Suggestions for remaining fish in my 20 long appreciated

[yourmom]

Hello! I'm getting a 20 long up and running. Everything is looking great, so I'm thinking ahead to finishing out my fish stock. Currently, I have a pajama cardinal, a court jester (aka old glory, aka rainford's) goby, a yellow watchman goby and two shrimp (a cleaner and a peppermint). The pajama is kind of boring, I've read that they are nocturnal but this tank is in my office so I'm underwhelmed lol. I was considering adding another YWG and maybe a pistol shrimp since apparently those guys like to hang out together. But I'd still like a fun and attractive swimmer with some personality. I'm not opposed to adding a pair of clowns, I have some in my 40 and adore them. But other suggestions are welcome.

Also wondering: Is a pair of clowns too much if I get a wifey for my YWG?
And: Would I get more out of my pajama cardinal if I threw in a banggai for him?

 

[Nick Steele]

PJ’s don’t do much although they look cool in bigger schools (6+) but have you thought about a blenny or possum wrasse?

Tailspots stay about 2” while a bicolor will get to be 4” or so

Possum wrasses will hide a lot in the beginning but should warm up and are a nice welcome to a small tank where they will be seen much more.

 

[rwreef]

I agree, cardinals can be boring. I added a neon dottyback and love having the active swimmer in my 38g reef. Mine is not aggressive and gets along with everyone in the tank (clowns/blenny).

 

[EvanDeVita]

Hello! I'm getting a 20 long up and running. Everything is looking great, so I'm thinking ahead to finishing out my fish stock. Currently, I have a pajama cardinal, a court jester (aka old glory, aka rainford's) goby, a yellow watchman goby and two shrimp (a cleaner and a peppermint). The pajama is kind of boring, I've read that they are nocturnal but this tank is in my office so I'm underwhelmed lol. I was considering adding another YWG and maybe a pistol shrimp since apparently those guys like to hang out together. But I'd still like a fun and attractive swimmer with some personality. I'm not opposed to adding a pair of clowns, I have some in my 40 and adore them. But other suggestions are welcome.

Also wondering: Is a pair of clowns too much if I get a wifey for my YWG?
And: Would I get more out of my pajama cardinal if I threw in a banggai for him?

Hm...
I also have a pajama. I used to have two and they were active all day. When I removed one to make room for some other fish, the remaining one became extremely nocturnal. IMO YWG are a bad choice without a pistol shrimp because they aren’t active and hide (very skittish). I have had a shrimp goby pair in my 30 long, and they really go ham on the sand bed. Everything you’ve heard of them online is true. They will mess up your scape. Idk ab two types of cardinals, but benggai* are more aggressive then pajamas. In a 20 long you can probably keep some wrasses (juveniles of some little guys). In my tank, I have the following open water swimmers;
Neon goby (suprising right!?)
Two baby clowns
Juvenile leopard wrasse
Juvenile Naoko wrasse (not a permanent resident I’m holding it for a friend)
Royal gramma.

 

[yourmom]

I have a bicolor blenny in my 40 and he's great but I don't see him often. He was in my 10 for a while until I moved him to the 40 and he is out slightly more but still pretty evasive in his holes... I'll look into a possum wrasse! Do they get aggressive? I want to avoid stress since it's a pretty small tank.

 

[yourmom]

I agree, cardinals can be boring. I added a neon dottyback and love having the active swimmer in my 38g reef. Mine is not aggressive and gets along with everyone in the tank (clowns/blenny).

Aw, he's cute!

 

[yourmom]

Neon goby (suprising right!?)
Two baby clowns
Juvenile leopard wrasse
Juvenile Naoko wrasse (not a permanent resident I’m holding it for a friend)
Royal gramma.

My LFS keeps trying to talk me into a neon goby. I guess I just don't get too excited by them, lol. Sounds like a wrasse might be the way to go. I'm nervous about aggression, though. I had a royal gramma but she jumped so I got a lid. I had another that died after a couple of days and that's my first non-jumper death so I'm not sure I deserve a third try with a gramma.

