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Suggestions for another fish?

S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Hey guys,

After my stint with the Powder Brown, I'd like a new fish. I have QT tanks set up and ready to roll, so it seems like a good time to do it.

Basically, I have a 29g with a lot of rock.

Current fishie inhabitants are:

2 SMALL clowns (1 inch each maybe)
2 SMALL chromies (3/4 inch-1 inch maybe)
Scooter Blenny (Getting fat on pods)

The clowns are cool, but they rarely venture out of their beloved anemone

The chromies are...well, they kind of suck. Ha. They don't do much, and unless it's food time, they're apt to hide. They might be coming out of the tank sometime...if they're catchable.

I'd like something with good personality, something a little bigger, colorful, that doesn't hide all the time and won't eat my crustaceans.

Any suggestions? ;)
 
E

eric65

I know the frustration- trying to find an open swimming fish for a rather small environment. Until recently I was a fan of the 6 line wrasse, but one morning he decided to give my Purple Firefish a hard time and hasn't let up since. Why is it every fish I owned previously has decided to act completely opposite this time around?? That's why I am a goby kinda guy- I probably just jinxed myself ::)
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Pull the chromis & get anthias. What great color they have! Cardinals make wonderful hoverfish, which is fun to have. A colorful wrasse?
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
I'll look into those, thanks for the recommendations.

A little worried about wrasses, since my tank doesn't have a tight fitting lid, and i don't really want to install one...

Hate to come home and find my house on fire because a fish jumped for the sun, hit the light and burnt to a crisp, taking the pine hood with it and then the wall behind it and eventually the entire house. :eek:
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Right. Cross the wrasses and maybe the anthias off the list.

We're using egg crate (actually just along the back section of our canopy where it is open) to keep our anthias in check. They haven't hit the lights that I can tell. LOL. That's in our 180. The 65 is tightly covered and I try to keep most of the "jump for the fun of it" fish in that tank!
 
C

Carlo

I'm with Phyl the Anthias and Wrasse might be a problem. Any type of cardinal would be cool and open swimmers. Not usually aggressive either.

I personally like the long nose hawks a lot. They don't swim much but tend to sit on the rocks. They are quite different then most fish and have a unique personality.

Carlo
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Thanks, Carlo.

However, after the pygmy hawk ate all my crustaceans, I decided no more hawks.

I really do like them, but they're a bit of a hassle most of the times...and the ones that aren't are a bit of a hit or miss type of thing, IMO.

Thanks for the suggestion, though!
 
C

Carlo

I know you mentioned the Scooter Blenny, have you ever seen the pygmy blennies? Very tiny but cute as long as you don't have anything that will eat them.

Along the same lines in tiny fish could be a mini school of Neon Tetras. Not for everyone but again something you don't see everyday. They look pretty cool in a nano and you can actually find them in there.

I'll keep thinking some more after you axe these two ideas. :)

Carlo
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Actually, it doesn't make much sense, but I'd like a showpiece fish.

I was just at Petco and almost grabbed a small angel. They had Eibli (sp?), Coral Beauties and even one tiny Pygmy Angel.

But then I decided to forgo it. My tank is doing so well these days (most rocks are bald of algae) that I don't really want to mess anything up.

Ahh well, definitely doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, that's for sure.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. :)
 
blange3

blange3

Carlo said:
Along the same lines in tiny fish could be a mini school of Neon Tetras. Not for everyone but again something you don't see everyday. They look pretty cool in a nano and you can actually find them in there.

Carlo
Click to expand...

I guess a freshwater tank with neon tetras would be cool, or you could try a saltwater tank with neon gobies!

You must have been drinking the same stuff I was when I said the PA GB was being delivered in February, Carlo! ;D
 
MikeNapoli

MikeNapoli

Subliminal said:
Actually, it doesn't make much sense, but I'd like a showpiece fish.

I was just at Petco and almost grabbed a small angel. They had Eibli (sp?), Coral Beauties and even one tiny Pygmy Angel.

But then I decided to forgo it. My tank is doing so well these days (most rocks are bald of algae) that I don't really want to mess anything up.

