Centrepiece for 14.5 gal?

Maebh · Mar 1, 2024

I really want to put something cool in my 14.5gal. I really like mantis shrimp, harlequin shrimp, lionfish, mandarin dragonets etc. Tank is 10 months now with nothing in it other than a nassarius, microbristle stars and some tiny frags. Absolutely crawling with amphipods!
Main restrictions: I cant feed live foods, have a small budget and like being able to freely move stuff around in my tank (so something that can eat my hand off is a bit risky). Id also like to add a blue tuxedo urchin in the future
Any ideas? (good luck!)

TX_REEF · Mar 1, 2024

lionfish is gonna be a massive no go, your tank is too small.

Mantis shrimp is cool, but can be a threat to your hand, and they will move whatever isn't glued down to construct their home.

Mandarin maybe, but not sure if a system that small can support a sustainable enough pod population to sustain its health.

How about a goby/pistol shrimp pair?

Maybe a bubbletip nem and a clown?

Rjukan · Mar 1, 2024

Unfortunately nothing on your list is good for that tank or your conditions of not getting hurt, imo.

My suggestion is, depending on your light... get a few rock flower anemones and sexy shrimp.

Maebh · Mar 1, 2024

TX_REEF said:
lionfish is gonna be a massive no go, your tank is too small.

Mantis shrimp is cool, but can be a threat to your hand, and they will move whatever isn't glued down to construct their home.

Mandarin maybe, but not sure if a system that small can support a sustainable enough pod population to sustain its health.

How about a goby/pistol shrimp pair?

Maybe a bubbletip nem and a clown?

Thanks! The list is just to get a vibe of what I like (but cant have

). I havent had much luck with clowns, and I'm a bit too scared to try again anytime soon! I do quite like the idea of a goby/pistol shrimp pair, will have to look into it!

TX_REEF · Mar 1, 2024

can i ask what you mean when you say no luck with clowns? They're generally super easy! Unless you get maroons, which can be miniature satans.

Maebh · Mar 1, 2024

Rjukan said:
Unfortunately nothing on your list is good for that tank or your conditions of not getting hurt, imo.

My suggestion is, depending on your light... get a few rock flower anemones and sexy shrimp.

Thanks! The list is kind of like my dream list; what I like but cant have

. Sexy shrimp are quite cute, so thanks!

Maebh · Mar 1, 2024

TX_REEF said:
can i ask what you mean when you say no luck with clowns? They're generally super easy! Unless you get maroons, which can be miniature satans.

Honestly, I think I could be cursed!! I've only had ocellarius and its been pure madness. Short version: I had at least four die on me for no reason that I could find!
The long version: (which is a rant, I hope you enjoy reading!)
My tank must have been set up for two months. I went to my LFS and I picked up two clowns. One was fine but the other one had its mouth open. I asked the guy and he said it was fine, but when I got home, his mouth was still open. I called my LFS and said I want to return him and I'd be over in 15 mins. There was one person working so I had just seen him 15 minutes ago. When I had gotten back to the store, 15 minutes later, he had left to go on break! I waited like 30 minutes outside the store before he came back (I did say to him I wish he had said he was going on break and he replied “well I have to go on break”, which like yeah, no crap, but tell me and I can float the clown in my tank for a while?!?). I got a replacement for that fish and then had that pair for a month or two before one died and then a couple days later the other died.
No obvious signs of illness and my water parameters were good! My hermit and Nassarius snails were fine. Couple months later I got another pair, and these two seemed to be doing very well; they had an obvious hierarchy. The day before they died I was watching them for a while and they were completely fine. Then the next day I was looking at the tank and I didn't see them swimming around at all, and they had both died overnight! Just like with the other ones there was no signs of illness or weird water parameters or anything and nothing else died. The only thing that I could think of is that a couple months later I had a snail, a shrimp and a hermit die because of high phosphates but that wouldn't have killed clowns first. I honestly have no clue why any of that happened and it's scared me away from getting any new fish since! All came from the same LFS so maybe it's them?

TX_REEF · Mar 1, 2024

That sucks! I would consider a new LFS if you have options. Sudden deaths are generally only gonna be from serious chemistry issues (ammonia spike), disease, or lack of oxygen. Solid surface agitation rules out oxygen issues, and if there aren't other fish in the tank, and your LFS runs their systems well (and with copper) disease shouldn't be a problem either. Regardless, sorry that happened to you.

Maebh · Mar 1, 2024

TX_REEF said:
That sucks! I would consider a new LFS if you have options. Sudden deaths are generally only gonna be from serious chemistry issues (ammonia spike), disease, or lack of oxygen. Solid surface agitation rules out oxygen issues, and if there aren't other fish in the tank, and your LFS runs their systems well (and with copper) disease shouldn't be a problem either. Regardless, sorry that happened to you.

Thanks, honestly I'm happy I got a chance to tell that story

! Sadly the closest shop after that is at least an hour and a half away. Tbh I havent bought from them in a while cause of stuff like that. Soon I might be moving to somewhere with more shops, but atm I'm living beside the sea, so I might just steal stuff from the ocean!