Stocking Questions!

[Reef Doc]

I think it depends if you also have a lid or no lid on the tank? I know a bowfront lid can be trickier.

 

[Ryan47]

Longnose hawkfish are easy and hardy. It would be a fine choice.

I have read they can mess with the clean up crew, is that just a risk I'm gonna have to take if I have shrimp and crabs?

 

[Ryan47]

I think it depends if you also have a lid or no lid on the tank? I know a bowfront lid can be trickier.

I have a lid

 

[Reef Doc]

Hoeven's Wrasse...I bet you will love it!

 

[Ryan47]

Hoeven's Wrasse...I bet you will love it!

That would be okay in the 38?

 

[Ryan47]

Hoeven's Wrasse...I bet you will love it!

It looks awesome!

 

[Reef Doc]

That would be okay in the 38?

Some would say no, some would say yes. I think am in the yes group of people. I think it also depends on your aquascape ... have plenty of live rock for it to inspect and graze upon with plenty of swim caves over hangs and swim-throughs and it also needs sand to sleep in...feed it well. I have seen this wrasse in a tank smaller than a 40 gallon and it seemed like it is doing well.

https://www.reefnation.com/melanurus-wrasse-one-favorite-reef-tank-fish/

 

[Ryan47]

Okay so if I'm going with this fish what else would make good tank mates?

 

[eatbreakfast]

I have read they can mess with the clean up crew, is that just a risk I'm gonna have to take if I have shrimp and crabs?

They may eat small shrimp, but I have kept them with large cleaner shrimp without issue. Most cuc crabs are safe, hermits, emeralds, and sally lightfoots.

38g is on the small side for a melanurus. They reach a little over 5" and are quite active.

 

[Ryan47]

If I were to do a longnose hawk I'd have to introduce him last to the tank right?

 

[eatbreakfast]

If I were to do a longnose hawk I'd have to introduce him last to the tank right?

No. They aren't aggressive.

 

[Angel_Anthias lover]

If you want a wrasse a possum wrasse would be perfect for that tank size or a pink streaked wrasse rather than some of the larger species

 

[Ryan47]

If you want a wrasse a possum wrasse would be perfect for that tank size or a pink streaked wrasse rather than some of the larger species

Okay ill look into those

 

[OrionN]

Orchid Dottyback would be a nice fish in a small tank

 

[Crabs McJones]

I would say maybe 3-4 smaller fish, such as clowns or damsels

Some fish that would go well with a royal gramma in a 38g include:
Flame or longnose hawk
Midas or stigmatura blenny
Grammistes or forktail blenny
Zebra or scissortail blenny.

Less is more just as a general rule, also add them slowly

^Agreed. Start slowly, test often. 3-5 fish should be a reasonable target.

Starting out I would recommend against this advice. This member's experience is less than 6 months.

You can do that but you will probably end up with a lot of dead fish. I would personally recommend 4 at most, better too few than too many

Longnose hawkfish are easy and hardy. It would be a fine choice.

+1 for all of this.

 

[RtomKinMad]

I'm going to look into these right now! You think like 5 fish max?

Hello! We just put a flame hawkfish in our 93gal cube. Wanted small fish and very few. We are really enjoying this guys personality!
We also put in one chromis with white body yellow top and blue/black lower fins ( I don’t remember what it’s called), 2 phantom clowns, to purple fire fish, one pink spot govy( shy) and two 1” flasher wrasses (very active) and to top off the tank a powder brown and tomini tang. But the flame hawk is cool! Good luck if this will not be a reef a Valentini puffer is always an interesting fish to watch but not reef safe. I do have one in my 300gal reef. Doses not pick at coral but takes out a snail sometimes. Was my first fish before we knew we would do a reef and when we upgraded 75 reef to 300 reef he just went with all the others!