20G stocking?

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Gerhartz

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Jul 11, 2011
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I currently have a cycled 20G with an Aquaclear 50 filter. In my tank I have a Fire Shrimp three Emerald crabs and a twin sport goby. I would like to start adding fish but I'm more interested in invertebrates. I really would like a tuxedo urchin but am worried I don't have enough room. Any suggestions? What will go well with my other fish? I had a pseudo but he attacked everything and went back to the LFS.
Thanks!
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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Graham
Royal gramma? Tailspot blenny?

I don't think the 20 is too small for a tuxedo provide you have enough rock. Just avoid other rock grazing snails. It will munch coraline though.
 

Gerhartz

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Jul 11, 2011
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I just lost the goby today. Found him being eaten by an Emerald when I got home from work. I'm not sure if he died because of starvation or because the crabs kept him from coming out of his holes. This only seemed to intensify once I changed to the Aquaclear 50 filter. Hmm...Not sure what to do...

I seem to have had a stroke of bad luck combined with poor tank decisions.

I'm deciding against an urchin as I don't have much room and I don't want it to topple any rock or overgrow my tank. I also think I need to wait it out a few months before I have a good stable amount of algae growing.
 

greech

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May 13, 2009
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I have seen so many gobies get eaten by emeralds. Not a fan of them! I thought about that when I first read your post and should have commented. There is a chance the goby died on its own and then the crab took care of it but they are advantageous little buggers. I would not add anymore rock hugging/hopping fish unless you remove the crabs. They have a taste for fish now so I would bet they would do it again. You can bait a shot glass with food and lean it against a rock at night. Once the crab goes in, it will not be able to climb the glass out. Tall shots work great for this.

Not sure where you read about urchins toppling rocks but a tuxedo isn't really capable of this unless it is a small rock or a frag plug. Tux's camo themselves with sand, algae, coral frags, whatever isn't glued down and small enough for it to pick up. A pencil urchin or a long spine could probably dislodge a larger rock but the tux's aren't gonna be able to that. Not in my experience anyway.
 

Gerhartz

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Jul 11, 2011
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greech: Thanks for the reply. I think that the goby was starving himself before the crab got to him, but I'm sure their presence didn't help. My rockwork is large, but isn't that stable. Not sure if I will glue it...My tank is only 20g so I'm sure I won't be doing much rearranging anytime soon.

I'm a huge fan of crabs, shrimp, urchins, etc. I have decided to focus my tank of these and only add about 3 fish. My LFS got in a gorgeous Coral Beauty yesterday and they put it on hold for me so it can acclimate until Monday when I will pick it up. I am going to do that and 2 clowns. Then add a tux urchin and some more inverts.
 
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