Help with Fish Suggestions

[pledosophy]

I need some more fish!!!

I have a Nuvo 50g. Current stock list is a Pair of Maroon Clowns, a midas blenny, a leopard wrasse, a baby blue tang about 1.5" (I will move him when he gets bigger), cleaner shrimp, peppermint shrimp, blue tuxedo urchin. Couple of nassarius snails, a red tipped hermit, few astrea snails.

I am looking for a sand sifting type fish, who will not dump sand on the acans on my sandbed, a more pelagic fish who stays close to the rocks, and a fish that likes to be higher in the water column.

My tank is a mixed reef with higher flow.

I do plan to add a manderin in a few months, but want to wait for my second pod culture to become more prolithic before adding.

I feed frozen once daily and a TDO/Gonipora Power/Reef Roid mix 2x a day. With the amount I feed I am not really anticipating needing to feed more to add a new fish or 3.

I know everyone always says their water quality is perfect, mine is not quite perfect. I do test 2-3 times a week. Ammonia/Nitrate/Phospahte/Alk/Ca are all pretty perfect but my iodine does fluctuate a bit. Fish wise, my water is pretty perfect. I have a refugium, and dose regularly.

Thanks for the tips. Tang police can sit this one out. A 1.5 inch tang in a 50g tank is fine. Easier to monitor in a smaller tank as it grows IME.

My current ideas are a yellow watchmen/pistol pair, a species of clown goby maybe a Madagascar Spotted Croucher, and either a trio of firefish or an Anthias.

I have thought about a blue stripe african pipefish as well but might wait on that one until the second pod culture really gets going as well. I currently have two gallon cultures of Tisbe, a good 5g culture of tigriopius and a second 5g of tigriopus just starting.

Really looking forward to your suggestions.

 

[andrewey]

I don't want to be the tang police that you didn't ask for, but at 1.5", that hippo already needs to be moved now/sooner rather than later if it's currently in a 24" tank. Remember, it's not the volume, but the length that matters- that tank is shorter than a 20 long. Forgetting the whole tang police thing, I can't tell you how many tanks I've seen nuked by a hippo in a crowded tank. Those guys are ich magnets and it literally can appear overnight. I've probably helped four different reefers over the years clean up all their dead fish from housing a "baby hippo" in a tank that was too small. I'm not trying to rain on your parade and I understand that small tangs are held in small tanks during QT/at the fish store, etc. I'm just warning you that every day that tang is in there is a gamble you're making between knowing when the right time to pull it is vs. being a day too late. Remember, I have nothing to gain or lose by you having/not having the tang- I just want you to succeed as a reefer and certain animals are not conducive to the goal of having a long term stable, healthy, and happy tank

Next, there are no sand sifting fish that will not dump sand on your acans. If you want sand sifting, I would suggest a conch or nassarius snails. I would hold off on any sand sifting stars for now.

Don't worry about your iodine level at this point. Also, no need to test ammonia after your cycle unless there are big changes or you're worried about a spike.

If your water quality isn't great already, I would hold off on the anthias. They have a fast metabolism and need frequent feedings.

Just watch out with your current stocking goals. Maroon clowns are famously picky of new tank mates and can be aggressive to new additions. Take extra caution when introducing new fish.

I like the firefish, pistol shrimp/watchman goby, and clown fish additions

I would also look into some of the blennies! They're fantastic fish with tons of personality and do well in smaller tanks!

 

[Birddog61]

Cardnals fit the high in the water colum bill

 

[Chrille26]

A yellow Coris wrasse or a Melanurus wrasse are fun fish with great colourpatterns that are active swimmers that stay close to the rockwork most of the time, even chasing down pests like flatworms. They are also often friendly towards other wrasses and other fishes, granted there are individuals that might cause trouble. They might outcompete a mandarin for pods though so that could be a issue.

 

[pledosophy]

A yellow Coris wrasse or a Melanurus wrasse are fun fish with great colourpatterns that are active swimmers that stay close to the rockwork most of the time, even chasing down pests like flatworms. They are also often friendly towards other wrasses and other fishes, granted there are individuals that might cause trouble. They might outcompete a mandarin for pods though so that could be a issue.

have you had a coris wrasse with shrimp? I had thought those wrasses liked the shrimp a bit to much

 

[Chrille26]

have you had a coris wrasse with shrimp? I had thought those wrasses liked the shrimp a bit to much

Not a Coris but a Melanurus, it was added after my snails and cleaner shrimp and it havent touched any of them thankfully! I have heard they can go after smaller inverts thats newly added but I havent experienced it.

 

[pledosophy]

I don't want to be the tang police that you didn't ask for, but at 1.5", that hippo already needs to be moved now/sooner rather than later if it's currently in a 24" tank. Remember, it's not the volume, but the length that matters- that tank is shorter than a 20 long. Forgetting the whole tang police thing, I can't tell you how many tanks I've seen nuked by a hippo in a crowded tank. Those guys are ich magnets and it literally can appear overnight. I've probably helped four different reefers over the years clean up all their dead fish from housing a "baby hippo" in a tank that was too small. I'm not trying to rain on your parade and I understand that small tangs are held in small tanks during QT/at the fish store, etc. I'm just warning you that every day that tang is in there is a gamble you're making between knowing when the right time to pull it is vs. being a day too late. Remember, I have nothing to gain or lose by you having/not having the tang- I just want you to succeed as a reefer and certain animals are not conducive to the goal of having a long term stable, healthy, and happy tank

I appreciate the the intent of the information/advice you gave and that it was intended to help. It is inaccurate though.

The Blue Tang I have is CB. The tank size it is in now is larger than what the breeder recommends. The fish will be moved when it is larger. I already ordered and paid for the new tank, but with COVID there has been some delay. I do have 150 lbs of LR fully cycled and full of pods from my cultures in barrels, once I can get the tank installed.

There is also no ich in my system and in 19 years in the hobby I have never had ich in my display. Just because you have a tang, does not mean you have ich in your system. It can't just show up, it has to be introduced.

I do a 3 tank trade via the tank transfer method before 11 weeks in QT for any fish. If there is ever a parasite or disease, I treat, and go back to a 11 week QT. I used to hypo fish in QT but found that an unnecessary step after the TTM, but I still do the 11 week QT or longer with anything that can not be dipped.

 

[pledosophy]

Not a Coris but a Melanurus, it was added after my snails and cleaner shrimp and it havent touched any of them thankfully! I have heard they can go after smaller inverts thats newly added but I havent experienced it.

Thanks for sharing your experience!