What would you stock in this weird 26 gal?

[DCJ]

Hello forum!

If you had a large 4ft tank, a 13.5 evo and a 2.6 pico reef tank, and stocking for all those, what would you put in your remaining 26 gallon ex-shop tank that looks like this:

It has a footprint of 24" long and 20" wide at the bottom, a footprint of 24" long and 13.5" wide at the top, and is 15" tall.

It also has a 2.6 HOB refugium, I think the light is the Hipargero Aqua Knight?

What would you stock?

I've been kicking around:
- RTB anemones and a clownfish pair
- some kind of sole predator fish, considered a lionfish but I think the tank is too small.
- a 'problem' fish that would be okay with some corals and maybe some unobtrusive tankmates (a goby, maybe a blenny) something that I couldn't keep in a peaceful small community, or that would be overlooked in a larger reef.

I'd love to hear all your ideas!

 

[Uncle99]

Hello forum!

If you had a large 4ft tank, a 13.5 evo and a 2.6 pico reef tank, and stocking for all those, what would you put in your remaining 26 gallon ex-shop tank that looks like this:

It has a footprint of 24" long and 20" wide at the bottom, a footprint of 24" long and 13.5" wide at the top, and is 15" tall.

It also has a 2.6 HOB refugium, I think the light is the Hipargero Aqua Knight?

What would you stock?

I've been kicking around:
- RTB anemones and a clownfish pair
- some kind of sole predator fish, considered a lionfish but I think the tank is too small.
- a 'problem' fish that would be okay with some corals and maybe some unobtrusive tankmates (a goby, maybe a blenny) something that I couldn't keep in a peaceful small community, or that would be overlooked in a larger reef.

I'd love to hear all your ideas!

Me, I like the clown/nem idea which would work good in that tank and allow for further expansion down the road.

But that’s just me, I love the symbiotic relationship.

 

[Gtinnel]

I also vote for bubble tip and clown. I have a 15g tank that I am trying to decide if it’s big enough for a bubble tip and clown pair.

 

[DCJ]

@Uncle99
@Gtinnel

Thank you for taking the time to comment!
I love the look of anemone with clownfish too, but I have other ideas too, especially re: fish I want to keep.

I wanted to do the anemone/clownfish thing in my 13.5 Evo, but I think the tank would need more work than I can handle to keep in good enough condition for the anemone. My 26 gal has an ATO and the refugium, so it'll be easier for me to handle water conditions with just water changes.

I'm disabled, so I need to keep things as easy as possible and make sure there's buffer room in case, eg, I miss a water change for a few days

If I DO go anemone and clownfish, I'm thinking pink skunks with an RTB, some soft corals.

I don't want to put many aggressive fish in my larger RSR350, and I don't think they'd work in the 13.5 either, so I was considering a sapphire damsel and/or a black cap basslet in the 26 before I thought about anemone.

Do you think an anemone with two pink skunks, a sapphire damsel and a black cap basslet would work in a 26?

They're all kinda aggressive, I'd imagine the clowns will host (hopefully in the anemone, but if not then wherever they choose) and stick to that place, while the damsel and basslet are equally as rough, but also unlikely to get caught in the anemone?

I don't want to risk a goby or blenny with the anemone and the clownfish.

I thought stocking would go damsel, basslet, anemones, skunks, to allow the tank to mature past 6 months for the anemone.

I was thinking of just getting the one anemone and letting it grow, if it wants to.

I'd love to hear any feedback on the above. I'm doing research but I'm getting burned out from it all @_@

Thank you!

 

[Uncle99]

I think that would work in a 26, but skunks might be problematic.

 

[DCJ]

I think that would work in a 26, but skunks might be problematic.

Awesome, thank you.
For their aggression?
Lol, I initially wanted a pair of maroons, but I have since decided against it.
Could I do a single pink skunk? They're happier in pairs though, right?

