Do you have big tanks with small fish?

vetteguy53081

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I’ve always like the smaller “nano tank” fish. Yellow clown goby, fire fish... I’m QTing them at the moment but plan on adding them to my Tank in my Sig block (625L/160G). I know they will look a little lost in the larger tank. I’m looking at adding more Firefish type fish in the future too.

Just wondering who has these and other small fish in their large tanks.
Not necessarily. My main tank is a 660g and I have flame angel, potter angel, several firefish gobies, 6 line wrasse, 8 percula clowns and a strawberry Basslet amongst my much larger fish. Theyre all noticeable and a good fit in the tank
 

29bonsaireef

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Anyone have a few recommendations on small fish they like and why?

Corey

I really like gobies.. they come in so many colors and variations. I'd like to have a system just for gobies, but in a large tank they can be hard to find sometimes. I have a few I see maybe once a month but it's nice to know they are thriving and contributing to part of the mini ecosystem in some way..

Damsels are nice for a working fish. They're colorful, energetic and keep pests down which is always a plus.
 

ca1ore

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Just a suggestion go in your profile and add the link to your build. It will restore your tank build banner on the left. Also it makes the banner clickable and takes people straight to your build.

It’s on the to do list .....
 

saltyhog

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I have 12 wrasses, a black cap basslet and an eyebrow barnacle blenny in a 72x24 tank. The only large fish I have is a 4.5" Gold Rim tang. I do have a 4" Blue throat trigger in QT.
 

suta4242

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I’ve always like the smaller “nano tank” fish. Yellow clown goby, fire fish... I’m QTing them at the moment but plan on adding them to my Tank in my Sig block (625L/160G). I know they will look a little lost in the larger tank. I’m looking at adding more Firefish type fish in the future too.

Just wondering who has these and other small fish...

I love the small fish too. I know our little slice of the ocean is an illusion, but keeping a lot of really small fish makes closer viewing much more interesting. Big fish only in a tank make the tank look small imo and dare I say it, a bit boring. You just need to decide whether you want fish that are outgoing and always visible. Its fun at feeding time to see a diminutive trimma try and pinch food from a large fish...


With smaller fish, there are shy cryptic types and bold, confident ones. With the former I’ve kept white gecko gobies, yellow gecko gobies, wetmorella, coral crouchers etc.. Some of these are visible most of the time in a quiet tank but only at feeding time and dawn / dusk in a busy tank with bold fish.

Size alone doesn’t dictate how outgoing they are. For instance small helcogramma, Tiger blenny (E. Tigris) and trimma have often been visible no matter the tank they’re in. I recommend these types also because they’re good feeders. Finally, some shy cryptic types become a lot less shy if they’re held in a separate conditioning tank for a few months. Then you see them all the time in the display too.

Anyway, hope that’s given you some ideas.
 

FishyDP

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I generally prefer more small fish than fewer large fish. In my current 450, I have both. Group of damsels 60 strong.
I would love to have a group of damsels like this. Have you experienced aggression from the group towards other fish? I have 2 yellow tail damsels and they are the first to harass new fish introduced to my tank..
 

ca1ore

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They spend all their time chasing each other around. No time left to harass other fish. I think the ‘secret’ to managing aggression in chrysiptera damsels is space and a group.
 

Daniel@R2R

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I like lots of small fish in a big tank
 

lavoisier

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I have small schools of firefish, chromis and anthias in my 150g. They add alot of motion to the tank. I would like to have an even number of small, medium and larger fish but my yellow tang will not allow it.
How many firefish do you keep and for how long? I have chromis and anthias but did not think firefish were possible. I have a wonderful memory of snorkling in Tabago and being stunned by a school of a hundred or so firefish. :)
 

FishyDP

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How many firefish do you keep and for how long? I have chromis and anthias but did not think firefish were possible. I have a wonderful memory of snorkling in Tabago and being stunned by a school of a hundred or so firefish. :)
I started off with a small school of 4 about 8 months ago, and now down to 3 not sure what happened to the 4th, but I didnt see any of them being picked on.. they always swim together against the current and are constantly picking tiny particles out of the water. When LA has a sale on them I am strongly considering adding several more.
 

Squidward

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I have 4 white tail chromis, 1 Rolland's damsel, 2 blackcap basslets, 1 tangora goby, 1 randall's goby, 1 orange spotted blenny, 1 bi-color blenny, flame angel, bi-color angel, coral beauty, and a pair of clowns as far as small fish for my 300g. The big fish are the other 8 tangs.
 

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