Which fish for 14g reef?

[Grebex11]

Hey everyone,

Trying to decide on my second and final fish for my Nuvo Fusion 14g reef. The only fish currently in there is a YWG. He has been in there for 4 months. I have minimal rockwork. Essentially just an arch going from the back of the tank to the front. The fish below are what I'm interested in. However I want to avoid aggression and I do not want to feed frozen food multiple times a day. Let me know what you think!

Helfrichi firefish - only concern is potential lack of hiding places.
Possum Wrasse - my concern is that I've read on here they require multiple feedings of meaty foods each day. I don't think a 14g reef without a skimmer can handle feeding frozen multiple times a day.
Pink Streaked wrasse - from what I've read these seem to take to pellet food better than the possum wrasse?
Orchid Dottyback - Could this get aggressive with my WYG?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Limited it will be.

2 firefish and 2 perculas

OR

6 lined wrasse
a clown
twin spot blenny
cherub angel

In other words 3-4 small fish

 

[Grebex11]

Thanks for the reply. To clarify, I am only adding one more fish for a maximum of two. I'd like to add one of the 4 that I listed and would love input from people who have experience with them.

 

[stanlalee]

Forget the dottyback, way too territorial. Firefish fine if there is no aggression and a top. Either wrasse are about the only two you can add. 14g can handle multiple feedings if you're willing to do the water changes to support that...which is pretty easy on a 14g. My two fish in my biocube 14 (which is really an 11g) are Wyoming clownfish and Springers damsel. Has worked out well. While I don't feed twice a day I dose amino acids exery day , coral feed (reef roids, reef chili etc) 3x a week (have done daily without issue) and feed the fish every day which I guarantee equates to at least 2x daily fish feeding. I don't have a skimmer or any nuisance issues.

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

Tailspot Benny... hands down.

 

[Northwest_Scapes_]

A Pink Streaked wrasse would be a really cool contrast, a Citron / Citrinis Clown Goby would also be really cool as a rock percher. They're the best looking imo of the clown gobies (not including that super rare one i forgot the name of)

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Thanks for the reply. To clarify, I am only adding one more fish for a maximum of two. I'd like to add one of the 4 that I listed and would love input from people who have experience with them.

It's all personal preference if this is your first tank why not try to keep the bio load small a 14g is going to be hard to maintain parameters,my advice skip another fish for a while maybe wait a few months see how the one does(get clean up crew(2 astrea snails and 6 blueleg hermits)and see if you can keep it stable I'd get a couple of macros to stick in there something interesting like blue hyphnea or red dragons breath or halimeda or mermaids wineglass in a system that small focus on biological filtration live rock for bacteria and bacillus to colonize and do coarse filtration, substrate for microfauna and more bacteria to form a microbiome and chleate nutrients on a finer level then you macro algae to fine tune your water turning ammonia to nitrites to useable less harmful elements,also do a weekly water change of 10-15 % in a micro system to replenish nutrients and trace elements make sure you are stopping off daily with fresh ro, as a beginner avoid bottled dried and frozen food as this will again pollute the water column in a small system with limited stocking options and little volume for gas exchange biogeochemical cycling happens more rapidly causing fluctuations and change in water chemistry so I would reccomend building up rotifers dose a zoo and phyto(once) and have some live brine shrimp in system drop eggs periodically (biweekly)having a rich microfauna will prevent overfeeding aswell as the consequencs that come with overfeeding(nutrient excess,bacterial infection,overeating,just an over imbalance that lead to unhealthy ffg ish) also dose a microbial buffer this is different than a chemical buffer these are microbes that dechleate the waste for optimum ion exchange and eat away sludge and algae and corrects ph so all of this being said...KISS less is more keep your watchmen add some macros and build up microbiolgy in the tank to where he can eat on his own without you feeding him and water is stable with macros leaving no excess nutrients;then wait a few months dont get another fish get him a pistol shrimp buddy or a pair of pistol shrimps after your tank has been set up,imo this is one of the most satisfying pairings watching a goby and his prawn

 

[UnderseaOddities]

In freswater they call this having a balanced system,mechanical chemical and biological filtration are the three components to sucssess and good husbandry

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Then next time your at a chain like petco get you an aqueon 29 g a a bottle of nitrifying bacteria a bag of live sand a 200w heater and a fluval 50 hob power filter this is the cheapest saltwater setup for beginners and is what my dad bought me in 2006 to start I would reccomend anybody start here as you dont need to be financially well of to keep salt, you can buy all of that for around 150$ it's the same price as a freshwater setup...smh then months down the line upgrade by adding a hob protein skimmer and a small canister filter

