Stocking List - Look OK?

Bleier · 09/29/2014, 06:05 AM

We have a 20 gallon with a ton of rock and places to hide. It's been up a couple of months (after weeks of prepping rock, numbers all good). We have had a pamanic barnacle blenny and a black clown goby for a couple weeks. Both are super peaceful and tiny (maybe 1 - 1.5 inches). My husband wants an ocellaris but I am worried that even tho ocellaris can be classified as 'peaceful' I fear it could make it difficult to feed the blenny and clown goby bc they're so shy.

My choices to join our peaceful clown goby and barnacle blenny would be:
red stoplight cardinal fish
and
royal gramma basslet

Do you think these would fare well with the clown goby and barnacle blenny? And am I wrong about the ocellaris? Also it is an open tank. I realize all fish MIGHT jump but I don't think either of these are known jumpers, correct me if I'm wrong...

toothybugs · 09/29/2014, 06:27 AM

Copy this posting to the end of this thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2068112 - to confirm all this but I would pick 1 and only 1 of all that you have listed. Personally I would take the basslet, but that's me. With the 1 fish addition your tank is pretty much tapped out for capacity if not already.

wrott · 09/29/2014, 06:52 AM

Yes, I think those 2 would fare well. I've had a gramma and I did not like it.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/a...=25&page_num=2

I think you could get 3-4 more gobys and 1 or 3 of the red cards. Gramma and clown will grow larger than you'd like for a 20g, a single Ocellaris+a couple more gobys should work.
I have a neon and greenbanded goby--beautiful fish, and maybe 1.5" fully grown.
It sounds like you are doing the correct thing by contemplating and taking it one step at a time. I think you'll be ok. You can usually give a fish back to a lfs if it is a problem fish.

wrott · 09/29/2014, 04:21 PM

bump

cherubfish pair · 09/29/2014, 04:44 PM

I disagree with toothybugs, you could get 4-5 fish in there with the right husbandry as long as they're all nano fish and compatible. MY RG got kinda big but is a model citizen. Clowns are almost always ok if kept singly although my clown I've had for about 4 years occasionally picks on dwarf angels. A cherub angel is a good one too.

cherubfish pair · 09/29/2014, 04:50 PM

PS any fish could jump. ALWAYS cover your tank. The reason you see so many pictures of uncovered tanks in not because the owners don't practice that, it's because they take the cover off to take the picture. Very few people keep an uncovered tank.

CuzzA · 09/29/2014, 04:56 PM

I've read and been advised by multiple experienced LFS's that Red light cardinals have poor success rates in captivity. They'll likely disappear as soon as you add them to the tank and never be seen again. Even if they do adjust to captivity they are an extremely shy fish and won't provide any viewing pleasure. Liveaquaria and others should stop offering this fish to hobbyists.

1 Clown would probably be ok. As for the Royal Gramma mine does not tolerate any fish getting too close and will likely not be a good addition for smaller fish. They could do some damage.

Perhaps you should consider putting a screen on your tank as this would open up the door for a few more species that tend to jump. For example, a Purple Firefish.

09/29/2014, 06:05 AM	#1
Bleier Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Troy IL Posts: 1	Stocking List - Look OK? We have a 20 gallon with a ton of rock and places to hide. It's been up a couple of months (after weeks of prepping rock, numbers all good). We have had a pamanic barnacle blenny and a black clown goby for a couple weeks. Both are super peaceful and tiny (maybe 1 - 1.5 inches). My husband wants an ocellaris but I am worried that even tho ocellaris can be classified as 'peaceful' I fear it could make it difficult to feed the blenny and clown goby bc they're so shy. My choices to join our peaceful clown goby and barnacle blenny would be: red stoplight cardinal fish and royal gramma basslet Do you think these would fare well with the clown goby and barnacle blenny? And am I wrong about the ocellaris? Also it is an open tank. I realize all fish MIGHT jump but I don't think either of these are known jumpers, correct me if I'm wrong...

09/29/2014, 06:52 AM	#3
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	Yes, I think those 2 would fare well. I've had a gramma and I did not like it. http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/a...=25&page_num=2 I think you could get 3-4 more gobys and 1 or 3 of the red cards. Gramma and clown will grow larger than you'd like for a 20g, a single Ocellaris+a couple more gobys should work. I have a neon and greenbanded goby--beautiful fish, and maybe 1.5" fully grown. It sounds like you are doing the correct thing by contemplating and taking it one step at a time. I think you'll be ok. You can usually give a fish back to a lfs if it is a problem fish. __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

09/29/2014, 04:21 PM	#4
wrott Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,912	bump __________________ OK, but where does the meat go! ------------------------------------------------ 120g SPS, 125g mix, 56g FOWLR, 20g qt

09/29/2014, 04:44 PM	#5
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	I disagree with toothybugs, you could get 4-5 fish in there with the right husbandry as long as they're all nano fish and compatible. MY RG got kinda big but is a model citizen. Clowns are almost always ok if kept singly although my clown I've had for about 4 years occasionally picks on dwarf angels. A cherub angel is a good one too. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

09/29/2014, 04:50 PM	#6
cherubfish pair Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Libby, Montana Posts: 7,061 Blog Entries: 1	PS any fish could jump. ALWAYS cover your tank. The reason you see so many pictures of uncovered tanks in not because the owners don't practice that, it's because they take the cover off to take the picture. Very few people keep an uncovered tank. __________________ pairo chero Thanks for looking at my build thread and subscribe to it if you already haven't yet! Current Tank Info: thirty rimless

09/29/2014, 06:27 AM	#2
toothybugs In Memoriam Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: The smallest county in Illinois Posts: 1,986	Copy this posting to the end of this thread - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=2068112 - to confirm all this but I would pick 1 and only 1 of all that you have listed. Personally I would take the basslet, but that's me. With the 1 fish addition your tank is pretty much tapped out for capacity if not already.

09/29/2014, 04:56 PM	#7
CuzzA Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Palm Harbor, FL Posts: 2,997	I've read and been advised by multiple experienced LFS's that Red light cardinals have poor success rates in captivity. They'll likely disappear as soon as you add them to the tank and never be seen again. Even if they do adjust to captivity they are an extremely shy fish and won't provide any viewing pleasure. Liveaquaria and others should stop offering this fish to hobbyists. 1 Clown would probably be ok. As for the Royal Gramma mine does not tolerate any fish getting too close and will likely not be a good addition for smaller fish. They could do some damage. Perhaps you should consider putting a screen on your tank as this would open up the door for a few more species that tend to jump. For example, a Purple Firefish.