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

ILMX20

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 13, 2020
Messages
39
Reaction score
27
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have a 30gal tank, 2 ocellaris Clowns, one lawnmower blenny, and as of today, 2 yellowtail damsels. I just added the damsels in, but I’m worried. My clowns seem to Ben cowering away from them, and I want my clowns to be the alphas of the tank, not the damsels. Should I leave them or take them out?
 

DeniseAndy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
7,802
Reaction score
10,677
Location
Milford, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
How old is the tank? How large are the damsels to the clowns? Since they are all "damselfish", their could be some issues. However, all my damsels do fine with the space and hidey holes they have. Keep an eye on the situation. Once mated, clowns will be the dominant fish. No doubt about that.
 

amfreefer

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
71
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 2 snowflake clowns,
1 hawkfish,
1 pygmy angel,
1 bluespot jawfish,
1 sexy shrimp and 1 cleaner shrimp in a 20 gallon.

People say my hawkfish is going to eat the shrimps. Any other concerns?
Also was considering adding a pistol shrimp to my jawfish hole. Thoughts?
 

DeniseAndy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
7,802
Reaction score
10,677
Location
Milford, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is a lot of bioload for a 20g. May want to look into a larger system. Depends on hawkfish. May eat them, may not. Watch your nitrates, with that crew they could be high. Also, bluespot will need to be eating some prepared food to keep it going. Good luck!
 

amfreefer

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
52
Reaction score
71
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That is a lot of bioload for a 20g. May want to look into a larger system. Depends on hawkfish. May eat them, may not. Watch your nitrates, with that crew they could be high. Also, bluespot will need to be eating some prepared food to keep it going. Good luck!
prepared food such as what?
I do 20% water changes weekly.
 

DeniseAndy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
7,802
Reaction score
10,677
Location
Milford, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Just any manufactured foods or homemade food. Something meaty for the jawfish with lots vitamins. Frozen, pellet, flake. Whatever it will eat.
 

alibarin

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 23, 2020
Messages
7
Reaction score
3
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hi!

I just bought my first tank and am getting ready to do a fishless cycle. I'm very excited to start putting together a list of fish. I was wondering how many I could put in my 36 gallon tank? On my list so far is 1 mandarin goby and 1 fire goby. I was wondering if these two would get along and some advice on who else will get along with them?

Also, I was wondering if anyone has a recommendation for a place to buy fish online? I've checked out a couple of local fish stores in my area and they aren't well or regularly stocked so I might need to go online to get the specific fish I have in mind.
 

DeniseAndy

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 12, 2011
Messages
7,802
Reaction score
10,677
Location
Milford, Ohio
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome an hello, @alibarin !
First off, a mandarin in such a small tank will be tough unless it is truly eating prepared, you are preparedto buy lots of pods, or you raise pods. Either way it will require a vary mature tank due to their eating habits. May want to wait a long while before thinking of a mandarin.
A fire goby will do fine. However, make sure you have a lid. They like to jump.
As far as how many, it is really a matter of bioload and space needed. For instance, in a 36g, a pair of clowns will be great, clown gobies, smaller gobies, smaller blennies, one dottyback, chalk basslet, Chrysiptera sp of damsel fish.
If you have sand, a goby shrimp pairing.
Are you going to have corals or other inverts?
 

alibarin

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 23, 2020
Messages
7
Reaction score
3
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome an hello, @alibarin !
First off, a mandarin in such a small tank will be tough unless it is truly eating prepared, you are preparedto buy lots of pods, or you raise pods. Either way it will require a vary mature tank due to their eating habits. May want to wait a long while before thinking of a mandarin.
A fire goby will do fine. However, make sure you have a lid. They like to jump.
As far as how many, it is really a matter of bioload and space needed. For instance, in a 36g, a pair of clowns will be great, clown gobies, smaller gobies, smaller blennies, one dottyback, chalk basslet, Chrysiptera sp of damsel fish.
If you have sand, a goby shrimp pairing.
Are you going to have corals or other inverts?

Thank you! Ok! I will probably wait on the mandarin then and wait until I have a more established tank. I'm working on building a lid for my tank this week! Those all look like super cool fish!

I will have sand, and I am planning on adding a few after the cycle is complete. I was thinking Duncans, zooanthids, and pulsing xenia to start.
 

anarchy

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 7, 2014
Messages
573
Reaction score
207
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I'm starting a 65 gallon and I want to have alot of the smaller blennies and gobies along with alot of inverts. Theres also going to be a 30 gallon fuge. Couple of questions before I get to the fish list. How many pistol shrimp can I keep? Theres going to be alot of rock on the sand bed for them to burrow around. What kind of fish/inverts can I put in the fuge? I was thinking maybe a dwarf lion and a fighting conch.... maybe something else could go in there. Well heres the fish list

