Help me decide...

[eatbreakfast]

So why not suggest Pacific Northwest tidal pool inhabitants? Because most reef keepers don't keep nanos in that temp range. The same holds true for catalina gobies, so there is no reason to be so defensive/almost combative when someone lays out why catalina gobies may not be a good suggestion.

 

[DSC reef]

We made our suggestions, tried to to help the best we could. I'm out

 

[BestMomEver]

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?

I don’t have a chiller. I’m not inclined to make that kind of purchase for a five gallon tank. We live in south Alabama so we keep the AC on all the time. But even with that, the tank water stays at about 74 degrees.

 

[BestMomEver]

We made our suggestions, tried to to help the best we could. I'm out

Please don’t go... I appreciate everyone’s opinion. Some things I’ve never thought of before. Good suggestions. I would LOVE to have a Catalina but have never purchased one. I’ve never owned a chiller even when we had a 500 Gallon tank. I would never want a fish to suffer like that, so I just stay away from them. But what do you think of the Ternate Damsel? Or should I get the Tailspot? My choices are so limited here. I have ordered from LA a few times but just can’t find what I’m looking for exactly. I love gobies and blennies but, at the same time, I want something that will swim around. In your opinion, can I have both the damsel and the Tailspot for now? I have two other larger tanks I can move them to when they get bigger. Thoughts?

 

[BestMomEver]

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

I have a cleaner shrimp in my 60. The sucker dances all over my SPS. He drives me nuts. I’ve tried to catch him to no avail. He’s way to quick and is good at hiding.

 

[BestMomEver]

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

I have a “bonded” pair of yellow line (neon) gobies in my 60. They’re ok I guess. I had a clown Goby until he decided to take a trip through the power head. Before then, he nearly killed two SPS because he wouldn’t get off of them!

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

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.

Well I read on reefbuilders that yes they require colder water but are fine in up to 75 degrees and their lifespan was only shorter when they were kept in tanks that were over 80 degrees. We ran halides and when the chiller didn't come back on when we had a power bump it went just over 80 and again we live in florida where it is usually above 90 degrees outside. But this is just my opinion. I think there are plenty of gobies out there to choose from and everyone has made great suggestions.

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Please don’t go... I appreciate everyone’s opinion. Some things I’ve never thought of before. Good suggestions. I would LOVE to have a Catalina but have never purchased one. I’ve never owned a chiller even when we had a 500 Gallon tank. I would never want a fish to suffer like that, so I just stay away from them. But what do you think of the Ternate Damsel? Or should I get the Tailspot? My choices are so limited here. I have ordered from LA a few times but just can’t find what I’m looking for exactly. I love gobies and blennies but, at the same time, I want something that will swim around. In your opinion, can I have both the damsel and the Tailspot for now? I have two other larger tanks I can move them to when they get bigger. Thoughts?

I think a tailspot would be a great addition! They are really pretty

 

[eatbreakfast]

Well I read on reefbuilders that yes they require colder water but are fine in up to 75 degrees and their lifespan was only shorter when they were kept in tanks that were over 80 degrees. We ran halides and when the chiller didn't come back on when we had a power bump it went just over 80 and again we live in florida where it is usually above 90 degrees outside. But this is just my opinion. I think there are plenty of gobies out there to choose from and everyone has made great suggestions.

Who wrote it on RB? Some authors are better than others when it comes to fish.

I know when I kept a group at 74 degrees they didn't even last 3months, and that has been pretty consistent with others that have first-hand experience with them.

 

[eatbreakfast]

Ternate damsels get a little too big for 5g. Consider a springeri, talbot, or azure.

I wouldn't mix a blenny and damsel in a 5g.

 

[Jesterrace]

It's a stretch but Pink Streaked Wrasse might work and they are more likely to be visible than some of the other suggestions.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Woot! A single possum wrasse!

Love that!

Never had a reason to try a possum wrasse in our 75 gallon. Way to cryptic.
But a 5 gallon would be awesome!

Low light or SPS? I believe possum wrasse like low light?

A neon cleaner Gobi would also be an awesome choice. They don't get much more brilliant than that for a tiny fish.

 

[KrisReef]

Mollies.

 

[BestMomEver]

Mollies.

Seriously? Would you really do that? I’ve had breeding colonies of mollies in fresh water tanks and I know they can be acclimated to saltwater, but I’ve never considered doing it.

 

[BestMomEver]

Ternate damsels get a little too big for 5g. Consider a springeri, talbot, or azure.

I wouldn't mix a blenny and damsel in a 5g.

I know ternate get a little large. I have room in my 60 or 32 if need be. But I’m not sure.

 

[norfolkgarden]

Seriously? Would you really do that? I’ve had breeding colonies of mollies in fresh water tanks and I know they can be acclimated to saltwater, but I’ve never considered doing it.

They do better in brackish or hypo.

One of our LFS has the small dwarf puffers and some mollies in a few of the hypo tanks.
Looks cool!

Then I gotta remember the dwarf puffers are a bad idea in full salt.
[emoji15]
Those same 2 thoughts go through my head every single time I look at those tanks....

I'm special.
[emoji4]

 

[KrisReef]

Seriously? Would you really do that? I’ve had breeding colonies of mollies in fresh water tanks and I know they can be acclimated to saltwater, but I’ve never considered doing it.

Inexpensive, pretty, active, and well suited for small spaces, why not?
There is another thread on here with a recommendation to acclimate them to temperature for 20 minutes, and then let the loose straight from fresh to salt for best survivability.
One of the lfs has them in their tanks, they are interesting to watch and highly interactive with people.

 

[Aaron iReef2]

Hi fin rose goby. Small, beautiful and will not move your sand much at all. You could pair it with a Randalls shrimp. This goby shrimp stays small, moves some sand, but not alot.
Green or yellow clown gobys . Just 1 of the 2 though. Dont try to mix the diff clown gobies in that small of tank.
Red elongate psuedochromis only
gets 2.5 ". Generally non aggressive compared to other psuedos. Psuedo elongatus, much smaller than royal gramma etc. And all wrasses are probably gonna be to confined in that size of aquarium.

A. Blake
ireef2.com

 

[Stigigemla]

5 gallons is really small. What we always preach is constant values and that is impossible in a 5 gallon without a heater or chiller and most of all without an ATO.
I believe symbios gobys are a bad example of animals for very small tanks because they normally live in a bit deeper water in nature which has more constant values.
I would only think of animals you normally find in tidal pools. So what kind of fishes do we find in tropical tidal pools?

If it is possible to connect it with water from another tank I would go with sexy shrimps an anemone and a boxer crab (or 2 if I can get a pair) Maybe a Periclemens shrimp and maybe a Neopetrolisthes maculatus. A small hermit or 2. These animals do not stand varying salinity or temperature but are very charming in a tank small enough so You can see them.
And You have fishes in the other tanks...

 

[ajm83]

5 gallons is really small. What we always preach is constant values and that is impossible in a 5 gallon without a heater or chiller and most of all without an ATO.

You can use a Autoaqua SmartATO Micro in a Fluval V.