PLEASE check out your intended fish purchases here first!

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by golby

Bangaii Cardinal added to tank with:

3 YT Damsels, 1 Yellow Tang, 1 six line, two ocellaris, one orange diamond watchman goby.

Thoughts?

its risky with those 3 yt damsels

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by ziege

I'll play.

I have a NC28LED just cycled. It has about 35-38lbs of LR (from big chunks to rubble), a basic CUC (10 snails, 2-3 hermits, etc), and a few sessile inverts (xenia, capnella, actinodiscus, etc), all doing well so far. It has a remora skimmer, chaeto in the media box, and there's a good chance I'll add a small (~7g) refugium in the next few months. I have fine sand (~2" +/-1") substrate. Oh, and an ATO is in the works too.


I've been going in circles on the fish plan. First because there are some seriously conflicting reports about suitability but more because I can't find a balance I'm fully happy with.

Here are my thoughts:

Watchman Goby. Probably the ubiquitous yellow. Maybe paired w/ a shrimp. I can get healthy looking small specimens (1.5") locally fairly easily.

Chalk Bass. I've seen different reports on these fish. Some sources say 20g minimum, while others say 70g min. Most sources say 3" max size. Some folks report 5"+. LFS has had three specimens in the 2" range for over a month, looking healthy.

That all I got. About an inch of fish per 4 gallons once everything is grown, which isn't the perfect goal but the system should grow into it.

Any cautions? Any additions or substitutions I should be considering?

Part of me wants to go the dramatic route with a pygmy angel and accept any nipping risk. Part of me wants to replace the YWG with a YCG and go for subtlety. I'd like to find something a little less shy to add to the mix but I can't think of anything that really fits.

yellow watchman goby--great choice

chalk bass---probably the most reef safe and less aggressive of the bass
as long as your ornamental shrimp are of decent size then you should be fine

other suggestions---cardinals, fairy wrasse, basselets, fire goby

pygmy angel --would suggest you consider a coral beauty instead

[cfgenesis]

Very helpful thread - see tank conditions below. System is new so no fish yet but here is what I am hoping to add as it matures:

Cherub or Flame Angel
Blue or Yellow Assessor
True Percula Clown pair
Blue-Green Chromis school
Firefish
Mandarin Dragonet (I know, wait at least 6 months)
Watchman Goby
Yellow or Kole Tang
Fairy Wrasse

My goal is to have a peaceful community tank - see any problems with the menu?

[JTL]

I know as a rule dottybacks can be a problem, but has anyone had experience with a orchid dottyback? They are supposed to be far less aggressive.

[JTL]

I current have the following:
2-Chromis
a pair of b&w clowns
tailspot
coral beauty
mandarin
Thinking about the following and need suggestions.
midas blenny
orchid dottyback
melanurus/hovens wrasse
Comments and other suggestions would be really helpful.
Thanks

[Powdermonkey]

I am looking at a blue spotted jawfish. I have read that they are a little more difficult to care for and like cool water temps. Please share your expertise. It would be going in a 54g, mixed reef, temp 78, 2" sand bed, 2 percs, mandarin goby that has been running for about 15months.

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by JTL

I know as a rule dottybacks can be a problem, but has anyone had experience with a orchid dottyback? They are supposed to be far less aggressive.

I have them in some tanks---they are not aggressive at all

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by Powdermonkey

I am looking at a blue spotted jawfish. I have read that they are a little more difficult to care for and like cool water temps. Please share your expertise. It would be going in a 54g, mixed reef, temp 78, 2" sand bed, 2 percs, mandarin goby that has been running for about 15months.

are there only 2 percs and a mandarine in there?

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by JTL

I current have the following:
2-Chromis
a pair of b&w clowns
tailspot
coral beauty
mandarin
Thinking about the following and need suggestions.
midas blenny
orchid dottyback
melanurus/hovens wrasse
Comments and other suggestions would be really helpful.
Thanks

That is a great mix. The pinstripe wrasse is also a good choice for a wrasse as it will get along with other wrasses(exception sixline)

[Powdermonkey]

Originally Posted by capn_hylinur

are there only 2 percs and a mandarine in there?

