Would like a fish suggestion

reef_ninja · Nov 2, 2020

Have a 40 breeder with 20 sump. Currently stocked with a gold lightning maroon, lawnmower blenny, citron clown goby, and elegant dottyback.

LFS tells me I’m topped out, but Im not convinced, I honestly think I’m still on the low-bioload side.

I don’t want to pair the clownfish, she’s too aggressive. Suggestions?

Spare time · Nov 2, 2020

You could do a dwarf angel, dwarfpuffer (some may nip at a coral or invert), some pistol shrimp goby pair, basselet or royal gramma, etc.

As long as the fish are not fighting and your waste export method can handle more fish, you should be fine.

reef_ninja · Nov 2, 2020

I was thinking a yellow watchman. They should be compatible with everything, but the citron goby is questionable. But the citron is more of a percher, and YWGs are more into the sand bed, so I’m thinking that might work?

reef_ninja · Nov 2, 2020

Also I have plenty for export: fuge, protein skimmer, and weekly WCs.

Spare time · Nov 2, 2020

reef_ninja said:
I was thinking a yellow watchman. They should be compatible with everything, but the citron goby is questionable. But the citron is more of a percher, and YWGs are more into the sand bed, so I’m thinking that might work?

Cintron and the watchmen will be fine together.

reef_ninja · Nov 2, 2020

Right on, I’ve always wanted a ywg too, I think that’ll add a little more character too

Fish_Sticks · Nov 2, 2020

Yellow watchmaaaan!

reef_ninja · Nov 3, 2020

Morning bump, see if I can get a little more input on adding a YWG

nereefpat · Nov 3, 2020

Adding fish will be difficult, with the 2 bruisers (maroon & dotty) you have.

But, the watchman should be okay.

92Miata · Nov 3, 2020

nereefpat said:
Adding fish will be difficult, with the 2 bruisers (maroon & dotty) you have.

But, the watchman should be okay.

Yeah - aggression is way more of a concern here than bioload.

The watchman is a good choice - or anything else that serves a very different niche than what you currently have.

shred5 · Nov 3, 2020

nereefpat said:
Adding fish will be difficult, with the 2 bruisers (maroon & dotty) you have.

But, the watchman should be okay.

Yea that dottyback could make it tuff to add anything.

Something with a different domain, size and shape might be possible.
He will rip any basslet to shreds.

Yea a watchman or another goby might work but I would be ready , I have seen dottybacks kill fish in no time. They are relentless and can get into most spots.

leighla wolf · Nov 3, 2020

reef_ninja said:
I was thinking a yellow watchman. They should be compatible with everything, but the citron goby is questionable. But the citron is more of a percher, and YWGs are more into the sand bed, so I’m thinking that might work?

Yellow headed jawfish!

reef_ninja · Nov 3, 2020

I actually havent seen any aggressive behavior from the Dottyback, but the Maroon keeps the dottyback in check though. Those two are the only ones I've seen any aggressive behavior from (and it was always initially only between them).

And I agree, the fish temperament makes the puzzle much harder than the bioload. Thanks for the input everyone!

shred5 · Nov 3, 2020

reef_ninja said:
I actually havent seen any aggressive behavior from the Dottyback, but the Maroon keeps the dottyback in check though. Those two are the only ones I've seen any aggressive behavior from (and it was always initially only between them).

And I agree, the fish temperament makes the puzzle much harder than the bioload. Thanks for the input everyone!

Have you added any fish since getting him. Dottybacks get aggressive when adding new fish. Is the tank new and he has not settled in yet?

reef_ninja · Nov 3, 2020

shred5 said:
Have you added any fish since getting him. Dottybacks get aggressive when adding new fish. Is the tank new and he has not settled in yet?

Tank is 6 months old. Fish order: added lawnmower first, then citron clown goby, then elegant dottyback, then the gold lightning maroon clown pair. The female clown came paired, actually quite well with a male. But after a couple months, she just turned on him overnight, he didn’t make it. Judging by the behavior of all of them together, I would actually think the dottyback is the most docile of all of them, so that surprises me a bit.