Pico tank owners… advice needed

[littlefoxx]

This thread was quite the roller coaster. I'm glad you chose not to put any fish in it. I think it's easy to imagine stocking it with something small until you get it set up and actually look at it, like you did.

Are you going to keep its water separate, or are you going to use your main tank as a source of water for it? I always thought doing it that way would be a good way to keep the pico tank fed with nutrients since you don't have fish.

Indeed! I looked at the instagram page someone suggested and almost all of them have a fish in it, and the biota live stock package also has a fish in it. But I decided to just set it up and run it for a few weeks before taking it to my office and was looking at the tiny rocks and tiny zoa frags and went hum. Doesnt look like a fish would be happy in there, even the little cleaner goby. And yeah, I think my plan is to just keep a gallon of RO for top off and a gallon of water from my 300 at the office for water changes and replenish as needed. I do think Im going to get a little snail possibly but that would be it. Was considering a tiny shrimp but Im not sure how happy it would be in the small tank!

 

[Sinkers]

Indeed! I looked at the instagram page someone suggested and almost all of them have a fish in it, and the biota live stock package also has a fish in it. But I decided to just set it up and run it for a few weeks before taking it to my office and was looking at the tiny rocks and tiny zoa frags and went hum. Doesnt look like a fish would be happy in there, even the little cleaner goby. And yeah, I think my plan is to just keep a gallon of RO for top off and a gallon of water from my 300 at the office for water changes and replenish as needed. I do think Im going to get a little snail possibly but that would be it. Was considering a tiny shrimp but Im not sure how happy it would be in the small tank!

Surely a sexy shrimp or two would be ok? They barely move around from what I've seen. Aren't they like 2cm or something?

 

[littlefoxx]

Surely a sexy shrimp or two would be ok? They barely move around from what I've seen. Aren't they like 2cm or something?

When I researched I found this. I thought they were also around that size but google says otherwise! But Ive never seen one bigger than that? I would love to put some rock flowers in and some of those just not sure if they get too big or not? Anyone have any experience with them?

 

[Reefering1]

Only issue is that this will be going to my work and wont be near my 300 gallon, I got it to put on my desk!

You're a paramedic, right?

 

[littlefoxx]

You're a paramedic, right?

No, police lol. Just got a job as a parole officer

 

[lil sumpin]

dont put a fish in there lol, no one's gonna police you or be a paramedic for your fish but i wouldn't even think of putting a clown goby in something as small as 3-4 gallons

 

[betareef]

I vote for a shrimp. Some crabs dig and mess up the lanscape. Too small for a fish probably.

 

[lil sumpin]

Great start!

For reference, here is how the space looks in my 1.7L with the yellow goby. Image was with some kenya trees which are now gone (sold)

Good luck with it moving forward!

- Paul

this guy does not look happy..

 

[littlefoxx]

dont put a fish in there lol, no one's gonna police you or be a paramedic for your fish but i wouldn't even think of putting a clown goby in something as small as 3-4 gallons

Yeah Im not putting one in there, coral only as I stated earlier with maybe a snail. I want to do a sexy shrimp but Im leaning towards a no on that too. I dont want any animal to be cramped. And its not even a gallon lol. As I explained earlier lots of videos with fish in these tanks and the video makes it look okay but when I set it up earlier I was like yeah thats a hard nope too small.

 

[Sinkers]

When I researched I found this. I thought they were also around that size but google says otherwise! But Ive never seen one bigger than that? I would love to put some rock flowers in and some of those just not sure if they get too big or not? Anyone have any experience with them?

1 1/4 inches is only like 3cm so pretty small still.

 

[lil sumpin]

Yeah Im not putting one in there, coral only as I stated earlier with maybe a snail. I want to do a sexy shrimp but Im leaning towards a no on that too. I dont want any animal to be cramped. And its not even a gallon lol. As I explained earlier lots of videos with fish in these tanks and the video makes it look okay but when I set it up earlier I was like yeah thats a hard nope too small.

that's one of the things that's challenging the hobby nowadays, the "content"

 

[littlefoxx]

that's one of the things that's challenging the hobby nowadays, the "content"

Yeah agree. Im content with some little corals and that being all!

