Beginner Fish For First-Time Hobbyist (40-gallon FOWLR)

[Zionas]

So after a bit more thinking, I've decided to enter the hobby with a 40-gallon FOWLR tank because the 75-gallon I won't have enough space for. I will be keeping 5-6 fish and a couple of invertebrates. If my situation further down the line allows me to do so, I may consider upgrading to a reef tank with an anemone.

I am currently eyeing these species that are high on my priority list, and thinking of something like this:

Scenario 1-

1. x2 Ocellaris / True Percula Clownfish (these will be my first fish once my tank has cycled)

2. x2 Banggai / Pajama Cardinalfish

3. x1 Lawnmower Blenny

4. x1 Coral Beauty Angelfish / Flame Angelfish



Scenario 2-
1. x2 Ocellaris / True Percula Clownfish (again, these will be my first fish)

2. x2 Red / Purple Firefish

3. x1 Lawnmower Blenny

4. x1 Coral Beauty / Flame Angelfish



Scenario 3-
1. x2 Ocellaris / True Percula Clownfish

2. x2 Banggai / Pajama Cardinalfish

3. x1 Red / Purple Firefish

4. x1 Lawnmower Blenny



Scenario 4-
1. x2 Ocellaris / True Percula Clownfish

2. x1 Royal Gramma (if I can find one)

3. x1 Coral Beauty / Flame Angelfish OR x1 Fairy Wrasse

4. x2 Red / Purple Firefish OR x2 Bangaii / Pajama Cardinalfish



Scenario 5-
1. x2 Ocellaris / True Percula Clownfish

2. x1 species of Fairy Wrasse

3. x2 Red / Purple Firefish OR x2 Bangaii / Pajama Cardinalfish

4. x1 Coral Beauty / Flame Angelfish / Royal Gramma / Lawnmower Blenny



Are there any species I haven't mentioned that you believe are undemanding and very reliable for a complete noob? I would really like to have a dwarf angelfish but I'm not sure if I should consider getting one before my tank is established.

I'm taking a very "œconservative" approach at the start, with the goal of minimizing casualties rather than going for the overly exotic / beautiful. I want fish that are hardy, undemanding, readily eat all kinds of food, and aren't overly aggressive.

As for inverts, I have no idea yet because I don't know nearly as much about them as I do about fish.



Another combination I'll add is x2 Clownfish, x2 Firefish, x2 Cardinalfish. If I ever do decide to get Damsels I'm only going to consider the Blue Damselfish (Blue Devil?) or the Yellowtail Blue. I'd probably keep a pair.

Fish that I may consider further down the line (but not sure about):

1. x1 False Moorish Idol

2. x1 Auriga Butterflyfish

3. Blue Green Reef Chromis (I will keep no more than 3)




Remember to give advice based on a very conservative approach with the intent of maintaining stability and minimizing / preventing casualties before beauty / exoticism. I'm not looking to go all-out in terms of anything for at least 6-7 months, possibly a bit over a year.

The fish I get should also be fairly readily available. I will need to find a good LFS with home service / tank maintenance service.




Note: Two things. First, I noticed that almost all of my "œscenarios" include the Firefish, I will be having a sealed tank but I still worry about them jumping and dying. I do know apart from that they're very easy fish to care for. Also, should I avoid wild caught specimens at all cost, even if my LFS has properly quarantined them and they're swimming and eating well?

 

[moondoggy4]

Scenario 1, you could still add the Firefish I had one and I had for a year until I did not see it anymore, nice fish I miss it.

 

[Myles]

I would skip the firefish as moondogy's experience is not uncommon-they are very passive and sooner or later start to spend more time hiding in the rock work and eventually disappearing.
In a tank that size I would change the lawnmower blenny for a bicolor blenny or another blenny from the genus Escsenius as not all lawnmower blennies take prepared food with gusto and the tank is too small to grow sufficient algae.
A 40 is too small for a fairy wrasse, butterfly, or moorish idol so wait till you get a larger tank before considering these fish.
You might want to consider a longnose or flame hawk unless you are planning on keeping shrimp.
I like everything else about your scenarios.
Myles

 

[ThRoewer]

Maybe you should aim smaller. A 10 gallon tank would be just right for a pair of Yasha gobies and a pair of candy cane pistol shrimp.
In a 20 gallon tank you could add a pair of small damselfish like Chrysiptera hemicyanea or the like. A pair of Gramma would also be an option.
In a 40 gallon you could also add a small harem group of 3 to 4 pygmy angels (C. argi would be the most suited).
Of course, it really depends on what you can find locally. Caribbean fish may be hard to get in Asia and rather pricey.
Ultimately it would be best to wait with making solid plans until you are in the country where you want to set up the tank and explore what is available there.


Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[Zionas]

Since I’ll be starting my tank in Asia, I doubt I’d be able to readily find Atlantic species but I am not 100% ruling out the possibility that there will be some available ones. I know about the Longnose Hawkfish and the Flame Hawkfish but I’m worried about their aggression and their unique behavior (they like to perch). Would they be good to add to the tank in it’s early post-cycle stage, after my pair of clowns?

Blennies-I think I’ll go for the Bicolor or another Escensius provided they’re readily available in the Asian saltwater aquarium trade.

Cardinalfish-I’s love a pair of Bangaii or Pyjama, though I heard these fish in general are very hardy.

Royal Gramma-Very beautiful and I’d like to have one or a pair if I could gain access, but unfortunately they’re an Atlantic species.

