32 Gal Coralife Stocking Suggestions

[Fish2014]

Hello. My son and I are new to the Salt Water world. He got a 32gal Coralife Nano tank for Christmas. We are trying to come up with our long term stocking list of what we want in the tank. We would love some suggestions.

Currently we have:
1 - Firefish
1 - Royal Gramma
1 - Tail Spot Blenny
1 - Neon Goby
2 - Turbo Snails
2 - Nassarius Snails
1 - Hitchiker in our liverock very small Brittle Sea Star
We put in a container of Copepods as well.

Coral:
2 - small mushrooms
1- small candy cane
1 - small Favia
1 - Green Star Polyp - which is contained to one rock in the front/center of our tank not touching any other rocks.

Here are the last few things we are researching to add:

Yellow Watchman Goby and Pistol Shrimp
Clown Fish
Tube Worm

Duncan and Hammar Coral

Thoughts? We do not want to overcrowd the tank. Is there any other critters that we should look into or think about adding?

 

[EvanDeVita]

It was unwise the put all those fish in the tank. If you are new, you should have cycled your tank for at least a month before adding fish. Considering it's been only a couple days more than a month, you definitely seem to have jumped the gun. (I kinda did the same when I started about a year ago )
In my opinion, your tank is well stocked but can maybe hold a fish or two more. The clownfish is a good choice, but I do not recommend a goby/shrimp pair. I had a pair as the first fish in my first tank and they totally stressed me out. They moved sand everywhere and destabalized stable rocks.
Can you send a picture of the tank?

 

[Fish2014]

It was unwise the put all those fish in the tank. If you are new, you should have cycled your tank for at least a month before adding fish. Considering it's been only a couple days more than a month, you definitely seem to have jumped the gun. (I kinda did the same when I started about a year ago )
In my opinion, your tank is well stocked but can maybe hold a fish or two more. The clownfish is a good choice, but I do not recommend a goby/shrimp pair. I had a pair as the first fish in my first tank and they totally stressed me out. They moved sand everywhere and destabalized stable rocks.
Can you send a picture of the tank?

Oh I should of added that the tank was cycling at the store for us weeks before we even brought it home! The store owner was great in getting the tank ready so we could get fish in sooner!

 

[EvanDeVita]

Oh I should of added that the tank was cycling at the store for us weeks before we even brought it home! The store owner was great in getting the tank ready so we could get fish in sooner!

Perfect!! I hope I talked you out of the shrimp/goby pair - especially for beginners they are a pain in the a**

 

[Fish2014]

Here is a photo! We just did a water change a few minutes ago!

 

[fish farmer]

I personally would only have three to four small fish in a tank that size, just due to the maximum growth potential. That royal gramma is tiny now, but mine got to three inches and was a sizable presence in a 29 gallon with a pair of clowns. My current 29 has an adult clown pair and a sixline wrasse, but with mounds of soft coral and LPS another fish for me would seem crowded, unless it was really small like a neon goby.

Since you are new I suggest less fish because that equals less feed, less waste, less potential problems.

Good list for corals.

 

[Fish2014]

I personally would only have three to four small fish in a tank that size, just due to the maximum growth potential. That royal gramma is tiny now, but mine got to three inches and was a sizable presence in a 29 gallon with a pair of clowns. My current 29 has an adult clown pair and a sixline wrasse, but with mounds of soft coral and LPS another fish for me would seem crowded, unless it was really small like a neon goby.

Since you are new I suggest less fish because that equals less feed, less waste, less potential problems.

Good list for corals.

What about a shrimp? Would that be an ok guy to add and skip the other fish?

 

[Fish2014]

Perfect!! I hope I talked you out of the shrimp/goby pair - especially for beginners they are a pain in the a**

Thoughts on skipping the goby and pistol and just adding a shrimp? Maybe sexy or cleaner?

 

[EvanDeVita]

Thoughts on skipping the goby and pistol and just adding a shrimp? Maybe sexy or cleaner?

That would be awesome. Whenever anyone sees my tank, the first thing they point out is my Blood shrimp - absolutely gorgeous. I would check in with your LFS to see if it’s ok to add one so late into the game

 

[EvanDeVita]

.

 

[hds4216]

I have to disagree and recommend the goby and shrimp pairing. They are mostly bottom dwellers and won't really compete for space with your other fish. As long as you have nutrient export under control, the bioload wouldn't be too hard to accommodate. Also, I glued my primary rock structure so it wouldn't be subject to shrimp-induced destabilization. You could do the same.


In terms of coral, I recommend a Duncan! They're super cool. I also have a hammer, some fathead dendros, some SPS, an elegance, a button scoly, a ricordia mushroom, and multiple types of zoa in my BioCube 32. I also have a rock flower anemone. Looking to finish up my stock list with a trachy or a scoly, and some pink/orange octospawn.

 

[EvanDeVita]

I have to disagree and recommend the goby and shrimp pairing. They are mostly bottom dwellers and won't really compete for space with your other fish. As long as you have nutrient export under control, the bioload wouldn't be too hard to accommodate. Also, I glued my primary rock structure so it wouldn't be subject to shrimp-induced destabilization. You could do the same.


In terms of coral, I recommend a Duncan! They're super cool. I also have a hammer, some fathead dendros, some SPS, an elegance, a button scoly, a ricordia mushroom, and multiple types of zoa in my BioCube 32. I also have a rock flower anemone. Looking to finish up my stock list with a trachy or a scoly, and some pink/orange octospawn.

I’d love to see a picture!!! I’ve found it tough to find pictures of filled 30 gallon tanks !

 

[fish farmer]

What about a shrimp? Would that be an ok guy to add and skip the other fish?

I think a shrimp would be fine. I consider them more CUC members anyway.

 

[Fish2014]

I’d love to see a picture!!! I’ve found it tough to find pictures of filled 30 gallon tanks !

I would love a photo as well!