Suprise 30g Stocking Ideas

[Wandering Albatross]

Good afternoon all, as stated in the title, I was given a surprise 30g (looks like a standard to me) by a family friend who has been out of the freshwater side of the hobby for a while. I couldn't possibly turn it away, so now I'm looking to stock it with less commonly kept fish. I want to avoid most of what I already have. So, preferably no Gramma, no oc or perc clowns, no tailspot blenny. Most of the others are too active or large for me to consider in a 30g. Mandarin or watchman would be acceptable in addition to another centerpiece, but I'd still rather something new.

It could be a species only, if said species is new enough, or a couple new smaller fish or inverts. Does not have to be coral/invert safe.

Loosely Bounced Around Ideas (Species only or a combination of any of the following):

Any Suitable Filefish
Bi-Color Blenny or Other Non-Tailspot
Banggai Cardinal (small group or pair)
Clarkii/Skunk/Tomato Pair
All Damsel Tank (several types if applicable, added together)
Sargassum or Other Dwarf Angler Solo Tank
Blue Spot or Pearl Jawfish
Fire Fish
Clown Goby
Neon or Dusky Dottyback
Watchman (with or without shrimp)
Flame, Falco, or Pixie Hawkfish
Dwarf Fuzzy or Zebra Solo
Dwarf Seahorse Special Tank
Any Wrasse that can fit comfortably (if applicable)
Purple Lobster Solo
Peacock Mantis Shrimp Solo or Pair
Arrow Crab Solo
Jellyfish Special Tank
Assorted Starfish Tank

Probably too small for a mature maroon pair solo.

Thoughts?

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@i cant think

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Nothing? I bet if I said maybe a tang just to get a reaction, the Tang Police would be all over that.

 

[The Ugly Phase]

cooler tank with a blue spotted jawfish?

 

[R&M Reefing]

What about a leaf scorpionfish? They’re too aggressive to keep in a community tank, but I think they’d do well in a solo 30g tank.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

What about a leaf scorpionfish? They’re too aggressive to keep in a community tank, but I think they’d do well in a solo 30g tank.

How's its activity? I read that most in the angler/scorpion family are pretty sedentary due to being ambush predators. Would any inverts be safe with him, or is he more of a fish eater? Coral safe? Does it use vertical space too or just perch near the bottom?

 

[R&M Reefing]

How's its activity? I read that most in the angler/scorpion family are pretty sedentary due to being ambush predators. Would any inverts be safe with him, or is he more of a fish eater? Coral safe? Does it use vertical space too or just perch near the bottom?

Unfortunately I can’t speak from personal experience. My LFS usually has one or two on hand at a given time and my observations are from my visits there (I make wayyy too many visits there to window shop). I’ve seen them eat and wouldn’t suggest keeping any shrimp with them, as they are vicious at feeding time and that’s what the LFS was feeding them. I typically see them stationary, either perched low in the tank or up higher on shelves. I would imagine that the higher you have live rock, the higher they’ll venture up. From my research, they don’t move much, and don’t like a lot of flow. Hopefully someone that has kept one could speak up with their firsthand experience.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Unfortunately I can’t speak from personal experience. My LFS usually has one or two on hand at a given time and my observations are from my visits there (I make wayyy too many visits there to window shop). I’ve seen them eat and wouldn’t suggest keeping any shrimp with them, as they are vicious at feeding time and that’s what the LFS was feeding them. I typically see them stationary, either perched low in the tank or up higher on shelves. I would imagine that the higher you have live rock, the higher they’ll venture up. From my research, they don’t move much, and don’t like a lot of flow. Hopefully someone that has kept one could speak up with their firsthand experience.

No big deal if shrimp can't go in the tank, but I was thinking a larger hermit or 2, a couple snails, and/or a relatively safe starfish or urchin. Something for utility purposes. Wouldn't be opposed to a clam or scallop if he won't hurt them. Depending on how big he gets, I was going to offer him jumbo krill, chopped clam, maybe silversides and table shrimp, depending on his appetite. Tong train as soon as possible, get him small. I can get live guppies or silversides if needed, though I'm hoping that if it's been in a lfs for any length of time, they have managed to feed it something frozen as well. If he won't bother coral that would give me the freedom to add a few frags for extra interest and color. Just wish he was more colorful, like the bright orange anglers, or even the deep black ones.

 

[HotManwich]

How about a frog fish (or a couple dwarf species of them) and a bunch of macro algae?

 

[Wandering Albatross]

How about a frog fish (or a couple dwarf species of them) and a bunch of macro algae?

Not opposed to either, but I'd think they'd be territorial, seems a little small for several potentially territorial predators. But I am a fan of pairs or small groups whenever I can get away with it. I was toying with the idea of a nice macro, especially if I had a small grazer that would occasionally snack on it. Obviously, that would apply if I went with a 3-4 fish community, I doubt a blenny of any type would be safe with anything in the scorpion family.

 

[kizzy89]

My bicolor blenny is my favorite fish but he does hide in a hole in his rock all day, will come out every now and then to graze. But better than the 2spot.

The barred convict/circus goby is cool but again he hides all day. Same with green clown goby.

I like the idea of the jawfish but they need deep sandbed, the macroalgae tank would be cool but i have a feeling the anglers would hide all day also.

The seahorse need a taller tank i believe and jellyfish would be too much work i feel like, ive done so much research on both to feel confident to say that.

The fuzzy lionfish would be cool but would get boring i think.

