Livestock List - Comments Please

[Fermat]

Below is a list of critters I am considering to add to my tank over the next 6 months. Comments are welcome on compatibility or general experiences, and suggestions for alternatives are very welcome too!

Fish
* Ocellaris Clown
* Yellowtail Damsel
* Flame Hawk (3")
Royal Gramma Basslet
Flame Angelfish

Inverts
* 2 + 6 Scarlet Reef Hermits
* 30 Margarita Snails
* 3 Super Tongon Nassarius Snails
Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (large)
Red Sea Star
Black Longspine Urchin
Hawaiian Feather Duster
Bulb Anemone

Coral
Green Fluorescent Mushroom
Colony Polyp

Plants
Maiden's Hair

An asterisk * indicates critters I already have in my tank. Tank specs in sig. Live rock is 2 months in tank, and trates are at 7.5 and falling... Hope to get under 5 before adding anything. I do not yet see any pods.

Notes:
1. I know hawks can eat shrimp, so I plan to get the largest shrimp I can find.
2. I might wait till later this year after I add a sump/fuge to add some of the more sensitive inverts.
3. I have a QT and plan to quarantine everything.
4. My clown has hung out at the surface of the tank since I freaked him out by adding lr. It has been 2 months! I may read up carefully on things I can add to the tank to entice him to come down.

Thanks!

 

[Randall_James]

I would ditch the Damsel
Flame Hawk is a "so-so" choice for that tank IMO
To many snails, maybe 5-10 tops (I have 4 snails in a 24G nano and it is fine) If they are true Margarites, they are going to thin out on their own anyway as they are a cooler water species and do not typically do very well in home tanks.
Nix on the Anemone (tank is just too small)

The clown is going to do his own thing and if he is doing that after 2 months? you might try rearranging the rock?

 

[rustybucket145]

2nd nixing the anemone. It will end up killing all of your corals.

 

[tkeracer619]

I would

Add another small clown

Get a blue pincushin or purple urchin. Long spines get basketball size.

maybe get a sump for some added volume and then get an anemone. They get large, sting corals, and move around so you have to plan for it. My RBTAs have not killed anything yet.

 

[Fermat]

Thanks so far...

I knew I might be pushing things a bit with the anemone, and I definitely would wait till I add the sump/fuge. I had heard of others with 30g with good success with the anemone, but yeah they can get large.

The hawk is way too cool! We're definitely gonna keep him. I think he's the only definite.

I may sell some of the snails... (lfs will give me $0.75 each) Actually, I have over a hundred probably... I bought only 4 or 5 and they spawned... Only 1 of the original 4 is still alive, so I think they are true margarites and as said they'll probably thin as well.

I forgot to mention that I have 3 nassarius snails which are fun to watch come out every feeding.

I wanted the pincushin, but my wife wants the longspine instead. If I get one that is 2", how long will it take for him to get, say, to 5" where I might consider selling? Or would that be considered unfair to the animal?

 

[Fermat]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8964109#post8964109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Randall_James
I would ditch the Damsel

Why get rid of the damsel? Because of his aggressive nature, or just to make room for the others? This one is one of my originals, and has always been extremely peaceful. Before lr he was pretty boring, but now he's much happier swimming in/out of the rockwork.

 

[Randall_James]

well hey if he is easy going, perhaps he is ok, just that Damsels have bad raps around other fish

 

[Fermat]

Yeah, I've been following another thread on the aggressiveness of yellowtails. Seems they are pretty mild compared to most damsels, but not always.

 

[SgJsg35]

The damsel may be ok with the fish you have in the tank because its used to them,it might turn mean when you add something new. They like to claim the whole tank as there territory.I like the yellowtails too for a damsel they are pretty mild.I had a blue devil that took over my tank,was not real easy to remove.If your going to get rid of it do it before you have everything set up the way you want it to stay.

 

[Fermat]

Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. I'm pretty sure the yellowtail will not bother the flame angel (probably the other way around), so I'd only be concerned about the royal gramma. I'm gonna think about returning the yellowtail and getting a 2nd clown, but only if I can determine if the 2nd clown will help the 1st clown come down from the surface.

I've added other fish (such as the clown) with the yellowtail present, and he completely ignored him.

I think one reason he's so tame is because of some of his previous tank mates. I used to have a 2-stripe damsel (very aggressive, but great fun), and a royal dottyback. Both would pick on the yellowtail whenever they had a chance. I've since found new homes for those fish, but maybe my yellowtail is more mild because of those tank mates. He has not really grown in 1.25 years, probably because he was so busy re-growing his tailfin. Now his fins are in pristine shape and I was hoping he'd have a chance to fatten up a bit.

 

[Fermat]

Ok, thinking... so far...

1. Thinking to ditch the longspine urchin, and replacing with a pincusion, assuming I can convince the mrs.

2. Thinking to ditch the anemone (*sniff*, have to wait for the bigger tank I keep asking for) and perhaps replace with a coral such as a starburst polyp or button polyp.

3. Thinking to add a 2nd clown, but want to research if this will help my 1st clown come down. Should I instead buy a mated pair? Or, is it a reasonable option to find a new home for my current clown, and get a completely new one who might be more disposed to move down toward the rockwork?

4. Thinking to ditch the yellowtail, but he's such a friendly guy and we've had him since the beginning... Still thinking.

 

[chrisstie]

I would add a blenny or a goby ;p they're so adorable and fun to watch - some are kind of common looking but a midas blenny is beautiful with great personality and is more "swimmy" than some of the perching\algae blennies..

i like my yellow watchman gobies but they are a little cryptic except when they smell food

 

[Reet15]

Try adding some hairy mushroom to see if your clown will host it, i've seen it happen in more than one tank. Good luck.