Scopas tang (i know will get too big and have to be rehome)
Squaretail bristletooth tang
Hi fin red banded goby
Tasha white ray goby
Wheelers shrimp goby
Tangaroa goby
Black barred convict goby
Wide barred shrimp goby
Firefish
Black ice clown
Black snowflake clown
Blue green reef chromis
Panamic barnacle blenny
Mexican barnacle blenny
Tailspot blenny
Pink streak wrasse
Black nox dwarf anglefish

Snails
Astrea turbo
Banded trochus
Super tongan nassarius
Zebra turbo
Bumblebee bee
Spiny star Astreas
Mexican turbos

Shrimp
Peppermint
Harlequin (maybe)
Bumblebee bee
Pistol

Misc
Purple short spine pin cushion urchin
Halloween urchin
 

akelly310

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2020
Messages
34
Reaction score
73
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure if this is allowed or not, but I was hoping for some inspiration one What to put in my tank. I have a 55 gallon that will be fowlr for next several months, but eventually I’ll be keeping soft corals and LPS. I will for sure have a pair of clowns that I am moving from a smaller tank. With all that in mind, how would you fill the remainder of the 55 gallon?
 

Gordonm

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 24, 2020
Messages
267
Reaction score
79
Location
Who cares
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
By the way, we have some awesome people on R2R who are experts on particular types of fish, and they are kind enough to share their knowledge with us! ...and since we have the cool tag function on R2R (click here if you're not sure how to tag), I thought it would be cool to list some people you will know you can call on if you have a question about a specific type of fish.

Wrasses: @evolved, @eatbreakfast

Seahorses: @SeahorseKeeper
Angels: Aquaph8

(more names will be added as we go)
Oh wow I cant wait for..... Are u sure u spelled that right?
 

canadianeh

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Messages
1,611
Reaction score
1,044
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 65 gallons total system (Red Sea Reefer 250). I am thinking of the following fish. Any issues?

2 clowns
Royal gramma
Molly miller blenny
Pink stripe wrasse
2 Bangai cardinal
Yellow watchmen goby
Purple firefish
1 Pygmy angelfish (either flameback, flame, lemon peel, cherub, or potter)

any concern?in which order the fish should be introduced? Thank you. I will be keeping mainly softies and LPS only.
 

F i s h y

2nd In Command. Where is Frank's firebug badge?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
9,686
Reaction score
59,124
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 65 gallons total system (Red Sea Reefer 250). I am thinking of the following fish. Any issues?

2 clowns
Royal gramma
Molly miller blenny
Pink stripe wrasse
2 Bangai cardinal
Yellow watchmen goby
Purple firefish
1 Pygmy angelfish (either flameback, flame, lemon peel, cherub, or potter)

any concern?in which order the fish should be introduced? Thank you. I will be keeping mainly softies and LPS only.
I think this is a well rounded list.
 

F i s h y

2nd In Command. Where is Frank's firebug badge?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
9,686
Reaction score
59,124
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I'm starting a 65 gallon and I want to have alot of the smaller blennies and gobies along with alot of inverts. Theres also going to be a 30 gallon fuge. Couple of questions before I get to the fish list. How many pistol shrimp can I keep? Theres going to be alot of rock on the sand bed for them to burrow around. What kind of fish/inverts can I put in the fuge? I was thinking maybe a dwarf lion and a fighting conch.... maybe something else could go in there. Well heres the fish list

Scopas tang (i know will get too big and have to be rehome)
Squaretail bristletooth tang
Hi fin red banded goby
Tasha white ray goby
Wheelers shrimp goby
Tangaroa goby
Black barred convict goby
Wide barred shrimp goby
Firefish
Black ice clown
Black snowflake clown
Blue green reef chromis
Panamic barnacle blenny
Mexican barnacle blenny
Tailspot blenny
Pink streak wrasse
Black nox dwarf anglefish

Snails
Astrea turbo
Banded trochus
Super tongan nassarius
Zebra turbo
Bumblebee bee
Spiny star Astreas
Mexican turbos

Shrimp
Peppermint
Harlequin (maybe)
Bumblebee bee
Pistol

Misc
Purple short spine pin cushion urchin
Halloween urchin
This is a lot of fish and a heavy bioload for that size tank. I would consider making the list smaller...
 

F i s h y

2nd In Command. Where is Frank's firebug badge?
View Badges
Joined
Jan 28, 2020
Messages
9,686
Reaction score
59,124
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not sure if this is allowed or not, but I was hoping for some inspiration one What to put in my tank. I have a 55 gallon that will be fowlr for next several months, but eventually I’ll be keeping soft corals and LPS. I will for sure have a pair of clowns that I am moving from a smaller tank. With all that in mind, how would you fill the remainder of the 55 gallon?
My absolute favorite fish is the Banggai cardinal fish. Next would be friedmani pseudochromis for smaller systems.. When making your fish list consider all levels of the water column, weather specific fish school or shoal, what their activity levels are, and tbat they have overlapping diets to make them easier to feed.
 
Back
Top