Need help deciding on whether or not a fish is right for your tank? Post here and we'll help!

[MiguelCS71]

Both loving the hobby makes everything sooooo much easier and fulfilling!

 

[eatbreakfast]

@eatbreakfast I have a 125g mixed reef. In my tank I have 2 clowns, 1 sailfin tang, 1 yellow tang, 1 hippo tang, 1 diamond sand sifting goby, tailspot blenny, 4 chromiss, 1 coris wrasse, 1 flasher wrasse and one cleaner wrasse. My husband fell for an exquisite wrasse while at the lfs. Does anyone see an issue with adding the exquisite wrasse? We have no aggression in our tank. We will also be upsizing to 180g in the next year or so.

It should be fine. The Cori's may or may not be a little aggressive the first day or so, but use a social acclimation box and you should be fine.

 

[Orm Embar]

I'll go next - I have a Red Sea Reefer 170 (32 gallon display) that currently houses a common clownfish (not sure whether percula or ocellaris) and a Midas blenny that don't bother each other. I have a pink streaked wrasse in QT (who is obviously going in next). The mobile invert is a cleaner shrimp who runs all over the place, and there's a brittle star that lurks in the background (or foreground) - not the olive one that eats fish.

My questions:
1) I'm thinking of adding either a P. fridmani (not P. porphyreus!) or a royal gramma next, or a pair if my tank has enough volume and I can determine how to find a pair that won't fight each other; I was initially thinking P. fridmani but since the pink streaked wrasse is quite shy in QT, I'm wondering if a gramma isn't a better tankmate.
2) I'm wondering if a Yasha shimp goby would be a good addition as well (or if that would be too many fish); my goal would be a social, colorful, sand level fish that doesn't actually drop sand on coral frags. There's a candy cane pistol in there . . . somewhere. In theory.
3) If I did go with a gramma, how do I make sure that I'm getting the milder G. loreto and not the more aggressive one from Brazil?

Thanks in advance!

 

[eatbreakfast]

I'll go next - I have a Red Sea Reefer 170 (32 gallon display) that currently houses a common clownfish (not sure whether percula or ocellaris) and a Midas blenny that don't bother each other. I have a pink streaked wrasse in QT (who is obviously going in next). The mobile invert is a cleaner shrimp who runs all over the place, and there's a brittle star that lurks in the background (or foreground) - not the olive one that eats fish.

My questions:
1) I'm thinking of adding either a P. fridmani (not P. porphyreus!) or a royal gramma next, or a pair if my tank has enough volume and I can determine how to find a pair that won't fight each other; I was initially thinking P. fridmani but since the pink streaked wrasse is quite shy in QT, I'm wondering if a gramma isn't a better tankmate.
2) I'm wondering if a Yasha shimp goby would be a good addition as well (or if that would be too many fish); my goal would be a social, colorful, sand level fish that doesn't actually drop sand on coral frags. There's a candy cane pistol in there . . . somewhere. In theory.
3) If I did go with a gramma, how do I make sure that I'm getting the milder G. loreto and not the more aggressive one from Brazil?

Thanks in advance!

Pink streak wrasses are very peaceful. Even though a fridmani is more peaceful than a porphyrus, it still may be too much for a pink streak in a 32g, a Gramma is a better choice.

A yasha should be fine, they add very little bioload.

 

[Orm Embar]

Pink streak wrasses are very peaceful. Even though a fridmani is more peaceful than a porphyrus, it still may be too much for a pink streak in a 32g, a Gramma is a better choice.

A yasha should be fine, they add very little bioload.

Thanks! If I wanted to add a pair of grammas, should I just add 2 small ones and hope that they aren't both male? Or is there a better way to do this . . . I read an article that said to get 2 very differently sized grammas and do it that way

 

[eatbreakfast]

Thanks! If I wanted to add a pair of grammas, should I just add 2 small ones and hope that they aren't both male? Or is there a better way to do this . . . I read an article that said to get 2 very differently sized grammas and do it that way

In that size tank I would recommend only 1 gramma. Clownfish, midas blenny, and royal gramma all defend a territory. Having 3 territorial fish in a 32g is beyyer than 4 territorial fish.

 

[bean2986]

How are Scissortail Dartfish when being added to conspecifics in a DT (180g)? I ordered a trio from LA and 2 came DOA. I’d rather not have a single, but I also don’t have a third QT to get new fish into the DT at the same time as this lone survivor...

Thanks for any input.

 

[eatbreakfast]

How are Scissortail Dartfish when being added to conspecifics in a DT (180g)? I ordered a trio from LA and 2 came DOA. I’d rather not have a single, but I also don’t have a third QT to get new fish into the DT at the same time as this lone survivor...

Thanks for any input.

They are super peaceful with each other. No problem adding new ones to an existing one.

 

[tidefanjam]

OK, DT is finally ready, 65 gallon w/ a 20 gallon sump, reef octopus 2000 HOB skimmer, was thinking about starting with 3 pajama cardinals and a starry night blenny, would this be ok for a start?

 

[eatbreakfast]

OK, DT is finally ready, 65 gallon w/ a 20 gallon sump, reef octopus 2000 HOB skimmer, was thinking about starting with 3 pajama cardinals and a starry night blenny, would this be ok for a start?

I would recommend starting with the Cardinals, wait a couple of weeks, test parameters, then if everything is fine add the starry blenny.

 

[tidefanjam]

I would recommend starting with the Cardinals, wait a couple of weeks, test parameters, then if everything is fine add the starry blenny.

what would be a suitable wrasse for my size tank?