 

[UnderseaOddities]

@Grebex11 then you get that 29g it can be ur first budget build go to lfs get like 15lbs dry or liverock(only if they aquaculture their own) and get a pair of ocelaris clowns for 14$ a piece for your first pair(can probably do about 3 1-3" fish in a 29) so that means 1 -2 more fish aswell as you clowns I think 29 g is cheap enough and simple enough running hob equipment that you could make one your first nano reef very cost effectively

 

[UnderseaOddities]

Then if you get your params right now in your nano start shopping around for a mushroom coral rock(with 4-10 polyps)for 100 or so(cut each in half and double poppulation) and maybe a 4inch kenya tree(40$ investment already has 4 4rags ready to cut plus original mother 5x20 is 100$off of chop shopping your 40$ investment...if your looking into coral this is how I would reccomend starting off by starting off on the right foot and not buying into the hype and knowing how to spend your money the best way(everybody's on a budgets just different amounts $-$$$ so that means there is a coral out there for everyone. So start simple and grow your collection with fast growing commons and in no time you'll have the rares

 

[UnderseaOddities]

And that way if it doesn't work out(which I highly doubt) you wont lose out on money or time, something my grandma taught me about business(called a pinch point by having a ceiling and floor price the pinch point is negated and the individual involved will never be put out financially (buying high selling low) to where a floor price is set to where you will never lose out regardless of the situation

 

[Grebex11]

And that way if it doesn't work out(which I highly doubt) you wont lose out on money or time, something my grandma taught me about business(called a pinch point by having a ceiling and floor price the pinch point is negated and the individual involved will never be put out financially (buying high selling low) to where a floor price is set to where you will never lose out regardless of the situation

I appreciate the thought of the replies. I've had various aquariums set up over the last 13 years. 55g FOWLR, 10g reef, 30g reef, 29g reef, 40g reef, and now my current 14g.

What I'm specifically looking for is feedback on the four fish I've listed as I would like to add ONE of them to my 14g. Again, I appreciate people offering help but I am not at this time looking for advice on a tank to buy or recommendations on other fish.

Helfrichi firefish
Orchid dottyback
Pink Streaked wrasse
Possum Wrasse.

 

[MichaelGee]

If you have a cover or don’t mind the risk I vote the fire fish.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Glad you are keeping stocking lighter...

Firefish is a fairly idle fish. They are more active in tanks without aggression but mine hides in an old conch shell 75% of the time with only a YWG in the tank with him. That being said they get along great
I have no experience with the Orchid dottyback but in general I think dottybacks are fairly aggressive. My neon dottyback was aggressive to the point of murdering a 6 line and a clown goby.

 

[eggplantparrot]

Limited it will be.

2 firefish and 2 perculas

OR

6 lined wrasse
a clown
twin spot blenny
cherub angel

In other words 3-4 small fish

can a cherub angel live in a 14g? i am intrigue.

 

[DE FISH]

No a cherub angel should not be in a 14g far too small and not reef safe there will aggression issues for sure. For a 14g I wouldn’t go more than two fish plus cuc. Get a clown or cardinal pair to go with your yellow watchman goby

 

[Josh@BVA]

Citron Clown goby, Neon/sharknose goby, rainford goby, hectors goby, trimma goby, for goby options. maybe a pigmy angel or small wrasse. i like the possom wrasse idea. I would personally try to get the smallest fish/ critters in ther so you can have more fish without them getting too over crowded.

 

[Grebex11]

I am definitely keeping stocking and bioload light. Over the years I've formed an opinion of lighter bioloads and that a lot of fish are kept in too small of aquariums. (I know this is just my opinion and people are free to disagree) So for that reason I agree with @DE FISH that a Cherub should not be in a 14g.

@NeonRabbit221B @MichaelGee I think I am leaning toward the firefish as well. I have a mesh lid so there is zero chance of a carpter surfer.

I've read a lot about Dottybacks being aggressive but thought it might be okay if the only other fish was a YWG. Probably not worth the risk.

 

[vetteguy53081]

A cherub angel typically averages 2” in captivity which is the size of a damsel fish, it fact many damsel can reach 3” so the answer is yes.
I’ve sold 3 or more dozen of them when I had my pet store and they are the smallest of dwarf angel given the name Pygmy angel