and size of fish. As for the goby it can be kept in a 20 gallon tank. For the host of your clown I got a bubble tip anemone today from a friend, whose clown hosts it. Although a anemone is cool to have it is not required by clown fish in aquariums as they have no predators and if your clowns are captive bred it probably will matter even less.

Soft corals are the way to go, if you're new to the reef scene. I have a bunch of zoas, and got a toadstool today, plus that bubble tip. I wasn't actually expecting the bubble tip, my friend hooked me up. Anyways keep soft corals, they look great and are generally hardy.

valt83

Thanks for the advice!

The tank is about 2.5 months old and the clowns have been in the tank for a little over a month now. They seem pretty healthy and I used to see them more often. Originally they were "hosting" over by the filter in the back corner, so I could see them from the side of the tank, but in the last two weeks they must have decided they didn't like their home being maintenanced and decided to "host" in a rock at the back of the aquarium. I see the male a little more often, but the female really only comes out for food.

I've definitely looked at all the sites and books you can imagine. I found one site that said 20 gallons for the longnose hawkfish. Others, as you found said 30 and one even said 80 gallons. Behaviorally speaking, is there a reason that a fish without a swim bladder that mostly perches would need a large tank? Same thing with a blenny or gody...does someone that has kept these fish notice behavior differences or unhappiness in smaller tanks?

Many of the freshwater fish I've kept it been because I saw an interesting behavior in someone elses tank, and really liked the fishes personality. Its harder to tell in a LFS tank with bare bottoms and no decorations. Anyone have a suggestion on a little fish that will fit in a 20 gallon with lots of personallity?

As far as hosts go, I guess I'd really like to stay away from anemones, and I really only want a host in an attempt to get them out of their rock-host and to the front of the tank. I've been thinking frogspawn or pupple coral, but I've read threads with leathers or even flowerpot coral being a host. I even read that some people have used skredded plastic and mop-heads (I'd like to stay more natural). Problem is that most posts I read aren't about pink skunk clowns. Does anyone have experience with pink skunk clowns liking a particular coral?