For fish yes! Also have two stars, two cleaner shrimp, and a fire shrimp, and of course cuc.

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by cfgenesis

Very helpful thread - see tank conditions below. System is new so no fish yet but here is what I am hoping to add as it matures:

Cherub or Flame Angel
Blue or Yellow Assessor
True Percula Clown pair
Blue-Green Chromis school
Firefish
Mandarin Dragonet (I know, wait at least 6 months)
Watchman Goby
Yellow or Kole Tang
Fairy Wrasse

My goal is to have a peaceful community tank - see any problems with the menu?

Good choices. You must have freshwater experience as by the use of "community"
With salt water there are mixed reefs which is coral, inverts, fish and fowlr which is fish only with live rock. There are a few other types but not to confuse the issue here---
If you have any intention of adding corals down the line then go with the flame angel rather then the cherub--another suggestion would be a coral beauty instead of your two mentioned choices

I would keep the numbers of chromies to three--any larger of a school then they pick at each other untill there are only 2 or 3 left

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by jimrawr

I could use some help guys.. I have a 90g corner which is fallow right now, but its time to start getting some fish. Here are the requirements:

1. Dont want anything thats agressive
2. Cant be jumpers as its an open top
3. Must have nice colors, I dont want any plain looking fish
4. Must like to swim around and not hide for most of the day
5. Must not be easily prone to ICH (tangs), because I dont QT and will/do have ICH in the tank.

I only want to put around 5-6 fish in my tank at the most. Probably start off with 2-3 and then slowly add more in the future. Right now I am thinking

1. Ocellaris clown
2. Purple Firefish
3. Dispar Anthia
4. Some sort of Wrasse (are there any that arent jumpers?)
5. Flame Angel
6. A couple Chromis

What do you guys think, and do you have any suggestions for some docile, non jumper, and pretty looking fish?

the list is good
any wrasse is capable of jumping
alot of people put a white egg crate on the top of their tank to help keep them in the tank(Its sold as a 4 foot piece in the lighting dept of Home Depot and you can easily cut it to fit your tank top)
I would suggest you stay away from the six line which can be a problem bullying other tank members

I have to say it---the best quarantee for no ich is to qt all fish even for an observation period of a couple of weeks.

[Goodwin9]

Originally Posted by capn_haling

I would keep the numbers of chromies to three--any larger of a school then they pick at each other untill there are only 2 or 3 left

I've not heard that before. I currently have 9 in my 470 tank and another dozen in a 600 gallon tank. Mine are of the blue green variety, maybe that's why they don't pick on themselves? Have had them for years.

[JTL]

Originally Posted by capn_hylinur

That is a great mix. The pinstripe wrasse is also a good choice for a wrasse as it will get along with other wrasses(exception sixline)

I like the look of the melanuras, my concern is that it may compete with my mandarin for pods. Any thoughts on that?

[claire481]

Sorry to inturrupt, but this seems like a pretty active thread, so I will try my question here. If a shrimp goby (high-fin red-banded) dies do you have to replace it with the same species, or can I see if my pistol shrimp will accept, say a yellow watchman?

[KarlBob]

Originally Posted by claire481

Sorry to inturrupt, but this seems like a pretty active thread, so I will try my question here. If a shrimp goby (high-fin red-banded) dies do you have to replace it with the same species, or can I see if my pistol shrimp will accept, say a yellow watchman?

If you replace the high-fin with another high-fin, I think that will give you the best chance of having the newcomer pair up with your shrimp. A different species of goby might or might not be accepted. Even if you do get a high-fin goby, it's not guaranteed that they'll pair off. Some gobies and some shrimp just never seem to realize that they're supposed to be symbionts.

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by JTL

I like the look of the melanuras, my concern is that it may compete with my mandarin for pods. Any thoughts on that?

Unlike the Mandarine the melanuras will eat frozen preparations for carnivores, chopped seafood and a nutritionally complete flake food. So if you keep him fed on the food it preserves then the mandarine can live on the copopods

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by KarlBob

If you replace the high-fin with another high-fin, I think that will give you the best chance of having the newcomer pair up with your shrimp. A different species of goby might or might not be accepted. Even if you do get a high-fin goby, it's not guaranteed that they'll pair off. Some gobies and some shrimp just never seem to realize that they're supposed to be symbionts.