 

[Novareefer57]

Wandering if a melanaurus(however you spell it) wrasse would work in my 45G mixed reef with the Carib sea Hawaiian Arag-alive substrate. Sand bed is 2-3in

 

[eatbreakfast]

what would be a suitable wrasse for my size tank?

Falsher wrasse or one of the smaller fairy wrasse species.

Wandering if a melanaurus(however you spell it) wrasse would work in my 45G mixed reef with the Carib sea Hawaiian Arag-alive substrate. Sand bed is 2-3in

That's a borderline too small tank, but should be ok.

 

[Gareth elliott]

Will be upgrading to a 50 gallon in the near future (36x18x18)
Currently stock
2 ocellaris
1 decorated firefish
Couple snails and hermits

Frogspawn
Kenya tree
Assorted Polyps

Have had this setup for about 3 years and havent experimented much with other fish.

Would the following mix well with the above
1 Chalk Bass
and then i was lost lol
A peaceful wrasse or long fin cardinal pair? Want something that is striking in coloration and swims in open water so not a blenny lol

 

[Instigate]

6' 135 Gallon

What I've got:
Tailspot Blenny (Still in QT)

Green Tip Torch
Neon Green Candy Cane
Eagle Eyes Zoa
Radioactive Dragon Eyes Zoa
Hollywood Stunner Chalice
Purple Hammer
Christmas Favia
Striped Favia

2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

What I want:
Melanurus Wrasse
3 Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
Banggi Cardinal Pair
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby and Red Banded Snapping Shrimp
Bubble Tip Anemone
Ocellaris Clownfish Pair
Two Barred Foxface
Dwarf Flame Angel or Coral Beauty Angel
Azure Damsel
Blue Sapphire Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri)
Yellow Eye Kole Tang and Yellow Tang
Tridacna Clam
Maybe a Powder Blue Tang if I'm feeling confident.

Clean Up Crew:
-As Needed-
Trochus Snail
Cerith Snail
Nassarius Snail
Peppermint Shrimp
Emerald Crab
Blue Tuxedo Urchin

Pretty sure that list is all good except I'm not sure about the two damsels. They're suppose to be the more peaceful damsels but seems sketchy. Let me know, thanks.

/Also I think with all those fish I feel like I would be pushing it as far as bio load and space.
Interested in thoughts about that. This is what the rock structure looks like right now:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-first-fish-tank.317153/page-5

 

[eatbreakfast]

Will be upgrading to a 50 gallon in the near future (36x18x18)
Currently stock
2 ocellaris
1 decorated firefish
Couple snails and hermits

Frogspawn
Kenya tree
Assorted Polyps

Have had this setup for about 3 years and havent experimented much with other fish.

Would the following mix well with the above
1 Chalk Bass
and then i was lost lol
A peaceful wrasse or long fin cardinal pair? Want something that is striking in coloration and swims in open water so not a blenny lol

Those options should be fine with what you have.

6' 135 Gallon

What I've got:
Tailspot Blenny (Still in QT)

Green Tip Torch
Neon Green Candy Cane
Eagle Eyes Zoa
Radioactive Dragon Eyes Zoa
Hollywood Stunner Chalice
Purple Hammer
Christmas Favia
Striped Favia

2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp

What I want:
Melanurus Wrasse
3 Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes)
Banggi Cardinal Pair
Hi Fin Red Banded Goby and Red Banded Snapping Shrimp
Bubble Tip Anemone
Ocellaris Clownfish Pair
Two Barred Foxface
Dwarf Flame Angel or Coral Beauty Angel
Azure Damsel
Blue Sapphire Damsel (Chrysiptera springeri)
Yellow Eye Kole Tang and Yellow Tang
Tridacna Clam
Maybe a Powder Blue Tang if I'm feeling confident.

Clean Up Crew:
-As Needed-
Trochus Snail
Cerith Snail
Nassarius Snail
Peppermint Shrimp
Emerald Crab
Blue Tuxedo Urchin

Pretty sure that list is all good except I'm not sure about the two damsels. They're suppose to be the more peaceful damsels but seems sketchy. Let me know, thanks.

/Also I think with all those fish I feel like I would be pushing it as far as bio load and space.
Interested in thoughts about that. This is what the rock structure looks like right now:

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-first-fish-tank.317153/page-5

The biggest issues are that the coral beauty or flame angel may nip at some of the corals or clam.

The other issue is that Heniochus acuminuatus is frequently mislabeled as H. diphreutes, H. acuminuatus will eat some corals.

 

[Instigate]

Those options should be fine with what you have.


The biggest issues are that the coral beauty or flame angel may nip at some of the corals or clam.

The other issue is that Heniochus acuminuatus is frequently mislabeled as H. diphreutes, H. acuminuatus will eat some corals.

Oh good, I was aware of those issues and really the angels are more of a maybe. I'm glad I can have a couple damsels, love the look but hate the reputation.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Oh good, I was aware of those issues and really the angels are more of a maybe. I'm glad I can have a couple damsels, love the look but hate the reputation.

Azure and springeri damsels are quite mellow.

 

[Roy 9121]

I have a 55 gallon mixed reef, with about a 3" sand bed. I already have a sand star, but I was thinking of adding a red sea star or a fromia. Is that to much?

 

[SashimiTurtle]

I've got a 35g cube (20"x20"x20") that is still cycling and I'm planning out my fish list. Tell me what you think.

Fish owned
Line spot flasher wrasse
Golden Dwarf Moray
Ocelaris clown(2)

Fish wanted
Black cap basslet
Clown Goby
Two spot goby
Sapphire Damsel
Pink streak wrasse
Starry blenny
Lemon chromis