Fish Recommendations?

U

Umbriel

New member
I'm a bit frightened to do this, and I hope I'm asking in the right place...

I'm working on a twelve-gallon tank right now and I while I have a couple more weeks to wait, I want to make sure that I'm not pursuing fish that will be futile to purchase. I've already been warned several times how hard it is to do such a small tank, but I plan on working my hardest at it and I'm not going to give up.

I was trying to think up what fish to use; however, despite the extensive (it seems) research I've done, I'm still worried. So here's what I was thinking as options, but I'm not really sure...

-african flameback angel
-strawberry pseudochromis
-six line wrasse
-purple firefish (or perhaps just a firefish)

I have a feeling that may be far too much in my tank, so maybe less may work better. I recently read in a thread that wrasses and pseudochromis will fight each other, so I want to beware that as well.

But if what I just listed is a futile list, then what, perhaps, would be best suited for a small tank? I'm willing to take any suggestions that are given, because I haven't purchased anything yet and won't be for quite some time. The tank should be reef-safe, as I'm hoping to place some coral into the tank (I know that no angels are reef-safe, however; is it worth the risk?) Please be gentle; I know I am a beginner, but I get skittish easily.

I greatly appreciate any help that can be given to me. As a beginner, I want to make sure that my fish are best-suited for the environment that they will inhabit.
 
Re: Fish Recommendations?

I greatly appreciate any help that can be given to me. As a beginner, I want to make sure that my fish are best-suited for the environment that they will inhabit. [/B][/QUOTE]

You are well ahead of your time:D

on that note.....you can quite possibly only fit 2 nano fish in that size aquarium.

firefish....or purple would work (do not add another one unless they are a proven pair)

any of the smaller shrimp gobies would work.

Or my personal preference......one little reef basslet......i.e. swissgaurd or swales.....great hardy little guys!

stay away from the others on your list......tank is far too small.

oh and WELCOME!!!!
 
Cwoods-

Thanks for the advice, I really do appreciate it.

I had a feeling that I would overdo it with too many fish. I think, depending on what I can find, one or two fish will be fine. Quality over quantity, right?

If I get a firefish of some sort (which I'm really thinking of), I would only plan on having one. As for the others, that's fine. It gives me something to look forward to in the future when I can support a larger tank, and allows me to try out some different things in the one that I have.

Regarding your selections, I'm doing research on them right now. If anybody else has anything to share, I'd greatly appreciate it.

And, again, thank you for all your help! It means a lot to me.
 
you're WELCOME!!

since your on the subject of firefish...........one of my personal favs.......Helfrichi (pricey but gorgeous) and a rubre (swissguard)

any more questions Umbriel......we are all here to help....

i do commend you on your willingness to do research before you make an impulse buy! (as many of us never did as newbies......)

add the fish one at a time........never stock at once......a system that small could crash easily........

ENJOY!
 
Helfrichi firefish are pretty, but I just don't have the money for that kind of fish. Maybe when I'm not the stereotypical 'poor college student'. I've been watching a healthy purple firefish specimen at my local LFS, and I've fallen in love.

In all my online research, most sites contradict each other on minimum aquarium sizes for most smaller fish, except for the firefish, which apparently is suitable for a minimum of a ten-gallon tank. Macimage mentioned some of the reef-safe wrasses (the site listed the Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse as suitable for a ten-gallon, but then when I looked other places, it said it needed a bigger aquarium).

I just am uncertain...are there any reef-safe wrasses that can live in my twelve-gallon and survive? That's what I'd like to know.

I've gone to my local LFS and drooled over the many gorgeous fish before, but as I've read and heard, one must be pragmatic in this sort of hobby. So I am just waiting for the day when I can support a larger aquarium; in the meantime, I can dream without making impulse buys.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810294#post12810294 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Umbriel
Helfrichi firefish are pretty, but I just don't have the money for that kind of fish. Maybe when I'm not the stereotypical 'poor college student'. I've been watching a healthy purple firefish specimen at my local LFS, and I've fallen in love.

In all my online research, most sites contradict each other on minimum aquarium sizes for most smaller fish, except for the firefish, which apparently is suitable for a minimum of a ten-gallon tank. Macimage mentioned some of the reef-safe wrasses (the site listed the Carpenter's Flasher Wrasse as suitable for a ten-gallon, but then when I looked other places, it said it needed a bigger aquarium).

I just am uncertain...are there any reef-safe wrasses that can live in my twelve-gallon and survive? That's what I'd like to know.

I've gone to my local LFS and drooled over the many gorgeous fish before, but as I've read and heard, one must be pragmatic in this sort of hobby. So I am just waiting for the day when I can support a larger aquarium; in the meantime, I can dream without making impulse buys.
Click to expand...
A wrasse would live in a 12G tank, but I would never feel comfortable putting one in a tank so small.
 
Size and activity level are what you need to consider when selecting specimens for a tank this small. I agree the firefish should be fine. I would avoid any damsels/clownfish in a space this small if you want to have other fish as well. I think all wrasse are too active to be happy in this environment as well, flashers/fairies, and a six-line are typically too agressive.

I think shrimp gobies may be ok.

You could also look at clown gobies, rainsford/hectors gobies, greenbanded goby, neon gobies.

There may also be some small blennies, anyone else??? Blennies are typically very entertaining to watch and usually peaceful fish. The tail spot is one that comes to mind.
 
I would be very careful with small gobies; many are pod eaters/sand-sifters and will probably starve in a tank that small. My rainfordi pops up all over my tank with a mouthful of sand.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12810368#post12810368 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BangkokMatt
Show me a pic and I'll consider it:smokin:
Click to expand...

oh......she's (the wife) one of those fish that should have been left out in the ocean......i.e. not suitable for captive life:eek1:

..........kills off everything in your tank:mad2:
 
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