Tank mate suggestions

Tlonghorn · 01/21/2016, 04:01 PM

I currently have a wheelers shrimp goby and a pistol shrimp and was wondering what people suggest for some tank mates

I have a 12g tank with 11 lbs of live rock, an aquaclear 20

Clean up crew: 4 nassarius, 3 cerith, and 2 astrae

I would like 1 or 2 active fish to make up for my hiding goby and shrimp

bat21 · 01/21/2016, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tlonghorn

I currently have a wheelers shrimp goby and a pistol shrimp and was wondering what people suggest for some tank mates

I have a 12g tank with 11 lbs of live rock, an aquaclear 20

Clean up crew: 4 nassarius, 3 cerith, and 2 astrae

I would like 1 or 2 active fish to make up for my hiding goby and shrimp

Active fish need larger tanks. That's the problem. Your best bet is a firefish. They don't swim around that much, they just sort of hover, but they are beautiful and would always be out and visible in a tank like that with no fish to be afraid of.

Dkuhlmann · 01/21/2016, 04:26 PM

Take a look at the pygmy wrasses there are three you can choose from. Sure you can get a fire fish but as beautiful as they are... they're kinda boring IMO. The wrasses below will be hunting and pecking in your rocks most of the time.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...96&pcatid=1396
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...43&pcatid=3043
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...41&pcatid=3041

You can find more fish at Live Aquaria that will work for a 10 gal tank of which you can keep those which designate 10 gals. Here is a link to Live Aquaria Nano fish

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...41&pcatid=3041

Good luck in your search, that's half the fun.

chimmike · 01/21/2016, 04:33 PM

really, really minimal filtration in that small tank, 1 fish is plenty of bioload, no more.

I agree with a more sedentary fish like a firefish or something. Wrasses are active and a lot require significant pod populations.

12g is just downright small, so you're really hamstrung.

Dkuhlmann · 01/21/2016, 05:02 PM

Mike, you might want to review those three wrasses so you know a little bit about them. Yes they'll eat pods, but pods aren't their primary diet and they are not like other wrasses. I too learned a lot about them when I was tasked with finding a "cool" fish for someone's tank. Ya, they're that "cool" fish for a 10 gal tank.

chimmike · 01/21/2016, 05:10 PM

interesting. Small guys.

Dkuhlmann · 01/21/2016, 05:57 PM

Yes sir, that they are!

So an active fish for a 10 gal that you can enjoy watching doing his business in and out of the rocks. That's a win win IMO for a small tank. Oh and it's something different than a clown or a fire fish.

I'm more than happy to recommend them to someone with a small tank as long as it's 10 gal min. Sure they might be ok in an 8 but if you take out water for rocks then the 8 becomes 6 or less and the 12 or 10 becomes 10 and 8 etc.

BrianKC · 01/22/2016, 06:10 PM

Clown gobies are full of personality and tiny. They're fun to watch. They do like to nip at SPS polyps though, so depends on what you want to keep.

Texas Paul · 01/22/2016, 06:41 PM

Pygmy wrasse gets my vote as well. Cool little fish as long as you don't have aggressive fish, which you don't.

They are kind of shy at first but will roam if no attackers. Great little fish. There are a couple of types, all very docile and good looking.

01/21/2016, 04:01 PM	#1
Tlonghorn Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 25	Tank mate suggestions I currently have a wheelers shrimp goby and a pistol shrimp and was wondering what people suggest for some tank mates I have a 12g tank with 11 lbs of live rock, an aquaclear 20 Clean up crew: 4 nassarius, 3 cerith, and 2 astrae I would like 1 or 2 active fish to make up for my hiding goby and shrimp

01/21/2016, 04:26 PM	#3
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Take a look at the pygmy wrasses there are three you can choose from. Sure you can get a fire fish but as beautiful as they are... they're kinda boring IMO. The wrasses below will be hunting and pecking in your rocks most of the time. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...96&pcatid=1396 http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...43&pcatid=3043 http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...41&pcatid=3041 You can find more fish at Live Aquaria that will work for a 10 gal tank of which you can keep those which designate 10 gals. Here is a link to Live Aquaria Nano fish http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/p...41&pcatid=3041 Good luck in your search, that's half the fun. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

01/21/2016, 04:33 PM	#4
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	really, really minimal filtration in that small tank, 1 fish is plenty of bioload, no more. I agree with a more sedentary fish like a firefish or something. Wrasses are active and a lot require significant pod populations. 12g is just downright small, so you're really hamstrung. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

01/21/2016, 05:02 PM	#5
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Mike, you might want to review those three wrasses so you know a little bit about them. Yes they'll eat pods, but pods aren't their primary diet and they are not like other wrasses. I too learned a lot about them when I was tasked with finding a "cool" fish for someone's tank. Ya, they're that "cool" fish for a 10 gal tank. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

01/21/2016, 05:10 PM	#6
chimmike oxygen abuser Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Parrish, FL Posts: 5,089 Blog Entries: 2	interesting. Small guys. __________________ -Mike Tankless wonder Geaux Noles!

01/21/2016, 05:57 PM	#7
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	Yes sir, that they are! So an active fish for a 10 gal that you can enjoy watching doing his business in and out of the rocks. That's a win win IMO for a small tank. Oh and it's something different than a clown or a fire fish. I'm more than happy to recommend them to someone with a small tank as long as it's 10 gal min. Sure they might be ok in an 8 but if you take out water for rocks then the 8 becomes 6 or less and the 12 or 10 becomes 10 and 8 etc. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300

01/22/2016, 06:10 PM	#8
BrianKC Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Kansas City Posts: 388	Clown gobies are full of personality and tiny. They're fun to watch. They do like to nip at SPS polyps though, so depends on what you want to keep.

01/22/2016, 06:41 PM	#9
Texas Paul Registered Member. Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 88	Pygmy wrasse gets my vote as well. Cool little fish as long as you don't have aggressive fish, which you don't. They are kind of shy at first but will roam if no attackers. Great little fish. There are a couple of types, all very docile and good looking.