Need more visible fish

[Red2143]

I have a 32 gallon biocube with a clown fish, firefish, pajama cardinal and royal gramma. All the fish except the clown fish spend most of the day hiding. I'd like to add my final fish but want something more visible. What are the options?

 

[Dave1993]

how long have you had them?

 

[mr.lordacan]

I have an ORA harp tail blenny that’s pretty active in the water column. Good personality too, fun to watch!

 

[Stephen8169301]

Haha same! but all mine hide so I spend money on coral so I can just glue them in spot and watch them

 

[Red2143]

how long have you had them?

4 months

 

[Dave1993]

4 months

wierd though they would be out by that amount of time

 

[Uncle99]

I have a 32 gallon biocube with a clown fish, firefish, pajama cardinal and royal gramma. All the fish except the clown fish spend most of the day hiding. I'd like to add my final fish but want something more visible. What are the options?

A trio of simple orange/purple eye Anthais.
Out all day.
1 female with turn reddish in about 6 months.

 

[Red2143]

A trio of simple orange/purple eye Anthais.
Out all day.
1 female with turn reddish in about 6 months.

Can anthias go in a 32 gallon tank?

 

[Phil Steel]

what about a bluespotted jawfish?

 

[Jesse Sunday]

royal gramma

I can second that my Gramma is a hider... 32g BioCube here too. Lots of live rock, and he (she?) manages to slip into some of the holes in the rock occasionally. Poking his head out. Cute but skittish.

Following this for recommendations for my next fish to add.

 

[Tamberav]

My gramma is out all day long. I wonder they all your fish feel the need to hide.

 

[Lineatus]

The clown could be a bully. Maybe try setting up a camera for a few hours and see if she’s beating them into hiding.

If not you’ve just got unlucky, fire fish and grammas can be very secretive. Though ive never seen a pyjama that hides.

 

[907_Reefer]

Our Gramma is out more now that we just moved the tank, and have a darker room. I was wondering if maybe more shadows from us approaching the tank were the culprit before.. Now, she even chases the Melanurus Wrasse on occasion

 

[kevgib67]

My royal gramma is out and about all day but had the same behavior the first few weeks. My sixline wrasse and yellow tailed damsel are always out as well as my diamond watchman gobie. I know there is a lot of negative views about sixlines but mine is a model citizen.

 

[cdw79]

Can anthias go in a 32 gallon tank?

... no. Would steer clear for sure.

I second the jawfish idea. Love mine and would never have a tank without one. Just make sure your rocks are resting on the bottom glass and not just the top of the sand- otherwise the scape could collapse.

You could look into a smaller species of fairy wrasse, usually much more active. Firefish can be skittish but that's pretty unusual that he's so timid this late into the game. Does he come out for feeding time? I'd follow the advice of ppl above and either try and get a camera on him (You can get a Wyza cam for like $30 on Amazon, great to have for vacations away from home too), or just sit 6+ feet back from the tank and watch for awhile

Look into a blenny too, another favorite and usually completely unproblematic. Just one per tank

 

[Uncle99]

Can anthias go in a 32 gallon tank?

Yup, I see no reason, but with others, that would be max.
And must be the common orange ones which are much less boisterous IMM.
And you can have one.

 

[Super Fly]

Can anthias go in a 32 gallon tank?

I wouldn't put anthia in a 32. If interested u can try several blue green chromis and see if they dont kill each other off and shoal. At worst, u'd end up w one and it'll be all over the tank. I personally like this fish but like others cant seem to keep more than one in my tank as they kill each other off while some folks get lucky and they shoal. Besides, u can probably get 3 chromis for the price of one anthia

 

[JTP424]

If your tank has sand maybe a sand sifting goby or something along those lines? They HAVE to be out and about to feed.

 

[jkcoral]

Mentioned above, your clownfish might be bullying. It is surprising that your fire fish and cardinal are hiding, in many years of reefing all fire fish and cardinals I’ve had were always scooting around the tank. My Royal grammas were reclusive, though, and would stick by their cave.

Does your rock work allow for a decent amount of swimming space (e.g. no open space higher in the water column)?

A harptail blenny would be cool, like someone else mentioned. Maybe a small coral beauty would be nice to add (at least for a while, and if you can make sure it isn’t nipping your corals).

 

[Cincyreefer513]

I have a RG that hid completely for the first 6 months. Now he's out all of the time. Don't give up hope yet.

Maybe a clown goby? I have a Citron clown goby in a 32 Flex and he's become a family favorite. Great personality and always in view.