What are some good utilitarian fish for a nano?

[chipchipbro]

what is the smallest sand sifting goby? I also need a fish which is cleaning my sandbed for my nano is there a good and small one?

 

[i cant think]

what is the smallest sand sifting goby? I also need a fish which is cleaning my sandbed for my nano is there a good and small one?

Koumansetta hectori is a good sand sifter and stays 2”.
I’m pretty sure the genera that sand soft are:
Amblygobius
Amblyeleotris
Signigobius
Cryptocentrus
Koumansetta

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Golden damsel and maybe a high combtooth blenny? Or.similiar?
It's a 20g right?
D

 

[i cant think]

Golden damsel and maybe a high combtooth blenny? Or.similiar?
It's a 20g right?
D

Yeah it’s a 20g total volume (The main display is probably 15g)

 

[chipchipbro]

Go for a Candy Basslet
guys are expensive huh

 

[damsels are not mean]

Rainfords/hector gobies will definitely eat cyano. Make sure you go captive as they are hard to keep alive if they don't eat prepared/frozen

Springeri damsels are also nice. Small and peaceful but give you that beatiful blue only a damsel can.

IMO utilitarian is dangerous rabbit hole with fishes. All "biological control" fishes are hit or miss. You shouldn't count on a fish to solve a problem 100% of the time. In a small tank like that it's really not hard to do a lot of work. Big water changes, diligent siphoning of stuff you don't like the look of, etc.

Your hands are the best herbivore and they are free and 100% reef safe.

 

[i cant think]

Rainfords/hector gobies will definitely eat cyano. Make sure you go captive as they are hard to keep alive if they don't eat prepared/frozen

Springeri damsels are also nice. Small and peaceful but give you that beatiful blue only a damsel can.

IMO utilitarian is dangerous rabbit hole with fishes. All "biological control" fishes are hit or miss. You shouldn't count on a fish to solve a problem 100% of the time. In a small tank like that it's really not hard to do a lot of work. Big water changes, diligent siphoning of stuff you don't like the look of, etc.

Your hands are the best herbivore and they are free and 100% reef safe.

I know it’s best not to do utilitarian fish, however so far I have hit the jackpot with all of my fish:
CBB
Radiant & Jade Wrasses
Blue Eye Kole Tang
Foxface
Hectors Goby
Linear blenny
This is over 2 tanks, all of them help as “CUC” fish. Also my hectors goby is wild caught and I think he is eating (I’m not sure). I do agree with how utilitarian fish isn’t always the way to go but it’s not a bad way either.

 

[damsels are not mean]

I know it’s best not to do utilitarian fish, however so far I have hit the jackpot with all of my fish:
CBB
Radiant & Jade Wrasses
Blue Eye Kole Tang
Foxface
Hectors Goby
Linear blenny
This is over 2 tanks, all of them help as “CUC” fish. Also my hectors goby is wild caught and I think he is eating (I’m not sure). I do agree with how utilitarian fish isn’t always the way to go but it’s not a bad way either.

I don't mean to say it's bad to go utilitarian. I think herbivores especially are important. I just mean you can't expect fish to deal with every nuisance always or work miracles. You should buy a fish because you like the fish and if it deals with a problem that's just bonus.

I really like utilitarian fish when they work because they tend to behave more naturally. For example, a tang that loves hair algae will spend all day grazing throughout the whole tank instead of swimming circles around wherever the food gets dropped. Tangs graze and I want to see that!

A wrasse that loves red bugs and flatworms is great not just because it eats a nuisance bit because it's fun to watch them hunt.

 

[i cant think]

I don't mean to say it's bad to go utilitarian. I think herbivores especially are important. I just mean you can't expect fish to deal with every nuisance always or work miracles. You should buy a fish because you like the fish and if it deals with a problem that's just bonus.

I really like utilitarian fish when they work because they tend to behave more naturally. For example, a tang that loves hair algae will spend all day grazing throughout the whole tank instead of swimming circles around wherever the food gets dropped. Tangs graze and I want to see that!

A wrasse that loves red bugs and flatworms is great not just because it eats a nuisance bit because it's fun to watch them hunt.

For sure!! I definitely agree to get a fish because you like it. I’m hoping to go goby dominant so, I’ll probably grab 2-3 gobies (3 is if the other two stay small and the 3rd is a larger one). I hope for 4 more gobies so that’ll leave my amount of fish at 7 if I go with 2 gobies but 8-9 if I go with 3-4 more.

 

[dawi03]

For sure!! I definitely agree to get a fish because you like it. I’m hoping to go goby dominant so, I’ll probably grab 2-3 gobies (3 is if the other two stay small and the 3rd is a larger one). I hope for 4 more gobies so that’ll leave my amount of fish at 7 if I go with 2 gobies but 8-9 if I go with 3-4 more.

The goby master you are

 

[i cant think]

The goby master you are

Haha, yeah, these guys get addictive and so do the wrasses. Wonder if anyone else owns or has the dream to own so many gobies.

 

[dawi03]

Haha, yeah, these guys get addictive and so do the wrasses. Wonder if anyone else owns or has the dream to own so many gobies.

I’ve got my two I want bro haha.

 

[i cant think]

I’ve got my two I want bro haha.

What are the two you want? I’ve forgotten already (oops)