Final post on getting another fish or two

[phishman1]

All I have from my damsel disaster are 2 smallish clown fish. Its a 46 gallon bowfront reef tank.

I have a lot of soft corals as well, beginner type let's say as that is what I am.

Had 2 Gramma accidents and got frustrated, damsel killed the first one, my fault should have done my research there, second one apparently got stuck in a rock crevice and my emerald crab was dragging it out.

I am looking for something relatively cheap as I'm on a budget. The damsel has been removed.

I even thought of two Kupang Damsels and they are colorful and for a damsel I suppose less aggressive.

Blennies, Goby?

Anything of information would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

 

[taillonjohn]

personally I like gobies, I find them very friendly community fish, never had a problem with the ones I've had, they are relatively inexpensive, and they come in a variety of striking bright colors. Careful though, they will break your heart if you dont have a lid on your tank.

 

[cody6766]

Gobies are good. Blennies never last long in my experience. They either jump or don't eat. My coral beauty angel adds some wonderful color and it's always active. A single anthias adds a ton of color and some nice activity. Ditto for a single green chromis and a single yellow-tail damsel. While many damsels are problem fish, I've kept a yellow tail damsel in just about every tank I've owned and only had aggression when I tried to keep more than one together. They haven't ever bothered another fish.

 

[phishman1]

Had a yellow tail damsel to begin with, that's where the Gramma story begins unfortunately, I introduced the Gramma, turned off the lights as I had been instructed in reading for a bit to aid in stress, turned it back on about and hour or so later and the Damsel had just attacked and attacked till the fins and tail of the Gramma was torn to pieces. Took the Damsel out and hoped the Gramma would recover, it did not, in two days it was dead from its wounds. Then the LFS owner felt bad and gave me a replacement Gramma, since the Damsel was gone it shouldn't be a problem. Three straight days of just hiding in a rock crevice seemed weird, it moved its gills but I never saw it come out, fourth day my small emerald crab was hauling out the dead carcass of the gramma from another hole in the rock. Wonderful. Next day a clown jumped out of the tank. Shored up the small area where they could jump out immediately, went out and got another clown from same tank as original, they are doing fine. I almost want to get two Kapanga Damsels tomorrow, seems odd but they are striking. LFS want me to get a Chalk Bass, but not sure. Should have just heeded the original advice of folks and cycled the tank with bottle bacteria, live rock and patience...., now not sure what to add still. I do like the Goby suggestion though.....thanks for the input, much appreciated.

 

[Fiish]

How are your levels in general? New fish almost always get to hide in the tank, but three days of a hidden fish is not very normal anymore, I think you should find a balance point in your tank before adding other fish apart from the damsels that you are already waiting for.

 

[phishman1]

Water parameters are perfect, have been for a while now. Exception being low calcium but I'm slowly building that back. Alk was high but its now acceptable range.

Other than that, ph, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite etc., all in great shape.

Jim

 

[lionfish300]

What about a couple of these Banggai Cardinalfish