Help me pick some fish!!

[NanoNana]

I have definitely had to net him and wedge it in the sand against the glass so I can work on the tank. Also have long tongs to keep hands out. He attacks the tongs lol. What a devil

Gloves are a good idea.

Have had a clown in a 75 g and still had issues when other fish come near their territory. I had a 3” clown bite the eye out of a 4.5” wrasse. Complete. Removal.

This is why you couldn’t pay me to put a clown fish in my tank. Lol

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

1. You also don't need as strong of lights for the lagoon.

Pshh. Blast that sucker. Use the opportunities you are presented with.

Or put another way, go ahead and spend that jack

 

[BillFish Coral Lover]

Bangai, mean

Huge bummer! I was figuring on one for my IM 25 Lagoon. Back to the drawing board.

I wish I could draw like you, @benthicBarbarian!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Huge bummer! I was figuring on one for my IM 25 Lagoon. Back to the drawing board.

I wish I could draw like you, @benthicBarbarian!

They start out ok. As they grow, they get pretty testy. I have a 25 lagoon and I'd never put one in there. I think they would make great filler fish in a big system though.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

This is why you couldn’t pay me to put a clown fish in my tank. Lol

Ok miss lady. Here is your chance to impart some nano knowledge.

Is there anybody out there who specializes in saltwater nano fish? More so that the run of the mill neon, hectors, goby's, etc? We typically see a couple of small gobies available consistently. But never too many different varieties.

What are some varieties outside of the commonly available and where does one procure them? Start with this wolfsout/tiger goby and go wherever. Elacatinus macrodon.

This is my new obsession. Uncommon nano fish for my nano reef.

 

[Naekuh]

I love your cartoon drawings....

adding on...

The damsel you drew has the another name called the tank wrecker.
Because 90% of us had to tear down our tank to catch him because he was being a complete jerk and we could not add anything.

The Splended and Grama will not live peacefully in a tank that large, and will start a holy inquisition to eradicate each other.

The clown, if it starts hosting something, it will stay in that zone, and kill everyone that comes into its home like a old man with a shotgun watching his porch telling people to get off his lawn.

The file fish is very tough to keep in a tank that small.
Most are very picky eatters, and most reefers only house one temporary, because they one of the solutions for aptasia removal. If you can get it to eat mysis, your in luck, but most rather eat aptasia, and sometimes even your expensive corals.

I have a breeding pair of Bangai.
They are pretty chill, as long as its not another Bangai...

To be honest, id keep a 20gal as peaceful as possible.

So id would do something like 2 Juvi clowns and hope they will pair, and one will transition.
A Yellow Goby, or a Clown Goby, or a Warpaint Goby... these guys are cool as they like to pearch a lot.
Maybe a Bangai...

And the LAST addition... this guy needs to be last... would be the Grama, or a Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) Make sure its a Orchid, and not a purple... as they are worlds apart in temperment.

Also that Orchid or Grama will seal your tank making sure you can't do any new additions, except replace the exact same fish for fish that may happen to die.

 

[littlefoxx]

Huge bummer! I was figuring on one for my IM 25 Lagoon. Back to the drawing board.

I wish I could draw like you, @benthicBarbarian!

Never had an issue with them, I have a pair now.

 

[NanoNana]

I love your cartoon drawings....

adding on...

The damsel you drew has the another name called the tank wrecker.
Because 90% of us had to tear down our tank to catch him because he was being a complete jerk and we could not add anything.

The Splended and Grama will not live peacefully in a tank that large, and will start a holy inquisition to eradicate each other.

The clown, if it starts hosting something, it will stay in that zone, and kill everyone that comes into its home like a old man with a shotgun watching his porch telling people to get off his lawn.

The file fish is very tough to keep in a tank that small.
Most are very picky eatters, and most reefers only house one temporary, because they one of the solutions for aptasia removal. If you can get it to eat mysis, your in luck, but most rather eat aptasia, and sometimes even your expensive corals.

I have a breeding pair of Bangai.
They are pretty chill, as long as its not another Bangai...

To be honest, id keep a 20gal as peaceful as possible.

So id would do something like 2 Juvi clowns and hope they will pair, and one will transition.
A Yellow Goby, or a Clown Goby, or a Warpaint Goby... these guys are cool as they like to pearch a lot.
Maybe a Bangai...

And the LAST addition... this guy needs to be last... would be the Grama, or a Orchid Dottyback (Pseudochromis fridmani) Make sure its a Orchid, and not a purple... as they are worlds apart in temperment.

Also that Orchid and Grama will seal your tank making sure you can't do any new additions, except replace the exact same fish for fish that may happen to die.

I put my gramma in my tank first. ( I didn’t know it was a bad idea and got lucky) It loves the baby clown goby. Naps behind the coral it perches on most of the time, backs out of the way for it to eat first. The goby is so small it’s not threatening but it’s odd how the gramma lets it do whatever it wants including perch in on top of it at nap time.

 

[Naekuh]

I put my gramma in my tank first. ( I didn’t know it was a bad idea and got lucky) It loves the baby clown goby. Naps behind the coral it perches on most of the time, backs out of the way for it to eat first. The goby is so small it’s not threatening but it’s odd how the gramma lets it do whatever it wants including perch in on top of it at nap time.

grama and orchids to my experience are great if they have not planted flags yet.
They remember who the tank mates are, and are meticulous at killing anyone who isn't an Original.