Clarkii anemone tank maybe? You could do some macro and shrimp with that plus some.

 

[littlefoxx]

Not opposed to either, but I'd think they'd be territorial, seems a little small for several potentially territorial predators. But I am a fan of pairs or small groups whenever I can get away with it. I was toying with the idea of a nice macro, especially if I had a small grazer that would occasionally snack on it. Obviously, that would apply if I went with a 3-4 fish community, I doubt a blenny of any type would be safe with anything in the scorpion family.

A dwarf angler would work! They just like to sit and wait for food.

 

[littlefoxx]

No lionfish though, the dwarfs get like 5-6 inches as an adult. Mine was very active too

 

[Wandering Albatross]

My bicolor blenny is my favorite fish but he does hide in a hole in his rock all day, will come out every now and then to graze. But better than the 2spot.

The barred convict/circus goby is cool but again he hides all day. Same with green clown goby.

I like the idea of the jawfish but they need deep sandbed, the macroalgae tank would be cool but i have a feeling the anglers would hide all day also.

The seahorse need a taller tank i believe and jellyfish would be too much work i feel like, ive done so much research on both to feel confident to say that.

The fuzzy lionfish would be cool but would get boring i think.

Clarkii anemone tank maybe? You could do some macro and shrimp with that plus some.

I don’t mind having at least part of the tank have deep sand, but would anything else fit in there with a jawfish?

Since the angler is an ambush predator I wouldn’t mind if it was not that mobile, cause it would still be different. Same with the lion, I don’t mind if he’s slow or not as interactive because I have another tank (hopefully another coming soon) that I can stare at if one gets boring.

The seahorse I was thinking was the dwarf horse, a couple and they’re only a couple inches tall. But I know they take special care too, so they were just an idea.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

No lionfish though, the dwarfs get like 5-6 inches as an adult. Mine was very active too

Too bad, I’ve always wanted a lion. Can’t put one in the 150g reef, and he’d be too big for the tank mates in the expected 60g.

 

[ThisIsTheWay]

Oooh, this is my type of thread :D
Here are a few I haven't seen mentioned yet.

Pygmy Rooster Waspfish - I got one of these guys and he's great. He's related to lionfish, so he's got venomous dorsal spines, but other than that he only grows to about 3 inches and is super chill with other small fish tankmates. I have kept mine with a Royal Gramma, Firefish, Yellow Clown Goby, Springerii Damsel, Possum Wrasse, and Pink Streaked Wrasse at one time or other without any issues.

Speaking of wrasses, both of those wrasse listed stay small enough they'd do well in a tank that size as long as they've got enough rockwork. You can check out my build thread, but I currently have both my possum wrasse and pink streaked together in a 25gal peninsula along with my Waspfish, a Firefish, and a Royal Gramma.

EDIT:
Waspfish tax :P

 

[Wandering Albatross]

A dwarf angler would work! They just like to sit and wait for food.

You think one in the 4-6 inch max sized anglers would still fit if he was the only fish? Would it be possible to keep a male and female together, or or would they be to aggressive and/or cramped?

 

[littlefoxx]

You think one in the 4-6 inch max sized anglers would still fit if he was the only fish? Would it be possible to keep a male and female together, or or would they be to aggressive and/or cramped?

Never kept one, they are ambush predators and sit still most of the time. And Ive heard they will attempt to eat eachother eventually if kept together. Never kept one. There was one at my LFS I was eyeing for a little but it decided to eat a dwarf lionfish and died

 

[littlefoxx]

Too bad, I’ve always wanted a lion. Can’t put one in the 150g reef, and he’d be too big for the tank mates in the expected 60g.

I kept mine in a 70 gallon then moved her to my 125 when I got that up and running. She seemed to like the extra space to swim around.

 

[DavidA]

Good afternoon all, as stated in the title, I was given a surprise 30g (looks like a standard to me) by a family friend who has been out of the freshwater side of the hobby for a while. I couldn't possibly turn it away, so now I'm looking to stock it with less commonly kept fish. I want to avoid most of what I already have. So, preferably no Gramma, no oc or perc clowns, no tailspot blenny. Most of the others are too active or large for me to consider in a 30g. Mandarin or watchman would be acceptable in addition to another centerpiece, but I'd still rather something new.

It could be a species only, if said species is new enough, or a couple new smaller fish or inverts. Does not have to be coral/invert safe.

Loosely Bounced Around Ideas (Species only or a combination of any of the following):

Any Suitable Filefish
Bi-Color Blenny or Other Non-Tailspot
Banggai Cardinal (small group or pair)
Clarkii/Skunk/Tomato Pair
All Damsel Tank (several types if applicable, added together)
Sargassum or Other Dwarf Angler Solo Tank
Blue Spot or Pearl Jawfish
Fire Fish
Clown Goby
Neon or Dusky Dottyback
Watchman (with or without shrimp)
Flame, Falco, or Pixie Hawkfish
Dwarf Fuzzy or Zebra Solo
Dwarf Seahorse Special Tank
Any Wrasse that can fit comfortably (if applicable)
Purple Lobster Solo
Peacock Mantis Shrimp Solo or Pair
Arrow Crab Solo
Jellyfish Special Tank
Assorted Starfish Tank

Probably too small for a mature maroon pair solo.

Thoughts?

I kept jellyfish. They are cool but require circular circulation. Also kept Pygmy seahorses. They require lots of work to keep them supplied with baby brine. The tank would be tall enough for them but not for standard sized seahorses.