Stocking 14g cube

[mickster32]

I was thinking of stocking my 14g biocube with:

2 neon gobies
2 firefish
2 clowns

Too many fish? If so what should I subtract?

[R. Deschain]

I have a BC 14 with a goby and a clown.

In my opinion, 2 small fish would be fine, 3 would be pushing it. 6 is a big crowd.

HTH

[lReef lKeeper]

i agree, i have 5 fish in my 125, and only 1 is over 3". of course i can add more fish, but i like to know that i am not overcrowded.

[Amphibious]

Many of my responses to questions seem like lectures but, I hate two things. First, short answers, when some explanation is necessary. Second, missing a teaching opportunity. Hopefully, you and anyone else reading this rant will learn from it.

We hobbyists are a funny lot. We see pictures/movies/videos of coral reefs literally teeming with fish. Hundreds of Anthias hovering over a coral head, and Tangs by the hundreds schooling along grazing on algae, a dozen clown fish in a single anemone. We take one drop of ocean water (ie, 14 gallon Nano or insert your own gallon size) and want it to "look" as populated as a "real" reef.

I'M NOT BEING MEAN SPIRITED HERE! I'm guilty myself. Your success with the above equation (six fish in 14 gallons) will depend on many factors, which you couldn't possibly have known to list with the question. Like, what two clowns? Two Perculas and/or two Tomato clowns? Big requirement difference in those choices. So, I relied on your profile to give me some insight. I see you are a newbie. Nothing wrong with that, all of us started there. But, it tells me you need some experience trying to "push" the limitations of whatever set-up you have. IReef IKeeper, Psychojam and others could do it, probably. Should they, is another question. The fact is, they know the limitations of their Nano and they are practising good "captive" reef keeping.

Then there is the real possibility you're going to have some corals and invertebrates in with the fish and that wasn't mentioned. Possibly, you desire an Anemone for the clowns, too? Do you see where I'm coming from and going to? If we took your question at face value, gave you the go-ahead thumbs up sign and you had a disaster, what would you think of our advice then??? So, you see most of the time a quick answer is not the right answer. The above responses were right on, however.

In my opinion, pick which 2 of the above mentioned fish you most desire and start there. See how it goes over the next couple of months (not days or weeks). Then add one (1) of your other choices, not two. See how that goes for a few months. The best way to success reefing is a slow process. Enjoy the trip. Oh, by the way, your system is too small for an Anemone. The clowns will do fine without one.

I'd probably have made a boring teacher/professor. :rotfl:

Dick

[CarmieJo]

Actually Dick, I think you make a great professor and I am glad to sit in on your lectures!

[Amphibious]

he he, thank you Carmie.