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

Parsely

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Hi, I’m 2 months into my first tank. It’s a Fluval evo 13.5g. Right now there is just a pair of clownfish and a small cuc.

I wanted to add a third and final fish to the tank and decided on a tailspot blenny. It seems like it’s a favourite amongst many people on here and I thought it would be a good match for the clowns since I read it occupies a different area, hiding in the rocks mostly Vs swimming out in open.

However, I have a very opinionated 4 year old who when I told him about the new fish is very set on getting a royal gramma instead. So now I have to do all my research over and thought I’d start here getting others opinions. Would a royal gramma be appropriate for my tank?
 

Slocke

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Hi, I’m 2 months into my first tank. It’s a Fluval evo 13.5g. Right now there is just a pair of clownfish and a small cuc.

I wanted to add a third and final fish to the tank and decided on a tailspot blenny. It seems like it’s a favourite amongst many people on here and I thought it would be a good match for the clowns since I read it occupies a different area, hiding in the rocks mostly Vs swimming out in open.

However, I have a very opinionated 4 year old who when I told him about the new fish is very set on getting a royal gramma instead. So now I have to do all my research over and thought I’d start here getting others opinions. Would a royal gramma be appropriate for my tank?
Not really they're very active fish. They need more space than that. I'd go with a goby if I were you. Neon, orangespot, etc.
 

travisty282

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I am looking into getting a reef safe fish to go in my 33 gallon tank. I have a diamond goby, sunrise dottyback, and a clown. The dottyback is a bit of a punk so not sure what else I can get. I could put him in a qt tank for a little to add new fish but not sure if he'll go back to being a turd when reintroduced. Any thoughts?
 

Slocke

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I am looking into getting a reef safe fish to go in my 33 gallon tank. I have a diamond goby, sunrise dottyback, and a clown. The dottyback is a bit of a punk so not sure what else I can get. I could put him in a qt tank for a little to add new fish but not sure if he'll go back to being a turd when reintroduced. Any thoughts?
So something tough. A royal gramma is an agile fish that can hold its own. A fanged blenny like the harptail is similar and with the bonus of some venom. Those might work but it’s only might.
How old is the tank? Mandarins are immune to aggression thanks to their poisonous skin. I strongly suggest getting captive bred though as wild one will only eat copepods so you’d need an established tank.
 

travisty282

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So something tough. A royal gramma is an agile fish that can hold its own. A fanged blenny like the harptail is similar and with the bonus of some venom. Those might work but it’s only might.
How old is the tank? Mandarins are immune to aggression thanks to their poisonous skin. I strongly suggest getting captive bred as wild one will only eat copepods so you’d need an established tank.
Tank is 3 months old. Got a few softies in it. Definitely not matured.
 

Slocke

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BTW a good method for adding fish into a potentially aggressive tank is to keep them in an isolation box until lights out. If there isn’t aggression towards it release then when the other fish are asleep.
 

travisty282

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BTW a good method for adding fish into a potentially aggressive tank is to keep them in an isolation box until lights out. If there isn’t aggression towards it release then when the other fish are asleep.
I'll have to check that out. If there is aggression then just rehome it I guess
 

Slocke

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Meiacanthus
Tank is 3 months old. Got a few softies in it. Definitely not matured.
If you like the blenny idea look for fanged blennies of the genus Meiacanthus. They’re venom isn’t really dangerous, rather it apparently stuns the attacker by lowering its blood pressure suddenly. They’re very cool.
 

Sink_or_Swim

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Tank is 3 months old. Got a few softies in it. Definitely not matured.
I highly recommend a fang blenny - really pretty, don't get large, always out and about, and bonus is they have a cool personality. And yes, venom, and can defend themselves from the dotty. They won't really occupy the same area of the tank though which is a bonus - they're more middle level swimmers. I love my striped fang blenny - one of my favorite fish unexpectedly.
 

Allenh427

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I have a 85.3 Waterbox frag which is really about 55gal in the display.

Current stock:
2 clowns, 1 firefish, 1 cardinal, 1 blue streak cleaner wrasse

Incoming from Dr. Reefs:
Bicolor blenny, orange stripe goby

I'm thinking I can get just one final fish after these, they have tons of swimming room:
Considering a flame angel, or a tomini tang. I've always loved the look of royal grammas but heard they can be mean and my current tankmates are super peaceful to eachother.

Any input or considerations would be nice. Looking for an active fish that swims around quite a bit.
 

Slocke

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I have a 85.3 Waterbox frag which is really about 55gal in the display.

Current stock:
2 clowns, 1 firefish, 1 cardinal, 1 blue streak cleaner wrasse

Incoming from Dr. Reefs:
Bicolor blenny, orange stripe goby

I'm thinking I can get just one final fish after these, they have tons of swimming room:
Considering a flame angel, or a tomini tang. I've always loved the look of royal grammas but heard they can be mean and my current tankmates are super peaceful to eachother.

