Please Help!

Okay, so I'm hoping to get a new 40 gallon reef tank this coming July. I've done hours of research, and I've talked to people at The Reef, Petco, and posted on here several times. But I still have a few questions. First of all, will the species I listed below live together in a 40gal tank? And do I have too mant fish/inverts?

• 2 Black Ocellaris Clownfish
• 1 Saddle Valentini Puffer
• 3 or 4 Black Axil Chromis
• 1 or 2 Blue Spiny Lobster(s)
• 5-10 Bumble Bee Snails
• 1 Marble Sea Star
• 1 Banded Coral Shrimp
• 1 Bulb Anemone
• 1 Beginner Soft Coral Pack at liveaquaria. com (link- Saltwater Aquarium Corals for Marine Reef Aquariums: Beginner Soft Coral Pack )
• 1 Feather Duster

I know puffers and inverts aren't a good mix, but I read several places and heard form our Petco fish guy (I guess she's a gal) that the Banded Coral Shrimp are pretty good at defending themselves. But are Banded Coral Shrimp detrius eaters? Because if not I don't want one . And I kind of assumed that lobsters can take care of themselves (seems like they should be able to).
Also, how much live rock should I get? I want enough that the tank doesn't look empty at the top (I'm sorry, I hate tanks like that ;D).
And one last thing, how am I supposed to feed the corals? The pack I want to purchase includes the following soft corals:

• Tree Coral or Cabbage Leather Coral
• Cauliflower Colt Coral
• Toadstool Mushroom Leather Coral
• Yellow Fiji Leather Coral

Thanks so much for your help!

 

I would hold off on the Puffer if you are wanting a reef. Other then that, you might want to order a CuC from John at reefcleaners.org. You can target feed corals with something like a turkey baster.

 

I agree with sticksmith. The CBS is not a detritus eater and they can become quite mean and attack your other residents as they get larger.

 

Steer clear of Petco for advice on stocking. You will get much better advice here.

 

I've read that if you are careful Valentini puffers can be kept in reef aquariums if the inverts they would attack can defend themselves. But could I keep one in a reef if I'm extremely careful? I saw one in a reef aquarium at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago (I'm sure it was a reef aquarium; it was in the Wild Reef section and had real corals and inverts in it. Not the artificial corals that they use in the larger reef tanks, but real ones for the inverts.). Should I attempt adding the puffer as a last addition to the tank? Or just go for it? The puffer is one of the things I'm looking forward to most. P.S. I'm ditching the CBS. Sorry for it. Maybe I'll add some bigger detrius eating shrimp that could defend themselves from a puffer? Any ideas as to what? And how much live rock should I get?

 

Ok, a few mistakes. First and foremost, no anemone in a community tank. They can eat the other fish and inverts, kill and sting your other corals, plus they are very hard to care for. And if they die, they will release their toxin which can completely wipe out the entire tank. If you have to have an anemone for your clowns, give them their own system. Either way, give the tank at least six to eight months to mature before even considering one, and make sure you have strong, quality lighting.
Second is the puffer. While your tougher lobsters and shrimp may be able to defend themselves, your snails and hermits won't.
And that comes to the lobsters. Lobsters are not safe for community tanks, they will eat anything they can get their hands on, both inverts and fish.
On live rock, just a little bit of rubble from a friends tank, do the rest in dry base rock. I get mine from reefcleaners.org. Too much of the live rock in stores is loaded with nuisance algaes that can ruin your system. For a 40 gallon tank, I would go for about 30 pounds or so of base. If you want more later, you can always add it, dry base rock won't cause a cycle.
All the corals you have listed are pretty easy. You will not need to feed them anything, they will get everything they need from a good set of lights.
You seem good on everything else. I would add not to take any advice from any petco employee, period. And take any advice from any store with a grain of salt, as most LFS's will tell you whatever you want to hear to make the sale. The internet is great, arm yourself with knowledge. Search for a local club that will help point you in the right direction. If you see something you like at the store, research it first, never buy anything on a whim.

 

Thanks for the info about the seat star! I didn't know that.

 

Thanks!

 

You are getting first hand experience from people that have been doing this along time.

With anemones, they are not reef safe because they wander and they sting corals. Sure you can try them just know the risk. An anemone that wander runs the risk of getting into a power head, over flow or heater. A decent size anemone dying or dead will nuke an entire tank.

I would not comment on something I do not have first hand experience with.

You will buy lobsters and never seen anything but their antenna, unless you look at night, they are nocturnal. Once they get bigger anything is fair game, just like in the wild.

 

Ok, thanks. Take the lobster off the list. Are you sure there's no way I could do an anemone? I was thinking a bulb anemone. Here's the link: http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=497 499 604&pcatid=604
Any suggestions for good reef detrius eaters?