New Tank, advice on stock?

[sistergolden]

We have a 12 gal Eclipse with 12.5 lbs of live rock which has started growing some nice coralline algae and many other bizarre things. Levels are good. We've slowly added 2 peppermint shrimp, 2 small hermits, and 3 snails. One of our peppermint shrimp has eggs on her underside and we're trying to speed up the fish addition to coincide with the birth. We were originally thinking 2 maroon clowns. Then were told that maroons kind of need an anemone. And that 2 maroons will get too big for a 12 gal. We like lawnmower blennies and want one. But we need a carnivore for the baby shrimp (insert evil laugh here). So - what kind of fish do you suggest?

2 maroon clowns ok?
1 lawnmower blenny and 1 maroon (will it be sad and lonely)?
Other ideas? No damsels please.
Thank you!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I;ve got a lawnmower in my 15, he loves it. Maroon clowns get too big for a 12, though. IIRC, they get up to 4-5" when full grown. That's a little too big for a 12. Percs would work, and so would false percs. Clowns don't necessarily need and anenome. In our tanks there's less predators the clowns have to deal with. They will sometimes adopt a coral as a surrogate host. So if you've got leathers, colt, frogspawn, hammers, or any other coral that mimics an anenome, the clowns will possibly make it their home.

Orchid dottybacks, gobies, royal grammas are also good in a small tank.

B

 

[Anonymous]

Ditto. Maroons will do just fine without an anemone, but that's beside the point. They will get too large for a 12. I think they get up to 6"!

Firefish, gobies (a really spectacular goby is one called a "yasha" or "whiteray" goby. A bit shy, but an awesome looking fish), royal gramma, small cardinals, along with the other fish mentioned will do well.