Thoughts on my my livestock list for a 15g nano tank?

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Hi everyone.

I am starting up my first tank in the saltwater world, and the 15G tank, is currently cycling, but I have a set date of when I am getting fish. I am still kind of all over the place with my livestock list. I know a few things that I definitely want, but I will list everything below.

Livestock that I think I am going to 100% put in:

- A pair of ocellarius clown fish
- 1 red firefish
- 3-4 blue legged hermit crabs
- 2-3 Nassarius snails
- 2-4 Turbo Snails

Livestock that I really want to put in, but I might not be able to, because the tank is to small (need your opinion on this):

- 1 scarlet skunk cleaner shrimp

Livestock that I will put in if I can, but not a big deal if I can't:

-1 sea urchin ( either, tuxedo, royal, or pincushion)

I hope this isn't to complicated to understand, but really, anything on this list can be changed, but some stuff I just like better. For my first tank, the last thing I want is to overstock it, and end up in a huge problem when my tank is on the verge of crashing. If you have any different lists or suggestions, please feel free to leave then below, and please tell me what I can keep in my tank from above.

Thanks everyone.

 

[john92708]

that list seem fine to me including the cleaner shrimp. I wouldn't add the sea urchin, I don't think you'll have enough algae to keep it alive long term.
large clowns get territorial so they might attack your firefish especially during breeding. young pair should be fine

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

that list seems fine to me including the cleaner shrimp. I wouldn't add the sea urchin, I don't think you'll have enough algae to keep it alive long-term.
large clowns get territorial so they might attack your firefish, especially during breeding. The young pair should be fine

I know that, because they are part of the damsel family, who tend to be quite aggressive, but I am getting a basic pair of plain ocellarius clowns who are least aggressive. Do you think it will be that big of a problem? I don't want to come home one day and see my firefish all beaten up. I am fine with no urchin as well. Thanks for the help!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Anyone else got any opinions?

 

[MantisShrimpMan]

Honestly out of any stock list I’ve seen for a nano from a beginner, this is probably the most rational. For the record I have a 20G nano myself, and when I first started off I wanted to put WAYYYY too many fish in it.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Honestly out of any stock list I’ve seen for a nano from a beginner, this is probably the most rational. For the record I have a 20G nano myself, and when I first started off I wanted to put WAYYYY too many fish in it.

I mean to be fair, I wish I could put way more fish in to, but, I have to control myself. Honestly, I think I am kind of pushing it with this list, but I am glad that you think it will fit nicely in the tank.

 

[lil sumpin]

I think you might benefit from having a more diverse snail population. Maybe consider stocking some ceriths, astrea and trochus snails? Also! Tailspot Blennies are great nano fish

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

I think you might benefit from having a more diverse snail population. Maybe consider stocking some ceriths, astrea and trochus snails? Also! Tailspot Blennies are great nano fish

Thanks! I just have to be careful with the hermits, but they stay small, and with the shells, I supply them with, I think I should be ok, but I definitely am up to having more diversity in my tank!

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Do you think I will be ok with the clownfish pair and the firefish? I definitely don't want to deal with a lot of aggression.

 

[Idech]

The list of fish is perfect, IMO. Firefish are very skittish, so you might not see it much. If you want a fish that's always out and about, and so cute, look up tail spot blenny.

Maybe a little less hermits (they climb on corals and bother them) and less turbo, as they become big and they too, will climb everywhere. Get some cerith instead.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

The list of fish is perfect, IMO. Firefish are very skittish, so you might not see it much. If you want a fish that's always out and about, and so cute, look up tail spot blenny.

Maybe a little less hermits (they climb on corals and bother them) and less turbo, as they become big and they too, will climb everywhere. Get some cerith instead.

Ok! Do you think just 1 or 2 will be ok? It was always my dream since I was a little kid to have pet hermit crabs, and it would be cool to say I finally got some.

 

[Idech]

Ok! Do you think just 1 or 2 will be ok? It was always my dream since I was a little kid to have pet hermit crabs, and it would be cool to say I finally got some.

Oh yeah, sure. 4 is okay too, I just wanted you to know they will bother your corals.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Oh yeah, sure. 4 is okay too, I just wanted you to know they will bother your corals.

Sounds good! The cleaner shrimp will be okay in there too, right? I am just reading stuff that says that they might force the fish to be cleaned if there is not a lot of fish in the tank, plus, will it be to big for my small tank?

 

[lil sumpin]

Cleaner shrimp often irritate coral too

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Cleaner shrimp often irritate coral too

Irritate it to what extent? Will it kill the corsl, or just be a pain for the coral?

 

[lil sumpin]

Typically people spot feed LPS corals sometimes and if you have a cleaner shrimp it may begin to poke and pester those LPS for the pellets, mysis etc it is fed

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Typically people spot-feed LPS corals sometimes and if you have a cleaner shrimp it may begin to poke and pester those LPS for the pellets, mysis, etc it is fed

Ok, but I will find a way around that, I thought you meant they would be crawling all over them, and stuff like that, just whenever. My main worry right now is if I get a pair of clownfish, they might get too aggressive and bully the firefish. Do you think that will happen? There's not that much rockwork for them to hide in that the clowns can't get to, so I don't know. Any opinions on this?

 

[Dipi]

I have hermits in my nano and they do climb the corals but nothing that had bothered them too much. Right now, I have a hermit siting on top of my leather, which is not bothered at all. Furthermore, they do a wonderfull job eating the algae on my sandbed. But it is worth to mention that i'm very new to reefing so my experience is very limited

 

[Idech]

Sounds good! The cleaner shrimp will be okay in there too, right? I am just reading stuff that says that they might force the fish to be cleaned if there is not a lot of fish in the tank, plus, will it be to big for my small tank?

Yes, I had one in my 13.5 gallons. Pick a smaller one if you can.

They can be insisting but if the fish pay no attention to them, eventual they stop.

They won’t bother corals, but if you feed the corals, they will go and steal the food from their mouths. It’s easy to fix. Just buy a long plastic pipette from Amazon to feed the corals (it’s like 15$ for a hundred) and if the shrimp comes too close, just gently swipe it away. No need to even touch it, it will go. Wait a bit and then resume your activities.

 

[WalkerLovesTheOcean]

Yes, I had one in my 13.5 gallons. Pick a smaller one if you can.

They can be insisting but if the fish pay no attention to them, eventual they stop.

They won’t bother corals, but if you feed the corals, they will go and steal the food from their mouths. It’s easy to fix. Just buy a long plastic pipette from Amazon to feed the coral (it’s like 15$ for a hundred) and if the shrimp comes close to the coral, just gently push it away. No need to even touch it, it will go. Wait a bit and then resume your activities.

This is why I want one, they are so cute. Thanks for the help!