Thank you for taking the time to come back to me again I appreciate it

 

[vlangel]

I don't like to get bit so if it were me, I'd choose a more docile clown species, like ocellaris. I like the other stocking, especially if you choose a more docile damsel like yellow tail. I have had good luck with clowns, damsels and royal Gramma. I love my nems but they split at the drop of a hat, ha ha!

 

[DCJ]

I don't like to get bit so if it were me, I'd choose a more docile clown species, like ocellaris. I like the other stocking, especially if you choose a more docile damsel like yellow tail. I have had good luck with clowns, damsels and royal Gramma. I love my nems but they split at the drop of a hat, ha ha!

Noo do skunks bite? I know maroons can be vicious, wasn't sure about the skunks. Tongs, or gloves I guess? lol.

I want one of the springeri, it's one of the first fish I saw in my LFS (back before I moved when I had one) and wow. Plus, I think the dark blue, the pink of the skunks and the purple of the basslet might look nice.

I was looking at an orchid dottyback to, in place of the black cap? I'm not sure.

Something yellow would like nice in there too, but I'd choose something like a watchman goby and I have a feeling he'd be bullied to death with the aggression of the other four fish, or the other two if the skunks just defend their territory. Don't want to do that to the guy.

 

[Yaoming814]

Hello forum!

If you had a large 4ft tank, a 13.5 evo and a 2.6 pico reef tank, and stocking for all those, what would you put in your remaining 26 gallon ex-shop tank that looks like this:

It has a footprint of 24" long and 20" wide at the bottom, a footprint of 24" long and 13.5" wide at the top, and is 15" tall.

It also has a 2.6 HOB refugium, I think the light is the Hipargero Aqua Knight?

What would you stock?

I've been kicking around:
- RTB anemones and a clownfish pair
- some kind of sole predator fish, considered a lionfish but I think the tank is too small.
- a 'problem' fish that would be okay with some corals and maybe some unobtrusive tankmates (a goby, maybe a blenny) something that I couldn't keep in a peaceful small community, or that would be overlooked in a larger reef.

I'd love to hear all your ideas!

Flashing tilefish or dwarf seahorses

 

[DCJ]

Flashing tilefish or dwarf seahorses

I don't think I'd be able to manage care of dwarf seahorses atm, and I'm worried about how delicate they are. I love the idea, but I don't think it's practical for me

Flashing tilefish in a 26 gal?

 

[1112-425XL]

BTAs, RFAs, Clowns, and Goby's...

 

[Lebowski_]

The dimensions are not so strange that the usual 26g options don't work. I would personally do mushrooms in the front where the PAR might be a bit lower, softies and LPS in the center. Get some nice surface agitation or a skimmer going to negate the smaller surface area.

Smaller nano gobies, clowns, blennies would all be happy. Avoid LR in the from for cleaning and perspective purposes, so maybe avoid wrasses and basslets as well.

Neat tank, good luck

 

[Uncle99]

Awesome, thank you.
For their aggression?
Lol, I initially wanted a pair of maroons, but I have since decided against it.
Could I do a single pink skunk? They're happier in pairs though, right?

Thank you for taking the time to come back to me again I appreciate it

I did find them rougher than the Occs.
Single, sure, I have no problem with that but takes away from the whole pairing thing. You can always pair later, but, must be a juvenile say, 1/2-3/4”.
I don’t know if pairing makes them “happy” but I’ve kept singles with no problems.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I would do an angler tank

 

[steveschuerger]

@Uncle99
@Gtinnel

Thank you for taking the time to comment!
I love the look of anemone with clownfish too, but I have other ideas too, especially re: fish I want to keep.

I wanted to do the anemone/clownfish thing in my 13.5 Evo, but I think the tank would need more work than I can handle to keep in good enough condition for the anemone. My 26 gal has an ATO and the refugium, so it'll be easier for me to handle water conditions with just water changes.

I'm disabled, so I need to keep things as easy as possible and make sure there's buffer room in case, eg, I miss a water change for a few days

If I DO go anemone and clownfish, I'm thinking pink skunks with an RTB, some soft corals.

I don't want to put many aggressive fish in my larger RSR350, and I don't think they'd work in the 13.5 either, so I was considering a sapphire damsel and/or a black cap basslet in the 26 before I thought about anemone.