I agree however a yellow watchman and pistol shrimp is also a good pair up.
Thanks for helping out answering the posts karlBob

[ninja_fish]

I recently set up a 29g Biocube with 45lbs LR and 35 lbs LS. I do eventually want to ease into some easy corals. For now, my plan for livestock is as follows:

6 turbo snails
10 nassarius snails
10 cerith snails
fire shrimp
cleaner shrimp
electric blue hermit crab
halloween hermit crab
starfish??? (preferably colorful, any suggestions?)

flame angel
clownfish
yellow watchman goby
purple firefish
sixline wrasse

How does this sound Capn?

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by Goodwin9

I've not heard that before. I currently have 9 in my 470 tank and another dozen in a 600 gallon tank. Mine are of the blue green variety, maybe that's why they don't pick on themselves? Have had them for years.

I would think that with the 470 tank and 600 gal tank might be the reason for them not picking on each other.

So what stock do you have in each of the tanks Goodwin?

[Aquarist007]

Originally Posted by ninja_fish

I recently set up a 29g Biocube with 45lbs LR and 35 lbs LS. I do eventually want to ease into some easy corals. For now, my plan for livestock is as follows:

6 turbo snails
10 nassarius snails
10 cerith snails
fire shrimp
cleaner shrimp
electric blue hermit crab
halloween hermit crab
starfish??? (preferably colorful, any suggestions?)

flame angel
clownfish
yellow watchman goby
purple firefish
sixline wrasse

How does this sound Capn?

The list sounds great except for the sixline wrasse. I would subsitute it with a fairy wrasse which tends to be alot less agressive.

I would also suggest a red bubble tip anemone for that size of cube.
Check out the grantex cube on my website(there is a slide show by clicking on the picture)
www.scottsaquariumservices.ca

I have put sand sifting star fish in my cubes and they keep the sand bed really clean along with the nessarius snails.
A blue star fish for eg would be okay but they grow too big.
A bristle star would be great in there.

[ninja_fish]

Thanks Capn!

Would you suggest a bristle star in addition to the sand sifting star or just one or the other?

Also, If I decided not to get a wrasse, what other recommendations would you have instead?

[JTL]

Originally Posted by JTL

I current have the following:
2-Chromis
a pair of b&w clowns
tailspot
coral beauty
mandarin
Thinking about the following and need suggestions.
midas blenny
orchid dottyback
melanurus/hovens wrasse
Comments and other suggestions would be really helpful.
Thanks

Capn,
I know you responded to this list and thank you for doing that. I have also considered the following:
carpenters flasher wrasse
McCosker fairy wrasse
panda goby

I wouldn't necessarily get all of these fish, but do you see any conflicts between my first list and these? Thanks.

[cfgenesis]

Originally Posted by capn_hylinur

Good choices. You must have freshwater experience as by the use of "community"
With salt water there are mixed reefs which is coral, inverts, fish and fowlr which is fish only with live rock. There are a few other types but not to confuse the issue here---
If you have any intention of adding corals down the line then go with the flame angel rather then the cherub--another suggestion would be a coral beauty instead of your two mentioned choices

I would keep the numbers of chromies to three--any larger of a school then they pick at each other untill there are only 2 or 3 left

Thanks for the input. I think some guy at LFS called it a community tank but I am definitely going for a mixed reef with no bullies.

The Coral Beauty is a good call - saw one at LFS the other day and thought it would make a good addition.

[pazzo40]

Hello, I've had my tank up and running for over a year now and my tail spotted blenny has passed on. I have the following and I am looking to add another fish. I was thinking a black and white clown or even a pair. Would this be a good fit? Any other good options?

28G Nano Cube HQI
26 LBS of rock
18 lbs of sand
MP10
Eshopps PSK-75H Skimmer

1 purple firefish
1 clown fairy wrasse

4 Scarlet Hermits
6 Astrea

Torch
Anchor Hammer
Dendro
Acan
Zoa
Acropora