Fish questions

[Jayanels455]

I have a 40g cube aquarium 24”x24”x18”. I’ve been watching YouTube video from different places about what are good utility fish to have. One video suggested yellow & bristletooth tangs, but said buy them small and then they reach 4 to 5 inches return them back LFS. Then purchase small one again. Is this concerned okay or a good practice?
Also what would be some good choices for this size aquarium that I eventually will have coral in.

 

[reefwiser]

Tangs Judy get a little crazy in small aquariums. They really don’t eat the algae you get in your tank. A small wrasse is always nice if you have sand in the bottom of the tank as they sleep in the sand.

 

[Fishy212]

Look into gobies as they can keep your sandbed clean from detritus. I have a sleepingbanded goby and he cleans my sand all day long. Other kinds of gobies will pair up with some kind of shrimp and create a symbiotic relationship.

 

[Sump Crab]

I have a 40g cube aquarium 24”x24”x18”. I’ve been watching YouTube video from different places about what are good utility fish to have. One video suggested yellow & bristletooth tangs, but said buy them small and then they reach 4 to 5 inches return them back LFS. Then purchase small one again. Is this concerned okay or a good practice?
Also what would be some good choices for this size aquarium that I eventually will have coral in.

This would be a pain in the butt. Just buy fish that fit. The idea of utility fish in a small aquarium is overrated in my opinion. If you must have a fish that eats algae then consider a tail spot blenny. As others have said gobies such as YWG will clean the sand bed. In the end snails and crabs do these things better than fish in small reefs IMHO.

 

[datahog]

Sail-fin Blenny (Lawnmower) Will spend all day eating allergy of rocks and glass... a wrasse will work for pests,other than that i would rely on a good clean up crew... like snails and hermit crabs. BTW - gobies are known as tank jumpers..so if you get one have a good screen on top..

 

[Jayanels455]

Sail-fin Blenny (Lawnmower) Will spend all day eating allergy of rocks and glass... a wrasse will work for pests,other than that i would rely on a good clean up crew... like snails and hermit crabs. BTW - gobies are known as tank jumpers..so if you get one have a good screen on top..

Thanks for all the great advice

 

[Jayanels455]

This would be a pain in the butt. Just buy fish that fit. The idea of utility fish in a small aquarium is overrated in my opinion. If you must have a fish that eats algae then consider a tail spot blenny. As others have said gobies such as YWG will clean the sand bed. In the end snails and crabs do these things better than fish in small reefs IMHO.

Thanks for

This would be a pain in the butt. Just buy fish that fit. The idea of utility fish in a small aquarium is overrated in my opinion. If you must have a fish that eats algae then consider a tail spot blenny. As others have said gobies such as YWG will clean the sand bed. In the end snails and crabs do these things better than fish in small reefs IMHO.

Thanks for reply.

 

[Sump Crab]

I'd be wary of a lawnmower blenny, they get huge and aggressive...

 

[Sump Crab]

As far as gobies being "jumpers'', my yellow watchman is going on 10 or 11 years in my care and has never been in a covered aquarium. Anecdotal? Perhaps but still my experience with this species.

Wrasse are great at watching for pests but most of the useful ones will get large and/or aggressive for a reef your size...