Fish compatibility for 34 gallon DT

CenlaReefer · Jan 18, 2019

Please look at this list and see if they can all go together into my 34 gallon display tank along with 2 paired firefish which I already have:

McCosker’s flasher wrasse
pajama-bottom cardinalfish
Banggai cardinalfish
green-blue chromis
2 neon gobies
red stoplight cardinalfish
I thought about a clown goby, but decided "no" because those nip at SPS corals.
Any recommendations for vibrant, colorful fish that is 100% safe with SPS & LPS corals? I am looking for nice colors such as yellow and vibrant, deeper blue or purple yet do not want to spend more than $80 for a single fish.

I love the idea of getting a royal gramma for this tank, but I heard they could possibly fight with the wrasse above. I mostly want to keep peaceful fish. I do not mind having a dominant wrasse, but I want to avoid any fighting for the most part.

The tank will have a 30 gallon sump with lots of well-seasoned liverock, Caribsea mineral mud, and chaeto. It can handle lots of bioload.

rkpetersen · Jan 18, 2019

That's a fair amount of fish for a tank that size, especially if you're going to be growing corals too. I'd pick one species of cardinal and get a pair if possible or try a small group. Chromis also should be in a group or just skip them as they can bring uronema and once that's in your tank it's there until a full restart. Also pretty small for even one flasher wrasse; it'll definitely jump often in a tank that small so you'd need a lid but it's still not great having the fish smack into it. Clown goby would be fine imo; mostly they damage coral when they're building a nest so just keep one and problem solved. If you want a wonderful small blue and yellow fish, get an Azure damsel; much better behaved than many other damsels.

PDR · Jan 18, 2019

I would definitely recommend against adding a flasher wrasse in that size tank. I agree with the above as well.

Jesterrace · Jan 19, 2019

Switch the Flasher for a Possum/Pink Streaked Wrasse. I would skip the Royal Gramma not because of the Wrasse, but because of the Firefish which are easily bullied by more assertive fish and they have a similar shape to the Royal Gramma. I agree with the advice given above though.

davocean · Jan 19, 2019

I personally have not had any problems mixing firefish and royal grammas, but firefish can be skittish and definitely can be jumpers.
Royal gramma for me is one of those basic but must have fish, pretty much always have one, firefish sometimes.
Tailspot blenny is another must have smaller fish for me.

CenlaReefer · Jan 19, 2019

Great advice thus far. Thanks! I have a birdsnest coral, I believe the clown goby will nip on that one to make its nest in there. I will get one if there are low chances that it will nip on my encrusting and plating montipora. I like the idea of one Azure damsel. I currently keep a firefish and a royal gramma in a 20 gallon display and they get along just fine.

These websites say the flasher wrasse can go in a 30 gallon display:

https://www.bluezooaquatics.com/productDetail.asp?did=1&pid=1014&cid=290

https://www.saltwaterfish.com/product-mccoskers-flasher-wrasse

For me to make that work, I wonder if I should reduce the number of other fish?

Liveaquaria says a 55 gallon or larger is best.

davocean · Jan 19, 2019

Clown goby is a sps nipper.

Marine Iguana · Jan 19, 2019

Flasher wrasse are active fish- I would recommend against adding one to a small tank. I usually recommend using Live Aquaria’s tank size guide as a baseline as they have more accurate recommendations.

What filtration do you have? Like said above, that’s a decent amount of fish for a 34 gallon tank, if you plan on adding them all you’re ganna need to stay on top of your water quality. Like rkpetersen said, it might be better to try a pair of one type of cardinal.

Some reef safe fish to consider for a tank your size:
Pink streak wrasse
Possum wrasse
Fang blenny’s
Occelaris clownfish pair
Springeri damselfish
Zebra bar dartfish
Chalk basslet
Rainford’s Goby (captive bred)
Linear Blenny
Orange Spot Watchman Goby (or most other gobies)