29g Fish Stocking

[DocRose]

Here is what I was thinking, and I'm open to all insight and suggestions. I'm looking for insight into compatibility as well as the order in which they should be added.

What I have now...
Six-Line Wrasse x1 (Is going back to LFS, as it's already aggressive towards the firefish.)
Firefish Goby x1 (Have it now.)

In a month or so...
Ruby Red Dragonet x3 (2 Female & 1 Male)

Six months later...
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Coris Wrasse (I've heard these are peaceful, but I'm still worried because it's still a Wrasse.)

Spring 2022...
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse (My concern for this one is the same as the Yellow Coris...it's still a Wrasse.)

Fall 2022...
Clownfish x2

Others that I'm open to, but not sold on include: Royal Gramma, Gold Assessor, Bicolor Blenny, Tailspot Blenny, and Diamond Goby

...and then there's these guys. Ones I think are so plain looking, so they're a last resort IMO: Pajama Cardinals and Green Chromis. These I would get at least 3 of so they school.

Please share your thoughts! ;Happy

 

[nereefpat]

I think the firefish, goby, possum wrasse, and clowns would be a good mix...although that's a lot of fish for a 29.

I will never recommend a dragonet for a 29. It's possible, if you are really dedicated. You should spend some time reading mandarin and other dragonet threads here to form your opinion.

Yellow "coris" gets too big for a 29.
The possum would be perfect, and is the furthest you can get from aggressive.

Some of the others you mentioned would be okay, but you are pretty limited on space.

 

[Neros503]

The most dragonets I would do in a 29 is just one. I have a tiny one and it eats so much pods. I have to buy pods almost every month and it's getting very expensive.

In my 29 I have a pair of clowns, a yellow watchman goby, a mandarin, and within the next couple days I will be purchasing a tailspot blenny to help with algae control. You have some good fish listed, but I wouldn't do more than 6 in that size tank.

I would say filefish, pair of clownfish, maybe one dragonet later on, possum wrasse, and maybe a goby or blenny.

 

[DocRose]

I will never recommend a dragonet for a 29. It's possible, if you are really dedicated. You should spend some time reading mandarin and other dragonet threads here to form your opinion.

Yellow "coris" gets too big for a 29.
The possum would be perfect, and is the furthest you can get from aggressive.

Awesome. I'm familiar with Mandarins, but I wasn't aware that Dragonets were also as needy. Good to know! I've read a lot on Mandarins as eventually I plan to have my pod population high enough and consistent enough to keep one.

I'll take you word on the Yellow Coris. Most sites and distributors say a 30g is big enough, but I'm not one to argue. Especially not when a Possum is a viable substitute.

I would say filefish, pair of clownfish, maybe one dragonet later on, possum wrasse, and maybe a goby or blenny.

Thanks so much for the input! I don't like the look of Filefish, so I'll leave that out to save room for something more eye-appealing.

Somewhat edited plan/schedule...

What I have now...
Six-Line Wrasse x1 (Is going back to LFS, as it's already aggressive towards the firefish.)
Firefish Goby x1 (Have it now.)

In a month or so...
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse

Six months later...
Clownfish x2

Winter 2022 / Spring 2023...
Single Mandarin Goby

Any room for a school (x3 Cardinal or Chromis) or is that still too many fish for a 29g?

 

[MaxTremors]

Awesome. I'm familiar with Mandarins, but I wasn't aware that Dragonets were also as needy. Good to know! I've read a lot on Mandarins as eventually I plan to have my pod population high enough and consistent enough to keep one.

I'll take you word on the Yellow Coris. Most sites and distributors say a 30g is big enough, but I'm not one to argue. Especially not when a Possum is a viable substitute.


Thanks so much for the input! I don't like the look of Filefish, so I'll leave that out to save room for something more eye-appealing.

Somewhat edited plan/schedule...

What I have now...
Six-Line Wrasse x1 (Is going back to LFS, as it's already aggressive towards the firefish.)
Firefish Goby x1 (Have it now.)

In a month or so...
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse

Six months later...
Clownfish x2

Winter 2022 / Spring 2023...
Single Mandarin Goby

Any room for a school (x3 Cardinal or Chromis) or is that still too many fish for a 29g?

