decisions...decisions...

[jdeb101]

Been running my 40 gal breeder for 6-7 years now but considering downsizing it's livestock into a 22 gallon cadlights thats been sitting empty for a couple years now. I'm thinking I only keep the hardy corals (softies and maybe a couple sps) and the two fish I have (Maroon clown and clown goby), maybe sell off some of the leftovers.

I'm then considering replacing the 40 tank which has quite a bit of scratches with a new one and making it something a bit different.

Some of my considerations along with my concerns for each are:
1) make it SPS only tank?
My concern here is the maintenance / expertise required for SPS. I've honestly never been able to keep difficult SPS alive long enough in my current tank due mostly to my lack of husbandry. If I could discipline myself with maintenance, what more would be required here besides frequent water changes and maintaining alk/calc levels?

2) make an aggressive species?
I would like to keep some corals with them as it would be a shame to waste my 6 bulb T5 Tek Light fixture. If I'm not mistaken I'm very limited in aggressive species that can be kept in a 40, yet along with corals. Any ideas here?

3) something else?
Maybe an anenome tank? Open to ideas here!

One other question... does anyone know where I could get a trimless 40 breeder?

 

[jamesdong009]

I'm a little partial to SPS so I say an SPS tank all the way .

My SPS have been doing fine even though my tanks have been on auto-pilot for quite some time now. My top off water is fully saturated with kalkwasser and luckily that has been enough to keep up with the levels. Don't remember the last time I did a water change .

 

[P-Nut]

I thought about an anemonie tank before. that is a cool idea. Unless all the anemonies decided they like the same two corners.

For aggresive species I would do a few Frog fish. You could keep two of those, maybe a yellow one and a red one, then you can also keep a dwarf Lionfish. I would choose fish that would blend arund with corals and give the aquarium a nice look and at the same time dont need much room to swim. You can also keep a snowflake eel. I had one in the past and they are awesome. Best part is they only eat once a month, but when they do they eat quite a few shrimp. Mine was as thich as a thumb and around 12" long, and it would eat around 20-30 shrimp once a month.

All the fish I named above can eat once or twice a week and are hardy, so going on vacation shouldnt be a concern.

 

[22engine]

Snowflake eel is cool. Make sure you have some sort of cover. Mine went carpet surfing the other day the only opening on the tank was about a 1 by 2 inch hole. He was a baby though. Dwarf lions are cool too. I though about doing the same thing as you. Aggressive tank would be my vote. Can't you have some nems with the lions ? Then you could have both

 

[P-Nut]

Snowflake eel is cool. Make sure you have some sort of cover. Mine went carpet surfing the other day the only opening on the tank was about a 1 by 2 inch hole. He was a baby though. Dwarf lions are cool too. I though about doing the same thing as you. Aggressive tank would be my vote. Can't you have some nems with the lions ? Then you could have both

I dont see why you cant have anemonies with lions. I dont know about the eel. My eel never jumped out, but maybe I got lucky.

 

[THE WOOKIE]

2 words, Odontodactylus scyllarus (peacock mantis shrimp). Very cool critter, but any high powered lights will cause shellrot. Cuttlefish are also very cool and can handle reef capable light. (no MH, they will go blind)

 

[jdeb101]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

I've always wanted a lionfish so I really like the dwarf lionfish idea. If I were to put it in same tank with an anemone, do you think I could keep my maroon clown in same tank as well? He's a decent size and I would think the anenome would protect him, no? Also what corals could I safely keep with a lionfish?

I'll have to look more into the frog fish and cuttle fish as I don't know much about them. As for the eel, they are cool but I'm not too fond of covering my tank and it may be a pita with my hob skimmer.

 

[P-Nut]

Thanks for the ideas guys!

I've always wanted a lionfish so I really like the dwarf lionfish idea. If I were to put it in same tank with an anemone, do you think I could keep my maroon clown in same tank as well? He's a decent size and I would think the anenome would protect him, no? Also what corals could I safely keep with a lionfish?

I'll have to look more into the frog fish and cuttle fish as I don't know much about them. As for the eel, they are cool but I'm not too fond of covering my tank and it may be a pita with my hob skimmer.

All corals should be safe with a lionfish. They only eat small fish. Some clown fish are too big for a small lionfish. It depends on the clowns size. I wouldnt count on the anemonie to save its life if it is too small.

 

[jdeb101]

All corals should be safe with a lionfish. They only eat small fish. Some clown fish are too big for a small lionfish. It depends on the clowns size. I wouldnt count on the anemonie to save its life if it is too small.

Sorry, not sure i follow you here. Typo? I would think if the clownfish is protected by its size and the anemone it will be safe right?