Biocube Stocking Considerations

[catnipthyme]

Hello! I am getting my first reef tank set up, and was hoping to get some insight on the fish I have been considering. It is the Biocube 32. I love critters that dig around in the sand, but I don't know if I want to worry about them messing up the hardscape. Of all considerations, only the Panamic Barnacle Blenny is a necessity. Possibly two of them, even. With that in mind, does anyone have any advice regarding any of my other stocking ideas?

I realize that with such a small tank I could only have around three to five fish, so narrowing them down is going to be a chore.

Options:
-Ocellaris Clownfish
-Firefish, Helfrichi Firefish, Purple Firefish, or Scissortail Dartfish
-Royal Gramma Basslet, Caribbean Deepwater Cave Basslet, or Black Cap Basslet
-Bangaii Cardinal
-Yellow/White Banded Possum Wrasse
-Citrine Clown Goby, Green Clown Goby, Court Jester Goby, Greenbanded Goby, Neon Goby, Diamond Watchman Goby, Hector's Goby, or any Goby + Pistol Shrimp
-Curious Wormfish

 

[kevgib67]

Hello! I am getting my first reef tank set up, and was hoping to get some insight on the fish I have been considering. It is the Biocube 32. I love critters that dig around in the sand, but I don't know if I want to worry about them messing up the hardscape. Of all considerations, only the Panamic Barnacle Blenny is a necessity. Possibly two of them, even. With that in mind, does anyone have any advice regarding any of my other stocking ideas?

I realize that with such a small tank I could only have around three to five fish, so narrowing them down is going to be a chore.

Options:
-Ocellaris Clownfish
-Firefish, Helfrichi Firefish, Purple Firefish, or Scissortail Dartfish
-Royal Gramma Basslet, Caribbean Deepwater Cave Basslet, or Black Cap Basslet
-Bangaii Cardinal
-Yellow/White Banded Possum Wrasse
-Citrine Clown Goby, Green Clown Goby, Court Jester Goby, Greenbanded Goby, Neon Goby, Diamond Watchman Goby, Hector's Goby, or any Goby + Pistol Shrimp
-Curious Wormfish

What size Biocube?

 

[catnipthyme]

What size Biocube?

The 32 gallon. I had it in my original post, but I didn't put the word "gallon" near the 32, so it probably blended in with everything else, my bad.

 

[kevgib67]

The 32 gallon. I had it in my original post, but I didn't put the word "gallon" near the 32, so it probably blended in with everything else, my bad.

That’s ok, I had a 32g Biocube for over 3 years before I upgraded earlier this year. I kept 7 fish, doable with proper filtration and weekly water changes. It would be easier for me to send you a link of my build and if you have questions just let me know, I’m here to help.

Thread 'Biocube 32g build'
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/biocube-32g-build.906813/

 

[catnipthyme]

I have done some ponderings and poking around. For fish, I have decided on eventually keeping:

• 2 barnacle blennies
• Pink-streaked wrasse
• Banggai cardinalfish
• Firefish or Purple Firefish
• Some sort of smaller goby

I am definitely going to start very slow with invertebrates so they don't starve, and I would appreciate input as to whether my ideal buddies would work together:

• 2 Peppermint Shrimp
• Tuxedo urchin (and/or) Lettuce Nudibranch (and/or) Dwarf feather duster
• A few herbivorous snails (money cowrie, astraea turbo, banded trochus, dove, or spiny star astraea)
• A few carnivorous snails (bumblebee or nassarius)
• Some sort of crab. Any recommendations here? I like the dwarf blue/yellow leg/red tip hermits, Halloween hermits, and strawberry crabs.

I will have to post some pics of my tank later!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

Curious to see photos whenever you get them!

 

[Kooma]

I ran my biocube 32 with a pair of clowns and a blue green chromis. The biggest issue is managing nutrients in a small tank. There also isn’t much for territory so some may fight over that.

I would also consider the corals you wish to keep when choosing fish.

I’d stick to 3 fish personally from my experience with that tank.

 

[Fishy888]

If you don’t run a sump, I would agree with the 3 fish rule. If you run a sump, where you can actually use a REAL skimmer (the nano skimmers are a joke for the most part) and grow chaeto, you’ll be able to have 5 or 6 fish as long as they’re not territorial.

 

[catnipthyme]

I ran my biocube 32 with a pair of clowns and a blue green chromis. The biggest issue is managing nutrients in a small tank. There also isn’t much for territory so some may fight over that.

I would also consider the corals you wish to keep when choosing fish.

I’d stick to 3 fish personally from my experience with that tank.

If you don’t run a sump, I would agree with the 3 fish rule. If you run a sump, where you can actually use a REAL skimmer (the nano skimmers are a joke for the most part) and grow chaeto, you’ll be able to have 5 or 6 fish as long as they’re not territorial.

Thanks for the advice, I shall definitely reconsider my stocking. I just don't know who to chop from my list, haha.

No sump, I'm afraid. I do want to see if it is possible to grow chaeto in the back part of the tank, though....

 

[catnipthyme]

Here is a pic of my setup before I added anyone. I am noticing, looking at these pics, that I really need to clean off the outside of the tank... I got the tank used, so it was already a little scuffed up. STILL, I should take care of the smudges and dust, haha.

Here is a photo of the first inhabitants, just after putting them in the tank last Thursday. A firefish, two peppermint shrimp, two snails, and a GSP (that was not happy in this photo, but I swear it's opened up since then.)

I also acquired this little friend. He was probably hiding in the coral. My first (known) hitchhiker).

Today is algae-scrub-water-change day. My tank is getting into the ugly-phase with the brown stuff taking over. I'm glad I knew this was a thing, because this sure would be annoying otherwise. I shall get some updated photos after I am done.