What fish are you stocking in a 29 reef?

TimKosel · Aug 14, 2017

Starting to stick my 29 gallon tank (no lid) and wondering what you all like? Looking to fill out the floor, middle and upper portions with different fish.

Currently:
Mated Maroon clowns (pair)
Lawnmower blenny
3 green chromis

eatbreakfast · Aug 14, 2017

Not much else I'm afraid.

Maroons get pretty aggressive, and claim 50g. So in a 29 will be even more assertive.

TimKosel · Aug 14, 2017

Hmm, what age? I have heard this as well, but I have had them (through different tanks 29bio cube, 20L, now this 29) over about 2 1/2 years and they have been pretty docile. In fact I got rid of the damsel I had added at the same time as them because he pinned them in a corner and the clowns were too scared to come out. The blenny can sit right next to them and they take no notice to him. The chromis swims right through their territory with no problems as well.

Bouncingsoul39 · Aug 14, 2017

Please get a lid. Easy to make our buy a kit cheap on eBay. With that said, you may want to add a few more pounds of live Rock to have some hiding space and to break the line of sight.
Other cool fish to add after you get your screen top:
Six line wrasse, or other small flasher wrasse, Royal Gramma, Neon goby, larger watchman goby for the bottom area like a yellow watchman, Randall's Shrimp goby, smaller pygmy Angel (add last) like a flame back or cherub. Good luck!

eatbreakfast · Aug 15, 2017

TimKosel said:
Hmm, what age? I have heard this as well, but I have had them (through different tanks 29bio cube, 20L, now this 29) over about 2 1/2 years and they have been pretty docile. In fact I got rid of the damsel I had added at the same time as them because he pinned them in a corner and the clowns were too scared to come out. The blenny can sit right next to them and they take no notice to him. The chromis swims right through their territory with no problems as well.

At 2.5yrs old a female maroon clown should be about 4", maybe bigger, and the pr should have begun laying eggs. If they are not doing this than something is stunting their growth.

TimKosel · Aug 15, 2017

Maybe it only seems like that long, female is about 3 - 3.25 inches. Do they become more aggressive when they start to lay eggs? Maybe this is why they seem more peaceful?

eatbreakfast · Aug 15, 2017

Females can be pretty aggressive before they start spawning. Once they start spawning it gets much worse.

Gloryofthereef · Aug 15, 2017

I used to clean aquariums for people, and one of my customers had a female maroon that was around 4.5 inches long that would draw blood occasionally while we were scrubbing that glass... Another customer had a female that was almost 5.5 inches and she was the most docile fish in that aquarium. The awesome/annoying thing with salt water fish is that each one of them seems to have its own personality! Good luck.
+1 on a flasher wrasse and watchman goby, or perhaps a jawfish if your rockwork is placed well and burrowing isn't a worry for you.

LetItReef · Aug 15, 2017

How about couple of Fire shrimps?

Florida Sunshine · Aug 15, 2017

Fire shrimp would be fine. They would count as cleaners not added bio-load so that is an advantage.
I would not get a jawfish without a tight lid. I have lost way too many of them to jumping even with an eggcrate top.

GatorScott · Aug 15, 2017

My nano has capped out at 2 Clowns, purple firefish and 1 blue green chromis. Everyone is happy and the firefish runs it.

TimKosel · Aug 15, 2017

I just put this on last night, so I will probably just close the front and back and shouldn't need a screen. Thanks for all the advice, probably just going to add slowly and keep a close eye on behavior. Seems like it could go either way, but worse comes to worse I will take the Maroons back to the lfs for a more docile clown pair (if they become to aggressive). I would rather have more fish than those particular clowns. However I do think Maroons are the best clowns.