Help me choose my stockings!

[SlugSnorter]

Finished my fallow (old LFS sold me a 100$ clown with brook that they said was fully QTed), and ready to stock my 15 gallon, decently deep sandbed, lots of rocks (dry) and a big cave. I have been thinking of getting one of these fish, but not sure where to start! If you have suggestions outside this list that are safe around small inverts (sexies and pom poms), feather dusters and very docile fish please let me know!


Current stocking candidates, will not buy wild caught on species that are successfully being bred in captivity (not stocking list, just candidates):

will stock a few RFAs, Mushrooms, Softies, maybe LPS. I don't mind if a fish bothers SPS since im not planning on having any.

Firefish (magnifica) (maybe x2?)

100% going for a Dracula Goby (w randalls pistol)

Orange Tailspot Blenny

Pink OR Tanakas Wrasse

Hectors/Jester goby (basically the same IMO)

Barnacle Blenny? (don't know much about them)

Neon/Sharknose goby

Clown Goby? (another fish I could use more info on)

Flaming Prawn Goby (unsure of compet with some other fish and inverts, reef is hyper docile, so thats a plus)

 

[vetteguy53081]

These stocking’s are cute

 

[vetteguy53081]

Putting all jokes to the side, all fish listed would work but not all should be placed in a 15g that will have 10 useable gallons after you place rock. Etc in tank

 

[BanjoBandito]

I have a nano that size, and I will tell you it's challenging to keep more than a single free swimming species in the tank.

 

[rmorris_14]

These stocking’s are cute

Beat me to it

 

[Obsessed with fish]

Clownfish?

 

[SlugSnorter]

Putting all jokes to the side, all fish listed would work but not all should be placed in a 15g that will have 10 useable gallons after you place rock. Etc in tank

rock placed, uglies dealt with, healthy population of inverts. the "cave" is hollow. Part of the reason I am asking is to determine which species would do best. I have chosen fish that are not super free swimmers (exception of the firefish). but am worried their niches are too close to eachother

 

[SlugSnorter]

Clownfish?

not a big clown person. Bit aggressive for some of the more reclusive stuff, and haven't had a great experience with 'em which has tainted my view a bit

 

[Obsessed with fish]

not a big clown person. Bit aggressive for some of the more reclusive stuff, and haven't had a great experience with 'em which has tainted my view a bit

Ok, I understand.

 

[SlugSnorter]

These stocking’s are cute

I was looking for some new filter socks. currently my feet are all wet after im done filtering. Are these waterproof?

 

[i cant think]

Finished my fallow (old LFS sold me a 100$ clown with brook that they said was fully QTed), and ready to stock my 15 gallon, decently deep sandbed, lots of rocks (dry) and a big cave. I have been thinking of getting one of these fish, but not sure where to start! If you have suggestions outside this list that are safe around small inverts (sexies and pom poms), feather dusters and very docile fish please let me know!


Current stocking candidates, will not buy wild caught on species that are successfully being bred in captivity (not stocking list, just candidates):

will stock a few RFAs, Mushrooms, Softies, maybe LPS. I don't mind if a fish bothers SPS since im not planning on having any.

Firefish (magnifica) (maybe x2?)

100% going for a Dracula Goby (w randalls pistol)

Orange Tailspot Blenny

Pink OR Tanakas Wrasse

Hectors/Jester goby (basically the same IMO)

Barnacle Blenny? (don't know much about them)

Neon/Sharknose goby

Clown Goby? (another fish I could use more info on)

Flaming Prawn Goby (unsure of compet with some other fish and inverts, reef is hyper docile, so thats a plus)

I would go for:
- Barnacle Blenny or Clown Goby depending on if you’ll have SPS, I personally wouldn’t ever risk another Escenius blenny with acropora again.
- Dracula
- Tanakai/ataenia


I have 8 fish total in my Red Sea Max Nano however it’s 18” long, 18” tall, 16” width. My 8 fish are:
- an Staghorn munching linear blenny
- Black Clown Goby
- Griessinger Goby
- Hectors Goby
- Yasha Goby
- Pink Streak Wrasse
- Blue Star Leopard Wrasse (Temporary)
- Naoko Fairy Wrasse (Temporary)

 

[Lyss]

I have the Max Nano as well, it's 16.5 gallons in the display, w/the rest of the 20 gallons going to the sump. I've got a clown pair and tailspot blenny, and just added a trio of tiny Eviota gobies on Wed. Can't see much else going in there in the way of fish.

