Unique 10 Gallon Species Tank

Miniblade · Feb 27, 2024

I have a standard 10 gallon tank with an internal sump that needs fish. I want to do a unique species only tank. It's got several large caves, a couple overhangs, some shelves that can be used as perches.
My requirements are that it's reef safe, has LOTS of personality, doesn't require exclusively live food (ex frogfish), and won't send me to the hospital (ex Red Rooster Wasp Fish). Good color and very active are huge pluses. I have experience with keeping "difficult" fish (Flaming Prawn Gobies) so I don't mind something that's intermediate/expert level of care.
I absolutely love Longnose Hawk Fish and Flaming Prawn Gobies. And before you suggest it, no, I do not want a watchman/shrimp pair. What would you guys recommend?

Miniblade · Feb 27, 2024

Here's some pics of the tank for reference. I'm obviously not adding fish until the cycle is 100% complete, and I'm upgrading the light to a kessil.

NotReefsafe · Feb 27, 2024

can u talk about your experience with flaming prawn gobies?

Tanakas possum wrasse, pink streaked wrasse, eviota and trimma gobies

Miniblade · Feb 28, 2024

NotReefsafe said:
can u talk about your experience with flaming prawn gobies?

Tanakas possum wrasse, pink streaked wrasse, eviota and trimma gobies

I had a great experience. I bought a male/female pair from prestige worldwide aquatics in OKC, acclimated them, put them in the tank and didn't see them at all for the better part of 2 weeks or so. If I did see them during that time it was because I was actively shining a light in caves to see if they were still alive. After about a month I'd see them at the tank's dawn/dusk. They'd come out of the rockworks, signal their flag fin to communicate with each other, scoot around a bit, then go back into their caves. Sometimes they'd even do a little dance with each other. I literally didn't even feed them specifically. I had a royal gramma in the tank, so I'd feed him and I assume they'd eat leftover food off of the rocks and gravel. It's very important to have a healthy pod population with them though supplemental food supplies are a must. Excel energy cut my power off to install a smart meter and it killed both of them due to a lack of oxygen or a sudden temp drop. Absolutely stunning fish. 10/10 would buy again.

i cant think · Feb 28, 2024

Miniblade said:
I have a standard 10 gallon tank with an internal sump that needs fish. I want to do a unique species only tank. It's got several large caves, a couple overhangs, some shelves that can be used as perches.
My requirements are that it's reef safe, has LOTS of personality, doesn't require exclusively live food (ex frogfish), and won't send me to the hospital (ex Red Rooster Wasp Fish). Good color and very active are huge pluses. I have experience with keeping "difficult" fish (Flaming Prawn Gobies) so I don't mind something that's intermediate/expert level of care.
I absolutely love Longnose Hawk Fish and Flaming Prawn Gobies. And before you suggest it, no, I do not want a watchman/shrimp pair. What would you guys recommend?

I vote flaming prawn goby!
Mine is now at least 4 years old. And still loving life in my tank. Don’t know what I did to have such a long life span - Everyone says they only live 1-2 years.