A fish only marine tank, what is the ideal stocking level?

[FurryKing]

Hello,

I'm looking for some input on stocking levels for my two saltwater marine tanks, a 16 Gallon and an 8 Gallon. I've built them specifically for small fish, no corals.

For the 8 Gallon, I was thinking:
- 2 Common Clownfish - they're pretty small and shouldn't cause any issues
- 3 Hermit crabs - they're great for cleaning up
- 1 Cleaner shrimp - to help keep the tank clean

I've ruled out larger fish, like Angelfish, as they grow too big for this tank.

For the 16 Gallon, I've got:
- 2 Common Clownfish - again, they're a good choice for a small tank
- 3 Neon Gobies - they're quite small and peaceful
- 5 Hermit crabs - they'll help keep the tank clean
- 1 Cleaner shrimp - for the same reason as before

Since both tanks are fish-only, I can maintain high water quality, which should help keep the fish healthy.

Thanks

[zenoxa]

You're pushing the limits, but with regular water changes and a good skimmer, I think both tanks should thrive.

[fleeton]

Agreed, water stability will be enough for fish, but don't plan on keeping corals in there.

[Kalixa9]

personally, i think 12 gallons is the bare minimum for marine fish. 2 clowns in the 16 gallon should work out as long as you keep up with those water changes, like the others mentioned. just a heads up, though - clownfish are supposed to need at least 25 gallons, but i know plenty of people who've kept them in smaller tanks. i've got a 90 gallon tank myself, and i've seen how much space they like to use up for swimming.

[zenoxa]

'Minimum tank size' is often subjective and influenced by personal ethics. Rarely is it grounded in concrete scientific evidence.

For an 8-gallon setup, I'd suggest a less active species, like a small frogfish or a shrimp goby. That being said, I've seen clownfish pairs thrive in tanks as small as 5 gallons, with no apparent issues. I recall a pseudochromis being kept in a tank barely over a gallon, surprisingly without any visible harm - although it does strain credibility.

[Kalixa9]

I think that's a pretty harsh view though.