Aggressive amphipod eaters

[asdfjkl semicolon]

Hi -

Looking for a recommendation for anemone safe fish that will have a voracious appetite for the amphipods in my tank.

Tank is a 60g frag tank with basically no rock (small pile in one corner), about four inches of substrate and several hundred flower anemone.

I currently have one sixline wrasse in the tank, who is ridiculously fat - but doing very little to keep the amphipod populations down.

In this setup, the amphipods are a nuisance to the anemone - steal food at feeding time, constantly irritating, and seemingly burrowing into the anemone (can't tell if they are actually digging into the flesh or not, but they are clearly not happy).

I also suspect the amphipods might be feeding on the tentacles of the anemone but cannot confirm - observation is based on the number of anemone that seem to be lacking tentacles.

I've also tried a bunch of clowns, which really only seem interested interested in feeding off the pelagic critters.

Thanks in advance!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Sixlines can be aggressive to other pod eaters, especially in a 60g tank.

Possibly a dottyback or Chrysiptera damsel.

If you got rid of the sixline there would be a lot more possibilities.

 

[asdfjkl semicolon]

Sixline is only there until I figure out what the next fish will be.

Happy to throw a bunch in, really need to get these things under control.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Without the sixline a couple of leopard wrasses will take care of it in no time.

 

[becks]

I have a scooter Blenny, adorned wrasse, chyrus wrasse and a leapeod wrasse...yet my amphipods are out of control still....and some of the buggers look huge at night!!!

 

[eatbreakfast]

Skip feeding one or two days a week. That will help your fish 'catch up' in eating the pods.

 

[becks]

I don't mind, so far they don't seem to be causing a problem and when I got my scooter she had a pinched stomach four months ago and now she's nice and plump

 

[asdfjkl semicolon]

Skip feeding one or two days a week. That will help your fish 'catch up' in eating the pods.

I

Gross underestimation of the pod population. ;-)

It isn't something that missing a day or a week (or more, really) solves. Skipping feeding will probably just get the amphipods to start eating the anemone.

The top layer of substrate is crushed coral, and often looks like the substrate itself is alive.

 

[mort]

I'd move the six line on and add a few interesting small wrasse. Pink streaked wrasse are nice peaceful fish that you could keep a pair of. Wetmorella are similar, if a little shyer. Leopard and peacock wrasse are also a good choice as might a smaller halichoeres (if the tank is longer and not a cube) such as chrysus. Blue stripe pipefish might also be an interesting choice.
I would have said dragonet but I wouldn't think they'd do well with the nems.

 

[eatbreakfast]

I

Gross underestimation of the pod population. ;-)

It isn't something that missing a day or a week (or more, really) solves. Skipping feeding will probably just get the amphipods to start eating the anemone.

The top layer of substrate is crushed coral, and often looks like the substrate itself is alive.

The amphipods will come out more, making them easier targets for hunting fish. And the effect is cumulative. Results may not be noticed for a couple months, but it will eventually make a difference. Especially If the sixline gets taken out and multiple amphipod eaters can be added.