Fish Stick Help: Bare Bottom 28 gallon

[ArielUnderwater]

I've got a JBJ 28g NanoCube set up and kicking butt. Going for bare bottom so maybe one day I'll crank the flow and have it very SPS dominant. For now it's a mixed reef: Acros, Montis, anacro, Chalices of different varieties, cyphastrea, lepto, Euphyllia, Xenia on an island, hynophora, acans, duncan, xoas, a leather, and a RBTA. Only been running a short time clean up crew is a couple blue leg hermits, a bunch of snails, and a tuxedo urchin. One day I'm hoping to put a pair of mandarins in there, and I'm getting close, as the pods are multiplying like crazy in there and my culturing techniques outside the tank for Tisbe pods and N. Oculus phyto are getting dialed in. I also hope to move my Sea Apple in the tank soon, too. So the stage is set. No fishies that burrow in sand, nothing that may pick at softies, acans, or my apple. Must be super peaceful fish. No clowns or other damsels( or dottybacks) because they are territorial and mean. Wrasses may out compete my dream mandarins for food so they're out. I'm looking for colorful swimmers that could do well in a tank of such small size and not out grow it, that will be top water swimmers and don't require sand. It's kind of a big ask. Thanks in advanced for any recommendations. It's kind of boring with out fish.


Edit: Second question How do I edit the title of a post, this mispelling of STOCK is driving me crazy

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I would recommend against the mandarin, pods like to live in rocks and sand, so itd be hard to feed. You could try a small group of firefish, maybe even cardinals.

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I like the idea of Mandarins. But if you want to put two in there, it most likely will have to be a male-female pair. Also, a Royal Gamma Basslet is a good reef safe fish.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

I like the idea of Mandarins. But if you want to put two in there, it most likely will have to be a male-female pair. Also, a Royal Gamma Basslet is a good reef safe fish.

If you culture pods you should be able to get a mandarin ^^^

 

[ArielUnderwater]

I would recommend against the mandarin, pods like to live in rocks and sand, so itd be hard to feed. You could try a small group of firefish, maybe even cardinals.

Not only are the pods (cope, iso, and amphi) exploding in this tank with phyto feeding and lack of predation, I also culture tisbe pods. I absolutely will be adding 2 mandarins, captive bred, one of each gender. I have a dream of a breeding pair, even if other fish in the tank may eat their offspring. Thanks for posting a reply w/out reading the post, though.

 

[Dark_Knightt]

Not only are the pods (cope, iso, and amphi) exploding in this tank with phyto feeding and lack of predation, I also culture tisbe pods. I absolutely will be adding 2 mandarins, captive bred, one of each gender. I have a dream of a breeding pair, even if other fish in the tank may eat their offspring. Thanks for posting a reply w/out reading the post, though.

I think you should be good then are you planning blue mandarins or spotted?

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

Not only are the pods (cope, iso, and amphi) exploding in this tank with phyto feeding and lack of predation, I also culture tisbe pods. I absolutely will be adding 2 mandarins, captive bred, one of each gender. I have a dream of a breeding pair, even if other fish in the tank may eat their offspring. Thanks for posting a reply w/out reading the post, though.

Sounds like a plan to me ! The captive bred Mandarins will be certain to have something to eat; I have read that even if they are eating frozen food, they still will feed on pods as well because they love them so.

 

[ArielUnderwater]

I think you should be good then are you planning blue mandarins or spotted?

I haven't decided yet!!! I have a pair of flame scooters and dragonets in another tank. As you can see I'm into the pod eaters. I really like the green mandarins, they may be my favorite peaceful fish.

 

[Clownfish_Boy]

I haven't decided yet!!! I have a pair of flame scooters and dragonets in another tank. As you can see I'm into the pod eaters. I really like the green mandarins, they may be my favorite peaceful fish.

I like the green Mandarins the best; they have such psychedelic color patterns ! One of the most beautiful fishes in all creation; and also one of the cutest with their little frog faces !