Poor Choice of Fish?

[Mark Goode]

I have a Red Sea 525, 100(ish) UK gallons, a few more American ones. Into this I've added:

1 juvenile One Spot Foxface
1 small Royal Gramma
2 Pyjama Cardinals
2 small Common Clownfish

The Foxface looks good, has good body mass and feeds from my hand. Apart from feeding time, he hides.

I had a Royal Gramma years ago, and he was very active, constantly aquascaping the area around his cave. The one I have now emerges for food, otherwise it hides.

The Clowns don't hide, but their favourite spot is between a large rock and the back wall. They may as well be hiding.

The Cardinals don't hide, but man they're just so dull. Nothing interesting to watch there.

So the wife and I find ourselves just watching our Blue Knuckle Hermits and snails in the evening.

 

[vsolovyev]

Those all sound like pretty good choices to me, with 100 gallons you have room for more if you wanted.

 

[Mark Goode]

Those all sound like pretty good choices to me, with 100 gallons you have room for more if you wanted.

Yeah, I guess. It's just frustrating that we rarely see them.

It's a new tank, so I don't want to add any more for a while.

 

[vsolovyev]

Yeah just give it time, they will get used to seeing you and get more comfortable with swimming out in the open. You can also put a seaweed clip in a more visible part of the tank to get the foxface to come out more, thats how i got my kole tang to get comfortable with the tank.

 

[dstockwell]

Yep cardinals are so boring.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Yep cardinals are so boring.

Cardinals are nocturnal, so they're essentially zoned out during the day... They are more active after lights out, but of course harder to watch then...

I agree with giving the other fish time to get used to you. For a short while, feed smaller amounts more frequently, staying right by the tank while they eat, and eventually, every time they see you approach, they will likely come out expecting food.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I would say poor luck, rather than poor choice. You never know what you're going to get.