Fish selection: different types or one school

[Dantetsuken]

Hi,

I have a 30 gal tank, mixed corals and fish, I always try to stay far from overstocking limits to make it easier to manage my tanks (so far always had freshwater).

I'm currently planning my next steps and considering the size I am unsure which direction to take:

a) School of fish, all the same but once you get 6 or so I'll be at the limit of what I can safely add to the tank (already have 2 clowns and a goby);

b) One of each type that would live well together, but I stupidly worry if they might get lonely without friends of the same species;

Any suggestions, experiences worth sharing etc?

Aquarium is 7 months old, has a few snails and small hardy corals (so far all in good health).

Thanks

 

[Lasse]

Which goby do you have? School of fish is rather difficult to have if you are limited to 6 and 30 gallons. There is some smaller cardinals but they are rare in the trade and normally very hard to keep. 6 threadfin (Zoramia leptacantha) can work but I would prefer more than 6 and a larger aquarium. A video

But - personally I would go the other way - not single fish but pairs of fish - some examples

Fishes from the genus gobiodon

Example 1, example 2, example 3

Some blennies from the emblemaria genus. Example

Some cave gobies from the genus priolepis. Example

Why not a pistol shrimp and a shrimp goby? - example

And there is a lot of other small fishes and probably you can add more than 6 fishes to your aquarium if you chose these small fishes.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

personally I would drop the schooling idea for a 30 gallon. The types of fish you are limited to do not really 'school'.

Single fishes will not get lonely. Some are social and swim with other fishes, and the lone fishes are alone because its their choice to be alone. Many of us keep tanks with a mix of single specimens, no need to worry about it.

 

[Anemone_Fanatic]

I'd go with about 5-6 fish of different species, or in pairs. Schools will often break apart into individual fish once they realize that there are no predators in the tank. Besides, only small cardinalfish could be kept in large enough quantities to form a group in a 30 gallon, and they are notoriously fragile. If you want to have several fish of the same species, you can try to pair up some kinds. Eg. 2 clownfish, 2 orchid dottybacks, etc. I hope that this helps!

 

[Dantetsuken]

Which goby do you have? School of fish is rather difficult to have if you are limited to 6 and 30 gallons. There is some smaller cardinals but they are rare in the trade and normally very hard to keep. 6 threadfin (Zoramia leptacantha) can work but I would prefer more than 6 and a larger aquarium. A video

But - personally I would go the other way - not single fish but pairs of fish - some examples

Fishes from the genus gobiodon

Example 1, example 2, example 3

Some blennies from the emblemaria genus. Example

Some cave gobies from the genus priolepis. Example

Why not a pistol shrimp and a shrimp goby? - example

And there is a lot of other small fishes and probably you can add more than 6 fishes to your aquarium if you chose these small fishes.

Sincerely Lasse

Thank you Lasse ( and everyone else),

Looks like the multi-type option makes more sense.

On the question which Gobi, I have a Green Clown Goby, also the forementioned 2 clownfishes, various corals, snails and 2 pistol shrimps.

Will look at all the options you shared, will just need to find types that won't fight with each other.
Loved some of the ones from your videos, wonder if I have the right sand for shrimp gobies - it's not fine sand, I think is over 1mm.

Thanks again for your help and the care in sharing so many videos and options

 

[Lasse]

I would get at least 2 more green Goby, maybe okinawae and/or midnight (C.ceramensis) and some shrimp gobie(s). In my aquarium - okinawa have chosen a acropora forrest - the midnight prefer policipora or hystrix. They have nest close to each others without active fights - more like neighbors that do not like eachother but show respect. The shrimp gobies do not have the same substrate as the others - they love the bottom area. The blenies - caves in the sand (empty shells) or in the rockwork.

My sand is 1 mm +

Sincerely Lasse