BTW, tailspots are not orange, and I'm not quite sure where those pics that sometimes pop up of them w/a bright blue head and orange body come from. They'll mainly look purple. You can see a bit of blue at the head and orange at the tail when it's established and happy, but it definitely doesn't look like those photos -- more like the LiveAquaria photo.

I'm partial to the tailspot b/c they're goofballs and once established and confident are super fun to watch. If it was me, in a 15g I'd probably do the tailspot or one of the pygmy wrasses and the goby/pistol pair, and then assess from there.

 

[i cant think]

I have the Max Nano as well, it's 16.5 gallons in the display, w/the rest of the 20 gallons going to the sump. I've got a clown pair and tailspot blenny, and just added a trio of tiny Eviota gobies on Wed. Can't see much else going in there in the way of fish.

BTW, tailspots are not orange, and I'm not quite sure where those pics that sometimes pop up of them w/a bright blue head and orange body come from. They'll mainly look purple. You can see a bit of blue at the head and orange at the tail when it's established and happy, but it definitely doesn't look like those photos -- more like the LiveAquaria photo.

I'm partial to the tailspot b/c they're goofballs and once established and confident are super fun to watch. If it was me, in a 15g I'd probably do the tailspot or one of the pygmy wrasses and the goby/pistol pair, and then assess from there.

If I remember correctly the orange and blue on the tail spot blennies are what show the males however I may be wrong.

 

[Lyss]

If I remember correctly the orange and blue on the tail spot blennies are what show the males however I may be wrong.

Nope, it's supposedly the tail streamers, which mine has but doesn't have that color. I've never once seen one Irl w/that coloring.

Edit: Here's a video of a spawning pair, and you can see they're both the typical coloring. Some blue, orange and green does show on them but not to the extent of those photos I see online that I was referencing. My guess is those photos have been altered to make the colors pop.

 

[i cant think]

Interesting - I’ve seen a post that says differently, it said about how the streamers may not be an indication of sex but it could’ve also been twice unlucky.

 

[SlugSnorter]

Nope, it's supposedly the tail streamers, which mine has but doesn't have that color. I've never once seen one Irl w/that coloring.

Edit: Here's a video of a spawning pair, and you can see they're both the typical coloring. Some blue, orange and green does show on them but not to the extent of those photos I see online that I was referencing. My guess is those photos have been altered to make the colors pop.

If I remember correctly the orange and blue on the tail spot blennies are what show the males however I may be wrong.

They are a slightly different species called the orange tailspot blenny.

 

[Lyss]

They are a slightly different species called the orange tailspot blenny.

I have never heard of this. The tailspot blenny is Ecsenius Stigmatura. Do you know what species this orange TSB is? I still very much feel it's more likely some photoshop brightening of the natural coloring in those photos of the very bright orange and blue TSB.

 

[Dave1993]

Candy basset

 

[i cant think]

I have never heard of this. The tailspot blenny is Ecsenius Stigmatura. Do you know what species this orange TSB is? I still very much feel it's more likely some photoshop brightening of the natural coloring in those photos of the very bright orange and blue TSB.

From what I’ve seen, the orange TSB is the same species (E. stigmatura).

 

[Lyss]

From what I’ve seen, the orange TSB is the same species (E. stigmatura).

Agree. My TSB has blue and orange on him but it's not that pronounced. So it may be mating colors, just deeply developed colors due to food, or photoshop -- or a combination of the three.