Adding 1 more fish, what should it be?

L

Lawman5014

New member
I have a 30 gallon tank that is about 14 months old. I have a good amount of live rock and about a 2 inch live sand bed. All my parameters are pretty much right where they should be with lots of corraline algae on everything. I use a Kessil A150 Sky Blue light primarily for my lighting with the Kessil A150 Deep Blue Ocean for fun every so often at night for an hour or so before I turn the tank dark. I also run a skimmer and the generic blue/white filter media pad in my intake.

Currently here's what I've got:

5 various Zoa corals
1 LPS Coral
1 Rock Covered in Blue Mushrooms
1 Blue Green Chromis (I had a school of 3 but the survivor murdered the other 2 :eek2:)
1 Orange Clownfish (just one of the normal ones, nothing fancy)
2 Zebra Barred Dartfish
4 Peppermint Shrimp
1 Cleaner Shrimp
1 Blue/White Feather Duster
10 Bumblebee Snails
Appx 10 or so other snails
Appx 10 or so various "general type" crabs

I need suggestions on a new reef safe fish that won't bother invertebrates or any of the other aforementioned live stock as well as be content in a 30 gallon tank. Any and all suggestions are greatly appreciate. I've been surfing the internet researching this for a long time and keep coming up blank it seems on what I should get. ALSO - Almost forgot, I want the fish to be social and to be an active swimmer. I don't want one that will just hide all the time.

Thanks.
 
For a 30 gallon, you're fully stocked fish-wise, IMO. The clownfish will demand a large percentage of your tank for territory as it matures.
 
What about a neon goby? The neon goby is a more active swimmer than most gobies- they tend to perch on rockwork and be more out and about, swim in the water column and such, than most gobies.
 
The clownfish I've had in the tank the longest and from almost day 1 actually. For the most part he hangs out in the corner of the tank and occasionally comes down to actually swim around with the dartfish and chromis.

Maybe I'm wrong (def wouldn't be the first time) but I'm more concerned with getting a fish that's completely reef and invertebrate safe that's not aggressive and will fit in a 30G.

My LFS told me in my size of tank I could easily have 6 fish if not 7 but I was going to play it safe and just go for the total of 5 - of which I currently have 4.
 
The suggestion of a neon goby is a good one, as they are very small. Only downside is they are relatively short-lived (1-2 years in captivity). You might also run your stock list past snorvich in the compatibility thread in the "New to the Hobby" forum. He has helped me tremendously with stocking decisions.
 
+1 with both neon goby or a clown pair but thats pretty much your limit not really going to be able to add anything else.
 
I would be careful with pairs of clowns. Especially in smaller tanks. I have experienced the cons of having a pairs of clowns in tanks. If the pair becomes extremely territorial, they will kill off all your other inhabitants, even much much larger fish. I've had multiple pairs of clowns but sometimes, I get evil pairs and they will kill off my other inhabitants. In larger tanks it can be slightly avoided but in a 30 gallon, if your clowns go evil, thats going to be a massacre.
 
What about a clown goby like a warpaint goby, citron goby, or a panda goby? They are small and pretty cool to watch. Only problem is they arent active swimmers like you want but they wouldnt take much real estate and are very docile
 
I think I'm going to look into that neon goby. Thanks for all the comments.

Also, as far as fish not committing murder. My other two blue chromis I found dying (not dead yet so it wasn't the vrabs) spinning in circles in the tank etc. I netted them out and froze them (this was 2 separate occasions) and once frozen I examined them and they both had scales missing and had exposed flesh along their underside. I suspect the chromis did it because this was several months ago and the remaining chromis is still 100% fine.

And there was this one traumatic time came home from work and caught my filefish (don't have him any longer) was literally chasing my cleaner shrimp around the tank and had eaten off all his big whiskers. :hmm3:
 
Chromis are actually far more delicate than you'd think given how common they are and how cheaply they're usually priced. I understand (from other people that post here) that the specimens that have been showing up in the trade are far less hardy than used to be the case.
 
I have been very lucky to maintain my system with the amount of livestock I have. All livestock was added over several years and nothing has gone in for over 18 months... You can add more livestock. Do it slow and choose wisely.

I have a 29g eclipse system that has been running for several years... No skimmer, just the standard eclipse filter. To ensure the happiness of the fish I am currently transitioning some of it into a 50t and some will be sold or traded. All the fish are fat and healthy and show no aggression or tail nipping.

Here's the stock list... 11 fish; mystery wrasse, rose band fairy wrasse, longnose hawkfish, swalesi basslet, colletti basslet, red elongatus pseudochromis, 3 blue chromis, fathead anthias, and a geometric hawkfish. Also, about 12 hermits of varying species, a pistol shrimp, a fire shrimp, and 4 snails.

If you were to add I would go with a basslet, goby, or geometric hawkfish. You should be fine with small fish that have a slower metabolic rate.

Enjoy!
 
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CHromis always kill off members of their school until they feel they have enough room...usually happens at night when they den up.
 
Sk8r said:
CHromis always kill off members of their school until they feel they have enough room...usually happens at night when they den up.
Click to expand...

huh?? never had chromis do this?? i have an "over stocked" and over crowded 29G.

i feed my fish until they're fat and bloated... maybe that helps them live happy enough they don't "kill" each other off...hmm
 
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Sk8r said:
CHromis always kill off members of their school until they feel they have enough room...usually happens at night when they den up.
Click to expand...

+1 for Sk8r (I have a friend who's had this exact thing happen)

Also doubt a mate for the clown is a good idea. Perhaps if they were both juveniles and no other fish but that's not the case. Goby's are fun. I actually just bought a yellow watchman and sometimes he perches and looks around and other times he's "standing" vertical or bouncing to the surface and back straight up and down.
 
hemicuda said:
huh?? never had chromis do this?? i have an "over stocked" and over crowded 29G.
Click to expand...

Count yourself fortunate. Just do a search and you'll see how fortunate! Chromis are notorious for picking each other off.

There will always be individual exceptions to every rule and I don't think anything going on in your tank is "normal". Maybe they have become sort of like an African cichild setup where they are so cramped and there are so many targets for aggression they've just "given up".

At any rate, I would certainly never in good conscience recommend anyone do what you've done. Even you admit you've been lucky! :lol:
 
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