Tropical Fish Forums

[AverageJoe]

Well I am new at salt water and I wanted to go small so I don't spend a lot of money and just blow it all... but I have a 3 gal tank and I wanted to get 2 clown fish and a sea anemone would that be to much or something that I don't no about yet

thanks
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I don't know.

[truestar]

3 gallons is really too small for any fish because there's not much room and water conditions can change rapidly. Anemones are hard to keep alive and require very strong lighting and I know at least most would grow too big for a 3 gallon. Your only option really would be to keep a few inverts if anything, but I'd definitely suggest going with a bigger tank if this is your first time doing a saltwater setup. Tanks that small are extremely hard to take care of even for the most experienced marine keepers. It wouldn't cost too much more to go with even a 10-20 gallon instead and your chance of being successful would be way better than if you went with a 3 gallon.

[Miss Priss]

Yeah, that is too small. I did a 5 gallon once and it was such a pain in the neck for one tiny tank that is was DEFINITELY not worth the effort! It was super-hard to get my hands in there and clean and move stuff around. It developed some reddish algae pretty quickly that spoiled the look and I couldn't really do much about it with so little room to work in there.

[FloridaBoy]

Average Joe,
please see Myth no. 10 here:
http://www.aquahobby.com/board/viewtopic.php?t=24970
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Keepin' marines happy for 25 years

[AverageJoe]

OK thanks a lot for all of your help and I'm prolly ganna get a 30 gal tank
once again thanks
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I don't know.

[LadyBug]

clowns in a 3 gallon are probably not going to work but there's lots of fish that would. check out and http://www.nano-reef.com/ and this size guide on the forum on that website that tells you what you can put in what tank( http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=74703). I'm thinking about starting a 2.5 gallon pico myself
good luck!
Anna

[FloridaBoy]

Yikes, it appears to me that author is suggesting it is appropriate to maintain marine fish in half gallon containers...
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Keepin' marines happy for 25 years

[Jisty Morelove]

Hi all..

Go for shrimps in your 3 gallon averagejoe, or snails..

Please what ever u do, don't try anything on that link from ladybug,sorry ladybug. I'm a novice, but even in my research, what that guy suggests is not right, he even states himself after in () that the fish will be to big for a 5 gallon tank. Bad advice in my opinion. Just stick to the advice u find here. Theres a world of good advice here and if not plenty of experianced people to help.

The 30 gallon suggestion sounds a sensible plan, and it might just calm down Floridaboy after reading that article

Jisty Morelove

[Osprey]

That article is appalling.
Listing what you might be able to get away with is so irresponsible. There's a far cry between what might work and what will reliably work.
And Ladybug.... if you haven't been maintaining itty bitty tanks like that yourself for an extended length of time, please don't recommend them as if you're knowledgeable yourself. I'd never tell someone that their first tank should be so small they'd have to top up the water twice daily to maintain a consistent salinity... nanos are a lot of work. Picos are worse. And one day of inattention can result in a tank crash when the tank is that small. Water parameters in little tanks are not stable. That's why a big tank is a better idea. The equipment costs the same! So why put yourself through all the extra work?
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Am I obsessed? Wait a minute... don't answer that!

[LadyBug]