fish for reef aquarium

that guy · 09/17/2012, 06:45 AM

I have a 38 gallon aquarium with 2 occellari in it already. They're still juveniles. I've come up with my favorite fish I want to put in the aquarium.
Banggai Cardinal
Firefish (purple or regular)
Royal gramma
6 line wrasse
Yellow watchman paired with pistol shrimp
a long nose hawk fish
If I got all of these fish it would be overstocking the tank so which ones would you guys reccomend taking of the list. Thanks for any and all advice.

CAPSLOK · 09/17/2012, 07:48 AM

I would take off the sixline, they tend to be super aggressive.

Hawks are cool but will eat shrimp (I have no personal experience, however my understanding is the pistol will be protected by the goby but any other shrimp would be dinner). So if you're wanting any other shrimp I would nix this guy.

I love the royal gramma, such a burst of color.

rssjsb · 09/17/2012, 09:25 AM

Agree on the sixline.

Also, I've never kept one, but have read several posts by people who have had to remove long-nose hawks because of aggression/territoriality, quite aside from its appetite for shrimp.

What are the dimensions of the tank? It's not a size I'm familiar with.

that guy · 09/17/2012, 10:38 AM

I got the tank for 22 dollars and it came with a hood, filter which i replace light mounting, dechlor, and a 200 watt heater. It was at petco and the manager who was helping said the price was 22 dollars. When we bought it it rang up as 178 but he gave it to us for 22 dollars anyway. the dimensions are 36in by 19.5 in by 12.25 in. Instead of a hawkfish and wrasse could i add a lawnmower blennie with the other fish. Will gobies and blennies fight each other? Is 7 fish too much?

SecretiveFish · 09/17/2012, 12:46 PM

IMO, 7 fish is too much for a tank that size.

If that was my tank I was stocking, I would probably only have 4 fish as I tend to stock conservatively and as such seem to have much better luck. However, you could probably get away with 5 as long as you keep up with tank maintenance and carefully select fish that occupy different areas of the tank.

A suggested stocking:
- 2 clownfish
- Firefish
- Yellow watchman with pistol shrimp
- Banggai Cardinal or Royal Gramma or Blenny (If you went with a blenny, I would get a different type than the lawnmower though, especially in your size of tank.... they can be aggressive little buggers)

Paul B · 09/17/2012, 12:55 PM

Except for the firefish and different clowns, I have all those fish now. Most of them are small and hardly do any swimming except for the clowns. A 38 gallon tank IMO would be fine for that selection.

Mishri · 09/17/2012, 03:54 PM

I agree with Paul B. Keep up on your tank maintenance and they'll be fine. if i were to pull one of those off my list it would probably be the hawkfish or 6 line.

Empty Bottles · 09/18/2012, 12:48 AM

As has been said your bio-load will be a little heavy but you should be ok if you drop the 6-line and hawkfish. I'd really try not to have anymore than 6 fish in that size tank, an some will disagree with that. Add them slowly and watch your water parameters.

09/17/2012, 06:45 AM	#1
that guy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 174	fish for reef aquarium I have a 38 gallon aquarium with 2 occellari in it already. They're still juveniles. I've come up with my favorite fish I want to put in the aquarium. Banggai Cardinal Firefish (purple or regular) Royal gramma 6 line wrasse Yellow watchman paired with pistol shrimp a long nose hawk fish If I got all of these fish it would be overstocking the tank so which ones would you guys reccomend taking of the list. Thanks for any and all advice.

09/17/2012, 09:25 AM	#3
rssjsb Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 3,243	Agree on the sixline. Also, I've never kept one, but have read several posts by people who have had to remove long-nose hawks because of aggression/territoriality, quite aside from its appetite for shrimp. What are the dimensions of the tank? It's not a size I'm familiar with. __________________ Robin

09/17/2012, 10:38 AM	#4
that guy Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 174	I got the tank for 22 dollars and it came with a hood, filter which i replace light mounting, dechlor, and a 200 watt heater. It was at petco and the manager who was helping said the price was 22 dollars. When we bought it it rang up as 178 but he gave it to us for 22 dollars anyway. the dimensions are 36in by 19.5 in by 12.25 in. Instead of a hawkfish and wrasse could i add a lawnmower blennie with the other fish. Will gobies and blennies fight each other? Is 7 fish too much? Last edited by that guy; 09/17/2012 at 10:47 AM.

09/17/2012, 12:55 PM	#6
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	Except for the firefish and different clowns, I have all those fish now. Most of them are small and hardly do any swimming except for the clowns. A 38 gallon tank IMO would be fine for that selection. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

09/17/2012, 03:54 PM	#7
Mishri Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Great Falls, MT Posts: 1,404	I agree with Paul B. Keep up on your tank maintenance and they'll be fine. if i were to pull one of those off my list it would probably be the hawkfish or 6 line. Last edited by Mishri; 09/17/2012 at 04:02 PM.

09/17/2012, 07:48 AM	#2
CAPSLOK Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Cape Cod Posts: 308	I would take off the sixline, they tend to be super aggressive. Hawks are cool but will eat shrimp (I have no personal experience, however my understanding is the pistol will be protected by the goby but any other shrimp would be dinner). So if you're wanting any other shrimp I would nix this guy. I love the royal gramma, such a burst of color.

09/17/2012, 12:46 PM	#5
SecretiveFish Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: PNW Posts: 713	IMO, 7 fish is too much for a tank that size. If that was my tank I was stocking, I would probably only have 4 fish as I tend to stock conservatively and as such seem to have much better luck. However, you could probably get away with 5 as long as you keep up with tank maintenance and carefully select fish that occupy different areas of the tank. A suggested stocking: - 2 clownfish - Firefish - Yellow watchman with pistol shrimp - Banggai Cardinal or Royal Gramma or Blenny (If you went with a blenny, I would get a different type than the lawnmower though, especially in your size of tank.... they can be aggressive little buggers)

09/18/2012, 12:48 AM	#8
Empty Bottles Registered Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 291	As has been said your bio-load will be a little heavy but you should be ok if you drop the 6-line and hawkfish. I'd really try not to have anymore than 6 fish in that size tank, an some will disagree with that. Add them slowly and watch your water parameters.