Care to Recommend a Fish?

[Tuffyyyyy]

I've got an Innovative Marine 40 that's been up and running since January of 2017. Current stocking:

• Clownfish - had a pair then they got "divorced" and so I moved the smaller one to my IM10
• Flame Hawk
• Six Line Wrasse
• Coral Banded Shrimp
• Pincushion Urchin

Also had a Firefish in this tank until recently. She used to hang out in the middle of the tank but then the Six Line started bullying her into the burrow. The Clown and Flame Hawk are bigger so that hasn't been an issue. Also can't believe how well the Coral Banded and Flame Hawk have gotten along.

Sorry for rambling, I've been thinking about adding another fish or two to keep my cheato reactor going, but am not sure what. The one qualifier is that I can not get rid of any livestock. I have an IM10 with a clownfish and a purple firefish in it, so I can move livestock around between tanks but wife won't let me get rid of anything.

My current ideas are:

• Couple of Chromis - I have an IceCap 1K with good flow and an autofeeder to avoid aggression
• Chalk Bass
• Yellow Goby - Absolutely love this fish, had one in IM10 until it died while I was away, I'm just worried the Wrasse will bully it too much.

 

[DeniseAndy]

Yellow goby would be fine. I like chalk bass, but not sure if the sixline is a jerk. I avoid chromis in general. JMO

 

[eatbreakfast]

I've seen sixlines pick on chalk bass. Clown gobies are usually fine because they produce a noxious slime coat. With high flow and frequent feedings chromis are not all that problematic.

 

[timrocks311]

my tailspot blenny is really cool to watch. I'd recommend one of them. Not sure if the hawk or wrasse would give it trouble though.

 

[Shua71]

Sounds like your 6 line can be an issue with anything you add. I have a royal gramma and a sapphire damsel which are both awesome

 

[4FordFamily]

I’d get rid of the six line and replace it with a possum wrasse!

 

[Jesterrace]

Sounds like your 6 line can be an issue with anything you add.

Yup, they will harass any new addition once established (and may one day go after your current tank mates). I would ditch the sixline IMHO, they are ticking timebombs at best.

 

[shrimped]

Highly recommend a yellow head or pearly jawfish. Great personality and color.

 

[jasonrusso]

Is a 40 too small for a 6 line? The whole tank is his territory.

I love my goby and shrimp combo. Always working somewhere

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I do really love the jawfish but am worried about the 6 line. That's good to know about gobys as well because they're adorable little guys.

 

[shrimped]

I also think the coral banded shrimp may be a problem once it becomes large but there are mixed results. I had one that was a terror (removed from tank) while my friend still has his larger coral banded well behaved with small gobies and firefish. I would wait until you see anything suspicious about the coral banded. One last question is what type of coral banded? Regular, Blue, Yellow, Cave, Zanzibar?

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

I also think the coral banded shrimp may be a problem once it becomes large but there are mixed results. I had one that was a terror (removed from tank) while my friend still has his larger coral banded well behaved with small gobies and firefish. I would wait until you see anything suspicious about the coral banded. One last question is what type of coral banded? Regular, Blue, Yellow, Cave, Zanzibar?

I think it's a basic one. I had to google the other types, and he's just red. I've had him for about a year I think. Him and the Flame Hawk have been good together. He's tried to bug my clownfish in her anemone, but she's been good about fighting him off. I don't recall the coral banded fighting with the firefish at all before I took her out.