20G stocking help/suggestions!

yanni

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Hey all!

Looking for some advice on stocking for my 20G AIO cube. I’ve settled on a few fish, some must haves, and some I’m unsure about.

Must haves:
- 2x Ocellaris Clowns
- A skunk cleaner shrimp (open to recommendation for different shrimp)
- Snails (Nassarius and/or trochus)
- Blenny of some sort

Unsure:
- was considering a pistol shrimp and watchman goby combo, unsure whether this would add too much to the tank.
-Firefish Goby, just bc they’re so incredibly pretty, amazing to watch.
- Very on the fence about a purple gamma, not too sure.

I’ll mainly be keeping soft corals if that helps on opinions . I’d love the firefish, and the pistol shrimp combo would be awesome to watch, I’m just unsure what would be compatible and safe together hahaha. Also open to any other suggestions for other fish!
 

blaxsun

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Midas Blenny is a really cool fish. I prefer dottybacks over the grammas (orchids will hide, indigos are out a lot more). Skip cardinals because the boring component is really strong and there’s no point wasting a slot on a blah fish.

Tank will be too small for a dragonet, but a small damsel (go with azure over blue) is a nice addition.
 

Sharkbait19

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All of the mentioned fish are compatible. I wouldn’t put more than 4-5 fish though.
Bicolor or Tailspot blenny are good for that tank size.
I would pick one or two for the extra fish you have listed.
Gramma is really peaceful and very pretty.
Same for firefish (one of my favorites).
Shrimp and goby have the symbiosis that is fun to watch but will rescape your tank.
Gobies have low bioload, so if you are worried about that, I would prioritize the gobies first.
 
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yanni

yanni

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All of the mentioned fish are compatible. I wouldn’t put more than 4-5 fish though.
Bicolor or Tailspot blenny are good for that tank size.
I would pick one or two for the extra fish you have listed.
Gramma is really peaceful and very pretty.
Same for firefish (one of my favorites).
Shrimp and goby have the symbiosis that is fun to watch but will rescape your tank.
Gobies have low bioload, so if you are worried about that, I would prioritize the gobies first.
The tank was always planned around clowns, so I think they will come first with my shrimp and snails, then perhaps the firefish goby, and maybe a blenny down the line to round out my tank gang. Does that sound like a good stocking mix?
 

Sharkbait19

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Looks good!
I would actually suggest getting the clownfish last though as they get territorial.
You may also be able to get something like a neon or clown goby with that stock too.
 
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yanni

yanni

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Midas Blenny is a really cool fish. I prefer dottybacks over the grammas (orchids will hide, indigos are out a lot more). Skip cardinals because the boring component is really strong and there’s no point wasting a slot on a blah fish.

Tank will be too small for a dragonet, but a small damsel (go with azure over blue) is a nice addition.
Those indigo dottybacks look fantastic, will definitely have to consider them.

since it’s such a small tank, the stocking is limited, so I’m trying to go for really cool, stand out fish. The clowns have always been a childhood dream to have as a pet, so they’re included no matter what
 
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yanni

yanni

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Looks good!
I would actually suggest getting the clownfish last though as they get territorial.
You may also be able to get something like a neon or clown goby with that stock too.
Ooh didn’t consider that, I know clarkiis and maroons can be super territorial, I thought ocellaris aren’t so much? I suppose it depends on the fishes temperament….if I add the clowns last however, are any of the other fishes territorial and could cause the same problem?
 

srobertb

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Hey all!

Looking for some advice on stocking for my 20G AIO cube. I’ve settled on a few fish, some must haves, and some I’m unsure about.

Must haves:
- 2x Ocellaris Clowns
- A skunk cleaner shrimp (open to recommendation for different shrimp)
- Snails (Nassarius and/or trochus)
- Blenny of some sort

Unsure:
- was considering a pistol shrimp and watchman goby combo, unsure whether this would add too much to the tank.
-Firefish Goby, just bc they’re so incredibly pretty, amazing to watch.
- Very on the fence about a purple gamma, not too sure.

I’ll mainly be keeping soft corals if that helps on opinions . I’d love the firefish, and the pistol shrimp combo would be awesome to watch, I’m just unsure what would be compatible and safe together hahaha. Also open to any other suggestions for other fish!
Pistol shrimp and goby take up very little room but cause sand storms at the beginning

I’d take the pistol shrimp, goby, and the clownfish and call it a day.

Nassarius snails tend to slowly die, especially in large numbers.
 
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yanni

yanni

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Pistol shrimp and goby take up very little room but cause sand storms at the beginning

I’d take the pistol shrimp, goby, and the clownfish and call it a day.

Nassarius snails tend to slowly die, especially in large numbers.
What about trochus snails?

I tnjnk even if I got the clowns, goby and pistol, I’d still love a firefish, or something of the like
 

blaxsun

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If you're going with a nassarius snail, get the orange-spotted variety. These are absolutely hilarious and endlessly entertaining. Drop in some seaweed that's been elastic-banded to a rock, sit back and watch the snail emerge like Godzilla from the deep...
 
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yanni

yanni

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If you're going with a nassarius snail, get the orange-spotted variety. These are absolutely hilarious and endlessly entertaining. Drop in some seaweed that's been elastic-banded to a rock, sit back and watch the snail emerge like Godzilla from the deep...
Hahaha, now that I’d love to see. The crazy antics the animals in this hobby display are like no other, it’s equally as incredible as it is hilarious
 

blaxsun

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What about trochus snails?

I tnjnk even if I got the clowns, goby and pistol, I’d still love a firefish, or something of the like
Astrea (spiny) snails are more hardy, but Trochus have the ability to right themselves when they fall or get knocked off the side of the tank. Turbo snails are good cleaners, but when they run into trouble you just see an upside down shell sitting there waiting to be righted. Cerith are handy for sifting through your substrate, and if there's good eatin' down there you may never see them.
 

blaxsun

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Hahaha, now that I’d love to see. The crazy antics the animals in this hobby display are like no other, it’s equally as incredible as it is hilarious
One other "quirk" with the orange-spotted nassarius snail: they are always (always) late to the dinner party, but when they sense food (and this ranges from seaweed all the way to mysis), they emerge and make a beeline for wherever they last detected it - and no obstacle is too great. This includes embarking on a vertical climb up the side of the tank, along the rim, down the outside of the tank, down the stand, across the carpet...
 
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yanni

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One other "quirk" with the orange-spotted nassarius snail: they are always (always) late to the dinner party, but when they sense food (and this ranges from seaweed all the way to mysis), they emerge and make a beeline for wherever they last detected it - and no obstacle is too great. This includes embarking on a vertical climb up the side of the tank, along the rim, down the outside of the tank, down the stand, across the carpet...
Seeming more and more like the perfect addition
 
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yanni

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Astrea (spiny) snails are more hardy, but Trochus have the ability to right themselves when they fall or get knocked off the side of the tank. Turbo snails are good cleaners, but when they run into trouble you just see an upside down shell sitting there waiting to be righted. Cerith are handy for sifting through your substrate, and if there's good eatin' down there you may never see them.
All the snails seem so entertaining, surprised no one has done a snail only tank hahahaha. I think I’ll end up going maybe 1x trochus, 1x turbo, and maybe a cerith/astrea
 

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