Any input or considerations would be nice. Looking for an active fish that swims around quite a bit.
A royal gramma is actually a pretty peaceful fish in a big enough tank and that is big enough. Go with that.
The tang and angel will be far more aggressive especially in a small tank for them like yours. The angel may work but the tang will be a monster probably.
Its about size and territory. A gramma being the smallest will need less room to be comfortable while the tang will be stressed out and attack.

Also is the cleaner wrasse wild caught. I hope you know how difficult a wild caught cleaner wrasse can be?
 

Allenh427

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A royal gramma is actually a pretty peaceful fish in a big enough tank and that is big enough. Go with that.
The tang and angel will be far more aggressive especially in a small tank for them like yours. The angel may work but the tang will be a monster probably.
Its about size and territory. A gramma being the smallest will need less room to be comfortable while the tang will be stressed out and attack.

Also is the cleaner wrasse wild caught. I hope you know how difficult a wild caught cleaner wrasse can be?
Thanks for the advice! I'm open to any recommendations as well.

It's a captive bred wrasse. I've had him over a year and he's super healthy and loving life.
 

Slocke

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Thanks for the advice! I'm open to any recommendations as well.

It's a captive bred wrasse. I've had him over a year and he's super healthy and loving life.
Awesome I have a captive bred one too!

Good fish options for that tank IMO:
  • royal gramma as discussed
  • any blenny (similar to a gramma in behavior)
  • a small wrasse like a possum or fairy
 

Runnin'Reefer

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Hey what's up reefers! At the end of my cycle for a 32 g coralife biocube with a rimless mod I got off fb marketplace. I have a pair of clowns coming in and some possible free fish with them because of a deal with a friend. Not sure what the free fish will be but I'm assuming a goby, a dottyback, and possibly a passer angelfish.

I know the angelfish will be too big for my tank, but I wasn't sure if I could keep it while it's a juvenile and sell it when it get's bigger. I've been trying to decide between a pistol/goby pair or a yellow headed jawfish. I have a little over 2" of sand in the bottom. I've put my live rock on pvc stilts to ensure nothing falls on a burrowing fish or shrimp. I've read jawfish need 5-7" but recently I've read they just need a pile around that thick for their burrow but the whole bottom does not need that. Let me know what anyone thinks!
 

Slocke

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Hey what's up reefers! At the end of my cycle for a 32 g coralife biocube with a rimless mod I got off fb marketplace. I have a pair of clowns coming in and some possible free fish with them because of a deal with a friend. Not sure what the free fish will be but I'm assuming a goby, a dottyback, and possibly a passer angelfish.

I know the angelfish will be too big for my tank, but I wasn't sure if I could keep it while it's a juvenile and sell it when it get's bigger. I've been trying to decide between a pistol/goby pair or a yellow headed jawfish. I have a little over 2" of sand in the bottom. I've put my live rock on pvc stilts to ensure nothing falls on a burrowing fish or shrimp. I've read jawfish need 5-7" but recently I've read they just need a pile around that thick for their burrow but the whole bottom does not need that. Let me know what anyone thinks!
I see you made your own thread for the jawfish. Good. You should get good advice there.

That's a really big angelfish and I just think it'll be too problematic. Also a dotty back is probably the most notoriously aggressive fish. If you do get the dotty you're gonna want some other semi-aggressive fish that can hold their own such as hawkfish or maybe a fanged blenny. It may well rule out a shrimp-goby pair.
 

Runnin'Reefer

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I see you made your own thread for the jawfish. Good. You should get good advice there.

That's a really big angelfish and I just think it'll be too problematic. Also a dotty back is probably the most notoriously aggressive fish. If you do get the dotty you're gonna want some other semi-aggressive fish that can hold their own such as hawkfish or maybe a fanged blenny. It may well rule out a shrimp-goby pair.
Yeah that's what I am thinking, so I am kind of worried. I am not necessarily wanting the angel fish or the dottyback. The company I am getting the clowns through breeds the other fish too and said they will send some free fish to my friend for ordering from them, but he said I can keep all the freebies. I guess I will just have to wait and see what I get and go from there.

Do most LFS buy fish from reefers?
 

Slocke

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Yeah that's what I am thinking, so I am kind of worried. I am not necessarily wanting the angel fish or the dottyback. The company I am getting the clowns through breeds the other fish too and said they will send some free fish to my friend for ordering from them, but he said I can keep all the freebies. I guess I will just have to wait and see what I get and go from there.

Do most LFS buy fish from reefers?
Most do. I often get 1/3 to 1/2 their selling price
 

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