Six fish is about the max for a 29g, adding 3 more fish that get around 3” would be way too much. If you aren’t doing a reef and are doing a FOWLR, you might be able to get away with it, but it’s not just the bioload to consider, you also have to consider that 29g just isn’t enough space for that many fish to have their own territory, packing it that full could lead to aggression that wouldn’t happen in a more conservatively stocked tank.

 

[Neros503]

Awesome. I'm familiar with Mandarins, but I wasn't aware that Dragonets were also as needy. Good to know! I've read a lot on Mandarins as eventually I plan to have my pod population high enough and consistent enough to keep one.

I'll take you word on the Yellow Coris. Most sites and distributors say a 30g is big enough, but I'm not one to argue. Especially not when a Possum is a viable substitute.


Thanks so much for the input! I don't like the look of Filefish, so I'll leave that out to save room for something more eye-appealing.

Somewhat edited plan/schedule...

What I have now...
Six-Line Wrasse x1 (Is going back to LFS, as it's already aggressive towards the firefish.)
Firefish Goby x1 (Have it now.)

In a month or so...
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse

Six months later...
Clownfish x2

Winter 2022 / Spring 2023...
Single Mandarin Goby

Any room for a school (x3 Cardinal or Chromis) or is that still too many fish for a 29g?

Sorry, it auto corrected firefish to filefish. If you do get a mandarin, try to get one captive bred. They're tiny, but more likely to eat prepared foods. Mine's captive bred but only eats copepods though so there's no guarantee though. Also, a mandarin is a dragonet. dragonets are a family that include ruby reds, scooter dragonets, and mandarins. Most likely a 29 gallon will never be able to constantly produce a large enough copepod population, but a refugium and a lot of live rock will make a big difference.

 

[DocRose]

Also, a mandarin is a dragonet. dragonets are a family that include ruby reds, scooter dragonets, and mandarins. Most likely a 29 gallon will never be able to constantly produce a large enough copepod population, but a refugium and a lot of live rock will make a big difference.

Yeah! I didn't realize they were in the same family until this thread. I mean, I see the resemblance, but all the photos I've seen of Ruby Reds have them sitting on the substrate. Whereas all the photos I've seen of Madarins they're swimming about the rock. So I never thought to associate the two (until now). And yeah I've got plenty of live rock in my DT as well as some in the sump's drain chamber (I don't like bio balls), and even one large one in the refugium. Plan to get my pods started right away, and if the day ever comes when I do observe a high enough population...consistently...then I'd consider the Mandarin.

 

[blaxsun]

I think the firefish, goby, possum wrasse, and clowns would be a good mix...although that's a lot of fish for a 29.

I will never recommend a dragonet for a 29. It's possible, if you are really dedicated. You should spend some time reading mandarin and other dragonet threads here to form your opinion.

Yellow "coris" gets too big for a 29.
The possum would be perfect, and is the furthest you can get from aggressive.

Some of the others you mentioned would be okay, but you are pretty limited on space.

All of this. I ran 9-10 fish on my 25-gallon and it really pushed the bio load - giving me continued challenges with high nitrates. I would probably aim for 6 small fish (max).

 

[DocRose]

All of this. I ran 9-10 fish on my 25-gallon and it really pushed the bio load - giving me continued challenges with high nitrates. I would probably aim for 6 small fish (max).

I was thinking 6 or 7 max.

Firefish Goby
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse
Clownfish x2
Single Mandarin Goby (6 total)

or

Firefish Goby
Cardinal/Chromis x3 (8 total)
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse
Clownfish x2

 

[blaxsun]

You will have issues keeping your Mandarin well fed. It’s not so much the size of the tank, but the amount of rock you have to ensure a flourishing copepod colony. The single Mandarin will polish off everything probably within a month (possibly sooner) - unless you’re constantly replenishing copepods (which can get expensive) or get him hooked on frozen food (rare).

