Help me decide...

[BestMomEver]

This another “what fish should I get” thread. This tank is a Fluval Sea V. Yes, five gallons...and please don’t start lecturing about the tank being too small. I know it’s small and keeping it will take time, forethought and precision. I have two other nanos so I get it.

So, considering the size, please give opinions. I already have two Firefish in two other tanks so I’d like to have something different. If I could find a Helfrichi for about $50 and not $90 I might think about it but, for now, I’ll look at other stuff.

My candidates are some sort of dottyback or a gramma. Maybe I’d go with a small Wrasse but I’m not very knowledgeable about many of them. Id love a six line but because of how much they move around I don’t know if that’s the best choice. If I could find a pair of a small Wrasse species that might be fun. I’d like a clown but I think even an ocellaris is too big and I have two pair in other tanks. I’ve considered a Goby/shrimp pair but I don’t want them to bury all my sand dwelling corals. I think I would have a similar problem with many of the Goby species. Besides, I have those in two other tanks as well. I’ve even considered a mantis... even though I think they are absolutely creepy and disgusting.

I want something that doesn’t hide, doesn’t bury all my corals, swims a lot and is brightly colored. And, of course, stays small. Any suggestions?

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I seen a Catalina goby in a stores small desktop tank and it liked to sit perched on the rocks. I know you said that you really didn't want to add gobies but you have to be realistic with your stocking, there is no way a wrasse or fire fish will be ok in a five gallon. Your candidates will not work in that tank. @eatbreakfast do you have any stocking suggestions?

 

[DSC reef]

Barnacle blennies are very cool. They have great personality, we had one that like to peek in and out of a barnacle cluster. Very neat fish.

 

[Katrina71]

I have barnacles I can send too!

 

[mta_morrow]

an azure or yellow tail damsel would give great color and constant movement. 2 1/4" fully grown.

you could even have a very small goby and candy cane pistol as well...….Hi fin red band, Dracula, yasha.

 

[DSC reef]

an azure or yellow tail damsel would give great color and constant movement. 2 1/4" fully grown.

you could even have a very small goby and candy cane pistol as well...….Hi fin red band, Dracula, yasha.

Yasha goby is so cool looking IMO

 

[Katrina71]

I love my hi fin and candy cane too.

 

[Katrina71]

So many little guys to choose from!

 

[BestMomEver]

I seen a Catalina goby in a stores small desktop tank and it liked to sit perched on the rocks. I know you said that you really didn't want to add gobies but you have to be realistic with your stocking, there is no way a wrasse or fire fish will be ok in a five gallon. Your candidates will not work in that tank. @eatbreakfast do you have any stocking suggestions?

Catalina gobies are cold water fish, right? I don’t have a chiller and I live in south Alabama... too hot without one.

Barnacle blennies are very cool. They have great personality, we had one that like to peek in and out of a barnacle cluster. Very neat fish.

Not a bad idea... and I have barnacles!

an azure or yellow tail damsel would give great color and constant movement. 2 1/4" fully grown.

you could even have a very small goby and candy cane pistol as well...….Hi fin red band, Dracula, yasha.

Didn’t think about damsels... I stay away from in general. I had a 500 gallon years ago and I put a tiny little domino damsel in. In about 6 months, he was so big and nasty, I had to catch him with a fish hook and give him away. But a single, smaller species might be fun.

I want to stay away from sand dwellers... I have acans and lobos in the sand. The pistol/Goby pairs I have shove sand on top of everything!

So many little guys to choose from!

I know, right? I have an idea! What about a tiny boxfish? Do they grow fast? I have 60 gallon tank I can put him in when he gets big. Or I can re-home him. I think I heard that they grow really slowly.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

I've seen Catalina gobies in tanks without a chiller do just fine And I live in florida. Unless you keep your house at a high temperature. I've read they can be kept from 60 to 77 degrees.

 

[mta_morrow]

Damsels of the chrysiptera species are pretty mild mannered.

All others.......no way!

 

[norfolkgarden]

Catalina gobies are cold water fish, right? I don’t have a chiller and I live in south Alabama... too hot without one.

Not a bad idea... and I have barnacles!


Didn’t think about damsels... I stay away from in general. I had a 500 gallon years ago and I put a tiny little domino damsel in. In about 6 months, he was so big and nasty, I had to catch him with a fish hook and give him away. But a single, smaller species might be fun.

I want to stay away from sand dwellers... I have acans and lobos in the sand. The pistol/Goby pairs I have shove sand on top of everything!


I know, right? I have an idea! What about a tiny boxfish? Do they grow fast? I have 60 gallon tank I can put him in when he gets big. Or I can re-home him. I think I heard that they grow really slowly.

The box fish grows to 1 foot.

It sounds like you already have plenty of gobies.
[emoji4]
Neat fish!

Have you looked at the nano section on liveaquaria.com already?

Would a fire shrimp be ok in something that small?
Active and hard to beat the color.
Might be a problem walking on the acans.
[emoji53]

 

[eatbreakfast]

In a 5g options include;

A colony of barnacle blennies

A group of trimma or eviota gobies(they aren't sand dwelling)

Curious worm goby

A single possum wrasse

Periclemines shrimp


I would not recommend a catalina goby. Being kept above 70 degrees greatly reduces their lifespan.

 

[BestMomEver]

In a 5g options include;

A colony of barnacle blennies

A group of trimma or eviota gobies(they aren't sand dwelling)

Curious worm goby

A single possum wrasse

Periclemines shrimp


I would not recommend a catalina goby. Being kept above 70 degrees greatly reduces their lifespan.

I love the idea of all the Goby choices. Unfortunately, my LFS never carries anything remotely that cool. I did find a ternate damsel and a Tailspot Blenny. I’ve had a Tailspot before and loved him.

So.... decisions, decisions. Which would y’all pick? Can I get both? The Tailspot won’t do much but perch so I don’t worry too much about the bioload.

 

[Dilan Patel]

I don't reccomend Catalina gobies due to their lower temp requirements

 

[DSC reef]

I don't reccomend Catalina gobies due to their lower temp requirements

Everyone has said this, what would you recommend? Suggestions are just suggestions and if a chiller can be added or temps kept low then that fish is appropriately sized for this tank. The OP ask for fish suggestions for the the size of her tank and members have tried to help. No where in the original post was it said it has to be a certain temp so how would one know?

 

[Dilan Patel]

I like neon gobies and depending on type of corals and risk you would like to take clown gobies are nice as well.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Everyone has said this, what would you recommend? Suggestions are just suggestions and if a chiller can be added or temps kept low then that fish is appropriately sized for this tank. The OP ask for fish suggestions for the the size of her tank and members have tried to help. No where in the original post was it said it has to be a certain temp so how would one know?

Most people don't keep chillers on a 5g tank.

Later the op added that she won't be using a chiller and is in Alabama.

 

[Dilan Patel]

Also maybe a cleaner shrimp as they don't create to much waste

 

[DSC reef]

Most people don't keep chillers on a 5g tank.

Later the op added that she won't be using a chiller and is in Alabama.

I get it but just throwing suggestions due to size requirements is all we were trying to help and to get some opinions, bump the thread to help the OP.