Do you think an anemone with two pink skunks, a sapphire damsel and a black cap basslet would work in a 26?

They're all kinda aggressive, I'd imagine the clowns will host (hopefully in the anemone, but if not then wherever they choose) and stick to that place, while the damsel and basslet are equally as rough, but also unlikely to get caught in the anemone?

I don't want to risk a goby or blenny with the anemone and the clownfish.

I thought stocking would go damsel, basslet, anemones, skunks, to allow the tank to mature past 6 months for the anemone.

I was thinking of just getting the one anemone and letting it grow, if it wants to.

I'd love to hear any feedback on the above. I'm doing research but I'm getting burned out from it all @_@

Thank you!

If you‘re keen on the idea of nem/clown pair tank, it seems big enough for ocellaris or true percula clowns. Add in 2 or three nems, personal favorite is black widow bubble tip. You could get a Duncan or similar lps as well. My dumb butt clowns have used almost everything as a host including those.

 

[silent1mezzo]

Upside down jellyfish!

 

[1979fishgeek]

I’d stock it with soft corals and a Warty Frogfish!

 

[DCJ]

@1112-425XL I'm probably going that way! Thank you for taking the time to comment

@Lebowski_ That's reassuring, thank you. That sounds lovely! I'll try and get a pic of the tank with the rock in it

(I had to build the rock inside the tank, and it stayed in there when I moved. I've yet to get it back out of the bubblewrap, after which I'm going to do a slow cure with the lights off, I don't want to use bleach in the DT)

I got the PAR readings from somewhere, and was surprised at how well the light worked, but I can't for the life of me find the numbers anywhere. I've got a wee little powerhead that I had in there, I'm just going to have to find an anemone guard if I go anemones (I might)

Ooh, could you elaborate on lack of rock at the front in regards to basslets? I'm thinking of a black cap, but if the set up of the tank is deterimental to it, I could go some kind of dottyback instead, maybe.

Thank you so much, and hey, thank you for taking the time out of your day to leave such a thoughtful comment, I really appreciate it

@Uncle99 Fish are evil, why do we love them?
It does, and I'd really like to see them pair up too...
Thank you, as ever, for your input, you've been such a huge help

@YOYOYOReefer @1979fishgeek you know, I did look into that fish! The temptation is very much there, just two things holding me back: having one fish in such a big tank (relatively speaking) where I could house more fish, and the live feeding.

I keep reptiles, so live feeding in itself isn't much of an issue for me, but I'd probably want to feed mollies or guppies long-term and that would necessitate a separate tank for them and I maaaay already be maxed out on the number of freshwater fish tanks I can have, lol. I have 6 tanks in situ awaiting set up, and plans for a nano rack, nothing big enough for mollies.

Although, I have been thinking of going brackish with one of the tanks, and could house mollies there...

But that still leaves using all that space for a single fish

Thank you for your input though, even though you've made my decision even harder, lol!

Thank you both for taking the time to leave an opinion, I appreciate it


@steveschuerger The black widow bubbletip is gorgeous! IDK if I can get my hands on one here though. lol, I DO like the look of clowns in a duncan, or a torch, but I think I can take advantage of the size of this tank to try a nem.

Thank you so much for your help, I appreciate it


@silent1mezzo so, I did a lot of research into keeping jellyfish at one point, but the cost of the specialised tanks put me off.

The upside down apparently doesn't have that problem, but the care requirements might be too much for me to handle. I need something a little on the more hardy side.

But thank you for giving me another fish to seethe over, lol. No, really, I appreciate it and your lovely out of the box suggestion!

 

[EricR]

Since dimensions are weird and maintenance access seems restricted, I'd use it for hardy but NOT reef-safe inverts,,, like chocolate chip star and maybe some crabs that I wouldn't trust near corals.
...but that's just me

 

[Kasrift]

Flashing tilefish or dwarf seahorses

Too small for tilefish. Seahorse tank could be interesting, get a pipefish as well.