New fish

[falter]

So we are now coming up on 2 months since we rescued our clownfish, Repo, from a week unprotected in an open carport. Considering we did everything 'wrong', I think we came out okay!

A few weeks ago, I spun up a Fluval Flex 15 that was on sale as a QT. It's fancy, but I wanted greater than 10 gal on a smaller footprint. Last week I got a couple of fish I'd like to have in our Biocube DT in a couple of months - a black and white ocellaris, and a matted filefish. I did some research and as far as I understand, black and white (Darwin?) are perfectly fine with orange as long as they're both ocellaris, which the LFS said this one is, and if one is much smaller (the b/w is much smaller than Repo). I plan to QT them for at least a month or two.

I know filefish are known to be a problem with corals sometimes - but I just love our guy, he's the sweetest, gentlest fish ever, and we don't have any corals anyway. If I had to choose between corals or him, I'd choose him for sure. He doesn't really seem inclined to graze - he eats from a pipette of fresh krill, plankton, mysis shrimp etc.

As I understand it, the Biocube can support up to a max of 4 fish, so I was thinking a lawnmower blenny as the final, down the road. If there are some hardy corals that Mr. Filefish wouldn't go after, I'd love recommendations I could try when the DT is more mature.

If for some reason either or both fish don't get along with Repo, my backup plan is to convert the Fluval into a DT they can live in. Maybe another year from now with more experience under my belt, I might buy a much, much larger tank to be my main DT - and then the Biocube would become a second tank somewhere else. Maybe that would be my coral tank or something like that. Or maybe the Fluval could become a second DT with some coral if I don't upgrade the Biocube? The bug has bitten me for sure. :)

Am I on the right track here?

 

[allof fish]

So we are now coming up on 2 months since we rescued our clownfish, Repo, from a week unprotected in an open carport. Considering we did everything 'wrong', I think we came out okay!

A few weeks ago, I spun up a Fluval Flex 15 that was on sale as a QT. It's fancy, but I wanted greater than 10 gal on a smaller footprint. Last week I got a couple of fish I'd like to have in our Biocube DT in a couple of months - a black and white ocellaris, and a matted filefish. I did some research and as far as I understand, black and white (Darwin?) are perfectly fine with orange as long as they're both ocellaris, which the LFS said this one is, and if one is much smaller (the b/w is much smaller than Repo). I plan to QT them for at least a month or two.

I know filefish are known to be a problem with corals sometimes - but I just love our guy, he's the sweetest, gentlest fish ever, and we don't have any corals anyway. If I had to choose between corals or him, I'd choose him for sure. He doesn't really seem inclined to graze - he eats from a pipette of fresh krill, plankton, mysis shrimp etc.

As I understand it, the Biocube can support up to a max of 4 fish, so I was thinking a lawnmower blenny as the final, down the road. If there are some hardy corals that Mr. Filefish wouldn't go after, I'd love recommendations I could try when the DT is more mature.

If for some reason either or both fish don't get along with Repo, my backup plan is to convert the Fluval into a DT they can live in. Maybe another year from now with more experience under my belt, I might buy a much, much larger tank to be my main DT - and then the Biocube would become a second tank somewhere else. Maybe that would be my coral tank or something like that. Or maybe the Fluval could become a second DT with some coral if I don't upgrade the Biocube? The bug has bitten me for sure. :)

Am I on the right track here?

Are we talking about the 15g? I wouldn’t put anymore fish in the tank other than the clowns. If he had like a 40g breeder you could do all 4 but I wouldn’t put them all in there. They’d run out of space and the clownfish would likely get aggressive at some point

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Personally in a 15 I would keep it to 2 clowns only.

 

[Uncle99]

What doesn’t work is two female clowns.
1/2”-3/4” ensures the fish is a juvenile and thus male.
No guarantee that same species different colour always works and sometimes same species and same colour doesn’t always work.

Overall, when introducing a new clown to an existing one the same species and colour pattern as well as size has been most successful for me.

Yup, you’re on the right track!
Maybe pushing the 15g a bit.
Two clowns would be great.

Good luck and have fun….

 

[falter]

Are we talking about the 15g? I wouldn’t put anymore fish in the tank other than the clowns. If he had like a 40g breeder you could do all 4 but I wouldn’t put them all in there. They’d run out of space and the clownfish would likely get aggressive at some point

The main DT is a Biocube 29 or 32. The LFS expert said 4 'peaceful' would be fine.

Maybe I just need to start thinking bigger tank. Hehe

 

[falter]

Just for clarity - there are two tanks.. a 29 or 32 gal Biocube which is the DT, and the new Fluval Flex 15gal which is serving as QT for now, but could turn into a small DT down the road.

The intent was to have 3 or 4 fish in the Biocube.

 

[Fish Fan]

You can squeeze three or even four fish in a 15 AIO, but I believe your fish selection may need to be adjusted a little

I don't think the lawnmower blenny is a good fit, they get pretty big and need a lot of algae to graze on.

If you're talking about an Aptasia eating filefish, I think those are a bit large for a 15 gallon too.

I would try one Clown ideally, though a pair may be possible. I would suggest adding the Clownfish last to let any other fish feel comfortable and know where their hiding spots are.

Take a look at fish like a Tail Spot Blenny, very popular, super peaceful, and great personalities. Maybe something like a small Goby that hangs out on the bottom. Have you seen the Goby/pistol shrimp pairs? These form a very cool symbiotic relationship, very fun to watch.

Good luck!

 

[falter]

You can squeeze three or even four fish in a 15 AIO, but I believe your fish selection may need to be adjusted a little

I don't think the lawnmower blenny is a good fit, they get pretty big and need a lot of algae to graze on.

If you're talking about an Aptasia eating filefish, I think those are a bit large for a 15 gallon too.

I would try one Clown ideally, though a pair may be possible. I would suggest adding the Clownfish last to let any other fish feel comfortable and know where their hiding spots are.

Take a look at fish like a Tail Spot Blenny, very popular, super peaceful, and great personalities. Maybe something like a small Goby that hangs out on the bottom. Have you seen the Goby/pistol shrimp pairs? These form a very cool symbiotic relationship, very fun to watch.

Good luck!

Many thanks! Just for clarity.. the 15 gal is my QT, not my DT. The DT is a (I think) 32 gal Biocube. I'm envisioning all of the fish living in the Biocube, not the 15 gal. The 15 gal would only become a permanent fish home (for up to 2 of them) if everyone living in the 32 didn't work out.

 

[ScaredGoat]

You can squeeze three or even four fish in a 15 AIO, but I believe your fish selection may need to be adjusted a little

I don't think the lawnmower blenny is a good fit, they get pretty big and need a lot of algae to graze on.

If you're talking about an Aptasia eating filefish, I think those are a bit large for a 15 gallon too.

I would try one Clown ideally, though a pair may be possible. I would suggest adding the Clownfish last to let any other fish feel comfortable and know where their hiding spots are.

Take a look at fish like a Tail Spot Blenny, very popular, super peaceful, and great personalities. Maybe something like a small Goby that hangs out on the bottom. Have you seen the Goby/pistol shrimp pairs? These form a very cool symbiotic relationship, very fun to watch.

Good luck!

Indeed they are.

 

[Fish Fan]

Many thanks! Just for clarity.. the 15 gal is my QT, not my DT. The DT is a (I think) 32 gal Biocube. I'm envisioning all of the fish living in the Biocube, not the 15 gal. The 15 gal would only become a permanent fish home (for up to 2 of them) if everyone living in the 32 didn't work out.

Oh, four fish in a 32 should be fine