Need thoughts on adding another fish/fishes

Reefer07 · 08/15/2008, 05:03 PM

I currently have a 29 gallon mixed reef with a 10 gallon sump and a corallife 65 needle wheel skimmer. I have about 55lbs. of live rock.

Current fish are:
2x occellaris clowns (1 WB and one regular)
Next week I will be getting my mccosker's flasher wrasse.

That puts me with 3 fish.....I was looking into getting a different species.
I have a few gobies in mind etc. etc. but I was really wondering if 3 green chromis would be at all possible?

Thanks for any input,
Zac

Tangwich · 08/15/2008, 06:14 PM

After keeping Green Chromis and seeing them always pick/kill each other off one by one until only one or two are left, I would say that might not be a good idea, but that was just my experience with them. I love my very active Tailspot Blenny and my Blue neon Goby in my 34RSM. Good luck with whatever you decide to get.

Brent F · 08/15/2008, 06:37 PM

Similar experience to Tangwich I had 3 green chromis and they killed each other off until 1 was left after a month. The last one has been fine for over 6 months by itself

GPhiAce · 08/15/2008, 08:45 PM

I pretty much had your setup.
29g 2 clowns , but I had a sixline wrasse. I added 3 chromis because I heard they did better in singles , pairs, or trips. 2 died in less than 2 weeks.
I also had roughly 55lbs LR. Can you post a picture of your tank. I upgraded to a 40br. Better dimensions.

GPhiAce · 08/15/2008, 08:47 PM

Oh, gobies are cool. look into yashas, randalls, or some of the others. Clown gobies eat sps they say. maybe a firefish if you have a good lid

Illuminati · 08/15/2008, 08:50 PM

Blackcap Basslet:

Reefer07 · 08/15/2008, 10:14 PM

Can't the basslet's be a little agressive?
I am really surprised as too all your guys experiences. My friend had 3 in his 75 and then after a week 1 died and he had 2 up until he broke his tank down.
Idk if size matters in that case but I have definitely changed my view on this possibility.
I was looking into bangai cardinals (2) but I heard they don't really like reef tanks. They kind of like lots of algae and darker areas etc. etc.

mskurdah · 08/15/2008, 10:34 PM

FWIW: I had the same experience with the Chromis. Added 3, one beat up on the small one until he died. Then he started in on the next one and I returned them to the LFS.

I don't know why Chromis have a 'better' reputation than damsels. I find them to be every bit as mean (maybe even meaner). They will school in large aquariums, but not in nanos.

Illuminati · 08/15/2008, 10:46 PM

Royal Gramma's which are closely related to Blackcaps can be aggressive but Blackcaps are 100% peaceful as long as you don't add another basslett/assesor to the tank (Found that out with a Blue Assesor and this Blackcap).

Bangaii Cardinals are great, I have one of those also. If you go with that make sure you get a captive bred one, you will have much better chances of survival as wild caught bangai's don't last very long/don't eat prepared foods. I've never seen my bangaii eat algae of any sort, he holds out for mysis

Reefer07 · 08/15/2008, 11:10 PM

Thanks for the input illuminati.
I didn't mean they ate algae I just meant they are usually found in "non-dense" reef areas if that makes any since. Maybe areas with not so much coral.....
Also, does anyone have any experience in keeping them in pairs?
My buddy had a PJ which I found kind of boring. It just liked to sit there alone. Definitely stood out from the other fish...haha.
I find the bangai's more appealing and maybe when kept in a pair they behave a little different etc. etc?

Ritten · 08/16/2008, 12:14 AM

Same experience with the chromis. I don't have any experience with cardinals, but maybe a bottom dweller, such as a goby that you mentioned before?

bsagecko · 08/16/2008, 06:21 AM

go with a goby

good choices are

pair of neon bodies
randalls w/ shrimp
yashi w/ shrimp
yellow watchman goby
clown goby ( does nib sps)

08/15/2008, 05:03 PM	#1
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	Need thoughts on adding another fish/fishes I currently have a 29 gallon mixed reef with a 10 gallon sump and a corallife 65 needle wheel skimmer. I have about 55lbs. of live rock. Current fish are: 2x occellaris clowns (1 WB and one regular) Next week I will be getting my mccosker's flasher wrasse. That puts me with 3 fish.....I was looking into getting a different species. I have a few gobies in mind etc. etc. but I was really wondering if 3 green chromis would be at all possible? Thanks for any input, Zac