 

[Toolfan333]

Hey all! Got my pico tank. For those of you who have one, what fish would you put in here? Obviously needs to be a tiny little one lol. Just cant seem to find what fish is the best option for the tank size. My tank for reference.

Maybe a clown goby or something similar

 

[polyppal]

There’s no marine fish that are appropriate for those tiny picos

+1 a few inverts/rfa/etc
Sexys are really cool in a small group

 

[littlefoxx]

There’s no marine fish that are appropriate for those tiny picos

+1 a few inverts/rfa/etc
Sexys are really cool in a small group

You think the sexy shrimps would be okay in the tank??

 

[VintageReefer]

You think the sexy shrimps would be okay in the tank??

Sorry to be bearer of bad news

I own a 1.1g pico tank and there is non fish I would put in here.

I did try a pair of sexy shrimp and they are devils. Little tiny pointy claws and they picked at my torch so much it stopped opening and they would like inside the mouths of my zoanthids and almost killed them

Your better off with a couple hermits and snails. An ato is crucial also. Just a turkey baster can drastically throw off the salinity of my 1.1g and yours is half the size.

Don’t put any invasive coral in. Trust me. No gsp or Xenia. Don’t put anything that grows fast. Your space is limited and coral will seem to grow much faster in a small tank. I find baby torches last only a few months before needing to be removed. Same with small frogspawn and Duncan’s.

The small space just makes everything seem faster.

Think SLOW to NO growth corals. Button scoly or a baby scoly as a centerpiece. Blastos.

Coral easy to frag or remove lien zoanthids on a rock island

I have a build thread on my pico if you want to take a look

Build Thread - 1.1 Gallon Oceanbox P1-G Pico Reef

Starting overdue build thread :) I am the second owner, and am fortunate to have such a cool tank with some useful upgrades The tank with Reefbreeders Pico V2 15w LED Stand is usable space Custom made gravity ato Custom made lid + cooling fan 3 section Media rack

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Zoalicious812]

Hey all! Got my pico tank. For those of you who have one, what fish would you put in here? Obviously needs to be a tiny little one lol. Just cant seem to find what fish is the best option for the tank size. My tank for reference.

Hello, I started my Pico in Ju e and have enjoyed success thus far, however…..as everyone knows it can be short lived on the small volume. Recently experienced some dkh reduction after adding a digi, but at the same time went from Red Sea Pro mix to Fritz, so going to switch back soon. As far as fish, I only add one or none is ultimately best as little to no bioload. I have a tail spot Blenny who has been great. Has been quite the cave maker however and I go in as deconstruct it as I’m worried about tipping potentially. Also can’t go wrong with a goby/shrimp pairing or Yellow clown goby imo. Perching species best

 

[Gumbies R Us]

I have a 40oz pico. We keep a crab (hitchhiker) and a small snail in there. There's nothing too crazy in there. At one of the trade shows I went to, PNW Customs had a tiny juvenile boxfish in there that was maybe an inch or so.

 

[Zoalicious812]

Hello, I started my Pico in Ju e and have enjoyed success thus far, however…..as everyone knows it can be short lived on the small volume. Recently experienced some dkh reduction after adding a digi, but at the same time went from Red Sea Pro mix to Fritz, so going to switch back soon. As far as fish, I only add one or none is ultimately best as little to no bioload. I have a tail spot Blenny who has been great. Has been quite the cave maker however and I go in as deconstruct it as I’m worried about tipping potentially. Also can’t go wrong with a goby/shrimp pairing or Yellow clown goby imo. Perching species best

Just realized how small that tank is, definitely no go on the Blenny, I’d only go inverts.

 

[polyppal]

You think the sexy shrimps would be okay in the tank??

Yeah, they literally stand in one spot and sway their butts around. That’s all they do lol