Longnose / Flame Hawkfish-I’d be very interested in these fish but I want to keep shrimp and crabs as part of my CuC. How much of a threat are they to invertebrates?

Gobies-Which ones are the most readily available and easiest to keep? (And don’t jump)

Dwarf Angels-I only know the Coral Beauty and the Flame Angelfish. c. argi is an Atlantic species so I’ll have to take my chances. Assuming I cannot find a Coral Beauty / Flame / c. argi, are there any other species of Dwarf Angels that are really easy to keep? If I get a Dwarf Angel / a they’ll be the centerpiece of my first tank which will start as a FOWLR.

Damselfish-Yeah, the Demoiselles and the Fiji Blue, the more peaceful species are the only ones I’m willing to consider. I’ve heard hardiness issues about Chromis so I’ll leave them for now.


My tank size will either be 30 or 40 gallons due to limited apartment space. How many fish can I keep safely in a 30-gallon, and how many can I keep safely in a 40-gallon? 52-Weeks of Reefing doesn’t seem to give a clear answer. I’d also like a CuC.

 

[Myles]

Most gobies are very peaceful and hardy so choose one you like. They will jump so cover the tank and it won't be an issue.
Hawkfish will be a threat to crustaceans-the longnose is probably going to be more peaceful to fish tank mates. If you go that route consider serpent or brittle stars (other than the green) instead of shrimp to scavenge waste food.
While you are learning the ropes I would keep the tank relatively sparsely populated as I think you are less likely to have problems with fewer fish.
Myles

 

[Zionas]

I’ll keep it at 3-4 fish for at least a month, along with a CuC, do you believe the biomass would be too heavy for a starter’s 40 gal tank? What fish would be ideal after the clownfish? (I’m planning to add my second fish / pair of fish around a week after the clownfish, if that interval is enough).

 

[Myles]

From your list: the goby/and or blenny will most likely be less aggressive than the clowns, and should be added before. The cardinals are about the same or a little more aggressive than an ocellaris clown so it probably doesn't matter much which goes in first If you get a hawk it should after everything else on your list with the exception of the dwarf angels which can get aggressive and should go last. There is a lot of individual variation in fish so take this suggestion with a grain of salt.
3-4 would be fine to start with.

 

[Zionas]

I’ve done some more research and I’ve come up with another list of scenarios to give my tank a solid start. I will not completely rule out Hawkfish, but I will be ruling out Dwarf Angelfish (not sure about pygmies) and I don’t know if I can have room for a Fairy or Flasher Wrasse. Please let me know which of these is viable and which would be the easiest for a first-timer. Now, another thing is I might have to reduce the size of my tank even further to 30 gallons. How much harder would a 30-gallon tank be to maintain? Sorry to bother you all.



Scenario 1:
-A pair of Ocellaris (or black Ocellaris) Clownfish

-A blenny of the Ecsensius genus (Bicolor, Midas etc.)


-A Clown Goby, Neon Goby, Firefish, Watchman Goby, or a Shrimp Goby (with a pistol shrimp)




Scenario 2:
-A pair of Ocellaris (or black Ocellaris) clownfish

-A Royal Gramma or Blackcap Basslet

-A Blenny of the Ecsensius genus or a Clown, Neon, Firefish, Watchman, or Shrimp (with a pistol shrimp) goby




Scenario 3:
-A pair of Pajama Cardinalfish

-A Blenny of the Ecsensius genus

-A Clown, Neon, Firefish, Watchman, or Shrimp Goby (with a pistol shrimp)


Scenario 4:
-A pair of Pajama Cardinalfish

-A Royal Gramma or Blackcap Basslet

-An ecsensius blenny or one of the types of gobies I mentioned above


Scenario 5:
-A Royal Gramma

-A Blackcap Basslet

-A Blenny of the Ecsensius genus

-A goby



Scenario 6:
-A pair of Ocellaris Clownfish (or black) or Pajama Cardinalfish

-A Royal Gramma

-A Blackcap Basslet



Scenario 7:
-A Royal Gramma or Blackcap Basslet

-A Blenny of the Ecsensius genus

-A Goby from the types mentioned above

-A Possum / Pygmy Wrasse



Scenario 8:
-A pair of Ocellaris / Black Ocellaris Clownfish or a pair of Pajama Cardinalfish

-A Royal Gramma or Blackcap Basslet

-A Possum / Pygmy Wrasse



Scenario 9:
-A Royal Gramma

-A Blackcap Basslet

-An Ecsensius blenny or a goby

-A Possum / Pygmy Wrasse



Scenario 10:
-A pair of Ocellaris Clownfish (including black)

-A pair of Pajama Cardinalfish



Which scenarios are viable and which would be the easiest to take care of for a 30/40-gallon FOWLR tank, first time marine aquarist?









































If I don’t want the clownfish pair or Cardinalfish pair as my first fish, are there any alternatives?

 

[Myles]

All scenarios should work. Royal gramma is less aggressive than the Blackcap.
Clown gobies sometimes come in with ich so be sure to quarantine-hardy if healthy. The blenny should have a barnacle shell which they love as homes. If you go for a shrimp/goby pair be sure to put the rockwork on the bottom and then add sand. If the rocks are placed on the sand the tunnel digging can lead to a rock slide.
Myles

 

[wrott]

From the first list:

I'd do #3.
But minus the blenny and plus x1 Flasher wrasse.

40g, not enough space long term for Angel--aggressive. And 2 firefish together will fight.

You can add some cool little gobies later.

Take a pic when you get settled. gl