08/15/2008, 08:45 PM	#4
GPhiAce Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CoMo Posts: 1,615	I pretty much had your setup. 29g 2 clowns , but I had a sixline wrasse. I added 3 chromis because I heard they did better in singles , pairs, or trips. 2 died in less than 2 weeks. I also had roughly 55lbs LR. Can you post a picture of your tank. I upgraded to a 40br. Better dimensions. __________________ Paul Professional Bum Current Tank Info: empty 120 gallon glass box. wanna help fill it? sps and palys please

08/15/2008, 08:47 PM	#5
GPhiAce Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CoMo Posts: 1,615	Oh, gobies are cool. look into yashas, randalls, or some of the others. Clown gobies eat sps they say. maybe a firefish if you have a good lid __________________ Paul Professional Bum Current Tank Info: empty 120 gallon glass box. wanna help fill it? sps and palys please

08/15/2008, 08:50 PM	#6
Illuminati Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Des Plaines, IL Posts: 3,986	Blackcap Basslet: __________________ RC nTOTM creator Future nTOTM winner :) Current Tank Info: Biocube 16 LED

08/15/2008, 10:46 PM	#9
Illuminati Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Des Plaines, IL Posts: 3,986	Royal Gramma's which are closely related to Blackcaps can be aggressive but Blackcaps are 100% peaceful as long as you don't add another basslett/assesor to the tank (Found that out with a Blue Assesor and this Blackcap). Bangaii Cardinals are great, I have one of those also. If you go with that make sure you get a captive bred one, you will have much better chances of survival as wild caught bangai's don't last very long/don't eat prepared foods. I've never seen my bangaii eat algae of any sort, he holds out for mysis __________________ RC nTOTM creator Future nTOTM winner :) Current Tank Info: Biocube 16 LED

08/15/2008, 06:14 PM	#2
Tangwich Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles & Montebello Posts: 1,563	After keeping Green Chromis and seeing them always pick/kill each other off one by one until only one or two are left, I would say that might not be a good idea, but that was just my experience with them. I love my very active Tailspot Blenny and my Blue neon Goby in my 34RSM. Good luck with whatever you decide to get.

08/15/2008, 06:37 PM	#3
Brent F Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: . Posts: 947	Similar experience to Tangwich I had 3 green chromis and they killed each other off until 1 was left after a month. The last one has been fine for over 6 months by itself

08/15/2008, 10:14 PM	#7
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	Can't the basslet's be a little agressive? I am really surprised as too all your guys experiences. My friend had 3 in his 75 and then after a week 1 died and he had 2 up until he broke his tank down. Idk if size matters in that case but I have definitely changed my view on this possibility. I was looking into bangai cardinals (2) but I heard they don't really like reef tanks. They kind of like lots of algae and darker areas etc. etc.

08/15/2008, 10:34 PM	#8
mskurdah Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 235	FWIW: I had the same experience with the Chromis. Added 3, one beat up on the small one until he died. Then he started in on the next one and I returned them to the LFS. I don't know why Chromis have a 'better' reputation than damsels. I find them to be every bit as mean (maybe even meaner). They will school in large aquariums, but not in nanos.

08/15/2008, 11:10 PM	#10
Reefer07 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Connecticut Posts: 2,090	Thanks for the input illuminati. I didn't mean they ate algae I just meant they are usually found in "non-dense" reef areas if that makes any since. Maybe areas with not so much coral..... Also, does anyone have any experience in keeping them in pairs? My buddy had a PJ which I found kind of boring. It just liked to sit there alone. Definitely stood out from the other fish...haha. I find the bangai's more appealing and maybe when kept in a pair they behave a little different etc. etc?

08/16/2008, 12:14 AM	#11
Ritten Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,164	Same experience with the chromis. I don't have any experience with cardinals, but maybe a bottom dweller, such as a goby that you mentioned before?

08/16/2008, 06:21 AM	#12
bsagecko Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Florida Posts: 1,752	go with a goby good choices are pair of neon bodies randalls w/ shrimp yashi w/ shrimp yellow watchman goby clown goby ( does nib sps) __________________ There are three things that will never be believed- the true, the probable, the logical (Steinbeck) Obey little, Resist much Current Tank Info: 24g AIO