starting a nano and need guidance

[intarsiabox]

Frozen eating mandarins come up for sale in stores very now and then and if you're lucky it may survive in a nano tank. Being as this is your first tank why don't you want to start off with more simple/hardier live stock to keep. A pair of clown fish, small flasher or fairy wrasse, small gobies, royal gramma, etc. All of these fish can have spectacular coloring and are entertaining to watch without any specialized care. Gobies and scooter blennies will bounce around the rocks just as mandarins do. Through some easy to keep soft corals in there, a couple of shrimp and snails and you will have an active, vibrant and easy to keep nano reef. If this turns into a hobby you really enjoy start a larger tank and get a mandarin when you feel you have the skill to keep one alive. Good Luck!