Favourite nano fish (for a non-nano macro algae tank)?

[Chrysus]

Hi all,

Almost a year on from when I planned to do so I finally got my macro algae tank going. It is a 65g display that I plan to do only nano fish in. Say max of about 3”.

What are your favourite nano fish? The most outgoing? Favourite gobies? Any that you really didn’t enjoy keeping?

I have a Pink Streak Wrasse and a Yellow Assessor in the tank so far. CUC is two red dot cleaner shrimp, fighter conches, various snails, and dwarf (currently about the size of a grain of rice) blue leg hermits. Trying to keep everything both tiny fish and algae friendly. I’ll be adding other a variety of shrimp and such so I’m looking for invert friendly. The Assessor disappeared for an entire week when I got him, so definitely doesn’t go in the outgoing category so far lol! The wrasse is more curious. I want the tank to have cool little surprises when you get up close to it but would also like something to add a little bit of activity to the open water. I’m thinking Yellow Striped Cardinals? I was/am very interested in Blue Stripe Pipefish but it’s highly unlikely I’d be able to get them sexed so would probably have to do a single one. Might add a second Assessor if it’s not too late.

Any ideas appreciated! My LFS doesn’t love stocking nano fish so I’ll likely be getting most special ordered and I’m not sure if I’m missing any fun ones to ask for.

 

[i cant think]

Hi all,

Almost a year on from when I planned to do so I finally got my macro algae tank going. It is a 65g display that I plan to do only nano fish in. Say max of about 3”.

What are your favourite nano fish? The most outgoing? Favourite gobies? Any that you really didn’t enjoy keeping?

I have a Pink Streak Wrasse and a Yellow Assessor in the tank so far. CUC is two red dot cleaner shrimp, fighter conches, various snails, and dwarf (currently about the size of a grain of rice) blue leg hermits. Trying to keep everything both tiny fish and algae friendly. I’ll be adding other a variety of shrimp and such so I’m looking for invert friendly. The Assessor disappeared for an entire week when I got him, so definitely doesn’t go in the outgoing category so far lol! The wrasse is more curious. I want the tank to have cool little surprises when you get up close to it but would also like something to add a little bit of activity to the open water. I’m thinking Yellow Striped Cardinals? I was/am very interested in Blue Stripe Pipefish but it’s highly unlikely I’d be able to get them sexed so would probably have to do a single one. Might add a second Assessor if it’s not too late.

Any ideas appreciated! My LFS doesn’t love stocking nano fish so I’ll likely be getting most special ordered and I’m not sure if I’m missing any fun ones to ask for.

Absolutely a couple of Clown Gobies, specifically Gobiodon okinawae and Gobiodon acicularis. These will perch along the rock and throughout the algae so you’ll have some nice colours to watch dart round the tank.

A Stonogobiops yasha (Yasha Goby) would be nice for activity on the bottom of the tank. These guys are more muted in colour so it’s likely you will have a fish to actually look for.

And the last thing for gobies I’d do is get a nice group of Eviota, Coryphopterus, and Trimma gobies (I’d do 3-4 of each). These will form a nice group in the middle of the tank when settled.

 

[Chrysus]

Absolutely a couple of Clown Gobies, specifically Gobiodon okinawae and Gobiodon acicularis. These will perch along the rock and throughout the algae so you’ll have some nice colours to watch dart round the tank.

A Stonogobiops yasha (Yasha Goby) would be nice for activity on the bottom of the tank. These guys are more muted in colour so it’s likely you will have a fish to actually look for.

And the last thing for gobies I’d do is get a nice group of Eviota, Coryphopterus, and Trimma gobies (I’d do 3-4 of each). These will form a nice group in the middle of the tank when settled.

Great suggestions, thank you! I will start hunting for little gobies.

 

[douglasbnyhof]

Hi all,

Almost a year on from when I planned to do so I finally got my macro algae tank going. It is a 65g display that I plan to do only nano fish in. Say max of about 3”.

What are your favourite nano fish? The most outgoing? Favourite gobies? Any that you really didn’t enjoy keeping?

I have a Pink Streak Wrasse and a Yellow Assessor in the tank so far. CUC is two red dot cleaner shrimp, fighter conches, various snails, and dwarf (currently about the size of a grain of rice) blue leg hermits. Trying to keep everything both tiny fish and algae friendly. I’ll be adding other a variety of shrimp and such so I’m looking for invert friendly. The Assessor disappeared for an entire week when I got him, so definitely doesn’t go in the outgoing category so far lol! The wrasse is more curious. I want the tank to have cool little surprises when you get up close to it but would also like something to add a little bit of activity to the open water. I’m thinking Yellow Striped Cardinals? I was/am very interested in Blue Stripe Pipefish but it’s highly unlikely I’d be able to get them sexed so would probably have to do a single one. Might add a second Assessor if it’s not too late.

Any ideas appreciated! My LFS doesn’t love stocking nano fish so I’ll likely be getting most special ordered and I’m not sure if I’m missing any fun ones to ask for.

Sexy shrimp

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I have a tiny, barely one inch long neon goby. It's the cleaner type, so occasionally will try to clean the clownfish or the ywg. It's friendly and will come up to the glass when I'm viewing the tank. So small, but so bright. Very cool nano fish. Could easily go in very small tanks. Mine eats anything I feed, plus whatever is finding on its own.

 

[therootcause]

Paragobius lacunicolus, known as Panda Goby.

Youtube Link to back when Nicolas at AquaSplendor got a pair at the end of 2020

 

[reefadam]

Flaming prawn, dracula, rainford, hectors are all amazing small gobies! Yasa hase was mentioned above and they’re another favorite of mine as well.

 

[i cant think]

Paragobius lacunicolus, known as Panda Goby.

Youtube Link to back when Nicolas at AquaSplendor got a pair at the end of 2020

These guys are generally a PITA to keep thriving. They’re pod feeders and also seem to thrive best with Poccilopora to hide in.

 

[Arkardios]

I recommend Emblemaria pandionis, if you don't mind it staying mostly in one spot. Not shy at all, and easy to feed.

 

[therootcause]

These guys are generally a PITA to keep thriving. They’re pod feeders and also seem to thrive best with Poccilopora to hide in.

Whose up for a challenge??

 

[Nemo&Friends]

In my 40G macro algae tank I have 2 firefish who spawned last week, and 2 scissortail dartfish. I also have 2 pajama cardinal. they do not touch the algae in anyway. The scissortail are out all the time started from day one.
You could also do bangai cardinal.