Best fish for pest control in a nano?

[Nopy117]

Setting up a Fluval 13.5 with a focus on stability, coral health and growth. Stocking will be very low. If you had to pick a single fish suitable for a small tank that destroys pests, what would it be?

 

[ReeferWarrant]

You’ll be really limited on choices but I think a Possom Wrasse/Pink Streaked Wrasse might work in that tank.

 

[BlennyTime]

You’ll be really limited on choices but I think a Possom Wrasse/Pink Streaked Wrasse might work in that tank.

Yep, those would be my picks too

 

[ichthyogeek]

Maybe a sixline? I'd definitely go for a wrasse though, and the possum wrasses are always a good option as long as you can care for them past the pest stage.

 

[Zionas]

Personally not interested in them but are they a difficult fish to care for? I’m asking for the OP’s purposes.

I’ll have to disagree about putting a Sixline in a 13.5 gallon tank whether it’s for the fish’s activity level and its temperament.

I do agree that a Possum Wrasse or Pink Streak Wrasse would be the OP’s best bet.

 

[GlassMunky]

Personally not interested in them but are they a difficult fish to care for? I’m asking for the OP’s purposes.

I’ll have to disagree about putting a Sixline in a 13.5 gallon tank whether it’s for the fish’s activity level and its temperament.

I do agree that a Possum Wrasse or Pink Streak Wrasse would be the OP’s best bet.

No they are not difficult in any way. Possums are the most docile wrasse I’ve ever kept.

 

[Haydn]

No such animal- A fish that destroys Aiptasia, majanos, fireworms, amphipods, algae, flatworms, AEFW, etc-etc... do you want it to clean your other fish as well?

 

[GlassMunky]

No such animal- A fish that destroys Aiptasia, majanos, fireworms, amphipods, algae, flatworms, AEFW, etc-etc... do you want it to clean your other fish as well?

Amphipods are not pests....

 

[Haydn]

Amphipods are not pests....

I agree but in the same way as bristle worms, some people consider they are.

 

[Zionas]

I wouldn’t mind seeing my Tiger Pistol kill an amphipod for its Yellow Watchman Gobies (plural coz I’d like a pair) lol.

 

[PachecoBoston]

No such animal- A fish that destroys Aiptasia, majanos, fireworms, amphipods, algae, flatworms, AEFW, etc-etc... do you want it to clean your other fish as well?

You are totally wrong, yes it's fishes that destroy pests, my six line eats all asterina stars, my yellow coris did help me when I got flatworms, he destroyed it..my copper band?? I had infestation of over 1k aiptasia once, in about 1 month after got him, not even mojano was left...where did you knowledge came from??

 

[Lasse]

You are totally wrong, yes it's fishes that destroy pests, my six line eats all asterina stars, my yellow coris did help me when I got flatworms, he destroyed it..my copper band?? I had infestation of over 1k aiptasia once, in about 1 month after got him, not even mojano was left...where did you knowledge came from??

I think he meant that there is not a single species capable of all that - to kill all type of "pests"

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Haydn]

You are totally wrong, yes it's fishes that destroy pests, my six line eats all asterina stars, my yellow coris did help me when I got flatworms, he destroyed it..my copper band?? I had infestation of over 1k aiptasia once, in about 1 month after got him, not even mojano was left...where did you knowledge came from??

My knowledge came from reading the OP's opening post, it quite clearly says 'If you had to pick a single fish suitable for a small tank that destroys pests, what would it be?' You have named 4.

 

[Everything Aquatics]

I have a sixline in my 20 that eats the flatworms

 

[PicassoClown04]

I think OP is asking for one fish that you think destroyed the WORST pests not the most. Like if there was a nano fish that did the same job as a copperband (in that it eats aiptasia) most of us would be saying that. But since there isn’t, many of us are suggesting the wrasses because they take care of flatworms which can be detrimental should they get to apocalyptic proportions. I know, that happened to me and euphyllia eating flatworms, I had to take out all my euphyllia and put it in a tank with a wrasse and the wrasse took care of the worms. So just for that I would say the wrasses the others mentioned :). If there’s also an aiptasia worry, a peppermint shrimp would do nicely in a tank of this size.

 

[dlockert]

I like the six-line wrasse. I've been keeping them in fairly small tanks for a couple of years. As long as there are lots of holes in the rocks, things to swim in and out of, they seem to be fine. I've not had any aggression issues with them in a 16 gallon AIO.