Tank mate suggestion

[ElitePirate]

Hi Friends,

So I have these live stocks :

- 02 Clownfish
- 01 Blue-green chromis (i believe that is the correct name)
- 01 Bicolor dottyback

Cleaning Crew :

- 01 Yellow Gobi
- 01 Six line wrasse
- 01 Blue legged hermit crab
- 01 Peppermint / doctor shrimp
- 03 small snails

I'm not planning to add any more fishes right now because my tank is quite new. Just 3 weeks old. However, next month I'm planning to add 1-2 more fishes and would like to know what are my options. I'd like to have one which doesn't jump that much and does not disturb my corals and anemone and other fishes.

My tank is very small, just 15 gallons/56L.


Thanks
Sam

 

[ndrwater]

I would pump the brakes HARD on new additions for a while. Your tank is awfully new to be adding fish at the rate you are going.
I would definitely suggest just letting the tank catch up with itself for at least a month if not longer.
Being a small 15 gallon tank, you are close to Max capacity already fish wise.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the Ammonia and Nitrite levels for the near future. I fear you may have an issue in your very near future.
I would suggest doing some reading about the nitrogen cycle and how it works within our tanks.
Keep asking questions.. we'll get you through this

 

[ElitePirate]

I would pump the brakes HARD on new additions for a while. Your tank is awfully new to be adding fish at the rate you are going.
I would definitely suggest just letting the tank catch up with itself for at least a month if not longer.
Being a small 15 gallon tank, you are close to Max capacity already fish wise.
In the meantime, keep an eye on the Ammonia and Nitrite levels for the near future. I fear you may have an issue in your very near future.
I would suggest doing some reading about the nitrogen cycle and how it works within our tanks.
Keep asking questions.. we'll get you through this

Thank you, I really appreciate your input. You're correct. I'm not gonna add any new fish for the time being. I'm also planning to get a all-in-one test kit.

Lets say in another month or 2, do you know any other fish types I can add? I know my tank is small but i think it can hold 2-3 more small fishes?

 

[ndrwater]

Thank you, I really appreciate your input. You're correct. I'm not gonna add any new fish for the time being. I'm also planning to get a all-in-one test kit.

Lets say in another month or 2, do you know any other fish types I can add? I know my tank is small but i think it can hold 2-3 more small fishes?

Given time, you may be able to add a couple more, but honestly, I would give it more than 2 months. The issue is your tank is very new and probably hasn't had a chance to be properly established to a point where you aren't subject to larger than accecptable parameter swings.
Once things truly are settled down, meaning Ammonia and Nitrite stay at zero, Nitrate is controlled by doing regular small water changes with good quality water like RODI, then, and only then would I consider adding a new fish. Speaking of which, the 6 line you have can be VERY territorial and may prevent any further additions anyway.
I hope you don't feel as though I am preaching or yelling at you, I (like all here) want you to be successful in your fishy journey. The issue is, you seem to have gotten the cart on the wrong side of the horse. Do some reading, ask LOTS of questions. Heed the advice given by others that have a track record of being successful and you will ultimately be as successful as they have been.

 

[ElitePirate]

Given time, you may be able to add a couple more, but honestly, I would give it more than 2 months. The issue is your tank is very new and probably hasn't had a chance to be properly established to a point where you aren't subject to larger than accecptable parameter swings.
Once things truly are settled down, meaning Ammonia and Nitrite stay at zero, Nitrate is controlled by doing regular small water changes with good quality water like RODI, then, and only then would I consider adding a new fish. Speaking of which, the 6 line you have can be VERY territorial and may prevent any further additions anyway.
I hope you don't feel as though I am preaching or yelling at you, I (like all here) want you to be successful in your fishy journey. The issue is, you seem to have gotten the cart on the wrong side of the horse. Do some reading, ask LOTS of questions. Heed the advice given by others that have a track record of being successful and you will ultimately be as successful as they have been.

Thank you @ndrwater I will follow your advice and monitor the levels.

 

[eatbreakfast]

In a 15g tank you cannot add anymore. Not just because of parameters, although that is alot of fish for 15g, but because of temperaments. Bicolor dottybacks get aggressive, sixline wrasses get aggressive, and clownfish get territorial.

 

[NewbieReefer11]

I am only just starting to see some success from my 100 gallon and its been up for at least a year now. These things take time. This was my second tank and even though I had done months of reasearch things still went wrong. (Mainly due to lack of experience). I seriously regret not taking my time as I would have stocked the tank very differently if I had just been more patient.

About three or four weeks into setting up the tank I though I was going to lose of my fish when ammonia and nitrites skyrocketed as the tank was still not completly cycled simply because I added to many fish to quickly. I ended up only losing two chromis thankfully.

