Clown fish what to get next?

[SOARnTACO]

I have a 55gallon tank only 6weeks old just got a pair of juvenile clowns. In the future I want a mandarin dragonet. And I know the Challenge with them. What would be the other fish or clean up crew should I get before I’m ready for the dragonet. Would like corals to. I’m taking slow as I establish my tank.

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

I have a 55gallon tank only 6weeks old just got a pair of juvenile clowns. In the future I want a mandarin dragonet. And I know the Challenge with them. What would be the other fish or clean up crew should I get before I’m ready for the dragonet. Would like corals to. I’m taking slow as I establish my tank.

Can’t go wrong with a yellow watchman goby maybe pair it with a pistol shrimp

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

Cardinal fish and firefish are also nice darting around a tank

 

[40B Knasty]

Just a heads up. You will need to start another tank and get a population of a Pod going. A 55 will get wiped out in 2 weeks easy from a dragonet. I don't want you to wait a year thinking you are good to go only to put one in and then it starves to death after a month. I have a 65g and have a tank of Reef Nutrition Tigger Pods that I harvest from. Luckily I tricked mine into eating frozen foods also.
As for fish to add. I am huge fan of basslets. I will post a video for you to think about nano tanks. I don't know what a person considers a nano. To me it is the category of 20-75g rated fish. Then 120+g.

 

[SOARnTACO]

Can’t go wrong with a yellow watchman goby maybe pair it with a pistol shrimp

I would like to have that combo but with wanting a mandarin dragonet but would the pistol shrimp cause a issues since they eat copepods to.

 

[davocean]

50g is considered min and doable for one and only one mandarin, providing you have enough established LR AND a good sized fuge.

Too many small fish options to run down that list for me really, but I'm fond of tailspot blenny's and royal gramma's, but more importantly I would advise against wrasses or anything that would be pod competition, some gobies might be an issue there too.
Forget about something like a sixline

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

Well like 40bknasty said your going to have to set up a refugium in your sump or something to keep a good population going

 

[Kingsley_Reef]

50g is considered min and doable for one and only one mandarin, providing you have enough established LR AND a good sized fuge.

Too many small fish options to run down that list for me really, but I'm fond of tailspot blenny's and royal gramma's, but more importantly I would advise against wrasses or anything that would be pod competition, some gobies might be an issue there too.
Forget about something like a sixline

Agreed,Royal grammas a great choice too didn’t even think bout that one

 

[DeniseAndy]

I like assessors, firefish, watchman with pistol, clown gobies, chalk bass (basslet), These would be fine with clowns. Once your clowns begin laying eggs, they will take down fish added after that unless it is a goby or similar in size and area of tank.

Agree with the mandarin. Get a smaller tank going and just keep pods. Then make sure you have a good refugium set up with algae running in it. Pods live there great. Algae scrubbers are great for raising pods.