Recommendations for 34 gallons

[L3vi]

Hi there,

I’m completely new to the hobby. Played with the thought of getting a freshwater aquarium for a while. Then listen to my heart and got a reef tank instead. Dimensions are 80x40x40 cm, wich google tells me is about 31 ¹/₂ x 15 ³/₄ x 15 ³/₄ (does that sound right? I have no idea).

So I build the reef, bought all the gear and am generally ready to go. Problem is that I still don’t have ja clear picture about the Fish I want to get.

Asking for stocking recommendations in the german forums (wich is where I’m from) backfired completely, as most users insisted that a tank of this size is not capable of hosting vertebrates at all. A few suggested I should maybe try a Gobie with Pistol Shrimp. I feel like I might get banned if I should dare to ask again. I know that this view is pretty specific to German aquarist and I will certainly keep it in the back of my head but I still want to see the bigger picture.

Do you have any stocking suggestions for a 34g tank?

I really would love to have a gobie + pistol shrimp as well as a Cleaner Shrimp and about 5 hermit crabs but feel like I’m definitely missing a „showpiece“ fish (or a pair).

Not a big fan of Clownfish or Orchid Dottyback.

 

[Quietman]

Welcome Aboard! That's interesting, I've seen German nano tanks with fish and they looked just fine.

I have 34 gallon display (RSR 170). I prefer smallest peaceful fish I can find for the most part.

Yasha Goby (with shrimp - go with smaller pistol) (Yellow Watchman are bigger).
Blenny - Tailspot quite a character. (Lawnmower/Canary bigger)
Clown Ocellaris - I only have one and Ocellariis is peaceful and smaller - seems to be less aggressive without mating IMO
Chromis (Blue)
Firefish any (they can be in tank with Yellow/Yasho no problem)
Cardinalfish
Royal Gramma Basslet (there are others same size)

For something a bit fancier and unusual - Pink Streaked Wrasse

I have had all of these and 7 of them at same time without issue (nutrients just fine).. If you go with some of the bigger species above you may want to skip one or two others.

 

[LukeSivyer45]

Do you prefer colour or personality? In my 20 gallon I have a pair of clowns, a royal gramma and a mcoskers flasher wrasse. For cuc I have 2 nassarius snails, 3 banded trochus, a blood red fire shrimp and a sand sifting starfish. If I were you, I would get a pair of clowns for personality. A midas blenny or royal gramma as a fish that hangs out in rock. An open swimmer like banggai cardinal, halichoeres or flasher wrasse, cherub angel or chromis. Finally a more secretive fish like pink streak or possum wrasse or pistol shrimp and goby.

 

[PeterC99]

Welcome to R2R.

I also had a 34 gallon and first fish I got was a small Copperband. Before buying Copperband, make sure he’s eating well at LFS.

 

[Quietman]

Oh...and start slow. Few fish at a time...smaller tanks need time to stabilize. Start with most peaceful, save more aggressive for last. Clowns for example - everyone buys them first and really should be later as they get territorial - even when single.

 

[L3vi]

You guys are the best. In just half an hour I went from having no idea what to put in my tank to not being able to decide what goes in

Im gonna read up on all of your suggestions, but I especially like the gamma bassets and chromies. Are the gamma bassets free swimmers as well? Because that’s what I’m looking for.And would you recommend to hold them in pairs?

i really like the looks of the banggai cardinal, but had the chance to watch them for an extended timeline an Aquarium shop and I found them to be pretty inactive and apathetic.

clowns are great, but I decided against anemones and plan on keeping am LPS/SPS mix.

No I won’t rush the stocking process, I’ve got plenty of time to my hands

 

[Quietman]

the royal gramma IME is pretty sedate and not terribly active. Hid under rocks and in corners. When it came out though very pretty. Most active in my list are the pink streaked wrasse and the tailspot blenny. The Yellow Watchman goby with a tiger shrimp (since they are larger) are usually quite visible. The yasha and smaller pistol can hide really well.

Canary Blenny though is a free swimmer in my tank and has a great motion.

 

[Uncle99]

You guys are the best. In just half an hour I went from having no idea what to put in my tank to not being able to decide what goes in

Im gonna read up on all of your suggestions, but I especially like the gamma bassets and chromies. Are the gamma bassets free swimmers as well? Because that’s what I’m looking for.And would you recommend to hold them in pairs?

i really like the looks of the banggai cardinal, but had the chance to watch them for an extended timeline an Aquarium shop and I found them to be pretty inactive and apathetic.

clowns are great, but I decided against anemones and plan on keeping am LPS/SPS mix.

No I won’t rush the stocking process, I’ve got plenty of time to my hands

Gramma is a rock dweller mostly but that does not always mean hidden, but likely not far from established territory.

Bangaii Cardinal is a free swimmer, kinda hovers in the mid range.

 

[L3vi]

So, what do you guys think about those (in the same order as I would put them in the tank):


10x Nassarius margaritifer
5x Ceritium echinatum
5x Hermit crabs Calcinus elegans
1x Cleaner shrimp Lysmata grabhami / amboinensis

1x Yellow goby Cryptocentrus cinctus
1x Randall’s goby Amblyeleotris randalli
1x Pistol crab Alpheus bellulus
1x Tail spot blenny Ecsenius stigmatura

and

2 x Benggai Cardinalfish Pterapogon kauderni

or

2 x Clownfish (Ocellaris) without anemone (not sure about that one)

I think I would be more than happy with any of those combos.

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