 

[DocRose]

So actually...the Cardinal/Chromis idea is out the window. Cardinals apparently look less appealing as they grow older. There's some debate on whether this is natural, or if it's based on their diet (their coloration fading). As I think they pretty boring (looking) fish as it is, I don't want to run the risk of having three fish in my tank that look that bland. And as for the Chromis, it seems my 29g is too small to have a successful school. Apparently the more you have...10 or more...the better chance at having them live long enough to enjoy without killing each other off. And that many fish need like a 200g or more.

So I'm down to:
Firefish Goby
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse
Clownfish x2

I'd still like to toss one more in the mix. Something colorful and peaceful. Maybe the Tailspot or Bicolor Blenny. I know there's the Royal Gramma, but I also know 29g is pushing it for that fish. ...still open to ideas!

 

[GHOSTLY]

I keep

Awesome. I'm familiar with Mandarins, but I wasn't aware that Dragonets were also as needy. Good to know! I've read a lot on Mandarins as eventually I plan to have my pod population high enough and consistent enough to keep one.

I'll take you word on the Yellow Coris. Most sites and distributors say a 30g is big enough, but I'm not one to argue. Especially not when a Possum is a viable substitute.


Thanks so much for the input! I don't like the look of Filefish, so I'll leave that out to save room for something more eye-appealing.

Somewhat edited plan/schedule...

What I have now...
Six-Line Wrasse x1 (Is going back to LFS, as it's already aggressive towards the firefish.)
Firefish Goby x1 (Have it now.)

In a month or so...
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse

Six months later...
Clownfish x2

Winter 2022 / Spring 2023...
Single Mandarin Goby

Any room for a school (x3 Cardinal or Chromis) or is that still too many fish for a 29g?

a mandarin in 13 gallons but it’s trained on pellets. You could try just maroons

 

[blaxsun]

So actually...the Cardinal/Chromis idea is out the window. Cardinals apparently look less appealing as they grow older. There's some debate on whether this is natural, or if it's based on their diet (their coloration fading). As I think they pretty boring (looking) fish as it is, I don't want to run the risk of having three fish in my tank that look that bland. And as for the Chromis, it seems my 29g is too small to have a successful school. Apparently the more you have...10 or more...the better chance at having them live long enough to enjoy without killing each other off. And that many fish need like a 200g or more.

So I'm down to:
Firefish Goby
Court Jester/Rainford's Goby
Yellow Banded Possum Wrasse
Clownfish x2

I'd still like to toss one more in the mix. Something colorful and peaceful. Maybe the Tailspot or Bicolor Blenny. I know there's the Royal Gramma, but I also know 29g is pushing it for that fish. ...still open to ideas!

Indigo or orchid dottyback. Both are very cool fish.

 

[DocRose]

Indigo or orchid dottyback. Both are very cool fish.

Ooooooo! ;WideyedNever thought of those. And looking into them, I really like the Neon and Purple Stripe (Diadem).

Makes me want to scratch Court Jester/Rainford's Goby off the list and get one of each. ;Nailbiting

 

[DocRose]

Drat... The Purple Stripe is aggressive, and the Neon can be too. :mad:

 

[blaxsun]

Drat... The Purple Stripe is aggressive, and the Neon can be too. :mad:

I have two dottybacks. They're only aggressive towards each other, but they're slowly learning to live in harmony...

 

[DocRose]

I have two dottybacks. They're only aggressive towards each other, but they're slowly learning to live in harmony...

Look like all Dottybacks are listed as "semi-aggressive", with the suggestion on being the last fish to add to a tank where there are smaller or similar sized fish.

Are those two you have in your 25g?

 

[blaxsun]

Look like all Dottybacks are listed as "semi-aggressive", with the suggestion on being the last fish to add to a tank where there are smaller or similar sized fish.

Are those two you have in your 25g?

I had one each in a 25 gallon, then moved both into a 160 gallon display. The indigo wants to chase the orchid - the orchid wants to chill in a cave. They're working it out...

 

[DocRose]

I had one each in a 25 gallon, then moved both into a 160 gallon display. The indigo wants to chase the orchid - the orchid wants to chill in a cave. They're working it out...

So I just took the family's vote. They want to get a Neon and an Indigo.

 

[blaxsun]

So I just took the family's vote. They want to get a Neon and an Indigo.

Pick one. In a 29 gallon, 2 dottybacks enter... 1 leaves.