The main point of all this is take your time, nothing good in this hobby happens quickly.

I am still only very new to this hobby and mess things up all the time it just happens we are always learning.

 

[Ash321]

Id agree that is very small for all those fish id say overstocked already i have the same amount of fish in 267 litres tank

 

[ElitePirate]

thank you all really appreciate your feedback

 

[Jesterrace]

In a 15g tank you cannot add anymore. Not just because of parameters, although that is alot of fish for 15g, but because of temperaments. Bicolor dottybacks get aggressive, sixline wrasses get aggressive, and clownfish get territorial.

No kidding, for a 15 gallon tank, the OP basically has a "Devil's Cauldron" for an aquarium.

 

[ElitePirate]

No kidding, for a 15 gallon tank, the OP basically has a "Devil's Cauldron" for an aquarium.

I'm really not sure if that statement is correct. Because the fish store had 5 nano tanks (15 gallon each) and they had nearly 6-7 fishes in average and more than 10 corals in each.

I have only very few corals and so far other than my foxface (which requires a bigger sized tank) all other fishes doing ok. Obviously when you increase the live stocks we must take note of the KH / PH levels and other levels. If it's within limit should be ok right?

 

[Benny Morosco]

Best of luck to ya...

 

[eatbreakfast]

I'm really not sure if that statement is correct. Because the fish store had 5 nano tanks (15 gallon each) and they had nearly 6-7 fishes in average and more than 10 corals in each.

I have only very few corals and so far other than my foxface (which requires a bigger sized tank) all other fishes doing ok. Obviously when you increase the live stocks we must take note of the KH / PH levels and other levels. If it's within limit should be ok right?

Wait a minute.... You have a foxface in addition to the fish listed in the first post??? In a 15g??? Any other fish you aren't including in the list?

No. This is not ok.

 

[ElitePirate]

Hi @eatbreakfast nop i don't have a foxface now. unfortunately I couldn't save him. he developed some skin condition and i kept him separately in a breeding tank.

I did some online research and they said foxface will clean up all those algae etc that's why i bought him.

anyways after reading all these posts im not gonna get any new fish I guess right now its good enough. but I can add more corals and rocks right?

 

[eatbreakfast]

Hi @eatbreakfast nop i don't have a foxface now. unfortunately I couldn't save him. he developed some skin condition and i kept him separately in a breeding tank.

I did some online research and they said foxface will clean up all those algae etc that's why i bought him.

anyways after reading all these posts im not gonna get any new fish I guess right now its good enough. but I can add more corals and rocks right?

Yes, you can add coral and rocks.

 

[ElitePirate]

thank you appreciate your input here

 

[Benny Morosco]

This thread has to be someone joking around it is like someone read the book on what not to do in a reef Aquarium and is following it along and posting!

 

[ElitePirate]

This thread has to be someone joking around it is like someone read the book on what not to do in a reef Aquarium and is following it along and posting!

@Benny Morosco for your kind info this thread is not a joke. I'm new here and I already mentioned that just started 3 weeks ago and ever since then I'm learning new things. You may be an expert with a VERY successful tank - good for you, but if you got nothing to say about my initial question,just don't reply - even if it's going to be a negative one just say it - I don't mind because I'm still learning. Like @eatbreakfast, @ndrwater etc . They all helping me by telling I'm doing something wrong, where as you are making fun out of it.

If you got nothing useful to say - stay out of my thread. No one forced you to comment here.

I should probably open a thread "Criticize me" and you can come and post there.

All others - I really appreciate your feed back and I already removed 2 of my fish and gave it to a friend. I'm trying to learn from my mistakes, so there is no point making fun out of my setup.

 

[Jesterrace]

I'm really not sure if that statement is correct. Because the fish store had 5 nano tanks (15 gallon each) and they had nearly 6-7 fishes in average and more than 10 corals in each.

I have only very few corals and so far other than my foxface (which requires a bigger sized tank) all other fishes doing ok. Obviously when you increase the live stocks we must take note of the KH / PH levels and other levels. If it's within limit should be ok right?

I was commenting more on having a 6 line and a Dottyback in a small tank together and a pair of clowns, all of which can get aggressive in a small space (and in some cases larger spaces). As for the nano tanks at the LFS? You may notice every few weeks/months that the stocking changes. Big difference between that and having that config for 6 months or more. Also agree on the foxface, other than a small one being in a 15 gallon for a few weeks, I can't imagine keeping one in there. I have a small to medium sized one in my 90 gallon and it is all over the place.

 

[ElitePirate]

Yup @Jesterrace I will try a new LFT. As for the six line and dotty they are doing ok for some weird reason. haha I don't have a pair, so may be coz of that they're ok.