This is why i always recommend them last, unless were talking much bigger tank, and you throw in Tangs.

Gah... i hate adding Tangs... so many bad things can happen with a poor addition of a Tang. Im sure a lot of us here have a love hate relationship with Tangs.

 

[NanoNana]

Ok miss lady. Here is your chance to impart some nano knowledge.

Is there anybody out there who specializes in saltwater nano fish? More so that the run of the mill neon, hectors, goby's, etc? We typically see a couple of small gobies available consistently. But never too many different varieties.

What are some varieties outside of the commonly available and where does one procure them? Start with this wolfsout/tiger goby and go wherever. Elacatinus macrodon.

This is my new obsession. Uncommon nano fish for my nano reef.

Ha! You could fit my nano knowledge in a thimble ( unless you want a quick course in how to overstock one lol) I have never come across anywhere that specializes in nano saltwater fish.
BIOTA seems to have a lot of the lesser seen small gobies. Blue Zoo Aquatics had some catalinas a while back. A rare nano theme could be fun though…

 

[NanoNana]

grama and orchids to my experience are great if they have not planted flags yet.
They remember who the tank mates are, and are meticulous at killing anyone who isn't an Original.

This is why i always recommend them last, unless were talking much bigger tank, and you throw in Tangs.

Gah... i hate adding Tangs... so many bad things can happen with a poor addition of a Tang. Im sure a lot of us here have a love hate relationship with Tangs.

Gramma was my first marine fish. I didn’t know any better at the time. I have found that if the gramma is having a couple grumpy days in a row all I have to do is move my gorgonian from the side to the center. I swear that fish is so curious. It will spend two days swimming in and out of the gorgo like it’s a new toy and totally forget it had a “territory” for some times weeks. It gets sideways above the Court Jester and hovers and watches it sift sand like it’s the most fascinating thing ever. The fish is an absolute goof ball.

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

Ha! You could fit my nano knowledge in a thimble ( unless you want a quick course in how to overstock one lol) I have never come across anywhere that specializes in nano saltwater fish.
BIOTA seems to have a lot of the lesser seen small gobies. Blue Zoo Aquatics had some catalinas a while back. A rare nano theme could be fun though…

You and me both. And that's exactly what I've found as well. Blue zoo, biota, and a couple of others who specialize in diver direct stuff. But they are slim/limited. I'm considering emailing one of the diver direct guys and seeing if there is anything he comes across when he's collection that is less common in the trade.

 

[AydenLincoln]

Lots of opinions and suggestions here. There are sooo many variables that there is no cut and dry rules about fish behavior, but there are some pretty solid guidelines. Here is my 2 cents. (If I did not mention a particular fish, it's because I don't know)

1. Clownfish in smaller tanks is a bad idea.
2. Royal Grammas are hit or miss for aggression, but after having 4 of them that were jerks, I would not get another
3. Aggression leads to stress and disease.
4. Dotty backs are generally aggressive
5. I have never kept Cardinals because they are so darn ugly.
6. Pink Streaked Wrasse should be fine in a 20.
7. Think about a Possum Wrasse.
8. Think about a little bit bigger tank. I have an IM 25 gal lagoon, which is not as deep = more horizontal real estate (floor space). Check my tank thread if you want.
9. You also don't need as strong of lights for the lagoon.
10. Where will you get your macros from?
11. If you can do it, I would go with real ocean live rock.

Best of luck, and go slow, and then slow down. Then slow way down.

Sorry but I’m hysterically laughing at your number five reason on this list lol!

 

[NanoNana]

You and me both. And that's exactly what I've found as well. Blue zoo, biota, and a couple of others who specialize in diver direct stuff. But they are slim/limited. I'm considering emailing one of the diver direct guys and seeing if there is anything he comes across when he's collection that is less common in the trade.

That may be a good option. I have basic fish. Lol. And I’m currently overstocked because I was sent two fish instead of one in my last order. They are babies, my yellow clown is also a baby. They just finished quarantine and I don’t have an LFS closer than a couple hours so figured I’d let them swim in the display a week or so and determine which one I like better. ATM, one is eating hair algae, one is not. I have a clear favorite.

 

[BillFish Coral Lover]

Oops

 

[Naekuh]

Sorry but I’m hysterically laughing at your number five reason on this list lol!

regular cardinals are ugly.. i totally agree with him.
They look like freshwater fish, with big eyes, that just stare at you... lack personality in most cases because they just float there and stare at you.

Its not like a puffer which will do backflips on command when you bring out the food container.

The only reason i have 2 Bangai, was because they were sort of cool, they look a lot cooler then the regular pajama cardinals, IMO. The face reminds me of Gigachad meme's.

vs

You can't tell me that isn't a gigachad..

 

[littlefoxx]

Awe come on I love those!!! I think they are super cool lol but the other cardnial are ugly. Like pajama. They look like freshwater tiger barbs with less color!

 

[Townes_Van_Camp]

They look like freshwater tiger barbs with less color!

Well you sold me. Where can I get me one?

 

[Naekuh]

Awe come on I love those!!! I think they are super cool lol but the other cardnial are ugly. Like pajama. They look like freshwater tiger barbs with less color!

Nah... so ugly...

I have freshwater angels that do that, and are much prettier...

I'll take my gigachad cardinals, the bangai.

 

[littlefoxx]

Yeah those are ugly! I like the baggani cardnial though lol