 

[Jeffcb]

My be just slightly to small of a tank but I keep a Cherub Angel in a 20 long for years.

 

[yourmom]

My be just slightly to small of a tank but I keep a Cherub Angel in a 20 long for years.

Are all cherub angels pygmy? I still have room for another fish or two in my 40 (just a blenny and two clowns currently) so that might be a better option for a cherub. I do like them! Good to know you had success in a 20 with one, I had assumed it wouldn't be big enough.

 

[PicassoClown04]

Are all cherub angels pygmy? I still have room for another fish or two in my 40 (just a blenny and two clowns currently) so that might be a better option for a cherub. I do like them! Good to know you had success in a 20 with one, I had assumed it wouldn't be big enough.

Cherubs only get to about 2" Im keeping one ina 20 long and he's very happy and completely reef safe. If you click on my build thread contributor badge then you can check him out in my tank

 

[yourmom]

Cherubs only get to about 2" Im keeping one ina 20 long and he's very happy and completely reef safe. If you click on my build thread contributor badge then you can check him out in my tank

I am getting lost in your build thread! I haven't been on here long and I'm thinking I now MUST create a build thread like yours. I've just started both a 40 and a 20, so I have a lot of work to do. This will be a fun way for me to keep up with the progress. Great idea, and it looks like your tank is thriving!!

 

[PicassoClown04]

I am getting lost in your build thread! I haven't been on here long and I'm thinking I now MUST create a build thread like yours. I've just started both a 40 and a 20, so I have a lot of work to do. This will be a fun way for me to keep up with the progress. Great idea, and it looks like your tank is thriving!!

Thanks! This is my oldest tank at about 10 months old. Im in the beginning phases of a new 45 lagoon that's gonna have a flameback angel in it (also a pygmy max size is 2") along with some Madagascar coral crouchers, a longnose hawk, and a couple other oddballs. Build threads are a great way to see how much your tank (and corals) have grown!

 

[Mikedawg]

Orchid dottyback gives nice color contrast and is less aggressive IME than others of this genus.

 

[yourmom]

Orchid dottyback gives nice color contrast and is less aggressive IME than others of this genus.

Beautiful color, would it be a better option than a Royal gramma?

 

[PicassoClown04]

Beautiful color, would it be a better option than a Royal gramma?

Royal grammas have a better rep, but I've seen plenty of very sweet orchid dottybacks. Just don't accidentally get a strawberry dottyback instead of an orchid!

 

[EvanDeVita]

My LFS keeps trying to talk me into a neon goby. I guess I just don't get too excited by them, lol. Sounds like a wrasse might be the way to go. I'm nervous about aggression, though. I had a royal gramma but she jumped so I got a lid. I had another that died after a couple of days and that's my first non-jumper death so I'm not sure I deserve a third try with a gramma.

My man I feel for you. It was boring to look at until I added it to the tank. It must be something about crowded tanks, but once you bring them home, Neon gobys are a blast. I lost two royal grammas for the same reasons, and my third has been chilling for several months! Wrasses are great!!!

 

[yourmom]

My man I feel for you. It was boring to look at until I added it to the tank. It must be something about crowded tanks, but once you bring them home, Neon gobys are a blast. I lost two royal grammas for the same reasons, and my third has been chilling for several months! Wrasses are great!!!

Did you only add one or do they like friends?

 

[EvanDeVita]

Did you only add one or do they like friends?

I added one gramma at a time. It is very unwise to put into the same tank - they’ll mess eachother up. I also only added one neon goby. Does that answer your question?

 

[yourmom]

I added one gramma at a time. It is very unwise to put into the same tank - they’ll mess eachother up. I also only added one neon goby. Does that answer your question?

So neon + royal gramma = bad? And one neon is better than two?

 

[EvanDeVita]

So neon + royal gramma = bad? And one neon is better than two?

No no no. Neon + royal gramma = good. Two royal grammas are bad. I’m not sure about two neon gobys