new to saltwater, need suggestions

[dbacksrat]

yesterday i went to the library and picked up a couple of books about saltwater aquariums

what fish should i NOT try to start out with.......all of the fish i am interested in are listed to be difficult to raise......

thanks for your feedback, now i have to get back to my research!!!

 

[allthingsanimal]

Stay away from flame angels, ribbon eels, mandarin gobies, tangs until your tank is very mature. They are specialized feeders.

 

[1979camaro]

i would look at clownfish to start, dont have to go with the "nemo" perculas, but as a general rule they are hardy...damsels too, but they are agressive...green chromis is good...psuedochromis...what does the book suggest?

 

[dbacksrat]

the book says nemos are good....i've been researching them online and almost everyone says to keep them in a 20 gallon, but i was wondering if i could get away with keeping them in a 10 gallon.....the other thing is the books and websites say nothing about tankmates---if i can keep em in a 10, what kind of fish or inverts could live with them, and how many? (same question for a 20)

 

[1979camaro]

no on a ten...look at smaller fish like firefish, psuedochromis, etc for a ten gal...check out www.nano-reef.com

as far as tankmates in a 20g (i have a 20g myself) you can keep most any of the inverts, could probably keep a blenny or one of the aformentioned smaller fish with the clown (though not damsels and not another clown), its really just a matter of what you like

 

[wayne]

If you keep a pair in a 10, you probably wouldn't want to risk putting anything else in - 10's are just not big tanks, and with three fish in it will be biologically unstable, and be high maintenance. If you're thinking of a tank, get the 10 - it's mch, much more stable for not much more money. You can take the 'stuff ' fom a 10, put it in a 20 , and it's just better straight away thanks to the extra water. With a 20, you could probably get one of the more placid dotty backs, or a banana wrasse in.