Ahh well, definitely doesn't have to be today or tomorrow, that's for sure.

Thanks for the suggestions, though. :)
Click to expand...

If you want a showpiece fish .. go for a helfichi firefish. Small, doesn't jump, has somewhat of a personality and has really nice color. And mine swims infront all day.
 
K

kathainbowen

The longer and longer I'm in this hobby.... the more and more I believe in the concept of "less is more." So, if I were, I'd stick with those guys.... or probably remove the chromis in favor of a prettier fish that I liked better. That's just mel, and, like I said, I keep leaning towards a more and more conservative approach to tank stocking.

However, if you really want to put something else in, I'd put a cardinal in. They're not uber active, but they'll generally hang out in the mid to foreground of the tank and just chill. So, while they're not the most exciting fish on the planet, they are certainly interesting to look at and will generally offer plenty of time to look at it.... as they just hang around.
 
C

Carlo

blange3 said:
Carlo said:
Along the same lines in tiny fish could be a mini school of Neon Tetras. Not for everyone but again something you don't see everyday. They look pretty cool in a nano and you can actually find them in there.

Carlo
Click to expand...

I guess a freshwater tank with neon tetras would be cool, or you could try a saltwater tank with neon gobies!

You must have been drinking the same stuff I was when I said the PA GB was being delivered in February, Carlo! ;D
Click to expand...

Doh, good catch. Boy that was a blast from the past. Yep meant the neon gobies. I'm glad somebody knows what they're talking about!

Do I get any points for a half correct suggestion? I got Neon right. :)

Carlo

PS I'm following this too as well as throwing out some possibilities because my kids just setup a 24g Nano and I too am looking for suggestions for them for something unique and interesting.
 
blange3

blange3

Carlo said:
blange3 said:
Carlo said:
Along the same lines in tiny fish could be a mini school of Neon Tetras. Not for everyone but again something you don't see everyday. They look pretty cool in a nano and you can actually find them in there.

Carlo
Click to expand...

I guess a freshwater tank with neon tetras would be cool, or you could try a saltwater tank with neon gobies!

You must have been drinking the same stuff I was when I said the PA GB was being delivered in February, Carlo! ;D
Click to expand...

Doh, good catch. Boy that was a blast from the past. Yep meant the neon gobies. I'm glad somebody knows what they're talking about!

Do I get any points for a half correct suggestion? I got Neon right. :)

Carlo

PS I'm following this too as well as throwing out some possibilities because my kids just setup a 24g Nano and I too am looking for suggestions for them for something unique and interesting.
Click to expand...

Of course you get points, both would look nice!

Aquatic Obsessions had a tankful of ORA Neon Gobies a few weekd ago that looked great. Nice deep color and reasonable price.

I think you would need a open water active fish to offset the gobies hangin' on the rock work as well.

I love my little cherub angel, not exactly big enough in size for a centerpiece, butgood looking.
 
MadReefer

MadReefer

Vice President
Staff member
NJRC Member
Moderator
Clown gobies are good for a small tank. They are available in yellow, green, black, etc. Odd fish and perch like a hawk fish.
 
C

Carlo

Anybody ever try Yellow Tail Damsels in a Nano. I've got them in my big reef but wondering how they would do in a Nano. Nice bright blue and yellow colors and usually out swimming in the open.

While still a damsel they don't seem to be no where near as aggressive as typical damsels or even some clown fish. Sort of like the least aggressive damsels there are type thing. Of course putting fish in a small tank is a lot different then a big tank so I thought I'd ask if anyone has done it and how it worked for them.

Carlo
 
S

Subliminal

NJRC Member
Hey guys,

I'm with you on the minimalism thing, to a point, which is why I'm really trying to think about what i want. My tank has come so far and I don't want to blow it.

Those cardinals are too goofy for me. I know they're popular and hearty and a lot of people seem to like them, but...never had.

And a damsel? Then all of my fish would be the exact same shape and they would probably just battle all the time.

The only fish I've intentionally killed was a damsel. I might not be proud of it, but I'm getting a little upset just thinking about him. ;)

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions. I guess I'll just have to think on it for a while.

:)
 
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